The US national isotope program: Current status and strategy for future success

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivard, Mark J.; Bobek, Leo M.; Butler, Ralph A.; Garland, Marc A.; Hill, David J.; Krieger, Jeanne K.; Muckerheide, James B.; Patton, Brad D.; Silberstein, Edward B.

2005-01-01

Since their introduction in the 1940s, peaceful use of stable isotopes and radioisotopes in the United States has expanded continuously. Today, new isotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic uses are not being developed, critical isotopes for national security are in short supply, and demand for isotopes critical to homeland security exceeds supply. While commercial suppliers, both domestic and foreign, can only meet specific needs, the nation needs a consistent, reliable supply of radioactive and stable isotopes for research, medical, security, and space power applications. The national isotope infrastructure, defined as both facilities and trained staff at national laboratories and universities, is in danger of being lost due to chronic underfunding. With the specific recommendations given herein, the US Department of Energy may realign and refocus its Isotope Program to provide a framework for a successful National Isotope Program

The Effect of Prior Task Success on Older Adults' Memory Performance: Examining the Influence of Different Types of Task Success.

Science.gov (United States)

Geraci, Lisa; Hughes, Matthew L; Miller, Tyler M; De Forrest, Ross L

2016-01-01

Negative aging stereotypes can lead older adults to perform poorly on memory tests. Yet, memory performance can be improved if older adults have a single successful experience on a cognitive test prior to participating in a memory experiment (Geraci & Miller, 2013, Psychology and Aging, 28, 340-345). The current study examined the effects of different types of prior task experience on subsequent memory performance. Before participating in a verbal free recall experiment, older adults in Experiment 1 successfully completed either a verbal or a visual cognitive task or no task. In Experiment 2, they successfully completed either a motor task or no task before participating in the free recall experiment. Results from Experiment 1 showed that relative to control (no prior task), participants who had prior success, either on a verbal or a visual task, had better subsequent recall performance. Experiment 2 showed that prior success on a motor task, however, did not lead to a later memory advantage relative to control. These findings demonstrate that older adults' memory can be improved by a successful prior task experience so long as that experience is in a cognitive domain.

Intriguing Success in 3D Seismic Acquisition in Ecologically Critical Lawachara National Park of Bangladesh

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bakht, Delawar; Siddique, Mohammad; Masud, Mohammad

2010-09-15

In-depth environmental studies were conducted in 2008 by a multi-disciplinary team of international and national specialists of SMEC International for Chevron Bangladesh for obtaining Environmental Clearance for 3D seismic acquisition in Moulvibazar Gas Field. This included Lawachara National Park which was declared as an ecologically critical area in 1996. Exclusive monitoring of potential impact mitigation mechanism identified through EIA studies resulted in to completing the project with intriguing success. This has displayed a glaring example of sharing expertise leading to successful initiative in technology transfer in the developing country like Bangladesh currently in dire quest of harnessing natural gas.

Measures of small business success/performance: Importance, reliability and usability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leković Božidar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this paper is to assess the reliability of selected measures of success/performance of small enterprises taking into account all the advantages and disadvantages of objective (traditional, financial and subjective (personal perception indicators. The realization of the basic objective will enable removal of doubt in different categories of success / performance of small businesses, which would be a secondary objective of the paper. The research methodology involves the use parametric procedures due to the characteristics of the selected variables and the number of observations in the sample. Univariate ANOVA and Pearson's coefficient correlation will be the main methods used. The basis of this study consists of data gathered from e-survey of 260 entrepreneurs/ owners/ managers of small enterprises in administrative sub-region of the Republic of Serbia. The analysis results show the correlation between subjective estimate of success of owners/ entrepreneurs/ managers and objective performance indicators, which can be characterized as complementary, meaning that subjective assessment as well as formally stated performance indicators are realistic. In addition, it is important to emphasize as an important result within the group of objective performance indicators, the differences between two groups, financial and non-financial, performance indicators.

Comparison between the Academic Performance of the National ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Comparison between the Academic Performance of the National and Regional Intake Medical Students at the University of Kordofan, Western Sudan. ... The dropout rate was 5.9% among the regional students compared to 8.9% among the national students. Conclusions: The academic performance of the national intake ...

Is a Responsive Default Mode Network Required for Successful Working Memory Task Performance?

Science.gov (United States)

Čeko, Marta; Gracely, John L.; Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Seminowicz, David A.; Schweinhardt, Petra

2015-01-01

In studies of cognitive processing using tasks with externally directed attention, regions showing increased (external-task-positive) and decreased or “negative” [default-mode network (DMN)] fMRI responses during task performance are dynamically responsive to increasing task difficulty. Responsiveness (modulation of fMRI signal by increasing load) has been linked directly to successful cognitive task performance in external-task-positive regions but not in DMN regions. To investigate whether a responsive DMN is required for successful cognitive performance, we compared healthy human subjects (n = 23) with individuals shown to have decreased DMN engagement (chronic pain patients, n = 28). Subjects performed a multilevel working-memory task (N-back) during fMRI. If a responsive DMN is required for successful performance, patients having reduced DMN responsiveness should show worsened performance; if performance is not reduced, their brains should show compensatory activation in external-task-positive regions or elsewhere. All subjects showed decreased accuracy and increased reaction times with increasing task level, with no significant group differences on either measure at any level. Patients had significantly reduced negative fMRI response (deactivation) of DMN regions (posterior cingulate/precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex). Controls showed expected modulation of DMN deactivation with increasing task difficulty. Patients showed significantly reduced modulation of DMN deactivation by task difficulty, despite their successful task performance. We found no evidence of compensatory neural recruitment in external-task-positive regions or elsewhere. Individual responsiveness of the external-task-positive ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, but not of DMN regions, correlated with task accuracy. These findings suggest that a responsive DMN may not be required for successful cognitive performance; a responsive external-task-positive network may be sufficient

Reading Strategy Use and Comprehension Performance of More Successful and Less Successful Readers: A Think-Aloud Study

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yen-Hui

2016-01-01

This study explores the differences between more successful and less successful EFL readers in their comprehension performance and abilities to use reading strategies in interaction with English texts through thinking aloud while reading in pairs. Ten freshman high school students participated in pairs in four think-aloud reading tasks to think…

Effects of Individual Success on Globally Distributed Team Performance

OpenAIRE

Yılmaz, Onur

2013-01-01

Necessity of different competencies with high level of knowledge makes it inevitable that software development is a team work. With the today's technology, teams can communicate both synchronously and asynchronously using different online collaboration tools throughout the world. Researches indicate that there are many factors that affect the team success and in this paper, effect of individual success on globally distributed team performance will be analyzed. Student team projects undertaken...

Constructing a Successful Cross-National Virtual Learning Environment in Primary and Secondary Education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ligorio, Maria Beatrice; van Veen, Klaas

2006-01-01

Virtual environments are more and more used in primary schools. One of the most interesting potentialities of these environments is to foster cross-national applications. Yet, this specific feature is not fully exploited. This paper presents a successful virtual learning environment for primary

Deconstructing national leadership: politicians' accounts of electoral success and failure in the Irish Lisbon Treaty referenda.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Michele; Stevenson, Clifford

2013-03-01

The Self Categorization approach to national leadership proposes that leaders rhetorically construct national identity as essentialized and inevitable in order to consensualize and mobilize the population. In contrast, discursive studies have demonstrated how national politicians flexibly construct the nation to manage their own accountability in local interactions, though this in turn has neglected broader leadership processes. The present paper brings both approaches together to examine how and when national politicians construct versions of national identity in order to account for their failure as well as success in mobilizing the electorate. Eight semi-structured conversational style interviews were conducted with a strategic sample of eight leading Irish politicians on the subject of the 2008/2009 Irish Lisbon Treaty referenda. Using a Critical Discourse Psychology approach, the hegemonic repertoire of the 'settled will' of the informed and consensualized Irish nation was identified across all interviews. Politicians either endorsed the 'settled will' repertoire as evidence of their successful leadership, or rejected the repertoire by denying the rationality or unity of the populace to account for their failure. Our results suggest national identity is only constructed as essentialized and inevitable to the extent that it serves a strategic political purpose. © 2011 The British Psychological Society.

Emergency Department Intubation Success With Succinylcholine Versus Rocuronium: A National Emergency Airway Registry Study.

Science.gov (United States)

April, Michael D; Arana, Allyson; Pallin, Daniel J; Schauer, Steven G; Fantegrossi, Andrea; Fernandez, Jessie; Maddry, Joseph K; Summers, Shane M; Antonacci, Mark A; Brown, Calvin A

2018-05-07

Although both succinylcholine and rocuronium are used to facilitate emergency department (ED) rapid sequence intubation, the difference in intubation success rate between them is unknown. We compare first-pass intubation success between ED rapid sequence intubation facilitated by succinylcholine versus rocuronium. We analyzed prospectively collected data from the National Emergency Airway Registry, a multicenter registry collecting data on all intubations performed in 22 EDs. We included intubations of patients older than 14 years who received succinylcholine or rocuronium during 2016. We compared the first-pass intubation success between patients receiving succinylcholine and those receiving rocuronium. We also compared the incidence of adverse events (cardiac arrest, dental trauma, direct airway injury, dysrhythmias, epistaxis, esophageal intubation, hypotension, hypoxia, iatrogenic bleeding, laryngoscope failure, laryngospasm, lip laceration, main-stem bronchus intubation, malignant hyperthermia, medication error, pharyngeal laceration, pneumothorax, endotracheal tube cuff failure, and vomiting). We conducted subgroup analyses stratified by paralytic weight-based dose. There were 2,275 rapid sequence intubations facilitated by succinylcholine and 1,800 by rocuronium. Patients receiving succinylcholine were younger and more likely to undergo intubation with video laryngoscopy and by more experienced providers. First-pass intubation success rate was 87.0% with succinylcholine versus 87.5% with rocuronium (adjusted odds ratio 0.9; 95% confidence interval 0.6 to 1.3). The incidence of any adverse event was also comparable between these agents: 14.7% for succinylcholine versus 14.8% for rocuronium (adjusted odds ratio 1.1; 95% confidence interval 0.9 to 1.3). We observed similar results when they were stratified by paralytic weight-based dose. In this large observational series, we did not detect an association between paralytic choice and first-pass rapid sequence

Some aspects of success performing in departments preparing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In France, secondary teachers are public sector employees. Becoming a language teacher in secondary education is subject to passing public competitive entry examinations. Preparation for these examinations is provided in College Departments, which are essentially assessed on the basis of their success performance in ...

NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2016

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-01

This document summarizes key highlights and performance measures relating to the National Park Service (NPS) 2016 National Transit Inventory, by presenting data for NPS transit systems and vehicles nationwide. These highlights and performance measure...

The Role of Job Performance on Career Success and Self-esteem of Staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadra Ansaripour

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Human resources are the most valuable assets to any organisation, identifying factors that affect job performance of these resources has become increasingly important. Aim: To determine the relationship between self-esteem and success with job performance in the staff of the Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences (SKUMS Headquarters, Shahrekord, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical (correlational study, based on structural equation modeling, was conducted in 2015. The study population included 240 of the staff of SKUMS Headquarters, Shahrekord, Iran. From these people, 86 were selected by simple random sampling. A questionnaire of demographic characteristics, Paterson job performance, Radsyp career success and Eysenck selfesteem questionnaire were used to evaluate the concepts of job performance, success and self-esteem. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 23.0. Results: A total of 86 out of which 49 were female (57% and 37 (43% male, with a mean age of 39.85±7.6 (range 24-55 years. There was no significant relationship between demographic characteristics and job performance, career success and selfesteem. Self-esteem could be predicted positively and career success could be predicted negatively. Job performance and selfesteem had a significant positive correlation relationship (p<0.05. Conclusion: According to the direct relationship between job performance and self-esteem in this study, officials can improve job performance of staff through supporting them and reinforcing their self-esteem and thus providing career success.

Laterality related to the successive selection of Dutch national youth soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Verbeek, Jan; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T; Jonker, Laura; Huijgen, Barbara C H; Visscher, Chris

2017-11-01

In the general population, estimates of left-foot preference are around 20%. In soccer, specific tasks create positional demands, requiring 40% of the players to be left-footed. Whether and how this is related to the selection of players is unknown. To examine the successive selection of soccer players for Dutch national youth teams in relation to foot preference, 280 youth players (age = 16.2 ± 1.08 years) were monitored from the U16 through the U19 teams over the last 5 years. No difference in successive selection between left- and right-footed players was found (p soccer teams.

Is a Responsive Default Mode Network Required for Successful Working Memory Task Performance?

Science.gov (United States)

Čeko, Marta; Gracely, John L; Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Seminowicz, David A; Schweinhardt, Petra; Bushnell, M Catherine

2015-08-19

In studies of cognitive processing using tasks with externally directed attention, regions showing increased (external-task-positive) and decreased or "negative" [default-mode network (DMN)] fMRI responses during task performance are dynamically responsive to increasing task difficulty. Responsiveness (modulation of fMRI signal by increasing load) has been linked directly to successful cognitive task performance in external-task-positive regions but not in DMN regions. To investigate whether a responsive DMN is required for successful cognitive performance, we compared healthy human subjects (n = 23) with individuals shown to have decreased DMN engagement (chronic pain patients, n = 28). Subjects performed a multilevel working-memory task (N-back) during fMRI. If a responsive DMN is required for successful performance, patients having reduced DMN responsiveness should show worsened performance; if performance is not reduced, their brains should show compensatory activation in external-task-positive regions or elsewhere. All subjects showed decreased accuracy and increased reaction times with increasing task level, with no significant group differences on either measure at any level. Patients had significantly reduced negative fMRI response (deactivation) of DMN regions (posterior cingulate/precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex). Controls showed expected modulation of DMN deactivation with increasing task difficulty. Patients showed significantly reduced modulation of DMN deactivation by task difficulty, despite their successful task performance. We found no evidence of compensatory neural recruitment in external-task-positive regions or elsewhere. Individual responsiveness of the external-task-positive ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, but not of DMN regions, correlated with task accuracy. These findings suggest that a responsive DMN may not be required for successful cognitive performance; a responsive external-task-positive network may be sufficient. We studied the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration FY 02 Revised Final Annual Performance Plan

Science.gov (United States)

2002-01-01

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) was passed by Congress and signed by the President in 1993. GPRA was enacted to improve the efficiency of all Federal agencies, with the following specific goals: (1) Improve Federal program management, effectiveness, and public accountability; (2) Improve Congressional decision making on where to commit the Nation's financial and human resources; and (3) Improve citizen confidence in government performance. GPRA directs Executive Branch agencies to develop a customer-focused strategic plan that aligns activities with concrete missions and goals. The Act directs agencies to manage and measure results to justify Congressional appropriations and authorizations. The Report Consolidation Act of 2000 directs agencies to provide a report on the degree of success in achieving the goals and performance measures defined in the strategic and performance plans one hundred and fifty days after the completion of the fiscal year.

Succession planning in hospitals and the association with organizational performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae Hyun

2012-01-01

Effective succession planning is the heart of leadership development and an essential business strategy because it enhances the ability to achieve orderly transitions and maintain productivity levels. The results of this study are consistent with previous studies that exhibit a positive association of previous years' performance with internal succession planning. The key to successful succession planning lies in building a solid foundation of profitability. Having successors ready to fill key vacancies helps improve operational condition and the bottom line, and thus, gives a competitive edge in the market. Preparing successors for leadership may determine which organizations simply survive and which thrive and lead their markets down the road.

PISA and High-Performing Education Systems: Explaining Singapore's Education Success

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Zongyi; Gopinathan, S.

2016-01-01

Singapore's remarkable performance in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has placed it among the world's high-performing education systems (HPES). In the literature on HPES, its "secret formula" for education success is explained in terms of teacher quality, school leadership, system characteristics and educational…

The critical role of nurses to the successful implementation of the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Twigg, Diane E; Duffield, Christine; Evans, Gemma

2013-09-01

The National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards requires health service compliance by 2013 and covers several areas including governance arrangements, partnerships with consumers and eight key clinical processes. Nurses in Australia comprise 62% of the hospital workforce, are the largest component and hence play a critical role in meeting these standards and improving the quality of patient care. Several of the standards are influenced by nursing interventions, which incorporate any direct-care treatment that the nurse performs for a patient that may be nurse or physician initiated. The ability for nurses to undertake these interventions is influenced by the hours of care available, the skill mix of the nursing workforce and the environment in which they practice. Taking into consideration the predicted nursing shortages, the challenge to successfully implement the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards will be great. This paper examines the role of nursing in the delivery of the National Standards, analyses the evidence with regard to nursing-sensitive outcomes and discusses the implications for health service decision makers and policy.

National trends in the usage and success of sacral nerve test stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Anne P; Anger, Jennifer T; Madison, Rodger; Saigal, Christopher S; Clemens, J Quentin

2011-03-01

Little is known about outcomes of sacral neuromodulation in the general community, with published reports to date limited to case series or randomized, controlled trials. The goal of this analysis was to identify the national sacral neuromodulation test phase success rate and patient factors that contribute to success. Medical claims data were obtained from a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries (1997 to 2007) and from employees of 25 large (Fortune 500) companies (Ingenix®, 2002 to 2007). Using billing codes for the sacral neuromodulation procedure, success was defined as progressing from test phase (percutaneous or staged) to battery implantation. The rate of success was compared based on age, race, gender and diagnosis. In the Medicare sample 358 patients received percutaneous test stimulation and 1,132 underwent 2-stage lead placement, of whom 45.8% and 35.4%, respectively, underwent subsequent battery implantation. In the privately insured sample there were 266 percutaneous procedures and 794, 2-stage procedures. Percutaneous procedures were followed by battery placement in 24.1% of cases, whereas 50.9% of staged procedures resulted in battery implantation. Gender was the only consistent predictor of success, with female patients demonstrating higher success rates in each data set. The sacral neuromodulation success rates in these data sets are inferior to those published in case series and small randomized, controlled trials. Women had significantly better results than men and privately insured individuals had better results than those with Medicare, indicating a potential age effect. Copyright © 2011 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ERP IMPLANTATION: KEY FACTORS OF SUCCESS AND IMPACT ON PERFORMANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dumitru Valentin

2008-05-01

Full Text Available The implantation of an ERP (abbreviation for "Enterprise Resource Planning" system is an enterprise project that implies the remodeling of the information system, mostly the rethinking of management procedures within the organization. The expansion and the complexity of these projects demand a theoretical framework and « optimal practices » in order to model and to evaluate the key factors of implementation success and to analyze its impact on the organization’s performance. The research problem of our communication can be divided into three research questions: - What conceptual framework for ERP implantation? - What are the key factors of success in ERP implantation? - What is the relationship between ERP implantation and enterprise performance?

[The keys to success in French Medical National Ranking Examination: Integrated training activities in teaching hospital and medical school].

Science.gov (United States)

Gillois, Pierre; Fourcot, Marie; Genty, Céline; Morand, Patrice; Bosson, Jean-Luc

2015-12-01

The National Ranking Examination (NRE) is the key to the choice of career and specialty for future physicians; it lets them choose their place of employment in a specialty and an hospital for their internship. It seems interesting to model the success factors to this exam for the medical students from Grenoble University. For each of the medical students at Grenoble University who did apply to the NRE in 2012, data have been collected about their academic background and personal details from the administration of the University. A simple logistic regression with success set as being ranked in the first 2000 students, then a polytomous logistic regression, have been performed. The 191 students in the models are 59% female, 25 years old in average (SD 1.8). The factors associated to a ranking in the first 2000 are: not repeating the PCEM1 class (odds ratio [OR] 2.63, CI95: [1.26; 5.56]), performing nurse practice during internships (OR=1.27 [1.00; 1.62]), being ranked in the first half of the class for S3 pole (OR=6.04 [1.21; 30.20] for the first quarter, OR=5.65 [1.15; 27.74] for the second quarter) and being in the first quarter at T5 pole (OR=3.42 [1.08; 10.82]). Our study finds four factors independently contributing to the success at NRE: not repeating PCEM1, performing nurse practice and being ranked in the top of the class at certain academic fields. The AUC is 0.76 and student accuracy is more than 80%. However, some items, for example repeating DCEM4 or participating in NRE mock exams, have no influence on success. A different motivation should be a part of the explanation… As these analysed data are mainly institutional, they are accurate and reliable. The polytomic logistic model, sharing 3 factors with the simple logistic model, replace a performing nurse practice factor's by a grant recipient factor. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

National diversity and NHL team performance, 2007-2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louis Moustakas

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The effects of team diversity on work performance have been extensively studied both in general and sport-specific context, often yielding mixed results. However, little research exists on the impact of that diversity in the context of ice hockey. Though the sport is not as diverse as others, such as football, it has greatly increased its global footprint over the last 20 years. This paper looks at the impact of national diversity on overall team performance. Using data from NHL teams between 2007 and 2011, national diversity on each squad is calculated in three ways: Richness, the Gini-Simpson Index and Shannon’s Entropy. Controlling for team payroll and strength of schedule, we run correlations, linear regressions, logistic regressions and ordinal regressions to assess the effect of diversity on both regular season and playoff performance. Ultimately, we find that national diversity has no significant impact on team performance. We conclude by discussing potential explanations for this finding and propose further avenues of research.

BRAVO identifies critical success factors for logistics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kokke, C.J.T.M.; Donselaar, van K.H.; Allessie, M.

1997-01-01

Good operational performance depends on knowing which operational factors are critical to success. Bravo, a research project involving 150 transport and distribution companies in The Netherlands, has developed a tool now being adopted nationally by all companies in the sector to find opportunities

Pharmacology national board examinations: factors that may influence performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Neidle, E A; Kahn, N

1977-12-01

Data from a survey of pharmacology courses in 60 dental schools were used to determine whether certain teaching variables affect performance in pharmacology National Board examinations. In addition, three-year class-averaged pharmacology scores and, rarely, one-year averaged scores were correlated with several admissions variables. While correlations between some admissions variables and pharmacology scores were quite good, the averaged pharmacology scores were not powerfully affected by course length, placement of the course in the curriculum, length of the curriculum, or the presence of a dentally trained pharmacologist in the department. It is suggested that other factors, related to the student and his capabilities, influence performance on National Boards. Dental pharmacology courses should be designed to given students the best possible exposure to an important basic science, not to make them perform well on National Boards, because student performance on National Boards may be independent of the nature of the didactic courses.

