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Sample records for lmds service subject

  1. The System Design of a Global Communications System for Military and Commercial use Utilizing High Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Terrestrial Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS) Sites

    OpenAIRE

    Banks, Bradley

    2000-01-01

    This thesis proposes the design of the UAV-LMDS communication system for military and commercial use. The UAV-LMDS system is a digital, wireless communication system that provides service using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flying at 60,000 ft. acting as communication hubs. This thesis provides background information on UAV-LMDS system elements, a financial analysis, theory, link budgets, system component design and implementation issues. To begin the design, we develop link budgets t...

  2. The impact of locally multiply damaged sites (LMDS) induced by ionizing radiation in mammalian cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Averbeck, D.; Boucher, D.

    2006-01-01

    Monte Carlo calculations have shown that ionising radiations produce a specific type of clustered cell damage called locally multiply damaged sites or LMDS. These lesions consist of closely positioned single-strand breaks, (oxidative) base damage and DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) in between one helical turn of DNA. As specific markers of radiation-induced damage these lesions are likely to condition biological responses and are thus of great interest for radiation protection. Calculations indicate that there should be more LMDS induced by high than by low LET radiation, and they should be absent in un-irradiated cells. Processes like K-shell activation and local Auger electron emission can be expected to add complex DSB or LMDS, producing significant chromosomal damage. In the discussion of the specificity of ionising radiation in comparison to other genotoxic agents, many arguments have been put forward that these lesions should be particularly deleterious for living cells. Complex lesions of that type should represent big obstacles for DNA repair and give rise to high lethality. Moreover, cellular attempts to repair them could accentuate harm, leading to mutations, genetic instability and cancer. In vitro experiments with oligonucleotides containing an artificially introduced set of base damage and SSB in different combinations have shown that depending on the close positioning of the damage on DNA, repair enzymes, and even whole cell extracts, are unable to repair properly and may stimulate mis-repair. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) in conjunction with enzymatic treatments has been used to detect LMDS in mammalian cells after high and low LET radiation. In order to further define the importance of LMDS for radiation induced cellular responses, we studied the induction of LMDS as a function of radiation dose and dose rate in mammalian cells (CHO and MRC5) using 137 Cs gamma-radiation. Using PFGE and specific glycosylases to convert oxidative damage into

  3. The impact of locally multiply damaged sites (LMDS) induced by ionizing radiation in mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Averbeck, D.; Boucher, D. [Institut Curie-Section de Recherche, UMR2027 CNRS, LCR-V28 du CEA, Centre Universitaire, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France)

    2006-07-01

    Monte Carlo calculations have shown that ionising radiations produce a specific type of clustered cell damage called locally multiply damaged sites or LMDS. These lesions consist of closely positioned single-strand breaks, (oxidative) base damage and DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) in between one helical turn of DNA. As specific markers of radiation-induced damage these lesions are likely to condition biological responses and are thus of great interest for radiation protection. Calculations indicate that there should be more LMDS induced by high than by low LET radiation, and they should be absent in un-irradiated cells. Processes like K-shell activation and local Auger electron emission can be expected to add complex DSB or LMDS, producing significant chromosomal damage. In the discussion of the specificity of ionising radiation in comparison to other genotoxic agents, many arguments have been put forward that these lesions should be particularly deleterious for living cells. Complex lesions of that type should represent big obstacles for DNA repair and give rise to high lethality. Moreover, cellular attempts to repair them could accentuate harm, leading to mutations, genetic instability and cancer. In vitro experiments with oligonucleotides containing an artificially introduced set of base damage and SSB in different combinations have shown that depending on the close positioning of the damage on DNA, repair enzymes, and even whole cell extracts, are unable to repair properly and may stimulate mis-repair. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) in conjunction with enzymatic treatments has been used to detect LMDS in mammalian cells after high and low LET radiation. In order to further define the importance of LMDS for radiation induced cellular responses, we studied the induction of LMDS as a function of radiation dose and dose rate in mammalian cells (CHO and MRC5) using {sup 137}Cs gamma-radiation. Using PFGE and specific glycosylases to convert oxidative damage

  4. 47 CFR 25.257 - Special requirements for operations in the band 29.1-29.25 GHz between NGSO MSS and LMDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Special requirements for operations in the band 29.1-29.25 GHz between NGSO MSS and LMDS. 25.257 Section 25.257 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS Technical Standards § 25...

  5. 47 CFR 22.228 - Cellular rural service area licenses subject to competitive bidding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cellular rural service area licenses subject to... Procedures § 22.228 Cellular rural service area licenses subject to competitive bidding. Mutually exclusive initial applications for Cellular Rural Service Area licenses are subject to competitive bidding. The...

  6. The role of physical activity in pre-service teachers’ subjective vitality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah Bora Özkara

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: In the present study, subjective vitality considered to be one of the contributions provided by participation in physical activity is examined on a sample of pre-service teachers. When teachers who are important part of education system are healthy and fit, it will help to build future generations. Materials: The research was conducted in the city of Trabzon, located in the northeastern region of Turkey. The sample of the study is composed of 328 last grade pre-service teachers (133 women, 195 men, age: 23.14 ± 2.62 studying at Karadeniz Technical University in the academic year of 2015-2016. Data was collected through Childhood and Adolescence Physical Activity Levels Questionnaire, Subjective Vitality Scale, and a personal information form asking for information about gender, doing sports as a certified sportsman/woman and department. Results: The research results yielded a significant difference between subjective vitality levels of those who do sports as a certified sportsman/woman and those who do not, and between pre-service teachers of physical education and those of other departments (p<0,01. There was also a positive and low-level significant relationship between subjective vitality and physical activity experiences of pre-service teachers (r= .23; p<0.01. However, subjective vitality did not differ significantly by gender. Conclusions: The research results seem to support other studies that reveal social and psychological contributions provided by participation in physical activity. Therefore, participation in physical activity seems to have positive effects on the subjective vitality of pre-service teachers.

  7. Optimal Service Distribution in WSN Service System Subject to Data Security Constraints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Zhao; Xiong, Naixue; Huang, Yannong; Gu, Qiong

    2014-01-01

    Services composition technology provides a flexible approach to building Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Service Applications (WSA) in a service oriented tasking system for WSN. Maintaining the data security of WSA is one of the most important goals in sensor network research. In this paper, we consider a WSN service oriented tasking system in which the WSN Services Broker (WSB), as the resource management center, can map the service request from user into a set of atom-services (AS) and send them to some independent sensor nodes (SN) for parallel execution. The distribution of ASs among these SNs affects the data security as well as the reliability and performance of WSA because these SNs can be of different and independent specifications. By the optimal service partition into the ASs and their distribution among SNs, the WSB can provide the maximum possible service reliability and/or expected performance subject to data security constraints. This paper proposes an algorithm of optimal service partition and distribution based on the universal generating function (UGF) and the genetic algorithm (GA) approach. The experimental analysis is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the suggested algorithm. PMID:25093346

  8. The Role of Subjective Task Value in Service-Learning Engagement among Chinese College Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yulan; Guo, Fangfang; Yao, Meilin; Wang, Cong; Yan, Wenfan

    2016-01-01

    Most service-learning studies in higher education focused on its effects on students' development. The dynamic processes and mechanisms of students' development during service-learning, however, have not been explored thoroughly. Student engagement in service-learning may affect service-learning outcomes and be affected by subjective task value at the same time. The present study aimed to explore the effect of subjective task value on Chinese college student engagement during service-learning. Fifty-four Chinese college students participated in a 9-weeks service-learning program of interacting with children with special needs. Students' engagement and subjective task value were assessed via self-report questionnaires and 433 weekly reflective journals. The results indicated that the cognitive, emotional and behavioral engagement of Chinese college students demonstrated different developmental trends during service-learning process. Subjective task value played an essential role in student engagement in service-learning activities. However, the role of subjective task value varied with different stages. Finally, the implications for implementing service-learning in Chinese education were discussed.

  9. The Role of Subjective Task Value in Service-Learning Engagement among Chinese College Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yulan; Guo, Fangfang; Yao, Meilin; Wang, Cong; Yan, Wenfan

    2016-01-01

    Most service-learning studies in higher education focused on its effects on students’ development. The dynamic processes and mechanisms of students’ development during service-learning, however, have not been explored thoroughly. Student engagement in service-learning may affect service-learning outcomes and be affected by subjective task value at the same time. The present study aimed to explore the effect of subjective task value on Chinese college student engagement during service-learning. Fifty-four Chinese college students participated in a 9-weeks service-learning program of interacting with children with special needs. Students’ engagement and subjective task value were assessed via self-report questionnaires and 433 weekly reflective journals. The results indicated that the cognitive, emotional and behavioral engagement of Chinese college students demonstrated different developmental trends during service-learning process. Subjective task value played an essential role in student engagement in service-learning activities. However, the role of subjective task value varied with different stages. Finally, the implications for implementing service-learning in Chinese education were discussed. PMID:27445919

  10. 47 CFR 101.1112 - Definitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Definitions. 101.1112 Section 101.1112... SERVICES Competitive Bidding Procedures for LMDS § 101.1112 Definitions. (a) Scope. The definitions in this... million. (d) Entrepreneur. An entrepreneur is an entity that, together with its affiliates and controlling...

  11. Energizing Subject Guide Service with Web 2.0

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheau-Hwang Chang

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This article will use LibGuides as an example to illustrate how a Web 2.0 platform can energize the subject guide service and give librarians an edge in expanding their roles. Topics to be discussed will include a brief introduction to LibGuides and its capabilities to energize subject guide creation, how it has been used by academic libraries, how it is used in Maxwell Library in expanding librarian's role, and finally its implications on librarianship.

  12. Subjective Evaluation of Packet Service Performance in UMTS and Heterogeneous Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Teyeb, Oumer Mohammed; Sørensen, Troels Bundgaard; Mogensen, Preben

    2006-01-01

    Quality of Service (QoS) in mobile telecommunication systems is usually identified by some basic performance metrics such as delay, throughput and jitter. However, the main impact of service quality is on the end user, and as such a detailed study of service performance should involve the end user......, users rated the perceived quality of the services under different network conditions. The users’ ratings are analyzed and the results showed clear trends with very few outliers. The objective and subjective measures also were found to be in line except for one case where a higher layer effect influenced....... In this paper, such an approach is taken where subjective performance evaluation is undertaken for web browsing and video streaming services in Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) and a heterogeneous network comprised of UMTS and Wireless LAN (WLAN). Using a real-time network emulation testbed...

  13. Human Subjects Protection: A Source for Ethical Service-Learning Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wendler, Rachael

    2012-01-01

    Human subjects research ethics were developed to ensure responsible conduct when university researchers learn by interacting with community members. As service-learning students also learn by interacting with community members, a similar set of principles may strengthen the ethical practice of service-learning. This article identifies ethical…

  14. 42 CFR 412.20 - Hospital services subject to the prospective payment systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... payment systems. 412.20 Section 412.20 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MEDICARE PROGRAM PROSPECTIVE PAYMENT SYSTEMS FOR INPATIENT HOSPITAL SERVICES Hospital Services Subject to and Excluded From the Prospective Payment Systems for Inpatient...

  15. Effects of co-composting of lincomycin mycelia dregs with furfural slag on lincomycin degradation, maturity and microbial communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Shengtao; Guo, Xiali; Lu, Aqian; Guo, Xiaoying; Wang, Yan; Sun, Guoping; Guo, Weiwei; Ren, Chaobin; Wang, Lianzhong

    2018-05-26

    This paper investigated the effect of co-composting of lincomycin mycelia dregs (LMDs) with furfural slag on the degradation of lincomycin, maturity and microbial communities. Results showed that after 66 days composting, the concentration of lincomycin was removed above 99%. The final pH, C/N and germination index (GI) all met the national standards in maturity. Enumeration of total cultivable microbes showed the composting process was not inhibited by the addition of LMDs. Microbial diversity suggested that co-composting was beneficial to increase the abundance and diversity of bacterial communities for LMDs' treatment. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) indicated the bacteria communities were strongly affected by residual lincomycin, with lincomycin reduced greatly, microbial communities of T and CK became similar at the end of composting. The potential bacteria to degrade lincomycin were Anaerococcus, Peptostreptococcus, and Lactobacillus. Based on these results, this research indicated that the co-composting was a feasible treatment for LMDs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Local multipoint distribution system (LDMS) versus free-space optical (FSO) networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willebrand, Heinz A.; Clark, Gerald R.; Willson, Bryan; Andreu von Euw, Christian G.; Roy, Joe; Mayhew, Laurel M.

    2001-11-01

    This paper compares two emerging broadband access methodologies, Free Space Optics (FSO) and Local Multipoint Distribution System (LMDS) and the atmospheric propagation characteristics of each when exposed to a dynamically changing channel. The comparison focuses on bandwidth, availability, and distance requirements for the new broadband market and how LMDS and FSO can be used to meet these requirements. Possible network topologies and their associated costs are examined. This comparison takes into account the total cost of deployment, including equipment costs, installation fees, access fees, and spectrum licensing fees. LMDS and FSO are compared on speed of deployment, scalability, aggregate bandwidth, and bandwidth per customer. Present and projected capabilities of each technology are considered for their suitability in different locations in the network, from the Wide Area Network (WAN), to the Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), all the way to Last Mile Access. There is a discussion on the relative performance of LMDS and FSO, focusing on the different factors that can affect link availability. Since network design is a large factor in assuring overall reliability, the flexibility of each technology with regard to network design is compared. LMDS and FSO are both line of sight, space-propagated technologies, and as such, they are both susceptible to path impediments and atmospheric attenuation, dispersion, scattering, and absorption. LMDS and FSO are affected very differently by different meteorological phenomena. Problematic atmospheric conditions are, specifically scintillation, rainfall, and fog, are examined. In addition to a discussion of these conditions, various techniques for minimizing atmospheric and environmental effects are investigated. The paper concludes with a summary of findings and recommendations for a number of broadband wireless applications.

  17. International Field Reversible Thermal Connector (RevCon) Challenge

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-07-01

    direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) is chosen to fabricate the sophisticated wedge surfaces with...University 1st Prototype: MissStateU delivered a laser metal direct sintering (LMDS) piece, with oscillating heat pipes embedded in the device. The device...University DMLS direct metal laser sintering GIT Georgia Institute of Technology LMDS laser metal direct sintering MissStateU Mississippi

  18. Pre-service Teachers' Subject Knowledge of and Attitudes about Radioactivity and Ionising Radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denys Colclough, Nicholas; Lock, Roger; Soares, Allan

    2011-02-01

    This study focussed on secondary school (11-18 years) pre-service teachers' (n = 73) knowledge of and attitudes towards risks associated with alpha, beta, and gamma radiations. A multi-method approach was used with physics, chemistry, biology, and history graduates undertaking the one-year initial teacher training, Post Graduate Certificate in Education course at a university in central England. A novel research tool, involving interviews about real concrete contexts and first-hand data collection with radioactive sources, was employed to gain insights into a sub-set of the sample (n = 12) of pre-service teachers' subject knowledge of and attitudes towards risk. The subject knowledge of all the pre-service teachers was also measured using a Certainty of Response Index instrument; multiple-choice questions with associated confidence indicators. Although the physicists displayed the higher levels of knowledge, they also demonstrated limitations in their knowledge and held misconceptions such as irradiation being confused with contamination. Physics graduates hold more rational attitudes and a greater willingness to accept risk while the attitudes of graduates in the other subject disciplines are more disparate. These findings raise questions about the extent to which pre-service science and history teachers have the knowledge necessary to teach this topic. The article concludes with discussion of the implications these findings have for initial teacher training, continuing professional development needs for teachers already in the profession, and curriculum developers.

  19. 25 CFR 170.622 - What IRR programs, functions, services, and activities are subject to the self-governance...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What IRR programs, functions, services, and activities are subject to the self-governance construction regulations? 170.622 Section 170.622 Indians BUREAU OF..., functions, services, and activities are subject to the self-governance construction regulations? All IRR...

  20. A fuzzy MCDM model with objective and subjective weights for evaluating service quality in hotel industries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoraghi, Nima; Amiri, Maghsoud; Talebi, Golnaz; Zowghi, Mahdi

    2013-12-01

    This paper presents a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (FMCDM) model by integrating both subjective and objective weights for ranking and evaluating the service quality in hotels. The objective method selects weights of criteria through mathematical calculation, while the subjective method uses judgments of decision makers. In this paper, we use a combination of weights obtained by both approaches in evaluating service quality in hotel industries. A real case study that considered ranking five hotels is illustrated. Examples are shown to indicate capabilities of the proposed method.

  1. A case for teaching English as a service subject at universities in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A case for teaching English as a service subject at universities in Kenya. ... of this is that the learner is expected to acquire and utilize skills using a language he or she is not quite ... paper discusses the English language needs of Kenyan students at the time of entry to ... EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

  2. Developing Pre-Service Teachers' Subject Matter Knowledge of Electromagnetism by Integrating Concept Maps and Collaborative Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Govender, Nadaraj

    2015-01-01

    This case study explored the development of two pre-service teachers' subject matter knowledge (SMK) of electromagnetism while integrating the use of concept maps (CM) and collaborative learning (CL) strategies. The study aimed at capturing how these pre-service teachers' SMK in electromagnetism was enhanced after having been taught SMK in a…

  3. Service task partition and distribution in star topology computer grid subject to data security constraints

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiang Yanping [Collaborative Autonomic Computing Laboratory, School of Computer Science, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (China); Levitin, Gregory, E-mail: levitin@iec.co.il [Collaborative Autonomic Computing Laboratory, School of Computer Science, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (China); Israel electric corporation, P. O. Box 10, Haifa 31000 (Israel)

    2011-11-15

    The paper considers grid computing systems in which the resource management systems (RMS) can divide service tasks into execution blocks (EBs) and send these blocks to different resources. In order to provide a desired level of service reliability the RMS can assign the same blocks to several independent resources for parallel execution. The data security is a crucial issue in distributed computing that affects the execution policy. By the optimal service task partition into the EBs and their distribution among resources, one can achieve the greatest possible service reliability and/or expected performance subject to data security constraints. The paper suggests an algorithm for solving this optimization problem. The algorithm is based on the universal generating function technique and on the evolutionary optimization approach. Illustrative examples are presented. - Highlights: > Grid service with star topology is considered. > An algorithm for evaluating service reliability and data security is presented. > A tradeoff between the service reliability and data security is analyzed. > A procedure for optimal service task partition and distribution is suggested.

  4. Service task partition and distribution in star topology computer grid subject to data security constraints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiang Yanping; Levitin, Gregory

    2011-01-01

    The paper considers grid computing systems in which the resource management systems (RMS) can divide service tasks into execution blocks (EBs) and send these blocks to different resources. In order to provide a desired level of service reliability the RMS can assign the same blocks to several independent resources for parallel execution. The data security is a crucial issue in distributed computing that affects the execution policy. By the optimal service task partition into the EBs and their distribution among resources, one can achieve the greatest possible service reliability and/or expected performance subject to data security constraints. The paper suggests an algorithm for solving this optimization problem. The algorithm is based on the universal generating function technique and on the evolutionary optimization approach. Illustrative examples are presented. - Highlights: → Grid service with star topology is considered. → An algorithm for evaluating service reliability and data security is presented. → A tradeoff between the service reliability and data security is analyzed. → A procedure for optimal service task partition and distribution is suggested.

  5. The representation of health care services in Mexican television: potential consequences for health subjectivities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soledad Rojas Rajs

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to analyze the representation of health services in Mexican television, considering that television plays an important role in the production and reproduction of the social meanings of health. A descriptive study analyzed the contents of 672 hours of continuous television (media flows broadcast in Mexico in 2011, examining advertising, television shows and newscasts. The analysis of all these messages shows that the representation of private care services predominates. When public care services are mentioned, the communication is mainly regarding the Seguro Popular de Salud [Popular Health Insurance, for those with low incomes], while the social security model of care is underrepresented. We therefore conclude that television favors the two first models of health care. This kind of representation could hold potential consequences for health subjectivities.

  6. 研究論文/Management and Administration of Subject Services in Academic Libraries/邱銘心、蔡妍芳

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    邱銘心、蔡妍芳 Ming-Hsin Chiu, Yen-Fang Tsai

    2011-10-01

    provide many innovative services to enhance quality and functionality, and one of them is subject services. Subject services are provided through specialized, collection-based, and customized integral library services performed by subject specialists. This study utilizes the survey data collected from library directors or administrators from eight academic libraries, which have offered the subject services. It is intended to identify the questions and concerns of subject services regarding (1 the status of services provision; (2 library directors or administrators’ attitude toward and opinions on subject services; and (3 challenges and opportunities for subject services. Subject services is not new in the academic libraries in Europe and North America, compared with the early-staged development in Taiwan. With differences in academic environment, academic libraries in Taiwan should develop its own path and priorities in implementing subject services. It is hoped that this study can shed light on better management and better service of subject services for other academic libraries. 頁次:73-93

  7. Performance deterioration modeling and optimal preventive maintenance strategy under scheduled servicing subject to mission time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Dawei

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Servicing is applied periodically in practice with the aim of restoring the system state and prolonging the lifetime. It is generally seen as an imperfect maintenance action which has a chief influence on the maintenance strategy. In order to model the maintenance effect of servicing, this study analyzes the deterioration characteristics of system under scheduled servicing. And then the deterioration model is established from the failure mechanism by compound Poisson process. On the basis of the system damage value and failure mechanism, the failure rate refresh factor is proposed to describe the maintenance effect of servicing. A maintenance strategy is developed which combines the benefits of scheduled servicing and preventive maintenance. Then the optimization model is given to determine the optimal servicing period and preventive maintenance time, with an objective to minimize the system expected life-cycle cost per unit time and a constraint on system survival probability for the duration of mission time. Subject to mission time, it can control the ability of accomplishing the mission at any time so as to ensure the high dependability. An example of water pump rotor relating to scheduled servicing is introduced to illustrate the failure rate refresh factor and the proposed maintenance strategy. Compared with traditional methods, the numerical results show that the failure rate refresh factor can describe the maintenance effect of servicing more intuitively and objectively. It also demonstrates that this maintenance strategy can prolong the lifetime, reduce the total lifetime maintenance cost and guarantee the dependability of system.

  8. Quality assurance programs developed and implemented by the US Department of Energy`s Analytical Services Program for environmental restoration and waste management activities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lillian, D.; Bottrell, D. [Dept. of Energy, Germntown, MD (United States)

    1993-12-31

    The U.S. Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) has been tasked with addressing environmental contamination and waste problems facing the Department. A key element of any environmental restoration or waste management program is environmental data. An effective and efficient sampling and analysis program is required to generate credible environmental data. The bases for DOE`s EM Analytical Services Program (ASP) are contained in the charter and commitments in Secretary of Energy Notice SEN-13-89, EM program policies and requirements, and commitments to Congress and the Office of Inspector General (IG). The Congressional commitment by DOE to develop and implement an ASP was in response to concerns raised by the Chairman of the Congressional Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Subcommittee, and the Chairman of the Congressional Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, regarding the production of analytical data. The development and implementation of an ASP also satisfies the IG`s audit report recommendations on environmental analytical support, including development and implementation of a national strategy for acquisition of quality sampling and analytical services. These recommendations were endorsed in Departmental positions, which further emphasize the importance of the ASP to EM`s programs. In September 1990, EM formed the Laboratory Management Division (LMD) in the Office of Technology Development to provide the programmatic direction needed to establish and operate an EM-wide ASP program. In January 1992, LMD issued the {open_quotes}Analytical Services Program Five-Year Plan.{close_quotes} This document described LMD`s strategy to ensure the production of timely, cost-effective, and credible environmental data. This presentation describes the overall LMD Analytical Services Program and, specifically, the various QA programs.

  9. LMDS Lightweight Modular Display System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-02-16

    based on standard functions. This means that the cost to produce a particular display function can be met in the most economical fashion and at the same...not mean that the NTDS interface would be eliminated. What is anticipated is the use of ETHERNET at a low level of system interface, ie internal to...GENERATOR dSYMBOL GEN eCOMMUNICATION 3-2 The architecture of the unit’s (fig 3-4) input circuitry is based on a video table look-up ROM. The function

  10. A subjective scheduler for subjective dedicated networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suherman; Fakhrizal, Said Reza; Al-Akaidi, Marwan

    2017-09-01

    Multiple access technique is one of important techniques within medium access layer in TCP/IP protocol stack. Each network technology implements the selected access method. Priority can be implemented in those methods to differentiate services. Some internet networks are dedicated for specific purpose. Education browsing or tutorial video accesses are preferred in a library hotspot, while entertainment and sport contents could be subjects of limitation. Current solution may use IP address filter or access list. This paper proposes subjective properties of users or applications are used for priority determination in multiple access techniques. The NS-2 simulator is employed to evaluate the method. A video surveillance network using WiMAX is chosen as the object. Subjective priority is implemented on WiMAX scheduler based on traffic properties. Three different traffic sources from monitoring video: palace, park, and market are evaluated. The proposed subjective scheduler prioritizes palace monitoring video that results better quality, xx dB than the later monitoring spots.

  11. 76 FR 54408 - Human Subjects Research Protections: Enhancing Protections for Research Subjects and Reducing...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-01

    ... and Drug Administration 21 CFR Parts 50 and 56 Human Subjects Research Protections: Enhancing Protections for Research Subjects and Reducing Burden, Delay, and Ambiguity for Investigators; Extension of... Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in coordination with the Office of Science...

  12. 魅力型领导对图书馆学科服务团队绩效影响初探%A Survey on Charismatic Leadership Influence to Library Subject Service Team

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    袁红军

    2016-01-01

    Library Subject service team was a around subject user consultation uncertainty of creative activities, the need to introduce the theory of charismatic leadership, a theory model of library subject service team performance influence of charismatic leadership was built, mechanism among subject service team, charismatic leadership and team performance was analyzed. Description of the conclusion of the theoretical model of subject service team can through ascension of charismatic leadership team leadership, create a good knowledge management culture atmosphere, the implementation of the subject service team combination of incentives, and actively create a discipline service platform for users, and enhance library subject service team performance. Finally, a case is given.%图书馆学科服务团队是围绕学科用户咨询问题开展创造性活动的一种组织形式。文章引入魅力型领导相关理论,构建了魅力型领导对图书馆学科服务团队绩效影响的理论模式,分析了学科服务团队、魅力型领导和团队绩效三者之间的作用机理。提出学科服务团队可以通过提升团队中魅力型领导的领导力,营造良好的知识管理文化氛围,实施学科服务团队组合激励措施,积极为用户搭建学科服务平台等手段,提升图书馆学科服务团队绩效。

  13. Subjective video quality comparison of HDTV monitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, G.; Lim, C.; Lee, S.; Lee, C.

    2009-01-01

    HDTV broadcasting services have become widely available. Furthermore, in the upcoming IPTV services, HDTV services are important and quality monitoring becomes an issue, particularly in IPTV services. Consequently, there have been great efforts to develop video quality measurement methods for HDTV. On the other hand, most HDTV programs will be watched on digital TV monitors which include LCD and PDP TV monitors. In general, the LCD and PDP TV monitors have different color characteristics and response times. Furthermore, most commercial TV monitors include post-processing to improve video quality. In this paper, we compare subjective video quality of some commercial HD TV monitors to investigate the impact of monitor type on perceptual video quality. We used the ACR method as a subjective testing method. Experimental results show that the correlation coefficients among the HDTV monitors are reasonable high. However, for some video sequences and impairments, some differences in subjective scores were observed.

  14. Analytical and subjective interpretation of thermal comfort in hospitals: A case study in two sterilization services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalhais, Carlos; Santos, Joana; Vieira da Silva, Manuela

    2016-01-01

    Hospital facilities are normally very complex, which combined with patient requirements promote conditions for potential development of uncomfortable working conditions. Thermal discomfort is one such example. This study aimed to determine levels of thermal comfort, sensations, and preferences, from a field investigation conducted in two sterilization services (SS) of two hospitals from Porto and Aveiro, Portugal. The analytical determination and interpretation of thermal comfort was based upon assumptions of ISO 7726:1998 and ISO 7730:2005. The predicted mean vote (PMV) and predicted percentage of dissatisfaction (PPD) indices were obtained by measurement and estimation of environmental and personal variables, respectively, and calculated according to ISO 7730 equations. The subjective variables were obtained from thermal sensation (subjective PMV) and affective assessment (subjective PPD), reported by a questionnaire based upon ISO 10551:1995. Both approaches confirmed thermal discomfort in both SS (codified as SS1 and SS2). For all areas, PMV and PPD exceeded in all periods of the day the recommended range of -0.5 to +0.5 and thermal discomfort. There were no significant differences between PMV and thermal sensations, as well as between PPD and affective assessment. The PMV/PPD model was found suitable to predict thermal sensations of occupants in hospital SS located in areas with a mild climate in Portugal.

  15. Profile of the subjects with soft tissue injuries attended at an occupational health service and the RSI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camila de Freitas

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Aim: To investigate the profile of subjects with soft tissue injuries attended at the Reference Center of Occupational Health – CEREST in the municipality of Santos, Sao Paulo state, in 2010, and the social insurance benefits granted.Materials and Methods: Analysis of medical records of the subjects assisted at CEREST in 2010, surveying data on gender, age, occupation, clinical diagnostics, clinical complaints, retirement, etc. The clinical diagnostics were categorized according to the International Classification of Diseases - ICD-10, subjects with soft tissue injuries were selected, and the diagnostics related to mental health disorders were registered. Data were recorded in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using statistical software R Development Core Team.Results: Of the 206 medical records analyzed, 18.0% (n=37 showed soft tissue injuries, 81.1% were female and 18.9% were male, and the subjects’ mean age was 43.24 years (SD=8.76. Subjects between 31 and 50 years old (70.2% were the most affected. The most affected occupations were cleaners, general service workers, and bank clerks. The most prevalent clinical diagnoses were synovitis and tenosynovitis, shoulder bursitis, and rotator cuff syndrome, with 62.2% of the subjects presenting more than one clinical diagnosis. 13.5% of the subjects also presented mental disorders. Association between retirement from work and the presence of soft tissue injury was observed (p=0.032. Only 13.5% of the diagnoses had some association with the work conditions.Conclusions: The general profile of the workers with soft tissue injuries was obtained: prevalence in women, diseases manifested in productive age, difficulty of association with work conditions, need for interdisciplinary interventions.

  16. Low-cost millimeter-wave transceiver module using SMD packaged MMICs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heijningen, M. van; Gauthier, G.

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents a novel approach to realize low-cost millimeter-wave modules using only SMD packaged MMICs integrated on a single organic substrate. This approach is demonstrated on a 38 GHz transceiver module for point-to-point LMDS communication systems. The required SMD package technology and

  17. Low-Cost Millimeter-Wave Transceiver Module using SMD packaged MMICs.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents a novel approach to realize low-cost millimeter-wave modules using only SMD packaged MMICs integrated on a single organic substrate. This approach is demonstrated on a 38 GHz transceiver module for point-to-point LMDS communication systems. The required SMD package technology and

  18. 47 CFR 101.1107 - Bidding credits for very small businesses, small businesses and entrepreneurs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ..., small businesses and entrepreneurs. 101.1107 Section 101.1107 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS... Procedures for LMDS § 101.1107 Bidding credits for very small businesses, small businesses and entrepreneurs.... (c) A winning bidder that qualifies as an entrepreneur, as defined in § 101.1112, or a consortium of...

  19. Physics Education: Effect of Micro-Teaching Method Supported by Educational Technologies on Pre-Service Science Teachers' Misconceptions on Basic Astronomy Subjects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurbuz, Fatih

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this research study is to explore pre-service science teachers' misconceptions on basic astronomy subjects and to examine the effect of micro teaching method supported by educational technologies on correcting misconceptions. This study is an action research. Semi- structured interviews were used in the study as a data collection…

  20. The Public Health Service guidelines. Governing research involving human subjects: An analysis of the policy-making process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frankel, M. S.

    1972-01-01

    The policy making process which led to development of the Public Health Service Guidelines governing research involving human subjects is outlined. Part 1 examines the evolution of PHS Guidelines, tracing (1) evolution of thought and legal interpretation regarding research using human subjects; (2) initial involvement of the Federal government; (3) development of the government's research program; (4) the social-political environment in which formal government policy was developed; and (5) various policy statements issued by the government. Part 2 analyzes the process by which PHS Guidelines were developed and examines the values and other underlying factors which contributed to their development. It was concluded that the evolution of the Guidelines is best understood within the context of a mixed-scanning strategy. In such a strategy, policy makers make fundamental decisions regarding the basic direction of policy and subsequent decisions are made incrementally and within the contexts set by the original fundamental decisions.

  1. 47 CFR 80.1251 - Maritime communications subject to competitive bidding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Maritime communications subject to competitive... AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Competitive Bidding Procedures § 80.1251 Maritime communications subject to competitive bidding. Mutually exclusive initial applications for VPCSA...

  2. A Comparative Study of Subject Specialisation at the University of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The University of Botswana Library and the Rand University Library have both adopted subject specialisation approach in the delivery of their services. The article seeks to establish ... It concludes by highlighting the importance of customer services, which are inherent in subject specialisation. (African Journal of Library, ...

  3. Semantic Service Search, Service Evaluation and Ranking in Service Oriented Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Hai; Hussain, Farookh Khadeer; Chang, Elizabeth

    The theory of Service Oriented Environment (SOE) emerges with advanced connectivity of the Internet technologies, openness of business environment and prosperousness of business activities. Service, as a critical object impenetrating every corner of SOE, is a hot research topic in many research domains. Software Engineering (SE), as a subject in engineering field, its researchers pay more attention to supporting advanced technologies for promoting service activities in SOE. In this paper, we draw the position in the research field of semantic service search, service evaluation and ranking in SOE. By means of the case study and literature review research approach, we discover the research motivations and research issues in this field.

  4. The quality of medical services in a subjective assessment of hospitalized patients using the SERVQUAL method – a pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paweł Węgłowski

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Background . The provision of medical services to patients according to their expectations and needs is necessary for the comfort and quality of life of patients, as well as for the standardization of hospital procedures. In recognizing these needs and expectations, an important step is the verification of provided services in order to improve their quality. The present study was designed to determine differences in service quality, as evaluated by hospitalized patients. Objectives . The analysis of the subjective feelings of hospitalized patients concerning service quality in the context of the application of the SER VQUAL method – a pilot study. Material and methods. The study was conducted in a Lower Silesian hospital in a group of 29 young patients (women: 16, men: 13, average age: 16 diagnosed with kidney disease. In the study a standard sheet of 22 SER VQUAL statements was used, and an analysis of the validity of 5 quality areas important for the patient was conducted. Results. According to the respondents, the most important of all 5 features directly affecting the quality of life during treatment is the ability and skill of the ward staff to provide medical services, so-called reliability – 24.48%. In turn, the least important of all the study characteristics was the aesthetics and ergonomics of rooms, the presence of appropriate equipment, the so-called material dimension – 15.31%. Furthermore, service quality gaps were visible in all five service quality dimensions. Conclusions . 1. The SER VQUAL method helps to identify discrepancies between the perceptions of patients’ expectations in all dimensions of the quality of provided medical services. 2. For the patients the least important is the material dimension, and the most affecting is the dimension associated with the reliability of the medical services. 3. Improvement of the level of satisfaction with the quality of medical services requires proper planning and effective

  5. Thoughts on the construction of subject librarian team in specialized libraries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du Jingling

    2010-01-01

    The meaning and responsibility of subject Librarian are introduced in brief, after that the necessity of that is expatiated. Establishing and improving the subject librarian system are necessary to knowledge innovation in the era of knowledge economy and are useful to service innovation and improving the quality and level of information service in specialized libraries. Against the background of information age, as well special requirements on subject librarian in specialized libraries, focus and difficulties of construction of subject librarian team are analysed, the viewpoint that construction of subject librarian team should be gradual sis proposed, and two kinds of ways will coexist in a long term. Fist, to be competent for the work of subject librarian librarians in-service should be selected to pursue second degree. Second, full-time or part-time professional should be employed to cooperate with librarians, finally, supporting measures of subject librarian team are expatiated, that is to improve the treatment of subject librarian, to establish an effective management mechanism, and to establish a business training system. (author)

  6. Managing evolving services

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Papazoglou, M.; Andrikopoulos, V.; Benbernou, S.

    2011-01-01

    Services are subject to constant change and variation, leading to continuous redesign and improvement. However, service changes shouldn't be disruptive by requiring radical modifications or by altering the way that business is conducted. In this article, we discuss a causal model of service changes

  7. MARKETING RESEARCH OF THE SUBJECTIVE AND MOTIVATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONSUMERS OF TOURIST SERVICES OF THE YAROSLAVL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mineev Alexey Nikolaevich

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available For today one of the most dynamically developing spheres is tourism. According to the Rosstat, the share of tourist sector in the total volume of GDP is already 4%, and with the allied industries - by 7%. The industry is fraught with deep potential and has the value of the national scale, but for further development it is necessary to understand the needs, desires, and motives of potential tourists at the level of separate territorial entities. Research devoted to the subject of the analysis of user characteristics and features of demand for tourist services is extremely small, which gives it the real theme of the novel. The relevance of the theme is determined by the analysis of the demand for tourist services. The aim of the work is a marketing analysis of the Yaroslavl consumers of tourism products. For realization of this goal, a study was conducted by the method of questioning. The survey has identified the most popular kinds of tourism, the main parameters and motives, which are used by consumers when planning your vacation and tourism, as well as describes and analyses the main types of consumers and their quantitative composition. Study of consumer characteristics will allow organizations to better Orient themselves in them and the values of the clients.

  8. Consolidating Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Subject Matter Knowledge Using Didactical Reconstructions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mäntylä, T.; Nousiainen, M.

    2014-01-01

    In the Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, there are advanced physics courses designed for the needs of pre-service physics teachers. The starting point is that after introductory and intermediate physics courses, pre-service physics teachers know laws and definitions but the knowledge is quite fragmented and does not form coherent…

  9. CUSTOMER SERVICES AND PRODUCT QUALITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    NEAMŢU Liviu

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective level of product is a combination of material elements. They are supplemented by satisfying highly heterogeneous and complex motivations, representing highly diverse subjective functions associated to product until individualization for each type of consumption. Thus it observes highly surprising developments of subjective function associated with a product and which determines in the consumer's opinion the quality level of the product. The present study examines the role of associated services covering the subjective function of the product in view of the fact that the utility or subjective function is dependent on elements such as style, fashion and fads. Consumers will no longer accept products with average quality of related services. For a company that wants to stay in the market and achieve profitability, the only solution is moving towards a complete product package type goods-services. Associated services are thus an indicator of quality and the best customer loyalty insurance policy, there is a close relationship between the quality of services provided by a firm, customer satisfaction and company profitability.

  10. User-De-centeredness in Service Design

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yamauchi, Yutaka

    2016-01-01

    that service should be seen as a “struggle” rather than harmonious totality. The subject “user” is an outcome of this struggle, not its a priori condition. Therefore, a dialectical process by which the subject develops must be designed. This perspective allows for design that is different from, or even......User-centeredness is a fundamental principle of design in general and of service design in particular. The current paper offers an alternative view of this concept. Here, the “user” is seen not as a self-evident and static subject that is firmly centered but as part of a performative interaction...... through which the subject is transformed―i.e., the subject is de-centered. As service involves users as people and not as objects, the agency of persons involved needs to be fully acknowledged. Based on previously reported empirical studies of service encounters, this study proposes the thesis...

  11. Library Services Online: Introducing Library Services for Online MBA Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slavin, Laura C.

    2015-01-01

    In this article, a librarian at Lincoln Memorial University creates library services for an MBA program offered entirely online that is in the early stages of development. The library services include a subject guide and 4 tutorials that will be added to the MBA online orientation. Other services include offering online office hours and…

  12. Addressing the Problem of Service Teaching Introductory Economics Subjects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrett, Steven

    2005-01-01

    Enrolments in undergraduate economics programs have been falling constantly since the early 1990s. This trend coincides with the increasing popularity of business and management degrees. Consequently, the major activity of many, if not most economics departments and schools in Australia is service teaching of introductory economics to first year…

  13. Crowdsourcing based subjective quality assessment of adaptive video streaming

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shahid, M.; Søgaard, Jacob; Pokhrel, J.

    2014-01-01

    In order to cater for user’s quality of experience (QoE) re- quirements, HTTP adaptive streaming (HAS) based solutions of video services have become popular recently. User QoE feedback can be instrumental in improving the capabilities of such services. Perceptual quality experiments that involve...... humans are considered to be the most valid method of the as- sessment of QoE. Besides lab-based subjective experiments, crowdsourcing based subjective assessment of video quality is gaining popularity as an alternative method. This paper presents insights into a study that investigates perceptual pref......- erences of various adaptive video streaming scenarios through crowdsourcing based subjective quality assessment....

  14. MARKETING RESEARCH OF THE SUBJECTIVE AND MOTIVATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONSUMERS OF TOURIST SERVICES OF THE YAROSLAVL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Алексей Николаевич Минеев

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available For today one of the most dynamically developing spheres is tourism. According to the Rosstat, the share of tourist sector in the total volume of GDP is already 4%, and with the allied industries - by 7%. The industry is fraught with deep potential and has the value of the national scale, but for further development it is necessary to understand the needs, desires, and motives of potential tourists at the level of separate territorial entities. Research devoted to the subject of the analysis of user characteristics and features of demand for tourist services is extremely small, which gives it the real theme of the novel.The relevance of the theme is determined by the analysis of the demand for tourist services. The aim of the work is a marketing analysis of the Yaroslavl consumers of tourism products. For realization of this goal, a study was conducted by the method of questioning. The survey has identified the most popular kinds of tourism, the main parameters and motives, which are used by consumers when planning your vacation and tourism, as well as describes and analyses the main types of consumers and their quantitative composition. Study of consumer characteristics will allow organizations to better Orient themselves in them and the values of the clients.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-1-27

  15. The participative method of subject definition as used in the quantitative modelling of hospital laundry services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammer, K A; Janes, F R

    1995-01-01

    The objectives for developing the participative method of subject definition were to gain all the relevant information to a high level of fidelity in the earliest stages of the work and so be able to build a realistic model at reduced labour cost. In order to better integrate the two activities--information acquisition and mathematical modelling--a procedure was devised using the methods of interactive management to facilitate teamwork. This procedure provided the techniques to create suitable working relationships between the two groups, the informants and the modellers, so as to maximize their free and accurate intercommunication, both during the initial definition of the linen service and during the monitoring of the accuracy and reality of the draft models. The objectives of this project were met in that the final model was quickly validated and approved, at a low labour cost.

  16. Influence of employees' service-oriented behavior on service quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vučković Jelisaveta

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to constantly improve the quality of service program, organizations in tourism industry, have to pay special attention to managing employees' behavior, especially those in the first line of service provision and their direct superiors. Encouraging the employees towards service-oriented behavior is greatly determined by the adequate and consistent implementation of human resources management instruments. The subject of this research is an empirical examination of relations between employees' behavior in the service providing process and service quality. This research was conducted during 2012, in a five-star hotel 'Izvor', situated in Arandjelovac.

  17. 39 CFR 121.4 - Package Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Package Services. 121.4 Section 121.4 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE POST OFFICE SERVICES [DOMESTIC MAIL] SERVICE STANDARDS FOR MARKET...-destination pair. (6) The service standard for Inbound Surface Parcel Post® pieces (subject to Universal...

  18. Effect of Climate Change on Service Life of High Volume Fly Ash Concrete Subjected to Carbonation—A Korean Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ki-Bong Park

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The increase in CO2 concentrations and global warming will increase the carbonation depth of concrete. Furthermore, temperature rise will increase the rate of corrosion of steel rebar after carbonation. On the other hand, compared with normal concrete, high volume fly ash (HVFA concrete is more vulnerable to carbonation-induced corrosion. Carbonation durability design with climate change is crucial to the rational use of HVFA concrete. This study presents a probabilistic approach that predicts the service life of HVFA concrete structures subjected to carbonation-induced corrosion resulting from increasing CO2 concentrations and temperatures. First, in the corrosion initiation stage, a hydration-carbonation integration model is used to evaluate the contents of the carbonatable material, porosity, and carbonation depth of HVFA concrete. The Monte Carlo method is adopted to determine the probability of corrosion initiation. Second, in the corrosion propagation stage, an updated model is proposed to evaluate the rate of corrosion, degree of corrosion for cover cracking of concrete, and probability of corrosion cracking. Third, the whole service life is determined considering both corrosion initiation stage and corrosion propagation stage. The analysis results show that climate change creates a significant impact on the service life of durable concrete.

  19. 47 CFR 22.969 - Cellular RSA licenses subject to competitive bidding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cellular RSA licenses subject to competitive bidding. 22.969 Section 22.969 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.969 Cellular RSA licenses...

  20. Occupation as a factor of personality subjective wellbeing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karapetyan L.V.

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This article examines personality subjective well-being and describes its psychological structure, general components and characteristics. An overview of foreign theories and studies on subjective well-being is presented. Correlations among related concepts such as happiness, life satisfaction and subjective well-being are also described. Subjective well-being is seen as a multivariate construction of a stable nature in mobile equilibrium. It is argued that a type of professional activity can have great importance and a positive impact on an individual’s social life, health, identity shaping and psychological wellness. This article’s findings are substantiated by the survey administered to 2229 respondents divided into groups according to their area of business: students, psychologists, doctors, teachers, engineering and technical staff, representatives of service industries, workers, military men, and prisoners. The descriptors identified two types of natures: positive, directed to a person’s inner world (happy, lucky, optimistic and to the outer world (trustworthy, competent, successful, and negative (pessimistic, unhappy, envious. This division of nature type was categorized according to the participants’ subjective well-being index. Empirical evidence has shown that occupational specificity influences a person’s subjective well-being. A substantial difference was found in subjective well-being index of the respondents. A higher index is typical of students and military men. Educators and industrial intelligentsia also demonstrate an increased level of subjective well-being, whereas prisoners tend to have a low level of subjective well-being. The same low index is characteristic of servicing trade representatives and psychologists.

  1. 42 CFR 419.21 - Hospital outpatient services subject to the outpatient prospective payment system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... outpatient prospective payment system. 419.21 Section 419.21 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM PROSPECTIVE PAYMENT SYSTEM... Excluded From the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System § 419.21 Hospital outpatient services...

  2. 78 FR 21862 - Revision to United States Marshals Service Fees for Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-12

    ....). List of Subjects in 28 CFR Part 0 Authority delegations (Government agencies), Government employees... Marshals Service employee, agent, or contractor. This proposed fee increase reflects the current costs to.... Marshals Service employee, agent, or contractor, plus travel costs and any other out-of- pocket expenses...

  3. A service-oriented data access control model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Wei; Li, Fengmin; Pan, Juchen; Song, Song; Bian, Jiali

    2017-01-01

    The development of mobile computing, cloud computing and distributed computing meets the growing individual service needs. Facing with complex application system, it's an urgent problem to ensure real-time, dynamic, and fine-grained data access control. By analyzing common data access control models, on the basis of mandatory access control model, the paper proposes a service-oriented access control model. By regarding system services as subject and data of databases as object, the model defines access levels and access identification of subject and object, and ensures system services securely to access databases.

  4. Service-Learning Instructional Design Considerations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maddrell, Jennifer

    2014-01-01

    This paper explores the design of "service-learning" experiences to engage college students in the real-world application of course subject matter. Service learning is an educational approach that combines community service, academic coursework, and work-based applied learning. Based on data gathered during a series of recent interviews…

  5. The Service Station.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center for Vocational and Technical Education.