Problem-solving performance and reproductive success of great tits in urban and forest habitats.

Science.gov (United States)

Preiszner, Bálint; Papp, Sándor; Pipoly, Ivett; Seress, Gábor; Vincze, Ernő; Liker, András; Bókony, Veronika

2017-01-01

Success in problem solving, a form of innovativeness, can help animals exploit their environments, and recent research suggests that it may correlate with reproductive success. Innovativeness has been proposed to be especially beneficial in urbanized habitats, as suggested by superior problem-solving performance of urban individuals in some species. If there is stronger selection for innovativeness in cities than in natural habitats, we expect problem-solving performance to have a greater positive effect on fitness in more urbanized habitats. We tested this idea in great tits (Parus major) breeding at two urban sites and two forests by measuring their problem-solving performance in an obstacle-removal task and a food-acquisition task. Urban pairs were significantly faster problem-solvers in both tasks. Solving speed in the obstacle-removal task was positively correlated with hatching success and the number of fledglings, whereas performance in the food-acquisition task did not correlate with reproductive success. These relationships did not differ between urban and forest habitats. Neophobia, sensitivity to human disturbance, and risk taking in the presence of a predator did not explain the relationships of problem-solving performance either with habitat type or with reproductive success. Our results suggest that the benefit of innovativeness in terms of reproductive success is similar in urban and natural habitats, implying that problem-solving skills may be enhanced in urban populations by some other benefits (e.g. increased survival) or reduced costs (e.g. more opportunities to gain practice with challenging tasks).

Performance evaluation of public hospital information systems by the information system success model.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Kyoung Won; Bae, Sung-Kwon; Ryu, Ji-Hye; Kim, Kyeong Na; An, Chang-Ho; Chae, Young Moon

2015-01-01

This study was to evaluate the performance of the newly developed information system (IS) implemented on July 1, 2014 at three public hospitals in Korea. User satisfaction scores of twelve key performance indicators of six IS success factors based on the DeLone and McLean IS Success Model were utilized to evaluate IS performance before and after the newly developed system was introduced. All scores increased after system introduction except for the completeness of medical records and impact on the clinical environment. The relationships among six IS factors were also analyzed to identify the important factors influencing three IS success factors (Intention to Use, User Satisfaction, and Net Benefits). All relationships were significant except for the relationships among Service Quality, Intention to Use, and Net Benefits. The results suggest that hospitals should not only focus on systems and information quality; rather, they should also continuously improve service quality to improve user satisfaction and eventually reach full the potential of IS performance.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory DOE Site Sustainability Plan (SSP) with FY 2013 Performance Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nichols, Teresa A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lapsa, Melissa Voss [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2013-12-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is both the largest science and energy laboratory of the US Department of Energy (DOE) and one of the oldest national laboratories still operating at its original site. These characteristics provide the Sustainable Campus Initiative (SCI) both a unique opportunity and a unique challenge to integrate sustainability into facilities and activities. As outlined in this report, SCI is leveraging the outcomes of ORNL’s DOE-sponsored research and development programs to maximize the efficient use of energy and natural resources across ORNL. Wherever possible, ORNL is integrating technical innovations into new and existing facilities, systems, and processes with a widespread approach to achieving Executive Order 13514. ORNL continues to pursue and deploy innovative solutions and initiatives to advance regional, national, and worldwide sustainability and continues to transform its culture and engage employees in supporting sustainability at work, at home, and in the community. Table 1 summarizes ORNL's FY 2013 performance and planned actions to attain future goals. ORNL has achieved numerous successes during FY 2013, which are described in detail throughout this document.

National Quality Forum Colon Cancer Quality Metric Performance: How Are Hospitals Measuring Up?

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Meredith C; Chang, George J; Petersen, Laura A; Sada, Yvonne H; Tran Cao, Hop S; Chai, Christy; Berger, David H; Massarweh, Nader N

2017-12-01

To evaluate the impact of care at high-performing hospitals on the National Quality Forum (NQF) colon cancer metrics. The NQF endorses evaluating ≥12 lymph nodes (LNs), adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for stage III patients, and AC within 4 months of diagnosis as colon cancer quality indicators. Data on hospital-level metric performance and the association with survival are unclear. Retrospective cohort study of 218,186 patients with resected stage I to III colon cancer in the National Cancer Data Base (2004-2012). High-performing hospitals (>75% achievement) were identified by the proportion of patients achieving each measure. The association between hospital performance and survival was evaluated using Cox shared frailty modeling. Only hospital LN performance improved (15.8% in 2004 vs 80.7% in 2012; trend test, P fashion [0 metrics, reference; 1, hazard ratio (HR) 0.96 (0.89-1.03); 2, HR 0.92 (0.87-0.98); 3, HR 0.85 (0.80-0.90); 2 vs 1, HR 0.96 (0.91-1.01); 3 vs 1, HR 0.89 (0.84-0.93); 3 vs 2, HR 0.95 (0.89-0.95)]. Performance on metrics in combination was associated with lower risk of death [LN + AC, HR 0.86 (0.78-0.95); AC + timely AC, HR 0.92 (0.87-0.98); LN + AC + timely AC, HR 0.85 (0.80-0.90)], whereas individual measures were not [LN, HR 0.95 (0.88-1.04); AC, HR 0.95 (0.87-1.05)]. Less than half of hospitals perform well on these NQF colon cancer metrics concurrently, and high performance on individual measures is not associated with improved survival. Quality improvement efforts should shift focus from individual measures to defining composite measures encompassing the overall multimodal care pathway and capturing successful transitions from one care modality to another.

Performance outcomes and success factors of vendor managed inventory (VMI)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Claassen, M.J.T.; Weele, van A.J.; Raaij, van E.M.

2008-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to seek to investigate performance outcomes of vendor managed inventory (VMI) from a buyer's perspective and enablers for its successful application. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modelling through Partial Least Squares (PLS) is used to

What governs successful performance of a complex whole body movement: The Kovacs release-regrasp on horizontal bar?

Science.gov (United States)

Hiley, Michael J; Yeadon, Maurice R

2016-12-08

The Kovacs is a release and regrasp skill performed on the horizontal bar in men׳s artistic gymnastics. It is a popular skill in elite competitive gymnastics with over 40% of male gymnasts performing a variation of the Kovacs at the London 2012 Olympics. In the qualifying competition 84% of Kovacs were successfully regrasped, with the remaining 16% resulting in a fall. The aim of the present study was to determine why some gymnasts are more successful than others at regrasping the bar, with a secondary aim to determine how a less successful gymnast could alter his technique in order to become more successful. Nine performances of the Kovacs by each of two gymnasts, one 100% successful and one 11% successful, were analysed to determine differences in release and regrasp parameters. The technique of the less successful gymnast was optimised using a computer simulation model to increase the percentage of catches (success rate). The successful gymnast had larger and more consistent release windows and a radial velocity towards the bar at regrasp. The less successful gymnast had higher horizontal velocity at release and a mean radial velocity away from the bar at regrasp. Optimising his simulated technique increased the rate of success from 11% to 93%. The actions prior to release were performed earlier than in the recorded performances leading to a more vertical path of the mass centre at release and a radial velocity towards the bar at regrasp. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Spoonful of Success: Undergraduate Tutor-Tutee Interactions and Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Marx, Jonathan; Wolf, Michelle G.; Howard, Kimberly

2016-01-01

We explore how the dynamics of the tutor-tutee relationship influence students' self-reliance and, ultimately, course performance. We examine 333 tutor and tutee pairs at a student success center at a public, comprehensive, university attended by approximately 5,000 undergraduates enrolled in more than 60 courses during spring 2015. The results…

Simulation Performance and National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses Outcomes: Field Research Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Brackney, Dana E; Lane, Susan Hayes; Dawson, Tyia; Koontz, Angie

2017-11-01

This descriptive field study examines processes used to evaluate simulation for senior-level Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students in a capstone course, discusses challenges related to simulation evaluation, and reports the relationship between faculty evaluation of student performance and National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) first-time passing rates. Researchers applied seven terms used to rank BSN student performance (n = 41, female, ages 22-24 years) in a senior-level capstone simulation. Faculty evaluation was correlated with students' NCLEX-RN outcomes. Students evaluated as "lacking confidence" and "flawed" were less likely to pass the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt. Faculty evaluation of capstone simulation performance provided additional evidence of student preparedness for practice in the RN role, as evidenced by the relationship between the faculty assessment and NCLEX-RN success. Simulation has been broadly accepted as a powerful educational tool that may also contribute to verification of student achievement of program outcomes and readiness for the RN role.

Employee performance in the knowledge economy: Capturing the keys to success

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca Fauth

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Rebecca Fauth1, Stephen Bevan1, Peter Mills2,31The Work Foundation, London, UK; 2CIGNA, London, UK; 3The Whittington Hospital, London, UKAbstract: The present study examines the key determinants of employee performance in a knowledge-intensive service firm located in the UK. Using data from a pilot study, we mapped eight performance-related behaviors to two measures of global performance to isolate the strongest predictors of the latter. We also examined the degree to which these associations varied depending on whether employees or their managers reported on performance as well as according to the degree of complexity (eg, ongoing learning, multitasking, problem solving, etc. present in workers’ jobs. Findings revealed that more traditional employee performance-related behaviors (eg, dependability as well as behaviors that have likely increased in importance in the knowledge economy (eg, sharing ideas and information accounted for the most variance in reported global performance. Sharing ideas and information was a particularly important predictor for workers in complex jobs. When the performance-related behaviors were regressed on the organization’s annual employee appraisal ratings, only dependability and time management behaviors were significantly associated with the outcome. As organizational success increasingly is dependent on intangible inputs stemming from the ideas, innovations and creativity of its workforce, organizations need to ensure that they are capturing the full range of behaviors that help to define their success. Further research with a diverse range of organizations will help defi ne this further.Keywords: employee performance, knowledge economy, job complexity

Predictors of Success on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses among Transfer BSN Students

Science.gov (United States)

Fortier, Mary E.

2010-01-01

This quantitative research study (N=175) examined predictors of first time success on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) among transfer students in a baccalaureate degree program (BSN). The predictors were chosen after an extensive literature review yielded few studies related to this population. Benner's…

The Impact of NFL Salary Cap Concentration on Team Success

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Timothy E. Zimmer

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The paper empirically tests National League Football (NFL team data from 2000 through 2009 to ascertain factors of team performance. Of particular interest is the assessment of payroll distribution on team performance. The results indicate that the salary concentration has a non-linear influence on team performance. Success in the NFL can be best achieved at either extreme of low or high salary concentrations. A threshold of team talent must be assembled before on field success is achieved. Acquiring elite talent, especially at the quarterback position, is likely the best alternative to achieve high levels of team performance. It is further shown that larger markets have a positive performance bias which suggests an ability to more easily acquire better player talent. The results indicate that NFL salary distribution has an impact on team success, and that it is preferable to acquire fewer elite players than many good players.

Driven by fear: the effect of success and failure information on passionate individuals' performance.

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Bélanger, Jocelyn J; Lafrenière, Marc-André K; Vallerand, Robert J; Kruglanski, Arie W

2013-01-01

Four studies investigated the impact of success and failure information on passionate individuals' performance. Obsessive passion, characterized by a rigid and defensive mode of functioning, predicted greater performance in domains both related and unrelated to the passionate activity in response to exposure to failure information. Conversely, harmonious passion, characterized by a flexible, nondefensive mode of functioning, was found to be unaffected by success or failure information. These performance effects were deeply ingrained, did not require conscious thought, and were automatically activated after unconscious exposure to failure-related words. In addition, the present research evinced that following failure information, obsessive passion predicted increases of performance through its effect on fear of failure. However, performance augmented only when the performance task was framed in such a way that failure would entail important negative consequences for the self and not when framed as inconsequential.

Economic Performance Analysis of National Research and Development Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, S. S.; Yun, S. W.; Kim, S. E. [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

There are a lot of differences between these two evaluation programs in terms of their main objectives, assessment items, and evaluation methods by item. When considering the recent evaluation trend of being more concerned with the objective and scientifically well-founded base of judgment than the qualitative results data, there seems to be much supplement and improvement points in both evaluation programs. Firstly, the MSIP's evaluation program which is known as 'The performance analysis of national R and D program in Korea is applying the principle of ex-post evaluation for the overall performances of R and D activities focusing on the scientific and technological outputs, economic effects, and social performances such as the training of science and engineering personnel. Its report has been done and published by the collaboration of MSIP and KISTEP(Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning). There seems to be a trend that the economic contributions to the national economy and the industries by national R and D projects have been underestimated due to the difficulties of not presenting properly the reliable quantitative effects even though they have contributed not only to the real economy and economic growth but to the industrial productions and public benefits. The key reasons to this phenomenon might be the deficiency of perception for evaluation tools and methodologies development and the original difficulty of evaluation for R and D performances. Especially the evaluation results for national R and D projects could impact on the investment decision on the long-term national R and D program, with being based on the investment efficiency or the necessity and urgency which might be represented by evaluation results.

Economic Performance Analysis of National Research and Development Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S. S.; Yun, S. W.; Kim, S. E.

2016-01-01

There are a lot of differences between these two evaluation programs in terms of their main objectives, assessment items, and evaluation methods by item. When considering the recent evaluation trend of being more concerned with the objective and scientifically well-founded base of judgment than the qualitative results data, there seems to be much supplement and improvement points in both evaluation programs. Firstly, the MSIP's evaluation program which is known as 'The performance analysis of national R and D program in Korea is applying the principle of ex-post evaluation for the overall performances of R and D activities focusing on the scientific and technological outputs, economic effects, and social performances such as the training of science and engineering personnel. Its report has been done and published by the collaboration of MSIP and KISTEP(Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning). There seems to be a trend that the economic contributions to the national economy and the industries by national R and D projects have been underestimated due to the difficulties of not presenting properly the reliable quantitative effects even though they have contributed not only to the real economy and economic growth but to the industrial productions and public benefits. The key reasons to this phenomenon might be the deficiency of perception for evaluation tools and methodologies development and the original difficulty of evaluation for R and D performances. Especially the evaluation results for national R and D projects could impact on the investment decision on the long-term national R and D program, with being based on the investment efficiency or the necessity and urgency which might be represented by evaluation results

Business process re-engineering in the logistics industry: a study of implementation, success factors, and performance

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Shen, Chien-wen; Chou, Ching-Chih

2010-02-01

As business process re-engineering (BPR) is an important foundation to ensure the success of enterprise systems, this study would like to investigate the relationships among BPR implementation, BPR success factors, and business performance for logistics companies. Our empirical findings show that BPR companies outperformed non-BPR companies, not only on information processing, technology applications, organisational structure, and co-ordination, but also on all of the major logistics operations. Comparing the different perceptions of the success factors for BPR, non-BPR companies place greater emphasis on the importance of employee involvement while BPR companies are more concerned about the influence of risk management. Our findings also suggest that management attitude towards BPR success factors could affect performance with regard to technology applications and logistics operations. Logistics companies which have not yet implemented the BPR approach could refer to our findings to evaluate the advantages of such an undertaking and to take care of those BPR success factors affecting performance before conducting BPR projects.

National Intelligence and Personality: Their Relationships and Impact on National Economic Success

Science.gov (United States)

Stolarski, Maciej; Zajenkowski, Marcin; Meisenberg, Gerhard

2013-01-01

The relationships between national personality traits and intelligence from 51 countries were examined. It was found that extraversion, openness to experience and agreeableness measured at the national level were significantly and positively correlated with national IQs; however, in the regression model only the former two were marginally…

Perception survey on the introduction of clinical performance examination as part of the national nursing licensing examination in Korea

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Su Jin Shin

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyze opinions about the action plan for implementation of clinical performance exam as part of the national nursing licensing examination and presents the expected effects of the performance exam and aspects to consider regarding its implementation. Methods This study used a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected by a questionnaire survey, while qualitative data were collected by focus group interviews with experts. The survey targeted 200 nursing professors and clinical nurses with more than 5 years of work experience, and the focus group interviews were conducted with 28 of professors, clinical instructors, and nurses at hospitals. Results First, nursing professors and clinical specialists agreed that the current written tests have limitations in evaluating examinees’ ability, and that the introduction of a clinical performance exam will yield positive results. Clinical performance exam is necessary to evaluate and improve nurses’ work ability, which means that the implementation of a performance exam is advisable if its credibility and validity can be verified. Second, most respondents chose direct performance exams using simulators or standardized patients as the most suitable format of the test. Conclusion In conclusion, the current national nursing licensing exam is somewhat limited in its ability to identify competent nurses. Thus, the time has come for us to seriously consider the introduction of a performance exam. The prerequisites for successfully implementing clinical performance exam as part of the national nursing licensing exam are a professional training process and forming a consortium to standardize practical training.

A Study of Factors Related to Success in Nursing Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Mamantov, C. B.; Wyatt, W. W.

1978-01-01

Examines the relationship between selected variables in the student's background and success in nursing chemistry and the relationship between the student's performance on the American Chemical Society's Cooperative Examination and the Chemistry Achievement Examination of the National League for Nursing. (CP)

The GMAT as a Predictor of MBA Performance: Less Success than Meets the Eye

Science.gov (United States)

Kass, Darrin; Grandzol, Christian; Bommer, William

2012-01-01

Consistent with previous research, the authors found that the combined use of undergraduate grade point average and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) verbal and quantitative sections successfully predicted performance in a master of business administration (MBA) program. However, these measures did not successfully predict the…

Network Characteristics of Successful Performance in Association Football. A Study on the UEFA Champions League

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Tiago J. Pina

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The synergistic interaction between teammates in association football has properties that can be captured by Social Network Analysis (SNA. The analysis of networks formed by team players passing a ball in a match shows that team success is correlated with high network density and clustering coefficient, as well as with reduced network centralization. However, oversimplification needs to be avoided, as network metrics events associated with success should not be considered equally to those that are not. In the present study, we investigated whether network density, clustering coefficient and centralization can predict successful or unsuccessful team performance. We analyzed 12 games of the Group Stage of UEFA Champions League 2015/2016 Group C by using public records from TV broadcasts. Notational analyses were performed to categorize attacking sequences as successful or unsuccessful, and to collect data on the ball-passing networks. The network metrics were then computed. A hierarchical logistic-regression model was used to predict the successfulness of the offensive plays from network density, clustering coefficient and centralization, after controlling for the effect of total passes on successfulness of offensive plays. Results confirmed the independent effect of network metrics. Density, but not clustering coefficient or centralization, was a significant predictor of the successfulness of offensive plays. We found a negative relation between density and successfulness of offensive plays. However, reduced density was associated with a higher number of offensive plays, albeit mostly unsuccessful. Conversely, high density was associated with a lower number of successful offensive plays (SOPs, but also with overall fewer offensive plays and “ball possession losses” before the attacking team entered the finishing zone. Independent SNA of team performance is important to minimize the limitations of oversimplifying effective team synergies.

Environmental restoration baselining as a means of successful performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fourr, B.R.; Pilo, M.A.; Hastings, K.R.

1994-01-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Environmental Restoration (ER) Program is a success story for the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management Program (DOE-EM) with 9 Records of Decision (ROD's) signed, 5 CERCLA Interim Actions complete or in progress, 8 Expedited Removal Actions either planned, complete or in progress, and cleanup activity underway at over 60 percent of the 88 operable units. More than 50% of Idaho's budget for Fiscal Year (FY94) is targeted for cleanup activities, and starting in FY95, more than twice as much will be spent on cleanup as assessment. The INEL ER Program can serve as a model for other EM programs striving to meet the goals of the EM Strategic Plan. An important factor in the INEL success story is the work planning which takes place each year to integrate the DOE-EM budget process, the legal requirements of the Federal Facilities Agreement and Consent Order (FFA/CO), and the interests of stakeholders. This integration is no small task given that Activity Data Sheets (ADS), which are DOE-EM's primary budget document are prepared and submitted to DOE Headquarters (DOE-HQ) about 18 months prior to the start of the budget year. The ADS form the basis of budget negotiations between DOE-EM, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congress. Actual funding is not known until the start of the fiscal year

Levels of Management Commitment: A Moderator the Structural Relationships among Critical Success Factors of TQM, World-Class Performance in Operations, and Company Financial Performance

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Wakhid Slamet Ciptono

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the moderating impacts of the three levels of management commitment (top, middle, and low levels on the structural relationships among the constructs— six critical success factors of TQM (quality improvement program, supervisory leadership, supplier involvement, management commitment, training to improve products/services, cross-functional relationships; world-class performance in operations (world-class company practices, operational excellence practices, company non-financial performance; and company financial performance. It uses a sample of 1,332 managers in 140 strategic business units (SBUs within 49 oil and gas companies in Indonesia. The empirical results indicate that the goodness-of-fit of the unconstrained model is much better than that of the constrained model, and this is an indicative that the three level of management moderates the structural relationships among the constructs. Those are, three levels of management act as a moderator variable between critical success factors of TQM, world-class company practices, operational excellence practices, company non-financial performance, and company financial performance. Results further reveal that world-class performances in operations (world-class company practices, operational excellence practices, and company non-financial performance were positively mediated the impact of critical success factors of TQM on company financial performance. Results also point out that five of six critical success factors of TQM positively associated with world-class company practices and operational excellence practices under the three levels of management (top, middle, low. World-class company practices and operational excellence practices have direct and significant effects on company non-financial performance (productivity, operational reliability. Furthermore, empirical results suggest that there is a positive and significant relationship between company non

Importance and performance evaluation tools for small and medium companies: critical analysis of national versus international literature

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Sandro César Bortoluzzi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The research aims to map the importance and performance evaluation tools for small and medium companies. This descriptive and qualitative study analyzed 33 national articles and 21 international ones. Regarding the importance of performance evaluation for small and medium companies, the literature highlights: (i it increases the success of the network; (ii it is useful for management; (iii it strengthens competitiveness; (iv it consolidates cooperation; and, (v it increases trust among partners. Comparing the national versus international literature on the importance of performance evaluation for small and medium companies, it can be noticed similar and complementary aspects, that is, there is not disagreement between the authors. The authors use tools consolidated in the literature, such as Balanced Scorecard; Benchmarking; Performance Prism and tools proposed specifically to evaluate small and medium networks. The main dimensions evaluated are: (i exchange of information; (ii value management in networks; (Iii level of network maturity; (iv benefits of collaboration; (v social capital; (vi collective efficiency; (vii network life cycle; (viii efficiency and inefficiency of the networks; and, (ix existence and intensity of the relationship between partners. The critical analysis regarding the performance evaluation concept adopted in the present study shows that the tools proposed or implemented to evaluate small and medium business networks have gaps in the process to identify criteria, measure ordinal and cardinally, integrate and generate actions of improvement.