    The purpose of the teacher's guide is to encourage the primary student to expand his or her awareness of jobs within the community. The role of the service station worker is examined, with emphasis on the goods and services provided. Subject areas for which the materials in this guide have potential are social studies, art, and language. Each set…

  6. Service Modularity and Architecture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brax, Saara A.; Bask, Anu; Hsuan, Juliana

    2017-01-01

    , platform-based and mass-customized service business models, comparative research designs, customer perspectives and service experience, performance in context of modular services, empirical evidence of benefits and challenges, architectural innovation in services, modularization in multi-provider contexts......Purpose: Services are highly important in a world economy which has increasingly become service driven. There is a growing need to better understand the possibilities for, and requirements of, designing modular service architectures. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the roots...... of the emerging research stream on service modularity, provide a concise overview of existing work on the subject, and outline an agenda for future research on service modularity and architecture. The articles in the special issue offer four diverse sets of research on service modularity and architecture. Design...

  7. Pre-Service and In-Service Physics Teachers' Ideas about Simple Electric Circuits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kucukozer, Huseyin; Demirci, Neset

    2008-01-01

    The aim of the study is to determine pre-service and high school physics teachers' ideas about simple electric circuits. In this study, a test containing eight questions related to simple electric circuits was given to the pre-service physics teachers (32 subjects) that had graduated from Balikesir University, Necatibey Faculty of Education, the…

  8. What services are public? What aspects of performance are to be ranked? The case of “services of general interest”

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    S.G.J. Van de Walle (Steven)

    2008-01-01

    textabstractIn this article, we focus on the difficulties in evaluating the performance of so-called services of general interest. These services generally include such services as water and electricity supply, telephony, postal services, and public transport, where providers are subjected to

  9. A Theory-Driven Approach to Subject Design in Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zundans-Fraser, Lucia; Auhl, Greg

    2016-01-01

    The intent of this study was to examine how a theoretically-designed subject in an undergraduate teacher education course impacted on the learning and confidence of pre-service teachers in catering for the needs of students with diverse needs. The subject design utilised theoretical principles of self-organisation that were incorporated with the…

  10. A Subject Librarian's Guide to Collaborating on E-Science Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garritano, Jeremy R.; Carlson, Jake R.

    2009-01-01

    For liaison or subject librarians, entering into the emerging area of providing researchers with data services or partnering with them on cyberinfrastructure projects can be a daunting task. This article will provide some advice as to what to expect and how providing data services can be folded into other liaison duties. New skills for librarians…

  11. Relationships Between Service Personal Values, Service Value, Satisfaction, and Loyalty: A Study Regarding Services of Private and State Hospitals in Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Metin Argan

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Service and value are the two inseparable concepts in experiential service environment. Service personal value is a concept that is subjectively assessed from a consumer perspective, and is associated with service value, consumer satisfaction and loyalty. In this context, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between services personal values, service value, satisfaction, and loyalty. Data were collected from persons (996 receiving services from private hospitals and state hospitals using convenience sampling method. The scales of service personal values, service value, satisfaction and loyalty were adapted from literature. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA was used to investigate validity and reliability of the scales. Then, a structural equation model (SEM was developed and tested using data with Lisrel 8.80 software. The results of the study indicate significant relationships between services personal values, service value, satisfaction, and loyalty. The results of the study have significant implications as to how well private hospital managers design strategies of health service, satisfaction, and loyalty.

  12. 47 CFR 22.960 - Cellular unserved area radiotelephone licenses subject to competitive bidding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cellular unserved area radiotelephone licenses... (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.960 Cellular... applications for cellular unserved area Phase I and Phase II licenses filed after July 26, 1993 are subject to...

  13. Public attitude towards dentists and dental services in Bangalore city, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nagashree Savanur Ravindranath

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Understanding public attitude towards dentists and dental services helps both dental service providers and planners. Hence, this study was conducted to assess public attitude toward dentists and dental services in Bangalore city, India. Methods: Two thousand residents of Bangalore city were selected through multistage cluster sampling method. A structured questionnaire containing statements pertaining to public attitude toward dentists and dental services in Bangalore city was administered to the subjects. Five point Likert scale was used to measure the attitude. Results: About 67.8% of the study subjects had visited a dentist in their lifetime. Negative attitudes were observed regarding waiting time, cleanliness of instruments and dentist advising patients to give up unhealthy practices such as smoking, drinking and pan chewing. Positive attitude was found regarding availability of dental services near place of residence or work, modern equipments being used for treatment and the nobleness of the dental professionals. About 67% of study subjects felt that dental services are expensive. Only 65% agree that regular check-ups prevent dental diseases and 33% of the study subjects agree that dental treatment can be delayed if there are other expenses. Conclusions: Subjects generally had positive attitude toward dentists and dental services. Certain factors like waiting time and cleanliness elicited negative response.

  14. Risk based service life prediction of underground cast iron pipes subjected to corrosion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, C.Q.; Mahmoodian, M.

    2013-01-01

    Aging and deterioration of underground cast iron pipes is inevitable after their long time in service, with corrosion being the most predominant mechanism for pipe failures. Although considerable research has been undertaken in the past few decades, more is on the effects of corrosion on structural capacity of pipes than that on the prediction of their service life. This paper presents a methodology to quantitatively assess the risk of pipe collapse and predict its remaining service life using a time-dependent reliability theory. The concept of stress intensity in fracture mechanics is employed to establish the failure criterion of pipe collapse. An empirical model is derived for maximum pit growth of corrosion from the available data based on mathematical regressions. An example is provided to illustrate the application of the proposed method. It is found in the paper that the risk of pipe collapse increases with an increase in the diameter of the pipe for both external and internal corrosion. It is also found that the tougher the pipe is, the smaller the risk of its collapse. The paper concludes that a time-dependent reliability method is a very useful tool to predict the risk of pipe collapse and its remaining service life. The proposed method can help the water industry develop rehabilitation or replacement strategy for existing pipe networks with a view for better management of the pipe asset

  15. A REVIEW OF SERVICE QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN BANKING SERVICES: GLOBAL SCENARIO

    OpenAIRE

    Rajagopal Subashini; Velmurugan Gopalasamy

    2016-01-01

    The dynamics of service quality and satisfaction of customer on banks situated in various countries indicates that earlier studies offered no consensus over the subject, to confirm the issues and trends of these factors which regulate service quality and customer satisfaction. Now-a-days all public, private and foreign banks play a vital role in retail banking and provide lot of core banking services to all their rural and urban customers to maintain customer loyalty, retention and providing ...

  16. HIGH SERVE '90 - nuclear engineering services

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bauer, K.G.

    1991-01-01

    Nuclear engineering services do not start only with maintenance or repair, but already with the early detection of imminent problems long before they become problems. Services concerning the decommissioning of plants also belong to it. A selection of the extraordinary services rendered nowadays is presented in more than 20 papers in this booklet. These papers may roughly be divided into three groups of subjects: monitoring and operational management; maintenance, repair and improvements; radioactive waste treatment and management. The first group of subjects, in particular, covers papers dealing with early detection, monitoring and diagnosing systems, using highly advanced hard- and software technologies. Modernization of instrumentation and control systems and exchange of process computer systems is another task this service has to accomplish. Process computers of the past have developed into high performance process information systems. (orig./DG) [de

  17. 26 CFR 49.4261-7 - Examples of payments subject to tax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 16 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Examples of payments subject to tax. 49.4261-7...) MISCELLANEOUS EXCISE TAXES FACILITIES AND SERVICES EXCISE TAXES Transportation of Persons § 49.4261-7 Examples of payments subject to tax. The following are examples of payments for transportation which, unless...

  18. Browse Author Index - African Journals Online

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 9601 - 9650 of 33376 ... A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z All. F. Ferdousi, A · Feregrino-Pérez, AA · Fereidon, M · Ferguson, M · Ferguson, Morag Elizabeth · Feria, MD · Ferit, A · Ferita, Istino · Fernandes, KVS · Fernandes, LMdS · Fernandes, M.G. · Fernandes, Marcos Gino · Fernandes, Maria Zenaide ...

  19. Increased healthcare service utilizations for patients with dementia: a population-based study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiu-Dong Chung

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The majority of previous studies investigating the health care utilization of people with dementia were conducted in Western societies. There is little information on the economic burden on the healthcare system attributable to dementia in Asian countries. This study thus investigated differences in utilization of healthcare services between subjects with and those without a diagnosis of dementia using Taiwan's National Health Insurance population-based database. METHODS: This study comprised 5,666 subjects with a dementia diagnosis and 5,666 age- and gender-matched comparison subjects without a dementia diagnosis. We individually followed each subject for a 1-year period starting from their index date to evaluate their healthcare resource utilization. Healthcare resource utilization included the number of outpatient visits and inpatient days, and the mean costs of outpatient and inpatient treatments. In addition, we divided healthcare resource utilization into psychiatric and non-psychiatric services. RESULTS: As for utilization of psychiatric services, subjects with a dementia diagnosis had significantly more outpatient visits (2.2 vs. 0.3, p<0.001 and significantly higher outpatient costs (US$124 vs. US$16, p<0.001 than comparison subjects. For non-psychiatric services, subjects with a dementia diagnosis also had significantly more outpatient visits (34.4 vs. 31.6, p<0.001 and significantly higher outpatient costs (US$1754 vs. US$1322, p<0.001 than comparison subjects. For all healthcare services, subjects with a dementia diagnosis had significantly more outpatient visits (36.7 vs. 32.0, p<0.001 and significantly higher outpatient costs (US$1878 vs. US$1338, p<0.001 than comparison subjects. Furthermore, the total cost was about 2-fold greater for subjects with a dementia diagnosis than for comparison subjects (US$3997 vs. US$2409, p<0.001. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that subjects who had received a clinical dementia diagnosis had

  20. 7 CFR 58.5 - Where service is offered.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Where service is offered. 58.5 Section 58.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards... Grading Service § 58.5 Where service is offered. Subject to the provisions of this part, inspection or...

  1. [Nursing and marketing: an introduction to the subject].

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Moura, Gisela Maria Schebella Souto

    2003-08-01

    The administration of health care services is becoming more and more professional. New models and strategies used by service companies, in other areas, are being introduced in these organizations. Through this importation process of models, marketing concepts and tools have been incorporated. The objective of this theoretical essay is offering the nurses an introductory view about marketing. In order to reach this objective, the text was organized into sections that approach its history and basic concepts, social marketing, a few subjects under discussion currently and studies carried out in the marketing area, which involve nursing and health care services. In this way, it is expected to contribute to the professional improvement of nursing.

  2. The Integration of Synchronous Communication Technology into Service Learning for Pre-Service Teachers' Online Tutoring of Middle School Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chao-Hsiu; Liao, Chen-Hung; Chen, Yi-Chieh; Lee, Chen-Feng

    2011-01-01

    To well prepare pre-service teachers for their future teaching, researchers and teacher-educators have been employing information and communication technology to improve pre-service teachers' learning of subject-matter knowledge, pedagogies, classroom-management skills, and so on. This study illustrates a service-learning project we conducted to…

  3. Public utility service in energy field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abenante, R.

    2000-01-01

    Under the current legislation, the idea of public utility service is thoroughly expressed and settled within that of public service. Lacking a new definition, not all businesses in the electricity and gas industries are subjected to the authoritative and regulatory opinions of the Authority established by act 481/95 which can only be expressed in matters strictly concerning public services [it

  4. Scheduling multimedia services in cloud computing environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yunchang; Li, Chunlin; Luo, Youlong; Shao, Yanling; Zhang, Jing

    2018-02-01

    Currently, security is a critical factor for multimedia services running in the cloud computing environment. As an effective mechanism, trust can improve security level and mitigate attacks within cloud computing environments. Unfortunately, existing scheduling strategy for multimedia service in the cloud computing environment do not integrate trust mechanism when making scheduling decisions. In this paper, we propose a scheduling scheme for multimedia services in multi clouds. At first, a novel scheduling architecture is presented. Then, We build a trust model including both subjective trust and objective trust to evaluate the trust degree of multimedia service providers. By employing Bayesian theory, the subjective trust degree between multimedia service providers and users is obtained. According to the attributes of QoS, the objective trust degree of multimedia service providers is calculated. Finally, a scheduling algorithm integrating trust of entities is proposed by considering the deadline, cost and trust requirements of multimedia services. The scheduling algorithm heuristically hunts for reasonable resource allocations and satisfies the requirement of trust and meets deadlines for the multimedia services. Detailed simulated experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed trust scheduling scheme.

  5. 29 CFR 4.121 - Contracts for individual services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act Specific Exclusions § 4.121 Contracts for individual services. The Act... to an “employment contract” for “direct services,” makes it clear that the Act's application to... contract service, the exemption applies and the contract will not be subject to the Act's provisions. The...

  6. 42 CFR 419.20 - Hospitals subject to the hospital outpatient prospective payment system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... prospective payment system. 419.20 Section 419.20 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM PROSPECTIVE PAYMENT SYSTEM FOR HOSPITAL... Outpatient Prospective Payment System § 419.20 Hospitals subject to the hospital outpatient prospective...

  7. THE EFFECTS OF ROOM SERVICE TO IMPROVE PATIENTS’ FOOD SATISFACTION AND FOOD ACCEPTANCE

    OpenAIRE

    Muhammad Iqbal; Susetyowati Susetyowati; Martalena Br Purba

    2017-01-01

    The improvement of patients’ food satisfaction and acceptance in the hospitals is primarily needed in the food service  system.  Room service is a new concept in the food service area. This study aims to compare the effects of two different types of food service systems; room service and conventional service system. The study with quasi-experimental design is conducted to the subject of 66 inpatients who were taken using a quota sampling method. Subjects were divided into different groups, th...

  8. Stoppage - Vat Return and Accounting Practice in Re-Delivery of a Delivery Subject to Stoppage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmet Yanık

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Value Added Tax (VAT is calculated based on the goods and service delivery costs realized by the corporations. Unless this VAT is subject to stoppage, seller takes the VAT from the purchaser in delivery of goods or services and then the corporate pays this amount to the tax office or sets off through the VAT he paid for his service or goods procurement. However, in some cases, Ministry of Finance holds not those providing the delivery or service but those purchasing or procuring the goods or services responsible partly or fully for the tax calculated based on the delivery or service fee. The purpose of this paper is to reveal VAT stoppage, accounting entries with regards to the corporation accepting the delivery and re-delivering it, VAT set off and VAT return in the re-delivery of a delivery subject to stoppage pursuant to General Communiqué of VAT Serial No 117

  9. 12 CFR 28.21 - Service of process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Service of process. 28.21 Section 28.21 Banks... Federal Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks § 28.21 Service of process. A foreign bank operating at any Federal branch or agency is subject to service of process at the location of the Federal branch or agency. ...

  10. A theory and model for the evolution of software services

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Andrikopoulos, V.

    2010-01-01

    Software services are subject to constant change and variation. To control service development, a service developer needs to know why a change was made, what are its implications and whether the change is complete. Typically, service clients do not perceive the upgraded service immediately. As a

  11. Competition in Telecoms-Implications for Universal Service and Employment

    OpenAIRE

    Petrazzini, Ben A.

    1996-01-01

    The author argues that competition in domestic telecommunications markets promotes both universal service and employment in developing countries. Thus, incumbent monopoly operators should be reformed. And since incumbents are subject to increasingly fierce international competition from callback services, Internet phone services, mobile satellite services, and global operators, this reform ...

  12. 7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMODITY STANDARDS AND STANDARD CONTAINER...

  13. Payment for Ecosystem Services | Benjamin | Potchefstroom ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This address focuses on the legislative design for payment or ecosystem services (PES) since most countries do not have specific legislation that addresses the subject. Brazil is in the process of drafting national legislation on ecosystem services and there are several important issues that can be learnt from this experience.

  14. 26 CFR 49.4261-8 - Examples of payments not subject to tax.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 16 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Examples of payments not subject to tax. 49.4261...) MISCELLANEOUS EXCISE TAXES FACILITIES AND SERVICES EXCISE TAXES Transportation of Persons § 49.4261-8 Examples..., 4293, or 4294 the following are examples of payments not subject to tax: (a) Exchange of prepaid order...

  15. Service-Learning from the Perspective of Community Organizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petri, Alexis

    2015-01-01

    As a central construct in the theory of service-learning, reciprocity for community partners is not often the subject of scholarship, especially scholarship that seeks to understand the benefits and opportunity costs of service-learning. This article explores how reciprocity works in higher education service-learning from the perspective of…

  16. Implementation of project based learning on the Prakerin subject of vocational high school students of the building engineering to enhance employment skill readiness of graduates in the construction services field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugandi, Machmud

    2017-09-01

    Implementation of the Prakerin subject in the field of Building Engineering study program in vocational high school (VHS) are facing many issues associated to non-compliance unit of work in the industry and the expected competencies in learning at school. Project Based Learning (PBL) is an appropriate model learning used for Prakerin subject to increase student competence as the extension of the Prakerin implementation in the construction industry services. Assignments based on the selected project during their practical industry work were given to be completed by student. VHS students in particular field of Building Engineering study program who has been completed Prakerin subject will have a better job readiness, and therefore they will have an understanding on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes and good vision on the construction project in accordance with their experience during Prakerin work in the industry.

  17. Neuropsychological Performance and Subjective Symptom Reporting in Military Service Members With a History of Multiple Concussions: Comparison With a Single Concussion, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Orthopedic Trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Douglas B; Curtiss, Glenn; Armistead-Jehle, Patrick; Belanger, Heather G; Tate, David F; Reid, Matthew; Bowles, Amy O; Velez, Carmen S; Kennedy, Jan E; Vanderploeg, Rodney D

    To examine differences in objective neurocognitive performance and subjective cognitive symptoms in individuals with a history of a single concussion, multiple concussions, orthopedic injuries, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants included 116 military service members who sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) during combat deployment. Subjects were subdivided into groups based on concussion frequency: a single concussion (n = 42), 2 concussions (n = 21), and 3 or more concussions (n = 53). Eighty-one subjects sustained an orthopedic injury (n = 60) during deployment or were diagnosed with PTSD (n = 21), but had no history of mTBI. Subjects completed a battery of neuropsychological tests and self-report measures of postconcussive symptoms, PTSD symptoms, and psychopathology. No differences were found among the concussion groups on a composite neuropsychological measure. The PTSD group had the highest number of symptom complaints, with the 2-concussion and 3-plus-concussion groups being most similar to the PTSD group. The concussion groups showed a nonsignificant pattern of increasing distress with increasing number of concussions. The current findings are consistent with meta-analytic results showing no differential effect on neuropsychological functioning due to multiple concussions. Results also support the burden of adversity hypothesis suggesting increasing symptom levels with increasing psychological or physically traumatic exposures.

  18. RESULTS OF INTRODUCTION OF A PROCESS APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT OF SUBJECTS OF SMALL BUSINESS (on an example of logistic service of the construction enterprise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Folomeev

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to subjects of small business of construction branch, their place in branch and to problems of management by them. The question of need of introduction of the most effective methods of management by the construction organization, in particular, a process approach is brought up. In article the characteristic of separate elements of this approach is given, methods and ways of their realization at the enterprise from the point of view of allocation and optimization of costs of the enterprise from the logistical point of view are considered and results of its introduction on an example of logistic service of the construction enterprise are given..

  19. 7 CFR 905.80 - Fruit not subject to regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Fruit not subject to regulation. 905.80 Section 905.80 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing... the provisions of this section from entering channels of trade for other than the purposes authorized...

  20. 15 CFR 950.9 - Computerized Environmental Data and Information Retrieval Service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... Information Retrieval Service. 950.9 Section 950.9 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce... Computerized Environmental Data and Information Retrieval Service. The Environmental Data Index (ENDEX... computerized, information retrieval service provides a parallel subject-author-abstract referral service. A...

  1. Video quality measure for mobile IPTV service

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Wonjun; Kim, Changick

    2008-08-01

    Mobile IPTV is a multimedia service based on wireless networks with interactivity and mobility. Under mobile IPTV scenarios, people can watch various contents whenever they want and even deliver their request to service providers through the network. However, the frequent change of the wireless channel bandwidth may hinder the quality of service. In this paper, we propose an objective video quality measure (VQM) for mobile IPTV services, which is focused on the jitter measurement. Jitter is the result of frame repetition during the delay and one of the most severe impairments in the video transmission via mobile channels. We first employ YUV color space to compute the duration and occurrences of jitter and the motion activity. Then the VQM is modeled by the combination of these three factors and the result of subjective assessment. Since the proposed VQM is based on no-reference (NR) model, it can be applied for real-time applications. Experimental results show that the proposed VQM highly correlates to subjective evaluation.

  2. 7 CFR 27.11 - Area Director, Marketing Services Office; responsibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Area Director, Marketing Services Office... MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMODITY... Regulations Administration § 27.11 Area Director, Marketing Services Office; responsibility. Subject to this...

  3. Academic gender stereotypes of pre-service teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ćirović Ivana

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This research was aimed at studying the content of academic gender stereotypes of pre-service teachers who are being prepared for working in different cycles of education. The sample included 408 students of teaching programmes of the Teacher Training College, Faculty of Mathematics and Faculty of Philology in Belgrade. It has been established that future class and subject teachers have gender stereotypes about the interests and achievements of students in different school subjects. pre-service teachers from both groups are of the opinion that girls get interested more easily than boys in the majority of school subjects, as well as that girls are more talented for the subjects in the field of humanities and languages, while boys are more talented for the subjects in the field of sciences. Pre-service teachers estimate that boys typically have a low achievement in languages, arts and music, while girls have a low achievement in physics, computer science, technical sciences and physical education. Since teachers’ gender stereotypes can affect students’ achievement, educational and career choices, it is important to raise awareness about the content and consequences of such beliefs in teachers and focus on certain actions towards their altering. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179034: Od podsticanja inicijative, saradnje, stvaralaštva u obrazovanju do novih uloga i identiteta u društvu i br. 47008: Unapređivanje kvaliteta i dostupnosti obrazovanja u procesima modernizacije Srbije

  4. Factors associated with hospital service satisfaction in a sample of Arab subjects with schizophrenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Zayed Adel A

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Assessment of patients' satisfaction with health care services could help to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the system and provide guidance for further development. The study's objectives were to: (i assess the pattern of satisfaction with hospital care for a sample of people with schizophrenia in Kuwait, using the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (VSSS-EU; ii compare the pattern of satisfaction with those of similar studies; and iii assess the association of VSSS seven domains with a number of variables representing met and unmet needs for care, family caregiver burden, severity of psychopathology, level of psychosocial functioning, socio-demographic characteristics, psychological well-being and objective quality of life. Methods Consecutive outpatients in stable condition and their family caregivers were interviewed with the VSSS-EU and measures of needs for care, caregiver burden, quality of life and psychopathology. Results There were 130 patients (66.1%m, mean age 36.8. While over two-thirds expressed satisfaction with the domains of "overall satisfaction", "professionals' skills", "access", "efficacy", and "relatives' involvement", only about one-third were satisfied with the domains of "information" and "types of intervention". The later two domains were the areas in which European patients had better satisfaction than our patients, while our patients expressed better satisfaction than the Europeans in the domain of "relatives' involvement". In multiple regression analyses, self-esteem, positive and negative affect were the most important correlates of the domains of service satisfaction, while clinical severity, caregiver burden and health unmet needs for care played relatively minor roles. Conclusion The noted differences and similarities with the international data, as well as the predictive power of self-esteem and affective state, support the impression that patients' attitudes towards psychiatric care

  5. Cervical cancer: a qualitative study on subjectivity, family, gender and health services

    OpenAIRE

    López-Cervantes Malaquías; Mohar-Betancourt Alejandro; Tirado-Gómez Laura L; Pelcastre-Villafuerte Blanca E

    2007-01-01

    Abstract Background In 2002, cervical cancer was one of the leading causes of death in Mexico. Quantitative techniques allowed for the identification of socioeconomic, behavioral and biological characteristics that are part of its etiology. However such characteristics, are inadequate to explain sufficiently the role that emotions, family networks and socially-constructed categories such as gender play in the demand and utilization of health services for cervical cancer diagnosis and treatmen...

  6. 76 FR 4733 - Atlantic Southeast Airlines, a Subsidiary of Skywest, Inc., Airport Customer Service Division...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-26

    ... Airlines, a Subsidiary of Skywest, Inc., Airport Customer Service Division, Fort Smith, AR; Notice of... Customer Service Division v. United States Secretary of Labor (Court No. 09- 00522). On September 28, 2009... 35. Workers at the subject firm (subject worker group) provided airline customer services. AR 4,8,14...

  7. Determinants of subjective health status of HIV positive mothers in NAUTH Nnewi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nwabueze, S A; Adogu, P O U; Adinma, E D; Ifeadike, C O; Nnebue, C C; Ilika, A L; Ikechebelu, J I

    2012-01-01

    Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by human immune deficiency virus (HIV), once dominated by infected males has become feminized especially in sub-Saharan Africa where the majority of adults living with the condition are females. Positive life styles, belonging to social support groups and stigma-free HIV services by providers may have good impact on the quality of life of HIV-positive mothers. This study was aimed at assessing the determinants of subjective health status of HIV-positive mothers accessing prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) of HIV services in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi. This is a descriptive study in which 288 consenting HIV positive mothers were selected using the systematic sampling technique. Data on demographics, life style, social support, contraceptive use and subjective feeling about current health status were collected from the subjects using a pre-tested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. The mean age of the respondents was 30.46 +/- 4.86 years. Majority (89.2%) of them were married while 55.2% were traders. A significantly higher proportion of the mothers on highly active anti retroviral therapy (HAART) (70.8%) than non users (29.2%) described their current health status as 'excellent' (p<0.001). Also a significantly higher proportion of condom users (99%) than pill users (1%) described their health status as 'excellent' (p<0.02). The same significantly higher proportions of 'excellent' response were given by subjects who engage in social support activities (p<0.001), who practice good feeding (p<0.01) andpersonal hygiene (p<0.01). Access to family planning services and HAART, participation in support group activities and positive lifestyle practices tend to improve subjective health status and should be comprehensively encouraged among the HIV positive mothers.

  8. Service use and unmet needs in youth suicide: a study of trajectories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renaud, Johanne; Séguin, Monique; Lesage, Alain D; Marquette, Claude; Choo, Bettina; Turecki, Gustavo

    2014-10-01

    While 90% of suicide victims have suffered from mental health disorders, less than one-half are in contact with a mental health professional in the year preceding their death. Service use in the last year of life of young suicide victims and control subjects was studied in Quebec. We wanted to determine what kinds of health care services were needed and if they were actually received by suicide victims. We recruited 67 consecutive suicide victims and 56 matched living control subjects (aged 25 years and younger). We evaluated subjects' psychopathological profile and determined which services would have been indicated by conducting a needs assessment. We then compared this with what services were actually received. Suicide victims were more likely than living control subjects to have a psychiatric diagnosis. They were most in need of services to address substance use disorder, depression, interpersonal distress, and suicide-related problems. There were significant deficits in the domains of coordination and continuity of care, mental health promotion and training, and governance. Our results show that we need to urgently take action to address these identified deficits to prevent further loss of life in our young people.

  9. Improving Acceptance, Integration and Health among LGBT Service Members

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently...phases. In Phase I we (a) convened an expert panel to advise the study and (b) interview a diverse set of military service members (n=42) using a...have convened our expert panel of advisors and have completed 38 interviews with LGBT military service members. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Military, LGBT

  10. 42 CFR 1008.15 - Facts subject to advisory opinions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Facts subject to advisory opinions. 1008.15 Section 1008.15 Public Health OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL-HEALTH CARE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... requestor in good faith plans to undertake. The plans may be contingent upon receiving a favorable advisory...

  11. A Comparative Study of Current and Potential Users of Mobile Payment Services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chanchai Phonthanukitithaworn

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies of mobile payment (m-payment services have primarily focused on a single group of adopters. This study identifies the factors that influence an individual’s intention to use m-payment services and compares groups of current users (adopters with potential users (non-adopters. A research model that reflects the behavioral intention to use m-payment services is developed and empirically tested using structural equation modeling on a data set consisting of 529 potential users and 256 current users of m-payment services in Thailand. The results show that the factors that influence current users’ intentions to use m-payment services are compatibility, subjective norms, perceived trust, and perceived cost. Subjective norms, compatibility, ease of use, and perceived risk influenced potential users’ intentions to use m-payment. Subjective norms and perceived risk had a stronger influence on potential users, while perceived cost had a stronger influence on current users, in terms of their intentions to use m-payment services. Discussions, limitations, and recommendations for future research are addressed.

  12. Hypochondriasis, somatization, and perceived health and utilization of health care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollifield, M; Paine, S; Tuttle, L; Kellner, R

    1999-01-01

    The authors determined the different effects of hypochondriasis and somatization on health perceptions, health status, and service utilization in a primary care population. The subjects with hypochondriacal responses (HR) on the Illness Attitudes Scales or high somatic concern (HSC) on the Symptom Questionnaire had a worse perception of health and variably used more health services than the control subjects, even though the HR and HSC subjects had the same level of chronic medical disorders. Regression analyses determined that somatization contributed more to negative health perception and service utilization than did hypochondriasis, although an interaction between the two contributed to the use of psychiatric care. The authors discuss the boundary between hypochondriasis and somatization for its implications for research and clinical practice.

  13. Pre-Service Teachers' Subject Knowledge of and Attitudes about Radioactivity and Ionising Radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colclough, Nicholas Denys; Lock, Roger; Soares, Allan

    2011-01-01

    This study focussed on secondary school (11-18 years) pre-service teachers' (n = 73) knowledge of and attitudes towards risks associated with alpha, beta, and gamma radiations. A multi-method approach was used with physics, chemistry, biology, and history graduates undertaking the one-year initial teacher training, Post Graduate Certificate in…

  14. Using SERVQUAL to evaluate quality disconfirmation of nursing service in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Shieu-Ming; Chen, Thai-Form; Woodard, Beth; Yen, Miao-Fen

    2005-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of disconfirmation of the perceived quality of nursing services, and its relationship to patient's satisfaction, intent to return, and intent to recommend to others. The service dimensions were tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy, which were adopted from the Gap model of Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985). A total of 186 subjects was tested by a modified SERVQUAL (service quality) instrument. These subjects were from 15 randomly selected medical-surgical units in a medical center in Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. The response rate was 92%. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were used to analyze subjects' responses. A number of the demographic variables served as covariates in data analysis. Responsiveness was highly significant in predicting overall satisfaction with hospital service (p = .0003). Reliability was significant in predicting overall satisfaction with nursing care (p < .00005) and intent to return. Empathy was a highly significant predictor of intent to recommend.

  15. 47 CFR 25.401 - Satellite DARS applications subject to competitive bidding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Satellite DARS applications subject to competitive bidding. 25.401 Section 25.401 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS Competitive Bidding Procedures for DARS § 25.401...

  16. Heat and mass transfer in building services design

    CERN Document Server

    Moss, Keith

    1998-01-01

    Building design is increasingly geared towards low energy consumption. Understanding the fundamentals of heat transfer and the behaviour of air and water movements is more important than ever before. Heat and Mass Transfer in Building Services Design provides an essential underpinning knowledge for the technology subjects of space heating, water services, ventilation and air conditioning. This new text: *provides core understanding of heat transfer and fluid flow from a building services perspective *complements a range of courses in building services engineering *

  17. 77 FR 1039 - Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service Numbering

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-09

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [WC Docket No. 10-191; Report No. 2939] Internet... toll-free numbers by users of Internet- based Telecommunications Relay Services (iTRS). DATES... any rules of particular applicability. Subject: Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service...

  18. 10 CFR 1042.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Health and insurance benefits and services. 1042.440... in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 1042.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 1042.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service...

  19. Incentive-Rewarding Mechanism for User-position Control in Mobile Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshino, Makoto; Sato, Kenichiro; Shinkuma, Ryoichi; Takahashi, Tatsuro

    When the number of users in a service area increases in mobile multimedia services, no individual user can obtain satisfactory radio resources such as bandwidth and signal power because the resources are limited and shared. A solution for such a problem is user-position control. In the user-position control, the operator informs users of better communication areas (or spots) and navigates them to these positions. However, because of subjective costs caused by subjects moving from their original to a new position, they do not always attempt to move. To motivate users to contribute their resources in network services that require resource contributions for users, incentive-rewarding mechanisms have been proposed. However, there are no mechanisms that distribute rewards appropriately according to various subjective factors involving users. Furthermore, since the conventional mechanisms limit how rewards are paid, they are applicable only for the network service they targeted. In this paper, we propose a novel incentive-rewarding mechanism to solve these problems, using an external evaluator and interactive learning agents. We also investigated ways of appropriately controlling rewards based on user contributions and system service quality. We applied the proposed mechanism and reward control to the user-position control, and demonstrated its validity.

  20. Cervical cancer: a qualitative study on subjectivity, family, gender and health services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villafuerte, Blanca E Pelcastre; Gómez, Laura L Tirado; Betancourt, Alejandro Mohar; Cervantes, Malaquías López

    2007-03-01

    In 2002, cervical cancer was one of the leading causes of death in Mexico. Quantitative techniques allowed for the identification of socioeconomic, behavioral and biological characteristics that are part of its etiology. However such characteristics, are inadequate to explain sufficiently the role that emotions, family networks and socially-constructed categories such as gender play in the demand and utilization of health services for cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment and neither the timely undertaking of preventive actions, such as getting a PAP smear or seeking adequate and continuous treatment. A qualitative study was carried out to analyze the role of different social and cultural factors in the timely detection of cervical cancer. As part of a multi-level, multi-method research effort, this particular study was based on individual interviews with women diagnosed with cervical cancer (identified as the "cases"), their female friends and relatives (identified as the "controls") and the cases' husbands. The results showed that both: denial and fear are two important components that regulate the behavior of both the women and their partners. Women with a small support network may have limited opportunities for taking action in favor of their own health and wellbeing. Women tend not to worry about their health, in general and neither about cervical cancer in particular, as a consequence of their conceptualizations regarding their body and feminine identify - both of which are socially determined. Furthermore, it is necessary to improve the quality of information provided in health services.

  1. Subjective Analysis and Objective Characterization of Adaptive Bitrate Videos

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søgaard, Jacob; Tavakoli, Samira; Brunnström, Kjell

    2016-01-01

    The HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS) technology allows video service providers to improve the network utilization and thereby increasing the end-users’ Quality of Experience (QoE).This has made HAS a widely used approach for audiovisual delivery. There are several previous studies aiming to identify...... the factors influencing on subjective QoE of adaptation events.However, adapting the video quality typically lasts in a time scale much longer than what current standardized subjective testing methods are designed for, thus making the full matrix design of the experiment on an event level hard to achieve....... In this study, we investigated the overall subjective QoE of 6 minutes long video sequences containing different sequential adaptation events. This was compared to a data set from our previous work performed to evaluate the individual adaptation events. We could then derive a relationship between the overall...

  2. 45 CFR 618.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Health and insurance benefits and services. 618....440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 618.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its students, a recipient...

  3. 10 CFR 5.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Health and insurance benefits and services. 5.440 Section... Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 5.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 5.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or...

  4. 32 CFR 196.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Health and insurance benefits and services. 196... Activities Prohibited § 196.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 196.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its...

  5. 29 CFR 36.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Health and insurance benefits and services. 36.440 Section... Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 36.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 36.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or...

  6. 45 CFR 2555.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Health and insurance benefits and services. 2555... Activities Prohibited § 2555.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 2555.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its...

  7. Analysis of the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, satisfaction and behavioral intention for physical therapy patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Min-Seok; Lee, Won-Hwee

    2017-11-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among perceived service encounter quality, service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention in physical therapy patients. [Subjects and Methods] This study surveyed 335 patients who received physical therapy treatment at five medical institutions in Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea. This study conducted path analysis on the collected data using Smart PLS 2.0 M3. [Results] The analysis of this study showed that service encounter quality had significantly positive relationship with service value, patient satisfaction, and behavioral intention. Service value had significantly positive relationship with patient satisfaction and behavioral intention. Patient satisfaction had significantly positive relationship with behavioral intention. [Conclusion] Improving the perceived quality of service encounters for physical therapy patients increases service value and patient satisfaction, and positively influences behavioral intention.

  8. 26 CFR 1.522-2 - Manner of taxation of cooperative associations subject to section 522.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 7 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Manner of taxation of cooperative associations subject to section 522. 1.522-2 Section 1.522-2 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF...-2 Manner of taxation of cooperative associations subject to section 522. (a) In general. Farmers...

  9. Analysis of psychological factors for quality assessment of interactive multimodal service

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamagishi, Kazuhisa; Hayashi, Takanori

    2005-03-01

    We proposed a subjective quality assessment model for interactive multimodal services. First, psychological factors of an audiovisual communication service were extracted by using the semantic differential (SD) technique and factor analysis. Forty subjects participated in subjective tests and performed point-to-point conversational tasks on a PC-based TV phone that exhibits various network qualities. The subjects assessed those qualities on the basis of 25 pairs of adjectives. Two psychological factors, i.e., an aesthetic feeling and a feeling of activity, were extracted from the results. Then, quality impairment factors affecting these two psychological factors were analyzed. We found that the aesthetic feeling is mainly affected by IP packet loss and video coding bit rate, and the feeling of activity depends on delay time and video frame rate. We then proposed an opinion model derived from the relationships among quality impairment factors, psychological factors, and overall quality. The results indicated that the estimation error of the proposed model is almost equivalent to the statistical reliability of the subjective score. Finally, using the proposed model, we discuss guidelines for quality design of interactive audiovisual communication services.

  10. Power and Privilege: Community Service Learning in Tijuana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camacho, Michelle Madsen

    2004-01-01

    As social scientists engage their own subjectivity, there is greater awareness of their own touristic "gaze," or at least the power relations that are evoked in the researcher-subject interaction. In teaching students involved in community service learning, the challenge is to provide a learning experience that addresses power inequities…

  11. 42 CFR 410.20 - Physicians' services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... one of the following professionals who is legally authorized to practice by the State in which he or...)(3) of this section (relating to pre-service claims) are not subject to administrative appeal or...

  12. Sensibility and Subjectivity: Levinas’ Traumatic Subject

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rashmika Pandya

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available The importance of Levinas’ notions of sensibility and subjectivity are evident in the revision of phenomenological method by current phenomenologists such as Jean-Luc Marion and Michel Henry. The criticisms of key tenants of classical phenomenology, intentionality and reduction, are of a particular note. However, there are problems with Levinas’ characterization of subjectivity as essentially sensible. In “Totality and Infinity” and “Otherwise than Being”, Levinas criticizes and recasts a traditional notion of subjectivity, particularly the notion of the subject as the first and foremost rational subject. The subject in Levinas’ works is characterized more by its sensibility and affectedness than by its capacity to reason or affect its world. Levinas ties rationality to economy and suggests an alternative notion of reason that leads to his analysis of the ethical relation as the face-to-face encounter. The ‘origin’ of the social relation is located not in our capacity to know but rather in a sensibility that is diametrically opposed to the reason understood as economy. I argue that the opposition in Levinas’ thought between reason and sensibility is problematic and essentially leads to a self-conflicted subject. In fact, it would seem that violence characterizes the subject’s self-relation and, thus, is also inscribed at the base of the social relation. Rather than overcoming a problematic tendency to dualistic thought in philosophy Levinas merely reverses traditional hierarchies of reason/emotion, subject/object and self/other. 

  13. Issues in subject recruitment and retention with pregnant and parenting substance-abusing women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, J; Beckwith, L

    1996-01-01

    To advance knowledge about the treatment of addiction among pregnant women and other women of childbearing age, investigators must adhere to the requirements of a strict experimental research design while concurrently providing clinical services. This means that researchers must address a variety of difficult questions, including the following: Was the sample large enough? Were the criteria for subject inclusion and exclusion well defined? Did the process of recruitment result in a sample that could be generalized to a larger population, or was the sample biased in some way? Was assignment to groups clearly random? What was the attrition rate? Was attrition the same in both experimental and comparison groups? Did baseline measures collect enough information to permit a description of the facts that were associated with attrition in each group? Was the attrition rate so high that the retained sample had special characteristics? If so, what were these features? This chapter highlights several problems related to these questions, describes the difficulties that investigators have faced in meeting clinical and research challenges to date, and suggests strategies for overcoming some obstacles. In establishing the Perinatal-20 project, the National Institute on Drug Abuse took an informed first step in organizing a substantial research effort to investigate treatment modalities that incorporate services specific to the needs of substance-abusing women who have children. This initial effort has resulted in a beginning knowledge base that can be used to refine and expand future treatment efforts. Even the issue of the "study unit" for this population is evolving. Today's researchers are attempting to determine whether the mother alone or the mother along with her dependent children constitutes the study unit. This question also has led professionals in the field to examine a range of specific outcome priorities, and investigators just now are beginning to determine exactly

  14. EPA Linked Open Data: Facility Registry Service

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Facility Registry Service (FRS) identifies facilities, sites, or places subject to environmental regulation or of environmental interest to EPA programs or...

  15. Cervical cancer: a qualitative study on subjectivity, family, gender and health services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    López-Cervantes Malaquías

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In 2002, cervical cancer was one of the leading causes of death in Mexico. Quantitative techniques allowed for the identification of socioeconomic, behavioral and biological characteristics that are part of its etiology. However such characteristics, are inadequate to explain sufficiently the role that emotions, family networks and socially-constructed categories such as gender play in the demand and utilization of health services for cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment and neither the timely undertaking of preventive actions, such as getting a PAP smear or seeking adequate and continuons treatment. Methods A qualitative study was carried out to analyze the role of different social and cultural factors in the timely detection of cervical cancer. As part of a multi-level, multi-method research effort, this particular study was based on individual interviews with women diagnosed with cervical cancer (identified as the "cases", their female friends and relatives (identified as the "controls" and the cases' husbands. Results The results showed that both: denial and fear are two important components that regulate the behavior of both the women and their partners. Women with a small support network may have limited opportunities for taking action in favor of their own health and wellbeing. Conclusion Women tend not to worry about their health, in general and neither about cervical cancer in particular, as a consequence of their conceptualizations regarding their body and feminine identify – both of which are socially determined. Furthermore, it is necessary to improve the quality of information provided in health services.

  16. Conceptual framework for leadership in public service

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. O. Haitov

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The article analyzes the conceptual foundations of leadership in the public service. The author comes from the fact that the concept of leadership is a theoretical construct that includes strategy, main directions, objectives and goals of improving public service personnel, to enhance the efficiency of state institutions due to indirect effects of leadership on organizational performance management. According to the author, the concept of leadership in the public service should be a system of coordinated actions which aim not only organizational improvement, but above all to optimize the role of the state, which has not only assist in the implementation of the interests of the population, but also actively participate the formation of civil society. The purpose of the formation and leadership development in the public service is to achieve a new quality vnutryorhanizatsiynoyi interaction that facilitates optimization of power structures as the subject of management and their interaction with the citizens as the object of control. Concept development based on scientific principles, consistency, complexity, individualization, availability. The functional HR service load state body in the direction of leadership. The main provisions defining the conceptual foundations of leadership in the public service, the author highlights: the educational component, regulated by different procedures to change learning within the application of modern methods of active influence on the personality of students to prepare for practice the last management activities; transformation of HR services of state bodies aimed at active inclusion in the formative activities to improve the quality of management interaction subject and object management.

  17. Virtual Reality for Prototyping Service Journeys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Costas Boletsis

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The use of virtual elements for developing new service prototyping environments and more realistic simulations has been suggested as a way to optimise the service prototyping process. This work examines the application of virtual reality (VR in prototyping service journeys and it hypothesises that VR can recreate service journeys in a highly immersive, agile, and inexpensive manner, thus allowing users to have a representative service experience and enabling service designers to extract high-quality user feedback. To that end, a new service prototyping method, called VR service walkthrough, is presented and evaluated through an empirical comparative study. A VR service walkthrough is a virtual simulation of a service journey, representing how the service unfolds over space and time. A comparative study between the VR service walkthrough method and an adapted service walkthrough method evaluates the application of both methods using a location-based audio tour guide service as a case study. Two user groups (each with 21 users were used to evaluate both methods based on two factors: the user experience they offered and the subjective meaningfulness and quality of feedback they produced. Results show that the VR service walkthrough method gave a performance similar to that of the service walkthrough method. It was also able to communicate the service concept in an immersive way and foster constructive feedback.

  18. Reference-based pricing: an evidence-based solution for lab services shopping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melton, L Doug; Bradley, Kent; Fu, Patricia Lin; Armata, Raegan; Parr, James B

    2014-01-01

    To determine the effect of reference-based pricing (RBP) on the percentage of lab services utilized by members that were at or below the reference price. Retrospective, quasi-experimental, matched, case-control pilot evaluation of an RBP benefit for lab services. The study group included employees of a multinational grocery chain covered by a national health insurance carrier and subject to RBP for lab services; it had access to an online lab shopping tool and was informed about the RBP benefit through employer communications. The reference group was covered by the same insurance carrier but not subject to RBP. The primary end point was lab compliance, defined as the percentage of lab claims with total charges at or below the reference price. Difference-in-difference regression estimation evaluated changes in lab compliance between the 2 groups. Higher compliance per lab claim was evident for the study group compared with the reference group (69% vs 57%; Ponline shopping tool was used by 7% of the matched-adjusted study group prior to obtaining lab services. Lab compliance was 76% for study group members using the online tool compared with 68% among nonusers who were subject to RBP (P<.01). RBP can promote cost-conscious selection of lab services. Access to facilities that offer services below the reference price and education about RBP improve compliance. Evaluation of the effect of RBP on higher-cost medical services, including radiology, outpatient specialty, and elective inpatient procedures, is needed.

  19. 48 CFR 652.236-71 - Foreign Service Buildings Act, as Amended.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Foreign Service Buildings....236-71 Foreign Service Buildings Act, as Amended. As prescribed in 636.570(a), insert the following provision: Foreign Service Buildings Act, as Amended (APR 2004) (a) This solicitation is subject to Section...

  20. Surveys of Online Information Service in Large Public Libraries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woy, James B.

    1983-01-01

    Reports results of 1983 survey of 25 public libraries and 1981 survey of 11 public libraries, both of which focused on facets of online information services--user fees, databases, documentation, equipment, miscellaneous services, and subject areas searched. The 1983 questionnaire and seven sources are appended. (EJS)

  1. SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE ESTIMATION OF THE LEVEL OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SERVICE OF CONSERVING HEALTH STATUS IMPROVEMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragan Krivokapić

    2014-06-01

    . One of the most important publications in which this connection is emphasized is the report of the American Ministry of Health, called Physical activity and health (1996, which gives a number of useful effects on health status of people who participated in some form of physical activity. Exact minimal volume and intensity of physical activity enough to cause positive effects on health status is still unknown, so the estimation of elements of physical form related to health became important for many institutions occupied with health of people. Discussion: For each of the above mentioned elements of physical form related to health, there were different subjective and objective procedures established that can be used for their estimation. Carpensen CJ. Powell KE, Cristenson GM Besides (1985, it is very important to take into account a clear aim for which a certain estimation is done, because it enables implementation of the most appropriate protocol for estimation of each element of physical form. In that sense, subjective and objective estimation of the level of physical activity of an individual is essential for preservation and improvement of their health status. References: American College for Sports Medicine, Guildelines for exericise testing and Prescription.8th ed. Philadelphia: 2009 Lippincott Williams&Wilkins, 248-52. Carpensen CJ, Powell KE, Cristenson GM (1985. Physical activity , ehercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for healt-related research. Public Health Rep., 100(2, 126-31. U.S. Department of Healt and Human Services and Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention. Physical Activity and health: A report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA: 1996 National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 89-90.

  2. Competitive intelligence in services organizations: a systematic literature review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danielle Faust Cruz

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available It is growing the importance of services sector in the global economy. Facing a global and dynamic market, characterized by fierce competition, Competitive Intelligence - CI can help services organizations in decision making process and in the conception of competitive advantages against competitors. This paper aims to outline the state of art concerning the use of competitive intelligence in the services sector organizations, through research and analysis of articles found in major databases. This is a theoretical study consisting of a systematic literature review including bibliometric and content analysis. Relevant publications were retrieved in the following data bases related to the subject: Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Ebsco, ScienceDirect, and Engineering Village. The results allow considering the importance of competitive intelligence for survival and competitiveness of services organizations. Finally, it was verified the existence of a gap related to prescriptive studies, focusing on investigations about the subject, being this type of study relevant to the area to reach maturity

  3. Is lean service promising? A socio-technical perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Hadid, W; Mansouri, SA; Gallear, D

    2016-01-01

    Purpose – This research paper contributes to the ongoing debate about the effectiveness of lean practices in the service sector. Design/methodology/approach – This paper combines objective and subjective empirical data from a relatively large number of UK, medium and large, for-profit service firms and examines six hypotheses relating to the impact of lean service on firm operational and financial performance. Exploratory factor analysis is used to reduce the data and identify the underlyi...

  4. Subjectivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesús Vega Encabo

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, I claim that subjectivity is a way of being that is constituted through a set of practices in which the self is subject to the dangers of fictionalizing and plotting her life and self-image. I examine some ways of becoming subject through narratives and through theatrical performance before others. Through these practices, a real and active subjectivity is revealed, capable of self-knowledge and self-transformation. 

  5. [Public health as a subject for the Assembly].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garces, S; Torres, R

    1997-12-01

    Six Ecuadorian political figures and physicians were interviewed on their opinions concerning the problems of the health sector and possible solutions. Ecuadorians anticipate that installation of the National Assembly will lead to diagnosis and reform of societal ills. Health has not been a high priority of political leaders. Only 10% of the population has access to the social security system. Infant mortality rates are very high in the rural sierra, and nearly 70% of indigenous sierra children suffer from chronic malnutrition. The need for broad reform of the health sector has been recognized. The interview subjects agreed that reforms are needed, especially in regard to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security, which all agreed had become weakened by excessive political patronage and presence of unqualified political appointees. They agreed that the nation's health is deteriorating each day, but they did not always agree on how to solve the crisis. Among the themes debated were the need for improved coordination of services, increased investment in health services, redefinition of the role of public and private services, participation of the population in the construction of health policy, the need for professional administration, whether the poor should be charged for services, and whether monopolies should be permitted in the field of health care.

  6. Service Use and Unmet Needs in Youth Suicide: A Study of Trajectories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renaud, Johanne; Séguin, Monique; Lesage, Alain D; Marquette, Claude; Choo, Bettina; Turecki, Gustavo

    2014-01-01

    Objective: While 90% of suicide victims have suffered from mental health disorders, less than one-half are in contact with a mental health professional in the year preceding their death. Service use in the last year of life of young suicide victims and control subjects was studied in Quebec. We wanted to determine what kinds of health care services were needed and if they were actually received by suicide victims. Method: We recruited 67 consecutive suicide victims and 56 matched living control subjects (aged 25 years and younger). We evaluated subjects’ psychopathological profile and determined which services would have been indicated by conducting a needs assessment. We then compared this with what services were actually received. Results: Suicide victims were more likely than living control subjects to have a psychiatric diagnosis. They were most in need of services to address substance use disorder, depression, interpersonal distress, and suicide-related problems. There were significant deficits in the domains of coordination and continuity of care, mental health promotion and training, and governance. Conclusions: Our results show that we need to urgently take action to address these identified deficits to prevent further loss of life in our young people. PMID:25565685

  7. THE USE OF INTERNET SERVICES IN TEACHING TECHNOLOGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. L. Gruzdeva

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The article is devoted to the use of various means and technologies of the Internet on technology lessons. As the authors of the article show, recently a lot of sites, applicable for joint work, so-called Web 2.0 tools have been developed and put into operation. Many of them can facilitate the work of teachers, make the material more visible, more quickly monitor the performance of homework, etc. The authors are sure that such services as google-tables and google-presentations can reduce the organizational time in the lesson, which is so expensive for practical classes, will make it possible to disassemble more new material, increase the efficiency and speed of the practical work.Materials and methods: The article examines different methods of organizing a lesson using Internet services: when studying a new topic, when working on a project, with differentiated work in a lesson, etc.The results of the research: The article describes the Internet services that the technology teachers can use in their professional activities: a graphical service for creating the layout and interior of the house Planoplan, services that allow you to create schemes for embroidery and share the already created schemes with other embroiderers (igolki.net, x.fanreal.ru, crosti.ru and othersDiscussion and conclusion: The article discusses the complexity of the use of virtual services in the study of the subject of Technology, namely the fact that the student needs to learn the manual operations used for centuries that were not worked out on one generation of students with virtually no changes in the methodology. In addition, there are practically no services developed specifically for the method of teaching the subject of Technology. Internet technologies have firmly taken their positions in the life of modern society. Teachers should use all the tools that can attract the attention of a new generation to teach them their subject.

  8. The Authorized Service After-Sales Service, Customer Satisfaction and Impact: An Application in the Automotive Industry in Istanbul

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeynep ÖZGÜNER

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Authorized service after sales services provided by this study investigates the relationship between customer satisfaction. Research of survey forms conducted to the car owners. Their car owners surveyed in the study, presented to them by their satisfaction with after-sales service customer satisfaction levels identified were whether there is a relationship with the size of the after-sales service. Also differentiate according to demographic variables were found to be different. The security of data, frequencies, rates, and averages were calculated by them. Independent samples t-test (independent samples t-test and one way ANOVA analysis used from the data. The sub-dimensions subjected for the correlation analysis between to relationships examined. As a result, after-sales services according to the dimensions of the satisfaction of car owners are determined to be at a high level overall. There is not huge difference between to demographic changes with after sales services. Meaningful relationships have been identified with after sales services with sub-dimensions.

  9. 76 FR 30396 - Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, Real Estate Consulting, Houston, TX; Amended...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-25

    ... Advisory Services LLP, Real Estate Consulting, Houston, TX; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To... Financial Advisory Services LLP, Real Estate Consulting, Houston, Texas (subject firm). The Department's... Services LLP, Real Estate Consulting, Houston, Texas who were adversely affected by a shift in services to...

  10. Primary teachers' subject matter knowledge: decimals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ubuz, Behiye; Yayan, Betül

    2010-09-01

    The main objective of this study was to investigate primary teachers' subject matter knowledge in the domain of decimals and more elaborately to investigate their performance and difficulties in reading scale, ordering numbers, finding the nearest decimal and doing operations, such as addition and subtraction. The difficulties in these particular areas are analysed and suggestions are made regarding their causes. Further, factors that influence this knowledge were explored. The sample of the study was 63 primary teachers. A decimal concepts test including 18 tasks was administered and the total scores for the 63 primary teachers ranged from 3 to 18 with a mean and median of 12. Fifty per cent of the teachers were above the mean score. The detailed investigation of the responses revealed that the primary teachers faced similar difficulties that students and pre-service teachers faced. Discrepancy on teachers' knowledge revealed important differences based on educational level attained, but not the number of years of teaching experience and experience in teaching decimals. Some suggestions have been made regarding the implications for pre- and in-service teacher training.

  11. Changing Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Beliefs about Mathematical Knowledge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stohlmann, Micah; Moore, Tamara; Cramer, Kathleen; Maiorca, Cathrine

    2015-01-01

    Studies have reported that pre-service teachers often enter teacher preparation programs with beliefs and attitudes not conducive to teaching the subject conceptually. In the USA, the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics have brought a renewed focus on procedural and conceptual understanding. However, many U.S. pre-service teachers have…

  12. MANAGING SERVICE QUALITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreea BUDEANU

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Services are today the dominant sector of the economic activity both in terms of economic performance and labor utilization. Becoming an essential part of today’s society, they are considered the basis of a healthy economy, fact that has increased the importance of services and the research in the field. One of the biggest challenges regarding this sector is the evaluation and assurance of quality. There is still a lack of unanimity regarding the definitions, measurement procedures and the aspects that need to be provided and measured. Through this article we intend to treat these subjects and provide a broad perspective on this topic. Thus, we hope to highlight some practices and directions that could be relevant for the organizations in this field.

  13. Does providing prescription information or services improve medication adherence among patients discharged from the emergency department? A randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarthy, Melissa L; Ding, Ru; Roderer, Nancy K; Steinwachs, Donald M; Ortmann, Melinda J; Pham, Julius Cong; Bessman, Edward S; Kelen, Gabor D; Atha, Walter; Retezar, Rodica; Bessman, Sara C; Zeger, Scott L

    2013-09-01

    We determine whether prescription information or services improve the medication adherence of emergency department (ED) patients. Adult patients treated at one of 3 EDs between November 2010 and September 2011 and prescribed an antibiotic, central nervous system, gastrointestinal, cardiac, or respiratory drug at discharge were eligible. Subjects were randomly assigned to usual care or one of 3 prescription information or services intervention groups: (1) practical services to reduce barriers to prescription filling (practical prescription information or services); (2) consumer drug information from MedlinePlus (MedlinePlus prescription information or services); or (3) both services and information (combination prescription information or services). Self-reported medication adherence, measured by primary adherence (prescription filling) and persistence (receiving medicine as prescribed) rates, was determined during a telephone interview 1 week postdischarge. Of the 3,940 subjects enrolled and randomly allocated to treatment, 86% (N=3,386) completed the follow-up interview. Overall, primary adherence was 88% and persistence was 48%. Across the sites, primary adherence and persistence did not differ significantly between usual care and the prescription information or services groups. However, at site C, subjects who received the practical prescription information or services (odds ratio [OR]=2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4 to 4.3) or combination prescription information or services (OR=1.8; 95% CI 1.1 to 3.1) were more likely to fill their prescription compared with usual care. Among subjects prescribed a drug that treats an underlying condition, subjects who received the practical prescription information or services were more likely to fill their prescription (OR=1.8; 95% CI 1.0 to 3.1) compared with subjects who received usual care. Prescription filling and receiving medications as prescribed was not meaningfully improved by offering patients patient

  14. 13 CFR 121.401 - What procurement programs are subject to size determinations?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... program, the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Assistance Procedures, SBA's Service... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What procurement programs are subject to size determinations? 121.401 Section 121.401 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS...

  15. Introduction of Service Systems Implementation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirkan, Haluk; Spohrer, James C.; Krishna, Vikas

    Services systems can range from an individual to a firm to an entire nation. They can also be nested and composed of other service systems. They are configurations of people, information, technology and organizations to co-create value between a service customer and a provider (Maglio et al. 2006; Spohrer et al. 2007). While these configurations can take many, potentially infinite, forms, they can be optimized for the subject service to eliminate unnecessary costs in the forms of redundancies, over allocation, etc. So what is an ideal configuration that a provider and a customer might strive to achieve? As much as it would be nice to have a formula for such configurations, experiences that are result of engagement, are very different for each value co-creation configurations. The variances and dynamism of customer provider engagements result in potentially infinite types and numbers of configurations in today's global economy.

  16. Report on {open_quotes}inspection of human subject research in intelligence and intelligence-related projects{close_quotes}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-01-16

    Executive Order 12333, {open_quotes}United States Intelligence Activities,{close_quotes} (1) designates the Department`s intelligence element as a member of the Intelligence Community, and (2) states that no agency within the Intelligence community shall sponsor, contract for or conduct research on human subjects except in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. The Federal policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, which was based on Department of Health and Human Services regulations, was promulgated in Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 745 by the Department of Energy. The purpose of this inspection was to review the internal control procedures used by the Office of Nonproliferation and National Security to manage selected intelligence and intelligence-related projects that involve human subject research.

  17. 9 CFR 329.1 - Article or livestock subject to administrative detention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Article or livestock subject to administrative detention. 329.1 Section 329.1 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE... of the provisions of Title I of the Act, any other Federal law, or the laws of any State or Territory...

  18. 77 FR 58584 - Stream Global Services, Inc., AdCenter, Beaverton, OR; Notice of a Revised Determination on...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-21

    ... supply of services like or directly competitive with the customer relationship management and business... subject worker group includes workers involved in employment related to the supply of customer relationship management and business process outsourcing services. The subject worker group does not include on...

  19. Service design: a review of methods and techniques inthe point of view of service operations management area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noel Torres Júnior

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available As in many developing countries, the service sector in Brazil is responsible for generating income and employment for a significant portion of the population. Due to this economic relevance, service organizations are faced with an increasingly demanding and competitive market. This demand greater innovation and business planning. Despite this, the process of service development remains a relatively unexplored subject in the literature. Several issues regarding the planning and management remain without clear ideas or propositions that guide their appropriate treatment. The result of this situation, the methods and techniques that help design the services are not properly disseminated. These are scattered through the literature of operations management services. Given this framework, the light of a review of the literature and concerning the elements that compose the service project according to the works of Machuca, Zamora-Gonzalez and Aguilar-Escobar (2007 and Edvardsson (1997, the present work points and examine the methods and techniques suggested by many authors and works on the area of Service Operations. It was found that the knowledge about the methods and techniques is diffuse. This knowledge is concentrated on the design process and determining the location of services.

  20. NBME subject examination in surgery scores correlate with surgery clerkship clinical experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, Jonathan A; Vigneswaran, Yalini; Gabryszak, Beth; Fogg, Louis F; Francescatti, Amanda B; Golner, Christine; Bines, Steven D

    2014-01-01

    Most medical schools in the United States use the National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examinations as a method of at least partial assessment of student performance, yet there is still uncertainty of how well these examination scores correlate with clinical proficiency. Thus, we investigated which factors in a surgery clerkship curriculum have a positive effect on academic achievement on the National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery. A retrospective analysis of 83 third-year medical students at our institution with 4 unique clinical experiences on the general surgery clerkship for the 2007-2008 academic year was conducted. Records of the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores, National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery scores, and essay examination scores for the groups were compared using 1-way analysis of variance testing. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago IL, an academic institution and tertiary care center. Our data demonstrated National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery scores from the group with the heavier clinical loads and least time for self-study were statistically higher than the group with lighter clinical services and higher rated self-study time (p = 0.036). However, there was no statistical difference of National Board of Medical Examiners Subject Examination in Surgery scores between the groups with equal clinical loads (p = 0.751). Students experiencing higher clinical volumes on surgical services, but less self-study time demonstrated statistically higher academic performance on objective evaluation, suggesting clinical experience may be of higher value than self-study and reading. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. [The subjective quality of life of patients with schizophrenia: influence of psychopathology and patients' expectations. A comparative study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salomé, F; Petitjean, F; Germain, C; Demant, J-C

    2004-01-01

    Most studies on the quality of life (Qol) of patients with schizophrenia deal with objective living conditions and how they are perceived by hospitalized patients. The few studies that compare Qol for patients treated in part time services with the Qol of ambulatory patients do not show any significant difference in terms of subjective Qol. Some stu-dies evaluate the influence of psychopathology and needs (or expectations) on the subjective Qol in these groups of patients. Available data indicate that the general well-being is influenced by psychopathology (positive, negative or depressive symptoms) and unmet needs in ambulatory patients. They also show that subjective Qol in certain life domains (social relations, family relations, leisure, health, law and security) is influenced by negative symptoms, anxiety and depression in patients treated in part-time services. The aim of this study is to compare the objective and subjective Qol of patients with schizophrenia treated in part time services (day hospital and day care center) to the Qol of out-patients treated on a purely ambulatory basis (out patient clinic). We studied the Qol of 2 groups of 30 patients with schizophrenia (ICD 10 criteria) treated in various centers. The first group was made of ambulatory patients, the second one was constituted of patients treated in a day hospital or a day care center. Patients were matched for age, duration of illness, number of hospitalizations. The instruments used for rating were the following: Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Positive And Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-10). The Qol was measured with a french version of the Lancashire Quality Of Life Profile (LQOLP) (Salomé, Germain, Petitjean, Demant and Boyer, 2000). This instrument measures the objective Qol as well as the subjective Qol. It does possess satisfying psychometric properties and offers the possibility to establish Qol profiles. All

  2. Dental state and subjective chewing ability of institutionalized elderly people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekelund, R

    1989-02-01

    The purpose of the present study was to investigate the dental state of the elderly, to provide a subjective appraisal of their chewing ability and their inability to eat certain foods because of their poor dental state. The subjects were 480 residents of 24 municipal old people's homes in different parts of Finland. Of the subjects, 153 were men and 327 women, and their ages ranged from 65 to 100 years. The methods used were clinical examination and interview. The clinical examination revealed that 68% of the subjects had no natural teeth, and 22% had neither natural nor artificial teeth. The number of teeth in dentate subjects was small (average 7.6), and the condition mostly poor. Only 2% had any serviceable counterparts. 51% of the subjects wore dentures: 57 subjects in the maxilla alone, three in the mandible alone and 186 in both maxilla and mandible. 41% said that because of their teeth they were unable to eat some foods they would have liked to eat, crisp bread being mentioned most often as such a food (85% of those with chewing difficulties). Edentulous subjects and dentate subjects wearing both maxillary and mandibular dentures said more often than those without dentures that they could eat everything; those without any teeth had most often (59%) to avoid some foods. More attention should be given to the dental condition and the masticatory function of the elderly, especially of those living in institutions, to ensure that they are comfortable physically, psychologically, and socially for the rest of their lives.

  3. Service-learning from the views of university teachers: a qualitative study based on focus groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shek, Daniel T L; Chan, Stephen C F

    2013-01-01

    Under the New Undergraduate Curriculum at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), students are required to take a 3-credit subject to fulfill service-learning requirements. To understand the views of teachers regarding service-learning, five focus group interviews (n=33) are conducted to examine the perceived characteristics and myths of service-learning as well as colleagues' views on the policy at PolyU. Results showed that most informants are aware of service-learning and have seen its benefits to both students and teachers. Most informants also possess positive views about service-learning. Nevertheless, in terms of service-learning at PolyU, three different groups of views on service-learning are observed, namely, positive, negative, and mixed views. This paper also discusses teachers' views on the anticipated difficulties of service-learning implementation and the ways, by which to promote the subject in the PolyU context.

  4. 44 CFR 19.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 44 Emergency Management and Assistance 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Health and insurance benefits... Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 19.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 19.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or...

  5. From Professional Competencies to Capacity: A Study of Education and Training for Subject Specialists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Hsin Phoebe Chiu

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Subject specialists are important assets in academic and research libraries. They possess not only the specialized knowledge of a particular subject field, but also the skills in library and information services. Looming shortage of qualified subject specialists resulting from the retirement of current professionals, most likely the baby-boomer generation, persuasively suggests that education and training are in urgent need of rethinking. This empirical study was conducted within the context of Library and Information Science education and academic librarianship in North America. Survey, content analysis, and focus group were employed as data collection methods. This study aims to analyze the status of LIS education for subject specialists, education needs and personal attributes of subject specialists, and the qualifications and responsibilities of becoming subject specialists. The goal of the study is to understand the knowledge, skills, and attitude of becoming subject specialists. Results of the study may provide insight into planning of formal curriculum and on-the-job training. [Article content in Chinese

  6. Data mining approach to model the diagnostic service management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sun-Mi; Lee, Ae-Kyung; Park, Il-Su

    2006-01-01

    Korea has National Health Insurance Program operated by the government-owned National Health Insurance Corporation, and diagnostic services are provided every two year for the insured and their family members. Developing a customer relationship management (CRM) system using data mining technology would be useful to improve the performance of diagnostic service programs. Under these circumstances, this study developed a model for diagnostic service management taking into account the characteristics of subjects using a data mining approach. This study could be further used to develop an automated CRM system contributing to the increase in the rate of receiving diagnostic services.

  7. Blending Community Service and Teaching to Open Vision Care and Eye Health Awareness to University Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Do, Chi-wai; Chan, Lily Y. L.; Wong, Horace H. Y.; Chu, Geoffrey; Yu, Wing Yan; Pang, Peter C. K.; Cheong, Allen M. Y.; Ting, Patrick Wai-ki; Lam, Thomas Chuen; Kee, Chea-su; Lam, Andrew; Chan, Henry H. L.

    2016-01-01

    A vision care-based community service subject is offered to general university students for fulfillment of a service-learning compulsory credit requirement. Here, a professional health subject is taught in a way that caters to generalist learners. Students gain basic skills they can apply to provide vision screenings for the needy population. All…

  8. Association between subjective memory complaints and health care utilisation: a three-year follow up

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Waldorff, Frans Boch; Siersma, Volkert; Waldemar, Gunhild

    2009-01-01

    their general practitioner and reporting subjective memory complaints (SMC). METHODS: This study was conducted as a prospective cohort survey in general practice with three-year follow-up. Selected health care utilisation or costs relative to SMC adjusted for potential confounders were analyzed in a two......BACKGROUND: Subjective memory complaints (SMC) are common among elderly patients and little is know about the association between SMC and health care utilisation. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate health care utilisation during a three-year follow-up among elderly patients consulting......-part model where the incidence of use of a selected health care service were analyzed separately from the quantity of use for those that use the service. The former analyzed in a Poisson regression approach, the latter in a generalized linear regression model. RESULTS: A total 758 non-nursing home residents...

  9. 38 CFR 23.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Prohibited § 23.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 23.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its students, a... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Health and insurance...

  10. 36 CFR 1211.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Health and insurance benefits... Activities Prohibited § 1211.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 1211.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its...

  11. 24 CFR 3.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Health and insurance benefits and... Activities Prohibited § 3.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 3.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its...

  12. 49 CFR 25.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Health and insurance benefits and services. 25.440... Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 25.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 25.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit...

  13. 13 CFR 113.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Health and insurance benefits and....440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 113.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its students, a recipient...

  14. TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY PORT SERVICES MARKETS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanna Klimek

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article describes the issues associated with functioning of contemporary seaport services markets. The growth of international supply chains, technical progress and the integration processes in shipping, growth of containerization, increasing competition in the seaport services markets and environmental protection regulations make it necessary for port service providers to adapt to the changing expectations and requirements of their customers, both shippers and, especially maritime, carriers. Thus, the activities they undertake are associated with making investments to ensure an adequate capacity to handle cargo, passengers and means of transport, required quality of service, but also with appropriate organization of port supply centres and lead to an improvement of their competitiveness. Both the factors associated with the external and internal environment of seaports affect the changes in the relationship between the supply and demand on port services markets. Contemporary port services markets are characterized by certain phenomena which can be a sign of their adaptation and development. The aim of this article is to present the essence of the port services market and its relationship with the environment, which subject to rapid and significant changes, creates new conditions for the operation of port supply centres and the entire port services market.

  15. Level of service at airport passenger terminals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tasić Tamara D.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Airport terminals are designed by level of service standards which are regulated by International Air Transport Association (IATA. Level of service offered to passengers, regarding to the primary processes, is not necessarily equivalent to the level of service perceived by them. The fact that passengers spending longer times in terminals makes the secondary processes more important in passenger experience. Aiming to improving airport attractiveness, and business success, passenger perception is approached by paying close attention. This paper discusses the two aspects of level of service. Concept of level of service used in air traffic industry with purpose of designing and planning of passenger terminal is derived from the Highway Capacity Manual. Subject of the paper regards last changes which have been introduced during 2014. Second part of the paper explains the needs of examining and analyzing passenger perception from the management point of view, and gives overview of methods which are conducted during researches. Similarities and differences are shown among measurements of level of service and perceived level of service, including the importance of these aspects mutual complementing.

  16. 76 FR 32227 - DST Systems, Inc., Including On-Site Leased Workers From Comsys Information Technology Services...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-03

    ..., Inc., Including On-Site Leased Workers From Comsys Information Technology Services, Megaforce, and Kelly Services Kansas City, MO; DST Technologies, a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of DST Systems, Inc., Boston... Information Technology Services, Megaforce, and Kelly Services, Kansas City, Missouri (subject firm). The...

  17. About subjective evaluation of adaptive video streaming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavakoli, Samira; Brunnström, Kjell; Garcia, Narciso

    2015-03-01

    The usage of HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS) technology by content providers is increasing rapidly. Having available the video content in multiple qualities, using HAS allows to adapt the quality of downloaded video to the current network conditions providing smooth video-playback. However, the time-varying video quality by itself introduces a new type of impairment. The quality adaptation can be done in different ways. In order to find the best adaptation strategy maximizing users perceptual quality it is necessary to investigate about the subjective perception of adaptation-related impairments. However, the novelties of these impairments and their comparably long time duration make most of the standardized assessment methodologies fall less suited for studying HAS degradation. Furthermore, in traditional testing methodologies, the quality of the video in audiovisual services is often evaluated separated and not in the presence of audio. Nevertheless, the requirement of jointly evaluating the audio and the video within a subjective test is a relatively under-explored research field. In this work, we address the research question of determining the appropriate assessment methodology to evaluate the sequences with time-varying quality due to the adaptation. This was done by studying the influence of different adaptation related parameters through two different subjective experiments using a methodology developed to evaluate long test sequences. In order to study the impact of audio presence on quality assessment by the test subjects, one of the experiments was done in the presence of audio stimuli. The experimental results were subsequently compared with another experiment using the standardized single stimulus Absolute Category Rating (ACR) methodology.

  18. EVALUATION OF HOTEL SERVICE-PERFORMANCE PROCESS IN BULGARIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgina Lukanova

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper analyses the hotel service-performance process in Bulgarian hotels, which is based on the results of the research about tourists’ opinion on basic moments in service process. One of the most important characteristics of hotel industry is the leading role of the human factor in service-performance process. It cannot be accomplished without the participation of the customer and without the participation of the staff.This makes the evaluation of service process strongly subjective. Because of this, customer needs satisfaction is a big challenge for the hotel management. Under the present conditions of an increased competition, satisfying customers means offering service-performance process, which not only meets, but also exceeds guests’expectations. This can be achieved by a preliminary study of their requirements and expectations.

  19. 18 CFR 1317.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... § 1317.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 1317.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its students, a recipient... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Health and insurance...

  20. Process Mediation, Execution Monitoring and Recovery for Semantic Web Services

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Sycara, K.; Vaculín, Roman

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 31, č. 3 (2008), s. 14-18 ISSN N R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GD201/05/H014; GA MŠk ME08095 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : process mediation of semantic web services * semantic web services * OWL-S Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science

  1. 14 CFR 272.3 - Places eligible for guaranteed essential air service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE TO THE FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES § 272.3 Places eligible for guaranteed essential air service. (a) Subject to the provisions of this part... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Places eligible for guaranteed essential...

  2. 29 CFR 4.118 - Contracts for carriage subject to published tariff rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Application of the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act Specific Exclusions § 4.118 Contracts for carriage... carriage. The contracts excluded from the reach of the Act by this exemption are typically those where... 29 Labor 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Contracts for carriage subject to published tariff rates. 4...

  3. Duchenne muscular dystrophy - a molecular service

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In 1987 a carrier detection and prenatal diagnostic service for. Duchenne muscular dystrophy using molecular technology was instituted at the Department of Human Genetics, Uni- versity of Cape Town, to serve affe.cted families in southern. Africa. DNA samples from 100 affected male subjects and. 350 of their relatives ...

  4. Instrumental analysis for mercury in thumbnails of human subjects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kanabrocki, E L; Kanabrocki, J A; Greco, J [Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, Ill. (USA)

    1977-07-01

    Mercury levels in thumbnails were determined by instrumental analysis using thermal neutron activation technique. Samples were obtained from 14 subjects employed in the hospital dental service (a), 19 in the clinical laboratories (b), and from 16 hospitalized patients who were not employed in laboratory occupations (c). The average mercury levels in ppM for the respective groups were: (a) dentists, 2.7; technicians, 3.9; assistants, 6.6; (b) male technicians, 0.4; female technicians, 1.9; (c) patients, 0.3.

  5. Audit Of The Prevalence Of Malnutrition Using The Modified Subjective Global Assessment Tool In Maintenance Peritoneal Dialysis Patients In The Top End Renal Service Of The Nortehrn Territory Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Greta Hollis

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the audit is to determine the prevalence of malnutrition in maintenance peritoneal dialysis (MPD patients in the Top End of the Northern Territory, using the modified Subjective Global Assessment (SGA tool. Methods: The audit was conducted in an outpatients setting. Approximately 75% of PD patients in the Top End Renal service are represented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people. The study population was MPD patients in the Top End Renal Service (TERS of the Northern Territory, from January 1st 2010 to December 31st 2010. Results were compared to malnutrition rates found in the 2008/09 the audit of MPD patients in the TERS. The SGA’s were performed by the renal Dietitian as part of the standard dietetic support of MPD patients. SGA scores were collected from patient medical charts. Results: Patients were classified into one of three categories, based on their SGA score (A Well-nourished; (B Mild- Moderate Malnutrition, (C Severe malnutrition. Malnutrition (B or C was detected in 10% of PD patients, compared to the 2008/09 audit where 76% of MPD patients had some degree of malnutrition. Summary: These results were much lower than malnutrition rates (76% in the MPD patients audited in 2008/09. A number of factors affecting the PD service after the 2008/09 audit could explain the decrease in malnutrition rates including the implementation of free oral nutrition supplements to MPD patients, development of service wide culturally appropriate education resources used in the pre-dialysis and dialysis stage. Future research into the correlation between improved peritonitis rates and decreased malnutrition rates in the population are warranted.

  6. 9 CFR 381.215 - Poultry or other articles subject to judicial seizure and condemnation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Poultry or other articles subject to... INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS INSPECTION AND VOLUNTARY INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION POULTRY PRODUCTS INSPECTION REGULATIONS...

  7. The potential inclusion of value management subject for postgraduate programmes in Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Che Mat, M.; Karim, S. B. Abd; Amran, N. A. E.

    2018-02-01

    The development of construction industry is increasing tremendously. To complement with this scenario, Value Management (VM) is needed to achieve the optimum function by reducing or eliminating the unnecessary cost that does not contribute to the product, system or service. As VM has been increasingly applied to enhance and improve value in construction projects, the purpose of this study is to implement VM as a subject for master’s students at selected public universities in Malaysia. The research is conducted to investigate the potential inclusion of VM as a subject at master degree programmes in Malaysia. Questionnaire survey was designed and delivered to existing master students to explore the current understanding of VM as well as the possibility of introducing VM as a subject. The results showed that the level of awareness on VM is high, yet the understanding of VM is low. This research presents the result of implementing VM as a subject learning for master’s level programme at selected public universities in Malaysia.

  8. Authentic Learning for Pre-Service Teachers in a Technology-Rich Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latham, Gloria; Carr, Nicky

    2012-01-01

    This paper shares the findings from a three year Participatory Action Research Study around the selection, implementation and effectiveness of educational technologies for enhancing learning in a Teacher Education subject for second year pre-service primary teachers. The innovative Project-Based subject is described using a critical lens. The…

  9. MARKET ANALYSIS OF HOTEL SERVICES IN UKRAINE

    OpenAIRE

    Iryna Antonova

    2015-01-01

    The subject of this research is the market of hotel services in Ukraine in recent years, since the market for the hotel services in Ukraine emerged in the first half of the 2000s. Initially, the focus of both local and foreign investors was on the development of the hotel market in Kyiv. Gradually, with the development of hotel business in Ukraine, investors’ interest began to shift in the direction of populated cities, primarily large business centers of the country (with a population of abo...

  10. The added value of advisory services in SME mergers and acquisitions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lex van Teeffelen

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study is to shed light on the added value of the services of five disciplines in M&A advisory in the SME domain: accountants, bankers, business brokers, fiscalists and lawyers. Theory is inconclusive in the added value of advisory services and research on the subject is hardly

  11. 41 CFR 101-4.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Health and insurance... insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 101-4.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance benefit, service, policy, or plan to any of its students, a recipient shall not...

  12. Effects of Crack and Climate Change on Service Life of Concrete Subjected to Carbonation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-Yong Wang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Carbonation is among the primary reasons for the initiation of the corrosion of steel rebar in reinforced concrete (RC structures. Due to structural loading effects and environmental actions, inevitable cracks have frequently occurred in concrete structures since the early ages. Additionally, climate change, which entails increases in CO2 concentration and environmental temperature, will also accelerate the carbonation of concrete. This article presents an analytical way of predicting the service life of cracked concrete structures considering influences of carbonation and climate change. First, using a hydration model, the quantity of carbonatable materials and concrete porosity were calculated. Carbonation depth was evaluated considering properties of concrete materials and environmental conditions. Second, the influence of cracks on CO2 diffusivity was examined. Carbonation depth for cracked concrete was evaluated using equivalent CO2 diffusivity. The effects of climate change, for example, growing CO2 concentration and environmental temperature, were considered using different schemes of carbonation models. Third, different climate change scenarios (such as Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, RCP 8.5 and upper 90% confidence interval of RCP 8.5 and time slices (such as 2000 and 2050 were used for case studies. By utilizing the Monte Carlo method, the influences of various climate change scenarios on the service life loss of concrete structures were highlighted.

  13. Mapping Ecosystem Services for Land Use Planning, the Case of Central Kalimantan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumarga, Elham; Hein, Lars

    2014-07-01

    Indonesia is subject to rapid land use change. One of the main causes for the conversion of land is the rapid expansion of the oil palm sector. Land use change involves a progressive loss of forest cover, with major impacts on biodiversity and global CO2 emissions. Ecosystem services have been proposed as a concept that would facilitate the identification of sustainable land management options, however, the scale of land conversion and its spatial diversity pose particular challenges in Indonesia. The objective of this paper is to analyze how ecosystem services can be mapped at the provincial scale, focusing on Central Kalimantan, and to examine how ecosystem services maps can be used for a land use planning. Central Kalimantan is subject to rapid deforestation including the loss of peatland forests and the provincial still lacks a comprehensive land use plan. We examine how seven key ecosystem services can be mapped and modeled at the provincial scale, using a variety of models, and how large scale ecosystem services maps can support the identification of options for sustainable expansion of palm oil production.

  14. 38 CFR 1.929 - Reduction of debt through performance of work-study services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... performance of work-study services. 1.929 Section 1.929 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF... performance of work-study services. (a) Scope. (1) Subject to the provisions of this section VA may allow an... becomes entitled by performance of work-study services under 38 U.S.C. 3485 and 3537 when the debt arose...

  15. Income-Related Inequalities in Access to Dental Care Services in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishide, Akemi; Fujita, Misuzu; Sato, Yasunori; Nagashima, Kengo; Takahashi, Sho; Hata, Akira

    2017-05-12

    Background : This study aimed to evaluate whether income-related inequalities in access to dental care services exist in Japan. Methods : The subjects included beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Chiba City, Japan, who had been enrolled from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015. The presence or absence of dental visits and number of days spent on dental care services during the year were calculated using insurance claims submitted. Equivalent household income was calculated using individual income data from 1 January to 31 December 2013, declared for taxation. Results : Of the 216,211 enrolled subjects, 50.3% had dental care during the year. Among those with dental visits, the average number of days (standard deviation) spent on dental care services per year was 7.7 (7.1). Low income was associated with a decreased rate of dental care utilization regardless of age and sex. However, there was a significant inverse linear association between the number of days spent on dental care services and income levels for both sexes. Conclusions : There were income-related inequalities in access to dental care services, regardless of the age group or sex, within the Japanese universal health insurance system.

  16. Interaction of Employee Loyalty and Customer Loyalty in the Service Industry

    OpenAIRE

    monireh dabooeian; manijeh gharecheh

    2011-01-01

    Abstract The subject of customer loyalty is a focal concern of marketers who seek to identify its antecedents and casual structure with the aim of better understanding of its relationship with employee loyalty, particularly in the service sector. In the service industry the role of staff in creating value is significant, therefore it is argued that maintaining customer loyalty is almost impossible without having loyal employees, since loyal employees offer higher quality services and make ...

  17. Subjective evaluation of restaurant acoustics in a virtual sound environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Nicolaj Østergaard; Marschall, Marton; Santurette, Sébastien

    2016-01-01

    Many restaurants have smooth rigid surfaces made of wood, steel, glass, and concrete. This often results in a lack of sound absorption. Such restaurants are notorious for high sound noise levels during service that most owners actually desire for representing vibrant eating environments, although...... surveys report that noise complaints are on par with poor service. This study investigated the relation between objective acoustic parameters and subjective evaluation of acoustic comfort at five restaurants in terms of three parameters: noise annoyance, speech intelligibility, and privacy. At each...... location, customers filled out questionnaire surveys, acoustic parameters were measured, and recordings of restaurant acoustic scenes were obtained with a 64-channel spherical array. The acoustic scenes were reproduced in a virtual sound environment (VSE) with 64 loudspeakers placed in an anechoic room...

  18. Medical students' subjective ratings of stress levels and awareness of student support services about mental health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, Garry; Soh, Nerissa Li-Wey; Norgren Jaconelli, Sanna; Lampe, Lisa; Malhi, Gin S; Hunt, Glenn

    2013-06-01

    To descriptively assess medical students' concerns for their mental and emotional state, perceived need to conceal mental problems, perceived level of support at university, knowledge and use of student support services, and experience of stresses of daily life. From March to September 2011, medical students at an Australian university were invited to complete an anonymous online survey. 475 responses were received. Students rated study and examinations (48.9%), financial concerns (38.1%), isolation (19.4%) and relationship concerns (19.2%) as very or extremely stressful issues. Knowledge of available support services was high, with 90.8% indicating they were aware of the university's medical centre. Treatment rates were modest (31.7%). Students' concerns about their mental state were generally low, but one in five strongly felt they needed to conceal their emotional problems. Despite widespread awareness of appropriate support services, a large proportion of students felt they needed to conceal mental and emotional problems. Overall treatment rates for students who were greatly concerned about their mental and emotional state appeared modest, and, although comparable with those of similarly aged community populations, may reflect undertreatment. It would be appropriate for universities to address stressors identified by students. Strategies for encouraging distressed students to obtain appropriate assessment and treatment should also be explored. Those students who do seek healthcare are most likely to see a primary care physician, suggesting an important screening role for these health professionals.

  19. Technological, political and economic changes and their implications for the evolution of broadcasting services

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tadayoni, Reza

    2000-01-01

    The subject of this Ph.D. thesis is changes in the market for broadcasting services as a result of technological, political, and economic drivers. Broadcasting services can be categorised as a part of the ICT-based information and knowledge intensive services that have gone through radical changes...... and demand sites, scarcity of transmission resources, and the historical aspects that make the development of the broadcasting service market different from other information and knowledge intensive services....

  20. Development of an e-learning package on Service-Learning for university teachers: experience from Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shek, Daniel T L; Chan, Stephen C F

    2013-01-01

    To help university teachers to understand Service-Learning and develop Service-Learning subjects, a 3-h+ e-learning package was developed at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). There are seven units in this e-learning package: introduction session (Unit 1), what is Service-Learning? (Unit 2), impact and benefits of Service-Learning (Unit 3), myths and positive attitudes toward Service-Learning (Unit 4), developing a Service-Learning subject at PolyU (Unit 5), self-reflection about Service-Learning (Unit 6), and concluding session (Unit 7). To understand the views of the users on the e-learning package, the package was offered before formal launching. For the first offering, three focus group sessions were held. Results showed that the users were satisfied with the structural arrangement of the e-learning package and agreed that the e-learning package was useful for them to understand more about Service-Learning. For the second offering, colleagues were generally satisfied with the e-learning package and demonstrated gain in knowledge on Service-Learning. Suggestions for improvement were noted.

  1. Benefits and risks of shared services in healthcare.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennewell, Suzanne; Baker, Laura

    2016-05-16

    Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of staff in a large, public health service involved in transitioning support services to a shared services model. It aims to understand their perceptions of the benefits and risks arising from this change. Design/methodology/approach - Thematic analysis of qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with both service provider and customer agency staff was used to identify, analyze and report patterns of benefits and risks within data. Findings - Staff expressed the need for relevant subject-matter-experts to work within customer agencies to facilitate effective communication between the customer agency and shared services provider, reflecting observations found in out-sourcing literature. Research limitations/implications - Results point to significant challenges continuing to occur for shared services in healthcare. Risks identified suggest a more intimate relationship between clinical and support services than previously discussed. Originality/value - Previous discussion of the shared services model has not considered the skills, knowledge and ability required by staff in the customer agency. This research indicates that in the absence of such consideration, the concepts of the shared services model are weakened.

  2. 15 CFR 8a.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Health and insurance benefits and services. 8a.440 Section 8a.440 Commerce and Foreign Trade Office of the Secretary of Commerce... benefits and services. Subject to § 8a.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life...

  3. Utilization of dental services in a population of Nigerian University ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Results: The results revealed only 14.1% of the subjects had utilised dental services in the past one year with a significant higher dental care use by the females than males (p<0.01). The major reasons for visiting dentist in the past 12 months among the subjects were pain from teeth (20.8%) and the need for cleaning of ...

  4. Study To Assess Utilization of Antenatal and Intranatal Services Amongst Women in an Urban Slum of Mumbai

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saurabh RamBihariLal Shrivastava

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the utilization of antenatal & intra-natal services by antenatal women and the socio-demographic factors affecting the utilization. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in urban slum from July to September 2011. Study population comprised of women who had delivered in last one year preceding study, irrespective of place and outcome of delivery. Only women who were residing at current address for at least 1 year were included. Women not consenting and pregnant women were excluded. All such women were interviewed face to face after obtaining their informed consent using pre tested semi-structured questionnaire which included details of their antenatal care (ANC and intra-natal services availed. Hospital Management Information System (HMIS and Systems, Applications and Products (SAP software were used for obtaining information regarding antenatal and intra-natal care. RESULTS: Antenatal services were utilized by 158(77.8% of study participants. 161(79.3% subjects had institutional delivery and 42(20.7% home delivery, out of which, only 3(7.1% subjects had an assisted home delivery. Low education status and poor socio-economic class had a significant association (P < 0.05 with utilization of ANC services. CONCLUSION: Public sector was the major source of utilization of antenatal care services and intra natal services in 62.7% subjects and 78% subjects respectively. It is suggested that low-income, uneducated women should be targeted for promotion of utilization of antenatal and intra-natal services. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2013; 12(2.000: 157-164

  5. 77 FR 46631 - Television Broadcasting Services; Greenville, NC

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-06

    ...] Television Broadcasting Services; Greenville, NC AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final... acceptance of full power television rulemaking petitions requesting channel substitutions in May 2011, it... Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television. Federal Communications Commission. Barbara A. Kreisman, Chief, Video...

  6. How Uninformed is the Average Data Subject? A Quest for Benchmarks in EU Personal Data Protection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gloria González Fuster

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available

    Information obligations have always been crucial in personal data protection law. Reinforcing these obligations is one of the priorities of the legislative package introduced in 2012 by the European Commission to redefine the personal data protection legal landscape of the European Union (EU. Those responsible for processing personal data (the data controllers must imperatively convey certain pieces of information to those whose data is processed (the data subjects, and they are expected to do so in an increasingly transparent manner. Beyond these punctual information requirements, however, data subjects appear to always be and inevitably remain in a state of relative ignorance, as in almost constant need of further guidance. Data subjects are nowadays often depicted as unknowing consumers of online services, services which surreptitiously take away from them personal data thus conceived as a valuable asset. In light of these developments, this contribution critically investigates how EU law is envisaging data subjects in terms of knowledge. The paper reviews the birth and evolution of information obligations as an element of European personal data protection law, and asks whether thinking of data subjects as consumers is consistent with the notion of average consumer functioning in EU consumer law. Finally, it argues that the time might have come to openly clarify when data subjects are unlawfully misinformed, and that, in the meantime, individuals might benefit not only from accessing more transparent information, but also from being made more aware of the limitations of the information available to them.   

  7. Demand for Dental Services in Shiraz, Iran, 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahromi, Negin Nassaji; Jafari, Abdosaleh; Kavosi, Zahra; Shokrpour, Nasrin; Sajjadnia, Zahra; Ravangard, Ramin

    This cross-sectional and descriptive-analytic study aimed to estimate the demands for the use of dental services by Shirazi inhabitants in Iran from June 2013 to October 2013. Six hundred eighty subjects older than 18 years were selected from among the people living in Shiraz, using a multistage sampling method. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 and Stata 11.0. The results showed that the factors affecting the number of referrals to the dental services centers and the use of these services included the age groups of 28 to 37 and 38 to 47 years, household expenses per month, and having supplementary health insurance coverage (P dental services and increase the probability of utilizing such services by people in need, the researchers recommend that the authorities should design and develop basic and supplementary health insurance plans to cover different types of dental services, allocate subsidies to dental health services, and increase the knowledge of all the people in different age groups about adherence to dental health principles and prevention of oral and dental diseases.

  8. THE EFFECTS OF ROOM SERVICE TO IMPROVE PATIENTS’ FOOD SATISFACTION AND FOOD ACCEPTANCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Iqbal

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The improvement of patients’ food satisfaction and acceptance in the hospitals is primarily needed in the food service  system.  Room service is a new concept in the food service area. This study aims to compare the effects of two different types of food service systems; room service and conventional service system. The study with quasi-experimental design is conducted to the subject of 66 inpatients who were taken using a quota sampling method. Subjects were divided into different groups, the treatment groups (room service and control groups (conventional. Leftover food between groups was compared for 9 large meals to determine acceptability. Food satisfaction is measured on the last day with using questionnaire. The study was conducted in April-June 2014. Chi-Square test and logistic regression were used for analysis of research data. There were significant differences food satisfaction (RR=4.6; p=0.0001 and food acceptance (RR=1.94; p=0.0488 between control and treatment group. The logistic regression test showed that room service group had higher food satisfaction and food acceptance level than control group after controlling confounding factors, which were 12,11 times (95% CI 3,593 – 37,219 and 2,38 times (95% CI 0,68-8,31, respectively. The room service increases food satisfaction and food acceptance of patients compared with conventional systems.

  9. International Energy: Subject Thesaurus. Revision 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1993-11-01

    The International Energy Agency: Subject Thesaurus contains the standard vocabulary of indexing terms (descriptors) developed and structured to build and maintain energy information databases. Involved in this cooperative task are (1) the technical staff of the USDOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) in cooperation with the member countries of the International Energy Agency`s Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE) and (2) the International Atomic Energy Agency`s International Nuclear Information System (INIS) staff representing the more than 100 countries and organizations that record and index information for the international nuclear information community. ETDE member countries are also members of INIS. Nuclear information prepared for INIS by ETDE member countries is included in the ETDE Energy Database, which contains the online equivalent of the printed INIS Atomindex. Indexing terminology is therefore cooperatively standardized for use in both information systems. This structured vocabulary reflects thscope of international energy research, development, and technological programs. The terminology of this thesaurus aids in subject searching on commercial systems, such as ``Energy Science & Technology`` by DIALOG Information Services, ``Energy`` by STN International and the ``ETDE Energy Database`` by SilverPlatter. It is also the thesaurus for the Integrated Technical Information System (ITIS) online databases of the US Department of Energy.

  10. Estimating the Reliability of the Elements of Cloud Services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iuliia V. Ignatova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Cloud technologies are a very considerable area that influence IT infrastructure, network services and applications. Research has highlighted difficulties in the functioning of cloud infrastructure. For instance, if a server is subjected to malicious attacks or a force majeure causes a failure in the cloud's service, it is required to determine the time that it takes the system to return to being fully functional after the crash. This will determine the technological and financial risks faced by the owner and end users of cloud services. Therefore, to solve the problem of determining the expected time before service is resumed after a failure, we propose to apply Markovian queuing systems, specifically a model of a multi-channel queuing system with Poisson input flow and denial-of-service (breakdown. (original abstract

  11. Determining which introductory physics topics pre-service physics teachers have difficulty understanding and what accounts for these difficulties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Şahin, Esin; Yağbasan, Rahmi

    2012-01-01

    This study aims at diagnosing which subjects pre-service physics teachers have difficulty understanding in introductory physics courses and what accounts for these difficulties. A questionnaire consisting of two qualitative questions was used to collect data for this study. The questionnaire was administered to 101 pre-service physics teachers who have completed the courses Physics 1 (Mechanics 1), Physics 2 (Mechanics 2), Physics 3 (Electricity) and Physics 4 (Magnetism). Of the pre-service physics teachers 28 were second year, 26 were third year, 27 were fourth year and 20 were fifth year students. The results of the data analysis indicated that the percentage of students who think that Magnetism has the most difficult subjects is the highest compared to the others. The reasons why the pre-service physics teachers experience difficulty in understanding the subjects have been grouped into four categories. (paper)

  12. Experimental results supporting the determination of service quality objectives for DBS systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chouinard, G.; Whyte, W. A., Jr.; Goldberg, A. A.; Jones, B. L.