Critical success factors for TQM implementation and their impact on performance of SMEs

OpenAIRE

Salaheldin, S.I.

2009-01-01

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical success factors of TQM implementation, to evaluate their impact on the primary measures as expressed by the operational performance and the secondary measures as expressed by the organizational performance, and to find out the effect of the operational performance on the organizational performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Qatari industrial sector using the structured equation modeling (SEM) ap...

An extensible and successful method of identifying collaborators for National Library of Medicine informationist projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Jeff D; Rambo, Neil H

2015-07-01

The New York University (NYU) Health Sciences Library used a new method to arrange in-depth discussions with basic science researchers. The objective was to identify collaborators for a new National Library of Medicine administrative supplement. The research took place at the NYU Health Sciences Library. Using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePORTER, forty-four researchers were identified and later contacted through individualized emails. Nine researchers responded to the email followed by six in-person or phone discussions. At the conclusion of this process, two researchers submitted applications for supplemental funding, and both of these applications were successful. This method confirmed these users could benefit from the skills and knowledge of health sciences librarians, but they are largely unaware of this.

76 FR 52548 - National Veterinary Accreditation Program; Currently Accredited Veterinarians Performing...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-23

.... APHIS-2006-0093] RIN 0579-AC04 National Veterinary Accreditation Program; Currently Accredited... accredited in the National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP) may continue to perform accredited duties..., 2011. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Todd Behre, National Veterinary Accreditation Program, VS...

A National Initiative to Advance School Mental Health Performance Measurement in the US

Science.gov (United States)

Connors, Elizabeth Halsted; Stephan, Sharon Hoover; Lever, Nancy; Ereshefsky, Sabrina; Mosby, Amanda; Bohnenkamp, Jill

2016-01-01

Standardized health performance measurement has increasingly become an imperative for assuring quality standards in national health care systems. As compared to somatic health performance measures, behavioral health performance measures are less developed. There currently is no national standardized performance measurement system for monitoring…

Human performance for the success of equipment reliability programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodcock, J.

2007-01-01

Human performance is a critical element of programs directed at equipment reliability. Reliable equipment performance requires broad support from all levels of plant management and throughout all plant departments. Experience at both nuclear power plants and fuel manufacturing plants shows that human performance must be addressed during all phases of program implementation from the beginning through the establishment of a living, on-going process. At the beginning, certain organizational and management actions during the initiation of the program set the stage for successful adoption by station personnel, leading to more rapid benefits. For the long term, equipment reliability is a living process needed throughout the lifetime of a station, a program which must be motivated and measured. Sustained acceptance and participation by the plant personnel is a requirement, and culture is a key ingredient. This paper will provide an overview of key human performance issues to be considered, using the application of the INPO AP-913 Equipment Reliability Guideline as a basis and gives some best practices for training, communicating and implementing programs. The very last part includes ways to tell if the program is effective

Success in Science, Success in Collaboration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnston, Mariann R. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-08-25

This is a series of four different scientific problems which were resolved through collaborations. They are: "Better flow cytometry through novel focusing technology", "Take Off^®: Helping the Agriculture Industry Improve the Viability of Sustainable, Large-Production Crops", "The National Institutes of Health's Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study (MIDAS)", and "Expanding the capabilities of SOLVE/RESOLVE through the PHENIX Consortium." For each one, the problem is listed, the solution, advantages, bottom line, then information about the collaboration including: developing the technology, initial success, and continued success.

Risk and Performance Technologies: Identifying the Keys to Successful Implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClain, Lynn; Smith, Art; O'Regan, Patrick

2002-01-01

The nuclear power industry has been utilizing risk and performance based technologies for over thirty years. Applications of these technologies have included risk assessment (e.g. Individual Plant Examinations), burden reduction (e.g. Risk-Informed Inservice Inspection, RI-ISI) and risk management (Maintenance Rule, 10CFR50.65). Over the last five to ten years the number of risk-informed (RI) burden reduction initiatives has increased. Unfortunately, the efficiencies of some of these applications have been questionable. This paper investigates those attributes necessary to support successful, cost-effective RI-applications. The premise to this paper is that by understanding the key attributes that support one successful application, insights can be gleaned that will streamline/coordinate future RI-applications. This paper is an extension to a paper presented at the Pressure Vessel and Piping (PVP-2001) Conference. In that paper, a number issues and opportunities were identified that needed to be assessed in order to support future (and efficient) RI-applications. It was noted in the paper that a proper understanding and resolution of these issues will facilitate implementation of risk and performance technology in the operation, maintenance and design disciplines. In addition, it will provide the foundation necessary to support regulatory review and approval. (authors)

Wisdom from Conservatory Faculty: Insights on Success in Classical Music Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Jarvin, Linda; Subotnik, Rena F.

2010-01-01

What does it take to become a successful performer of Western classical music in the United States today? What factors, beyond technical proficiency and musicality, come into play? We started exploring these questions in a study of gatekeepers' (e.g., critics, artistic directors) views on key variables that contribute to the career trajectories of…

Predictors of science success: The impact of motivation and learning strategies on college chemistry performance

Science.gov (United States)

Obrentz, Shari B.

As the number of college students studying science continues to grow, it is important to identify variables that predict their success. The literature indicates that motivation and learning strategy use facilitate science success. Research findings show these variables can change throughout a semester and differ by performance level, gender and ethnicity. However, significant predictors of performance vary by research study and by group. The current study looks beyond the traditional predictors of grade point averages, SAT scores and completion of advanced placement (AP) chemistry to consider a comprehensive set of variables not previously investigated within the same study. Research questions address the predictive ability of motivation constructs and learning strategies for success in introductory college chemistry, how these variables change throughout a semester, and how they differ by performance level, gender and ethnicity. Participants were 413 introductory college chemistry students at a highly selective university in the southeast. Participants completed the Chemistry Motivation Questionnaire (CMQ) and Learning Strategies section of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) three times during the semester. Self-efficacy, effort regulation, assessment anxiety and previous achievement were significant predictors of chemistry course success. Levels of motivation changed with significant decreases in self-efficacy and increases in personal relevance and assessment anxiety. Learning strategy use changed with significant increases in elaboration, critical thinking, metacognitive self-regulation skills and peer learning, and significant decreases in time and study management and effort regulation. High course performers reported the highest levels of motivation and learning strategy use. Females reported lower intrinsic motivation, personal relevance, self-efficacy and critical thinking, and higher assessment anxiety, rehearsal and organization

Successful Skill Transfer: Military Service Experience and Company Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammed Kürşad Özlen

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In today’s business life, employees from different sectors have the opportunity to work in other industries and can have different positions through the organization. This can be considered from the perspective of skill transfer (transfer of tacit knowledge. The success can be questioned in terms of company performance. If this process can be managed well performance will be higher. This research mainly aims to identify whether veterans with military service experience can contribute to employee motivation, organizational motivation and organizational benefits. In order to test the assumed associations, the research employs a survey study on the veterans who have served for Bosnian army and are currently employees of Bosnian firms. The results provide that military service experience is significantly influential on the motivations of employees and organizations and on company performance. It can be suggested that the adaptation of external knowledge (skill transfer, military service experience, into new organizational environment can be enhanced by the help of knowledge management. This research is valuable in that it is among the few studies in its respective field and in the region.

The National Technical Association: A Hallmark for Access and Success

Science.gov (United States)

Jearld, A., Jr.

2017-12-01

Minority Technical Organizations (MTO) are under-utilized as a valuable resource that can help develop the next generation of scientists and engineers. For over 90 years, the National Technical Association (NTA) (www.ntaonline.org) has been the premiere technical association for scientists, engineers, architects, technologist, educators, and technical business entrepreneurs for people of color, offering professional development, mentoring and awards recognition to technical professionals. NTA and its partners are developing a diverse workforce by emphasizing enhanced access opportunities to skills development for youth among underrepresented STEM populations. Established in 1925 by Charles Summer Duke, the first African American to receive an engineering degree from Harvard University, NTA served as the model organization for more than 40 other minority technical organizations that began forming in the 1970's. NTA has served as consultants to the US government on the status of African Americans in science and engineering. The first technical organization to establish community based technical mentoring programs targeting minorities, NTA shares information and assists institutions in identifying minority talent. Members developed the first science and engineering curriculum at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's), and are working to produce more students with geoscience degrees to ensure greater career placement with increased minority participation in the geosciences. NTA addresses the lack of access, support, and the need for networking through the longest running annual conference for technical practitioners of color. A hallmark of NTA has been access and success through inter-organizational collaborations with communities of scholars, highly experienced professionals and students to discuss the definition of what is successful geoscience education, research, and employment.

Culture Matters in Successful Curriculum Change: An International Study of the Influence of National and Organizational Culture Tested With Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Jippes, Mariëlle; Driessen, Erik W; Broers, Nick J; Majoor, Gerard D; Gijselaers, Wim H; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2015-07-01

National culture has been shown to play a role in curriculum change in medical schools, and business literature has described a similar influence of organizational culture on change processes in organizations. This study investigated the impact of both national and organizational culture on successful curriculum change in medical schools internationally. The authors tested a literature-based conceptual model using multilevel structural equation modeling. For the operationalization of national and organizational culture, the authors used Hofstede's dimensions of culture and Quinn and Spreitzer's competing values framework, respectively. To operationalize successful curriculum change, the authors used two derivates: medical schools' organizational readiness for curriculum change developed by Jippes and colleagues, and change-related behavior developed by Herscovitch and Meyer. The authors administered a questionnaire in 2012 measuring the described operationalizations to medical schools in the process of changing their curriculum. Nine hundred ninety-one of 1,073 invited staff members from 131 of 345 medical schools in 56 of 80 countries completed the questionnaire. An initial poor fit of the model improved to a reasonable fit by two suggested modifications which seemed theoretically plausible. In sum, characteristics of national culture and organizational culture, such as a certain level of risk taking, flexible policies and procedures, and strong leadership, affected successful curriculum change. National and organizational culture influence readiness for change in medical schools. Therefore, medical schools considering curriculum reform should anticipate the potential impact of national and organizational culture.

Performing the nation between us: urban photographic sets with young migrants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tania Rossetto

2015-08-01

Full Text Available First developed during the 1990s, the transnational paradigm in the study of migration has been associated with the notions of displacement, deterritorialisation and frictionless-ness. In more recent times, there has been a growing tendency to spatially ground transnational studies by locating and emplacing transnational practices. The emergence of the so-called transnational urbanism has led to a prolific urban stream within transnational research. With respect to the growing diversity of Western societies, this literature has tended to emphasise the potentialities of the city as the location of lived diversity, sharing, dynamism, vibrancy and encounter, in contrast to the deficiencies of the nation, identified with formal politics, discourse and ideology, singular belonging, fixity and constraint. Against this narrative of the city/nation divide, this article draws attention to the alternative conceptualisations of the nation that have emerged in recent debates and have embraced local, material and agency-based, rather than discursively-oriented approaches to the nation. As well as the city/nation divide, a progressive idea of the nation as shared experiences is analysed within an urban performance project which involved young migrants in the city of Padua (Italy during winter 2013. These performances are read from the particular perspective of the scale debate, suggesting that, through the performance of urban heritage sites, those migrants physically and emotionally locate themselves within the hosting nation. Finally, I discuss this scalar shift and I propose extrapolating the concept of the “urban unconscious” to the national level, thus suggesting a way to think about the nation as a frame of co-existence and not as an identity bond.

Methods to stimulate national and sub-national benchmarking through international health system performance comparisons: a Canadian approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Veillard, Jeremy; Moses McKeag, Alexandra; Tipper, Brenda; Krylova, Olga; Reason, Ben

2013-09-01

This paper presents, discusses and evaluates methods used by the Canadian Institute for Health Information to present health system performance international comparisons in ways that facilitate their understanding by the public and health system policy-makers and can stimulate performance benchmarking. We used statistical techniques to normalize the results and present them on a standardized scale facilitating understanding of results. We compared results to the OECD average, and to benchmarks. We also applied various data quality rules to ensure the validity of results. In order to evaluate the impact of the public release of these results, we used quantitative and qualitative methods and documented other types of impact. We were able to present results for performance indicators and dimensions at national and sub-national levels; develop performance profiles for each Canadian province; and show pan-Canadian performance patterns for specific performance indicators. The results attracted significant media attention at national level and reactions from various stakeholders. Other impacts such as requests for additional analysis and improvement in data timeliness were observed. The methods used seemed attractive to various audiences in the Canadian context and achieved the objectives originally defined. These methods could be refined and applied in different contexts. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Europe’s Elite Football: Financial Growth, Sporting Success, Transfer Investment, and Private Majority Investors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc Rohde

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Europe’s elite football clubs are a small group of about 30 clubs mostly originating from the Big Five leagues in England, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France. These clubs top Deloitte’s Football Money League ranking Europe’s top football clubs by revenues. They also win the vast majority of national and European football competitions, and account for the major share of FIFA World Cup appearances. Nevertheless, empirical analyses studying the antecedents of financial success of this peculiar sample are rare. This paper extends previous research by building an empirical model of financial performance and applying it to a unique, high-quality dataset of the top 30 EU football clubs by club revenues analyzed over ten consecutive seasons from 2004 to 2013. Fixed effects models are performed to account for time trends and club fixed effects. The results show that financial success is driven by national and international sporting success, as well as brand value; sporting success is driven by team investments, and team investments tend to be driven by (foreign private majority investors.

Success rates for computed tomography-guided musculoskeletal biopsies performed using a low-dose technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motamedi, Kambiz; Levine, Benjamin D.; Seeger, Leanne L.; McNitt-Gray, Michael F.

2014-01-01

To evaluate the success rate of a low-dose (50 % mAs reduction) computed tomography (CT) biopsy technique. This protocol was adopted based on other successful reduced-CT radiation dose protocols in our department, which were implemented in conjunction with quality improvement projects. The technique included a scout view and initial localizing scan with standard dose. Additional scans obtained for further guidance or needle adjustment were acquired by reducing the tube current-time product (mAs) by 50 %. The radiology billing data were searched for CT-guided musculoskeletal procedures performed over a period of 8 months following the initial implementation of the protocol. These were reviewed for the type of procedure and compliance with the implemented protocol. The compliant CT-guided biopsy cases were then retrospectively reviewed for patient demographics, tumor pathology, and lesion size. Pathology results were compared to the ultimate diagnoses and were categorized as diagnostic, accurate, or successful. Of 92 CT-guided procedures performed during this period, two were excluded as they were not biopsies (one joint injection and one drainage), 19 were excluded due to non-compliance (operators neglected to follow the protocol), and four were excluded due to lack of available follow-up in our electronic medical records. A total of 67 compliant biopsies were performed in 63 patients (two had two biopsies, and one had three biopsies). There were 32 males and 31 females with an average age of 50 (range, 15-84 years). Of the 67 biopsies, five were non-diagnostic and inaccurate and thus unsuccessful (7 %); five were diagnostic but inaccurate and thus unsuccessful (7 %); 57 were diagnostic and accurate thus successful (85 %). These results were comparable with results published in the radiology literature. The success rate of CT-guided biopsies using a low-dose protocol is comparable to published rates for conventional dose biopsies. The implemented low-dose protocol

Success rates for computed tomography-guided musculoskeletal biopsies performed using a low-dose technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Motamedi, Kambiz; Levine, Benjamin D.; Seeger, Leanne L.; McNitt-Gray, Michael F. [UCLA Health System, Radiology, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

2014-11-15

To evaluate the success rate of a low-dose (50 % mAs reduction) computed tomography (CT) biopsy technique. This protocol was adopted based on other successful reduced-CT radiation dose protocols in our department, which were implemented in conjunction with quality improvement projects. The technique included a scout view and initial localizing scan with standard dose. Additional scans obtained for further guidance or needle adjustment were acquired by reducing the tube current-time product (mAs) by 50 %. The radiology billing data were searched for CT-guided musculoskeletal procedures performed over a period of 8 months following the initial implementation of the protocol. These were reviewed for the type of procedure and compliance with the implemented protocol. The compliant CT-guided biopsy cases were then retrospectively reviewed for patient demographics, tumor pathology, and lesion size. Pathology results were compared to the ultimate diagnoses and were categorized as diagnostic, accurate, or successful. Of 92 CT-guided procedures performed during this period, two were excluded as they were not biopsies (one joint injection and one drainage), 19 were excluded due to non-compliance (operators neglected to follow the protocol), and four were excluded due to lack of available follow-up in our electronic medical records. A total of 67 compliant biopsies were performed in 63 patients (two had two biopsies, and one had three biopsies). There were 32 males and 31 females with an average age of 50 (range, 15-84 years). Of the 67 biopsies, five were non-diagnostic and inaccurate and thus unsuccessful (7 %); five were diagnostic but inaccurate and thus unsuccessful (7 %); 57 were diagnostic and accurate thus successful (85 %). These results were comparable with results published in the radiology literature. The success rate of CT-guided biopsies using a low-dose protocol is comparable to published rates for conventional dose biopsies. The implemented low-dose protocol

Peers, Pressure, and Performance at the National Spelling Bee

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jonathan

2013-01-01

This paper investigates how individuals' performances of a cognitive task in a high-pressure competition are affected by their peers' performances. To do so, I use novel data from the National Spelling Bee, in which students attempt to spell words correctly in a tournament setting. Across OLS and instrumental variables approaches, I…

Learning and Study Strategies Inventory subtests and factors as predictors of National Board of Chiropractic Examiners Part 1 examination performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Schutz, Christine M; Dalton, Leanne; Tepe, Rodger E

2013-01-01

This study was designed to extend research on the relationship between chiropractic students' learning and study strategies and national board examination performance. Sixty-nine first trimester chiropractic students self-administered the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI). Linear trends tests (for continuous variables) and Mantel-Haenszel trend tests (for categorical variables) were utilized to determine if the 10 LASSI subtests and 3 factors predicted low, medium and high levels of National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) Part 1 scores. Multiple regression was performed to predict overall mean NBCE examination scores using the 3 LASSI factors as predictor variables. Four LASSI subtests (Anxiety, Concentration, Selecting Main Ideas, Test Strategies) and one factor (Goal Orientation) were significantly associated with NBCE examination levels. One factor (Goal Orientation) was a significant predictor of overall mean NBCE examination performance. Learning and study strategies are predictive of NBCE Part 1 examination performance in chiropractic students. The current study found LASSI subtests Anxiety, Concentration, Selecting Main Ideas, and Test Strategies, and the Goal-Orientation factor to be significant predictors of NBCE scores. The LASSI may be useful to educators in preparing students for academic success. Further research is warranted to explore the effects of learning and study strategies training on GPA and NBCE performance.

Performance driven IT management five practical steps to business success

CERN Document Server

Sachs, Ira

2011-01-01

This book argues that the Federal Government needs a new approach to IT management. Introducing a novel five-step process called performance-driven management (PDM), author Ira Sachs explains in detail how to reduce risk on large IT programs and projects. This is an essential tool for all IT and business managers in government and contractors doing business with the government, and it has much useful and actionable information for anyone who is interested in helping their business save money and take on effective, successful practices.

Performing Nation, Performing Difference

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lars

2009-01-01

Oplægget diskuterer Luhrmanns brug af den episke nationsgrundlæggende fortælling, og hvordan han underminerer den ved hjælp af den sideløbende fortælling om de stjålne generationer af aboriginale børn. Det bliver den sidste fortælling, der ender med at overtage beretningen og blive til den nation...

National Security Technology Incubator Evaluation Process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2007-12-31

This report describes the process by which the National Security Technology Incubator (NSTI) will be evaluated. The technology incubator is being developed as part of the National Security Preparedness Project (NSPP), funded by a Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) grant. This report includes a brief description of the components, steps, and measures of the proposed evaluation process. The purpose of the NSPP is to promote national security technologies through business incubation, technology demonstration and validation, and workforce development. The NSTI will focus on serving businesses with national security technology applications by nurturing them through critical stages of early development. An effective evaluation process of the NSTI is an important step as it can provide qualitative and quantitative information on incubator performance over a given period. The vision of the NSTI is to be a successful incubator of technologies and private enterprise that assist the NNSA in meeting new challenges in national safety and security. The mission of the NSTI is to identify, incubate, and accelerate technologies with national security applications at various stages of development by providing hands-on mentoring and business assistance to small businesses and emerging or growing companies. To achieve success for both incubator businesses and the NSTI program, an evaluation process is essential to effectively measure results and implement corrective processes in the incubation design if needed. The evaluation process design will collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data through performance evaluation system.

Singing it for "us": Team passion displayed during national anthems is associated with subsequent success.

Science.gov (United States)

Slater, Matthew J; Haslam, S Alexander; Steffens, Niklas K

2018-05-01

The present research examined the link between passion displayed by team members during the singing of national anthems at UEFA Euro 2016 and team performance in the tournaments' 51 games. Drawing on social identity theorising, we hypothesised a positive relationship between passion and performance. Consistent with this hypothesis, results showed that teams that sang national anthems with greater passion went on to concede fewer goals. Moreover, results provided evidence that the impact of passion on the likelihood of winning a game depended on the stage of the competition: in the knockout stage (but not the group stage) greater passion was associated with a greater likelihood of victory. Extending recent reviews that highlight the importance of social identity processes in sporting contexts, these results suggest that team members' identity-based expression of passion for the collective can be an important predictor of subsequent performance.

The success factors of scaling-up Estonian sexual and reproductive health youth clinic network--from a grassroots initiative to a national programme 1991-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Kempers, Jari; Ketting, Evert; Chandra-Mouli, Venkatraman; Raudsepp, Triin

2015-01-08

A growing number of middle-income countries are scaling up youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health pilot projects to national level programmes. Yet, there are few case studies on successful national level scale-up of such programmes. Estonia is an excellent example of scale-up of a small grassroots adolescent sexual and reproductive health initiative to a national programme, which most likely contributed to improved adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes. This study; (1) documents the scale-up process of the Estonian youth clinic network 1991-2013, and (2) analyses factors that contributed to the successful scale-up. This research provides policy makers and programme managers with new insights to success factors of the scale-up, that can be used to support planning, implementation and scale-up of adolescent sexual and reproductive health programmes in other countries. Information on the scale-up process and success factors were collected by conducting a literature review and interviewing key stakeholders. The findings were analysed using the WHO-ExpandNet framework, which provides a step-by-step process approach for design, implementation and assessment of the results of scaling-up health innovations. The scale-up was divided into two main phases: (1) planning the scale-up strategy 1991-1995 and (2) managing the scaling-up 1996-2013. The planning phase analysed innovation, user organizations (youth clinics), environment and resource team (a national NGO and international assistance). The managing phase examines strategic choices, advocacy, organization, resource mobilization, monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning and management of the scale-up. The main factors that contributed to the successful scale-up in Estonia were: (1) favourable social and political climate, (2) clear demonstrated need for the adolescent services, (3) a national professional organization that advocated, coordinated and represented the youth clinics, (4) enthusiasm

Critical care nurses' experiences of performing successful peripheral intravenous catheterization in difficult situations.