    1985-01-01

    A summary of the results of a joint United States and Canadian program on subjective measurements of the picture degradation caused by noise and interference on an NTSC encoded color television signal is given in this paper. The effects of system noise, cochannel and adjacent channel interference, and both single entry and aggregate as well as a combination of these types of interference were subjectively evaluated by expert and nonexpert viewers under reference conditions. These results were used to develop the rationale used at RARC '83 to establish the service quality objective for planning the DBS service for the American continents.

  13. 31 CFR 575.205 - Prohibited exportation and reexportation of goods, technology, or services to Iraq.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... reexportation of goods, technology, or services to Iraq. 575.205 Section 575.205 Money and Finance: Treasury... goods, technology, or services to Iraq. Except as otherwise authorized, no goods, technology (including technical data or other information), or services may be exported from the United States, or, if subject to...

  14. Education services quality of Kashan Medical Science University, based on SERVQUAL model in viewpoints of students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ebrahim Kouchaki

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Sustainable development of higher educational systems, as a dynamic system, requires a coherent moderate growth both in qualitative and quantitative dimensions. Since students are the major clients of higher education systems and their perspectives can play a key role in the quality promotion of the services; this study has been conducted based on SERVQUAL model aiming at the assessment of educational services quality in Kashan Medical Science University in 2016. Study Methodology: A total of 212 students of Kashan Medical Science University were selected with a population of 616 subjects through random sampling, using Morgan tables for this descriptive-analytical research. Data collection tools were the standard SERVQUAL questionnaire composing of three sections of basic information and 28 items, according to Likert six-option scale for the measurement of services quality current and desired expected conditions. The difference between the average of current and desirable statuses was measured as the services gap. Descriptive deductive statistics were used to analyze the obtained data. Results: The students aged averagely 23 ± 1.8, 65% (138 subjects were female, and 35% (74 subjects were male. About 72% (153 subjects were single, and 28% (59 subjects were married. The obtained results revealed that there was a negative gap in all dimensions of quality. The results also showed that the minimum gap obtained for learning assist tools (physical and tangibility dimensions with an amount of −0.38 and the maximum gap for guide instructor availability once needed by the students (accountability dimension with an amount of −2.42. Total mean of perceptions and expectations measurement for the students obtained 2.28 and 3.85, respectively. Conclusion: Respecting the negative gap obtained for all dimensions of educational services quality and insufficiencies to meet the students' expectations, it is recommended to assign further resources

  15. Expanding subjectivities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundgaard Andersen, Linda; Soldz, Stephen

    2012-01-01

    A major theme in recent psychoanalytic thinking concerns the use of therapist subjectivity, especially “countertransference,” in understanding patients. This thinking converges with and expands developments in qualitative research regarding the use of researcher subjectivity as a tool......-Saxon and continental traditions, this special issue provides examples of the use of researcher subjectivity, informed by psychoanalytic thinking, in expanding research understanding....

  16. Customer retention: A theoretical perspective of service failure and service recovery in the hotel industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. J. Petzer

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical perspective on customer retention activities associated with service failure management and service recovery as a means to retain customers in the hotel industry - and to improve the competitiveness of a hotel. The research is pursued with the following objectives in mind: To determine the customer retention activities involved in the service failure management needed by hotels to retain customers. To determine the customer retention activities associated with the service recovery that hotels might perform in order to retain customers. Design/methodology/approach: Secondary sources such as textbooks, scientific journals, and previous studies on the subject were used to obtain relevant background information. A literature search of secondary sources was conducted to elucidate questions and areas of enquiry that relate to the research. Findings: The theoretical perspectives on service failure management and service recovery provided in this paper suggest several customer retention activities that might be used by hotels in order to manage service failure and service recovery - and thus become more competitive. Implications: This paper suggests a number of approaches that hotel managers might take to improve service failure management and service recovery. Such activities could assist a hotel in determining where it is lacking and where to improve its performance in these areas. These activities could provide guidance to managers who are dealing with the day-to-day operations of a hotel. They might help to avoid service failures in the first place, and, secondly, to give ideas about service recovery if failures do occur. On a more strategic level, these activities could also assist managers to develop a general customer retention strategy that incorporates service failure management and service recovery. Originality/value: Service failure management and service recovery are viewed as

  17. Enterprising or altruistic selves? Making up research subjects in genetics research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tutton, Richard; Prainsack, Barbara

    2011-11-01

    The emergence of direct-to-consumer (DTC) personal genomics companies in 2007 was accompanied by considerable media attention and criticism from clinical geneticists and other health professionals, regulators, policy advisors, and ethicists. As well as offering genetic testing services, some firms are also engaged in building their own databases and conducting research with the data obtained from their customers. In this paper, we examine how one of these companies, 23andMe, is creating a certain kind of 'research subject' in opposition to that constituted in conventional forms of disease research. Drawing on debates about neoliberalism, contemporary health discourses and subjectivity, we consider two kinds of subjectivities produced through the discursive and material practices of 23andMe and UK Biobank, namely, 'enterprising' and 'altruistic' selves. We argue that the 23andMe model promotes the idea that curiosity about one's genome on the one hand, and participation in research on the other, are not only compatible but complementary aspects of being an entrepreneurial subject of contemporary health and medicine framed by the technologies of web 2.0. © 2011 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2011 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. Customer satisfaction with the quality of the logistic services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Małgorzata Lisińska-Kuśnierz

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Logistics services are evaluated mainly by measuring customer satisfaction. Measurement of the customer satisfaction provides the information about how organizations operate as well as how to effectively satisfy customer needs. The aim of this paper is to propose an evaluation model of the customer satisfaction of the quality of the logistic services provided. The research in this paper was focused on the evaluation of the level of customer satisfaction in the context of logistics service as well as on the analysis of importance of ten logistic services attributes influencing customer satisfaction. Methods: The research was conducted on the basis of the questionnaire designed for purchasers of logistic services. The subjects of the research were companies which are using refrigerated transport. Results: To define relation between level of customer satisfaction in the context of logistic service and logistic service attributes impacting this satisfaction Pearson's correlation method was used. In turn the model to evaluate the customer satisfaction in the context of logistic services in scope of refrigerated transport was built using multiple regression and stepwise regression methods.

  19. Perceived Quality of Full HD Video - Subjective Quality Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juraj Bienik

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, an interest in multimedia services has become a global trend and this trend is still rising. The video quality is a very significant part from the bundle of multimedia services, which leads to a requirement for quality assessment in the video domain. Video quality of a streamed video across IP networks is generally influenced by two factors “transmission link imperfection and efficiency of compression standards. This paper deals with subjective video quality assessment and the impact of the compression standards H.264, H.265 and VP9 on perceived video quality of these compression standards. The evaluation is done for four full HD sequences, the difference of scenes is in the content“ distinction is based on Spatial (SI and Temporal (TI Index of test sequences. Finally, experimental results follow up to 30% bitrate reducing of H.265 and VP9 compared with the reference H.264.

  20. Radial measures of public services deficit for regional allocation of public funds

    OpenAIRE

    Puig, Jaume

    2005-01-01

    The goal of this paper is to present an optimal resource allocation model for the regional allocation of public service inputs. The proposed solution leads to maximise the relative public service availability in regions located below the best availability frontier, subject to exogenous budget restrictions and equality of access for equal need criteria (equity-based notion of regional needs). The construction of non-parametric deficit indicators is proposed for public service availability by a...

  1. 77 FR 48550 - Technicolor Creative Services, Post Production Feature Mastering Division Including On-Site...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-14

    ... Services, Post Production Feature Mastering Division Including On-Site Leased Workers From Ajilon... Services, Post Production Feature Mastering Division, Hollywood, California (subject firm). The worker... the workers meet the eligibility requirements of the Trade Act of 1974. Conclusion After careful...

  2. Argumentation Practices in Classroom: Pre-Service Teachers' Conceptual Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaya, Ebru

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the impact of argumentation practices on pre-service teachers' understanding of chemical equilibrium. The sample consisted of 100 pre-service teachers in two classes of a public university. One of these classes was assigned as experimental and the other as control group, randomly. In the experimental group, the subject of…

  3. Subjective heat stress of urban citizens: influencing factors and coping strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunz-Plapp, Tina; Hackenbruch, Julia; Schipper, Hans

    2014-05-01

    Given urbanization trend and a higher probability of heat waves in Europe, heat discomfort or heat stress for the population in cities is a growing concern that is addressed from various perspectives, such as urban micro climate, urban and spatial planning, human health, work performance and economic impacts. This presentation focuses on subjective heat stress experienced by urban citizens. In order to better understand individual subjective heat stress of urban citizens and how different measures to cope with heat stress in everyday life are applied, a questionnaire survey was conducted in Karlsruhe, Germany. Karlsruhe is located in one of the warmest regions in Germany and holds the German temperature record of 40.2°C in August 2003. In 2013, two hot weather periods with continuous heat warnings by the German Weather Service for 7 and 8 days occurred during the last 10 days of July and first 10 days of August 2013 with an inofficial maximum temperature of again 40.2°C on July 27th in Karlsruhe (not taken by the official network of the German Weather Service). The survey data was collected in the six weeks after the heat using an online-questionnaire on the website of the South German Climate Office that was announced via newspapers and social media channels to reach a wide audience in Karlsruhe. The questionnaire was additionally sent as paper version to groups of senior citizens to ensure having enough respondents from this heat sensitive social group in the sample. The 428 respondents aged 17-94 show differences in subjective heat stress experienced at home, at work and during various typical activities in daily routine. They differ also in the measures they used to adjust to and cope with the heat such as drinking more, evading the heat, seeking cooler places, changing daily routines, or use of air condition. Differences in heat stress can be explained by housing type, age, subjective health status, employment, and different coping measures and strategies

  4. EXPLORATORY STUDY REGARDING THE QUALITY ASSESSEMENT OF SERVICES OFFERED BY AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP IN CLUJ-NAPOCA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    - -

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The quality of services should be treated as a resultant derived from the satisfaction of the costumers participating in the service consumption, which requires prior knowledge on the predictable behaviour and reactions of the clients to the offered services. In its turn, the service monitoring system’s design must be shaped according to these behaviours: service delivery, service delivery management and service quality control are therefore inherently subject to a double purpose: obtaining consumer satisfaction and stimulating them to seek, in the future the services of the same tender. It is obvious that, in the case services, their intangible character makes quality aspects to be rarely identified in physical or quantifiable indicators, which means that service quality measurements remains largely subjective or up to the client. As a result, each manager must choose some criteria for establishing the principles used in quality assessment and, ultimately, the practice under market competition conditions, is the one that will approve or not, on the long run those criteria, therefore the service’s quality and its adequacy for a particular customer segment.

  5. Getting to Know You: Discovering User Behaviors and Their Implications for Service Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daigle, Ben

    2013-01-01

    Public services librarians are often in the position of training patrons how to use technology. They adopt new technologies such as discovery layers, link resolvers, subject guides, virtual reference services, OPACs, content management systems, and institutional repositories to provide access to materials and facilitate collaboration, but…

  6. 75 FR 3695 - Television Broadcasting Services; Birmingham, AL

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-22

    ...] Television Broadcasting Services; Birmingham, AL AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed... Television Commission (``AETC''), the licensee of noncommercial educational station WBIQ (TV), channel *10... procedures for comments, see 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.420. List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television...

  7. The perceptions of pre-service and in-service teachers regarding a project-based STEM approach to teaching science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siew, Nyet Moi; Amir, Nazir; Chong, Chin Lu

    2015-01-01

    Whilst much attention has focused on project-based approaches to teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, little has been reported on the views of South-East Asian science teachers on project-based STEM approaches. Such knowledge could provide relevant information for education training institutions on how to influence innovative teaching of STEM subjects in schools. This article reports on a study that investigated the perceptions of 25 pre-service and 21 in-service Malaysian science teachers in adopting an interdisciplinary project-based STEM approach to teaching science. The teachers undertook an eight hour workshop which exposed them to different science-based STEM projects suitable for presenting science content in the Malaysian high school science syllabus. Data on teachers' perceptions were captured through surveys, interviews, open-ended questions and classroom discussion before and at the end of the workshop. Study findings showed that STEM professional development workshops can provide insights into the support required for teachers to adopt innovative, effective, project-based STEM approaches to teaching science in their schools.

  8. Medio-lateral postural instability in subjects with tinnitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoi eKapoula

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Many patients show modulation of tinnitus by gaze, jaw or neck movements, reflecting abnormal sensorimotor integration and interaction between various inputs. Postural control is based on multi-sensory integration (visual, vestibular, somatosensory, and oculomotor and indeed there is now evidence that posture can also be influenced by sound. Perhaps tinnitus influences posture similarly to external sound. This study examines the quality of postural performance in quiet stance in patients with modulated tinnitus.Methods: Twenty-three patients with highly modulated tinnitus were selected in the ENT service. Twelve reported exclusively or predominately left tinnitus, eight right and three bilateral. Eighteen control subjects were also tested. Subjects were asked to fixate a target at 40cm for 51s; posturography was performed with the platform (Technoconcept, 40Hz for both the eyes open and eyes closed conditions.Results: For both conditions, tinnitus subjects showed abnormally high lateral body sway (SDx. This was corroborated by fast Fourrier Transformation (FFTx and wavelet analysis. For patients with left tinnitus only, medio-lateral sway increased significantly when looking away from the center. Conclusions: Similarly to external sound stimulation, tinnitus could influence lateral sway by activating attention shift, and perhaps vestibular responses. Poor integration of sensorimotor signals is another possibility. Such abnormalities would be accentuated in left tinnitus because of the importance of the right cerebral cortex in processing both auditory-tinnitus and attention.

  9. Age Replacement and Service Rate Control of Stochastically Degrading Queues

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Chapin, Patrick

    2004-01-01

    This thesis considers the problem of optimally selecting a periodic replacement time for a multiserver queueing system in which each server is subject to degradation as a function of the mean service...

  10. Health services management development: what formal knowledge should support the skills and experience required?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ritchie, David J; Yen, Margaret L

    2013-05-01

    This study reports on an analysis of 17 postgraduate programs in health services management. Public information was collected from websites in February 2010. Data analysed included core subject abstracts, admission requirements and length and aims of each course. Findings indicate that only three out of 16 subjects identified as core are common to more than 50% of the programs, with the eight most common individual subjects appearing in only a third of programs. This suggests diversity in what is deemed core foundational knowledge in managing health services and the approach taken to management development. We believe there should be greater consensus on core subjects in a specialist health services management qualification. WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE TOPIC? With changes in the organisational structure of health organisations in Australia over the past two decades, managerial positions and roles have also changed. The educational preparation for those managerial roles would also be expected to have changed but core foundational knowledge should remain similar between the various academic institutions.WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD? This paper indicates greater diversity in core knowledge areas in health services management education than expected despite a similar target audience.WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS? There are differences in what are deemed to be core foundational areas of knowledge required in specialist management development between academic programs. Management development requires a balance between knowledge, skills and experience and intending st

  11. [How are consumers, service and market factors related to customer loyalty in medical service? Targeting the medical consumer in a city].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sunhee; Kim, Hyunmi; Kim, Juhye; Ha, Gwiyeom

    2008-09-01

    This study was performed to explore customer loyalty and the related factors. 900 households (a 1% sample) were randomly selected from the total population of K city located in Kangwon province. An interview survey was performed with using a structured questionnaire for the subjects (923 persons) who had used medical service during the year before the survey, and the survey was done September, 2002. When comparing the relating factors related with customer loyalty according to the sociodemographic characteristics, the older group showed a significantly higher level of recognition for service quality, service reputation, internal customers.attitudes and switching cost. The lower income group showed a higher level of recognition for service quality, service image and switching cost. The lower educated group showed a higher level of recognition for service reputation, service image and internal customers.attitudes. The higher educated group showed a higher level of recognition for perceived risk, and seeking variety. In addition, the expert group or the service and manufacturing workers group showed a higher level of recognition for service involvement. On multiple regression analysis, internal customers' attitudes, service image, service reputation, service quality, switching cost, and substitutability showed significant relations with customer loyalty. This study showed that customer loyalty was significantly influenced by service factors like internal customers' attitudes, service image, service reputation, and service quality, and by market factors like switching cost, and substitutability. The results of this study can be used as a baseline for developing strategies to create and keep customers with high loyalty.

  12. The influence of career orientations on subjective work experiences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melinde Coetzee

    2010-11-01

    Research purpose: The study empirically assessed the causal influence of individuals’ career orientations on their perceived life satisfaction, job or career satisfaction, sense of happiness and their perceptions of work as a valuable activity as aspects of their subjective work experiences. Motivation for study: From an organisational perspective, research on individuals’ inner definitions of career success and satisfaction is needed to guide current selection, placement, development, reward and retention practices. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative survey was conducted on a random sample of 2997 participants at predominantly managerial and supervisory level in the service industry. The measuring instruments consisted of an adapted five-factor career orientations model of the Career Orientations Inventory and a 4-item global subjective work experiences scale. Structural equation modelling (SEM was conducted to achieve the aim of the study. Main findings/results: Statistically significant causal relationships were observed between the career orientations and subjective work experiences variables. Practical implications: Individuals’ career orientations influence their general sense of life and job or career satisfaction, happiness and perceptions of work as a valuable activity. Organisations concerned with the retention of staff need to find a way of aligning individuals’ career needs and motives with the goals and aspirations of the organisation. Contribution/value-add: The research confirms the need for assessing the inner career orientations of employees as these provide valuable information regarding the motives and values driving individuals’ career decision making and subjective experiences of their working lives.

  13. 77 FR 43157 - Disregarded Entities and the Indoor Tanning Services Excise Tax; Correction

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-24

    ... Disregarded Entities and the Indoor Tanning Services Excise Tax; Correction AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service... tax. DATES: This correction is effective on July 24, 2012, and applies on and after June 25, 2012. FOR... Subjects in 26 CFR Part 301 Employment taxes, Estate taxes, Excise taxes, Gift taxes, Income taxes...

  14. Intelligent Services in Converged Networks - Evolution steps in the signalling arena

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Soler-Lucas, José; Fosgerau, Anders; Grabner, Boris

    2003-01-01

    The paper aims to present the authors' view of the future of telephony. While voice transport over IP is no longer a dream but a reality, the capacity to offer IN-like services, as value added services within VoIP environments, has still been rarely treated and implemented. We present an overview...... on the subject and the work currently in development, within the IST project GEMINI, towards the implementation of IN IP-based services and its interoperability with traditional PSTN-SS7-IN networks....

  15. Why Care About Aquatic Insects: Uses, Benefits, and Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayflies and other aquatic insects are common subjects of ecological research, and environmental monitoring and assessment. However, their important role in protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems is often challenged, because their benefits and services to humans are not obv...

  16. VAT TAXATION OF INTRA-COMMUNITY SUPPLIES AND ACQUISITIONS OF SERVICES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonescu Ligia

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available As of January 1st, 2010, as a result of the transposition in the national legislation of the Council Directive 2008/8/CE of 12.02.2008 for the amendment of the Directive 2006/112/CE regarding the place of the supply of services, new notions of tax law have arisen, namely intra-community acquisitions of services and intra-community supply of services. The transposition in the national legislation of the new CE directives in the field of the VAT aims not only at the way the place of the supply of services is determined, but also at the changes regarding the person subject to taxation, tax registration, declarative obligations, etc.

  17. Comparative analysis of customer satisfaction in postal and banking services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ratković Milijanka

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this study is a comparative analysis of customer satisfaction towards postal and banking services in Serbia. In addition, this paper should provide guidance on how managements of the Post Office and the Bank should behave on the market. The survey was conducted throughout the whole Serbian territory. The subject of the research is to measure the perception of postal and banking services, in order to assess the quality of services and the impact of expectations on the level of perceived quality. Testing and final conclusions about the level of quality of postal and banking services was carried out on the basis of the existing literature and modified SERVQUAL model.

  18. Interdependence of life insurance service quality and premium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragan Benazić

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Insurance companies in Croatia feel the need to find new sources of competitive advantage on the Croatian life insurance market amid increasing competition and a poorly profiled offer of life insurance services. Lately, both marketing literature and practice seem to point to the shaping of a relationship between service quality and price as a possible solution to improving the position of insurance companies on the Croatian market. In providing life insurance services, the insurance companies should focus on the quality elements that offer certain benefits a client is willing to pay for. Changes in individual quality features have been evaluated differently by clients. Such differences in their evaluation of changes in the individual elements of service quality also reflect the willingness of clients to pay a suitable increase on their insurance premium. Improvements in the service quality features that are subjectively evaluated as important should lead to the client’s acceptance of a higher life insurance premium. The paper considers the interdependence between the quality of life insurance services and the premium from the aspect of the client’s willingness to pay a higher life insurance premium for a higher service quality.

  19. 76 FR 5119 - Television Broadcasting Services; Jackson, MS

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-28

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [DA 11-96; MB Docket No. 11-8; RM-11618] Television Broadcasting Services; Jackson, MS AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed... CFR 1.415 and 1.420. List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television, Television broadcasting. For the...

  20. 76 FR 5290 - Television Broadcasting Services; Huntsville, AL

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-31

    ...] Television Broadcasting Services; Huntsville, AL AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final... the Congressional review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television, Television broadcasting. For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission...

  1. Associations of Quality of Life with Service Satisfaction in Psychotic Patients: A Meta-Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petkari, Eleni; Pietschnig, Jakob

    2015-01-01

    Background Quality of life (QoL) has gained increasing attention as a desired outcome of psychosocial treatments targeting psychotic patients. Yet, the relationship between the patients’ satisfaction with services and QoL has not been clearly established, perhaps due to the multidimensionality of the QoL concept and the variability in its assessment. Aim This is the first systematic meta-analysis of all available evidence assessing the relationship between QoL and service satisfaction. Methods: In all, 19 studies reporting data of 21 independent samples (N = 5,337) were included in the present meta-analysis. In moderator analyses, effects of age, sex, diagnoses (schizophrenia vs. other psychoses), treatment context (inpatients vs. outpatients), study design (cross-sectional vs. longitudinal), and QoL domain (subjective vs. health-related) were examined. Results Analyses revealed a highly significant medium-sized effect (r = .30, p service satisfaction. Effect sizes were significantly stronger for subjective than health-related quality of life (r = .35 vs. r = .14, respectively). Moreover, associations with subjective QoL remained largely robust when accounting for moderating variables, although there was a trend of stronger associations for outpatients compared to inpatients. In contrast, effect sizes for health-related QoL were small and only observable for samples with longitudinal designs. Conclusion Associations between QoL and service satisfaction appear to be robust but are differentiated in regard to QoL domain. Our findings suggest that agents responsible for service design and implementation need to take the patients’ perception of the service adequacy for achieving QoL enhancement into account. PMID:26275139

  2. Quality assurance services

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    For over 20 years the quality assurance services at the Springfields Laboratories have been concerned with manufacturing both simple and complex engineering products to the highest standard. The scientists working there have considerable expertise in the practical application of quality control and the development and design of inspection and non-destructive testing equipment. The folder contains six sheets or leaflets illustrating the work and equipment. The subjects are the mechanical standards laboratory, non-destructive testing, the digitising table, the peripheral camera, automated measurement, data handling and presentation, and the computer controlled three axis co-ordinate measuring machine. (U.K.)

  3. An integrative fuzzy Kansei engineering and Kano model for logistics services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartono, M.; Chuan, T. K.; Prayogo, D. N.; Santoso, A.

    2017-11-01

    Nowadays, customer emotional needs (known as Kansei) in product and especially in services become a major concern. One of the emerging services is the logistics services. In obtaining a global competitive advantage, logistics services should understand and satisfy their customer affective impressions (Kansei). How to capture, model and analyze the customer emotions has been well structured by Kansei Engineering, equipped with Kano model to strengthen its methodology. However, its methodology lacks of the dynamics of customer perception. More specifically, there is a criticism of perceived scores on user preferences, in both perceived service quality and Kansei response, whether they represent an exact numerical value. Thus, this paper is proposed to discuss an approach of fuzzy Kansei in logistics service experiences. A case study in IT-based logistics services involving 100 subjects has been conducted. Its findings including the service gaps accompanied with prioritized improvement initiatives are discussed.

  4. Origem da vida: como licenciandos em Ciências Biológicas lidam com este tema? Life's origin: how do pre-service Biology teachers deal with this subject?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Livia Baptista Nicolini

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A presente pesquisa identificou e analisou a representação social do tema origem da vida entre estudantes da licenciatura em Ciências Biológicas de uma universidade federal do Rio de Janeiro. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de questionário, e seus resultados analisados qualitativamente, de acordo com a metodologia do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo (DSC. A análise e discussão dos resultados permitiram concluir que a representação social dos licenciandos, em relação ao tema proposto, apresenta elementos de uma cultura religiosa e de uma cultura científica. A análise dos elementos científicos nos permitiu identificar algumas deficiências nos conhecimentos expressos por esses sujeitos; apresentamos indícios de que essas deficiências derivam basicamente de duas fontes: (a a ausência de abordagem específica do tema no curso de graduação da universidade pesquisada e (b o conteúdo dos livros didáticos do Ensino Médio.This research identified and analyzed social representations about the life origin among preservice Biology teachers from a Rio de Janeiro federal university. Data were collected through questionnaires and the outcomes were analyzed in a qualitatively basis, according to the Collective Subject Discourse (CSD approach. Data analysis and discussion allowed concluding that pre-service social representations about this subject, shows elements of a religious culture and the scientific ones. The scientific elements' analysis allowed identifying some deficiencies in the knowledge expressed by them; the outcomes provided evidences that those deficiencies come from two main sources: (a lack of a approach to the origin of life subject, while in the undergraduate program; and (b High School didactic books contents.

  5. Illness cognitions as a pathway between religiousness and subjective health in chronic cardiac patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karademas, Evangelos C

    2010-03-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the role of illness cognitions as a possible pathway between religiousness and subjective health in chronic illness. A sample of 135 chronic cardiac patients completed questionnaires about intrinsic religiousness, frequency of church service attendance, basic illness cognitions (i.e., helplessness, illness acceptance, perceived benefits), and physical and emotional well-being. According to the results, religiousness was significantly associated with subjective health. However, this relationship was indirect, with helplessness and illness acceptance serving as mediators between intrinsic religiousness and health. This finding is significant for understanding the complex relation of religiousness to chronic patients' well-being.

  6. The Pre-Service Teachers' Value Orientations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akin, Mehmet Ali

    2018-01-01

    It is important to note that social scientists have recently concentrated on the issue of values. People's thoughts, decisions, behaviors etc. values that have an important place in the explanations constitute the subject of this research. The main purpose of the research is to analyze whether the value orientations of the pre-service teacher'…

  7. Contracting for Public Services

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Greve, Carsten

    strategic purchasing understanding markets communicating the contracting decision designing and drafting the contract the role of the consumer the regulation of service provision Illustrated throughout with practitioner case-studies from a range of OECD countries, this book presents an important new......Insightful and comprehensive and covering new subjects like globalization and IT, this text, international in its approach, provides a thorough introduction to the key phases of the contracting process and the skills required by managers in its implementation. These include: policy for contracting...

  8. Accessibility to health services by persons with disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro, Shamyr Sulyvan; Lefèvre, Fernando; Lefèvre, Ana Maria Cavalcanti; Cesar, Chester Luiz Galvão

    2011-02-01

    To analyze the difficulties in accessibility to health services experienced by persons with disabilities. A qualitative study was performed with individuals who reported having a certain type of disability (paralysis or amputation of limbs; low vision, unilateral or total blindness; low hearing, unilateral or total deafness). A total of 25 individuals (14 women) were interviewed in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, between June and August 2007, responding to questions about transportation and accessibility to health services. Collective Subject Discourse was the methodology used to analyze results and analyses were performed with the Qualiquantisoft software. The analysis of discourses on transportation to health services revealed a diversity in terms of the user going to the service alone or accompanied; using a private car, public transportation or ambulance or walking; and requiring different times to arrive at the service. With regard to the difficulties in accessibility to health services, there were reports of delayed service, problems with parking, and lack of ramps, elevators, wheelchairs, doctors and adapted toilets. Individuals with a certain type of disability used various means of transportation, requiring someone to accompany them in some cases. Problems with accessibility to health services were reported by persons with disabilities, contradicting the principle of equity, a precept of the Brazilian Unified Health System.

  9. Why do adults entitled to free or highly subsidized dental services select fully out-of-pocket-paid care?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayat, Fariborz; Vehkalahti, Miira M; Murtomaa, Heikki; Tala, Heikki

    2010-02-01

    To investigate patients' reasons for selecting a dental clinic given their choice of free or highly-subsidized dental services. The study was based on cross-sectional data obtained through phone interviews with adults in Tehran, Iran. The present study included those entitled to free or highly-subsidized dental services (n = 726). The data covered the patients' awareness of subsidized dental services and type of dental clinic for their most recent visit and their reasons for selecting that clinic. Awareness of subsidized dental services was dichotomized as being either aware or unaware of such subsidy. The type of clinic was dichotomized as providing either free or highly-subsidized (FHS) or fully out-of-pocket paid (FOP) services. Free format answers about the subjects' reasons for selecting a particular clinic were later sub-grouped as: convenient access, good technical aspects, good interpersonal aspects, low or reasonable fees, recommendation by a friend, and no reason. Socio-demographic status was based on background. Data analysis included the chi-square test and logistic regression model. Of the subjects (n = 726), 60% were women and 58% were under 35 years of age. The subjects' mean age was 33.5 years with no difference by gender (P = 0.24) and the majority had public insurance (91%). Of all the subjects, 60% selected FOP. Good interpersonal aspects were the strongest reason for selecting FOP (OR = 4.6), follow by good technical aspects (OR = 2.3). Those subjects who were unaware of their benefit had 4.6 times the odds of selecting FOP. Despite the opportunity to use highly-subsidized dental services, good interpersonal and good technical aspects lead patients to select private dentists and to pay fully out of pocket.

  10. Risk of Being Subjected to Crime, Including Violent Crime, After Onset of Mental Illness

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dean, Kimberlie; Laursen, Thomas M; Pedersen, Carsten B

    2018-01-01

    Importance: People with mental illness are more likely to have contact with the criminal justice system, but research to date has focused on risk of offense perpetration, while less is known about risk of being subjected to crime and violence. Objectives: To establish the incidence of being...... subjected to all types of criminal offenses, and by violent crimes separately, after onset of mental illness across the full diagnostic spectrum compared with those in the population without mental illness. Design, Setting, and Participants: This investigation was a longitudinal national cohort study using...... of mental illness, recorded as first contact with outpatient or inpatient mental health services. Diagnoses across the full spectrum of psychiatric diagnoses were considered separately for men and women. Main Outcomes and Measures: Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were estimated for first subjection to crime...

  11. 76 FR 20323 - Hydrographic Services Review Panel Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-12

    ... most current meeting agenda. Times and agenda topics are subject to change. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...:// nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/ocslhsro/hsro.htm . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The meeting will be open to the public and...) Improve the quality and delivery of navigation products and services; (2) maximize the societal value of...

  12. 75 FR 76294 - Radio Broadcasting Services; Fairbanks, AK

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-08

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [DA 10-2211; MB Docket No. 10-81; RM-11600] Radio Broadcasting Services; Fairbanks, AK AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY... Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Radio, Radio broadcasting. 0 For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the...

  13. 75 FR 1546 - Television Broadcasting Services; Bangor, ME

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-12

    ...] Television Broadcasting Services; Bangor, ME AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... the Congressional review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television, Television broadcasting. 0 For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission...

  14. Development of Pre-Service and In-Service Information Management System (iSIMS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, H. J.; Choi, S. N.; Kim, H. N.; Kim, Y. H.; Yang, S. H.

    2004-01-01

    The iSTMS is a web-based integrated information system supporting Pre-Service and In-Service Inspection(PSI/ISI) processes for the nuclear power plants of KHNP(Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. Ltd.). The system provides a full spectrum coverage of the inspection processes from the planning stage to the final report of examination in accordance with applicable codes, standards, and regulatory requirements. The major functions of the system includes the inspection planning, examination, reporting, project control and status reporting, resource management as well as objects search and navigation. The system also provides two dimensional or three dimensional visualization interface to identify the location and geometry of components and weld areas subject to examination in collaboration with database applications. The iSIMS is implemented with commercial software packages such as database management system, 2-D and 3-D visualization tool, etc., which provide open, updated and verified foundations. This paper describes the key functions and the technologies for the implementation of the iSIMS

  15. Development of Pre-Service and In-Service Information Management System (iSIMS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoo, H. J.; Choi, S. N.; Kim, H. N.; Kim, Y. H.; Yang, S. H. [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2004-08-15

    The iSTMS is a web-based integrated information system supporting Pre-Service and In-Service Inspection(PSI/ISI) processes for the nuclear power plants of KHNP(Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. Ltd.). The system provides a full spectrum coverage of the inspection processes from the planning stage to the final report of examination in accordance with applicable codes, standards, and regulatory requirements. The major functions of the system includes the inspection planning, examination, reporting, project control and status reporting, resource management as well as objects search and navigation. The system also provides two dimensional or three dimensional visualization interface to identify the location and geometry of components and weld areas subject to examination in collaboration with database applications. The iSIMS is implemented with commercial software packages such as database management system, 2-D and 3-D visualization tool, etc., which provide open, updated and verified foundations. This paper describes the key functions and the technologies for the implementation of the iSIMS

  16. Facilities for in-service control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Werner, H.

    1980-01-01

    Up to now the efficiency of in-service control had been limited and dependent on special qualifications of the super-intending personnel and was thus neither exact nor transferable. In the meantime a great number of testing and measuring facilities for special application have been developed. Even novel types of testing methods do not grant absolutely precise statements. In most cases, however, there is a possibility of planning repairs by trend control and of avoiding failures of operation with aggravating consequences. Technical designers from all subject fields should be made familiar with the continually increasing spectrum of in-service inspection techniques so that a better application of modern and well-tried testing methods can be planned. Systematic in-service inspections complete the Rules of Technology which are safety-oriented with regard to the nonlinear wear between regular dates of control which has been ignored so far and its implied risks. Components which are not liable to control can be checked much better by novel type methods. (orig./RW) [de

  17. Subjective quality of life and emotional pain among subjects with ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQoL-Bref), Psychache Scale (PAS) instruments were administered on subjects that consented to the study. Results: One hundred and forty four (144) subjects of equal sex distribution were studied. The mean age was 31.7±10.2 years. The highest number of subjects, ...

  18. 18 CFR 367.1110 - Account 111, Accumulated provision for amortization of service company property.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... THE PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING COMPANY ACT OF 2005, FEDERAL POWER ACT AND NATURAL GAS ACT UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR CENTRALIZED SERVICE COMPANIES SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING... (§ 367.4040), for the current amortization of limited-term service company property investments. (2...

  19. Self-organized service negotiation for collaborative decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bo; Huang, Zhenhua; Zheng, Ziming

    2014-01-01

    This paper proposes a self-organized service negotiation method for CDM in intelligent and automatic manners. It mainly includes three phases: semantic-based capacity evaluation for the CDM sponsor, trust computation of the CDM organization, and negotiation selection of the decision-making service provider (DMSP). In the first phase, the CDM sponsor produces the formal semantic description of the complex decision task for DMSP and computes the capacity evaluation values according to participator instructions from different DMSPs. In the second phase, a novel trust computation approach is presented to compute the subjective belief value, the objective reputation value, and the recommended trust value. And in the third phase, based on the capacity evaluation and trust computation, a negotiation mechanism is given to efficiently implement the service selection. The simulation experiment results show that our self-organized service negotiation method is feasible and effective for CDM.

  20. [Migrants' female partners: social image and the search for sexual and reproductive health services].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochoa-Marín, Sandra C; Cristancho-Marulanda, Sergio; González-López, José Rafael

    2011-04-01

    Analysing the self-image and social image of migrants' female partners (MFP) and their relationship with the search for sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS) in communities having a high US migratory intensity index. 60 MFP were subjected to in-depth interviews between October 2004 and May 2005 and 19 semi-structured interviews were held with members of their families, 14 representatives from social organisations, 10 health service representatives and 31 men and women residing in the community. MFP self-image and social image regards women as being "vulnerable", "alone", "lacking sexual partner" and thus being sexually inactive. Consequently, "they must not contract sexually-transmitted diseases (STD), use contraceptives or become pregnant" when their partners are in the USA. The search for SRHS services was found to be related to self-image, social image and the notion of family or social control predominated in the behaviour expected for these women which, in turn, was related to conditions regarding their coexistence (or not) with their families. MFP living with their family or their partner's family were subject to greater "family" control in their search for SRHS services. On the contrary, MFP living alone were subjected to greater "social" control over such process. Sexuallyinactive women's self-image and social image seems to have a bearing on such women's social behaviour and could become an obstacle to the timely search for SRHS services in communities having high migratory intensity.

  1. 20 CFR 230.5 - Exception concerning service to a local lodge or division.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Exception concerning service to a local lodge... to a local lodge or division. In determining whether an annuity is subject to the provisions of this... lodge or division of a railway-labor-organization employer if the compensation for such service is...

  2. 76 FR 28946 - Television Broadcasting Services; El Paso, TX

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-19

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [MB Docket No. 11-74, RM-11630; DA 11-746] Television Broadcasting Services; El Paso, TX AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed... of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television Federal Communications Commission. Barbara A. Kreisman...

  3. Dealing with subjectivity in early product design phase: a systematic approch to exploit QFD potentials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Raharjo, H.; Brombacher, A.C.; Xie, M.

    2008-01-01

    Quality Function Deployment (QFD), as a customer-driven tool, is generally used in the early phase of new or improved products/services design process, and therefore most of the input parameters are highly subjective in nature. The five major input components of the QFD, which are laid in the House

  4. Exploring the Cross-Cultural Experiences of College Students with Diverse Backgrounds Performing International Service-Learning in Myanmar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ruo-lan; Lee, Hsin-hua

    2011-01-01

    Background: In view of the growing globalization, volunteer service organizations, local universities, colleges, and student groups have begun extending their service programs from Taiwan to other countries. This study employs a self-organized, self-funded group of university students participating in international service-learning as its subject,…

  5. Perceptions of health equity and subjective social status among baccalaureate nursing students engaged in service-learning activities in Hawai'i.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Lisa M; Jarvis, Sarah; Sparacino, Patricia; Kuo, Devina; Genz, Stephanie

    2013-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to measure undergraduate students' knowledge of social determinants of health, health equity, and subjective social status (SSS). A cross-sectional semi-structured survey was administered to 68 racially/ethnically diverse freshman students enrolled in a baccalaureate nursing program in O'ahu, Hawai'i. Students ranked the impact of 13 issues on Hawai'i residents' health and described how well the health care system addressed these issues. A 10-rung ladder was used to rank SSS; students marked an "X" on the ladder rung where they stand in society and explained what they would need to "move up or down" the ladder. The students identified three key issues that adversely impact health: substance abuse, diet/nutrition, and cancer. Sixty-nine percent of students stated that social determinants of health impact Hawai'i residents' health either "quite a bit" or "very much", while only 31% felt that the health care system adequately addressed these determinants. Students who ranked high on the ladder (rungs 6-10) cited family as the reason. The students who ranked low on the ladder (rungs 3-5) credited their position to lack of money. Students' perceptions of social determinants of health and health equity align with findings from public health studies in Hawai'i. These concepts were integrated into the 4-year nursing school curricula and findings inform future research and service-based learning activities conducted by the students. While findings presented here focus on nursing students in Hawai'i, this educational innovation could be replicated with students in other undergraduate health sciences programs.

  6. 75 FR 3641 - Television Broadcasting Services; Anchorage, AK

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-22

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [DA 10-40; MB Docket No. 09-210; RM-11583] Television Broadcasting Services; Anchorage, AK AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television, Television...

  7. The Process Mediation Framework for Semantic Web Services

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vaculín, Roman; Neruda, Roman

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 3, č. 1 (2009), s. 27-58 ISSN 1746-1375 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ME08095; GA AV ČR 1ET100300517 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : process mediation * OWL-S * semantic web services * adapter synthesis Subject RIV: IN - Informatics, Computer Science

  8. 76 FR 19275 - Television Broadcasting Services; Jackson, MS

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-07

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [MB Docket No. 11-8; RM-11618, DA 11-516] Television Broadcasting Services; Jackson, MS AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television. Federal...

  9. 75 FR 19907 - Television Broadcasting Services; Beaumont, TX

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-16

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [DA 10-606; MB Docket No. 10-49; RM-11593] Television Broadcasting Services; Beaumont, TX AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... Congressional review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television, Television...

  10. QUALITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES IN URBAN AREA OF ORADEA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silaghi Simona

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Intensification of public transport in urban areas due to increased mobility at regional and national levels, discrepancies among urban areas with same population and lack of statistical data related to performance and quality of public transport services are the main determinants of this paper. A separation line must be drawn between quality of services and performance indicators of public transport system. Service quality is a multi subjective outcome of an array of intangible variables. Service quality can be approached from four directions: consumer, vehicle performance (including the human operator, specialized company in passenger transport, and the Government (local Councils. Availability, comfort and convenience are the two main indicators that must be evaluated by citizens as being with high grades for a good quality of urban transport services. The instrument used to gather data is the preference survey.

  11. Resilient family processes, personal reintegration, and subjective well-being outcomes for military personnel and their family members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Malissa A; O'Neal, Catherine W; Conley, Kate M; Mancini, Jay A

    2018-01-01

    Deployment affects not just the service members, but also their family members back home. Accordingly, this study examined how resilient family processes during a deployment (i.e., frequency of communication and household management) were related to the personal reintegration of each family member (i.e., how well each family member begins to "feel like oneself again" after a deployment), as well as several indicators of subjective well-being. Drawing from the family attachment network model (Riggs & Riggs, 2011), the present study collected survey data from 273 service members, their partners, and their adolescent children. Resilient family processes during the deployment itself (i.e., frequency of communication, household management), postdeployment positive and negative personal reintegration, and several indicators of well-being were assessed. Frequency of communication was related to personal reintegration for service members, while household management was related to personal reintegration for nondeployed partners; both factors were related to personal reintegration for adolescents. Negative and positive personal reintegration related to a variety of subjective well-being outcomes for each individual family member. Interindividual (i.e., crossover) effects were also found, particularly between adolescents and nondeployed partners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  12. [Enterobiasis in pediatric subjects in north-western Italy: a study of home remedies].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutto, M; Montù, D; Raineri, G

    2012-01-01

    The present study examines the most common home remedies in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy currently used in the treatment of pediatric enterobiasis, commonly known as pinworm infection. The remedies in question, typically based on popular beliefs and as such are nearly useless, were noted through interviews with subjects who had come to the local Hygiene and Public Health Services offices for information about pinworm prevention and treatment. Analysis of replies by the subjects clearly indicates that local families are ill-prepared to recognize the symptoms this parasitic infection; often it is confused with pediatric ketosis, therefore leading to inappropriate treatment which at times may be potentially harmful to the patient.

  13. Manufacturing Sexual Subjects: ‘Harassment’, Desire and Discipline on a Maquiladora Shopfloor

    OpenAIRE

    Salzinger, L

    2000-01-01

    Standing for all instances of problematic workplace sexuality, the notion of ‘sexual harassment’ illuminates but also obscures the role of desire in work relations. It spotlights isolated individual interactions at the expense of structural processes and stresses choice and blame rather than the way in which a given workplace evokes particular sexual subjectivities in the service of production. An ethnography of shopfloor relations in a Mexican export-processing plant shows how labor control ...

  14. Shipping Service requests all users of wooden pallets

    CERN Multimedia

    2006-01-01

    The Shipping Service requests all users of wooden pallets marked 'EUR' (80x120 cm) or freight containers and lids marked 'CFF SBB FFS', which are subject to a refundable deposit and thus have a logistics exchange value, to make any they are holding available as soon as possible to CERN's Transport Service, which is responsible for collecting and returning them to the Goods Reception Service in Buildings 904 and 194. A large number of EUR pallets and CFF freight containers and lids are used as supports and packing cases for storing various items of equipment in buildings and underground areas. If you are using them for this purpose, please contact the Goods Reception Service who will be able to offer you alternative wooden pallets and containers that are available to cover special needs. The Goods Reception Service regularly needs to stock up on EUR pallets and CFF containers and lids in order to have sufficient available each day to be able to exchange them for those used by various carriers to deliver goo...

  15. 75 FR 5015 - Television Broadcasting Services; Oklahoma City, OK

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-02-01

    ...] Television Broadcasting Services; Oklahoma City, OK AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION... procedures for comments, see 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.420. List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television, Television broadcasting. For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission...

  16. Estimating Subjective Probabilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Steffen; Fountain, John; Harrison, Glenn W.

    2014-01-01

    either construct elicitation mechanisms that control for risk aversion, or construct elicitation mechanisms which undertake 'calibrating adjustments' to elicited reports. We illustrate how the joint estimation of risk attitudes and subjective probabilities can provide the calibration adjustments...... that theory calls for. We illustrate this approach using data from a controlled experiment with real monetary consequences to the subjects. This allows the observer to make inferences about the latent subjective probability, under virtually any well-specified model of choice under subjective risk, while still...

  17. Political Subjects: Decision and Subjectivity from a Post-Fundational Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martín Retamozo

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The problem of decision and of political subjects was addressed in the field of 20th century political philosophy by authors such as Carl Schmitt, Hannah Arendt, and Jacques Derrida, who related it closely to the concepts of sovereignty, freedom, and contingency. The works of Ernesto Laclau and Slavoj Žižek have currently turnedto the issue of decision in order to address the constitutive spects of the political. In a context dominated by deconstruction, post-Marxism, and post-structuralism,the article inquires into the elation between decision and political subjects in a contemporary setting, examining in depth the difference between subjectivity,subjectivization, and subject.

  18. Enrollment in Private Medical Insurance and Utilization of Medical Services Among Children and Adolescents: Data From the 2009-2012 Korea Health Panel Surveys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong Hee Ryu

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The purposes of this study were to examine the status of children and adolescents with regard to enrollment in private medical insurance (PMI and to investigate its influence on their utilization of medical services. Methods: The present study assessed 2973 subjects younger than 19 years of age who participated in five consecutive Korea Health Panel surveys from 2009 to 2012. Results: At the initial assessment, less than 20% of the study population had not enrolled in any PMI program, but this proportion decreased over time. Additionally, the number of subjects with more than two policies increased, the proportions of holders of indemnity-type only (‘I’-only and of fixed amount+indemnity-type (‘F+I’ increased, whereas the proportion of holders with fixed amount-type only (‘F’-only decreased. Compared with subjects without private insurance, PMI policyholders were more likely to use outpatient and emergency services, and the number of policies was proportionately related to inpatient service utilization. Regarding out-patient care, subjects with ‘F’-only PMI used these services more often than did uninsured subjects (odds ratio [OR], 1.69, whereas subjects with ‘I’-only PMI or ‘F+I’ PMI utilized a broad range of inpatient, outpatient, and emergency services relative to uninsured subjects (ORs for ‘I’-only: 1.39, 1.63, and 1.38, respectively; ORs for ‘F+I’: 1.67, 2.09, and 1.37, respectively. Conclusions: The findings suggest public policy approaches to standardizing PMI contracts, reform in calculation of premiums in PMI, re-examination regarding indemnity insurance products, and mutual control mechanisms to mediate between national health insurance services and private insurers are required.