Science.gov (United States)

Forsberg, Angelica; Engström, Åsa

2018-06-01

The aim of this study is to describe the experiences of critical care nurses (CCNs) when performing successful peripheral intravenous catheterization (PIVC) on adult inpatients in difficult situations. This study uses a descriptive design with a qualitative approach. Semistructured interviews were given to CCNs (n = 22) at a general central county hospital in northern Sweden. The interview text was analyzed with qualitative thematic content analysis. Three themes emerged: "releasing time and creating peace," "feeling self-confidence in the role of expert nurse," and "technical interventions promoting success." CCNs stated that apart from experience, releasing enough time is the most crucial factor for a successful PIVC. They emphasized the importance of identifying the kinds of difficulties that may occur during the procedure, for example, fragile or/and invisible veins. CCNs explained that compared to when they were newly graduated, the difference in their approach nowadays has changed to using their hands more than their eyes and that they feel comfortable with bodily palpations. To further optimize PIVC performing skills, continued possibilities to train and learn in hospital settings are necessary, even after formal education has been completed. Copyright © 2018 Society for Vascular Nursing, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 59605 - National Veterinary Accreditation Program; Currently Accredited Veterinarians Performing...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-28

.... APHIS-2006-0093] RIN 0579-AC04 National Veterinary Accreditation Program; Currently Accredited... Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP) may continue to perform accredited duties and to elect to continue to..., National Veterinary Accreditation Program, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 200, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301...

The national ignition facility performance status

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haynam, C.; Auerbach, J.; Bowers, M.; Di-Nicola, J.M.; Dixit, S.; Erbert, G.; Heestand, G.; Henesian, M.; Jancaitis, K.; Manes, K.; Marshall, C.; Mehta, N.; Nostrand, M.; Orth, C.; Sacks, R.; Shaw, M.; Sutton, S.; Wegner, P.; Williams, W.; Widmayer, C.; White, R.; Yang, S.; Van Wonterghem, B. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States)

2006-06-15

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser has been designed to support high energy density science, including the demonstration of fusion ignition through Inertial Confinement. NIF operated a single 'quad' of 4 beams from December 2002 through October 2004 in order to gain laser operations experience, support target experiments, and demonstrate laser performance consistent with NIF's design requirement. During this two-year period, over 400 Main Laser shots were delivered at 1{omega} to calorimeters for diagnostic calibration purposes, at 3{omega} to the Target Chamber, and at 1{omega}, 2{omega}, and 3{omega} to the precision diagnostic system (PDS). The PDS includes its own independent single beam transport system, NIF design frequency conversion hardware and optics, and laser sampling optics that deliver light to a broad range of laser diagnostics. Highlights of NIF laser performance will be discussed including the results of high energy 2{omega} and 3{omega} experiments, the use of multiple focal spot beam conditioning techniques, the reproducibility of laser performance on multiple shots, the generation on a single beam of a 3{omega} temporally shaped ignition pulse at full energy and power, and recent results on full bundle (8 beamline) performance. NIF's first quad laser performance meets or exceeds NIF's design requirements. (authors)

The National Ignition Facility Performance Status

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haynam, C; Auerbach, J; Nicola, J D; Dixit, S; Heestand, G; Henesian, M; Jancaitis, K; Manes, K; Marshall, C; Mehta, N; Nostrand, M; Orth, C; Sacks, R; Shaw, M; Sutton, S; Wegner, P; Williams, W; Widmayer, C; White, R; Yang, S; Van Wonterghem, B

2005-08-30

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser has been designed to support high energy density science (HEDS), including the demonstration of fusion ignition through Inertial Confinement. NIF operated a single ''quad'' of 4 beams from December 2002 through October 2004 in order to gain laser operations experience, support target experiments, and demonstrate laser performance consistent with NIF's design requirement. During this two-year period, over 400 Main Laser shots were delivered at 1{omega} to calorimeters for diagnostic calibration purposes, at 3{omega} to the Target Chamber, and at 1{omega}, 2{omega}, and 3{omega} to the Precision Diagnostics System (PDS). The PDS includes its own independent single beam transport system, NIF design frequency conversion hardware and optics, and laser sampling optics that deliver light to a broad range of laser diagnostics. Highlights of NIF laser performance will be discussed including the results of high energy 2{omega} and 3{omega} experiments, the use of multiple focal spot beam conditioning techniques, the reproducibility of laser performance on multiple shots, the generation on a single beam of a 3{omega} temporally shaped ignition pulse at full energy and power, and recent results on full bundle (8 beamline) performance. NIF's first quad laser performance meets or exceeds NIF's design requirements.

Young children's beliefs about self-disclosure of performance failure and success.

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Catherine M; Liu, David; Heyman, Gail D

2015-03-01

Self-disclosure of performance information involves the balancing of instrumental, learning benefits (e.g., obtaining help) against social costs (e.g., diminished reputation). Little is known about young children's beliefs about performance self-disclosure. The present research investigates preschool- and early school-age children's expectations of self-disclosure in different contexts. In two experiments, 3- to 7-year-old children (total N = 252) heard vignettes about characters who succeeded or failed at solving a puzzle. Both experiments showed that children across all ages reasoned that people are more likely to self-disclose positive than negative performances, and Experiment 2 showed that children across all ages reasoned that people are more likely to self-disclose both positive and negative performances in a supportive than an unsupportive peer environment. Additionally, both experiments revealed changes with age - Younger children were less likely to expect people to withhold their performance information (of both failures and successes) than older children. These findings point to the preschool ages as a crucial beginning to children's developing recognition of people's reluctance to share performance information. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

The effects of individual status and group performance on network ties among teammates in the National Basketball Association.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy Koster

Full Text Available For individuals, status is derived both from their personal attributes and the groups with whom they are affiliated. Depending on the performance of their groups, the status of individuals may benefit or suffer from identifying closely with the group. When the group excels, high-status members potentially receive much of the credit and increased status. Conversely, high-status members of underperforming groups potentially suffer disproportionate declines in their status relative to the low-status group members. We therefore predict an interaction between group performance and individual status on the willingness to associate with the group and its members. We test our prediction by examining social media ties among teammates in the National Basketball Association. Specifically, we investigate the "following" ties of teammates on Twitter at the end of the 2014-2015 season. Elections to All-Star games are used to measure the status of players, and team performance is measured by recent success in the postseason playoffs. The results show that compared to high-status players on successful teams, high-status players on underperforming teams are less likely to follow their teammates. This result aligns with research on status inconsistency, suggesting that individuals deemphasize their group affiliation when it jeopardizes their individual status. An additional contribution is the advancement of the probit Social Relations Model for the analysis of binary ties in social networks.

The effects of individual status and group performance on network ties among teammates in the National Basketball Association.

Science.gov (United States)

Koster, Jeremy; Aven, Brandy

2018-01-01

For individuals, status is derived both from their personal attributes and the groups with whom they are affiliated. Depending on the performance of their groups, the status of individuals may benefit or suffer from identifying closely with the group. When the group excels, high-status members potentially receive much of the credit and increased status. Conversely, high-status members of underperforming groups potentially suffer disproportionate declines in their status relative to the low-status group members. We therefore predict an interaction between group performance and individual status on the willingness to associate with the group and its members. We test our prediction by examining social media ties among teammates in the National Basketball Association. Specifically, we investigate the "following" ties of teammates on Twitter at the end of the 2014-2015 season. Elections to All-Star games are used to measure the status of players, and team performance is measured by recent success in the postseason playoffs. The results show that compared to high-status players on successful teams, high-status players on underperforming teams are less likely to follow their teammates. This result aligns with research on status inconsistency, suggesting that individuals deemphasize their group affiliation when it jeopardizes their individual status. An additional contribution is the advancement of the probit Social Relations Model for the analysis of binary ties in social networks.

A meta-analysis of country differences in the high-performance work system-business performance relationship: the roles of national culture and managerial discretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabl, Tanja; Jayasinghe, Mevan; Gerhart, Barry; Kühlmann, Torsten M

2014-11-01

Our article develops a conceptual framework based primarily on national culture perspectives but also incorporating the role of managerial discretion (cultural tightness-looseness, institutional flexibility), which is aimed at achieving a better understanding of how the effectiveness of high-performance work systems (HPWSs) may vary across countries. Based on a meta-analysis of 156 HPWS-business performance effect sizes from 35,767 firms and establishments in 29 countries, we found that the mean HPWS-business performance effect size was positive overall (corrected r = .28) and positive in each country, regardless of its national culture or degree of institutional flexibility. In the case of national culture, the HPWS-business performance relationship was, on average, actually more strongly positive in countries where the degree of a priori hypothesized consistency or fit between an HPWS and national culture (according to national culture perspectives) was lower, except in the case of tight national cultures, where greater a priori fit of an HPWS with national culture was associated with a more positive HPWS-business performance effect size. However, in loose cultures (and in cultures that were neither tight nor loose), less a priori hypothesized consistency between an HPWS and national culture was associated with higher HPWS effectiveness. As such, our findings suggest the importance of not only national culture but also managerial discretion in understanding the HPWS-business performance relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Measures of Gross National Happiness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Veenhoven (Ruut)

2009-01-01

textabstractHappiness is rising on the political agenda and this calls for measures of how well nations perform in creating great happiness for a great number, analogous to measures of success in creating wealth, such as GDP. Happiness is defined as subjective enjoyment of one’s life as-a-whole and

Nonlinear effects of group size on the success of wolves hunting elk

Science.gov (United States)

MacNulty, Daniel R.; Smith, Douglas W.; Mech, L. David; Vucetich, John A.; Packer, Craig

2012-01-01

Despite the popular view that social predators live in groups because group hunting facilitates prey capture, the apparent tendency for hunting success to peak at small group sizes suggests that the formation of large groups is unrelated to prey capture. Few empirical studies, however, have tested for nonlinear relationships between hunting success and group size, and none have demonstrated why success trails off after peaking. Here, we use a unique dataset of observations of individually known wolves (Canis lupus) hunting elk (Cervus elaphus) in Yellowstone National Park to show that the relationship between success and group size is indeed nonlinear and that individuals withholding effort (free riding) is why success does not increase across large group sizes. Beyond 4 wolves, hunting success leveled off, and individual performance (a measure of effort) decreased for reasons unrelated to interference from inept hunters, individual age, or size. But performance did drop faster among wolves with an incentive to hold back, i.e., nonbreeders with no dependent offspring, those performing dangerous predatory tasks, i.e., grabbing and restraining prey, and those in groups of proficient hunters. These results suggest that decreasing performance was free riding and that was why success leveled off in groups with >4 wolves that had superficially appeared to be cooperating. This is the first direct evidence that nonlinear trends in group hunting success reflect a switch from cooperation to free riding. It also highlights how hunting success per se is unlikely to promote formation and maintenance of large groups.

Large underground radioactive waste storage tanks successfully cleaned at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Billingsley, K.; Burks, B.L.; Johnson, M.; Mims, C.; Powell, J.; Hoesen, D. van

1998-05-01

Waste retrieval operations were successfully completed in two large underground radioactive waste storage tanks in 1997. The US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Gunite Tanks Team worked cooperatively during two 10-week waste removal campaigns and removed approximately 58,300 gallons of waste from the tanks. About 100 gallons of a sludge and liquid heel remain in each of the 42,500 gallon tanks. These tanks are 25 ft. in diameter and 11 ft. deep, and are located in the North Tank Farm in the center of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Less than 2% of the radioactive contaminants remain in the tanks, proving the effectiveness of the Radioactive Tank Cleaning System, and accomplishing the first field-scale cleaning of contaminated underground storage tanks with a robotic system in the DOE complex

NASA Human Health and Performance Center: Open Innovation Successes and Collaborative Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Jeffrey R.; Richard, Elizabeth E.

2014-01-01

In May 2007, what was then the Space Life Sciences Directorate published the 2007 Space Life Sciences Strategy for Human Space Exploration, which resulted in the development and implementation of new business models and significant advances in external collaboration over the next five years. The strategy was updated on the basis of these accomplishments and reissued as the NASA Human Health and Performance Strategy in 2012, and continues to drive new approaches to innovation for the directorate. This short paper describes the open innovation successes and collaborative projects developed over this timeframe, including the efforts of the NASA Human Health and Performance Center (NHHPC), which was established to advance human health and performance innovations for spaceflight and societal benefit via collaboration in new markets.

Cross-National Variations in Student Employment and Academic Performance: The Roles of National Context and International Law.

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Soo-Yong; Henck, Adrienne; Post, David

Most existing research indicates that working students perform more poorly than do full-time students on standardized achievement tests. However, we know there are wide international variations in this gap. This article shows that national and international contexts help to explain the gap in the academic performance between working and non-working middle-school students. We combined data from the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) eighth-grade assessment with the country specific information on socioeconomic and educational conditions, as well as the timing of each country's ratification of an international treaty regulating child labor. Our multilevel analyses show that, while student employment was generally negatively associated with academic performance, this negative association is smaller in countries that by 1995 had ratified the International Labour Organization's Convention No. 138 on child labor. These findings highlight the role of national and international policy in structuring the consequences of student employment for academic performance.

Cross-National Variations in Student Employment and Academic Performance: The Roles of National Context and International Law*

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, Soo-yong; Henck, Adrienne; Post, David

2014-01-01

Most existing research indicates that working students perform more poorly than do full-time students on standardized achievement tests. However, we know there are wide international variations in this gap. This article shows that national and international contexts help to explain the gap in the academic performance between working and non-working middle-school students. We combined data from the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) eighth-grade assessment with the country specific information on socioeconomic and educational conditions, as well as the timing of each country's ratification of an international treaty regulating child labor. Our multilevel analyses show that, while student employment was generally negatively associated with academic performance, this negative association is smaller in countries that by 1995 had ratified the International Labour Organization's Convention No. 138 on child labor. These findings highlight the role of national and international policy in structuring the consequences of student employment for academic performance. PMID:25632163

The impact of HRM practices on supply chain management success in SME

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naveed R. Khan

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Management practices are being carried out by most of the small and medium sized enterprises (SME which substantially switched to sophisticated manner. This study aims to determine the relationship between human resource management (HRM and supply chain management (SCM in SME. Methods: the data from 195 manufacturing and service sectors SME were collected.  The Pearson's correlation and multiple regression were employed to examine the relationship and measure the overall impact of IV on DV respectively. This study found that SME performed moderate level of HRM and SCM practices and there is a correlation between HRM practices that proactively contributes in supply chain success. Lastly, training contributed greater to SCM success as compared to other HRM factors. Results and conclusions: Results suggest that SCM success is activated by HRM practices.  SME owners/managers should focus on enhancing the SCM success by implementing sophisticated HRM practices. This integration will allow mapping unique strategies to gain an edge over competitors. Appropriate approaches should be considered at national level to boost the national economy through SME sector.

Stakeholders Perspectives on the Success Drivers in Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme - Identifying Policy Translation Issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Fusheini, Adam; Marnoch, Gordon; Gray, Ann Marie

2016-10-01

Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), established by an Act of Parliament (Act 650), in 2003 and since replaced by Act 852 of 2012 remains, in African terms, unprecedented in terms of growth and coverage. As a result, the scheme has received praise for its associated legal reforms, clinical audit mechanisms and for serving as a hub for knowledge sharing and learning within the context of South-South cooperation. The scheme continues to shape national health insurance thinking in Africa. While the success, especially in coverage and financial access has been highlighted by many authors, insufficient attention has been paid to critical and context-specific factors. This paper seeks to fill that gap. Based on an empirical qualitative case study of stakeholders' views on challenges and success factors in four mutual schemes (district offices) located in two regions of Ghana, the study uses the concept of policy translation to assess whether the Ghana scheme could provide useful lessons to other African and developing countries in their quest to implement social/NHISs. In the study, interviewees referred to both 'hard and soft' elements as driving the "success" of the Ghana scheme. The main 'hard elements' include bureaucratic and legal enforcement capacities; IT; financing; governance, administration and management; regulating membership of the scheme; and service provision and coverage capabilities. The 'soft' elements identified relate to: the background/context of the health insurance scheme; innovative ways of funding the NHIS, the hybrid nature of the Ghana scheme; political will, commitment by government, stakeholders and public cooperation; social structure of Ghana (solidarity); and ownership and participation. Other developing countries can expect to translate rather than re-assemble a national health insurance programme in an incomplete and highly modified form over a period of years, amounting to a process best conceived as germination as opposed

Congestion Quantification Using the National Performance Management Research Data Set

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virginia P. Sisiopiku

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Monitoring of transportation system performance is a key element of any transportation operation and planning strategy. Estimation of dependable performance measures relies on analysis of large amounts of traffic data, which are often expensive and difficult to gather. National databases can assist in this regard, but challenges still remain with respect to data management, accuracy, storage, and use for performance monitoring. In an effort to address such challenges, this paper showcases a process that utilizes the National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS for generating performance measures for congestion monitoring applications in the Birmingham region. The capabilities of the relational database management system (RDBMS are employed to manage the large amounts of NPMRDS data. Powerful visual maps are developed using GIS software and used to illustrate congestion location, extent and severity. Travel time reliability indices are calculated and utilized to quantify congestion, and congestion intensity measures are developed and employed to rank and prioritize congested segments in the study area. The process for managing and using big traffic data described in the Birmingham case study is a great example that can be replicated by small and mid-size Metropolitan Planning Organizations to generate performance-based measures and monitor congestion in their jurisdictions.

Pharmaceutical R&D performance by firm size: approval success rates and economic returns.

Science.gov (United States)

DiMasi, Joseph A

2014-01-01

The R&D productivity of pharmaceutical firms has become an increasingly significant concern of industry, regulators, and policymakers. To address an important aspect of R&D performance, public and private data sources were used to estimate clinical phase transition and clinical approval probabilities for the pipelines of the 50 largest pharmaceutical firms (by sales) by 3 firms size groups (top 10 firms, top 11-20 firms, and top 21-50 firms). For self-originated compounds, the clinical approval success rates were 14.3%, 16.4%, and 18.4% for top 10 firms, top 11-20 firms, and top 21-50 firms, respectively. The results showing higher success rates for smaller firms were largely driven by outcomes for the small-molecule drugs. Adjustments for the relatively small differences in therapeutic class distributions across the firm size groups showed that the success rate for small-molecule self-originated drugs was 6% below average for top 10 firms and 17% above average for top 21-50 firms. Although success rates for small firms were higher, this advantage was offset to some degree by lower returns on approved drugs, suggesting different strategic objectives with regard to risk and reward by firm size.

NASA Human Health and Performance Center: Open innovation successes and collaborative projects

Science.gov (United States)

Richard, Elizabeth E.; Davis, Jeffrey R.

2014-11-01

In May 2007, what was then the Space Life Sciences Directorate published the 2007 Space Life Sciences Strategy for Human Space Exploration, setting the course for development and implementation of new business models and significant advances in external collaboration over the next five years. The strategy was updated on the basis of these accomplishments and reissued as the NASA Human Health and Performance Strategy in 2012, and continues to drive new approaches to innovation for the directorate. This short paper describes the successful execution of the strategy, driving organizational change through open innovation efforts and collaborative projects, including efforts of the NASA Human Health and Performance Center (NHHPC).

Organizational Performance Assessment: Overview of Publications in National Journals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Mara Iesbik Valmorbida

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In the literature there are several tools that aim to assess organizational performance, such as Balanced Scorecard (BSC, National Quality Award (PNQ, Multicriteria Methodology for Decision Aiding (MCDA, Data envelopment analysis (DEA, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP, among others. However, it is perceived in practice doubts as to choose the most appropriate for each organizational context. In this sense, it is argued that to measure the performance of the organization it is necessary that this measure is based on an instrument that allows transparency in the evaluation form, and insert those interested in the evaluation process. The credibility of an evaluation therefore depends on the ability to produce consistent information for all subjects involved in the intervention. The search for tools to improve the way to evaluate organizational performance it is increasingly necessary. The objective of this study is to identify the main tools of organizational performance assessment published in national journals in the area of Administration, Accounting and Tourism, classified by CAPES Qualis A1 to B5. The study is characterized as descriptive and qualitative documentation. We analyzed 489 articles, which resulted in the following results:(i identified the main theme of the authors and regular assessment of organizational performance, (ii from the year 2000 publications on the subject grew substantially, (iii Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA, Balanced Scorecard (BSC and Multicriteria for decision aiding methodology(MCDA-C are the most commonly used tools for evaluating performance, (iv most of the tools found in the literature are multiple criteria, (v described the process used by the tools to assess organizational performance.

Four malaria success stories: how malaria burden was successfully reduced in Brazil, Eritrea, India, and Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Barat, Lawrence M

2006-01-01

While many countries struggle to control malaria, four countries, Brazil, Eritrea, India, and Vietnam, have successfully reduced malaria burden. To determine what led these countries to achieve impact, published and unpublished reports were reviewed and selected program and partner staff were interviewed to identify common factors that contributed to these successes. Common success factors included conducive country conditions, a targeted technical approach using a package of effective tools, data-driven decision-making, active leadership at all levels of government, involvement of communities, decentralized implementation and control of finances, skilled technical and managerial capacity at national and sub-national levels, hands-on technical and programmatic support from partner agencies, and sufficient and flexible financing. All these factors were essential in achieving success. If the goals of Roll Back Malaria are to be achieved, governments and their partners must take the lessons learned from these program successes and apply them in other affected countries.

A Religious Experience? Personal, Parental, and Peer Religiosity and the Academic Success of Sexual-Minority Youth Using Nationally Representative Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Gottfried, Michael A.; Polikoff, Morgan S.