  19. Temporary services for patients in need of chronic care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hesse, Morten

    2008-01-01

    Background A project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a product or service. Projects are frequently used for the testing and development of new approaches in social work. Projects can receive grants from central, often national or international institutions, and allow for more...... experimentation than work placed within existing institutions. Discussion For socially marginalized groups who need continuing support and care, receiving help in a project means that the clients will have to be transferred to other services when the project ends. There is also a risk that clients will experience...... a decline in services, as staff members have to seek new employment towards the end of the project, or begin to focus more on the evaluation than the services. This raises some ethical issues concerning the use of human subjects in projects. Conclusion Project managers should consider ethical issues...

  20. Innovation in Services: From Service Concepts to Service Experiences

    OpenAIRE

    Fynes, Brian; Lally, Anne Marie

    2008-01-01

    ABSTRACT Identifying the nature of service experiences is recognised As being of primary importance in the shaping of an enhanced competitive position for industry; however service managers often have difficulty articulating the true nature of their service concept. The definition of service concept is a fundamental part of the strategic advantage seeking Processes of service design, service development and service innovation. In response to the competitive Imperative for improved product/...

  1. Reverberating Chords: Implications of Storied Nostalgia for Borderland Discourses in Pre-Service Teacher Identity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strong-Wilson, Teresa; Johnston, Ingrid; Wiltse, Lynne; Burke, Anne; Phipps, Heather; Gonzalez, Ismel

    2014-01-01

    The research that is the subject of this paper set out to interrogate pre-service teachers' responses to issues of national identity, ideology, and representation in contemporary multicultural Canadian picture books. While the research focused on whether and how the literature could serve to inform and broaden pre-service teachers'…

  2. Development of Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) throughout Their Initial Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karal, Isik Saliha; Alev, Nedim

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of pre-service physics teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) on the subject of electricity and magnetism after their completion of physics and mathematics courses. A descriptive longitudinal development research was carried out with 13 pre-service teachers (PTs) who completed…

  3. Reliability analysis of structures under periodic proof tests in service

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, J.-N.

    1976-01-01

    A reliability analysis of structures subjected to random service loads and periodic proof tests treats gust loads and maneuver loads as random processes. Crack initiation, crack propagation, and strength degradation are treated as the fatigue process. The time to fatigue crack initiation and ultimate strength are random variables. Residual strength decreases during crack propagation, so that failure rate increases with time. When a structure fails under periodic proof testing, a new structure is built and proof-tested. The probability of structural failure in service is derived from treatment of all the random variables, strength degradations, service loads, proof tests, and the renewal of failed structures. Some numerical examples are worked out.

  4. PUBLIC SERVICES AND THE EURO-REGIONAL COOPERATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Badulescu Alina

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Besides the goods and private services, covering the specific needs of individual or groups based on specific mechanisms of demand and supply, human needs can be addressed also through public services. They are designed to meet the general interests of members of a community or society at large and established by public authorities, subject to certain fundamental principles of organization and operation, such as: the principle of efficiency, the principle of equity, the principle of continuity, the principle of movability and the principle of decentralization. In the same time, public services involve in many areas of economic and social life is not just a national issue, but also have characteristics and provision ways at international, regional and euro-regional level. This paper underlines the main areas of euro-regional co-operation interest in the public services sectors, such as: the sectors of environment, agriculture and territorial planning, the sectors of transportation, security and telecommunication, the sector of the economy and labour force, the sector of cross-border populations: social protection and public health, the sectors of education, research and culture.

  5. Factors influencing pre-service physics teachers' skills of writing teaching materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinaga, Parlindungan

    2016-02-01

    Writing teaching materials is one of the generic pedagogical skills. Teachers and pre-service teachers should be trained to have the skills of writing teaching materials. This study examines the factors that influence the skills of writing in the disciplines among pre-service physics teachers. This study in particular aims to contribute to the development of science writing in the disciplines and to the organization of workshops on writing teaching materials for pre-service teachers. The problems of this research are formulated in the question of what are the factors that influence the skills of pre-service physics teachers in writing teaching materials. The research adopted mixed methods with embedded experimental design. The research subjects were 18 students enrolled in the school physics course. The instruments used consisted of conceptual understanding tests, learning strategy questionnaire, tests of the multiple representation skills, and one-on-one semi- structured interview. Results of data analysis show that the ability and skills of writing physics teaching materials of the pre- service physics teachers are determined by the factors of conceptual understanding of the subject matter with a contribution of 20%, the skills of making multiple representations of concepts with a contribution of 9.8% and students' self-regulation and learning strategy with a contribution of 33.5%. There are other factors that have not been investigated in this study; therefore, it is recommended that future research conduct further investigation on other factors that influence pre-service teachers' skills in writing physics teaching materials.

  6. Services of strategic consulting: special features and types

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klenin Oleh Volodymyrovych

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In the article essence of terms “consulting” and “strategic consulting” was studied. It was proved that strategic consulting must be analyzed as professional activity in the system of enterprise strategic management. Specific features of consultative services and its composition was added from the point of view of strategic management and innovative development were studied. In the process of providing consulting services it was suggested to take into account the strategic orientation of human capital of consulting company that was accepted to determine as professional actions of consultants. It was found out main problems that could prevent stable activity of industrial enterprises. It was proved necessity of researches concerning authentication factors of industrial enterprises innovative development and the role of consulting company in its decision making. It was made review of the most widespread classifications of consulting services. Was shown author`s view concerning forming more demanded services of strategic consulting by subject basis.

  7. Culture, Nature, and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services in Northern Namibia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Schnegg

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Defining culture as shared knowledge, values, and practices, we introduce an anthropological concept of culture to the ecosystem-service debate. In doing so, we shift the focus from an analysis of culture as a residual category including recreational and aesthetic experiences to an analysis of processes that underlie the valuation of nature in general. The empirical analysis draws on ethnographic fieldwork conducted along the Okavango River in northern Namibia to demonstrate which landscape units local populations value for which service(s. Results show that subjects perceive many places as providing multiple services and that most of their valuations of ecosystem services are culturally shared. We attribute this finding to common experiences and modes of activities within the cultural groups, and to the public nature of the valuation process.

  8. Other Defense Organizations and Defense Finance and Accounting Service Controls Over High-Risk Transactions Were Not Effective

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-03-28

    Defense Organizations and Defense Finance and Accounting Service Controls Over High-Risk Transactions Were Not Effective M A R C H 2 8 , 2 0 1 6...Defense Organizations and Defense Finance and Accounting Service Controls Over High-Risk Transactions Were Not Effective Visit us at www.dodig.mil... FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE DIRECTOR, DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY SUBJECT: Other Defense Organizations and Defense Finance and Accounting Service

  9. Data Dictionary Services in XNAT and the Human Connectome Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rick eHerrick

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The XNAT informatics platform is an open source data management tool used by biomedical imaging researchers around the world. An important feature of XNAT is its highly extensible architecture: users of XNAT can add new data types to the system to capture the imaging and phenotypic data generated in their studies. Until recently, XNAT has had limited capacity to broadcast the meaning of these data extensions to users, other XNAT installations, and other software.We have implemented a data dictionary service for XNAT, which is currently being used on ConnectomeDB, the Human Connectome Project (HCP public data sharing website. The data dictionary service provides a framework to define key relationships between data elements and structures across the XNAT installation. This includes not just core data representing medical imaging data or subject or patient evaluations, but also taxonomical structures, security relationships, subject groups, and research protocols. The data dictionary allows users to define metadata for data structures and their properties, such as value types (e.g. textual, integers, floats and valid value templates, ranges, or field lists. The service provides compatibility and integration with other research data management services by enabling easy migration of XNAT data to standards-based formats such as RDF, JSON, and XML. It also facilitates the conversion of XNAT’s native data schema into standard neuroimaging ontology structures and provenances.

  10. Managing bay and estuarine ecosystems for multiple services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Needles, Lisa A.; Lester, Sarah E.; Ambrose, Richard; Andren, Anders; Beyeler, Marc; Connor, Michael S.; Eckman, James E.; Costa-Pierce, Barry A.; Gaines, Steven D.; Lafferty, Kevin D.; Lenihan, Junter S.; Parrish, Julia; Peterson, Mark S.; Scaroni, Amy E.; Weis, Judith S.; Wendt, Dean E.

    2013-01-01

    Managers are moving from a model of managing individual sectors, human activities, or ecosystem services to an ecosystem-based management (EBM) approach which attempts to balance the range of services provided by ecosystems. Applying EBM is often difficult due to inherent tradeoffs in managing for different services. This challenge particularly holds for estuarine systems, which have been heavily altered in most regions and are often subject to intense management interventions. Estuarine managers can often choose among a range of management tactics to enhance a particular service; although some management actions will result in strong tradeoffs, others may enhance multiple services simultaneously. Management of estuarine ecosystems could be improved by distinguishing between optimal management actions for enhancing multiple services and those that have severe tradeoffs. This requires a framework that evaluates tradeoff scenarios and identifies management actions likely to benefit multiple services. We created a management action-services matrix as a first step towards assessing tradeoffs and providing managers with a decision support tool. We found that management actions that restored or enhanced natural vegetation (e.g., salt marsh and mangroves) and some shellfish (particularly oysters and oyster reef habitat) benefited multiple services. In contrast, management actions such as desalination, salt pond creation, sand mining, and large container shipping had large net negative effects on several of the other services considered in the matrix. Our framework provides resource managers a simple way to inform EBM decisions and can also be used as a first step in more sophisticated approaches that model service delivery.

  11. Serving the army as secretaries: intersectionality, multi-level contract and subjective experience of citizenship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lomsky-Feder, Edna; Sasson-Levy, Orna

    2015-03-01

    With the growing elusiveness of the state apparatus in late modernity, military service is one of the last institutions to be clearly identified with the state, its ideologies and its policies. Therefore, negotiations between the military and its recruits produce acting subjects of citizenship with long-lasting consequences. Arguing that these negotiations are regulated by multi-level (civic, group, and individual) contracts, we explore the various meanings that these contracts obtain at the intersectionality of gender, class, and ethnicity; and examine how they shape the subjective experience of soldierhood and citizenship. More particularly, we analyse the meaning of military service in the retrospective life stories of Israeli Jewish women from various ethno-class backgrounds who served as army secretaries - a low-status, feminine gender-typed occupation within a hyper-masculine organization. Findings reveal that for women of the lower class, the organizing cultural schema of the multi-level contract is that of achieving respectability through military service, which means being included in the national collective. Conversely, for middle-class women, it is the sense of entitlement that shapes their contract with the military, which they expect to signify and maintain their privileged status. Thus, while for the lower class, the multi-level contract is about inclusion within the boundaries of the national collective, for the dominant groups, this contract is about reproducing social class hierarchies within national boundaries. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2014.

  12. 7 CFR 2.48 - Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... organizations throughout the world on subjects related to the development and operation of agricultural... Product Market Development Grant program (note to 7 U.S.C. 1621). (29) Administer the Agriculture... 7 Agriculture 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service. 2...

  13. Returns to Scale in the Production of Hospital Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Ralph E.

    1967-01-01

    The primary purpose of this article is to investigate whether or not economies of scale exist in the production of hospital services. In previous studies the results have implied the existence of economies of scale, but the question has not been satisfactorily resolved. The factor most responsible for clouding the issue is the overwhelming prevalence of product differences in the outputs of hospitals. In this study a method which avoids the problem of product differentiation is developed. The analysis strongly supports the conclusion that hospital services are produced subject to economies of scale. PMID:6054380

  14. Management of external support services for Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rayo Medina, A.; Lozano, J.M.

    1994-01-01

    Operation support services for a nuclear power plant have become increasingly important and voluminous during the power operation of the plant as well as during the shutdown and refuelling outage periods. Optimization of organization and management of these services entails a series of advantages and improvements aimed at the common objective of increasing plant availability and safety and eventually improving general operation results. This paper describes the existing operation support services at Almaraz nuclear power plant, with emphasis on site services, analysing the different possible options, their advantages and disadvantage with regard to plant organization and characteristics and describing, among others, the following aspects of these services: - Areas and specialities of required services - Scope of activities performed - Selection of candidate companies - Definition of technical and human resources - Supervision, coordination and control - Contracting and economic approach An evaluation is also made of the repercussions on the volume of workfromoperation support services rendered at Almaraz NPP by contracted companies, grouping them into three homogeneous areas (Full-Power Operation, Refuelling, and Design and Modifications) whose approach and execution are subject to different. (Author)

  15. Recovery of creep properties of alloy 625 after long term service

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathew, M.D.; Bhanu Sankara Rao, K.; Mannan, S.L.; Paknikar, K.

    2000-01-01

    Creep rupture properties of alloy 625, that has been in service for 60000 h at 993 K, have been evaluated between 923 and 1173 K, after subjecting the service exposed material to resolution annealing treatment at 1433 K for one hour. The isostress and Larson-Miller parameter methods were employed to estimate the residual life of the service exposed material. Creep rupture strength and rupture ductility recovered substantially following re-solution annealing. The variations in rupture life and rupture ductility with creep test variables have been rationalised on the basis of the microstructural changes that occurred in the material. (orig.)

  16. Human subjects research handbook: Protecting human research subjects. Second edition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-01-30

    This handbook serves as a guide to understanding and implementing the Federal regulations and US DOE Orders established to protect human research subjects. Material in this handbook is directed towards new and continuing institutional review board (IRB) members, researchers, institutional administrators, DOE officials, and others who may be involved or interested in human subjects research. It offers comprehensive overview of the various requirements, procedures, and issues relating to human subject research today.

  17. Analysis on preemptive priority retrial queue with two types of customers, balking, optional re-service, single vacation and service interruption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuvarani, S.; Saravanarajan, M. C.

    2017-11-01

    This paper concerned with performance analysis of single server preemptive priority retrial queue with a single vacation where two types of customers are considered and they are called priority customers and ordinary customers. The ordinary customers arrive in batch into the system. The priority customers do not form any queue. After the completion of regular service, the customers may demand re-service for the previous service without joining the orbit or may leave the system. As soon as the system is empty, the server goes for vacation and the regular busy server can be subjected to breakdown. By using the supplementary variable technique, we obtain the steady-state probability generating functions for the system/orbit size. Some important system performance measures and the stochastic decomposition are discussed. Finally, numerical examples are presented to visualize the effect of parameters on system performance measures.

  18. Challenges of local public services management through public-private partnership

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Violeta TINCU

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Under the legislation currently in force in the Republic of Moldova, public administration shall not bear the exclusive “burden” of organizing and managing public services on its own. Such a responsibility could be delegated to subjects outside the system of public administration. Scholars in the field call it an “indirect or delegated management” of public services. Public-private partnership is a new manner of delegating public services management. International experience has proven that such a partnership can be beneficial for public administration, contributing to improvements in public services quality. The reason is obvious: the private sector is competitive and client/user-oriented. However, the public-private partnership, which are not sufficiently operated in the legislation in force, also involves serious risks for the public partners.

  19. Hypertension in a population of active duty service members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smoley, Brian A; Smith, Nicholas L; Runkle, Guy P

    2008-01-01

    Hypertension is a common condition, but little is known about its prevalence in the Armed Forces. Our purpose was to provide an estimate of the prevalence of hypertension in a large population of US service members. We reviewed the screening records for service members who completed health risk assessments at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, WA, in 2004. The prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension were estimated from single recorded blood pressure readings and subjects' reported use of blood pressure medications. Study subject characteristics associated with hypertension and prehypertension were examined by chi(2) tests and multivariate logistic regression. Thirteen percent of the 15,391 subjects met the study definition for hypertension; 62% met the study definition for prehypertension. Increasing age and body mass index, male sex, black race/ethnicity, and senior rank were associated with hypertension; only body mass index, male sex, and senior rank were associated with prehypertension. Hypertension and prehypertension are more prevalent in the US Armed Forces than has been previously reported, and prehypertension may be more common in the US Armed forces than in the general population. The high prevalence of prehypertension found in this young, fit population suggests a need to better define the risks and benefits associated with the diagnosis and treatment of prehypertension in low-risk populations.

  20. End-user centeredness in antiretroviral therapy services in Nigerian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: To describe the perception of end users with regard to end-user centeredness in antiretroviral therapy (ART) service provision in Nigerian public health facilities. Design: A qualitative design was followed. Subjects and setting: Unstructured focus group discussions were conducted with end users (n = 64) in six ...

  1. Integrated assessment of ecosystem services in the Czech Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Frélichová, Jana; Vačkář, David; Pártl, Adam; Loučková, Blanka; Lorencová, Eliška

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 8, jun (2014), s. 110-117 ISSN 2212-0416 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0073; GA TA ČR TD010066 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : ecosystems * ecosystem services * integrated assessment * database * valuation * Czech Republic Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour

  2. 75 FR 13681 - Television Broadcasting Services; Atlantic City, NJ

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-23

    ...] Television Broadcasting Services; Atlantic City, NJ AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final... not less than one very high frequency commercial television channel to each State, if technically... Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television, Television...

  3. 76 FR 44280 - Television Broadcasting Services; El Paso, TX

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-25

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [MB Docket No. 11-74; RM-11630, DA 11-1185] Television Broadcasting Services; El Paso, TX AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television. Federal Communications...

  4. 76 FR 68117 - Television Broadcasting Services; Panama City, FL

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-03

    ...] Television Broadcasting Services; Panama City, FL AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC... the Congressional review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television...

  5. Sleep quality and health service utilization in Chinese general population: a cross-sectional study in Dongguan, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hui-Shan; Mai, Yan-Bing; Li, Wei-Da; Xi, Wen-Tao; Wang, Jin-Ming; Lei, Yi-Xiong; Wang, Pei-Xi

    The aims of this study were to explore the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and health service utilization in Chinese general population, to investigate the association between PSQI and health service utilization and to identify the independent contributions of social demographic variables, health related factors and PSQI to health service utilization. In a cross-sectional community-based health survey using a multi-instrument questionnaire, 4067 subjects (≥15 years old) were studied. The Chinese version of the PSQI was used to assess sleep quality. Health service utilization was measured by recent two-week physician visit and annual hospitalization rates. Higher PSQI scores were associated with more frequent health service utilization. Higher scores in subjective sleep quality were associated with higher rate of recent two-week physician visit (adjusted OR = 1.24 per SD increase, P = 0.015). Higher scores in habitual sleep efficiency (adjusted OR = 1.24 per SD increase, P = 0.038) and sleep disturbances (adjusted OR = 2.09 per SD increase, P quality predicted more frequent health service utilization. The independent contribution of PSQI on health service utilization was smaller than social demographic variables. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Integrating AR services for the masses: geotagged POI transformation platform

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Trojan, Jakub

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 7, č. 3 (2016), s. 254-265 ISSN 1757-9880 Institutional support: RVO:68145535 Keywords : augmented reality * location-based services * geotagging * points of interest Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-07-2015-0028

  7. CONSUMERS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES VALUE PERCEPTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bogdan Nichifor

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available This article is a theoretical approach on products and services as value satisfiers. Consumers have knowledge about the personal, symbolic values that products, services and brands help them satisfy or achieve. Values are people’s broad life goals. Values often involve the emotional affect associated with such goals and needs (the strong feelings and emotions that accompany success. Recognizing when a value has been satisfied or a basic life goal has been achieved is an internal feeling that is somewhat intangible and subjective. In contrast, functional and psychosocial consequences are more tangible and are more obvious when they occur. Salespeople add value by identifying customer needs and devising or delivering a solution for those needs. Salespeople are able to adapt how products or/and services are presented or even to adapt products/services so that they meet the needs of the buyers. Such adaption powers professional selling, because customers often don’t know what they need or how to configure a solution to their needs. Satisfying a value usually elicits positive affect (happiness, joy, satisfaction, whereas blocking a value produces negative affect (frustration, anger, disappointment. Consumers can have products and services knowledge about products and services attributes, consequences of products or services use and personal values. Most marketing research focuses on one type of products and services knowledge – usually attributes or consequences, where the focus typically is on benefits rather than risks. Values are examined less frequently and usually in isolation. This paper objective is to show the importance of creating, delivering, and capturing buyer value. A company’s ability to deliver value to its customers is closely tied with its ability to create satisfaction for its employees and other stakeholders. Value ultimately depends on the perceiver. Smart companies not only offer purchase value but also offer use value

  8. Ecosystem services in managing residential landscapes: priorities, value dimensions, and cross-regional patterns

    Science.gov (United States)

    K.L. Larson; K.C. Nelson; S.R. Samples; S.J. Hall; N. Bettez; J. Cavender-Bares; P.M. Groffman; M. Grove; J.B. Heffernan; S.E. Hobbie; J. Learned; J.L. Morse; C. Neill; L.A. Ogden; Jarlath O' Neil-Dunne; D.E. Pataki; C. Polsky; R. Roy Chowdhury; M. Steele; T.L.E. Trammell

    2016-01-01

    Although ecosystem services have been intensively examined in certain domains (e.g., forests and wetlands), little research has assessed ecosystem services for the most dominant landscape type in urban ecosystems—namely, residential yards. In this paper, we report findings of a cross-site survey of homeowners in six U.S. cities to 1) examine how residents subjectively...

  9. The Relationship between Pre-Service Teachers' Lifelong Learning Tendencies and Teaching Profession Anxiety Levels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Özen, Rasit; Öztürk, Duygu Saniye

    2016-01-01

    The present study aims to examine the relationship between pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies and teaching profession anxiety levels with respect to certain variables (their gender and subject area) and is designed as a survey study. The fourth year pre-service teachers (n=455) in the spring semester of the 2015-2016 academic year…

  10. Manual for subject analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    This document is one in a series of publications known as the ETDE/INIS Joint Reference Series and also constitutes a part of the ETDE Procedures Manual. It presents the rules, guidelines and procedures to be adopted by centers submitting input to the International Nuclear Information System (INIS) or the Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE). It is a manual for the subject analysis part of input preparation, meaning the selection, subject classification, abstracting and subject indexing of relevant publications, and is to be used in conjunction with the Thesauruses, Subject Categories documents and the documents providing guidelines for the preparation of abstracts. The concept and structure of the new manual are intended to describe in a logical and efficient sequence all the steps comprising the subject analysis of documents to be reported to INIS or ETDE. The manual includes new chapters on preparatory analysis, subject classification, abstracting and subject indexing, as well as rules, guidelines, procedures, examples and a special chapter on guidelines and examples for subject analysis in particular subject fields. (g.t.; a.n.)

  11. BioCatalogue: a universal catalogue of web services for the life sciences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhagat, Jiten; Tanoh, Franck; Nzuobontane, Eric; Laurent, Thomas; Orlowski, Jerzy; Roos, Marco; Wolstencroft, Katy; Aleksejevs, Sergejs; Stevens, Robert; Pettifer, Steve; Lopez, Rodrigo; Goble, Carole A

    2010-07-01

    The use of Web Services to enable programmatic access to on-line bioinformatics is becoming increasingly important in the Life Sciences. However, their number, distribution and the variable quality of their documentation can make their discovery and subsequent use difficult. A Web Services registry with information on available services will help to bring together service providers and their users. The BioCatalogue (http://www.biocatalogue.org/) provides a common interface for registering, browsing and annotating Web Services to the Life Science community. Services in the BioCatalogue can be described and searched in multiple ways based upon their technical types, bioinformatics categories, user tags, service providers or data inputs and outputs. They are also subject to constant monitoring, allowing the identification of service problems and changes and the filtering-out of unavailable or unreliable resources. The system is accessible via a human-readable 'Web 2.0'-style interface and a programmatic Web Service interface. The BioCatalogue follows a community approach in which all services can be registered, browsed and incrementally documented with annotations by any member of the scientific community.

  12. IMPACT OF INFORMATION SERVICES USING MEDIA FILM TO STUDENT MOTIVATION LEARNING AT SMA NEGERI 1 RAMAN UTARA, LAMPUNG TIMUR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Septazema Suciana

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: One of the factors that can influence student learning is the motivation to learn. Students' motivation can be built with an understanding to students about the importance of learning how to learn effectively, and how to overcome learning problems. Departing from this, the research problem is formulated as follows: Is there any influence of information services on the students motivation ?. The aim of research to determine the effect of information services on the students motivation. The study design was one group pretest-posttest design. Subjects numbered 20 students. To determine the study subjects used the technique Proportionate Stratified Random Sampling.Hasil hypothesis test showed the value of t = 8.75> 1.729. The conclusion of the study is an information service that executed can affect motivation. Therefore, it is advisable to guidance and counseling teachers use information services by using the medium of film, so that the services effectively organized and able to enhance students' motivation. Keyword: Information Services, Motivation

  13. 48 CFR 52.222-44 - Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act-Price Adjustment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... and Service Contract Act-Price Adjustment. 52.222-44 Section 52.222-44 Federal Acquisition Regulations... CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 52.222-44 Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act—Price... Contract Act—Price Adjustment (SEP 2009) (a) This clause applies to both contracts subject to area...

  14. Top of the food chain: Product services in the food industry

    OpenAIRE

    Dixon, Andrew M.; Simon, Matthew

    2001-01-01

    This paper aims to describe the environmental impact of the food industry supply chain and explore the potential for new product-service systems in the food sector, which has not been subject to a great deal of eco-design research. Data from a cross-sector analysis of UK industry, concentrating on the sectors representing the food industry supply chain, is utilised. These sectors are agriculture, food processing, retailing, food services, and kitchen equipment. The analysis combines economic ...

  15. Effects of new logistics services on restaurants' business model and strategy

    OpenAIRE

    Vlassis, Nikolaos

    2016-01-01

    The restaurant industry is present in every part of the world and has been a subject of significant interest for academic scholars. Despite being a more stable industry, technological innovations have started to reach restaurants as well. The purpose of this research is to study and analyze one of these innovations introduced to the full-service restaurant industry. Traditional delivery services in the restaurant industry have been acting as agents between restaurants and customers with the r...

  16. Ecosystem services and drivers of change in Nyando floodplain ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Papyrus wetlands in East Africa play a vital role in supporting livelihoods of people living around them. Although, subject to natural fluctuations and threats by anthropogenic activities, little is known about historical changes in wetland functions and services, or their present status. We focused on Nyando wetland on the ...

  17. 20 CFR 901.2 - Eligibility to perform actuarial services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    .... 901.2 Section 901.2 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS.... (a) Enrolled actuary. Subject to the standards of performance set forth in subpart C of this part, any individual who is an enrolled actuary as defined in § 901.1(g) may perform actuarial services...

  18. 76 FR 49697 - Television Broadcasting Services; Eau Claire, WI

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-11

    ...] Television Broadcasting Services; Eau Claire, WI AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee... the Congressional review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television...

  19. 75 FR 13236 - Television Broadcasting Services; Oklahoma City, OK

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-19

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [DA 10-395; MB Docket No. 10-19; RM-11589] Television Broadcasting Services; Oklahoma City, OK AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final... review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television, Television...

  20. Engaging Pre-Service Teachers to Teach Science Contextually with Scientific Approach Instructional Video

    Science.gov (United States)

    Susantini, E.; Kurniasari, I.; Fauziah, A. N. M.; Prastowo, T.; Kholiq, A.; Rosdiana, L.

    2018-01-01

    Contextual teaching and learning/CTL presents new concepts in real-life experiences and situations where students can find out the meaningful relationship between abstract ideas and practical applications. Implementing contextual teaching by using scientific approach will foster teachers to find the constructive ways of delivering and organizing science content. This research developed an instructional video that represented a modeling of using a scientific approach in CTL. The aim of this research are to engage pre-service teachers in learning how to teach CTL and to show how pre-service teachers’ responses about learning how to teach CTL using an instructional video. The subjects of this research were ten pre-service teachers in Department of Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia. All subjects observed the instructional video which demonstrated contextual teaching and learning combined with the scientific approach as they completed a worksheet to analyze the video content. The results showed that pre-service teachers could learn to teach contextually as well as applying the scientific approach in science classroom through a modeling in the instructional video. They also responded that the instructional video could help them to learn to teach each component contextual teaching as well as scientific approach.

  1. SMS service from your GSM mobile phone

    CERN Multimedia

    IT Department

    2009-01-01

    The exchange of SMS (Short Message Service) messages is a very popular application of GSM mobile services. However, the use of the application with a CERN subscription is subject to certain conditions: First of all, only text messages can be sent and received with a CERN GSM subscription. These messages are limited to 160 characters. MMS (Multimedia Message Service) messages, which consist in attaching pictures, videos or sounds to a message, are not supported by the current CERN mobile network configuration. In addition, value-added SMS or SMS premium messages (e.g. messages to short numbers involving extra charges) are not permitted. Before sending a message, you must first record the number of the message centre (+41765980000) in your mobile. In principle, this configuration setting is automatically applied to all standard GSM mobile phones when they are issued. To send a message to another GSM user, you must of course enter his or her GSM number. This number must be e...

  2. Farmers’ Awareness of Ecosystem Services and the Associated Policy Implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fangfang Xun

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This study analyzes the primary factors influencing farmers’ awareness of ecosystem services. This study, through questionnaires, conducts research on farmers’ awareness of and demand for ecosystem service functions. The research encapsulates 156 households from 21 groups of villagers in the Guangxi Karst Ecological Immigration District in China. The results of the factors influencing farmers’ awareness of ecosystem services, analyzed using a regression model, show that: (1 Farmers are concerned with ecosystem service functions that directly benefit them; however, they do not sufficiently understand the ecosystem’s ecological security maintenance or cultural landscape functions; (2 Farmers’ awareness of ecosystem service functions is not consistent with their corresponding demand, including the ecosystem’s leisure and entertainment, social security, disaster prevention and water purification services; (3 Education level, land area cultivated by the household, proportion of the household’s income from agriculture and immigration status directly affect farmers’ awareness of ecosystem services; (4 Farmers’ personal characteristics, family characteristics and subjective attitudes have different effects on the level of ecological service cognition. Understanding farmers’ awareness of ecosystem services, and the influencing factors can help policymakers and development managers plan local development and policies, and enable harmonious development of the human-earth system in immigration regions of China.

  3. E-government Facilities Analysis for Public Services in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astawa, I. P. M.; Dewi, K. C.

    2018-01-01

    E-Government in higher education can be utilized in order to provide public services to stakeholders both internal and external. The research objectives is to analyze the e-government facilities for public services in higher education. The research began by reviewing the concept of public services and e-government, then continued by analysing e-government facilities based on the E-Government Maturity Level developed by Wirtz and Piehler. The research subject was the e-government website of three universities that ranked the top three of webometrics version (Indonesia country rank), while the research object was e-government facilities for public services. Data collection was done by observing e-government sites via online browsing. The research’s results indicated that all three e-government sites have met four e-government business model and provided e-government services in line with the fourth stage on the e-government development stage. It can concluded that the three universities have achieved e-government maturity at the fourth level.

  4. A METHOD FOR IMPROVEMENT OF OBJECTIVITY OF E-SERVICE QUALITY EVALUATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Mekovec

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Measurement and improvement of e-service quality is important for sustaining competitive advantage of an e-commerce web site. A number of e-service quality measures have recently been developed that predominantly rely on the subjective evaluation of diverse quality attributes. To increase the objectivity of e-service quality measurement a recently developed measure of e-service quality has been adapted in a way that replaces its Likert type scales for evaluation of specific attributes with check-lists that include specific observable elements for appraisal and a scoring procedure. The consistency of scoring with this adaptation of an e-service quality measure was investigated in comparison to the use of the standard measure with Likert type scales and by the use of untrained and trained evaluators. The results of the empirical evaluation indicate a greater inter-rater consistency when the adapted/objective measure is used for evaluation of the efficiency dimension of e-service quality.

  5. Shipping Service calls on all users of wooden pallets

    CERN Multimedia

    2006-01-01

    The Shipping Service requests all users of wooden pallets marked 'EUR' (80x120 cm) or freight containers and lids marked 'CFF SBB FFS', which are subject to a refundable deposit and thus have a logistics exchange value, to make any they are holding available as soon as possible to CERN's Transport Service, which is responsible for collecting and returning them to the Goods Reception Service in Buildings 904 and 194. A large number of EUR pallets and CFF freight containers and lids are used as supports and packing cases for storing various items of equipment in buildings and underground areas. If you are using them for this purpose, please contact the Goods Reception Service, which will be able to offer you alternative wooden pallets and containers that are available to cover special needs. The Goods Reception Service regularly needs to stock up on EUR pallets and CFF containers and lids in order to have sufficient available each day to be able to exchange them for those used by various carriers to deliver g...

  6. Pre-Service Elementary Teachers’ Scientific Literacy and Self-Efficacy in Teaching Science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Al Sultan

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Many educators and educational institutions worldwide have agreed that the main goal of science education is to produce a scientifically literate community. Science teachers are key to the achievement of scientific literacy at all levels of education because of the essential role they play in preparing scientifically literate individuals. Studies show that pre-service elementary teachers need to build more confidence in teaching science and scientific literacy during their teacher education programs in order for them to successfully teach science knowledge to their students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is threefold. First, pre-service elementary teachers' scientific literacy levels were examined. Second, pre-service teachers' self-efficacy beliefs were measured by distinguishing between their personal and subject-specific self-efficacy beliefs. Third, the extent to which pre-service elementary teachers' scientific literacy levels and self-efficacy levels are related was investigated. Participants were 49 pre-service elementary teachers registered in two science methods courses (introductory and advanced at a mid-sized university in the United States. Quantitative data were collected using the Test of Basic Scientific Literacy, the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-Preservice, and Beliefs about Teaching. Results showed that participants had a satisfactory level of scientific literacy. However, pre-service teachers had borderline scores on the Nature of Science scale. Regarding self-efficacy, findings showed that both groups had the highest self-efficacy in teaching biology and the lowest in teaching physics. Participants in the advanced science methods course exhibited a moderate preexisting positive relationship between scientific literacy and subject-specific self-efficacy in teaching science.

  7. Promoting personal safety of building service workers: issues and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shelley I; Skillen, D Lynn

    2006-06-01

    This exploratory, descriptive study conducted at a large western Canadian university solicited perceptions of personal safety among building service workers who perform night shift work alone. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted at approximately 10:00 p.m. or 7:00 a.m with a convenience sample of night building service workers in private or semi-private locations on the university campus. Transcribed interview data were subjected to inductive content analysis using descriptive, interpretive, and pattern coding (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Results suggest that building service night shift workers are exposed to personal safety hazards in their physical and psychosocial work environments. In addition, culturally and linguistically appropriate delivery of safety training and education about policies and procedures is required for culturally diverse building service workers. Promotion of personal safety in this heterogeneous worker population requires due diligence, assessment, and advocacy.

  8. Reciprocal Allocation Method in Service Departments. The Case of a Production Enterprise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papaj, Ewelina

    2017-12-01

    The main aim of this article is to indicate the role of reciprocal allocation method in the process of costs calculation. In the environment of nowadays companies, often taking very complex organisational forms, the existence of service departments becomes of great importance. Although, as far as management accounting processes are concerned, which lead to identifying the product cost, the service departments' costs come out to be of minor importance. This article means to prove that the service departments' costs and their reliable settlement are a desirable source of information about the products. This work consists of two parts. First of them features theoretical considerations and a critical analysis of subject literature. In the latter part, the service departments' costs calculation will be presented, basing on reciprocal services in a production enterprise from chemical industry.

  9. Heuristics for multi-item two-echelon spare parts inventory control subject to aggregate and individual service measures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Topan, E.; Bayindir, Z.P.; Tan, T.

    2017-01-01

    We consider a multi-item two-echelon spare parts inventory system in which the central warehouse operates under a (Q, R) policy and local warehouses implement (S−1,S) policy. The objective is to find the policy parameters minimizing expected system-wide inventory holding and fixed ordering subject

  10. Data dictionary services in XNAT and the Human Connectome Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrick, Rick; McKay, Michael; Olsen, Timothy; Horton, William; Florida, Mark; Moore, Charles J.; Marcus, Daniel S.

    2014-01-01

    The XNAT informatics platform is an open source data management tool used by biomedical imaging researchers around the world. An important feature of XNAT is its highly extensible architecture: users of XNAT can add new data types to the system to capture the imaging and phenotypic data generated in their studies. Until recently, XNAT has had limited capacity to broadcast the meaning of these data extensions to users, other XNAT installations, and other software. We have implemented a data dictionary service for XNAT, which is currently being used on ConnectomeDB, the Human Connectome Project (HCP) public data sharing website. The data dictionary service provides a framework to define key relationships between data elements and structures across the XNAT installation. This includes not just core data representing medical imaging data or subject or patient evaluations, but also taxonomical structures, security relationships, subject groups, and research protocols. The data dictionary allows users to define metadata for data structures and their properties, such as value types (e.g., textual, integers, floats) and valid value templates, ranges, or field lists. The service provides compatibility and integration with other research data management services by enabling easy migration of XNAT data to standards-based formats such as the Resource Description Framework (RDF), JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), and Extensible Markup Language (XML). It also facilitates the conversion of XNAT's native data schema into standard neuroimaging vocabularies and structures. PMID:25071542

  11. Utilization of chemical abstracts service (CAS) data bases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ehrhardt, F.; Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, Berlin

    1979-04-01

    A method is developed describing the economic utilization of the Chemical Abstracts Service data bases CA Condensates and Chemical Abstracts Subject Index Alertin order to supplement the data base of the IDC-Inorganica-Documentationsystem built up to meet the peculiarities of the inorganic chemistry. The method consists of EDP-Programs and processes at which special authority files for coded compound and subject entries play an important role. One of the advantages of the method is that the intellectual effort necessary to create such a data base is reduced to a minimum. The authority files may be also used for orther purposes. (orig.) 891 WB 892 MB [de

  12. Identification of important VO spectral services benefiting from deployment on the Grid

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Škoda, Petr

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 2, č. 80 (2009), s. 484-492 ISSN 0037-8720 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : virtual observatory * GRID computing * web services Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics

  13. Severe hypoglycaemia requiring the assistance of emergency medical services - frequency, causes and symptoms

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Krnačová, V.; Kuběna, Aleš Antonín; Macek, K.; Bezděk, M.; Šmahelová, A.; Vlček, J.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 156, č. 3 (2012), s. 271-277 ISSN 1213-8118 Grant - others:GA UK(CZ) SVV-2010-261-004 Keywords : regression trees * causes * symptoms * incidence * emergency medical service * severe hypoglycaemia Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 0.990, year: 2012 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2013/E/kubena-severe hypoglycaemia requiring the assistance of emergency medical services - frequency causes and symptoms.pdf

  14. Mediating effect of Facebook addiction on the relationship between subjective vitality and subjective happiness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uysal, Recep; Satici, Seydi Ahmet; Akin, Ahmet

    2013-12-01

    This study examined the mediating effects of Facebook addiction on the relationship between subjective vitality and subjective happiness. 297 university students (157 women, 140 men; M age = 20.1 yr., SD = 1.3) were administered the Facebook Addiction Scale, the Subjective Vitality Scale, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that Facebook addiction partially mediated the relationship between subjective vitality and subjective happiness.

  15. The measurement of capital services in the Czech Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hájková, Dana

    -, č. 11 (2008), s. 1-24 ISSN 1803-2397 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : capital services * growth accounting * production function * total factor productivity Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.cnb.cz/m2export/sites/www.cnb.cz/en/research/research_publications/cnb_wp/download/cnbwp_2008_11.pdf

  16. Global approach of mean service satisfaction assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Dooguy Kora

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A theoretical expression for mobile service satisfaction assessment has been proposed. Mobile networks users’ satisfaction is a major concern for the operators and regulators. Therefore a certain level of network qualification is required to be offered to consumers by operators thanks to the decisions initiated by the regulation authority. For the assessment of the level of satisfaction, several methodologies and tools (measuring and monitoring have emerged. Ranking in two broad categories, namely the objective and subjective methods, both have advantages as well as disadvantages. This Letter has proposed a unified approach to evaluate more objectively users’ level of satisfaction of a service based on the most common network key performance indicators (KPIs rate following the different methods. This approach's main advantage is that it has taken advantages of the different positive aspects of the existing methods and outperformed their limitations thanks to the introduced concept of global KPI. In addition, the size of samples according to each method has been considered. A mean service satisfaction theoretical expression has been proposed to regulation authority, consumers association and operators as common base of service satisfaction assessment.

  17. Mental workload and cognitive task automaticity: an evaluation of subjective and time estimation metrics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Y; Wickens, C D

    1994-11-01

    The evaluation of mental workload is becoming increasingly important in system design and analysis. The present study examined the structure and assessment of mental workload in performing decision and monitoring tasks by focusing on two mental workload measurements: subjective assessment and time estimation. The task required the assignment of a series of incoming customers to the shortest of three parallel service lines displayed on a computer monitor. The subject was either in charge of the customer assignment (manual mode) or was monitoring an automated system performing the same task (automatic mode). In both cases, the subjects were required to detect the non-optimal assignments that they or the computer had made. Time pressure was manipulated by the experimenter to create fast and slow conditions. The results revealed a multi-dimensional structure of mental workload and a multi-step process of subjective workload assessment. The results also indicated that subjective workload was more influenced by the subject's participatory mode than by the factor of task speed. The time estimation intervals produced while performing the decision and monitoring tasks had significantly greater length and larger variability than those produced while either performing no other tasks or performing a well practised customer assignment task. This result seemed to indicate that time estimation was sensitive to the presence of perceptual/cognitive demands, but not to response related activities to which behavioural automaticity has developed.

  18. A new service proposition as a brand extension for P. H. U. Color company

    OpenAIRE

    Weglarz, Jagoda

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this thesis was to study the advertising psychology and the brand image subjects and to apply them in order to provide the brand image enhancement and brand extension combined with the proposition of a new service for Color, company. Moreover, according to the result of marketing research, examining the possible success of the new service and indicate the leading persuasive advertising tools in the market. The outcomes may help Color to verify if the new service can be applied ...

  19. DRIVING VEHICLES SUBJECT TO A CUSTOMS RESTRICTIONS AGREEMENT WITH ORDINARY SWISS NUMBER PLATES

    CERN Document Server

    Relations with the Host States Service

    2001-01-01

    The Swiss Permanent Mission to the International Organisations in Geneva has just confirmed to CERN that it is not necessary to hold a carte de légitimation or an attestation de fonctions issued by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs to drive a vehicle subject to a customs restrictions agreement (engagement douanier), i.e. purchased or imported free of tax and customs duty, provided that the vehicle concerned is registered on ordinary Swiss number plates and not on diplomatic plates. We should like to remind you that the documents published by the Relations with the Host States Service since 1996 can be consulted on the Service's Web pages (http://www.cern.ch/relations/), which are updated as soon as new information is received from the Authorities of the Host States.

  20. SUBJECTIVITY UNDER CONSUMERISM: THE TOTALIZATION OF THE SUBJECT AS A COMMODITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marlon Xavier

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract This theoretical work discusses consumerism's processes of subjectivation and their psychological consequences. Its regime is studied through its social imaginary and its totalitarian character: the discourse of advertising, as a global hegemon, absorbs all forms of discourse and signification, thereby actualizing capitalism's telos - the colonization of the Lebenswelt under a great imperative: everything must become a commodity, especially the subject. A process of totalization of subjectivity occurs under a commodification logic centered on the representation: every image must be transformed into commodity-signs. Thus the consumption imaginary appears as a totalizing ideology, functioning as archaic représentations collectives (Durkheim and simulating a religious imaginary. It mass-produces subjectivity through participation mystique (Lévy-Bruhl with its commodity-signs (and their fetish and the whole imaginary. Its subject is defined as a bricolage of consumable commodity-signs, being therefore eternally fluid, performative, and ethereal. Thus it produces an anthropological mutation, the commodity-subject: a disposable, empty, thoroughly commodified self.

  1. SIDECACHE: Information access, management and dissemination framework for web services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doderer, Mark S; Burkhardt, Cory; Robbins, Kay A

    2011-06-14

    Many bioinformatics algorithms and data sets are deployed using web services so that the results can be explored via the Internet and easily integrated into other tools and services. These services often include data from other sites that is accessed either dynamically or through file downloads. Developers of these services face several problems because of the dynamic nature of the information from the upstream services. Many publicly available repositories of bioinformatics data frequently update their information. When such an update occurs, the developers of the downstream service may also need to update. For file downloads, this process is typically performed manually followed by web service restart. Requests for information obtained by dynamic access of upstream sources is sometimes subject to rate restrictions. SideCache provides a framework for deploying web services that integrate information extracted from other databases and from web sources that are periodically updated. This situation occurs frequently in biotechnology where new information is being continuously generated and the latest information is important. SideCache provides several types of services including proxy access and rate control, local caching, and automatic web service updating. We have used the SideCache framework to automate the deployment and updating of a number of bioinformatics web services and tools that extract information from remote primary sources such as NCBI, NCIBI, and Ensembl. The SideCache framework also has been used to share research results through the use of a SideCache derived web service.

  2. Gender differences in the utilization of health-care services among the older adult population of Spain

    OpenAIRE

    Redondo-Sendino, Áurea; Guallar-Castillón, Pilar; Banegas, José Ramón; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando

    2006-01-01

    Abstract Background Compared to men, women report greater morbidity and make greater use of health-care services. This study examines potential determinants of gender differences in the utilization of health-care services among the elderly. Methods Cross-sectional study covering 3030 subjects, representative of the non-institutionalized Spanish population aged 60 years and over. Potential determinants of gender differences in the utilization of health services were classified into predisposin...

  3. Development of a questionnaire to measure consumers' perceptions of service quality in Australian community pharmacies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirzaei, Ardalan; Carter, Stephen R; Chen, Jenny Yimin; Rittsteuer, Claudia; Schneider, Carl R

    2018-06-11

    Recent changes within community pharmacy have seen a shift towards some pharmacies providing "value-added" services. However, providing high levels of service is resource intensive yet revenues from dispensing are declining. Of significance therefore, is how consumers perceive service quality (SQ). However, at present there are no validated and reliable instruments to measure consumers' perceptions of SQ in Australian community pharmacies. The aim of this study was to build a theory-grounded model of service quality (SQ) in community pharmacies and to create a valid survey instrument to measure consumers' perceptions of service quality. Stage 1 dealt with item generation using theory, prior research and qualitative interviews with pharmacy consumers. Selected items were then subjected to content validity and face validity. Stages 2 and 3 included psychometric testing among English-speaking adult consumers of Australian pharmacies. Exploratory factor analysis was used for item reduction and to explain the domains of SQ. In stage 1, item generation for SQ initially generated 113 items which were then refined, through content and face validity, down to 61 items. In stage 2, after subjecting the questionnaire to psychometric testing on the data from the first pharmacy (n = 374), the use of the primary dimensions of SQ was abandoned leaving 32 items representing 5 domains of SQ. In stage 3, the questionnaire was subject to further testing and item reduction in 3 other pharmacies (n = 320). SQ was best described using 23 items representing 6 domains: 'health and medicines advice', 'relationship quality', 'technical quality', 'environmental quality', 'non-prescription service', and 'health outcomes'. This research presents a theoretically-grounded and robust measurement scale developed for consumer perceptions of SQ in a community pharmacy. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. Behavior of prestressed concrete subjected to low temperatures and cyclic loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berner, D.E.