2012-01-01

Using nationally representative transcript data, this study is the first to include a discussion of religiosity in the context of sexual-minority students' academic achievement. This study examines the issue in three capacities: first, by comparing school success of sexual-minority youth to a non-sexual-minority reference group; second, by…

Low Motivational Incongruence Predicts Successful EEG Resting-state Neurofeedback Performance in Healthy Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz Hernandez, Laura; Rieger, Kathryn; Koenig, Thomas

2018-05-15

Neurofeedback is becoming increasingly sophisticated and widespread, although predictors of successful performance still remain scarce. Here, we explored the possible predictive value of psychological factors and report the results obtained from a neurofeedback training study designed to enhance the self-regulation of spontaneous EEG microstates of a particular type (microstate class D). Specifically, we were interested in life satisfaction (including motivational incongruence), body awareness, personality and trait anxiety. These variables were quantified with questionnaires before neurofeedback. Individual neurofeedback success was established by means of linear mixed models that accounted for the amount of observed target state (microstate class D contribution) as a function of time and training condition: baseline, training and transfer (results shown in Diaz Hernandez et al.). We found a series of significant negative correlations between motivational incongruence and mean percentage increase of microstate D during the condition transfer, across-sessions (36% of common variance) and mean percentage increase of microstate D during the condition training, within-session (42% of common variance). There were no significant correlations related to other questionnaires, besides a trend in a sub-scale of the Life Satisfaction questionnaire. We conclude that motivational incongruence may be a potential predictor for neurofeedback success, at least in the current protocol. The finding may be explained by the interfering effect on neurofeedback performance produced by incompatible simultaneously active psychological processes, which are indirectly measured by the Motivational Incongruence questionnaire. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Variation in performance measure criteria significantly affects cardiology practice rankings: Insights from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry's Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Eapen, Zubin J; Tang, Fengming; Jones, Phil G; Maddox, Thomas M; Oetgen, William J; Spertus, John A; Rumsfeld, John S; Heidenreich, Paul A; Peterson, Eric D; Drozda, Joseph P

2015-06-01

Million Hearts is a national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over 5 years by improving cardiovascular prevention. An important tool in the success of programs like Million Hearts is public ranking on the quality of practices, yet different measures may provide different rankings, so the true quality of practices is difficult to discern. We evaluated the quality of ambulatory cardiology care using performance measure metrics. We compared rankings of practices participating in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry's Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence Registry using measures from (1) the physician quality reporting system and (2) the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement. We compared achievement rates for measures between the 2 frameworks and determined correlations in rankings using Spearman correlation coefficients. From January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2012, there were 1,711,326 patients enrolled from 111 US practices. Among eligible patients, the physician quality reporting system and American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement measures were achieved in 76.1% versus 77.4% for antiplatelet prescription (P performance and failing to achieve public health goals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tall Poppies: Bullying Behaviors Faced by Australian High-Performance School-Age Athletes

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Maureen; Calder, Angela; Allen, Bill

2014-01-01

Little is known about Australian high-performance school-age athletes' experiences as victims of the tall poppy syndrome. Tall poppies are successful individuals bullied by those who are less successful in order to "normalize them." Nineteen current or previous national or international high-performance school-age athletes were…

The Effect of Gender Equality on International Soccer Performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bredtmann, Julia; Crede, Carsten J.; Otten, Sebastian

2014-01-01

In this paper, we propose a new estimation strategy that uses the variation in success between the male and the female national soccer team within a country to identify the causal impact of gender equality on women’s soccer performance. In particular, we analyze whether within-country variations...... in labor force participation rates and life expectancies between the genders, which serve as measures for the country’s gender equality, are able to explain diff erences in the international success of male and female national soccer teams. Our results reveal that diff erences in male and female labor...... force participation rates and life expectancies are able to explain the international soccer performance of female teams, but not that of male teams, suggesting that gender equality is an important driver of female sport success....

Identifying Critical Success Factors for TQM and Employee Performance in Malaysian Automotive Industry: A Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Nadia Dedy, Aimie; Zakuan, Norhayati; Zaidi Bahari, Ahamad; Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Chin, Thoo Ai; Zameri Mat Saman, Muhamad

2016-05-01

TQM is a management philosophy embracing all activities through which the needs and expectations of the customer and the community and the goals of the companies are satisfied in the most efficient and cost effective way by maximizing the potential of all workers in a continuing drive for total quality improvement. TQM is very important to the company especially in automotive industry in order for them to survive in the competitive global market. The main objective of this study is to review a relationship between TQM and employee performance. Authors review updated literature on TQM study with two main targets: (a) evolution of TQM considering as a set of practice, (b) and its impacts to employee performance. Therefore, two research questions are proposed in order to review TQM constructs and employee performance measure: (a) Is the set of critical success factors associated with TQM valid as a whole? (b) What is the critical success factors should be considered to measure employee performance in automotive industry?

Comparing Dutch and British high performing managers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Waal, A.A. de; Heijden, B.I.J.M. van der; Selvarajah, C.; Meyer, D.

2016-01-01

National cultures have a strong influence on the performance of organizations and should be taken into account when studying the traits of high performing managers. At the same time, many studies that focus upon the attributes of successful managers show that there are attributes that are similar

Training volume and performance of young Spanish national and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objective of the present study was to determine the volume of training of young national and international level swimmers, how it evolves andits relationship with performance. The sample comprised of 202 swimmers (11to 18 years old), selected by the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation. The volumes of pool and ...

Farmers' perception of the performance of the National Special ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Farmers' perception of the performance of the National Special Programme for Food Security (NSPFS) in Enugu State, NIgeria. ... of loans were high costs of production and disease attack on crops, poor yields and devastation of crops by animals, lack of markets for products and late release of loans, among others.

The performance effect of centralizing a nation's elite swim program.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Sian V; Vandenbogaerde, Tom J; Hopkins, Will G

2015-03-01

Many national sporting organizations recruit talented athletes to well-resourced centralized training squads to improve their performance. To develop a method to monitor performance progression of swimming squads and to use this method to assess the progression of New Zealand's centralized elite swimming squad. Best annual long-course competition times of all New Zealand swimmers with at least 3 y of performances in an event between 2002 and 2013 were downloaded from takeyourmarks.com (~281,000 times from ~8500 swimmers). A mixed linear model accounting for event, age, club, year, and elite-squad membership produced estimates of mean annual performance for 175 swim clubs and mean estimates of the deviation of swimmers' performances from their individual quadratic trajectories after they joined the elite squad. Effects were evaluated using magnitude-based inferences, with a smallest important improvement in swim time of -0.24%. Before 2009, effects of elite-squad membership were mostly unclear and trivial to small in magnitude. Thereafter, both sexes showed clear additional performance enhancements, increasing from large in 2009 (males -1.4%±0.8%, females -1.5%±0.8%; mean±90% confidence limits) to extremely large in 2013 (males -6.8%±1.7%, females -9.8%±2.9%). Some clubs also showed clear performance trends during the 11-y period. Our method of quantifying deviations from individual trends in competition performance with a mixed model showed that Swimming New Zealand's centralization strategy took several years to produce substantial performance effects. The method may also be useful for evaluating performance-enhancement strategies introduced at national or club level in other sports.

Top Management Team Nationality Diversity and Firm Performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Bo Bernhard; Nielsen, Sabina

2013-01-01

This research reexamines the equivocal relationship between top management team (TMT) diversity and firm performance. Combining upper echelons theory with insights from institutional theory, we establish a new, timely dimension of TMT diversity—nationality diversity—and develop an integrated...... generally, our research demonstrates that the consequences of TMT diversity depend on the (1) specific attributes of diversity being considered and (2) firm and industry conditions under which strategic decisions take place....

Managing nationality diversity : The interactive effect of leaders' cultural intelligence and task interdependence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rosenauer, D.; Homan, A.C.; Horstmeier, C.A.L.; Voelpel, S.C.

2016-01-01

In light of the workforce's increasing nationality diversity, our study explores the antecedents for the successful management of nationality diversity as visualized in a favourable diversity climate and enhanced team performance. We propose a double-contingency model in which we argue that the

National Assessment and the Opportunity to Learn in Educational Reform

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Conrad Wesley, Jr.; Mereku, Kofi D.; Amedahe, Francis K.; Etsey, Kofui; Adu, John

2013-01-01

Over two decades, national assessments in Ghana have revealed generally poor performances across curriculum-based tests for primary school (Grades 1-6). Various reform agendas have been applied to the education system, sometimes with isolated success, but the overall performances remained stable and low. Surveying teacher mentors in schools…

Stakeholders Perspectives on the Success Drivers in Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme – Identifying Policy Translation Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Fusheini, Adam; Marnoch, Gordon; Gray, Ann Marie

2017-01-01

Background: Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), established by an Act of Parliament (Act 650), in 2003 and since replaced by Act 852 of 2012 remains, in African terms, unprecedented in terms of growth and coverage. As a result, the scheme has received praise for its associated legal reforms, clinical audit mechanisms and for serving as a hub for knowledge sharing and learning within the context of South-South cooperation. The scheme continues to shape national health insurance thinking in Africa. While the success, especially in coverage and financial access has been highlighted by many authors, insufficient attention has been paid to critical and context-specific factors. This paper seeks to fill that gap. Methods: Based on an empirical qualitative case study of stakeholders’ views on challenges and success factors in four mutual schemes (district offices) located in two regions of Ghana, the study uses the concept of policy translation to assess whether the Ghana scheme could provide useful lessons to other African and developing countries in their quest to implement social/NHISs. Results: In the study, interviewees referred to both ‘hard and soft’ elements as driving the "success" of the Ghana scheme. The main ‘hard elements’ include bureaucratic and legal enforcement capacities; IT; financing; governance, administration and management; regulating membership of the scheme; and service provision and coverage capabilities. The ‘soft’ elements identified relate to: the background/context of the health insurance scheme; innovative ways of funding the NHIS, the hybrid nature of the Ghana scheme; political will, commitment by government, stakeholders and public cooperation; social structure of Ghana (solidarity); and ownership and participation. Conclusion: Other developing countries can expect to translate rather than re-assemble a national health insurance programme in an incomplete and highly modified form over a period of years

Idaho National Laboratory Quarterly Performance Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitchell, Lisbeth [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2014-11-01

This report is published quarterly by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Quality and Performance Management Organization. The Department of Energy (DOE) Occurrence Reporting and Processing System (ORPS), as prescribed in DOE Order 232.2, “Occurrence Reporting and Processing of Operations Information,” requires a quarterly analysis of events, both reportable and not reportable, for the previous 12 months. This report is the analysis of 60 reportable events (23 from the 4th Qtr FY14 and 37 from the prior three reporting quarters) as well as 58 other issue reports (including not reportable events and Significant Category A and B conditions) identified at INL from July 2013 through October 2014. Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA) operates the INL under contract DE AC07 051D14517.

Balancing performance-based expectations with a holistic perspective on coaching: a qualitative study of Swedish women's national football team coaches' practice experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindgren, Eva-Carin; Barker-Ruchti, Natalie

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study was to explore how an exclusive sample of women's national football team coaches described how they implement careful coaching while facing social and organizational pressure to win medals. To consider coaches' negotiations, we drew on Noddings' concept of caring. Using an interpretive research paradigm, we conducted in-depth interviews with five Swedish women's national football team coaches. An abductive approach was used to simultaneously process the theoretical framework of "ethics of care" and the empirical data. The coaches unanimously adopted a holistic perspective to coaching. The coaching strategies they described included promoting players' development, well-being, and sustainable elite performance; listening to the players' voices and engaging in dialogue; and creating a positive environment and promoting fair play. These findings demonstrate that the women coaches, despite performance pressure, adopt caring coaching in the form of Noddings' pedagogical modelling, dialogue, and confirmation strategies, and provide an example of how coaches can adopt caring, holistic, and athlete-centred coaching while working at the highest level of competitive sport and achieving competitive success.

Critical success factors influencing the performance of development projects: An empirical study of Constituency Development Fund projects in Kenya

OpenAIRE

Debadyuti Das; Christopher Ngacho

2017-01-01

The present work attempts to identify critical success factors (CSFs) influencing the performance of development projects based on their key performance indicators (KPIs). It has considered the case of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects constructed between 2003 and 2011 in Kenya and secured the perceptions of 175 respondents comprising clients, consultants and contractors involved in the implementation of CDF projects on 30 success variables. Findings reveal that individual items co...

Factors Associated With Civilian Employment, Work Satisfaction, and Performance Among National Guard Members.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, C Beau; Zivin, Kara; Walters, Heather; Ganoczy, Dara; MacDermid Wadsworth, Shelley; Valenstein, Marcia

2015-12-01

Employment is a vital part of the postdeployment return to civilian life. This study investigated factors associated with employment-related outcomes (employment status, self-reported work performance, and self-reported work satisfaction) among National Guard members returning from Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn deployments. The sample consisted of 1,151 National Guard service members who had returned from overseas deployments approximately six months earlier. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed to examine associations between predictors and employment-related outcome variables. Higher-risk alcohol use was associated with reduced odds of being employed as well as with lower ratings of work satisfaction, whereas psychiatric symptom load was associated with lower self-reported work performance and work satisfaction ratings. Perceived social resources were associated with higher self-reported work performance and work satisfaction, whereas better physical functioning was associated with better self-reported work performance. Policy makers and clinicians may need to consider and assess alcohol use among unemployed National Guard members. They may also need to consider psychiatric symptom load and physical functioning among employed service members who perceive poor work performance and have low work satisfaction. Further research is needed on causal links between these predictors and employment outcomes.

Examining Productive Failure, Productive Success, Unproductive Failure, and Unproductive Success in Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Kapur, Manu

2016-01-01

Learning and performance are not always commensurable. Conditions that maximize performance in the initial learning may not maximize learning in the longer term. I exploit this incommensurability to theoretically and empirically interrogate four possibilities for design: productive success, productive failure, unproductive success, and…

Higher mind-brain development in successful leaders: testing a unified theory of performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Harung, Harald S; Travis, Frederick

2012-05-01

This study explored mind-brain characteristics of successful leaders as reflected in scores on the Brain Integration Scale, Gibbs's Socio-moral Reasoning questionnaire, and an inventory of peak experiences. These variables, which in previous studies distinguished world-class athletes and professional classical musicians from average-performing controls, were recorded in 20 Norwegian top-level managers and in 20 low-level managers-matched for age, gender, education, and type of organization (private or public). Top-level managers were characterized by higher Brain Integration Scale scores, higher levels of moral reasoning, and more frequent peak experiences. These multilevel measures could be useful tools in selection and recruiting of potential managers and in assessing leadership education and development programs. Future longitudinal research could further investigate the relationship between leadership success and these and other multilevel variables.

An analysis of policy success and failure in formal evaluations of Australia's national mental health strategy (1992-2012).

Science.gov (United States)

Grace, Francesca C; Meurk, Carla S; Head, Brian W; Hall, Wayne D; Harris, Meredith G; Whiteford, Harvey A

2017-05-30

Heightened fiscal constraints, increases in the chronic disease burden and in consumer expectations are among several factors contributing to the global interest in evidence-informed health policy. The present article builds on previous work that explored how the Australian Federal Government applied five instruments of policy, or policy levers, to implement a series of reforms under the Australian National Mental Health Strategy (NMHS). The present article draws on theoretical insights from political science to analyse the relative successes and failures of these levers, as portrayed in formal government evaluations of the NMHS. Documentary analysis of six evaluation documents corresponding to three National Mental Health Plans was undertaken. Both the content and approach of these government-funded, independently conducted evaluations were appraised. An overall improvement was apparent in the development and application of policy levers over time. However, this finding should be interpreted with caution due to variations in evaluation approach according to Plan and policy lever. Tabulated summaries of the success and failure of each policy initiative, ordered by lever type, are provided to establish a resource that could be consulted for future policy-making. This analysis highlights the complexities of health service reform and underscores the limitations of narrowly focused empirical approaches. A theoretical framework is provided that could inform the evaluation and targeted selection of appropriate policy levers in mental health.

The influence of organizational and national culture on new product performance

OpenAIRE

Eisend, Martin; Evanschitzky, Heiner; Gilliland, David I.

2016-01-01

The authors conduct a meta-analysis on the combined influence of organizational and national culture on new product performance. For this purpose, they refer to the effectiveness of value congruency and develop a conceptual model describing the fit between organizational culture types as suggested by the competing values framework and national culture, as described by Hofstede's cultural dimensions. The meta-analysis is based on 489 effect sizes taken from 123 manuscripts. The findings show t...

Spent-fuel transportation - a success story

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gertz, C.P.; Schoonen, D.H.; Wakeman, B.H.

1986-01-01

Spent nuclear fuel research and development (R and D) demonstrations and associated transportation activities are being performed as a part of the storage cask performance testing programs at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). These spent-fuel programs support the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) and US Department of Energy (DOE) objectives for cooperative demonstrations with the utilities, testing at federal sites, and alternatives for viable transportation systems. A cooperative demonstration program with the private sector to develop dry storage technologies that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) can generically approve is in place as well as cost-shared dry storage R and D program at a federal facility to collect the necessary licensing data. In addition to the accomplishments in the cask performance and testing demonstrations, the long-distance transportation of a large number of spent-fuel assemblies is considered a success story. The evaluation and implementation of applicable requirements, industry perspective, and extensive planning all contributed to this achievement

Performance Improvement in 503A Compounding Pharmacies: A PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND SUSTAINED SUCCESS.

Science.gov (United States)

Pritchett, Jon; Mixon, William; O'Connell, Kevin

2016-01-01

Performance improvement is the continual effort to objectively assess current performance and then restructure the practices that support it to more closely achieve desired performance. A plan for performance improvement, unlike other approaches to correcting problems in job fulfillment, is a systematic method used to first find the root causes of areas of concern and then apply corrections to remedy those deficits. Implementing a performance improvement plan that can be easily adapted to ensure compliance with evolving and increasingly complex state and federal regulations is crucial to a successful compounding practice. In this article, we discuss the need for performance improvement in 503A compounding pharmacies, list the steps necessary to develop such a plan, and present three case reports of performance improvement plans in differing compounding settings.

Inspection Report: FAA's Alleged Circumvention of National Performance Review Staffing Requirements

Science.gov (United States)

1996-12-09

This report responds to a complaint received by the Office of Inspector General : (OIG), Department of Transportation. The complainant alleges the Federal : Aviation Administration (FAA) planned to circumvent National Performance : Review (NPR) staff...

Performance assessment experience at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, D.W.

1994-01-01

The development of a performance assessment (PA) for low-level radioactive waste disposal operations at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was initiated in 1989 and is continuing. A draft PA was prepared in September 1990 and submitted to the DOE Peer Review Panel for review and comment. Recommendations were received that formed the basis for a revised PA that was completed in December 1993. The review of the revised PA is continuing. This paper reviews the experience gained in the preparation of the PA including the technical difficulties associated with performance assessment in Oak Ridge and an overview of the methods used in the PA. Changes in waste operations that resulted from the findings in the PA include improved waste acceptance criteria, waste certification, and waste management practices. The discussion includes issues that relate to the application of current performance objectives to older disposal facilities, which are being addressed as part of the CERCLA process

Influence of Continuing Medical Education on Rheumatologists? Performance on National Quality Measures for Rheumatoid Arthritis

OpenAIRE

Sapir, Tamar; Rusie, Erica; Greene, Laurence; Yazdany, Jinoos; Robbins, Mark L.; Ruderman, Eric M.; Carter, Jeffrey D.; Patel, Barry; Moreo, Kathleen

2015-01-01

Introduction: In recent years researchers have reported deficits in the quality of care provided to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including low rates of performance on quality measures. We sought to determine the influence of a quality improvement (QI) continuing education program on rheumatologists’ performance on national quality measures for RA, along with other measures aligned with National Quality Strategy priorities. Performance was assessed through baseline and post-educati...

Effect of grade point average and enrollment in a dental hygiene National Board review course on student performance on the National Board Examination.

Science.gov (United States)

DeWald, Janice P; Gutmann, Marylou E; Solomon, Eric S

2004-01-01

Passing the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination is a requirement for licensure in all but one state. There are a number of preparation courses for the examination sponsored by corporations and dental hygiene programs. The purpose of this study was to determine if taking a board review course significantly affected student performance on the board examination. Students from the last six dental hygiene classes at Baylor College of Dentistry (n = 168) were divided into two groups depending on whether they took a particular review course. Mean entering college grade point averages (GPA), exiting dental hygiene program GPAs, and National Board scores were compared for the two groups using a t-test for independent samples (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the two groups for entering GPA and National Board scores. Exiting GPAs, however, were slightly higher for those not taking the course compared to those taking the course. In addition, a strong correlation (0.71, Pearson Correlation) was found between exiting GPA and National Board score. Exiting GPA was found to be a strong predictor of National Board performance. These results do not appear to support this program's participation in an external preparation course as a means of increasing students' performance on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination.

Environmental Programs at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, Patricia [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2012-07-11

Summary of this project is: (1) Teamwork, partnering to meet goals - (a) Building on cleanup successes, (b) Solving legacy waste problems, (c) Protecting the area's environment; (2) Strong performance over the past three years - (a) Credibility from four successful Recovery Act Projects, (b) Met all Consent Order milestones, (c) Successful ramp-up of TRU program; (3) Partnership between the National Nuclear Security Administration's Los Alamos Site Office, DOE Carlsbad Field Office, New Mexico Environment Department, and contractor staff enables unprecedented cleanup progress; (4) Continued focus on protecting water resources; and (5) All consent order commitments delivered on time or ahead of schedule.

Gender differences and the definition of success: male and female veterinary students' career and work performance expectations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kogan, Lori R; McConnell, Sherry L; Schoenfeld-Tacher, Regina

2004-01-01

This article addresses the challenges that gender performance expectations create within the veterinary profession. An investigation of veterinary students' perceptions of the essential characteristics that define successful veterinarians and veterinary students, and the gender differences within these definitions, is described. Because previous research supports the premise that the standards required for success differ for males and females, it is likely that male and female veterinary students possess different career expectations and definitions of career success. The ramifications of these differences are explored, and proposed strategies to address this issue, in the form of student support services, are discussed.

Neural Correlates Associated with Successful Working Memory Performance in Older Adults as Revealed by Spatial ICA

Science.gov (United States)

Saliasi, Emi; Geerligs, Linda; Lorist, Monicque M.; Maurits, Natasha M.

2014-01-01

To investigate which neural correlates are associated with successful working memory performance, fMRI was recorded in healthy younger and older adults during performance on an n-back task with varying task demands. To identify functional networks supporting working memory processes, we used independent component analysis (ICA) decomposition of the fMRI data. Compared to younger adults, older adults showed a larger neural (BOLD) response in the more complex (2-back) than in the baseline (0-back) task condition, in the ventral lateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and in the right fronto-parietal network (FPN). Our results indicated that a higher BOLD response in the VLPFC was associated with increased performance accuracy in older adults, in both the baseline and the more complex task condition. This ‘BOLD-performance’ relationship suggests that the neural correlates linked with successful performance in the older adults are not uniquely related to specific working memory processes present in the complex but not in the baseline task condition. Furthermore, the selective presence of this relationship in older but not in younger adults suggests that increased neural activity in the VLPFC serves a compensatory role in the aging brain which benefits task performance in the elderly. PMID:24911016

The Dynamics of the Economic-Financial Performance of the Corporate System of National Economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riabokin Taras V.

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at analyzing the dynamics of the economic-financial performance of the national corporate system, identifying trends in its development. An allocation of the corporate system as a structured object and its research will contribute to understanding of the dynamic properties of the corporate system itself, its actors, and the economy as a whole. An analysis of the dynamics of the economic-financial performance of the corporate system of national economy has been carried out. The national accounts of Ukraine for 2008-2015, in particular, in the sectors of both non-financial and financial corporations as the major subsystems of the corporate system, have been analyzed. Trends as to releasing goods and services, intermediate consumption, gross value added, and net value added, incomes, savings, net lending (+, and net borrowing (-, have been highlighted. Future researches should address a deeper analysis of the performance indicators of individual corporations, the corporate structures, constituting a part of the core corporate system, including the financial core, as well as efficiency of the State administration of national economy

Is wetland mitigation successful in Southern California?

Science.gov (United States)

Cummings, D. L.; Rademacher, L. K.

2004-12-01

Wetlands perform many vital functions within their landscape position; they provide unique habitats for a variety of flora and fauna and they act as treatment systems for upstream natural and anthropogenic waste. California has lost an estimated 91% of its wetlands. Despite the 1989 "No Net Loss" policy and mitigation requirements by the regulatory agencies, the implemented mitigation may not be offsetting wetlands losses. The "No Net Loss" policy is likely failing for numerous reasons related to processes in the wetlands themselves and the policies governing their recovery. Of particular interest is whether these mitigation sites are performing essential wetlands functions. Specific questions include: 1) Are hydric soil conditions forming in mitigation sites; and, 2) are the water quality-related chemical transformations that occur in natural wetlands observed in mitigation sites. This study focuses on success (or lack of success) in wetlands mitigation sites in Southern California. Soil and water quality investigations were conducted in wetland mitigation sites deemed to be successful by vegetation standards. Observations of the Standard National Resource Conservation Service field indicators of reducing conditions were made to determine whether hydric soil conditions have developed in the five or more years since the implementation of mitigation plans. In addition, water quality measurements were performed at the inlet and outlet of these mitigation sites to determine whether these sites perform similar water quality transformations to natural wetlands within the same ecosystem. Water quality measurements included nutrient, trace metal, and carbon species measurements. A wetland location with minimal anthropogenic changes and similar hydrologic and vegetative features was used as a control site. All sites selected for study are within a similar ecosystem, in the interior San Diego and western Riverside Counties, in Southern California.

The SUCCESS model for laboratory performance and execution of rapid molecular diagnostics in patients with sepsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dekmezian, Mhair; Beal, Stacy G; Damashek, Mary Jane; Benavides, Raul; Dhiman, Neelam

2015-04-01

Successful performance and execution of rapid diagnostics in a clinical laboratory hinges heavily on careful validation, accurate and timely communication of results, and real-time quality monitoring. Laboratories must develop strategies to integrate diagnostics with stewardship and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. We present a collaborative SUCCESS model for execution and monitoring of rapid sepsis diagnostics to facilitate timely treatment. Six months after execution of the Verigene Gram-Positive Blood Culture (BC-GP) and the AdvanDx PNA-FISH assays, data were collected on 579 and 28 episodes of bacteremia and fungemia, respectively. Clinical testing was executed using a SUCCESS model comprising the following components: stewardship, utilization of resources, core strategies, concierge services, education, support, and surveillance. Stewardship needs were identified by evaluating the specialty services benefiting from new testing. Utilization of resources was optimized by reviewing current treatment strategies and antibiogram and formulary options. Core strategies consisted of input from infectious disease leadership, pharmacy, and laboratory staff. Concierge services included automated Micro-eUpdate and physician-friendly actionable reports. Education modules were user-specific, and support was provided through a dedicated 24/7 microbiology hotline. Surveillance was performed by daily audit by the director. Using the SUCCESS model, the turnaround time for the detailed report with actionable guidelines to the physician was ∼3 hours from the time of culture positivity. The overall correlation between rapid methods and culture was 94% (546/579). Discrepant results were predominantly contaminants such as a coagulase-negative staphylococci or viridans streptococci in mixed cultures. SUCCESS is a cost-effective and easily adaptable model for clinical laboratories with limited stewardship resources.

The Consequences of the National Math and Science Performance Environment for Gender Differences in STEM Aspiration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allison Mann

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Using the lens of expectation states theory, which we formalize in Bayesian terms, this article examines the influences of national performance and self-assessment contexts on gender differences in the rate of aspiring to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM occupations. We demonstrate that girls hold themselves to a higher performance standard than do boys before forming STEM orientations, and this gender "standards gap" grows with the strength of a country’s performance environment. We also demonstrate that a repeatedly observed paradox in this literature—namely, that the STEM gender gap increases with a more strongly gender-egalitarian national culture—vanishes when the national performance culture is taken into account. Whereas other research has proposed theories to explain the apparent paradox as an empirical reality, we demonstrate that the empirical relationship is as expected; net of the performance environment, countries with a more gender-egalitarian culture have a smaller gender gap in STEM orientations. We also find, consistent with our theory, that the proportion of high-performing girls among STEM aspirants grows with the strength of the national performance environment even as the overall gender gap in STEM orientations grows because of offsetting behavior by students at the lower end of the performance distribution.

Does Curriculum 2005 promote successful learning of elementary algebra?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelis Vermeulen

2007-10-01

Full Text Available This article reviews literature, previous to the development of Curriculum 2005, describing possible causes and solutions for learners’ poor performance in algebra. It then analyses the Revised National Curriculum Statement for Mathematics in an attempt to determine whether it addresses these causes and suggested solutions. This analysis finds that the curriculum to a large extent does address them, but that some are either not addressed, or addressed only implicitly. Consequently, Curriculum 2005 may only partly promote successful learning of elementary algebra.

The National Ignition Facility 2007 laser performance status

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haynam, C A; Sacks, R A; Wegner, P J; Bowers, M W; Dixit, S N; Erbert, G V; Heestand, G M; Henesian, M A; Hermann, M R; Jancaitis, K S; Manes, K R; Marshall, C D; Mehta, N C; Menapace, J; Nostrand, M C; Orth, C D; Shaw, M J; Sutton, S B; Williams, W H; Widmayer, C C [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA, 94550 (United States)], E-mail: haynam1@llnl.gov (and others)

2008-05-15

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory contains a 192-beam 3.6 MJ neodymium glass laser that is frequency converted to 351nm light. It has been designed to support high energy density science (HEDS), including the demonstration of fusion ignition through Inertial Confinement. To meet this goal, laser design criteria include the ability to generate pulses of up to 1.8-MJ total energy at 351nm, with peak power of 500 TW and precisely-controlled temporal pulse shapes spanning two orders of magnitude. The focal spot fluence distribution of these pulses is conditioned, through a combination of special optics in the 1{omega} (1053 nm) portion of the laser (continuous phase plates), smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD), and the overlapping of multiple beams with orthogonal polarization (polarization smoothing). In 2006 and 2007, a series of measurements were performed on the NIF laser, at both 1{omega} and 3{omega} (351 nm). When scaled to full 192-beam operation, these results lend confidence to the claim that NIF will meet its laser performance design criteria and that it will be able to simultaneously deliver the temporal pulse shaping, focal spot conditioning, peak power, shot-to-shot reproducibility, and power balance requirements of indirect-drive fusion ignition campaigns. We discuss the plans and status of NIF's commissioning, and the nature and results of these measurement campaigns.

National and Organizational Culture, Performance Evaluation and Trust: Evidence from Multinational Company Subsidiary in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Unggul Purwohedi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of national and organizational culture on the relationship between accounting and trust in a subsidiary of a Western Multi-National Company (MNC in Indonesia. This study use a qualitative field study of one French MNC subsidiary and interview four expatriate directors, nine Indonesian managers and 10 Indonesian employees. Key themes were identified with the assistance of NVivo software. In this study, accounting, through formal performance evaluation, contributes to trust building between supervisors and their subordinates. Formal performance evaluation through transparent and objective evaluation increases trust in the supervisor. On the other hand, informal performance evaluation tends to decrease trustful behaviour due to secrecy in the evaluation process.  It appears that Indonesian national culture does influence organizational culture preference in the local staff. Individuals share national culture as a result of values developed from family, religion, education, and experience.DOI: 10.15408/sjie.v6i2.4733 

A study on national innovation system for the improvement of nuclear R and D performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, S. W.; Oh, K. B.; Kim, H. J.; Cheong, H. S.; Cheong, I.; Lee, J. H.; Won, B. C.; Cheong, C. E.; Lee, K. H.; Choi, H. M

2006-01-15

Review basic concept and analytical method concerned with technological innovation and NIS : concept and defition of technological innovation and NIS, background and evolution of the NIS theory, basic elements of NIS and their relationship. Identification on scientific-technological characteristics of the nuclear R and D and technological innovation : special aspect of the nuclear R and D and technological innovation, difficulty(or complexity) of the nuclear R and D and technological, innovation. Defining organizational-institutional elements of nuclear R and D and innovation allowing for nuclear scientific-technological peculiarity. Developing the model of national nuclear innovation system for analysis of the national R and D performance. Developing the analytical model including performance measure and procedure for national nuclear innovation system led mainly by national Rand D in Korea. Discussion about the national innovation system with other OECD/NEA member countries.

A study on national innovation system for the improvement of nuclear R and D performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, S. W.; Oh, K. B.; Kim, H. J.; Cheong, H. S.; Cheong, I.; Lee, J. H.; Won, B. C.; Cheong, C. E.; Lee, K. H.; Choi, H. M.

2006-01-01

Review basic concept and analytical method concerned with technological innovation and NIS : concept and defition of technological innovation and NIS, background and evolution of the NIS theory, basic elements of NIS and their relationship. Identification on scientific-technological characteristics of the nuclear R and D and technological innovation : special aspect of the nuclear R and D and technological innovation, difficulty(or complexity) of the nuclear R and D and technological, innovation. Defining organizational-institutional elements of nuclear R and D and innovation allowing for nuclear scientific-technological peculiarity. Developing the model of national nuclear innovation system for analysis of the national R and D performance. Developing the analytical model including performance measure and procedure for national nuclear innovation system led mainly by national Rand D in Korea. Discussion about the national innovation system with other OECD/NEA member countries

Health system changes under pay-for-performance: the effects of Rwanda's national programme on facility inputs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngo, Diana K L; Sherry, Tisamarie B; Bauhoff, Sebastian

2017-02-01

Pay-for-performance (P4P) programmes have been introduced in numerous developing countries with the goal of increasing the provision and quality of health services through financial incentives. Despite the popularity of P4P, there is limited evidence on how providers achieve performance gains and how P4P affects health system quality by changing structural inputs. We explore these two questions in the context of Rwanda's 2006 national P4P programme by examining the programme's impact on structural quality measures drawn from international and national guidelines. Given the programme's previously documented success at increasing institutional delivery rates, we focus on a set of delivery-specific and more general structural inputs. Using the programme's quasi-randomized roll-out, we apply multivariate regression analysis to short-run facility data from the 2007 Service Provision Assessment. We find positive programme effects on the presence of maternity-related staff, the presence of covered waiting areas and a management indicator and a negative programme effect on delivery statistics monitoring. We find no effects on a set of other delivery-specific physical resources, delivery-specific human resources, delivery-specific operations, general physical resources and general human resources. Using mediation analysis, we find that the positive input differences explain a small and insignificant fraction of P4P's impact on institutional delivery rates. The results suggest that P4P increases provider availability and facility operations but is only weakly linked with short-run structural health system improvements overall. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Predictive Validity of National Basketball Association Draft Combine on Future Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Teramoto, Masaru; Cross, Chad L; Rieger, Randall H; Maak, Travis G; Willick, Stuart E

2018-02-01

Teramoto, M, Cross, CL, Rieger, RH, Maak, TG, and Willick, SE. Predictive validity of national basketball association draft combine on future performance. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 396-408, 2018-The National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft Combine is an annual event where prospective players are evaluated in terms of their athletic abilities and basketball skills. Data collected at the Combine should help NBA teams select right the players for the upcoming NBA draft; however, its value for predicting future performance of players has not been examined. This study investigated predictive validity of the NBA Draft Combine on future performance of basketball players. We performed a principal component analysis (PCA) on the 2010-2015 Combine data to reduce correlated variables (N = 234), a correlation analysis on the Combine data and future on-court performance to examine relationships (maximum pairwise N = 217), and a robust principal component regression (PCR) analysis to predict first-year and 3-year on-court performance from the Combine measures (N = 148 and 127, respectively). Three components were identified within the Combine data through PCA (= Combine subscales): length-size, power-quickness, and upper-body strength. As per the correlation analysis, the individual Combine items for anthropometrics, including height without shoes, standing reach, weight, wingspan, and hand length, as well as the Combine subscale of length-size, had positive, medium-to-large-sized correlations (r = 0.313-0.545) with defensive performance quantified by Defensive Box Plus/Minus. The robust PCR analysis showed that the Combine subscale of length-size was a predictor most significantly associated with future on-court performance (p ≤ 0.05), including Win Shares, Box Plus/Minus, and Value Over Replacement Player, followed by upper-body strength. In conclusion, the NBA Draft Combine has value for predicting future performance of players.

Performing the Grade: Urban Latino Youth, Gender Performance, and Academic Success

Science.gov (United States)

Foiles Sifuentes, A. M.

2015-01-01

This article examines the intersection of race, gender, class, and academic success through an ethnographic case study in a Texas charter high school. The 98% working-class, Latino student population was exposed to an array of stigmas ascribed to their persons based on negative social stereotypes of race, ethnicity, gender, and class due to the…

Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs.

Science.gov (United States)

McClelland, David C.

1987-01-01

Comparison of characteristics of 12 average and 12 superior small business people in three developing nations (India, Malawi, and Ecuador) found proactive qualities such as initiative and assertiveness, achievement orientation, and commitment to others characteristic of successful entrepreneurs. Other expected qualities (self-confidence,…

Return to Play and Decreased Performance After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in National Football League Defensive Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Read, Connor R; Aune, Kyle T; Cain, E Lyle; Fleisig, Glenn S

2017-07-01

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries occur commonly in football. Recent work has reported ACL reconstruction (ACLR) as one of several orthopaedic procedures with unfavorable outcomes for professional athletes. The performance impact to defensive players after surgery has not been quantified. To quantify the effect of ACLR on the performance of defensive players by comparing them to a cohort of matched controls as well as to measure the effect of ACLR on athletes' career length in the National Football League (NFL). Case-control and cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Thirty-eight NFL defensive players with a history of ACLR from 2006 to 2012 were identified. For each injured player, a matched control player was identified. Demographic and performance statistics were collected from the online NFL player database. Players who returned after ACLR (n = 23) were compared with players who did not return (n = 15) using t tests and chi-squared analyses. Similarly, players who returned after ACLR (n = 23) were compared with their matched controls with t tests and chi-squared analyses. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was utilized to test for significant differences between performance before and after the season of the injury for the players in the ACLR group who returned (n = 23) and for their matched controls. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to test for differences in the rate of retirement between the groups. For all analyses, P values <.05 were considered significant. Approximately 74% (28/38) of athletes who underwent ACLR returned to play at least 1 NFL game, and 61% (23/38) successfully returned to play at least half a season (ie, 8 games). Athletes in the ACLR group who returned retired from the NFL significantly sooner and more often after surgery than their matched controls. In the seasons leading up to their injury, athletes who successfully returned to play started a greater percentage of their games (81%) and made more solo tackles per

Succession planning for technical experts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirk, Bernadette Lugue; Cain, Ronald A.; Dewji, Shaheen A.; Agreda, Carla L.

2017-01-01

This report describes a methodology for identifying, evaluating, and mitigating the loss of key technical skills at nuclear operations facilities. The methodology can be adapted for application within regulatory authorities and research and development organizations, and can be directly applied by international engagement partners of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The resultant product will be of direct benefit to two types of NNSA missions: (1) domestic human capital development programs tasked to provide focused technical expertise to succeed an aging nuclear operations workforce, and (2) international safeguards programs charged with maintaining operational safeguards for developing/existing nuclear power program in nations where minimal available resources must be used effectively. This report considers succession planning and the critical skills necessary to meet an institution’s goals and mission. Closely tied to succession planning are knowledge management and mentorship. In considering succession planning, critical skill sets are identified and are greatly dependent on the subject matter expert in question. This report also provides examples of critical skills that are job specific.

Succession planning for technical experts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirk, Bernadette Lugue [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Cain, Ronald A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Dewji, Shaheen A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Agreda, Carla L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-07-01

This report describes a methodology for identifying, evaluating, and mitigating the loss of key technical skills at nuclear operations facilities. The methodology can be adapted for application within regulatory authorities and research and development organizations, and can be directly applied by international engagement partners of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The resultant product will be of direct benefit to two types of NNSA missions: (1) domestic human capital development programs tasked to provide focused technical expertise to succeed an aging nuclear operations workforce, and (2) international safeguards programs charged with maintaining operational safeguards for developing/existing nuclear power program in nations where minimal available resources must be used effectively. This report considers succession planning and the critical skills necessary to meet an institution’s goals and mission. Closely tied to succession planning are knowledge management and mentorship. In considering succession planning, critical skill sets are identified and are greatly dependent on the subject matter expert in question. This report also provides examples of critical skills that are job specific.

Nation-State Size, Ethnic Diversity and Economic Performance in the Advanced Capitalist Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Patsiurkoa, Natalka; Campbell, John L.; Hall, John A.

2013-01-01

This paper examines the proposition that the economic performance of advanced capitalist countries depends on their size and ethnic composition. As such it blends insights from two important literatures in comparative political economy. One is exemplified by the work of Peter Katzenstein, who wrote...... the classic treatise on the relationship between nation-state size and economic performance. Another is illustrated by the work of Ernest Gellner, whose work suggested that economic performance depends on the ethnic composition of the nation-state. The argument is tested on pooled data from 30 advanced...... capitalist countries for the 1985 through 2007 period. Regression analysis confirms that ethnically homogenous countries tend to have stronger rates of economic growth during this period than ethnically heterogeneous countries but that neither the size of countries nor the interaction of size and ethnic...

Understanding Research Strategies to Improve ERA Performance in Australian Universities: Circumventing Secrecy to Achieve Success

Science.gov (United States)

Diezmann, Carmel M.

2018-01-01

Many Australian universities have prioritised improving discipline performance on the national research assessment--Excellence for Research in Australia. However, a "culture of secrecy" pervades "Excellence in Research for Australia" (ERA). There are no specified criteria for the assignment of ratings on a 5-point scale ranging…

Developing a national performance indicator framework for the Dutch health system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ten Asbroek, A. H. A.; Arah, O. A.; Geelhoed, J.; Custers, T.; Delnoij, D. M.; Klazinga, N. S.

2004-01-01

Objective. To report on the first phase of the development of a national performance indicator framework for the Dutch health system. Methods. In January 2002, we initiated an informed interactive process with the intended users-policymakers at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport-and academics

Developing a national performance indicator framework for the Dutch health system.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Asbroek, A.H.A. ten; Arah, O.A.; Geelhoed, J.; Custers, J.; Delnoij, D.M.; Klazinga, N.S.

2004-01-01

Objective. To report on the first phase of the development of a national performance indicator framework for the Dutch health system. Methods. In January 2002, we initiated an informed interactive process with the intended users-policymakers at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport—and academics

Tracking career performance of successful triathletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Malcata, Rita M; Hopkins, Will G; Pearson, Simon N

2014-06-01

Tracking athletes' performances over time is important but problematic for sports with large environmental effects. Here we have developed career performance trajectories for elite triathletes, investigating changes in swim, cycle, run stages, and total performance times while accounting for environmental and other external factors. Performance times of 337 female and 427 male triathletes competing in 419 international races between 2000 and 2012 were obtained from triathlon.org. Athletes were categorized according to any top 16 placing at World Championships or Olympics between 2008 and 2012. A mixed linear model accounting for race distance (sprint and Olympic), level of competition, calendar-year trend, athlete's category, and clustering of times within athletes and races was used to derive athletes' individual quadratic performance trajectories. These trajectories provided estimates of age of peak performance and predictions for the 2012 London Olympic Games. By markedly reducing the scatter of individual race times, the model produced well-fitting trajectories suitable for comparison of triathletes. Trajectories for top 16 triathletes showed different patterns for race stages and differed more among women than among men, but ages of peak total performance were similar for men and women (28 ± 3 yr, mean ± SD). Correlations between observed and predicted placings at Olympics were slightly higher than those provided by placings in races before the Olympics. Athletes' trajectories will help identify talented athletes and their weakest and strongest stages. The wider range of trajectories among women should be taken into account when setting talent identification criteria. Trajectories offer a small advantage over usual race placings for predicting men's performance. Further refinements, such as accounting for individual responses to race conditions, may improve utility of performance trajectories.

An Experimental Test of a Causal Link between Problem-Solving Performance and Reproductive Success in Wild Great Tits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laure Cauchard

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Recent studies have uncovered relationships between measures of various cognitive performances and proxies of fitness such as reproductive success in non-human animals. However, to better understand the evolution of cognition in the wild, we still have to determine the causality of these relationships and the underlying mechanisms. The cognitive ability of an individual may directly influence its ability to raise many and/or high quality young through for example its provisioning ability. Conversely, large and/or high quality broods may lead to high parental motivation to solve problems related to their care. To answer this question, we manipulated reproductive success through brood size and measured subsequent problem-solving performance in wild great tit parents. Our results show that brood size manipulation did not affect the probability to solve the task. Moreover, solver pairs fledged more young than non-solver pairs independently of brood size treatment in one of the two experimental years and they showed higher nestling provisioning rate in both years. Overall, it shows that problem-solving performance was not driven by motivation and suggest that problem-solvers may achieve higher fledging success through higher provisioning rates. Our study constitutes a first key step toward a mechanistic understanding of the consequences of innovation ability for individual fitness in the wild.