    1984-01-01

    Concrete has exhibited excellent behavior in cryogenic containment vessels for several decades under essentially static conditions. Tests were conducted to determine the response of prestressed lightweight concrete subjected to high-intensity cyclic loading and simultaneous cryogenic thermal shock, simulating the relatively dynamic conditions encountered offshore or in seismic areas. Lightweight concrete has several attractive properties for cryogenic service including: (1) very low permeability, (2) good strain capacity, (3) relatively low thermal conductivity, and (4) a low modulus of elasticity. Experimental results indicated that the mechanical properties of plain lightweight concrete significantly increase with moisture content at low temperatures, while cyclic loading fatigue effects are reduced at low temperatures. Also, tests on uniaxially and on biaxially prestressed lightweight concrete both indicate that the test specimens performed well under severe cyclic loading and cryogenic thermal shock with only moderate reduction in flexural stiffness. Supplementary tests conducted in this study indicate that conventionally reinforced concrete degrades significantly faster than prestressed concrete when subjected to cyclic loading and thermal shock

  5. Working styles of medicine professionals in emergency medical service

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lazarević Marija

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Transactional analysis is a personality and communication theory established by psychiatrist Eric Berne, at the end of the fifties. Counter script is the way of life in accordance with parental imperative. The person with a counter-script has a compulsion to fulfill the required task in order to avoid the disaster of ban. There are five drivers that are considered essential, and these are: 'Be perfect!', 'Be strong!', 'Hurry up!', 'Please others!' and 'Work hard!' Objective: a Determination of the most dominant driver in this medical service. b Because of the specifics of this job which requires speed and humanity, the emphasis will be on doublet: 'Hurry up!' and 'Please others!' Method: The study was conducted on a group of subjects employed in a general service with medical emergency. The instrument used in the study was Julie Hay's questionnaire for diagnosing the working styles. Results: Statistical research was conducted on a sample of 30 subjects employed in the emergency medical service. Availability of all afore mentioned drivers was tested. The research hypotheses were formulated as follows: H0: The driver is not present among the employees in this service; H1: The driver is present among the employees in this service. Calculated value of the t-statistics for the driver 'Hurry up!' is 1.398; for the driver 'Be perfect!' 3.616; for the driver 'Please others!' 11.693; for the driver 'Work hard!' -0.673; and for the driver 'Be strong!' 3.880. Since the realizable value of the t-statistics for the drivers: 'Be perfect!' and 'Please others!' and 'Be strong!' is bigger than the critical value 1.699, and p<0.05 we reject the null hypothesis and we accept the alternative hypothesis on the significance level of 95%. For the drivers 'Hurry up!' and 'Work hard!' the values of t-statistics are lower than the critical value 1.699 for significance level of 95%, so the alternative hypothesis are not acceptable. Conclusion: The results of

  6. Validating the appropriateness of TACOM measure: Comparing TACOM scores with subjective workload scores quantified by NASA-TLX technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, J.; Jung, W.

    2006-01-01

    In this study, the appropriateness of the task complexity (TACOM) measure that can quantify the complexity of emergency tasks was investigated by comparing subjective workload scores with the associated TACOM scores. To this end, based on the NASA-TLX (task load index) technique, 18 operators were asked to subjectively estimate perceived workload for 23 emergency tasks that were specified in the emergency operating procedures of the reference nuclear power plants. As the result of comparisons, it was observed that subjective workload scores increase in proportion to the increase of TACOM scores. Therefore, it is expect that the TACOM measure can be used as a serviceable method to quantify the complexity of emergency tasks. (authors)

  7. Validating the appropriateness of TACOM measure: Comparing TACOM scores with subjective workload scores quantified by NASA-TLX technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, J.; Jung, W. [Integrated Safety Assessment Div., Korea Atomic Energy Research Inst., P.O.Box 105, Duckjin-Dong, Yusong-Ku, Taejon, 305-600 (Korea, Republic of)

    2006-07-01

    In this study, the appropriateness of the task complexity (TACOM) measure that can quantify the complexity of emergency tasks was investigated by comparing subjective workload scores with the associated TACOM scores. To this end, based on the NASA-TLX (task load index) technique, 18 operators were asked to subjectively estimate perceived workload for 23 emergency tasks that were specified in the emergency operating procedures of the reference nuclear power plants. As the result of comparisons, it was observed that subjective workload scores increase in proportion to the increase of TACOM scores. Therefore, it is expect that the TACOM measure can be used as a serviceable method to quantify the complexity of emergency tasks. (authors)

  8. Context-Adaptive Learning Designs by Using Semantic Web Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dietze, Stefan; Gugliotta, Alessio; Domingue, John

    2007-01-01

    IMS Learning Design (IMS-LD) is a promising technology aimed at supporting learning processes. IMS-LD packages contain the learning process metadata as well as the learning resources. However, the allocation of resources--whether data or services--within the learning design is done manually at design-time on the basis of the subjective appraisals…

  9. Service Modeling for Service Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimomura, Yoshiki; Tomiyama, Tetsuo

    Intensification of service and knowledge contents within product life cycles is considered crucial for dematerialization, in particular, to design optimal product-service systems from the viewpoint of environmentally conscious design and manufacturing in advanced post industrial societies. In addition to the environmental limitations, we are facing social limitations which include limitations of markets to accept increasing numbers of mass-produced artifacts and such environmental and social limitations are restraining economic growth. To attack and remove these problems, we need to reconsider the current mass production paradigm and to make products have more added values largely from knowledge and service contents to compensate volume reduction under the concept of dematerialization. Namely, dematerialization of products needs to enrich service contents. However, service was mainly discussed within marketing and has been mostly neglected within traditional engineering. Therefore, we need new engineering methods to look at services, rather than just functions, called "Service Engineering." To establish service engineering, this paper proposes a modeling technique of service.

  10. Service employees give as they get: internal service as a moderator of the service climate-service outcomes link.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ehrhart, Karen Holcombe; Witt, L A; Schneider, Benjamin; Perry, Sara Jansen

    2011-03-01

    We lend theoretical insight to the service climate literature by exploring the joint effects of branch service climate and the internal service provided to the branch (the service received from corporate units to support external service delivery) on customer-rated service quality. We hypothesized that service climate is related to service quality most strongly when the internal service quality received is high, providing front-line employees with the capability to deliver what the service climate motivates them to do. We studied 619 employees and 1,973 customers in 36 retail branches of a bank. We aggregated employee perceptions of the internal service quality received from corporate units and the local service climate and external customer perceptions of service quality to the branch level of analysis. Findings were consistent with the hypothesis that high-quality internal service is necessary for branch service climate to yield superior external customer service quality. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

  11. Towards a definition of SUBJECT in binding domains and subject ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    be antecedents for subject-oriented anaphors (e.g. Maling 1984) ... 1985), it is unclear what actually determines this binding behaviour, or why subjects should ..... contexts can be unified by the fact that both functionally determine their complements. ...... Binding theory, control and pro. ... San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 179 ...

  12. Global Logistic Network of Courier Services for the 21" Century

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ratko Zelenika

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The development of logistics has contributed a lot to all thebranches of economy. A successful economic subject cannotexist without a well-developed logistic branch. In economicsthe organization of logistics is becoming a strategic element regardingthe policy making of enterprises. Logistics belongs to anarea that will play an important role in our lives; therefore, thedevelopment of a logistic system is of an exceptional significancefor the economy and also for the non-economic sphere ofactivities. So, modem logistics enables us to bring into line differentinterests in management of material current. Global organizersof logistic services are developing and specializing insome essential services, such as combining of cargo into assemblyconsignments and also their distribution. The biggest globaltenderers of logistic services are considered, DHL, TNT,FEDEX, UPS ...

  13. 42 CFR 410.43 - Partial hospitalization services: Conditions and exclusions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... therapeutic purposes, subject to the limitations specified in § 410.29. (v) Individualized activity therapies... which is treatment of the individual's condition. (vii) Patient training and education, to the extent... hours per week of therapeutic services as evidenced in their plan of care; (2) Are likely to benefit...

  14. Content analysis of publications on product-service systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Hänsch Beuren

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This work is an update of the literature on product-service systems (PSS through a review of the literature from 2006 to 2011. Aiming at changing consumption of products to a more sustainable society, the PSS has been considered a competitive opportunity, which offers the use of the product through the provision of services. In this context, this paper aims to complement the existing literature on PSS through a structured search of relevant journal databases. The identified studies have important information on the PSS and these are presented throughout the text, highlighting major journals, most cited authors and the main article used as reference by the academy. From the identified and interpreted publications, the paper highlights some key factors, which the literature has approached on the subject in recent years. Therefore, by analyzing the publications during the selected study period, a conclusive synthesis is presented at the end of each key-factor. Finally, some suggestions for future research on the subject are presented, highlighting the need for theoretical and empirical research to achieve better understanding about the benefits of a PSS as well as tools and methodologies that facilitate its implementation.

  15. [Oxidative stress in station service workers].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basso, A; Elia, G; Petrozzi, M T; Zefferino, R

    2004-01-01

    The aim of this study is to identify an oxidative stress in service station workers. Previous studies verified an increased incidence of leukemia and myeloma, however other authors haven't verified it. There are reports of nasal, pharyngeal, laryngeal, and lung cancer in service station workers. Our study wants to evaluate the oxidative balance in the fuel workers. We studied 44 subjects with gasoline exposure and 29 control subjects. We determined the blood concentrations of Glutathione reduced and oxidized, Protein sulfhydrylic (PSH) Vitamine E, Vitamine C, Malondialdehyde, Protein oxidized (OX-PROT) and beta carotene. The t test was performed to analyze the differences between the means, the Chi square was used to evaluate the statistical significance of associations between variable categorical (redox index). The Anova test excluded the confusing effect of age, smoke and alcohol habit. The mean age of the workers was 36.6 years, instead the control group was 38. In the workers Glutathione reduced, Vit. E and Beta carotene were lower than in the control subjects, this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The Malondialdehyde concentration was higher in the workers higher than in the control group, but this difference wasn't statistically significant. Our data demonstrated Glutathione, Vit. E, and Beta carotene are useful to verify a reduction of the antioxidant activity. The only marker of the presence of oxidative injury that correlated to work exposure was the malondialdehyde. The redox index was surest marker. The limit of our study is the number of control group, it was little and lower than workers. Conclusively we believe it's useful to continue our studies and, if our results are going to be confirmed, we retain that stress oxidative determination would be verified in occupational medicine using these markers, especially to study exposure of the fuel workers who were investigated less and, in our opinion, would receive more attention.

  16. The Quality of Work in the Belgian Service Voucher System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mousaid, Sarah; Huegaerts, Kelly; Bosmans, Kim; Julià, Mireia; Benach, Joan; Vanroelen, Christophe

    2017-01-01

    Several European countries implemented initiatives to boost the growth of the domestic cleaning sector. Few studies investigated the quality of work in these initiatives, although effects on workers' health and on social health inequalities can be expected. This study contributes to the scant research on this subject, by investigating the quality of work in the Belgian service voucher system - a subsidized system for domestic work. The applied research methodology includes a qualitative content analysis of parliamentary debates, legislation and previous research about the service voucher system and of 40 in-depth interviews with service voucher workers. The study shows that the legal framework that regulates the system must be further enhanced in order to improve the quality of work in the service voucher system. In addition, the actors involved must be better controlled, and sanctioned in case of non-compliance with legislation. © The Author(s) 2016.

  17. The rights and responsibilities of citizenship for service users: some terms and conditions apply.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamer, H P; Finlayson, M

    2015-11-01

    What is known about the subject? Citizenship is an important yet largely overlooked concept within psychiatric and mental health nursing practice Many service users are subject to legally mandated restrictions that place conditions on their rights and responsibilities as citizens. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? Even though service users have legal status as citizens, they continue to experience many conditions on their rights and responsibilities. Concerns about services users' trustworthiness and doubts about their levels of insight impact on their status as full citizens. What are the implications for practice? Nurses' understandings of the conditions placed on the citizenship rights and responsibilities of service users will ensure inclusive and less restrictive care and treatment Integration of the principles of therapeutic reciprocity and procedural justice within practice will help nurses balance both the rights of services users and legal restrictions on their liberty and autonomy Service users have long been lobbying for equal participation as citizens, yet citizenship is an important and largely overlooked concept within nursing education and practice. The study explored service users' understandings of their rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the conditions placed on these. A total of 17 service users participated in semi-structured interviews. Isin's theory of the content of citizenship was used to analyze the data using a framework approach. Service users experience conditional citizenship that includes barriers to their participation and their rights and responsibilities that others in society enjoy. When the world of the service user is constructed through the language of the biomedical model, nurses may unwittingly reinforce psychiatric labels and thus perpetuate the stereotype that service users lack the competence to fully enact their rights and responsibilities. When providing care, nurses should incorporate the notion of

  18. School-related social support and subjective well-being in school among adolescents: The role of self-system factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Lili; Zhao, Jie; Huebner, E Scott

    2015-12-01

    This 6-week longitudinal study aimed to examine a moderated mediation model that may explain the link between school-related social support (i.e., teacher support and classmate support) and optimal subjective well-being in school among adolescents (n = 1316). Analyses confirmed the hypothesized model that scholastic competence partially mediated the relations between school-related social support and subjective well-being in school, and social acceptance moderated the mediation process in the school-related social support--> subjective well-being in school path and in the scholastic competence--> subjective well-being in school path. The findings suggested that both social contextual factors (e.g., school-related social support) and self-system factors (e.g., scholastic competence and social acceptance) are crucial for adolescents' optimal subjective well-being in school. Limitations and practical applications of the study were discussed. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. RUSSIAN LAW SUBJECTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.N. Bakhrakh

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available The question about the subjects of law branches is concerning the number of most important and difficult in law science. Its right decision influences on the subject of law regulation, precise definition of addressees of law norms, the volume of their rights and duties, the limits of action of norms of Main part of the branch, its principles. Scientific investigations, dedicated to law subjects system, promote the development of recommendations for the legislative and law applying activity; they are needed for scientific work organization and student training, for preparing qualified lawyers.

  20. Subject (of documents)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjørland, Birger

    2017-01-01

    This article presents and discuss the concept “subject” or subject matter (of documents) as it has been examined in library and information science (LIS) for more than 100 years. Different theoretical positions are outlined and it is found that the most important distinction is between document......-oriented views versus request-oriented views. The document-oriented view conceive subject as something inherent in documents, whereas the request-oriented view (or the policy based view) understand subject as an attribution made to documents in order to facilitate certain uses of them. Related concepts...

  1. Recent and lifetime utilization of health care services by children and adolescent suicide victims: a case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renaud, Johanne; Berlim, Marcelo T; Séguin, Monique; McGirr, Alexander; Tousignant, Michel; Turecki, Gustavo

    2009-10-01

    In the present paper we describe a case-control study on the utilization of health care services prior to suicide (across different time periods) among children and adolescents aged 11 to 18 years in the Province of Quebec, Canada and matched healthy controls. Utilization of services (i.e., contact with general practitioners, mental health professionals, psychiatrists and/or youth protection groups) was examined at different time periods in 55 child and adolescent suicide victims and 54 matched community controls using proxy-based interviews and questionnaires. In addition, we examined the rates of detection of psychopathology by health care professionals, the use of psychotropic medications and the subjects' compliance with treatment. Although more than 90% of child and adolescent suicide completers in our sample suffered from mental disorders, a significant proportion of them were left without appropriate healthcare support (including psychiatric consultation) in the period preceding their suicide. Also, 20% of suicide completers and no control subject made prior suicide attempts. More specifically, over two-thirds of suicide completers had no treatment contact within the month prior to the completion, while only 12.7% (n=7) of them were in contact with psychiatric services during that same period. Moreover, 56.4% (n=31) of the suicide completers had not been diagnosed as having a mental disorder at the time of their death, and 54.5% of the subjects' that received treatment (12 out of 22) were considered poorly compliant or not compliant at all according to their medical/psychosocial records. Finally, we also found that females seemed to have more psychiatric and mental health service contacts in the past month, that subjects with depressive and anxious disorders received more psychiatric and general mental health services in the past year, and that past month hospitalization was more often associated with alcohol abuse and psychosis. Relatively small sample size

  2. 77 FR 61028 - Hasbro, Inc.; Hasbro Managerial Services, Inc., Including On-Site Leased Workers of Entegee East...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-10-05

    ... relevant period and that the subject firm had sufficient control over the leased workers for the Department to determine that there was operational control of the leased workers by the subject firm. The... Managerial Services, Inc., Including On-Site Leased Workers of Entegee East Longmeadow, MA Amended...

  3. Integrated refuelling activity service; Servicio integrado de actividades de recarga

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia Valcarcel, M.; Lopez Garcia, J.L.

    2010-07-01

    Refuelling outages at nuclear power plants are subject to demanding improvement criteria in each and every one of the activities scheduled. In this article, the advantages of this general service performed by UTE-TWE for Asco and Vandellos II nuclear power plants, and their results and learned lessons are presented. (Author)

  4. Unsupervised deep learning for real-time assessment of video streaming services

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Torres Vega, M.; Mocanu, D.C.; Liotta, A.

    2017-01-01

    Evaluating quality of experience in video streaming services requires a quality metric that works in real time and for a broad range of video types and network conditions. This means that, subjective video quality assessment studies, or complex objective video quality assessment metrics, which would

  5. Measuring the Quality of the u-Learning Service Using the Zone of Tolerance SERVQUAL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seong Jin; Park, Keon Chul; Seo, Hyun Sik; Lee, Bong Gyou

    The purpose of this study is to analyze diverse factors that affect service quality of Digital textbook service. The ZOT(Zone of Tolerance) SERVQUAL has been applied to develop the research model. Users of the Digital textbook service were selected as subjects for the sample frame. A total of 115 surveys from over 112 schools were collected and used as data for analysis. Results of the survey by SPSS Win Ver. 12.0 showed that the perceived level of service quality in terms of reliability is particularly low, and is quite different from adequate quality. This paper suggests useful guidelines to education providers for improving their public u-Learning environment.

  6. Location Based Services in GSM Networks and New Possibilities for their Application in Transport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jozef Dubovan

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available An enormous growth of mobile communication gives new challenges for new services creation. One of the possibilities is to focus attention on the localisation and localisation based services. It gives for mobile networks customers new information about position of another customers or subjects. This paper deals with utilisation possibilities of the localisation technology “Cell ID” and improvement of its accuracy.

  7. Business Systems Branch Abilities, Capabilities, and Services Web Page

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortes-Pena, Aida Yoguely

    2009-01-01

    During the INSPIRE summer internship I acted as the Business Systems Branch Capability Owner for the Kennedy Web-based Initiative for Communicating Capabilities System (KWICC), with the responsibility of creating a portal that describes the services provided by this Branch. This project will help others achieve a clear view ofthe services that the Business System Branch provides to NASA and the Kennedy Space Center. After collecting the data through the interviews with subject matter experts and the literature in Business World and other web sites I identified discrepancies, made the necessary corrections to the sites and placed the information from the report into the KWICC web page.

  8. [Characteristics of the emergency health service demand in Southern Brazil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carret, Maria Laura Vidal; Fassa, Anaclaudia Gastal; Paniz, Vera Maria Vieira; Soares, Patrícia Carret

    2011-01-01

    This study evaluated the demand of emergency health service. It was performed a descriptive analyses of 1647 adults that consulted at emergency public service of Pelotas, Brazil. Older subjects, non white skin color, lower schooling, without partner, and smokers presented higher prevalence of consultations at this service when compared with the general population. Individuals waited, on average, 15 minutes to have their consultations, exams were requested in more than 40% of the visits, and intravenous medication were administered in one third of the visits. Elderly waited longer before searching the service, but they had lowest awaiting time after arriving at emergency service and had higher percentage of regular doctor and social support. Elderly had more diagnosis related to circulatory system, while among the youngest, external causes were the most frequent. The low waiting average for consultation suggest this service provide an immediate care while the great number of ill-defined signs or symptoms indicate that the provided care is provisional. It is necessary to train emergency professionals to reduce the number of tests requested and to assure that either professional as the population is conscious about the importance of a continuity of care.

  9. Performance in Service Marketing from Philosophy to Customer Relationship Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victor Danciu

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available The contribution of services to the development of every national economy is in the progress,they becoming the major contributor to the gross national product of most countries. In their turn, thecustomers become more demanding and powerful in their relationship with service providers. They askfor more and new relationship. The appropriate new marketing, known as Relationship Marketing, looksto engage the customer interactively in the many steps of creating value which is later shared betweenservice provider and customer. This requires to focus on long-term customer relationship. In order toestablish and maintain long-term relationship, the relationship marketing should understand customerexpectations, know the customers, evaluate services process, obtain a proper service quality and adequatelymanage customers’ relationships. The service customer’s is placed on an expectation range to afive dimension scale and have two levels which may be analyzed into a model of service. A stimulus forrelationship marketing performance may be the quality of service. The objective and subjective quality ofservice is essential for the service customer relationship management. In order to reach the goal ofretaining actual customers, service companies should be prepared to spot customers who leave and thenanalyze and act on information they provide. Managers should make sure the entire organization understandthe importance of keeping customers and encourage employees to pursue zero defections by tryingincentives, planning, and budgeting to defections targets. Most important, managers use defections as avehicle for continuously improving the quality and value of the service they provide to customer.

  10. In-service education and training as experienced by registered nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norushe, T F; Van Rooyen, D; Strumpher, J

    2004-11-01

    Nursing is a dynamic profession that is subject to rapid changes in health care provision, hence the need for in-service training programmes for nurses. Newly employed registered nurses require in-service training in order to update them regarding the latest developments in nursing practice. The researcher noted that some newly appointed registered nurses were not competent in all aspects relating to their tasks. This could have been due to a knowledge deficit relating to either new developments or of the procedure relating to a specific task. In some institutions newly-appointed registered nurses on probation reported not receiving in-service training for six months or longer, yet they were still expected to perform their tasks efficiently. The objectives of the study were to, firstly, explore and describe the experiences of registered nurses regarding in-service training programmes in their institutions and, secondly, to make recommendations to Nursing Service Managers relating to the development of effective in-service training programmes in their institutions. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive design was implemented. Data was analysed using Tesch's descriptive approach (in Creswell, 1994:155). Two main themes emerged, namely that registered nurses experienced in-service training programmes as inadequate and reacted negatively towards them. This article focuses on the experiences of registered nurses relating to in-service training programmes, as well as the formulation of guidelines to assist nursing service managers in the development of effective in-service training programmes.

  11. Staff report on Ontario gas distributor service quality regulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2005-07-29

    This report provides the basis for consultation regarding a framework for building principles and minimum standards regarding service quality measures for gas distributors. It begins with a general overview of current concerns expressed by Ontario natural gas consumers regarding service quality. Customer complaints logged with the Ontario Energy Board between 2003 and 2004 include common issues such as slow telephone response time, failure to obtain regular meter reads, inaccurate billing, long payment processing times, long reconnection times, long new connection times, and slow response to emergencies. This report also presents the historical experience in Ontario's energy sector regarding performance monitoring of services within an incentive based rate making framework for electricity and gas distributors. The Ontario Energy Board's Natural Gas Forum report reveals that a service quality framework would ensure that cost saving initiatives are not implemented at the expense of customer service or safe operation of the distribution system. Although the Board intends to implement a service quality framework, it will not include direct financial incentives. Rather, it will monitor service quality performance and utilities will be subject to a compliance process. A brief summary was also included of service quality regulations in the electricity sector and in other jurisdictions such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Pennsylvania, and Alberta. A list of issues that remain to be addressed before implementing a framework in Ontario was then presented. 2 appendices.

  12. Relative Effects of Daily Feedback and Weekly Feedback on Customer Service Behavior at a Gas Station

    Science.gov (United States)

    So, Yongjoon; Lee, Kyehoon; Oah, Shezeen

    2013-01-01

    The relative effects of daily and weekly feedback on customer service behavior at a gas station were assessed using an ABC within-subjects design. Four critical service behaviors were identified and measured daily. After baseline (A), weekly feedback (B) was introduced, and daily feedback (C) was introduced in the next phase. The results indicated…

  13. The ethics of advertising for health care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schenker, Yael; Arnold, Robert M; London, Alex John

    2014-01-01

    Advertising by health care institutions has increased steadily in recent years. While direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising is subject to unique oversight by the Federal Drug Administration, advertisements for health care services are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission and treated no differently from advertisements for consumer goods. In this article, we argue that decisions about pursuing health care services are distinguished by informational asymmetries, high stakes, and patient vulnerabilities, grounding fiduciary responsibilities on the part of health care providers and health care institutions. Using examples, we illustrate how common advertising techniques may mislead patients and compromise fiduciary relationships, thereby posing ethical risks to patients, providers, health care institutions, and society. We conclude by proposing that these risks justify new standards for advertising when considered as part of the moral obligation of health care institutions and suggest that mechanisms currently in place to regulate advertising for prescription pharmaceuticals should be applied to advertising for health care services more broadly.

  14. CE: Military Sexual Trauma in Male Service Members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckerlin, Denise M; Kovalesky, Andrea; Jakupcak, Matthew

    2016-09-01

    : The experience of military sexual trauma (MST), which can result from assault, battery, or harassment of a sexual nature, may jeopardize the mental health of service members as well as that of their family members, colleagues, and community members. Although a greater proportion of female than male service members are subjected to MST, the Department of Defense estimates that the absolute numbers of affected men and women, across all ranks and branches of military service, are nearly equal because roughly 85% of military members are men. Little research has explored the effects of MST on men. This article discusses the unique ways in which men may experience MST, and examines how social stereotypes of masculinity, myths surrounding sexual assault, and military culture and structure often influence a man's interpretation of an attack and his likelihood of reporting the incident or seeking treatment. It describes current treatments for MST-related mental health conditions and addresses implications for nurses and other health care professionals.

  15. Dentition status, malnutrition and mortality among older service housing residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saarela, R K T; Soini, H; Hiltunen, K; Muurinen, S; Suominen, M; Pitkälä, K

    2014-01-01

    Oral health status and oral health problems can affect eating habits and thus consequently the nutritional status of frail older people. To assess older service house residents' dentition and its associations with nutritional status and eating habits, and as well as to explore the prognostic value of dentition status for mortality. A cross-sectional study with a three-year follow-up. In 2007, we assessed the nutritional status of all residents in service houses in the two cities of Helsinki and Espoo in Finland (N=2188). Altogether 1475 subjects (67%) participated in the study; dentition status data were available for 1369 of them. Using a personal interview and assessment, trained nurses familiar to the resident collected the subjects' demographic data, medical history, functional and cognitive status, information on dentition status, oral symptoms, eating habits and diets. We assessed nutritional status with the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and retrieved information on mortality from central registers on 6 July 2010. Edentulousness was common; more than half of the residents (52%) had lost all their teeth: 7% (n=94) were totally edentulous without prosthesis (Group 1), 45% (n=614) had removable dentures (Group 2), and 48% (n = 661) of the residents, had some natural teeth left (Group 3). Dentition status was associated with age, gender, education and disability. According to the MNA, 13% were malnourished, 65% were at risk for malnutrition, and 22% were well nourished. Edentulousness without prosthesis was associated with malnutrition, oral symptoms and infrequent use of oral care services. In Group 1, 52% were deceased during follow-up period. The respective figures for Groups 2 and 3 were 48% and 40% (p=0.004). However, in Cox regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, comorbidity and MNA score, dentition status no longer predicted mortality. Edentulousness is still common among older service housing residents. Edentulousness without prosthesis was

  16. 75 FR 63846 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-18

    ... Product Distribution to Improve Health Behaviors; Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training to Decrease..., environmental, population, and healthcare system interventions in public health and health promotion. During... Prevention. Agenda items are subject to change as priorities dictate. Meeting Accessibility: This meeting is...

  17. Using Service Scenarios to Model Business Services

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bækgaard, Lars

    The purpose of the paper is to present and evaluate the notion of service scenarios. A service is work done by a service executor in interaction with a service consumer. A service scenario is a model of a service system and the roles that are played by the actors participating and interacting...... during the execution of a service. The model represents the roles and the interactions between the participants. Service scenarios can be used to model specific services and roles played by human beings and IT systems in the execution of services. The use of service scenarios is demonstrated by means...... of a case study in a public library. The case study indicates that service systems should be understood as socio-technical systems in which service executors and service consumers co-create value in mutual interaction with each other and with a set of shared resources....

  18. Youth experiences of transition from child mental health services to adult mental health services: a qualitative thematic synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broad, Kathleen L; Sandhu, Vijay K; Sunderji, Nadiya; Charach, Alice

    2017-11-28

    Adolescence and young adulthood is a vulnerable time during which young people experience many development milestones, as well as an increased incidence of mental illness. During this time, youth also transition between Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). This transition puts many youth at risk of disengagement from service use; however, our understanding of this transition from the perspective of youth is limited. This systematic review aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of youth experiences of transition from CAMHS to AMHS, through a qualitative thematic synthesis of the extant literature in this area. Published and unpublished literature was searched using keywords targeting three subject areas: Transition, Age and Mental Health. Studies were included if they qualitatively explored the perceptions and experiences of youth who received mental health services in both CAMHS and AMHS. There were no limitations on diagnosis or age of youth. Studies examining youth with chronic physical health conditions were excluded. Eighteen studies, representing 14 datasets and the experiences of 253 unique service-users were included. Youth experiences of moving from CAMHS and AMHS are influenced by concurrent life transitions and their individual preferences regarding autonomy and independence. Youth identified preparation, flexible transition timing, individualized transition plans, and informational continuity as positive factors during transition. Youth also valued joint working and relational continuity between CAMHS and AMHS. Youth experience a dramatic culture shift between CAMHS and AMHS, which can be mitigated by individualized and flexible approaches to transition. Youth have valuable perspectives to guide the intelligent design of mental health services and their perspectives should be used to inform tools to evaluate and incorporate youth perspectives into transitional service improvement

  19. 40 CFR 5.440 - Health and insurance benefits and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Health and insurance benefits and... Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Prohibited § 5.440 Health and insurance benefits and services. Subject to § 5.235(d), in providing a medical, hospital, accident, or life insurance...

  20. Economic valuation of health care services in public health systems: a study about Willingness to Pay (WTP) for nursing consultations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Fernández, Jesús; del Cura-González, Ma Isabel; Rodríguez-Martínez, Gemma; Ariza-Cardiel, Gloria; Zamora, Javier; Gómez-Gascón, Tomás; Polentinos-Castro, Elena; Pérez-Rivas, Francisco Javier; Domínguez-Bidagor, Julia; Beamud-Lagos, Milagros; Tello-Bernabé, Ma Eugenia; Conde-López, Juan Francisco; Aguado-Arroyo, Óscar; Sanz-Bayona, Ma Teresa; Gil-Lacruz, Ana Isabel

    2013-01-01

    Identifying the economic value assigned by users to a particular health service is of principal interest in planning the service. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of economic value of nursing consultation in primary care (PC) by its users. Economic study using contingent valuation methodology. A total of 662 users of nursing consultation from 23 health centers were included. Data on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health needs, pattern of usage, and satisfaction with provided service were compiled. The validity of the response was evaluated by an explanatory mixed-effects multilevel model in order to assess the factors associated with the response according to the welfare theory. Response reliability was also evaluated. Subjects included in the study indicated an average Willingness to Pay (WTP) of €14.4 (CI 95%: €13.2-15.5; median €10) and an average Willingness to Accept [Compensation] (WTA) of €20.9 (CI 95%: €19.6-22.2; median €20). Average area income, personal income, consultation duration, home visit, and education level correlated with greater WTP. Women and older subjects showed lower WTP. Fixed parameters explained 8.41% of the residual variability, and response clustering in different health centers explained 4-6% of the total variability. The influence of income on WTP was different in each center. The responses for WTP and WTA in a subgroup of subjects were consistent when reassessed after 2 weeks (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.952 and 0.893, respectively). The economic value of nursing services provided within PC in a public health system is clearly perceived by its user. The perception of this value is influenced by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the subjects and their environment, and by the unique characteristics of the evaluated service. The method of contingent valuation is useful for making explicit this perception of value of health services.

  1. Proposal for the award of an industrial service contract for stores operations and relatedlogistics, in-house mail distribution and transport services on the CERN site

    CERN Document Server

    2006-01-01

    This document concerns the award of an industrial support contract for stores operations and related logistics, in-house mail distribution and transport services on the CERN site. The Finance Committee is invited to agree to the negotiation of a contract with the consortium ISS (CH) - ISS (ES), for stores operations and related logistics, in-house mail distribution and transport services on the CERN site for a period of three years for a total amount not exceeding 10 312 028 Swiss francs not subject to revision. The contract will include options for two one-year extensions beyond the initial three-year period.

  2. 75 FR 26967 - Guidance for Industry: Use of Water by Food Manufacturers in Areas Subject to a Boil-Water...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-13

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-D-0236] Guidance for Industry: Use of Water by Food Manufacturers in Areas Subject to a Boil-Water Advisory; Availability AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug...

  3. Service quality effect on satisfaction and word of mouth in insurance industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masoud Pourkiani

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Quality tends to play an essential role in service industries such as banking and insurance services, as quality of service is crucial to count for the survival and profitability of the organization. Today, customer satisfaction and service quality is critical in most service industries. Taking into consideration the competitive issues from observing services quality, the subject also in the insurance industry is important based on administrative reform plan, which is required to provide quality services and meet customers' demands. This study aims to assess the factors influencing the positive words of mouth in the insurance services market. The population is Iran insurance company's customers in Guilan and 409 individuals were selected by simple random sampling. To collect data, a questionnaire was used and structural equation SEM and LISREL software was used to analyze the data. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between all aspects of service quality and customer satisfaction. The results indicate that there was a significant positive relationship between customer satisfaction and customer words of mouth. Therefore, we can conclude that there were significant positive relationships between the dimensions of service quality with customer satisfaction and customer words of mouth in Iran insurance company in Guilan province.

  4. Does courtesy bias affect how clients report on objective and subjective measures of family planning service quality? A comparison between facility- and home-based interviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hameed, Waqas; Ishaque, Muhammad; Gul, Xaher; Siddiqui, Junaid-Ur-Rehman; Hussain, Sharmeen; Hussain, Wajahat; Ahmed, Aftab; Balal, Asma

    2017-01-01

    Despite a general understanding that exit interviews being conducted at service providers' facilities may influence clients' responses favorably to health professionals, there is very little evidence available that demonstrates the extent to which this problem exists. This study aimed at assessing and comparing clients' perceptions of the quality of family planning services and their satisfaction levels between facility- and home-based interviews. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clients receiving family planning services across three service delivery channels - nongovernmental organization (NGO) clinics, social franchise (SF) centers, and outreach camps. The survey took place from December 2015 to January 2016 in 70 districts across all four provinces of Pakistan. A total of 2,807 clients were interviewed, of whom 1,404 clients were interviewed at health facilities after receiving services and 1,403 were interviewed at their homes within 3 days of method uptake. Overall, we found no significant differences between the characteristics of study participants interviewed at health facilities or at home. The findings suggested that experiences reported in exit surveys at facilities were strongly biased positively. This was true for both experiential (service quality) and perception-based (satisfaction) questions in the context of SF centers, while at NGO clinics the interview location only affected clients' responses regarding service quality. However, in outreach settings, clients are more likely to share bad experiences in exit interviews than in home-based interviews on objectively asked questions (service quality). Our study indicates signs of courtesy bias and possibly the Hawthorne effect in exit interviews. Program implementers could opt for home-based interviews for women receiving services at NGO clinics or SF center, whereas exit interviews could be used in outreach settings.

  5. Traumatic Brain Injury service (TBI) Service

    Data.gov (United States)

    Department of Veterans Affairs — This Service provides access to Tramatic Brain injury patient data consult notes. The service also provides one write service method writeNote. The Service supports...

  6. Classical table services in commercial catering: standardization proposal and clarifications for future researches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodolfo Wendhausen Krause

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to synthesize the scientific knowledge with the empirical knowledge of the authors of this article on the four main types/styles of individual services in gastronomic full service establishments. In addition, it seeks to, as secondary objectives, to simplify and standardize the types of classic services in restaurants. These objectives were met through a positivist methodological approach. It had as research techniques a comparative analysis and synthesis of the state of the art on the typology of classical services with the empirical knowledge of the authors. Subsequently, the validation of standardization proposal was made by a panel of evaluators. We came to simplify the services into three basic categories: French Service; Direct English Service and Platted Service. It is understood that, because it is an exploratory study, the proposal is the beginning of scientific research on the subject. Therefore, it has to be investigated in greater depth in future studies. Therefore, the research field of the mise en place is the area that greater needs research of this nature.

  7. Concept and Functional Structure of a Service Robot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis A. Pineda

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we present a concept of service robot and a framework for its functional specification and implementation. The present discussion is grounded in Newell's system levels hierarchy which suggests organizing robotics research in three different layers, corresponding to Marr's computational, algorithmic and implementation levels, as follows: (1 the service robot proper, which is the subject of the present paper, (2 perception and action algorithms, and (3 the systems programming level. The concept of a service robot is articulated in practice through the introduction of a conceptual model for particular service robots; this consists of the specification of a set of basic robotic behaviours and a number of mechanisms for assembling such behaviours during the execution of complex tasks. The model involves an explicit representation of the task structure, allowing for deliberative reasoning and task management. The model also permits distinguishing between a robot's competence and performance, along the lines of Chomsky's corresponding distinction. We illustrate how this model can be realized in practice with two composition modes that we call static and dynamic; these are illustrated with the Restaurant Test and the General Purpose Service Robot Test of the RoboCup@Home competition, respectively. The present framework and methodology has been implemented in the robot Golem-II+, which is also described. The paper is concluded with an overall reflection upon the present concept of a service robot and its associated functional specifications, and the potential impact of such a conceptual model in the study, development and application of service robots in general.

  8. Protection of consumer rights in the field of economic services of general economic interest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasile Dinu

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Over the years, the demand for services of general interest and the manner they are provided have evolved significantly. Services that the state would traditionally provide in a direct form have been increasingly outsourced by national, regional and local authorities, and are now often provided by the private sector (with or without profit. This changed approach is driven by the processes of deregulation, the changes in government policies and the changing needs and expectations of users According to its European definition, a general interest service is a service that "public authorities classify as being general interest, and is subject to specific public service obligations". These services were identified as having a central role in the European model of society that the European Union has been built on, because they meet people’s basic needs.

  9. Gas fuelled heavy-duty trucks for municipal services

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Forsberg, A. (City of Helsinki Construction Services (Finland)); Hietanen, L. (Lassila and Tikanoja, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)); Nylund, N.-O. (TEC TransEnergy Consulting, Espoo (Finland))

    2009-07-01

    Helsinki City Public Works Department (HKR) and the environmental management company Lassila and Tikanoja joined forces to demonstrate the suitability of heavy-duty gas fuelled trucks for municipal services. HKR acquired two and Lassila and Tikanoja five Mercedes-Benz Econic trucks. HKR's trucks are equipped with interchangeable platforms, Lassila an Tikanoja's trucks with refuse collection equipment. The trucks are subjected to a two-year follow-up study to establish reliability, operational costs and exhaust emissions. Diesel trucks representing up-to-date technology are used as reference. If the gas fuelled trucks perform well, this can lead to increased numbers of natural gas trucks in municipal services, and in the long run to the introduction of biogas fuelled trucks. (orig.)

  10. Live-In Versus Live-Out Home Care in Israel: Satisfaction With Services and Caregivers' Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayalon, Liat; Green, Ohad

    2015-08-01

    The present study provides a preliminary examination of the relationship between the type of home care services (live-in vs. live-out; i.e., round the clock vs. several hours per week), the caregiver's satisfaction with services, and the caregiver's burden, distress, well-being, and subjective health status within the conceptual framework of caregiving outcomes proposed by Yates and colleagues (Yates, M. E., Tennstedt, S., & Chang, B. H. [1999]. Contributors to and mediators of psychological well-being for informal caregivers. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 54, P12 -P22. doi:10.1093/geronb/54B.1.P12). A random stratified sample of family caregivers of older adults more than the age of 70 who receive live-in (442) or live-out (244) home care services through the financial assistance of the National Insurance institute of Israel was selected. A path analysis was conducted. Satisfaction with services was higher among caregivers under the live-in home care arrangement and positively related to well-being. Among caregivers, live-in home care was directly associated with higher levels of subjective health and indirectly associated with better well-being via satisfaction with services. The present study emphasizes the potential benefits of live-in home care services for caregivers of older adults who suffer from high levels of impairment and the importance of assessing satisfaction with services as a predictor of caregivers' outcomes. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Controlling outsourced service delivery : Managing service quality in business service triads

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Iwaarden, J.; van der Valk, W.

    2013-01-01

    Organisations are increasingly sourcing services that become part of their value proposition to their (business) customers from external providers. Often, these services are directly delivered by the service provider to the customer. The buying organisation, service provider and customer operate in

  12. Questioning territorial cohesion: (Un)equal access to services of general interest

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Malý, Jiří

    -, August 2016 (2016), s. 1-21 ISSN 1056-8190 Institutional support: RVO:68145535 Keywords : territorial cohesion * services of general interest * accessibility * spatial justice * Czech Republic Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography Impact factor: 1.272, year: 2016 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pirs.12250/full

  13. 78 FR 21565 - Television Broadcasting Services; Jackson, Wyoming to Wilmington, DE

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-11

    ... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 73 [MB Docket No. 13-73; RM-11695; DA 13-450] Television Broadcasting Services; Jackson, Wyoming to Wilmington, DE AGENCY: Federal Communications... review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Television. Federal...

  14. Improved gas installations and services. Phase 1: Analysis project. Part report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nielsen, K.J.

    1996-05-01

    As Danish gas companies receive a large number of complaints related to the installation and operation of gas installations it was suggested that a course for personnel should be established in order to raise the standard of services and installation requirements. The first phase of the described project was to evaluate the quality of the gas installers' services so as to determine which aspects of installation and services should be emphasized during such a course. Interviews were carried out and questionnaires (illustrated within the document) sent out to installaters etc. Recommendations include that the level of information given to customers should be raised, also in relation to maintenance, and that installation should be improved. Analyses of the degree of customers' satisfaction, of the nature of the quality of services etc. expected, subjects for further training in this area and details of the training system are dealt with

  15. Does courtesy bias affect how clients report on objective and subjective measures of family planning service quality? A comparison between facility- and home-based interviews

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hameed, Waqas; Ishaque, Muhammad; Gul, Xaher; Siddiqui, Junaid-ur-Rehman; Hussain, Sharmeen; Hussain, Wajahat; Ahmed, Aftab; Balal, Asma

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Despite a general understanding that exit interviews being conducted at service providers’ facilities may influence clients’ responses favorably to health professionals, there is very little evidence available that demonstrates the extent to which this problem exists. This study aimed at assessing and comparing clients’ perceptions of the quality of family planning services and their satisfaction levels between facility- and home-based interviews. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clients receiving family planning services across three service delivery channels – nongovernmental organization (NGO) clinics, social franchise (SF) centers, and outreach camps. The survey took place from December 2015 to January 2016 in 70 districts across all four provinces of Pakistan. A total of 2,807 clients were interviewed, of whom 1,404 clients were interviewed at health facilities after receiving services and 1,403 were interviewed at their homes within 3 days of method uptake. Results Overall, we found no significant differences between the characteristics of study participants interviewed at health facilities or at home. The findings suggested that experiences reported in exit surveys at facilities were strongly biased positively. This was true for both experiential (service quality) and perception-based (satisfaction) questions in the context of SF centers, while at NGO clinics the interview location only affected clients’ responses regarding service quality. However, in outreach settings, clients are more likely to share bad experiences in exit interviews than in home-based interviews on objectively asked questions (service quality). Conclusion Our study indicates signs of courtesy bias and possibly the Hawthorne effect in exit interviews. Program implementers could opt for home-based interviews for women receiving services at NGO clinics or SF center, whereas exit interviews could be used in outreach settings. PMID:29760573

  16. Relationship between macular pigment and visual function in subjects with early age-related macular degeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akuffo, Kwadwo Owusu; Nolan, John M; Peto, Tunde; Stack, Jim; Leung, Irene; Corcoran, Laura; Beatty, Stephen

    2017-02-01

    To investigate the relationship between macular pigment (MP) and visual function in subjects with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD). 121 subjects with early AMD enrolled as part of the Central Retinal Enrichment Supplementation Trial (CREST; ISRCTN13894787) were assessed using a range of psychophysical measures of visual function, including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), letter contrast sensitivity (CS), mesopic and photopic CS, mesopic and photopic glare disability (GD), photostress recovery time (PRT), reading performance and subjective visual function, using the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25). MP was measured using customised heterochromatic flicker photometry. Letter CS, mesopic and photopic CS, photopic GD and mean reading speed were each significantly (p0.05, for all). MP relates positively to many measures of visual function in unsupplemented subjects with early AMD. The CREST trial will investigate whether enrichment of MP influences visual function among those afflicted with this condition. ISRCTN13894787. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  17. Moving forward with service dominant logic: Exploring the strategic orientations of a service-centred view of the firm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paladino, A.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Service Dominant Logic (SDL has been the subject of great conceptual debate over the past years. We are now clearly at a crossroad where application is required to cement its practical relevance to the organization and its performance. This paper extends the SDL debate, as founded by Vargo and Lusch (2004, by analyzing it through the lens of strategic orientations, in combination with a service-centred view of the firm. In doing so, the purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly we aim to identify the existence of common characteristics between SDL and existing conceptual orientations. Secondly, we go further to explore the conceptual relationships between these identified and empirically evaluated strategic orientations (market, resource, learning, service, and entrepreneurship orientations and SDL theory. We proffer that a service-centred view of the firm requires the deployment of key facets of all of these strategic orientations. In this way, we argue that a SD orientation emerges that is in essence a strategic orientation combination. In doing so, we develop a comprehensive framework and lay the foundation for the initiation of empirical work on SDL to further enrich the work initiated by Vargo and Lusch (2004. The paper concludes with a discussion of this framework, its implications for scholars and practitioners and areas for future research.

  18. Relationship of Services Utility with Patients Tending to Hospitals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. A. Nasiripour

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background & purpose: In the health sector, in addition to the important consequence of treatment, health system should meet the expectations regarding the desirability of services. Expectations and perceptions of patients about the desirability of services play an important role in selecting hospitals, their loyalty to the organization & replanning to purchase. Thus the present study has been done with the aim to determine the relationship between services desirability and patients’ tendency to public or private hospitals in Sari. Materials & Methods: This study is a descriptive and analytical type done in 2012 in four private and public hospitals located in Sari. The study population consists of hospitalized patients that have been subjected to inquiry by using 361stratified random samples. The survey tool was questionnaire that its validity was judged and approved by the teachers and its reliability was obtained by alpha Cronbach as 0.972. The collected data was analyzed by SPSS software, independent t-test, t-sample test and descriptive statistics. Results: Findings show that in services cost indexes, there are not any significant differences between public and private hospitals while in the other services desirability indexes such as accessibility, availability, speed, quality, and complete package of services and …, there is a significant difference between public and private hospitals. Conclusion: In patients’ tendency to hospitals, utility service indicators satisfy a significant impact. So, codified planning to improve these indexes in order to absorb more patients by authorities is required.

  19. On English Locative Subjects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Brůhová

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The paper analyses English sentences with thematic locative subjects. These subjects were detected as translation counterparts of Czech sentenceinitial locative adverbials realized by prepositional phrases with the prepositions do (into, na (on, v/ve (in, z/ze (from complemented by a noun. In the corresponding English structure, the initial scene-setting adverbial is reflected in the thematic subject, which results in the locative semantics of the subject. The sentences are analysed from syntactic, semantic and FSP aspects. From the syntactic point of view, we found five syntactic patterns of the English sentences with a locative subject (SV, SVA, SVO, SVpassA and SVCs that correspond to Czech sentences with initial locative adverbials. On the FSP level the paper studies the potential of the sentences to implement the Presentation or Quality Scale. Since it is the “semantic content of the verb that actuates the presentation semantics of the sentence” (Duškova, 2015a: 260, major attention is paid to the syntactic-semantic structure of the verb. The analysis of the semantics of the English sentences results in the identification of two semantic classes of verbs which co-occur with the English locative subject.