Promoting quality through measurement of performance and response: prevention success stories.

OpenAIRE

Richards, C.; Emori, T. G.; Peavy, G.; Gaynes, R.

2001-01-01

Successful efforts to prevent health-care acquired infections occur daily in U.S. hospitals. However, few of these "success stories" are presented in the medical literature or discussed at professional meetings. Key components of successful prevention efforts include multidisciplinary teams, appropriate educational interventions, and data dissemination to clinical staff.

Success in behaviour-based safety at Los Alamos National Laboratory's plutonium facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wieneke, R E [Los Alamos National Laboratory, NMT Division, Los Alamos, NM (United States); Balkey, J J; Kleinsteuber, J F [Los Alamos National Laboratory, NMT Division, Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2001-07-01

Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL's) Plutonium Facility is responsible for a wide variety of actinide processing operations in support of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE's) stockpile stewardship of the nation's nuclear arsenal. Both engineered and administrative controls are used to mitigate hazards inherent in these activities. Nuclear facilities have engineered safety systems that are extensively evaluated and documented, and are monitored regularly for operability and performance. Personnel undergo comprehensive training, including annual recertification of their operations. They must thoroughly understand the hazards involved in their work and the controls that are in place to mitigate those hazards. A series of hazard-control plans and work instructions are used to define and authorize the work that is done. Primary hazards associated with chemicals and radioactive materials are well controlled with minimal risk to the workforce and public. The majority of injuries are physical or ergonomic in nature. In an effort to increase safety awareness and to decrease accidents and incidents, a program focusing on the identification and elimination of unsafe behaviours was initiated. Workers are trained on how to conduct safety observations and given guidance on specific behaviours to note. Observations are structured to have minimal impact upon workload and are shared by the entire workforce. This program has effectively decreased a low accident rate and will make long-term sustainability possible. (author)

Success in behaviour-based safety at Los Alamos National Laboratory's plutonium facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wieneke, R.E.; Balkey, J.J.; Kleinsteuber, J.F.

2001-01-01

Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL's) Plutonium Facility is responsible for a wide variety of actinide processing operations in support of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE's) stockpile stewardship of the nation's nuclear arsenal. Both engineered and administrative controls are used to mitigate hazards inherent in these activities. Nuclear facilities have engineered safety systems that are extensively evaluated and documented, and are monitored regularly for operability and performance. Personnel undergo comprehensive training, including annual recertification of their operations. They must thoroughly understand the hazards involved in their work and the controls that are in place to mitigate those hazards. A series of hazard-control plans and work instructions are used to define and authorize the work that is done. Primary hazards associated with chemicals and radioactive materials are well controlled with minimal risk to the workforce and public. The majority of injuries are physical or ergonomic in nature. In an effort to increase safety awareness and to decrease accidents and incidents, a program focusing on the identification and elimination of unsafe behaviours was initiated. Workers are trained on how to conduct safety observations and given guidance on specific behaviours to note. Observations are structured to have minimal impact upon workload and are shared by the entire workforce. This program has effectively decreased a low accident rate and will make long-term sustainability possible. (author)

The Long Shadow of Rivalry: Rivalry Motivates Performance Today and Tomorrow.

Science.gov (United States)

Pike, Brian E; Kilduff, Gavin J; Galinsky, Adam D

2018-05-01

Research has established that competing head to head against a rival boosts motivation and performance. The present research investigated whether rivalry can affect performance over time and in contests without rivals. We examined the long-term effects of rivalry through archival analyses of postseason performance in multiple high-stakes sports contexts: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Men's Basketball and the major U.S. professional sports leagues: National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and National Hockey League (NHL). Econometric analyses revealed that postseason performance of a focal team's rival in year N predicted that focal team's postseason performance in year N + 1. Follow-up analyses suggested that the performance boost was especially pronounced when one's rival won the previous tournament. These results establish that rivalry has a long shadow: A rival team's success exerts such a powerful motivational force that it drives performance outside of direct competition with one's rival and even after a significant delay.

What attributions do Australian high-performing general practices make for their success? Applying the clinical microsystems framework: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunham, Annette H; Dunbar, James A; Johnson, Julie K; Fuller, Jeff; Morgan, Mark; Ford, Dale

2018-04-10

To identify the success attributions of high-performing Australian general practices and the enablers and barriers they envisage for practices wishing to emulate them. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and content analysis of the data. Responses were recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded according to success characteristics of high-performing clinical microsystems. Primary healthcare with the participating general practices representing all Australian states and territories, and representing metropolitan and rural locations. Twenty-two general practices identified as high performing via a number of success criteria. The 52 participants were 19 general practitioners, 18 practice managers and 15 practice nurses. Participants most frequently attributed success to the interdependence of the team members, patient-focused care and leadership of the practice. They most often signalled practice leadership, team interdependence and staff focus as enablers that other organisations would need to emulate their success. They most frequently identified barriers that might be encountered in the form of potential deficits or limitations in practice leadership, staff focus and mesosystem support. Practice leaders need to empower their teams to take action through providing inclusive leadership that facilitates team interdependence. Mesosystem support for quality improvement in general practice should focus on enabling this leadership and team building, thereby ensuring improvement efforts are converted into effective healthcare provision. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Argonne National Laboratory high performance network support of APS experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knot, M.J.; McMahon, R.J.

1996-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory is currently positioned to provide access to high performance regional and national networks. Much of the impetus for this effort is the anticipated needs of the upcoming experimental program at the APS. Some APS collaborative access teams (CATs) are already pressing for network speed improvements and security enhancements. Requirements range from the need for high data rate, secure transmission of experimental data, to the desire to establish a open-quote open-quote virtual experimental environment close-quote close-quote at their home institution. In the near future, 155 megabit/sec (Mb/s) national and regional asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks will be operational and available to APS users. Full-video teleconferencing, virtual presence operation of experiments, and high speed, secure transmission of data are being tested and, in some cases, will be operational. We expect these efforts to enable a substantial improvement in the speed of processing experimental results as well as an increase in convenience to the APS experimentalist. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

The Future Cybersecurity Workforce: Going Beyond Technical Skills for Successful Cyber Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica Dawson

2018-06-01

Full Text Available One of the challenges in writing an article reviewing the current state of cyber education and workforce development is that there is a paucity of quantitative assessment regarding the cognitive aptitudes, work roles, or team organization required by cybersecurity professionals to be successful. In this review, we argue that the people who operate within the cyber domain need a combination of technical skills, domain specific knowledge, and social intelligence to be successful. They, like the networks they operate, must also be reliable, trustworthy, and resilient. Defining the knowledge, skills, attributes, and other characteristics is not as simple as defining a group of technical skills that people can be trained on; the complexity of the cyber domain makes this a unique challenge. There has been little research devoted to exactly what attributes individuals in the cyber domain need. What research does exist places an emphasis on technical and engineering skills while discounting the important social and organizational influences that dictate success or failure in everyday settings. This paper reviews the literature on cyber expertise and cyber workforce development to identify gaps and then argues for the important contribution of social fit in the highly complex and heterogenous cyber workforce. We then identify six assumptions for the future of cybersecurity workforce development, including the requirement for systemic thinkers, team players, a love for continued learning, strong communication ability, a sense of civic duty, and a blend of technical and social skill. Finally, we make recommendations for social and cognitive metrics which may be indicative of future performance in cyber work roles to provide a roadmap for future scholars.

The Future Cybersecurity Workforce: Going Beyond Technical Skills for Successful Cyber Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Jessica; Thomson, Robert

2018-01-01

One of the challenges in writing an article reviewing the current state of cyber education and workforce development is that there is a paucity of quantitative assessment regarding the cognitive aptitudes, work roles, or team organization required by cybersecurity professionals to be successful. In this review, we argue that the people who operate within the cyber domain need a combination of technical skills, domain specific knowledge, and social intelligence to be successful. They, like the networks they operate, must also be reliable, trustworthy, and resilient. Defining the knowledge, skills, attributes, and other characteristics is not as simple as defining a group of technical skills that people can be trained on; the complexity of the cyber domain makes this a unique challenge. There has been little research devoted to exactly what attributes individuals in the cyber domain need. What research does exist places an emphasis on technical and engineering skills while discounting the important social and organizational influences that dictate success or failure in everyday settings. This paper reviews the literature on cyber expertise and cyber workforce development to identify gaps and then argues for the important contribution of social fit in the highly complex and heterogenous cyber workforce. We then identify six assumptions for the future of cybersecurity workforce development, including the requirement for systemic thinkers, team players, a love for continued learning, strong communication ability, a sense of civic duty, and a blend of technical and social skill. Finally, we make recommendations for social and cognitive metrics which may be indicative of future performance in cyber work roles to provide a roadmap for future scholars.

Impact of Stakeholder Psychological Empowerment on Project Success

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Herry Pintardi Chandra

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The relationship between psychological empowerment of stakeholders and project success is an important thing that must be known by project manager. This research developed and tested the model to predict how well the impact of stakeholder psychological empowerment on project success. Stakeholder psychological empowerment was defined to have five indicator variables covering intrinsic motivation, opportunity to perform, ability to perform, task behaviors, and contextual behaviors. Meanwhile, project success can be measured by cost performance, time performance, quality performance, profitability, and customer satisfaction. In this study, it was hypothesized that stakeholder psychological empowerment influenced project success. Based on the data obtained from a questionnaire survey carried out to 204 respondents, structural equation modeling (SEM was used for predicting the performance of project success. It was found that stakeholder psychological empowerment influenced project success, especially on the ability to perform of stakeholders.

Visions of success and achievement in recreation-related USDA Forest Service NEPA processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stern, Marc J.; Blahna, Dale J.; Cerveny, Lee K.; Mortimer, Michael J.

2009-01-01

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is incorporated into the planning and decision-making culture of all natural resource agencies in the U.S. Yet, we know little about how the attitudes and internal interactions of interdisciplinary (ID) teams engaged in NEPA processes influence process outcomes. We conducted a web-based survey of 106 ID team leaders involved with environmental analyses (EA) or environmental impact statements (EIS) for projects dealing with recreation and travel management on national forests. We explore how they define success in these processes and identify factors most powerfully associated with perceptions of positive outcomes. The survey revealed a tremendous diversity in definitions of success. Strong correlations between the perceived importance of particular indicators of success and their achievement suggest that pre-conceived notions may often help to shape process outcomes. Regression analyses revealed the following factors as the best predictors of ID team leaders' perception of an 'excellent outcome': achievement of the agency mission, whether compromise had taken place between the interested parties, team satisfaction and harmony, timely process completion, and project implementation. Yet, respondents consistently ranked compromise with interested parties and team member satisfaction among the least important measures of successful NEPA processes. Results suggest that clarifying appropriate measures of success in NEPA processes across the agency could make ID team performance more consistent. The research also suggests that greater attention to ID team interactions, both internally and between teams and interested publics, could result in better outcomes.

Decisions concerning how to improve operator performance based on comparisons of successful and non-successful operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svenson, Ola

1999-01-01

One way of finding out how to improve operator training is to collect information from expert operators about how they select and process information when they act as experts. This strategy can be used when the information is not well structured, when expertise involves a very high level of skill and so forth. X-ray diagnosis, evaluations of organizations, judgments of rock and materials quality over very long time and investigations of cracks in ultrasonic tests exemplify areas in which human expertise plays an important role. Typically, in this kind of approach, a number of skilled experts are first selected and then they are compared to a control group of less successful individuals or non-experts (who can also in some cases be the candidates of the training program). The differences between the two groups are then used as a basis for designing training programs to improve the performance of the non-experts. Unfortunately, this approach has some pitfalls that may lead to undue optimism concerning the expected results of such training programs. This will be further elaborated and exemplified in this talk (full text of the contribution)

Idaho National Laboratory Quarterly Event Performance Analysis FY 2013 4th Quarter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitchell, Lisbeth A. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2013-11-01

This report is published quarterly by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Performance Assurance Organization. The Department of Energy Occurrence Reporting and Processing System (ORPS) as prescribed in DOE Order 232.2 “Occurrence Reporting and Processing of Operations Information” requires a quarterly analysis of events, both reportable and not reportable for the previous twelve months. This report is the analysis of occurrence reports and deficiency reports (including not reportable events) identified at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) during the period of October 2012 through September 2013.

Predicting College Math Success: Do High School Performance and Gender Matter? Evidence from Sultan Qaboos University in Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, M. Mazharul; Al-Ghassani, Asma

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of students of college of Science of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Calculus I course, and examine the predictive validity of student's high school performance and gender for Calculus I success. The data for the study was extracted from students' database maintained by the Deanship of…

Critical success factors influencing the performance of development projects: An empirical study of Constituency Development Fund projects in Kenya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debadyuti Das

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The present work attempts to identify critical success factors (CSFs influencing the performance of development projects based on their key performance indicators (KPIs. It has considered the case of Constituency Development Fund (CDF projects constructed between 2003 and 2011 in Kenya and secured the perceptions of 175 respondents comprising clients, consultants and contractors involved in the implementation of CDF projects on 30 success variables. Findings reveal that individual items constituting these six factors represent six CSFs namely project-related, client-related, consultant-related, contractor-related, supply chain-related, and external environment-related factor. The findings are also relevant to development projects undertaken in other developing countries.

Management of developing swimming performance in National Paralympic Committee of Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nonik Rahmawati

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this study is to understand and analyze structural organization of NPC (National Paralympic Committee of Indonesia on managing swimming performance,recruitment system, infrastructure management, funding management and implementation of the exercise management on managing swimming performance. This study was conducted at Head Office of NPC Indonesia and Kartasura Swimming Pool, Central Java Province. This studyis made in qualitative manner and presented in descriptive approach. The data collection is conducted by doing observation, document analysis, and interviews. The results of the management of developing swimming performance in NPC (National Paralympic Committee of Indonesia are summarized as follows: 1 there are general chairman, the head of the achievement division, the head of the sports department, coach manager and then directed to the coach coordinator and coach’s assistant in the organizational structure 2 recruitment of the organization is held by choosing people who concerned about NPC of Indonesia, recruitment of coach is held without any special tests, which is selected by: giving priority to athletes who have ever won medals and have experienced in coaching, while recruitment of athletes is held by using special test by NPC of Indonesia, 3 facilities, in the form of swimming’s support tools, are given gradually by Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairsby submitting proposals. Meanwhile, facility such as swimming pool still depends on renting Kartasura Swimming Pool, 4 the funding is obtained from Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs without any sponsorship, 5 training program is held by giving suitable program in general preparation, special preparation, pre match, and also considering athletes’ physical condition, technique, and mental status. Training program can be developed according to the condition of each athlete. Based on the analysis, it can be concluded that management of developing swimming

Process performance of the pilot-scale in situ vitrification of a simulated waste disposal site at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, J.G.; Koegler, S.S.; Bates, S.O.

1988-06-01

Process feasibility studies have been successfully performed on three developmental scales to determine the potential for applying in situ vitrification to intermediate-level (low-level) waste placed in seepage pits and trenches at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). In the laboratory, testing was performed in crucibles containing a mixture of 50% ORNL soil and 50% limestone. In an engineering-scale test at Pacific Northwest Laboratory a /1/12/-scale simulation of an ORNL waste trench was constructed and vitrified, resulting in a waste product containing soil and limestone concentrations of 68 wt % and 32 wt %, respectively. In the pilot-scale test a /3/8/-scale simulation of the same trench was constructed and vitrified at ORNL, resulting in soil and limestone concentrations of 80% and 20%, respectively, in the waste product. Results of the three scales of testing indicate that the ORNL intermediate-level (low-level) waste sites can be successfully processed by in situ vitrification; the waste form will retain significant quantities of the cesium and strontium. Because cesium-137 and strontium-90 are the major components of the radionuclide inventory in the ORNL seepage pits and trenches, final field process decontamination factors (i.e., losses to the off-gas system relative to the waste inventory) of 1.0 E + 4 are desired to minimize activity buildup in the off-gas system. 17 refs., 34 figs., 13 tabs

National Security Technology Incubation Project Continuation Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2008-09-30

This document contains a project continuation plan for the National Security Technology Incubator (NSTI). The plan was developed as part of the National Security Preparedness Project (NSPP) funded by a Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) grant. This continuation plan describes the current status of NSTI (staffing and clients), long-term goals, strategies, and long-term financial solvency goals.The Arrowhead Center of New Mexico State University (NMSU) is the operator and manager of the NSTI. To realize the NSTI, Arrowhead Center must meet several performance objectives related to planning, development, execution, evaluation, and sustainability. This continuation plan is critical to the success of NSTI in its mission of incubating businesses with security technology products and services.

Performant Brand Management Contribution to the Company Success on International Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Danciu

2007-02-01

Full Text Available The success of any company in international markets heavily depends on the brand strategies. These strategies are based on the pillars of the brand management, which are identity, positionning and image. The core element of the internationalisation strategy of the brand is the identity. The positionning depends on the global or international characteristics of the brand. The market served, the product innovation and the exclusive character or not of the brand are the fundamental decisions of the internalisation strategy of the brand. The results of these decisions are to be found in the strategies of the brand. These strategies play a prominent part in the performant management of the brand and the strategical outcome of the company in the international markets. The succesfull, consistent international brands confirm this remarcable role of the management.

National cyber defense high performance computing and analysis : concepts, planning and roadmap.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamlet, Jason R.; Keliiaa, Curtis M.

2010-09-01

There is a national cyber dilemma that threatens the very fabric of government, commercial and private use operations worldwide. Much is written about 'what' the problem is, and though the basis for this paper is an assessment of the problem space, we target the 'how' solution space of the wide-area national information infrastructure through the advancement of science, technology, evaluation and analysis with actionable results intended to produce a more secure national information infrastructure and a comprehensive national cyber defense capability. This cybersecurity High Performance Computing (HPC) analysis concepts, planning and roadmap activity was conducted as an assessment of cybersecurity analysis as a fertile area of research and investment for high value cybersecurity wide-area solutions. This report and a related SAND2010-4765 Assessment of Current Cybersecurity Practices in the Public Domain: Cyber Indications and Warnings Domain report are intended to provoke discussion throughout a broad audience about developing a cohesive HPC centric solution to wide-area cybersecurity problems.

Career Performance Trajectories in Track and Field Jumping Events from Youth to Senior Success: The Importance of Learning and Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Boccia, Gennaro; Moisè, Paolo; Franceschi, Alberto; Trova, Francesco; Panero, Davide; La Torre, Antonio; Rainoldi, Alberto; Schena, Federico; Cardinale, Marco

2017-01-01

The idea that early sport success can be detrimental for long-term sport performance is still under debate. Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine the career trajectories of Italian high and long jumpers to provide a better understanding of performance development in jumping events. The official long-jump and high-jump rankings of the Italian Track and Field Federation were collected from the age of 12 to career termination, for both genders from the year 1994 to 2014. Top-level athletes were identified as those with a percentile of their personal best performance between 97 and 100. The age of entering competitions of top-level athletes was not different than the rest of the athletic population, whereas top-level athletes performed their personal best later than the rest of the athletes. Top-level athletes showed an overall higher rate of improvement in performance from the age of 13 to the age of 18 years when compared to all other individuals. Only 10-25% of the top-level adult athletes were top-level at the age of 16. Around 60% of the top-level young at the age of 16 did not maintain the same level of performance in adulthood. Female high-jump represented an exception from this trend since in this group most top-level young become top-level adult athletes. These findings suggest that performance before the age of 16 is not a good predictor of adult performance in long and high jump. The annual rate of improvements from 13 to 18 years should be included as a predictor of success rather than performance per se. Coaches should be careful about predicting future success based on performances obtained during youth in jumping events.

Career Performance Trajectories in Track and Field Jumping Events from Youth to Senior Success: The Importance of Learning and Development.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gennaro Boccia

Full Text Available The idea that early sport success can be detrimental for long-term sport performance is still under debate. Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine the career trajectories of Italian high and long jumpers to provide a better understanding of performance development in jumping events.The official long-jump and high-jump rankings of the Italian Track and Field Federation were collected from the age of 12 to career termination, for both genders from the year 1994 to 2014. Top-level athletes were identified as those with a percentile of their personal best performance between 97 and 100.The age of entering competitions of top-level athletes was not different than the rest of the athletic population, whereas top-level athletes performed their personal best later than the rest of the athletes. Top-level athletes showed an overall higher rate of improvement in performance from the age of 13 to the age of 18 years when compared to all other individuals. Only 10-25% of the top-level adult athletes were top-level at the age of 16. Around 60% of the top-level young at the age of 16 did not maintain the same level of performance in adulthood. Female high-jump represented an exception from this trend since in this group most top-level young become top-level adult athletes.These findings suggest that performance before the age of 16 is not a good predictor of adult performance in long and high jump. The annual rate of improvements from 13 to 18 years should be included as a predictor of success rather than performance per se. Coaches should be careful about predicting future success based on performances obtained during youth in jumping events.

Development of the index to evaluate the level of educational success performed in line with curriculum policy

OpenAIRE

浜崎, 央; 片庭, 美咲; 柴田, 幸一; 住吉, 廣行

2014-01-01

We aim to propose an index to evaluate the level of educational success performed in line with curriculum policy．We will point out that there exist two conditions for checking the improvement of the educational performance by teachers at universities. Enhancing various teaching skills by "student evaluation" and/or "classroom observation" can be regarded as a "necessary condition" but not "sufficient condition". Therefore, we propose the "sufficient condition" to obtain satisfactory education...