  20. Reflexivity and the "Acting Subject": Conceptualizing the Unit of Analysis in Qualitative Health Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, James A

    2016-07-06

    The ways in which social scientists conceptualize the "reflexive" human subject have important consequences for how we go about our research. Whether and how we understand human subjects to be the authors of our own actions helps to structure what we say about health, health care, and the many other topics addressed in qualitative health research. In this article, I critically discuss assumptions of human reflexivity that are built into qualitative social science of health and medicine. I describe three alternative ways of understanding reflexive thought and human action derived from the theoretical works of Pierre Bourdieu, Bruno Latour, and George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, respectively. I then apply these three different ways of thinking about reflexivity and the acting subject to the analysis of an excerpt of participant observation data from a health services research study of transitions from hospital to home, illuminating the different kinds of analyses that arise from each perspective. I conclude with a call for social scientists to commit to the search for better ways of understanding the human subject, resisting the temptation to "settle" on theoretical statements that close down the path to more sophisticated conceptualizations of human thought and action. © The Author(s) 2016.

  1. The Subject in Cognitive Psychotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabel Caro-Gabalda

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the various subjects embedded in cognitive psychotherapy. The cognitive model developed by Beck, considered as a rationalist and modernist model, will exemplify these subjects. Cognitive therapy should be placed in the modernist historical context and related to a subject characterized as having rationality and the ability to observe and detect cognitions, emotions and behaviors. The paper develops this background introducing three main subject types. The first is the introspective and conscious subject, who is able to observe what is within oneself, has free access, and is conscious of one's cognitive world. The second is the cognitive miser that describes the subject who enters into therapy. The final subject identified, is the trained scientist who is able to develop a more objective knowledge, changing faulty schemas and cognitive distortions. This subject is the one most looked for in cognitive therapy. We could connect these subjects to some of the main elements of cognitive therapy such as the concept of ABC, assessment procedures, cognitive techniques or the relevance of schemas. Finally, the paper suggests some issues for study that could contribute to the theoretical and clinical evolution of cognitive psychotherapy.

  2. Assessment of Passenger Satisfaction with Public Bus Transport Services: A Case Study of Lucknow City (India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Singh Sanjay

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The main aim of this study is threefold. First, it tries to assess the passenger satisfaction with public bus transport services in the city of Lucknow in India. Second, it tries to examine the service quality attributes that influence the passenger satisfaction. Third, it tries to evaluate the relative importance of service quality attributes to find out the priority for service quality improvements to enhance passenger satisfaction. The study is based on a survey of objective as well as subjective questions conducted between May and July 2014. Five major bus stops of Lucknow were selected for the survey. Total 148 respondents were randomly selected to elicit their overall satisfaction and factors that influence their satisfaction in the use of public bus transport services in Lucknow using a self-rated questionnaire. The collected sample of responses is subjected to principal component analysis, a statistical technique for dimensionality reduction of the dataset, and descriptive analysis. The result of theses analyses shows that passengers are mostly dissatisfied with public bus transport services in Lucknow. Using principal component analysis, five underlying factors were extracted that influenced passenger satisfaction with public bus transport services in the city. Out of these five factors, comfort and safety has the greatest impact on overall satisfaction, followed by the adequacy of capacity of public bus transport services, orderly and clean environment inside buses, elegant design of buses and bus stops, and accessibility to public bus transport services in the city. The study thus provides a direction for public bus transport administration in the city to understand the gaps that exist and try to fill them to improve its services so that passenger satisfaction can be enhanced and consequently more people can be attracted towards public bus transport.

  3. NETWORK SERVICES FOR DIAGNOSTIC OPTODIGITAL COMPLEX FOR TELEMEDICINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. S. Kopylov

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with a result of the network services development for the optodigital complex for telemedicine diagnostics. This complex is designed for laboratory and clinical tests in health care facilities. Composition of network services includes the following: a client application for database of diagnostic test, a web-service, a web interface, a video server and microimage processing server. Structure of these services makes it possible to combine set of software for transferring depersonalized medical data via the Internet and operating with optodigital devices included in the complex. Complex is consisted of three systems: micro-vision, endoscopic and network. The micro-vision system includes an automated digital microscope with two highly sensitive cameras which can be controlled remotely via the Internet. The endoscopic system gives the possibility to implement video broadcasting to remote users both during diagnostic tests and also off-line after tests. The network system is the core of the complex where network services and application software are functioning, intended for archiving, storage and providing access to the database of diagnostic tests. The following subjects are developed and tested for functional stability: states transfer protocol, commands transfer protocol and video-stream transfer protocol from automated digital microscope and video endoscope. These protocols can work in web browsers on modern mobile devices without additional software.

  4. Consumer Information in the food service industry vs. food retailing

    OpenAIRE

    Rogge, C.B.E.; Becker, Tilman C.

    2008-01-01

    In order to define consumer expectations over a traceability and information system for the entire food supply chain, the information behaviour of consumers in the food service industry has been subject to an analysis for the first time. In comparison to consumers in retailing, significant differences appear in information seeking behaviour as well as in the information desired.

  5. The Dilemma of Service Productivity and Service Innovation: An Empirical Exploration in Financial Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aspara, Jaakko; Klein, Jan F; Luo, Xueming; Tikkanen, Henrikki

    2018-05-01

    We conduct a systematic exploratory investigation of the effects of firms' existing service productivity on the success of their new service innovations. Although previous research extensively addresses service productivity and service innovation, this is the first empirical study that bridges the gap between these two research streams and examines the links between the two concepts. Based on a comprehensive data set of new service introductions in a financial services market over a 14-year period, we empirically explore the relationship between a firm's existing service productivity and the firm's success in introducing new services to the market. The results unveil a fundamental service productivity-service innovation dilemma: Being productive in existing services increases a firm's willingness to innovate new services proactively but decreases the firm's capabilities of bringing these services to the market successfully. We provide specific insights into the mechanism underlying the complex relationship between a firm's productivity in existing services, its innovation proactivity, and its service innovation success. For managers, we not only unpack and elucidate this dilemma but also demonstrate that a focused customer scope and growth market conditions may enable firms to mitigate the dilemma and successfully pursue service productivity and service innovation simultaneously.

  6. Memory and subjective workload assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staveland, L.; Hart, S.; Yeh, Y. Y.

    1986-01-01

    Recent research suggested subjective introspection of workload is not based upon specific retrieval of information from long term memory, and only reflects the average workload that is imposed upon the human operator by a particular task. These findings are based upon global ratings of workload for the overall task, suggesting that subjective ratings are limited in ability to retrieve specific details of a task from long term memory. To clarify the limits memory imposes on subjective workload assessment, the difficulty of task segments was varied and the workload of specified segments was retrospectively rated. The ratings were retrospectively collected on the manipulations of three levels of segment difficulty. Subjects were assigned to one of two memory groups. In the Before group, subjects knew before performing a block of trials which segment to rate. In the After group, subjects did not know which segment to rate until after performing the block of trials. The subjective ratings, RTs (reaction times) and MTs (movement times) were compared within group, and between group differences. Performance measures and subjective evaluations of workload reflected the experimental manipulations. Subjects were sensitive to different difficulty levels, and recalled the average workload of task components. Cueing did not appear to help recall, and memory group differences possibly reflected variations in the groups of subjects, or an additional memory task.

  7. Determining Which Introductory Physics Topics Pre-Service Physics Teachers Have Difficulty Understanding and What Accounts for These Difficulties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahin, Esin; Yagbasan, Rahmi

    2012-01-01

    This study aims at diagnosing which subjects pre-service physics teachers have difficulty understanding in introductory physics courses and what accounts for these difficulties. A questionnaire consisting of two qualitative questions was used to collect data for this study. The questionnaire was administered to 101 pre-service physics teachers who…

  8. An investigation on the quality of midwifery services from the viewpoint of the clients in Isfahan through SERVQUAL model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliaee, Zohreh; Jabbari, Alireza; Ehsanpour, Soheila

    2016-01-01

    Quality of care is of great importance in health services as these services have the important mission to preserve health, and to give care to the society. The present study aimed to investigate the quality of midwifery services from the viewpoint of the clients, under coverage of health care centers in Isfahan, through SERVQUAL model. This descriptive and analytical study was conducted on 218 subjects in 2014. Study population comprised the women referring to midwifery services clinics in health care centers in Isfahan. Data of the subjects (n = 218) were collected by SERVQUAL model containing the dimensions of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Data were analyzed by paired t-test, Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients, and independent t-test through SPSS 20. There was a negative gap in all five relevant dimensions of giving services. The widest gap was in the mean of dimension of tangibles (-1.5), and the narrowest gap was in the dimension of assurance (-0.9). There was no significant association between the scores of expectations and perceptions, and age, education level, occupation, and marital status. The obtained negative gap showed that the level of service receivers' perception from existing condition was far from their expectation, and there was a wide gap between attaining their satisfaction with midwifery services and their expectation and reaching their appropriate level of services.

  9. Analysis of pavement serviceability for the Aashto Design Method: The Chilean Case

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solminihac, Hernan De; Salsilli, R.; Bengoa, E.; Kohler, E.

    2003-01-01

    Serviceability is an indicator that represents the level of service a pavement provides to the users. This subjective opinion is closely related to objective aspects, which can be measured on the pavement's surface. This research aims specifically at relating serviceability results obtained by a 9-member evaluation panel, representing general public as closely as possible to parameters (particularly of roughness) measured within instruments on 30, 25 and 11 road sections of asphalt concrete, Portland cement concrete and asphalt overlay respectively. Results show that prediction of serviceability is quite accurate based on roughness evaluation, while also revealing that, by comparison to studies in more developed countries, Chileans are seemingly more tolerant, in that they assign a somewhat high rating to ride quality. Furthermore, visible distress does not have a significant influence on serviceability values for Chilean users. A ratio between International Roughness Index (IRI) and Serviceability, as defined by AASHTO, was developed and may be used in this design method. Results for the final pavement condition of urban pavements were obtained (IRI-asphalt final=5.9, IRI-concrete final=8.1). (author)

  10. A Study on the Development of Curriculum Track for Civil Service Librarian

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Younghee Noh

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this study is to improve the competitiveness of professional librarians in society. To this end, we analyzed domestic and international LIS curriculum, determined demand from field librarians through a survey, carried out job analysis by library types, and developed an operating model for LIS curriculum by synthesizing all of these results. Finally, we suggested a course of study for civil service librarians based on this model. As a result, the six required courses for civil service librarians are: Introduction to Library and Information Science, Information Organization, Information Services (Reference and Information Services, Library Management, Information Retrieval, and Field Work. The four core courses for the civil service concentration are: Collection Development, Information Sources by Subjects, Public Library Management, and Digital Libraries. Suggested electives best suited to this career path include Using Web Resources, Information Literacy, Information Services in Culturally Diverse Communities, Library Marketing, Libraries and Cultural Programs, Reading Guidance, Library History, Small Library Management, Studies in Library Buildings, Library Cooperation, Managing Digital Collections, and Information and Communication in a Digital Age.

  11. The role of damage analysis in the assessment of service-exposed components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bendick, W.; Muesch, H.; Weber, H.

    1987-01-01

    Components in power stations are subjected to service conditions under which creep processes take place limiting the component's lifetime by material exhaustion. To ensure a safe and economic plant operation it is necessary to get information about the exhaustion grade of single components as well as of the whole plant. A comprehensive lifetime assessment requests the complete knowledge of the service parameters, the component's deformtion behavior, and the change in material properties caused by longtime exposure to high service temperatures. A basis of evaluation is given by: 1) determination of material exhaustion by calculation, 2) investigation of the material properties, and 3) damage analysis. The purpose of this report is to show the role which damage analysis can play in the assessment of service-exposed components. As an example the test results of a damaged pipe bend will be discussed. (orig./MM)

  12. Periodic and in-service inspection programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dinu, M.

    2000-01-01

    Periodic and in-service inspection programs for Cernavoda NPP consists of periodic inspections of CANDU NPP components CSAN N-285.4 and CSAN N-285.4, in-service inspections and repair and modifications general inspection. Periodic inspection program document (PIPD) determines the systems and components subject to inspection, the category of the inspection, techniques, areas and other details.The current status of the inspection programs is presented, including containment , erosion/corrosion, pressure vessel support and snubbers, main steam lines inspection programs. Qualification program in Cernavoda NPP involves equipment qualification in the on-site laboratory, yearly certification, special equipment qualification in the National Institute of Metrology. All procedures are approved by the ISCIR (regulatory body for pressure vessel and lifting equipment) and CNCAN (National Commission on Nuclear Activities Control). Qualification of the personnel is performed according to the ISCIR Technical prescription CR 11/82 for up to 3 year period. Final qualification and licensing is performed by CNCAN

  13. Trade-off analysis of ecosystem service provision in nature networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vogdrup-Schmidt, Mathias; Strange, Niels; Olsen, Søren Bøye

    2017-01-01

    We propose a spatial multi-criteria decision analysis approach as a value-focused decision support tool for evaluating land use change decisions affecting multiple ecosystem services. In an empirical case study concerned with creating a robust and interconnected network of natural areas in a Danish...... municipality, we first conduct a biophysical and economic baseline mapping of ecosystem services. We then construct a spatially explicit multi-criteria decision analysis model which is utilized to identify candidate areas for inclusion in the network. We define a base scenario for future land use in the area......, where all criteria have equal weight, and assess the outcome in terms of welfare economic benefits of ecosystem services and opportunity cost of reducing forest and agricultural production. As weights in multi-criteria analysis is innately a subjective task, we conduct a sensitivity analysis using four...

  14. Predictors of suicidal ideation in older individuals receiving home-care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jong-Il; Han, Myeong-Il; Kim, Myung Sig; Yoon, Myeong-Sook; Ko, Sung-Hee; Cho, Hye-Chung; Chung, Young-Chul

    2014-04-01

    Despite the importance of tending to older individuals who are vulnerable to suicide, little is known about suicidal ideation in the portion of this population receiving home-care services in Asian countries. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine predictors of suicidal ideation in older individuals using home-care service. Participants were randomly selected from the individuals 50 years old and over using home-care services across Jeollabuk-do Province, Korea. A total of 697 subjects participated in this study. Each participant completed the short version of the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Scale for Suicidal Ideation, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that depression, perceived social support, and disability were significant predictors of suicidal ideation, whereas the roles of subjective health status and fish consumption remained ambiguous in this regard. In terms of social support, we also found that less perceived social support from family members was related to higher levels of suicidal ideation. The associations between various categories of disability and suicidal ideation disappeared after controlling for depression. Our investigation of the mediating effect of depression on the relationship between disability and suicidal ideation revealed that depression was either a complete (disability related to cognition, self-care, getting along with others, and life activities) or partial (disability related to participation) mediator. Preventive strategies focusing on depression, social support, and disability should be emphasized during encounters with older people receiving home-care services. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. The Active Subjects of Welfare Reform: a Street-Level Comparison of Employment Services in Australia and Denmark

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper explores the similarities and differences between Denmark and Australia in adopting welfare reform activation measures in the field of employment services. In Australia and Denmark the discourse of welfare reform centres the 'activation' of citizens through 'mutual obligation' type requirements. Through various forms of case management, unemployed individuals are encouraged to act upon themselves in creating the right set of ethical dispositions congruent with 'active citizenship'. At the same time any resistance to heightened conditionality on the part of the unemployed person is dealt with through a range of coercive and disciplinary techniques. A comparative case study between these two countries allows us to consider how similar ideas, discourse and principles are shaping policy implementation in countries that have very different welfare state trajectories and institutional arrangements for the delivery of social welfare generally and employment services specifically. And in research terms, a comparison between a Nordic welfare state and an Anglo-Saxon welfare state provides an opportunity to critically examine the utility of 'welfare regime' type analyses and the neo-liberal convergence thesis in comparative welfare research. On the basis of empirical analysis, the article concludes that a single focus on abstract typologies or political ideologies is not very helpful in getting the measure of welfare reform (or any other major policy development for that matter. At the 'street-level' of policy practice there is considerably more ambiguity, incoherence and contradiction than is suggested by linear accounts of welfare reform.

  16. REFLECTIONS ON POVERTY SOLUTIONS OFFERED BY INTRODUCING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GABRIELA PRELIPCEAN

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The new economy which characterizes today’s world is invaded by countless theories and concepts which try to explain the way societies fail to assure a general well-being for citizens and wish to offer support for the development of a flourishing and safe future. Between these concepts, some new and some old, are the social entrepreneurship and the ecosystem services. Both of these have started to become very important for researchers and policy makers in the last decade. Also, both have the objective of creating a more human economy and assuring the human well-being. Even though the subjects of these theories are very different, we have managed to show in this paper that a correlation between the two is possible and more than that their combination can have positive outcomes. Social entrepreneurship is a concept describing a new way of using business know-how gained from the private sector in order to find solutions to social, cultural and environmental problems. Ecosystem services are the benefits which people obtain from ecosystems. A relation between the two concepts can be represented by the fact that ecosystem services might be the subject of social entrepreneurship. Another one would be the input which social entrepreneurship might bring to ecosystem services, in what concerns abilities and techniques in dealing with different problems. In conclusion, we tried to show that these double way relations would have an important role in what concerns the fight against poverty.

  17. Correction of engineering servicing regularity of transporttechnological machines in operational process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makarova, A. N.; Makarov, E. I.; Zakharov, N. S.

    2018-03-01

    In the article, the issue of correcting engineering servicing regularity on the basis of actual dependability data of cars in operation is considered. The purpose of the conducted research is to increase dependability of transport-technological machines by correcting engineering servicing regularity. The subject of the research is the mechanism of engineering servicing regularity influence on reliability measure. On the basis of the analysis of researches carried out before, a method of nonparametric estimation of car failure measure according to actual time-to-failure data was chosen. A possibility of describing the failure measure dependence on engineering servicing regularity by various mathematical models is considered. It is proven that the exponential model is the most appropriate for that purpose. The obtained results can be used as a separate method of engineering servicing regularity correction with certain operational conditions taken into account, as well as for the technical-economical and economical-stochastic methods improvement. Thus, on the basis of the conducted researches, a method of engineering servicing regularity correction of transport-technological machines in the operational process was developed. The use of that method will allow decreasing the number of failures.

  18. Effects of an emergency medical services-based resource access program on frequent users of health services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tadros, Anthony S; Castillo, Edward M; Chan, Theodore C; Jensen, Anne Marie; Patel, Ekta; Watts, Kerin; Dunford, James V

    2012-01-01

    A small group of adults disproportionately and ineffectively use acute services including emergency medical services (EMS) and emergency departments (EDs). The resulting episodic, uncoordinated care is of lower quality and higher cost and simultaneously consumes valuable public safety and acute care resources. To address this issue, we measured the impact of a pilot, EMS-based case management and referral intervention termed the San Diego Resource Access Program (RAP) to reduce EMS, ED, and inpatient (IP) visits. This was a historical cohort study of RAP records and billing data of EMS and one urban hospital for 51 individuals sequentially enrolled in the program. The study sample consisted of adults with ≥ 10 EMS transports within 12 months and others reported by prehospital personnel with significant recent increases in transports. Data were collected over a 31-month time period from December 2006 to June 2009. Data were collected for equal pre- and postenrollment time periods based on date of initial RAP contact, and comparisons were made using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Overall use for subjects is reported. The majority of subjects were male (64.7%), homeless (58.8%), and 40 to 59 years of age (72.5%). Between the pre and post periods, EMS encounters declined 37.6% from 736 to 459 (p = 0.001), resulting in a 32.1% decrease in EMS charges from $689,743 to $468,394 (p = 0.004). The EMS task time and mileage decreased by 39.8% and 47.5%, respectively, accounting for 262 (p = 0.008) hours and 1,940 (p = 0.006) miles. The number of ED encounters at the one participating hospital declined 28.1% from 199 to 143, which correlated with a 12.7% decrease in charges from $413,410 to $360,779. The number of IP admissions declined by 9.1% from 33 to 30, corresponding to a 5.9% decrease in IP charges from $687,306 to $646,881. Hospital length of stay declined 27.9%, from 122 to 88 days. Across all services, total charges declined by $314,406. This pilot study

  19. Profile of Metacognition of Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers in Understanding the Concept of Integral Calculus with Regard Gender Differences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misu, L.; Budayasa, I. K.; Lukito, A.

    2018-01-01

    This research is to describe metacognition profile of female and male mathematics’ pre-service teachers in understanding the concept of integral calculus. The subjects of this study are one female and 1 male mathematics’ pre-service teachers who have studied integral calculus. This research type is an explorative study with the qualitative approach. The main data collection of this research was obtained by using Interview technique. In addition, there are supporting data which is the result of the written work of research subjects (SP) in understanding the question of integral calculus. The results of this study are as follows: There is a difference in metacognition profiles between male and female mathematics’ pre-service teachers in the understanding concept of integral calculus in the interpreting category, especially the definite integral concept. While in the category of exemplifying, there is no difference in metacognition profile between male and female mathematics’ pre-service teachers either the definite integral concept and the indefinite integral concept.

  20. Trust-Based and Context-Aware Authentication in a Software Architecture for Context and Proximity-Aware Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenzini, Gabriele

    We describe an existing software architecture for context and proximity aware services that enables trust-based and context-aware authentication. A service is proximity aware when it automatically detects the presence of entities in its proximity. Authentication is context-aware when it uses contextual information to discern among different identities and to evaluate to which extent they are authentic. The software architecture that we describe here is functioning in our Institute: It manages a sensor network to detect the presence and location of users and their devices. A context manager is responsible to merge the different sources of contextual information, to solve potential contradictions, and to determine the level of authentication of the identity of the person approaching one of the services offered in the coffee-break corners of our Institute. In our solution for context-aware authentication, sensors are managed as if they were recommenders having subjective belief, disbelief, and uncertainty (i.e., trust) on the position and identity of users. A sensor’s subjective trust depends on what it has been sensing in the environment. We discuss the results of an array of simulations that we conducted to validate our concept of trust-based and context-aware authentication. We use Subjective Logic to manage trust.

  1. The Effects of Objective and Subjective Socioeconomic Status on Subjective Well-Being among Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China: The Moderating Role of Subjective Social Mobility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silin Huang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Although previous investigations have agreed that Chinese rural-to-urban migrants’ socioeconomic status (SES increases with their migration, the association between SES and subjective well-being is uncertain. To address this research gap, the present study proposed that the association between objective SES and subjective well-being is mediated by subjective SES. This model was tested with a sample of 432 Chinese rural-to-urban migrants. The results indicate a significant association between objective SES and subjective well-being and a partial mediating effect of subjective SES. Furthermore, subjective social mobility, which is one’s expectation about the possibility to move upward in the social hierarchy, was found to moderate both the direct path from objective SES to subjective well-being and the indirect path from subjective SES to subjective well-being. These findings suggest that Chinese rural-to-urban migrants gained in subjective well-being not only because of direct financial achievement but also because of their perceptions and beliefs about their relative social status.

  2. Teaching Enzymes to Pre-Service Science Teachers through POE (Predict, Observe, Explain) Method: The Case of Catalase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Güngör, Sema Nur; Özkan, Muhlis

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to teach enzymes, which are one of the biology subjects in understanding which students have a big difficulty, to pre-service teachers through POE method in the case of catalase, which is an oxidoreductase. Descriptive analysis method was employed in this study in which 38 second grade pre-service teachers attending Uludag…

  3. Distinguishing medication-free subjects with unipolar disorder from subjects with bipolar disorder: state matters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rive, Maria M; Redlich, Ronny; Schmaal, Lianne; Marquand, André F; Dannlowski, Udo; Grotegerd, Dominik; Veltman, Dick J; Schene, Aart H; Ruhé, Henricus G

    2016-11-01

    Recent studies have indicated that pattern recognition techniques of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data for individual classification may be valuable for distinguishing between major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). Importantly, medication may have affected previous classification results as subjects with MDD and BD use different classes of medication. Furthermore, almost all studies have investigated only depressed subjects. Therefore, we focused on medication-free subjects. We additionally investigated whether classification would be mood state independent by including depressed and remitted subjects alike. We applied Gaussian process classifiers to investigate the discriminatory power of structural MRI (gray matter volumes of emotion regulation areas) and resting-state fMRI (resting-state networks implicated in mood disorders: default mode network [DMN], salience network [SN], and lateralized frontoparietal networks [FPNs]) in depressed (n=42) and remitted (n=49) medication-free subjects with MDD and BD. Depressed subjects with MDD and BD could be classified based on the gray matter volumes of emotion regulation areas as well as DMN functional connectivity with 69.1% prediction accuracy. Prediction accuracy using the FPNs and SN did not exceed chance level. It was not possible to discriminate between remitted subjects with MDD and BD. For the first time, we showed that medication-free subjects with MDD and BD can be differentiated based on structural MRI as well as resting-state functional connectivity. Importantly, the results indicated that research concerning diagnostic neuroimaging tools distinguishing between MDD and BD should consider mood state as only depressed subjects with MDD and BD could be correctly classified. Future studies, in larger samples are needed to investigate whether the results can be generalized to medication-naïve or first-episode subjects. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley

  4. Does courtesy bias affect how clients report on objective and subjective measures of family planning service quality? A comparison between facility- and home-based interviews

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hameed W

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Waqas Hameed, Muhammad Ishaque, Xaher Gul, Junaid-ur-Rehman Siddiqui, Sharmeen Hussain, Wajahat Hussain, Aftab Ahmed, Asma Balal Strategy Department, Marie Stopes Society, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan Purpose: Despite a general understanding that exit interviews being conducted at service providers’ facilities may influence clients’ responses favorably to health professionals, there is very little evidence available that demonstrates the extent to which this problem exists. This study aimed at assessing and comparing clients’ perceptions of the quality of family planning services and their satisfaction levels between facility- and home-based interviews. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clients receiving family planning services across three service delivery channels – nongovernmental organization (NGO clinics, social franchise (SF centers, and outreach camps. The survey took place from December 2015 to January 2016 in 70 districts across all four provinces of Pakistan. A total of 2,807 clients were interviewed, of whom 1,404 clients were interviewed at health facilities after receiving services and 1,403 were interviewed at their homes within 3 days of method uptake. Results: Overall, we found no significant differences between the characteristics of study participants interviewed at health facilities or at home. The findings suggested that experiences reported in exit surveys at facilities were strongly biased positively. This was true for both experiential (service quality and perception-based (satisfaction questions in the context of SF centers, while at NGO clinics the interview location only affected clients’ responses regarding service quality. However, in outreach settings, clients are more likely to share bad experiences in exit interviews than in home-based interviews on objectively asked questions (service quality. Conclusion: Our study indicates signs of courtesy bias and possibly the Hawthorne effect in

  5. SERVICE QUALITY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

    OpenAIRE

    Prabha Ramseook-Munhurrun; Soolakshna D. Lukea-Bhiwajee; Perunjodi Naidoo

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to obtain a better understanding of the extent to which service quality is delivered within the Mauritian public service by drawing on front-line employees (FLE) and customer perceptions of service quality. The paper investigates how closely customer expectations of service and FLE perceptions of customer expectations match. SERVQUAL is used to measure service quality amongst FLE and customers in a major public sector department in Mauritius. The survey captures c...

  6. Comparing the Internet Usage of Pre-service Language Teachers With Teachers of Other Subjects: Distance Learning vs. On-Campus Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmet Firat

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Teachers play a crucial role in helping individuals gain adequate Internet competency, which requires teachers themselves to be Internet-literate. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Internet use of the distance and on-campus pre-service teachers of language and other disciplines by multiple parameters. A total of 789 teacher candidates participated in this survey. The findings show that the candidate teachers in on-campus and distance-learning programs have an average level of Internet usage adequacy and that the younger candidate teachers and those in higher classes use the Internet more frequently. Pre-service foreign language teachers have been found to have a moderate level of Internet usage frequency, adequacy and technology ownership in comparison with the other preservice teacher groups.

  7. Economic aspects of telemedical trainings realization in conditions of medical services outsourcing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bushmanov A.Yu.

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Economic efficiency of various telemedical services are still a subject of scientific discussion. The article considers approaches to a complex estimation of economic benefit and economic efficiency of services in remote education. Calculations are submitted on the basis of realization of remote trainings series on training to receptions of urgent medical aid and occupational medicine for the medical personnel of the large oil-extracting company. Preparation of the program, materials, including videofragments, presentations and demonstrations, and also realization of trainings were carried out by autsourcing by experts of the foreign organizations.

  8. WiMAX security and quality of service an end-to-end perspective

    CERN Document Server

    Tang, Seok-Yee; Sharif, Hamid

    2010-01-01

    WiMAX is the first standard technology to deliver true broadband mobility at speeds that enable powerful multimedia applications such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), online gaming, mobile TV, and personalized infotainment. WiMAX Security and Quality of Service, focuses on the interdisciplinary subject of advanced Security and Quality of Service (QoS) in WiMAX wireless telecommunication systems including its models, standards, implementations, and applications. Split into 4 parts, Part A of the book is an end-to-end overview of the WiMAX architecture, protocol, and system requirements.

  9. Thromboxane production in morbidly obese subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graziani, Francesca; Biasucci, Luigi M; Cialdella, Pio; Liuzzo, Giovanna; Giubilato, Simona; Della Bona, Roberta; Pulcinelli, Fabio M; Iaconelli, Amerigo; Mingrone, Geltrude; Crea, Filippo

    2011-06-01

    Postmortem studies have demonstrated that morbidly obese subjects, surprisingly, have less coronary atherosclerosis than obese subjects. However, the reasons for this apparent protection from atherosclerosis are not yet clear. Thromboxane A2, a marker of platelet activation, is greater in obese subjects than in lean subjects, and this might be a clue to their increased cardiovascular risk. However, data on thromboxane A2 in morbidly obese subjects are lacking; therefore, we hypothesized that lower levels of thromboxane A2 in morbidly obese subjects might play a role in their lower atherothrombotic burden. We measured the serum levels of thromboxane B2 (TxB2), a stable metabolite of thromboxane A2, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and leptin in 17 lean subjects (body mass index [BMI] 22.9 ± 1.6 kg/m(2)), 25 obese subjects (BMI 32.6 ± 2.4 kg/m(2)), and 23 morbidly obese subjects (BMI 48.6 ± 7.1 kg/m(2)), without insulin resistance, diabetes, or overt cardiovascular disease. The serum TxB2 levels were lower in the lean subjects than in the obese subjects (p = 0.046) and in the morbidly obese subjects than in the lean and obese subjects (p = 0.015 and p lean subjects (hs-CRP, p lean subjects (p lean subjects, suggesting that reduced platelet activation could play a role in the paradoxical protection of morbidly obese subjects from atherosclerosis, despite the greater levels of leptin. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Service registry design: an information service approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ferreira Pires, Luis; Wang, J.; van Oostrum, Arjen; Wijnhoven, Alphonsus B.J.M.

    2010-01-01

    A service registry is a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) component that keeps a ‘catalogue’ of available services. It stores service specifications so that these specifications can be found by potential users. Discussions on the design of service registries currently focus on technical issues,

  11. Pre-Service Teachers Methods of Teaching Science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dr. Raquel C. Pambid

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The study described the teaching methods used by pre-service teachers in Science. It focused on the strategies, techniques, materials, innovative methods and pattern of teaching science used by the pre-service teachers as described in their lesson plans. The qualitative and quantitative design was used in the study. The books, teacher hand-outs from classroom lectures were the sources of methods, strategies and techniques. The chalkboard and self-made drawings and charts were the materials often used. Conventional methods like lecture, open class discussion and demonstration were commonly employed. The strategies included group discussion, use of motivating questions and stories to arouse the interest of students. The direct eye contact, body expressions, jokes and news/trivia were frequent techniques. Integration of values in the lesson became less as the year level increases. The pattern of teaching drawn followed the formal style: I Objectives, II Subject matter, III Learning Tasks, IV Synthesis of the lesson, V Assessment and VI Enrichment. The conventional method and pattern of teaching by the pre-service teachers of PSU suggest that students in the College of Teacher Education should be trained to be more innovative and open in trying out more advanced teaching methods. Furthermore, PSU science pre-service teachers should use methods which can develop higher order thinking skills among high school students.

  12. The Training and Use of Service Dogs in Occupational Therapy Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary Isaacson ATP, Ed.D., OTR/L

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to describe the role of occupational therapy fieldwork students in the training of service dogs. Ethnography is an approach that strives to explore and describe the point of view of people. Ethnographers view the researcher as an instrument to gain insight into the subject. This researcher utilizedher own experiences as an occupational therapist, an occupational therapy educator, and as a volunteer dog trainer of service dogs. She then validated the process through interviews with key informants. The results indicate that occupational therapists and occupational therapy students are capable of playing a significantrole in the training and placement of service dogs. During a level I experience, occupational therapy students experienced the importance that a dog can play in a person’s life as a tool of adaptation. They also learned advocacy and professionalism and applied the Person-Environment-Occupation model of practice. In addition, students recognized that barriers exist in the use of service dogs.

  13. E-Governance and Its Implementation Challenges in the Nigerian Public Service

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ugochukwu David ABASILIM

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available E-governance has become one of the reform tools geared towards effective public service delivery, which is premised on the assumption that the appreciable use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT method in the day to day activities of government will bring effective service delivery. However, there are lots of challenges that hamper the effective implementation of e-governance in Nigerian public service. It is based on this, that this article identifies some of the challenges to e-governance implementation in Nigerian public service. Although, no robust statistical analysis was done, as the article relied on archival analysis of relevant literature on the subject matter and inferences drawn from it. Based on its findings, it was concluded that e-governance remain the best in encouraging transparency and accountability in government business. The paper therefore, recommends that, government should be more committed to the implementation e-governance as well as embark on adequate enlightenment about the concept.

  14. 31 CFR 538.406 - Exportation of services; performance of service contracts; legal services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Exportation of services; performance of service contracts; legal services. 538.406 Section 538.406 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations... SUDANESE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS Interpretations § 538.406 Exportation of services; performance of service...

  15. The Dilemma of Service Productivity and Service Innovation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aspara, Jaakko; Klein, Jan F.; Luo, Xueming; Tikkanen, Henrikki

    2017-01-01

    We conduct a systematic exploratory investigation of the effects of firms’ existing service productivity on the success of their new service innovations. Although previous research extensively addresses service productivity and service innovation, this is the first empirical study that bridges the gap between these two research streams and examines the links between the two concepts. Based on a comprehensive data set of new service introductions in a financial services market over a 14-year period, we empirically explore the relationship between a firm’s existing service productivity and the firm’s success in introducing new services to the market. The results unveil a fundamental service productivity-service innovation dilemma: Being productive in existing services increases a firm’s willingness to innovate new services proactively but decreases the firm’s capabilities of bringing these services to the market successfully. We provide specific insights into the mechanism underlying the complex relationship between a firm’s productivity in existing services, its innovation proactivity, and its service innovation success. For managers, we not only unpack and elucidate this dilemma but also demonstrate that a focused customer scope and growth market conditions may enable firms to mitigate the dilemma and successfully pursue service productivity and service innovation simultaneously. PMID:29706764

  16. Physics teachers' nuclear in-service training in Hungary

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ujvari, Sandor

    2005-01-01

    Teaching of science subjects, specifically physics among others, is important in Hungarian schools. The paper starts with some historical aspects on how the modern physics reached Hungarian schools, what kinds of methods the physics teachers use for their in-service training and what is their success. In 1985 Hungarian Government introduced the system of physics teacher's in-service training for a year. The courses end with a thesis and examination. Teachers have a possibility to join the nuclear physics intensive course of Nuclear Physics Department at Eottvos University. Curriculum and topics of laboratory practice are given together with some dissertations of the course. Moreover, several competition (Leo Szilard competition) is mentioned with starting that in each year the 5 best students get free entrance to the Hungarian universities. (S. Ohno)

  17. Self-stimulating rats combine subjective reward magnitude and subjective reward rate multiplicatively.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leon, M I; Gallistel, C R

    1998-07-01

    For rats that bar pressed for intracranial electrical stimulation in a 2-lever matching paradigm with concurrent variable interval schedules of reward, the authors found that the time allocation ratio is based on a multiplicative combination of the ratio of subjective reward magnitudes and the ratio of the rates of reward. Multiplicative combining was observed in a range covering approximately 2 orders of magnitude in the ratio of the rates of reward from about 1:10 to 10:1) and an order of magnitude change in the size of rewards. After determining the relation between the pulse frequency of stimulation and subjective reward magnitude, the authors were able to predict from knowledge of the subjective magnitudes of the rewards and the obtained relative rates of reward the subject's time allocation ratio over a range in which it varied by more than 3 orders of magnitude.

  18. Subjective Well-Being in Older Chinese and Korean Immigrants in the United States: Effects of Self-Rated Health and Employment Status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Bum Jung; Jun, Hyeyoun; Lee, Jisun; Linton, Kristen; Kim, Meehye; Browne, Colette

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the effects of association between self-rated health and employment status on subjective well-being among older Chinese and Korean immigrants in the United States. Data were collected from 171 Chinese and 205 Korean older adult immigrants living in Los Angeles County. The primary variables included demographic data, subjective index of well-being, self-rated health, and employment status. Data support the association between self-rated health and subjective well-being for both groups. Employment, education, and age were associated with the level of subjective well-being only for older Korean immigrants. Similarities and differences were noted in these two Asian American subgroups. Findings suggest the need to develop health promotion services for both populations and employment opportunities targeted more so for Korean older immigrants to further support their subjective well-being. Results may have implications for other for older immigrants.

  19. Adolescent Maternal Lifecourse Outcomes: Implications from an Integrated Mental Health Services Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beth S. Russell

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Family intervention literature on adolescent parenting describes the pathways between outcomes for adolescent mothers and their children and the contexts of the pregnancy itself (e.g., poverty, low or no prenatal care, lower educational attainment. The aim of these descriptions is often to inform intervention designs that promote adaptive functioning for the child, the mother, and the dyad. Mental health services are an important component of many of these interventions; these services may be delivered by a clinician within the organization providing the intervention, or the organization may connect mothers with external mental health services in their communities. Using in-house clinicians rather than external providers may be beneficial by decreasing the high attrition rates common to this population. Although this service delivery approach is theoretically appealing, it has not been subject to rigorous empirical evaluation. In the current randomized study, we examine outcomes for teenage mothers based on two service delivery methods: Integrated Mental Health Services (IMHS and the Standard of Care (SoC which outsources clients’ mental health needs through community referrals. Information about the effectiveness of service delivery strategies can help program providers make decisions about how best to allocate limited funds to provide effective services.

  20. Working Memory Processing In Normal Subjects and Subjects with Dyslexia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowyer, S. M.; Lajiness-O'Neill, R.; Weiland, B. J.; Mason, K.; Tepley, N.

    2004-10-01

    Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to determine the neuroanatomical location of working memory (WM) processes. Differences between subjects with dyslexia (SD; n=5) and normal readers (NR; n=5) were studied during two WM tasks. A spatial WM task (SMW) consisted of blocks visually presented in one of 12 positions for 2 s each. Subjects were to determine if the current position matched the position presented 2 slides earlier (N-Back Test). The verbal task (VMW) consisted of presentation of a single letter. The location of cortical activity during SWM in NR (determined with MR-FOCUSS analysis) was in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and right angular gyrus (AG). Similar activation was seen in SD with a slight delay of approximately 20 ms. During VWM activity was seen in LEFT STG and LEFT AG in NR. In contrast for SD, activation was in the RIGHT STG and RIGHT AG. This study demonstrates the possibility to differentiate WM processing in subjects with and without learning disorders.

  1. Long-term effect of noise exposure during military service in South Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, SungHee; Lim, Eun Jung; Kim, Tae Hoon; Park, Jun Ho

    2017-02-01

    Most Korean men spend at least two years in the military service usually in their early twenties. The aim of this study was to identify the long-term effect of exposure to military noise during military service by comparing two regressions of age-related hearing loss between groups with and without exposure to military noise. Cross-sectional observational study. Finally, 4079 subjects were included, among 10,286 data of men's audiogram from January 2004 to April 2010. We excluded repeated testers and any subjects who had other known external causes or had an asymmetric audiogram. We grouped subjects with exposure to military noise (N = 3163) and those without as the control group (N = 916). There was a significant effect of exposure to military noise at 4 and 8 kHz after controlling for the effect of age. The annual threshold deterioration rates were faster in the military noise exposed group than in the control group at 1, 2 and 4 kHz (p effect of exposure to military noise on age-related hearing loss showed an adding effect at 8 kHz and an accelerating effect in the frequency region from 1 to 4 kHz.

  2. The service Ouroboros: Designing personas service cycles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gudiksen, Sune Klok; Brandt, Eva

    2014-01-01

    Many companies investigate new business opportunities in a turn from product to service design. As service offerings expand over time and space, such notions as ‘customer journey’ or ‘service blueprint’ have been suggested to grasp and design the nature of the emergent services. However, we find ...... various customers’´service cycles....

  3. Implementation of a new 'community' laboratory CD4 service in a rural health district in South Africa extends laboratory services and substantially improves local reporting turnaround time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coetzee, L M; Cassim, N; Glencross, D K

    2015-12-16

    The CD4 integrated service delivery model (ITSDM) provides for reasonable access to pathology services across South Africa (SA) by offering three new service tiers that extend services into remote, under-serviced areas. ITSDM identified Pixley ka Seme as such an under-serviced district. To address the poor service delivery in this area, a new ITSDM community (tier 3) laboratory was established in De Aar, SA. Laboratory performance and turnaround time (TAT) were monitored post implementation to assess the impact on local service delivery. Using the National Health Laboratory Service Corporate Data Warehouse, CD4 data were extracted for the period April 2012-July 2013 (n=11,964). Total mean TAT (in hours) was calculated and pre-analytical and analytical components assessed. Ongoing testing volumes, as well as external quality assessment performance across ten trials, were used to indicate post-implementation success. Data were analysed using Stata 12. Prior to the implementation of CD4 testing at De Aar, the total mean TAT was 20.5 hours. This fell to 8.2 hours post implementation, predominantly as a result of a lower pre-analytical mean TAT reducing from a mean of 18.9 to 1.8 hours. The analytical testing TAT remained unchanged after implementation and monthly test volumes increased by up to 20%. External quality assessment indicated adequate performance. Although subjective, questionnaires sent to facilities reported improved service delivery. Establishing CD4 testing in a remote community laboratory substantially reduces overall TAT. Additional community CD4 laboratories should be established in under-serviced areas, especially where laboratory infrastructure is already in place.

  4. Conceptual service architecture for adaptive mobile location services

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schou, Saowanee

    2008-01-01

    This paper presents a conceptual service architecture for adaptive mobile location services designed to be used on the next generation wireless network. The developed service architecture consists of a set of concepts, principles, rules and guidelines for constructing, deploying, and operating...... the mobile location services. The service architecture identifies the components required to build the mobile location services and describes how these components are combined and how they should interact. As a means of exploring the developed conceptual service architecture, an illustrative case study...... of a new-concept tracking service is chosen to demonstrate the applicability of the architecture. Through the case study, the service request and response processes will be illustrated. New possible service functions provided by the developed service architecture will be examined and discussed...

  5. Investigating the Effects of Consumer Innovativeness, Service Quality and Service Switching Costs on Service Loyalty in the Mobile Phone Service Context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farzana Quoquab

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study is to examine the effects of consumer innovativeness, service quality, service switching costs and service satisfaction on service loyalty among mobile phone service users. A cross sectional survey was employed which yielded 535 responses. Structural equation modelling using the AMOS version 2.0 was utilized to test study the hypotheses. Test results reveal that service satisfaction, service switching costs and service quality are the three antecedents that directly influence service loyalty. However, consumer innovativeness does not have any direct effect on service loyalty. Moreover, service satisfaction is found to be a partial mediator between ‘service quality’ and ‘service loyalty’. Findings from this study will develop insights to enable policy-makers, managers and marketers to better strategize and effectively implement loyalty programs and prevent their customers from switching. This will enhance value creation for both their users and for the industry.

  6. Managing service excellence. Internal customer service training

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McAnulty, P.C.

    1991-01-01

    WHO ARE OUR CUSTOMERS? Electric Users, regulators, vendors, suppliers, or our own employees? The answer is ALL exclamation point They are all customers. Regardless if they are external or internal customers, one must focus on quality of service delivery in order to maintain customer satisfaction. The most successful companies are quickly realizing that managing SERVICE EX NCE is our only future. For the next decade, the issue of service quality will exceed the issue of productivity. It is very easy to see that the business behind a utility is serving our electric consumers. However, internal customer service - service excellence to employees inside a company is the foundation for success. This paper describes a training program that is being implemented across Duke Power for employees on internal customer service. How we provide service to each other within a company impacts service quality to our external customers. This training refocuses behaviors and perceptions so to concentrate on quality service delivery to our internal customers - our employees. We all have positive and negative experiences with obtaining quality service by either external organizations or internal employees. Therefore, we start with a common foundation. Whether it be a supplier, vendor, or a station administrative group, we have experienced either excellent or poor customer service. All of us have potential in managing the delivery of excellent customer service. However, many of us may need new perspectives so to add depth with which we view and manage service excellence to our internal customers

  7. Measuring mental health in the clinical setting: what is important to service users? The Mini-Service user Recovery Evaluation scale (Mini-SeRvE).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barber, Joanna M; Parsons, Helen; Wilson, Carol A; Cook, Christopher C H

    2017-12-01

    Since 2001, a policy of positive mental health recovery has been promoted in the UK, with service user involvement. This has not been easy to implement in the clinical setting. To develop and validate a brief self-report, service user-designed, outcome measure (Mini-SeRvE), for clinical use, including spiritual and religious issues. From the previously developed Service user Recovery Evaluation scale (SeRvE), 15 questions were selected for Mini-SeRvE which was self-completed by 207 people; 100 service users and, for comparison, 107 staff. Results were analysed using SPSS software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Mini-SeRvE is reliable, Cronbach's alpha 0.852. Correlation with another recovery scale, Mental Health Recovery Measure, was high, r = 0.819. Three reliable subscales emerged; existential well-being (EWB), mental ill-being (MIB) and religious well-being (RWB). Scores of the EWB and MIB subscales were higher for staff, consistent with higher mental well-being. Religious well-being scores were higher in service users, who also rated religion as more important to them. Mini-SeRvE is a valid measure of service user recovery. The importance of religion/spiritual belief for our users is highlighted, this being reflected in the subject matter of Mini-SeRvE. Mini-SeRvE assessments could show individual priorities, evaluate therapy and aid clinical decision-making.

  8. Identifying the Need for Counseling Services in Organization and Industry in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Othman

    Studies on the need for counseling services were conducted at three separate corporate settings in Malaysia. The three organizations were the National Institute of Public Administration Malaysia; Syarikat Telekom Malaysia Berhad; and the Johor Port Authority. Subjects included 129 supervisory officers and 135 supervisees at the National Institute…

  9. Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Argumentation in a Model Rocketry Physics Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gürel, Cem; Süzük, Erol

    2017-01-01

    This study investigates the quality of argumentation developed by a group of pre-service physics teachers' (PSPT) as an indicator of subject matter knowledge on model rocketry physics. The structure of arguments and scientific credibility model was used as a design framework in the study. The inquiry of model rocketry physics was employed in…

  10. Improving care planning and coordination for service users with medical co-morbidity transitioning between tertiary medical and primary care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cranwell, K; Polacsek, M; McCann, T V

    2017-08-01

    WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Mental health service users with medical co-morbidity frequently experience difficulties accessing and receiving appropriate treatment in emergency departments. Service users frequently experience fragmented care planning and coordinating between tertiary medical and primary care services. Little is known about mental health nurses' perspectives about how to address these problems. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Emergency department clinicians' poor communication and negative attitudes have adverse effects on service users and the quality of care they receive. The findings contribute to the international evidence about mental health nurses' perspectives of service users feeling confused and frustrated in this situation, and improving coordination and continuity of care, facilitating transitions and increasing family and caregiver participation. Intervention studies are needed to evaluate if adoption of these measures leads to sustainable improvements in care planning and coordination, and how service users with medical co-morbidity are treated in emergency departments in particular. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Effective planning and coordination of care are essential to enable smooth transitions between tertiary medical (emergency departments in particular) and primary care services for service users with medical co-morbidity. Ongoing professional development education and support is needed for emergency department clinicians. There is also a need to develop an organized and systemic approach to improving service users' experience in emergency departments. Introduction Mental health service users with medical co-morbidity frequently experience difficulties accessing appropriate treatment in medical hospitals, and often there is poor collaboration within and between services. Little is known about mental health nurses' perspectives on how to address these problems. Aim To explore mental health nurses

  11. subjective approach to subjective approach to human physiological

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    eobe

    the only physiological variables that influence the heat balance [4]. Yao et al [2] .... between the human responses and outdoor climate. 4.1 Subjective Response ... months seem to be influenced by cloud cover rather than the altitude.

  12. A Link between Subjective Perceptions of Memory and Physical Function: Implications for Subjective Cognitive Decline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosentino, Stephanie; Devanand, Davangere; Gurland, Barry

    2018-01-01

    Subjective impairment in memory is a frequently defining feature of subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a state hypothesized to precede objectively apparent cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to hold promise as a non-invasive, inexpensive, preclinical indicator of AD. However, a full model of the factors that contribute to subjective memory (SM), and therefore to SCD, has yet to be articulated. While SM impairment is widely known to be associated with negative affect, the extent to which SM functioning may also reflect other factors, particularly subjective beliefs or perceptions about one's health, is not known. To examine the extent to which SM is associated with subjective perceptions of health more broadly, the current study investigated the link between SM and subjective physical functioning (independent of depressive affect, and objective cognitive and physical function) in an ethnically diverse sample of 471 older adults enrolled in the population-based Northern Manhattan Aging Project. 199 (42%) participants endorsed no difficulty on a 5-point SM index while 272 (58%) endorsed some degree of difficulty. As hypothesized, SM correlated with both depression and subjective physical function, but not with age, education, global cognition, or objective physical function. When objective and subjective physical function were entered in two separate, adjusted linear regressions predicting SM, only subjective physical function and depressive affect independently predicted SM. Subjective perceptions of memory appear to reflect individuals' broader health perceptions in part. Articulating the various correlates of SM will improve identification of SCD specific to preclinical AD.

  13. Japanese customer service culture and driving factors behind it

    OpenAIRE

    Perolainen, Emma

    2014-01-01

    The subject of the thesis was Japanese customer service culture and the driving factors behind it. Fons Trompenaars’ and Geert Hofstedes culture studies were handled as the main part of the theoretical part of the thesis, which of only the applicable factors were introduced. The applicable factors were Trompenaars’ universal-ism/particularism, individualism/communitarianism, neutral/emotional, specific/diffuse and attitudes to environment and Hofstede’s individualism/collectivism, masculinity...

  14. Survey on the use of mental health services and help-seeking behaviors in a community population in Northwestern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Li; Chen, Xiao-Li; Ni, Chun-Ping; Yang, Ping; Huang, Yue-Qin; Liu, Zhao-Rui; Wang, Bo; Yan, Yong-Ping

    2018-04-01

    There is little research into the patterns of mental health services use, related factors, and barriers in help-seeking behaviors among the community population in northwestern China. We conducted a community-based survey among the general population in Xi'an City with the stratified two-stage systematic selection scheme using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 3.0 computer-assisted personal interview (CIDI-CAPI 3.0). We interviewed 2447 individuals aged 16 years or older. The lifetime prevalence estimate of mental disorders was 21%. However, the lifetime use rate of mental health services of the 2447 responding subjects was 2.45% and 4.67% among those subjects who reported a mental disorder. Several variables were associated with lower use of mental health services: rural residence and divorced or unmarried. Among the group with mental disorders, 15/21 sought help from non-mental health specialty services such as a general physician (13/21). The high prevalence rate of mental disorders but low rate of mental health services use raises a significant public health issue in northwestern China. Reduction in the resource gap and encouraging people to seek treatment remain a challenge to the mental health services system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Economic Valuation of Health Care Services in Public Health Systems: A Study about Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Nursing Consultations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Fernández, Jesús; del Cura-González, Mª Isabel; Rodríguez-Martínez, Gemma; Ariza-Cardiel, Gloria; Zamora, Javier; Gómez-Gascón, Tomás; Polentinos-Castro, Elena; Pérez-Rivas, Francisco Javier; Domínguez-Bidagor, Julia; Beamud-Lagos, Milagros; Tello-Bernabé, Mª Eugenia; Conde-López, Juan Francisco; Aguado-Arroyo, Óscar; Bayona, Mª Teresa Sanz-; Gil-Lacruz, Ana Isabel

    2013-01-01

    Background Identifying the economic value assigned by users to a particular health service is of principal interest in planning the service. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of economic value of nursing consultation in primary care (PC) by its users. Methods and Results Economic study using contingent valuation methodology. A total of 662 users of nursing consultation from 23 health centers were included. Data on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health needs, pattern of usage, and satisfaction with provided service were compiled. The validity of the response was evaluated by an explanatory mixed-effects multilevel model in order to assess the factors associated with the response according to the welfare theory. Response reliability was also evaluated. Subjects included in the study indicated an average Willingness to Pay (WTP) of €14.4 (CI 95%: €13.2–15.5; median €10) and an average Willingness to Accept [Compensation] (WTA) of €20.9 (CI 95%: €19.6–22.2; median €20). Average area income, personal income, consultation duration, home visit, and education level correlated with greater WTP. Women and older subjects showed lower WTP. Fixed parameters explained 8.41% of the residual variability, and response clustering in different health centers explained 4–6% of the total variability. The influence of income on WTP was different in each center. The responses for WTP and WTA in a subgroup of subjects were consistent when reassessed after 2 weeks (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.952 and 0.893, respectively). Conclusions The economic value of nursing services provided within PC in a public health system is clearly perceived by its user. The perception of this value is influenced by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the subjects and their environment, and by the unique characteristics of the evaluated service. The method of contingent valuation is useful for making explicit this perception of value of

  16. Economic valuation of health care services in public health systems: a study about Willingness to Pay (WTP for nursing consultations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesús Martín-Fernández

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Identifying the economic value assigned by users to a particular health service is of principal interest in planning the service. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of economic value of nursing consultation in primary care (PC by its users. METHODS AND RESULTS: Economic study using contingent valuation methodology. A total of 662 users of nursing consultation from 23 health centers were included. Data on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health needs, pattern of usage, and satisfaction with provided service were compiled. The validity of the response was evaluated by an explanatory mixed-effects multilevel model in order to assess the factors associated with the response according to the welfare theory. Response reliability was also evaluated. Subjects included in the study indicated an average Willingness to Pay (WTP of €14.4 (CI 95%: €13.2-15.5; median €10 and an average Willingness to Accept [Compensation] (WTA of €20.9 (CI 95%: €19.6-22.2; median €20. Average area income, personal income, consultation duration, home visit, and education level correlated with greater WTP. Women and older subjects showed lower WTP. Fixed parameters explained 8.41% of the residual variability, and response clustering in different health centers explained 4-6% of the total variability. The influence of income on WTP was different in each center. The responses for WTP and WTA in a subgroup of subjects were consistent when reassessed after 2 weeks (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.952 and 0.893, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The economic value of nursing services provided within PC in a public health system is clearly perceived by its user. The perception of this value is influenced by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the subjects and their environment, and by the unique characteristics of the evaluated service. The method of contingent valuation is useful for making explicit this perception

  17. Lot Sizing Based on Stochastic Demand and Service Level Constraint

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    hajar shirneshan

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Considering its application, stochastic lot sizing is a significant subject in production planning. Also the concept of service level is more applicable than shortage cost from managers' viewpoint. In this paper, the stochastic multi period multi item capacitated lot sizing problem has been investigated considering service level constraint. First, the single item model has been developed considering service level and with no capacity constraint and then, it has been solved using dynamic programming algorithm and the optimal solution has been derived. Then the model has been generalized to multi item problem with capacity constraint. The stochastic multi period multi item capacitated lot sizing problem is NP-Hard, hence the model could not be solved by exact optimization approaches. Therefore, simulated annealing method has been applied for solving the problem. Finally, in order to evaluate the efficiency of the model, low level criterion has been used .

  18. The decision-making matrix of propensity to outsourcing hospital services in Bandar Abbas, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayati, Ramin; Setoodehzadeh, Fateme; Heydarvand, Sanaz; Khammarnia, Mohammad; Ravangard, Ramin; Sadeghi, Ahmad; Sobhani, Ghasem

    2015-12-01

    To determine the level of managers' propensity for outsourcing the services in hospitals using decision-making matrix. The applied, cross-sectional study was conducted at three hospitals affiliated to Bandar Abbas University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2013, and comprised managers and employees of four service units: radiology, laboratory, nursing, and nutrition services. Data was collected using two questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Data was analysed using SPSS 16 and by using decision-making matrix. Of the 122 subjects in the study, 12(9.8%) were managers and 110(90.2%) were other employees. The highest and lowest propensities for outsourcing were related to nutrition (66.6%) and nursing services one (8.33%). The decision-making matrix showed low outsourcing of the nursing, radiology, and laboratory services based on the services' features. However, there were difference between the results obtained from laboratory service decision-making matrix and the propensity for laboratory service outsourcing. The difference between the results obtained from the matrix and managers' viewpoint can be due to the lack of managers' sufficient attention to the features of hospital services when making decisions on outsourcing them.

  19. Dementia and the Deaf community: knowledge and service access.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson-Coleman, Emma; Keady, John; Young, Alys

    2014-01-01

    This study concerns culturally Deaf people in the United Kingdom who use British Sign Language (BSL). Its objective was to explore how Deaf people's knowledge about dementia and access to services is mediated by their minoritised cultural-linguistic status. Twenty-six members of the Deaf community participated in one of three Deaf-led focus groups in BSL corresponding with the sample of: Deaf people over the age of 60 without dementia; Deaf people aged 18-60 working professional roles unconnected with dementia services; ordinary members of the Deaf community aged 18-60. Data were subjected to a thematic content analysis. Participants' concerns about their poor levels of knowledge and understanding of dementia were augmented by their awareness that without sustained social contact in BSL opportunities for earlier recognition of dementia would be lost. Although primary care services were identified as the first port of call for dementia-related concerns, there was widespread mistrust of their effectiveness because of failures in communication and cultural competence. Confirmed diagnosis of dementia was not viewed as a gateway to services and support because Deaf organisations, dementia-related organisations and mainstream adult services were perceived to be ill-equipped to respond to the needs of Deaf people with dementia. Locating problems of late diagnosis within the Deaf community's poor awareness and knowledge of dementia fails to recognise the structural barriers Deaf people face in timely access to services and accurate recognition of dementia-related changes.

  20. IoT Service Clustering for Dynamic Service Matchmaking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Shuai; Yu, Le; Cheng, Bo; Chen, Junliang

    2017-07-27

    As the adoption of service-oriented paradigms in the IoT (Internet of Things) environment, real-world devices will open their capabilities through service interfaces, which enable other functional entities to interact with them. In an IoT application, it is indispensable to find suitable services for satisfying users' requirements or replacing the unavailable services. However, from the perspective of performance, it is inappropriate to find desired services from the service repository online directly. Instead, clustering services offline according to their similarity and matchmaking or discovering service online in limited clusters is necessary. This paper proposes a multidimensional model-based approach to measure the similarity between IoT services. Then, density-peaks-based clustering is employed to gather similar services together according to the result of similarity measurement. Based on the service clustering, the algorithms of dynamic service matchmaking, discovery, and replacement will be performed efficiently. Evaluating experiments are conducted to validate the performance of proposed approaches, and the results are promising.

  1. Damage in woven CFRP laminates subjected to low velocity impacts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ullah, H; Abdel-Wahab, A A; Harland, A R; Silberschmidt, V V

    2012-01-01

    Carbon fabric-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites used in sports products can be exposed to different in-service conditions such as large dynamic bending deformations caused by impact loading. Composite materials subjected to such loads demonstrate various damage modes such as matrix cracking, delamination and, ultimately, fabric fracture. Damage evolution in these materials affects both their in-service properties and performance that can deteriorate with time. These processes need adequate means of analysis and investigation, the major approaches being experimental characterisation and non-destructive examination of internal damage in composite laminates. This research deals with a deformation behaviour and damage in woven composite laminates due to low-velocity dynamic out-of-plane bending. Experimental tests are carried out to characterise the behaviour of such laminates under large-deflection dynamic bending in un-notched specimens in Izod tests using a Resil Impactor. A series of low-velocity impact tests is carried out at various levels of impact energy to assess the energy absorbed and force-time response of CFRP laminates. X-ray micro computed tomography (micro-CT) is used to investigate material damage modes in the impacted specimens. X-ray tomographs revealed that through-thickness matrix cracking, inter-ply delamination and intra-ply delamination, such as tow debonding and fabric fracture, were the prominent damage modes.

  2. SUBJECT AND AUTHOR INDEXS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    IJBE Volume 1

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available SUBJECT INDEX IJBE VOLUME 1EPA, 1Agrotourism, 148AHP, 148balance scorecard, 63batik tulis Rolla Junior, 23Broiler, 90business model canvas, 137business performance,32capital structure, 81cashew industry,158CHAID,106CLI,42coal transportation service,63company’s characteristics, 81competitive advantage, 12competitive strategy, 127consumer satisfaction, 51CSI, 42customer loyalty, 42customer satisfaction,42decision of visitors, 72development strategy, 23development,158entrepreneurship, 32Feasibility studies, 90FEM, 81gap analysis, 1Indonesia Stock Exchange, 177Indosat, 137investor,177Kawah Putih, 72kedai sop durian lodaya (KSDL,51klassen typology, 96leading sector, 96less cash society, 137liquidity ratio, 165location quotient, 96logistic regression, 115market, 177marketing development strategy, 148Marketing mix, 72mobile payment, 137modern and Traditional cage, 90multiple regression analyse,165multiple regression, 177net working capital, 165organic tofu product, 115Padang, 106paired comparison, 63partnership, 1, 32Pecking Order Theory, 81PLS, 81Portfolio, 96power, 32product quality, 51profitability ratio, 165Prol Tape Primadona, 127purchase decision, 115purchase intention, 51purchasing interest,115QSPM, 23, 127refilled drinking water, 106seed,1segmentation, 106SEM, 42, 51service quality, 51SMEs, 96specialty coffee, 12stock,177strategic diagnosis,137strategy, 158Sukorambi Botanic Garden, 148SWOT, 23, 127, 148, 158SWOT-AHP, 12tourists,72UD. Primadona, 127value chain, 12VRIO,12 AUTHOR INDEX IJBE VOLUME 1Adiningsih, Kartika Puspitasari,42Aknesia, Vharessa,12Amalia, Firda Rachma,90Andati, Trias, 177Anggraeni, Lukytawati,23Asriani,158Daryanto, Arief,12, 90Djamaludin, MD., 42Djohar, Setiadi,96Fachrodji, Achmad,72Fahmi, Idqan,1, 63, 127Fasyni, Awisal,106Hubeis, Musa,148Iskandar, Dodi,51Juanda, Bambang, 165Kirbrandoko, 12, 106, 115Lumbantoruan, Dewi Margareth,96Maulana, TB Nur Ahmad,81Muksin, 148Mukti Soleh, Cecep,63Najib, Mukhamad,106Noor, Tajudin,81

  3. Research on Methods for Discovering and Selecting Cloud Infrastructure Services Based on Feature Modeling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huamin Zhu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays more and more cloud infrastructure service providers are providing large numbers of service instances which are a combination of diversified resources, such as computing, storage, and network. However, for cloud infrastructure services, the lack of a description standard and the inadequate research of systematic discovery and selection methods have exposed difficulties in discovering and choosing services for users. First, considering the highly configurable properties of a cloud infrastructure service, the feature model method is used to describe such a service. Second, based on the description of the cloud infrastructure service, a systematic discovery and selection method for cloud infrastructure services are proposed. The automatic analysis techniques of the feature model are introduced to verify the model’s validity and to perform the matching of the service and demand models. Finally, we determine the critical decision metrics and their corresponding measurement methods for cloud infrastructure services, where the subjective and objective weighting results are combined to determine the weights of the decision metrics. The best matching instances from various providers are then ranked by their comprehensive evaluations. Experimental results show that the proposed methods can effectively improve the accuracy and efficiency of cloud infrastructure service discovery and selection.

  4. Service Interaction Flow Analysis Technique for Service Personalization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Korhonen, Olli; Kinnula, Marianne; Syrjanen, Anna-Liisa

    2017-01-01

    Service interaction flows are difficult to capture, analyze, outline, and represent for research and design purposes. We examine how variation of personalized service flows in technology-mediated service interaction can be modeled and analyzed to provide information on how service personalization...... could support interaction. We have analyzed service interaction cases in a context of technology-mediated car rental service. With the analysis technique we propose, inspired by Interaction Analysis method, we were able to capture and model the situational service interaction. Our contribution regarding...... technology-mediated service interaction design is twofold: First, with the increased understanding on the role of personalization in managing variation in technology-mediated service interaction, our study contributes to designing service management information systems and human-computer interfaces...

  5. Complementary person-environment fit as a predictor of job pursuit intentions in the service industry

    OpenAIRE

    Bednarska, Marlena A.

    2016-01-01

    There is an intrinsic link between the success of service firms and the availability of appropriate labor resources, making employee attraction and retention a critical concern for service organizations. Effects of recruitment efforts are influenced by applicants' subjective person-environment (P-E) fit, referring to the compatibility between an individual and a work environment. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of employer attractiveness in the relationship between potential ...

  6. A Comparison of Two Approaches to Developing In-Service Teachers' Knowledge and Strategies for Teaching Nature of Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vhurumuku, Elaosi; Chikochi, Andrew

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports the results of a study that compared two approaches to developing in-service teachers' subject matter knowledge and strategies for teaching nature of science. A treatment post-test only quasi-experimental research design was used. One group of in-service teachers (n = 15) was taught using what is called a capsular approach. In…

  7. Problems Faced By Elementary School Second Grade English Subject Matter Teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Belgin Bal Incebacak

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The objective of thisstudy isto determine the problems experienced by subject matter teachers while instructing English lessons in the second grade of elementary school. What are the problemsfaced by English subject matter teachers when they instruct in 2nd grade lessons? In this research the descriptive modeling, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was employed. In accordance with this objective, we worked with 8 subject matter teachers from 5 different schoolsinAtakum and Ilkadim districtslocated in downtown Samsun, through easily accessible case sampling. The semi-structured “English Course Interview Form’’was applied to the teachers. In the study, descriptive survey model was employed, since it was aimed to reveal the current status of qualitative research methods.According to the results obtained from the research, the content was configured and presented under 5 themes. They were categorized as: 1. the problems experienced in classroom management, 2. the problems in physical and cognitive readiness, 3. the problems experienced in the learning and teacher process, 4. the problems seen in counseling, 5. the problems experienced in assessment and evaluation. In conclusion, the teachers stated that they had problems with managing the classroom, especially with the second grade students, whom are younger than others. It is observed that the change for teaching English at a younger age has been appropriate. Our teachersstated that they required in-service training so as to adapt to this aforementioned change.

  8. Human subjects and experimental irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosen, R.

    1985-01-01

    In recent years the public has expressed concern about the use of human subjects in scientific research. Some professional institutions have adopted codes of practice to guide them in this matter. At the University of New South Wales, where human subjects are used in teaching and research programmes, a committee ensures that high ethical standards are maintained. As the volunteer subjects do not gain any benefit themselves from the procedures, their level of risk is kept low. One type of procedure in which risk is becoming quantifiable, is the irradiation of human subjects. To assist peer review groups, the ICRP, WHO and the National Health and Medical Research Council have enunciated principles which should be followed in the irradiation of human volunteer subjects. In general the role of the Committee is advisory to protect the rights of the investigator, the subject, and the institution. Some of the inherent problems are discussed

  9. Mapping Ecosystem Services for Land Use Planning, the Case of Central Kalimantan

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sumarga, E.; Hein, L.G.

    2014-01-01

    Indonesia is subject to rapid land use change. One of the main causes for the conversion of land is the rapid expansion of the oil palm sector. Land use change involves a progressive loss of forest cover, with major impacts on biodiversity and global CO2 emissions. Ecosystem services have been

  10. A study on the service radii and accessibility to health facilities in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Government policies over the years has centered on the provision and delivery of healthcare to all. Spatial distribution of health facilities is subject to a number of social and commercial influences and healthcare needs of the population. The objective of this paper analyzed the service radii and accessibility of health ...

  11. Occupational accidents among nursing professionals in a home care service in the state of São Paulo

    OpenAIRE

    Jéssica Fernanda Corrêa Cordeiro; Amanda Pavinsk Alves; Emília Maria Paulina Campos Chayamiti; Diego Oliveira Miranda; Elucir Gir; Silvia Rita Marin da Silva Canini

    2016-01-01

    This is a cross-sectional study whose objective is to identify and describe accidents with biological material as told by nursing professionals in a home care service in a city in the state of São Paulo. Of the 30 subjects who provided that service in the data collection period, 28 agreed to participate and 12 (42.8%) claimed to have suffered at least one accident with biological material while carrying out professional procedures for that service. Most of the exposures were percutaneous (91....

  12. Organization of inspection of radioactive wastes by the public health services

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pellerin, P.; Gahinet, M.E.

    1983-01-01

    The liquid and gaseous radio-active wastes produced by nuclear plants are subjected to regulations and strict control by the administration for Public Health. The regulations and the procedures and arrangements which they prescribe are described. The main aspects of the role played by the Central service for protection against ionizing radiation (SCPRI) are presented [fr

  13. Product policy - the main component of the marketing mix in the Romanian health services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coculescu, B I; Purcarea, V L; Coculescu, E C

    2016-01-01

    The objectives of the reforms in the EU healthcare systems are based on the implementation of the marketing concept in the health systems, which are, among other things: • efficient management of the financial resources and control costs of the rendered health services; • increased satisfaction of the clients of health care services; • broad accessibility to health services; • effective implementation of modern technologies; • rational stimulation of medical services consumption; • achievement of a fair and neutral competition between the public/ private providers and health insurance companies; • introduction of performance criteria in order to increase the incomes of the medical staff and hierarchy in hospitals; • implementation of modern management methods in health services management; • decentralization of the public healthcare system. Product policy in the medical system of healthcare - the most important component of the marketing mix - is the attitude that addresses a medical organization to the volume, structure, and diversity of services subject to their own activities in relation to the requirements of the services market and the competitive actions of other medical institutions.

  14. Clinical management of transsexual subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Elaine Maria Frade; Mendonca, Berenice Bilharinho

    2014-03-01

    Transsexual subjects are individuals who have a desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex, usually accompanied by a sense of discomfort with, or inappropriateness of, one's anatomic sex, and a wish to have surgery and hormonal treatment to make one's body as congruent as possible with one's preferred sex. They seek to develop the physical characteristics of the desired gender, and should undergo an effective and safe treatment regimen. The goal of treatment is to rehabilitate the individual as a member of society in the gender he or she identifies with. Sex reassignment procedures necessary for the treatment of transsexual patients are allowed in our country, at Medical Services that have a multidisciplinary team composed of a psychologist, a social worker, a psychiatrist, an endocrinologist and surgeons (gynecologists, plastic surgeons, and urologists). Patients must be between 21 to 75 years old and in psychological and hormonal treatment for at least 2 years. Testosterone is the principal agent used to induce male characteristics in female transsexual patients, and the estrogen is the chosen hormone used to induce the female sexual characteristics in male transsexual patients. Based on our 15 years of experience, we can conclude that testosterone and estradiol treatment in physiological doses are effective and safe in female and male transsexual patients, respectively.

  15. A Multiuser Manufacturing Resource Service Composition Method Based on the Bees Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongquan Xie

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to realize an optimal resource service allocation in current open and service-oriented manufacturing model, multiuser resource service composition (RSC is modeled as a combinational and constrained multiobjective problem. The model takes into account both subjective and objective quality of service (QoS properties as representatives to evaluate a solution. The QoS properties aggregation and evaluation techniques are based on existing researches. The basic Bees Algorithm is tailored for finding a near optimal solution to the model, since the basic version is only proposed to find a desired solution in continuous domain and thus not suitable for solving the problem modeled in our study. Particular rules are designed for handling the constraints and finding Pareto optimality. In addition, the established model introduces a trusted service set to each user so that the algorithm could start by searching in the neighbor of more reliable service chains (known as seeds than those randomly generated. The advantages of these techniques are validated by experiments in terms of success rate, searching speed, ability of avoiding ingenuity, and so forth. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in handling multiuser RSC problems.

  16. Service validity and service reliability of search, experience and credence services. A scenario study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Galetzka, Mirjam; Verhoeven, J.W.M.; Pruyn, Adriaan T.H.

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to add to our understanding of the antecedents of customer satisfaction by examining the effects of service reliability (Is the service “correctly” produced?) and service validity (Is the “correct” service produced?) of search, experience and credence services.

  17. Multimedia services in intelligent environments recommendation services

    CERN Document Server

    Virvou, Maria; Jain, Lakhmi

    2013-01-01

    Multimedia services are now commonly used in various activities in the daily lives of humans. Related application areas include services that allow access to large depositories of information, digital libraries, e-learning and e-education, e-government and e-governance, e-commerce and e-auctions, e-entertainment, e-health and e-medicine, and e-legal services, as well as their mobile counterparts (i.e., m-services). Despite the tremendous growth of multimedia services over the recent years, there is an increasing demand for their further development. This demand is driven by the ever-increasing desire of society for easy accessibility to information in friendly, personalized and adaptive environments. In this book at hand, we examine recent Recommendation Services. Recommendation services appear in the mobile environment, medicine/biology, tourism, education, and so on. The book includes ten chapters, which present various recently developed recommendation services. This research book is directed to professors...

  18. Enhancing pre-service physics teachers' creative thinking skills through HOT lab design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malik, Adam; Setiawan, Agus; Suhandi, Andi; Permanasari, Anna

    2017-08-01

    A research on the implementation of HOT (Higher Order Thinking) Laboratory has been carried out. This research is aimed to compare increasing of creative thinking skills of pre-service physics teachers who receive physics lesson with HOT Lab and with verification lab for the topic of electric circuit. This research used a quasi-experiment methods with control group pretest-posttest design. The subject of the research is 40 Physics Education pre-service physics teachers of UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung. Research samples were selected by class random sampling technique. Data on pre-service physics teachers' creative thinking skills were collected using test of creative thinking skills in the form of essay. The results of the research reveal that average of N-gain of creative thinking skills are for pre-service physics teachers who received lesson with HOT Lab design and for pre-service physics teachers who received lesson with verification lab, respectively. Therefore, we conclude that application of HOT Lab design is more effective to increase creative thinking skills in the lesson of electric circuit.

  19. Service and Servants in Early Modern English Culture to 1660

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth Rivlin

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This review essay surveys the last ten years of literary scholarship on service and servants in early modern England, with a particular focus on Shakespeare, to offer an overview of approaches and a sense of new directions in the field. The essay examines how studies have often pivoted between considering the act (‘service’ and the person (‘servant’ who performs it. Definitional ambiguities seem permanently to hover around these key terms. But rather than portending incoherence, the continuing presence of multiple definitions signals that scholarship about service and servants has reached a certain maturity. In the period under review, the field has matured to the point that critics no longer need to prove that service deserves consideration as an object of study, with the result that they can pursue vigorously the ways in which service and servants are imbricated with larger ontological and phenomenological questions. Investigating recent criticism on service takes this essay into critical territory that encompasses not only social class, economics, occupational identity, and subjectivity, but also aesthetics, ethics, affect, gender and sexuality, politics, race and colonialism. One important conclusion is that a growing body of work, some of it tracing the development of inter-Atlantic slavery from paradigms of service, offers a material, historical perspective on the ways in which servants enable freedom for others without being enabled to experience it for themselves. Looking to the future, the author encourages Anglo-American critics to think more expansively and comparatively about service, so that new connections might be drawn between the supposedly vanished world of servants and service and the global service economy in which we all participate today.

  20. Keeping students in by sending them out: Retention and service-learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iris Mae Yob

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This review of recent literature examines the research on the impact of service-learning on student retention.  The theoretical framework of the review draws on both Tinto’s model of student attrition and Knowles’s theory of adult learning, which together suggest that academic and social integration, active participation and engagement in learning, and application and relevancy of the subject-matter under study are key factors in student success. The role of these factors has been confirmed in a growing body of research around learning experiences in general and, as this review shows, particularly in service-learning experiences. Suggestions are made for how future research might expand and critically deepen this evidence and offers some implications for service-learning as a means of improving student retention. DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v4i2.177

  1. Controlling service delivery in service triads

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Iwaarden, van J.; Valk, van der W.; Aalders, L.; Virolainen, V.-M.

    2010-01-01

    Organizations are increasingly sourcing services that are directly delivered to their (end) customers by external providers. Buying organization, supplier and (end) customer operate in a triadic service relationship. In these triads, the buying organization lacks direct control over service delivery

  2. Extension of specification language for soundness and completeness of service workflow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viriyasitavat, Wattana; Xu, Li Da; Bi, Zhuming; Sapsomboon, Assadaporn

    2018-05-01

    A Service Workflow is an aggregation of distributed services to fulfill specific functionalities. With ever increasing available services, the methodologies for the selections of the services against the given requirements become main research subjects in multiple disciplines. A few of researchers have contributed to the formal specification languages and the methods for model checking; however, existing methods have the difficulties to tackle with the complexity of workflow compositions. In this paper, we propose to formalize the specification language to reduce the complexity of the workflow composition. To this end, we extend a specification language with the consideration of formal logic, so that some effective theorems can be derived for the verification of syntax, semantics, and inference rules in the workflow composition. The logic-based approach automates compliance checking effectively. The Service Workflow Specification (SWSpec) has been extended and formulated, and the soundness, completeness, and consistency of SWSpec applications have been verified; note that a logic-based SWSpec is mandatory for the development of model checking. The application of the proposed SWSpec has been demonstrated by the examples with the addressed soundness, completeness, and consistency.

  3. Fatty Liver Index and Lipid Accumulation Product Can Predict Metabolic Syndrome in Subjects without Fatty Liver Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuan-Lung Cheng

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Fatty liver index (FLI and lipid accumulation product (LAP are indexes originally designed to assess the risk of fatty liver and cardiovascular disease, respectively. Both indexes have been proven to be reliable markers of subsequent metabolic syndrome; however, their ability to predict metabolic syndrome in subjects without fatty liver disease has not been clarified. Methods. We enrolled consecutive subjects who received health check-up services at Taipei Veterans General Hospital from 2002 to 2009. Fatty liver disease was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography. The ability of the FLI and LAP to predict metabolic syndrome was assessed by analyzing the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC curve. Results. Male sex was strongly associated with metabolic syndrome, and the LAP and FLI were better than other variables to predict metabolic syndrome among the 29,797 subjects. Both indexes were also better than other variables to detect metabolic syndrome in subjects without fatty liver disease (AUROC: 0.871 and 0.879, resp., and the predictive power was greater among women. Conclusion. Metabolic syndrome increases the cardiovascular disease risk. The FLI and LAP could be used to recognize the syndrome in both subjects with and without fatty liver disease who require lifestyle modifications and counseling.

  4. Defining the Perception and Experiences of Educational Service Stakeholders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soleiman Ahmady

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background and Purpose: The office of educational services at universities is a very important division and it is necessary for employees to strive towards providing suitable services to students. The quality of educational services has always been a major concern for higher education managers. Interviewing stakeholders and experts increases our understanding of different aspects of the subject in order to create a native model with high performance capability based on existing conditions and the cultural and political infrastructure of our country. Therefore, we aimed to define the perception and experiences of educational service stakeholders.Methods: In this qualitative thematic content analysis that adapted a deductive approach using Graneheim and Lundman’s method. Initially, purposeful sampling was done to identify and select the students (as first level stakeholders studying paramedical majors at one of the medical science universities of the country during the educational year 2015-2016. Altogether, 20 people were interviewed consisting of 6 students, 4 faculty members, 2 student affairs employees, 1 counselor, 2 education officers, and 2 education office managers.Data were analyzed and coded using MAXQDA software.Results: Of the 400 initial codes extracted through data analysis, 336 abstract codes, 48 sub-categories, 20 categories, and 7 themes were obtained. The level of abstraction was different in the categories. The extracted themes were as follows: information gap before and after entering university, the difference between expected and perceived services and factors contributing to expectations, the university’s approach in enhancing service quality, the student and management of educational problems, the system-student interaction in educational planning, and the professors’ responsibilities and performance in enhancing quality, and the role on the university management system in enhancing the quality of services

  5. Brand positioning through banking services' offer: Serbian perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Novčić Branka; Damnjanović Vesna; Filipović Vinka

    2012-01-01

    The subject of this paper relates to the determination of interdependent relationship of the key elements necessary for the positioning of brands in the banking market in Serbia. The main goal of this paper is to analyze the way in which managers of banks in Serbia perceived brand positioning of banks in which they work, and the value of the customer service offer - corporate clients. Research focuses on identifying and comparing the dependent relationships between the key elements of offers'...

  6. 77 FR 37806 - Disregarded Entities and the Indoor Tanning Services Excise Tax

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-25

    ... contains amendments to the Income Tax Regulations (26 CFR part 1) under section 1361 of the Internal... subject to any of these taxes. Effective July 1, 2010, section 10907 of the Patient Protection and..., with respect to the indoor tanning services excise tax as having been made or taken by the owner of...

  7. Linking Teaching in Mathematics and the Subjects of Natural Science

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Michelsen, Claus

    2017-01-01

    teaching programs. This is partly due to the lack of a framework for integrating productive ideas across the disciplines. This paper focus on how to grasp the challenges of an interdisciplinary approach to teaching in mathematics and the subjects of natural science. Based on contemporary mathematics...... and science education we design a didactical framework for interdisciplinary teaching centered on modeling activities across mathematics and the disciplines of natural science. To exemplify the potential of the framework we present a case study of an intensive in-service teacher-training program...... for mathematics and biology teachers. The teachers were presented to the didactical framework and in pairs of two, one mathematics teacher and one biology teacher; they designed and implemented interdisciplinary mathematicsbiology teaching sequences. The teachers’ reports on their development and implementation...

  8. Subjective Vitality as Mediator and Moderator of the Relationship between Life Satisfaction and Subjective Happiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uysal, Recep; Satici, Seydi Ahmet; Satici, Begüm; Akin, Ahmet

    2014-01-01

    In this study, the mediator and moderator effects of subjective vitality on the relationship between life satisfaction and subjective happiness were investigated. The participants were 378 university students who completed a questionnaire package that included the Subjective Vitality Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Subjective…

  9. Use of health services by residents at a seniors-only living facility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elen Ferraz Teston

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the study was to compare the use of medical and dental services by seniors residing at a seniors-only living facility and in the general community. It was a quantitative study, among 50 residents of the living facility and 173 in the general community. The data were collected between November 2011 and February 2012 through a questionnaire, and subjected to statistical analysis. Performance of clinical exams and satisfaction with health services was greater among seniors living in the general community; however, physical therapy treatment was more common among those living in the facility. The use of medical and dental services showed a statistically significant difference. The seniors in both groups need oral health monitoring and those living in the facility also require coverage by the Family Health Strategy. The presence of professionals with the right profile to adequately serve residents and the network of available services are determining factors for the success of this new housing policy.

  10. Treatment of Social Competence in Military Veterans, Service Members, and Civilians with Traumatic Brain Injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-08-01

    External Relation, Clarity of Expression, Social Style, Subject Matter, and Aesthetics ). Each of these 10 subscales are rated on a scale of 0 to 5 where 0...Award Number: W81XWH-11-1-0635 TITLE: Treatment of Social Competence in Military Veterans, Service Members, and Civilians with Traumatic Brain...1Aug2014 - 31Jul2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Treatment of Social Competence in Military Veterans, Service Members, and Civilians with

  11. Subject Orientation of Teaching and Academic Subjects in the Context of Different Didactic Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. M. Osmolovskaya

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper is devoted to the research findings concerning the didactic characteristics and means of subject-oriented teaching. The research question includes the content of the general secondary education regarded as the design object. The process of selecting and structuring materials is reviewed from the theoretical standpoint, and the attempt is made to identify the ways of selecting materials for students’ learning from the social experience reflected in culture. The author introduces the concept of subject-orientation as a tool providing pedagogic adaptation of social experience in the process of teaching content development. Subject-oriented teaching is defined in the context of traditional knowledge, as well as the competence and student-oriented didac- tic approaches; the forms and means of its realization being indicated providing the new ways for introducing and understanding the educational subject. The research results can be used by the specialists in didactic, curricula developers, authors of textbooks in various subjects

  12. Family Health Strategy: assessment and reasons for searching of health service by users

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loeste de Arruda-Barbosa

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To assess the evaluation of the users regarding the family health services and identify the main reasons that led them to seek such services. Methods: A descriptive study with qualitative approach, carried out in 5 Family Health Units with 25 users of theFamily Health Strategy (FHS of the city of Crato-CE, Brazil. The study took place from March to April 2009. Semi-structured interview was applied and recorded. We used thetechnique of thematic content analysis. Results: We found that the users of the FHS have great dissatisfaction, especially on the organization and access to health services, evaluating the family health as inefficient, although bringing care closer to the population, primarily through home visits. It was clear also that there is a search to the service mainly supported by curative vision and the acquisition of medicines. Conclusions: The subjects evaluate the organization and access to healthcare services as unsatisfactory, but value the actions, when there is a bond with the health team. However, there is still demand for health services, based on the search for medicines and medical consultation. Thus, it is necessary to improve services of the Family Health Strategy in Crato, with a view to ensure quality, accessibilityand greater resolution of health services.

  13. Sleep duration, subjective sleep need, and sleep habits of 40- to 45-year-olds in the Hordaland Health Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ursin, Reidun; Bjorvatn, Bjørn; Holsten, Fred

    2005-10-01

    To report the distribution of various sleep parameters in a population-based study. Population-based cross-sectional study with self-administered questionnaires. Conducted as part of the Hordaland Health Study '97-'99 in collaboration with the Norwegian National Health Screening Service. 8860 subjects, aged 40 to 45 years, answered the sleep questionnaire part of the study. N/A. Reports on habitual bedtimes, rise times, subjective sleep need, and various sleep characteristics were used in this study. Mean (+/- SD) nocturnal sleep duration during weekdays in men was 6 hours 52 minutes (+/- 55 minutes); in women 7 hours 11 minutes (+/- 57 minutes). Mean subjective sleep need was 7 hours 16 minutes (+/- 52 minutes) in men; 7 hours 45 minutes (+/- 52 minutes) in women. Sleep duration was shorter in shift workers and longer in married subjects and in those living in rural areas. Subjective sleep need was higher in subjects reporting poor subjective health and in subjects living in rural areas. In total, these variables accounted for only around 3% of the variance in sleep duration and sleep need. Ten percent of the men and 12.2% of the women reported frequent insomnia. The wide distribution of sleep duration and subjective sleep need indicate large interindividual variations in these parameters. There were pronounced sex differences in these variables and in most of the sleep characteristics studied. Shift work, urban-rural living, marital status, and education in men were sources of significant, but small, variations in sleep duration.

  14. The effect of holiday haemodialysis treatments on patient mood, adverse symptoms and subjective wellbeing using the Big Red Kidney Bus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sims, Jane; Bennett, Paul N; Ockerby, Cherene; Ludlow, Marie; Fairbairn, Jo; Wilson, Anne; Kerr, Peter G

    2017-02-01

    People with end-stage kidney disease receiving haemodialysis are restricted to holidays where dialysis services are readily available. Holiday dialysis in regional, rural and remote areas is particularly challenging. The aims of this study were to evaluate the wellbeing of those who received dialysis in a holiday haemodialysis bus and to measure patient well-being with that of a comparable cohort of haemodialysis patients. A three machine haemodialysis bus, the Big Red Kidney Bus, was built to enable people, their families and carers to take holidays across a range of tourist destinations in Victoria, Australia. Measures included pre-post subjective well-being, dialysis symptoms and mood questionnaires complemented by post semi-structured telephone interviews. Participating holidaymakers were positive about the haemodialysis bus service and the standard of care experienced. They reported decreased dialysis side effects of fatigue, muscle cramp and dry skin. The overall number of reported symptoms decreased, and the perceived level of bother associated with symptoms also decreased. No changes in subjective well-being and mood were detected. Mean Personal Wellbeing Index scores were significantly higher than in a comparative haemodialysis sample. The Big Red Kidney Bus provided a safe and feasible holiday dialysis service. Holidaymakers' well-being was reflected by the decreased dialysis patient side effects. © 2016 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

  15. "Gaining or losing": The importance of the perspective in primary care health services valuation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Fernández, Jesús; Ariza-Cardiel, Gloria; Peña-Longobardo, Luz Mª; Polentinos-Castro, Elena; Oliva-Moreno, Juan; Gil-Lacruz, Ana Isabel; Medina-Palomino, Héctor; Del Cura-González, Isabel

    2017-01-01

    Economic theory classifies an intervention as socially beneficial if the total Willingness to Pay (WTP) of those who gain exceeds the total Willingness to accept (WTA) of those who are harmed. This paper examines the differences in health system users' valuation of a health care service in primary care setting based on the WTP and WTA perspectives, discussing the impact of personal and service variables, including risk attitudes, on these disparities. Six hundred and sixty two subjects who asked for care in health centres in the Region of Madrid (Spain) were interviewed, using the contingent valuation method to estimate WTP and WTA. Patient sociodemographic characteristics, health needs, satisfaction with the service and risk attitude and behaviour under risk (measured by self-reported scales and lottery games respectively) were collected. Generalised Linear Models were used to estimate the association between the explanatory variables and the WTA/WTP ratio. We obtained the WTA/WTP ratio for 570 subjects (mean 1.66 CI 95%: 1.53-1.79; median 1, interquartile range 1-2). People with higher education or in high social groups expressed WTA values closest to WTP. The opposite occurred in patients with the greatest health needs or who were born abroad. Self-reported expression of risk aversion appeared also related to increases in the WTA/WTP ratio. Satisfaction with the service evaluated was the most influential factor in the WTA/WTP ratio. Health need, difficulty in obtaining substitutes and satisfaction with the service could serve for profiling people averse to loss for health care services in primary care setting. Self-reported expression of risk aversion could also be related to increases in the WTA/WTP ratio. This would mean that these characteristics should be taken into account both in the design and implementation of new healthcare interventions, as in the making decision for disinvestment.

  16. "Gaining or losing": The importance of the perspective in primary care health services valuation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesús Martín-Fernández

    Full Text Available Economic theory classifies an intervention as socially beneficial if the total Willingness to Pay (WTP of those who gain exceeds the total Willingness to accept (WTA of those who are harmed. This paper examines the differences in health system users' valuation of a health care service in primary care setting based on the WTP and WTA perspectives, discussing the impact of personal and service variables, including risk attitudes, on these disparities.Six hundred and sixty two subjects who asked for care in health centres in the Region of Madrid (Spain were interviewed, using the contingent valuation method to estimate WTP and WTA. Patient sociodemographic characteristics, health needs, satisfaction with the service and risk attitude and behaviour under risk (measured by self-reported scales and lottery games respectively were collected. Generalised Linear Models were used to estimate the association between the explanatory variables and the WTA/WTP ratio.We obtained the WTA/WTP ratio for 570 subjects (mean 1.66 CI 95%: 1.53-1.79; median 1, interquartile range 1-2. People with higher education or in high social groups expressed WTA values closest to WTP. The opposite occurred in patients with the greatest health needs or who were born abroad. Self-reported expression of risk aversion appeared also related to increases in the WTA/WTP ratio. Satisfaction with the service evaluated was the most influential factor in the WTA/WTP ratio.Health need, difficulty in obtaining substitutes and satisfaction with the service could serve for profiling people averse to loss for health care services in primary care setting. Self-reported expression of risk aversion could also be related to increases in the WTA/WTP ratio. This would mean that these characteristics should be taken into account both in the design and implementation of new healthcare interventions, as in the making decision for disinvestment.

  17. Model of Emergency and Observation Nursing Services at the Community Health Center in East Java

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    Dwi Ananto Wibrata

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Public health centers as the spearhead of health services, also provide 'emergency and observation' nursing services, due to the high number of accidents in East Java. The purpose of this study was to develop the nurse's performance model in providing 'emergency and obeservation' nursing services at Puskesgadarsi ('Emergency and Observation' Community Health Center in East Java, using cross sectional design. The subjects of 120 nurses were selected by multi stage sampling technique. Data were collected through questionnaires and FGDs, and then analyzed using structural equation modeling to produce an model of ‘emergency and observation’ nursing service for nurses at Puskesgadarsi. Components of the model were reinforcing factors, personal factors, cognition factors, affection factors, commitment, interpersonal, reinforcement and nurse performance. Nurses can use this model in providing nursing services with due regard to their knowledge and skills, facilities and infrastructure, as well as interaction and self-reinforcement, so as to be able to perform nursing services 'emergency and observation' well.

  18. Perceptions towards electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation among Stop Smoking Service users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherratt, Frances C; Newson, Lisa; Marcus, Michael W; Field, John K; Robinson, Jude

    2016-05-01

    Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are promoted as smoking cessation tools, yet they remain unavailable from Stop Smoking Services in England; the debate over their safety and efficacy is ongoing. This study was designed to explore perceptions and reasons for use or non-use of electronic cigarettes as smoking cessation tools, among individuals engaged in Stop Smoking Services. Semi-structured telephone interviews were undertaken with twenty participants engaged in Stop Smoking Services in the north-west of England. Participants comprised of both individuals who had tried e-cigarettes (n = 6) and those who had not (n = 14). Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were subject to thematic analysis, which explored participants' beliefs and experiences of e-cigarettes. A thematic analysis of transcripts suggested that the following three superordinate themes were prominent: (1) self-efficacy and beliefs in e-cigarettes; (2) e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid; and (3) cues for e-cigarette use. Participants, particularly never users, were especially concerned regarding e-cigarette efficacy and safety. Overall, participants largely expressed uncertainty regarding e-cigarette safety and efficacy, with some evidence of misunderstanding. Evidence of uncertainty and misunderstanding regarding information on e-cigarettes highlights the importance of providing smokers with concise, up-to-date information regarding e-cigarettes, enabling smokers to make informed treatment decisions. Furthermore, identification of potential predictors of e-cigarette use can be used to inform Stop Smoking Services provision and future research. What is already known on this subject? Research suggests that e-cigarettes may help smokers quit smoking, but further studies are needed. Electronic cigarette use in Stop Smoking Services has increased substantially in recent years, although e-cigarettes are currently not regulated. There is debate within the

  19. Internal Audit Service | Internal Audit Service

    Science.gov (United States)

    their internal auditing function in the areas of professional excellence, quality of service and Students and teachers Media Internal Audit Service Navbar Toggle Home About the Staff Risk Assessment and Planning Internal Audit Process Search for Search Home The mission of the Fermilab Internal Audit Service

  20. The Need and Use the Rural ICT Services in Iranian Rural Areas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amir Mozafar Amini

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, Internet access and use of information resources in all human societies are experiencing a rising trend, and different communities are used each with multiple infrastructures due to the benefits of ICT. The present study was based on applied research. In this research, a hybrid approach involving quantitative methods (survey and qualitative (observation, interviews was used. Statistical population of this study consists of two parts, the first part responsible for rural ICT offices, with a population of 125 people using Cochran Formula 80 subjects were selected as first sample, and the second part of the rural of first sample villages with a population of 84,836 people using Cochran formula and randomized-comparative method were studied as second sample. The questionnaire was subjected to reliability testing by using data collection in the pilot study with Cronbach’s Alpha value 0.73 to 0.95 for all variables. SPSS statistical software was used to analysis the data. The results of the study indicate that the overall performance of the agencies providing services to the rural was lower-middle in the offices in banking services has received first place, and the final ranking in the provision of health services. The results of study showed that rural employment, level education and family size effect on the rate of rural ICT offices.