Stakeholders Perspectives on the Success Drivers in Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme – Identifying Policy Translation Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam Fusheini

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS, established by an Act of Parliament (Act 650, in 2003 and since replaced by Act 852 of 2012 remains, in African terms, unprecedented in terms of growth and coverage. As a result, the scheme has received praise for its associated legal reforms, clinical audit mechanisms and for serving as a hub for knowledge sharing and learning within the context of South-South cooperation. The scheme continues to shape national health insurance thinking in Africa. While the success, especially in coverage and financial access has been highlighted by many authors, insufficient attention has been paid to critical and context-specific factors. This paper seeks to fill that gap. Methods Based on an empirical qualitative case study of stakeholders’ views on challenges and success factors in four mutual schemes (district offices located in two regions of Ghana, the study uses the concept of policy translation to assess whether the Ghana scheme could provide useful lessons to other African and developing countries in their quest to implement social/NHISs. Results In the study, interviewees referred to both ‘hard and soft’ elements as driving the “success” of the Ghana scheme. The main ‘hard elements’ include bureaucratic and legal enforcement capacities; IT; financing; governance, administration and management; regulating membership of the scheme; and service provision and coverage capabilities. The ‘soft’ elements identified relate to: the background/context of the health insurance scheme; innovative ways of funding the NHIS, the hybrid nature of the Ghana scheme; political will, commitment by government, stakeholders and public cooperation; social structure of Ghana (solidarity; and ownership and participation. Conclusion Other developing countries can expect to translate rather than re-assemble a national health insurance programme in an incomplete and highly modified form over a period

Does Happiness Promote Career Success?

Science.gov (United States)

Boehm, Julia K.; Lyubomirsky, Sonja

2008-01-01

Past research has demonstrated a relationship between happiness and workplace success. For example, compared with their less happy peers, happy people earn more money, display superior performance, and perform more helpful acts. Researchers have often assumed that an employee is happy and satisfied because he or she is successful. In this article,…

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory low-level waste systems performance assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-11-01

This Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) Systems Performance Assessment (PA) presents a systematic analysis of the potential risks posed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) waste management system. Potential risks to the public and environment are compared to established performance objectives as required by DOE Order 5820.2A. The report determines the associated maximum individual committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE) to a member of the public from LLW and mixed waste. A maximum annual CEDE of 0.01 mrem could result from routine radioactive liquid effluents. A maximum annual CEDE of 0.003 mrem could result from routine radioactive gaseous effluents. No other pathways for radiation exposure of the public indicated detectable levels of exposure. The dose rate, monitoring, and waste acceptance performance objectives were found to be adequately addressed by the LLNL Program. 88 refs., 3 figs., 17 tabs

Reframing Success and Failure of Information Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cecez-Kecmanovic, Dubravka; Kautz, Karlheinz; Abrahall, Rebecca

2014-01-01

-networks of developers, managers, technologies, project documents, methodologies, and other actors. Drawing from a controversial case of a highly innovative information system in an insurance company-considered a success and failure at the same time- the paper reveals the inherent indeterminacy of IS success and failure......he paper questions common assumptions in the dominant representational framings of information systems success and failure and proposes a performative perspective that conceives IS success and failure as relational effects performed by sociomaterial practices of IS project actor...... that performed both different IS realities and competing IS assessments. The analysis shows that the IS project and the implemented system as objects of assessment are not given and fixed, but are performed by the agencies of assessment together with the assessment outcomes of success and failure. The paper...

What Does Successful Aging Mean? Lay Perception of Successful Aging Among Elderly Singaporeans.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Qiushi; Straughan, Paulin Tay

2017-03-01

We explore the culturally specific meaning of successful aging in Singapore, an ethnically diverse city-state in Asia. We aim to investigate lay perceptions of successful aging among the elderly individuals in Singapore and further examine variations of these perceptions. We applied a mixed-method research design. Firstly, we conducted qualitative interviews with 49 elderly respondents, generating 12 main subjective components of successful aging. Next, we did a national survey with a sample of 1,540 local residents aged 50 to 69 years, in which respondents were asked to evaluate the importance of each subjective component of successful aging. We used the regression models and latent class analysis to analyze the correlatives of successful aging and to classify the elderly individuals by perception types. Among 12 components of successful aging, those related to self-sufficiency received the highest acknowledgment among the elderly individuals in Singapore. At least half of them simultaneously highlighted independence from family and dependence on family. Malays and Indians in Singapore valued more of the roles of spouse and children in successful aging, as compared with Chinese. The latent class analysis classified four groups of the elderly individuals according to their lay views on successful aging. As compared with the western model of successful aging, the elderly individuals in Singapore perceived successful aging with a strong focus on familism. These lay perceptions also significantly varied among these elderly individuals. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The study on key performance indices in national nuclear R and D program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seong Baek; Park, Nam Je; Park, Hong Jun; Chung, Bum Jin; Kim, Jeong Ha; Seo, Kyung Chun; Kim, Byung Mok

2012-01-01

Korean government has increased its investment of national research and development (R and D) recognizing that science and technology is a core element to bolster national economy and upgrade human life. In addition, measures have been developed to evaluate the R and D performance and contribution as they become critical and play pivotal roles to allocate national R and D budget in order to prevent the spillover effects. The nuclear technology development program is the backbone of the nuclear R and D programs in Korea. Since the nuclear R and D requires not only massive human resources and capitals but huge research equipment and facilities, the nuclear related science technology field is usually led by the government because of the high possibility of risk, failure or rewards, the necessity of huge budget, and the research spin off. The MEST (Ministry of Education and Science Technology) lays the groundwork for the advancement in nuclear R and D and the development of highly advanced technology by securing core technology. In addition, it also fosters world leading scientists with a creative research environment and an efficient R and D infrastructure. The main purpose of the study is to develop the logic model and design key performance indices for nuclear R and D program. The brief review of basic framework and contents for the performance evaluation system was explained in section 2. Based on the suggested evaluation framework, logic model and key performance indices are provided in section 3 and finally, concluding remarks are given in section 4

The Project of Success

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kreiner, Kristian

more complicated matter than meeting targets. While success may ultimately be justified in terms of a correspondence between aims and achievements, the understanding of both aspects is highly dependent on the project process. An example of a successful project that did not meet the original performance...... targets will serve to show that success is at matter of perspective as much as it is a matter of achievement. Other types of research, e.g. social psychology, have addressed the issue of success more explicitly. I draw on such literature to conceptualize project success anew and to reestablish...

EVALUATING THE SUCCESS OF PEACE OPERATIONS

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Garb, Maja

Peacekeepers are lightly armed and do not fire except in self-defence; .... communication theories, he assumes that the success of peace support operations is ..... UNAVEM III – United Nations Angola Verification Mission III; UNIFIL –.

Buckwheat-enriched wheat bread: National market placement possibilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sakač Marijana B.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Quality parameters and the possibility of successful placement of buckwheat-enriched wheat bread on the national market are presented in this paper. Analysis of the market position of buckwheat-enriched wheat bread includes demands, offer and competition. Elements that affect the overall retail price of buckwheat-enriched wheat bread are given in details, along with SWOT analysis and marketing plan including target market, market supply and product marketing mix. According to all performed analyses it could be concluded that this product should be positioned on the national market, especially for people with special needs and requirements.

Parents, School Success, and Health

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2009-08-03

In this podcast, Dr. William Jeynes, CDC Parenting Speaker Series guest, discusses the importance of parental involvement in children's academic success and lifelong health.  Created: 8/3/2009 by National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD).   Date Released: 8/3/2009.

National diversity and team performance: the moderating role of interactional justice climate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buengeler, C.; den Hartog, D.N.

2015-01-01

In this team-level study, we present and test a model in which two aspects of interactional justice climate, its level and its strength, interact to moderate the effects of national diversity on team performance. Connecting the literatures on team diversity and (interactional) justice climate, we

A MIXED METHODS ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF GOOGLE DOCS ENVIRONMENT ON EFL LEARNERS’ WRITING PERFORMANCE AND CAUSAL ATTRIBUTIONS FOR SUCCESS AND FAILURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zari Sadat SEYYEDREZAIE

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the effect of writing process in Google Docs environment on Iranian EFL learners’ writing performance. It also examined students’ perceptions towards the effects of Google Docs and their perceived causes of success or failure in writing performance. In this regard, 48 EFL students were chosen based on their IELTs writing test scores. During the treatment, the students were taught how to write a formal five-paragraph essay in the class, but they were supposed to practice writing process and give feedback to their peers’ essays through Google Docs. At the end of the treatment phase, the participants received another sample of IELTs writing test (posttest. Moreover, 20 participants were interviewed for their perceptions regarding the causes for their success and failure and the influence of Google Docs on their writing performance. The analysis of a Paired-Sample t-test revealed that Google Docs played an effective role in improving students’ writing performance. In addition, the analysis of interview revealed that the students perceived both internal and external causes for their success and failure; but in case of failure, internal factors were cited more often than external ones. Also, it was revealed that students generally showed positive attitude towards the implication of Google Docs as a factor leading to success in their writing performance.

National Culture and Business Model Change - A Framework for Successful Expansions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stenskov, Lea Houmark; Lueg, Rainer

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a conceptual framework to analyse how a company’s business model needs to be adjusted if it is expanded into another cultural context. For this, we use the example of changes in the business model of a Danish ITcompany opening a new office in the U.S. Using a single case study......, we integrate the concepts of business models (Osterwalder and Pigneur, 2005) and national culture (Hofstede, 1980). Our findings explain why and how adjustments in the business model are necessary regarding the company’s communication, team composition, and customer involvement in projects....... As to implications, we construct a matrix combining business models and national culture that other multinational companies can use to achieve better understanding of their business model in different national contexts....

Effect of Concussion on Performance of National Football League Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Reams, Nicole; Hayward, Rodney A; Kutcher, Jeffrey S; Burke, James F

2017-09-01

Lingering neurologic injury after concussion may expose athletes to increased risk if return to play is premature. The authors explored whether on-field performance after concussion is a marker of lingering neurologic injury. Retrospective cohort study on 1882 skill-position players who played in the National Football League (NFL) during 2007-2010. Players with concussion based on the weekly injury report were compared with players with other head and neck injuries (controls) on measures of on-field performance using Football Outsiders' calculation of defense-adjusted yards above replacement (DYAR), a measure of a player's contribution controlling for game context. Changes in performance, relative to a player's baseline level of performance, were estimated before and after injury using fixed-effects models. The study included 140 concussed players and 57 controls. Players with concussion performed no better or worse than their baseline on return to play. However, a decline in DYAR relative to their prior performance was noted 2 wk and 1 wk before appearing on the injury report. Concussed players performed slightly better than controls in situations where they returned to play the same week as appearing on the injury report. On return, concussed NFL players performed at their baseline level of performance, suggesting that players have recovered from concussion. Decline in performance noted 2 wk and 1 wk before appearing on the injury report may suggest that concussion diagnosis was delayed or that concussion can be a multihit phenomenon. Athletic performance may be a novel tool for assessing concussion injury and recovery.

National staff exercise in the Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergman, L.J.W.M.; Dal, A.H.

1993-01-01

In mid 1990, with the implementation of the National Plan for Nuclear Emergency Planning and Response in its final phase, it was decided to conduct a National Staff Exercise (NSE) on 14th November 1991, focused on an accident at the nuclear power plant in Borssele. In preparing the exercise a workplan was developed and a task force was formed. The task force was responsible for implementing all activities listed in the workplan. Approximately 450 persons participated in the exercise, including an extensive control organization. For evaluation purposes several evaluation reports were drawn up. An international group of experts observed the exercise, visited several participating locations and evaluated the performance of participants. In general the exercise was judged as realistic and successful. Both participants as well as controllers expressed opinions that it was a very instructive exercise and the scenario contained enough elements to perform their tasks as well as provide a realistic assessment of the plan and the procedures

Correlation of Admission Metrics with Eventual Success in Mathematics Academic Performance of Freshmen in AMAIUB's Business Curricula

Science.gov (United States)

Calucag, Lina S.; Talisic, Geraldo C.; Caday, Aileen B.

2016-01-01

This is a correlational study research design, which aimed to determine the correlation of admission metrics with eventual success in mathematics academic performance of the admitted 177 first year students of Bachelor of Science in Business Informatics and 59 first year students of Bachelor of Science in International Studies. Using Pearson's…

Auditing Marketing Strategy Implementation Success

OpenAIRE

Herhausen, Dennis; Egger, Thomas; Oral, Cansu

2014-01-01

What makes a marketing strategy implementation successful and how can managers measure this success? To answer these questions, we developed a two-step audit approach. First, managers should measure the implementation success regarding effectiveness, efficiency, performance outcomes, and strategic embeddedness. Second, they should explore the reasons that have led to success or failure by regarding managerial, leadership, and environmental traps. Doing so will also provide corrective action p...

INFORMATION SYSTEM QUALITY INFLUENCE ON ORGANIZATION PERFORMANCE: A MODIFICATION OF TECHNOLOGY-BASED INFORMATION SYSTEM ACCEPTANCE AND SUCCESS MODEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trisnawati N.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study aims to examine the effect of information system quality on technology-based accounting information systems usage and their impact on organizational performance on local government. This study is based on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM, IS Success Model, and the success of technology-based information systems. This study is a combination of previous studies conducted by Seddon and Kiew (1997, Saeed and Helm (2008, and DeLone and McLean (1992. This study used survey method and took 101 respondents from accounting staff working in Malang and Mojokerto regencies. This study uses Partial Least Square to examine research data. Research result exhibits information system qualities affecting benefit perception and user satisfaction. Technology-based accounting information systems usage in local government is influenced by benefits perception and user satisfaction. Research result concluded that technology-based accounting information systems usage will affect the performance of local government organizations.

Application of Activity-Based Costing Management System by Key Success Paths to Promote the Competitive Advantages and Operation Performance

OpenAIRE

Mei-Fang Wu; Shu-Li Wang; Feng-Tsung Cheng

2015-01-01

Highly developed technology and highly competitive global market highlight the important role of competitive advantages and operation performances in sustainable company operation. Activity-Based Costing (ABC) provides accurate operation cost and operation performance information. Rich literatures provide relevant research with cases study on Activity-Based Costing application, but the research on cause relationship between key success factors and its specific outcome, su...

Review of California and National Methods for Energy PerformanceBenchmarking of Commercial Buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matson, Nance E.; Piette, Mary Ann

2005-09-05

This benchmarking review has been developed to support benchmarking planning and tool development under discussion by the California Energy Commission (CEC), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and others in response to the Governor's Executive Order S-20-04 (2004). The Executive Order sets a goal of benchmarking and improving the energy efficiency of California's existing commercial building stock. The Executive Order requires the CEC to propose ''a simple building efficiency benchmarking system for all commercial buildings in the state''. This report summarizes and compares two currently available commercial building energy-benchmarking tools. One tool is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star National Energy Performance Rating System, which is a national regression-based benchmarking model (referred to in this report as Energy Star). The second is Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Cal-Arch, which is a California-based distributional model (referred to as Cal-Arch). Prior to the time Cal-Arch was developed in 2002, there were several other benchmarking tools available to California consumers but none that were based solely on California data. The Energy Star and Cal-Arch benchmarking tools both provide California with unique and useful methods to benchmark the energy performance of California's buildings. Rather than determine which model is ''better'', the purpose of this report is to understand and compare the underlying data, information systems, assumptions, and outcomes of each model.

A Retrospective Study of Success, Failure, and Time Needed to Perform Awake Intubation.

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Thomas T; Gal, Jonathan S; DeMaria, Samuel; Lin, Hung-Mo; Levine, Adam I; Hyman, Jaime B

2016-07-01

Awake intubation is the standard of care for management of the anticipated difficult airway. The performance of awake intubation may be perceived as complex and time-consuming, potentially leading clinicians to avoid this technique of airway management. This retrospective review of awake intubations at a large academic medical center was performed to determine the average time taken to perform awake intubation, its effects on hemodynamics, and the incidence and characteristics of complications and failure. Anesthetic records from 2007 to 2014 were queried for the performance of an awake intubation. Of the 1,085 awake intubations included for analysis, 1,055 involved the use of a flexible bronchoscope. Each awake intubation case was propensity matched with two controls (1:2 ratio), with similar comorbidities and intubations performed after the induction of anesthesia (n = 2,170). The time from entry into the operating room until intubation was compared between groups. The anesthetic records of all patients undergoing awake intubation were also reviewed for failure and complications. The median time to intubation for patients intubated post induction was 16.0 min (interquartile range: 13 to 22) from entrance into the operating room. The median time to intubation for awake patients was 24.0 min (interquartile range: 19 to 31). The complication rate was 1.6% (17 of 1,085 cases). The most frequent complications observed were mucous plug, endotracheal tube cuff leak, and inadvertent extubation. The failure rate for attempted awake intubation was 1% (n = 10). Awake intubations have a high rate of success and low rate of serious complications and failure. Awake intubations can be performed safely and rapidly.

Performance of the upgraded ultracold neutron source at Los Alamos National Laboratory and its implication for a possible neutron electric dipole moment experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, T. M.; Adamek, E. R.; Callahan, N. B.; Choi, J. H.; Clayton, S. M.; Cude-Woods, C.; Currie, S.; Ding, X.; Fellers, D. E.; Geltenbort, P.; Lamoreaux, S. K.; Liu, C.-Y.; MacDonald, S.; Makela, M.; Morris, C. L.; Pattie, R. W.; Ramsey, J. C.; Salvat, D. J.; Saunders, A.; Sharapov, E. I.; Sjue, S.; Sprow, A. P.; Tang, Z.; Weaver, H. L.; Wei, W.; Young, A. R.

2018-01-01

The ultracold neutron (UCN) source at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), which uses solid deuterium as the UCN converter and is driven by accelerator spallation neutrons, has been successfully operated for over 10 years, providing UCN to various experiments, as the first production UCN source based on the superthermal process. It has recently undergone a major upgrade. This paper describes the design and performance of the upgraded LANL UCN source. Measurements of the cold neutron spectrum and UCN density are presented and compared to Monte Carlo predictions. The source is shown to perform as modeled. The UCN density measured at the exit of the biological shield was 184 (32 ) UCN /cm3 , a fourfold increase from the highest previously reported. The polarized UCN density stored in an external chamber was measured to be 39 (7 ) UCN /cm3 , which is sufficient to perform an experiment to search for the nonzero neutron electric dipole moment with a one-standard-deviation sensitivity of σ (dn) =3 ×10-27e cm .

[5-year course of dyslexia – Persistence, sex effects, performance in reading and spelling, and school-related success].

Science.gov (United States)

Wyschkon, Anne; Schulz, Franziska; Gallit, Finja Sunnyi; Poltz, Nadine; Kohn, Juliane; Moraske, Svenja; Bondü, Rebecca; von Aster, Michael; Esser, Günter

2018-03-01

The study examines the 5-year course of children with dyslexia with regard to their sex. Furthermore, the study investigates the impact of dyslexia on the performance in reading and spelling skills and school-related success. A group of 995 6- to 16-year-olds were examined at the initial assessment. Part of the initial sample was then re-examined after 43 and 63 months. The diagnosis of dyslexia was based on the double discrepancy criterion using a standard deviation of 1.5. Though they had no intellectual deficits, the children showed a considerable discrepancy between their reading or writing abilities and (1) their nonverbal intelligence and (2) the mean of their grade norm. Nearly 70 % of those examined had a persisting diagnosis of dyslexia over a period of 63 months. The 5-year course was not influenced by sex. Despite average intelligence, the performance in writing and spelling of children suffering from dyslexia was one standard deviation below a control group without dyslexia with average intelligence and 0.5 standard deviations below a group of children suffering from intellectual deficits. Furthermore, the school-related success of the dyslexics was significantly lower than those of children with average intelligence. Dyslexics showed similar school-related success rates to children suffering from intellectual deficits. Dyslexia represents a considerable developmental risk. The adverse impact of dyslexia on school-related success supports the importance of early diagnostics and intervention. It also underlines the need for reliable and general accepted diagnostic criteria. It is important to define such criteria in light of the prevalence rates.

National Science Foundation Grant Implementation: Perceptions of Teachers and Graduate Fellows in One School Regarding the Barriers and Successes

Science.gov (United States)

Pickering, Sharon Durham

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of partner teachers and graduate fellows in 1 school regarding the barriers and successes made during their participation in a National Science Foundation Grant. This study included 9 partner teachers and 7 graduate fellows who participated in the Science First! NSF GK-12 Grant. There were 16 participants in this study. This study was conducted at North Side Elementary and East Tennessee State University. Partner teachers and graduate fellows were interviewed to gain perceptions of the barriers and successes of their participation in the implementation of the Science First! grant at North Side and East Tennessee State University from 2008-2013. A list of possible participants in the study was provided from the grant leadership team. The 16 participants in the study were chosen through purposeful sampling. During data analysis, 4 themes arose as successes and 4 themes arose as barriers. The success themes were (a) relationships, (b) mutual appreciation, (c) increased academic depth, and (d) professional growth. The barriers were (a) communication, (b) time, (c) expectations, and (d) preparation. Based on the research, the following conclusions were presented. The coordination of a major NSF-GK12 grant can provide STEM support and academic rigor for a high poverty school with leadership. Positive relationships between the graduate fellows and partner teachers as well as the 2 participating institutions are critical in fostering successful grant implementation. Professional growth through the grant partnerships was obtained. The participants gained a mutual appreciation for the roles and responsibilities of each other. There are ups and downs in implementing a large grant at 1 elementary school with a university, but the rewards of the potential to influence teacher practices in STEM and student learning are great. Recommendations from the study findings may assist future grant award winners or

INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND LOCALIZATION: SUCCESS STORIES IN NUCLEAR BRANCH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yulia V. Chernyakhovskaya

2016-01-01

Full Text Available countries are considering nuclear power industry development [2, p. 3; 3, p. 3; 4]. For newcomer-countries it is of great importance to stimulate the national industry through NPP projects implementation based on technology transfer and localization (TTL. The study and systematization of world experience is useful in purpose to elaborate the national industry development programs. Objectives. The aim of article is to determine success factors of TTL; tasks: 1 to study TTL international experience in the fi eld of nuclear power technologies; 2 on the ground of the world practice to analyze preconditions, contents, stages, arrangement modes, formats and results of TTL. Methods. The following methods are utilized in the study: analysis and synthesis including problem-chronological, cause and eff ect and logical analysis and historical-diachronic method (method of periodization. Results. The following conclusions presented below have been made on the basis of the three cases study related to nuclear industry development using TTL (France, South Korea and China. Conclusions. The TTL success factors includes: Government support that provides long-term governmental development plan of nuclear power and industry for nuclear power based on TTL, and an appropriate international cooperation (under favorable conditions of “NPP buyers market”; Complex approach to implementation of the national TTL program and NPP construction projects: signing of NPP construction contracts with vendors stipulating technology transfer; NPP designing and constructing should be performed jointly with training and transferring of technical documentation and software. Technology transfer cooperation should be implemented through the licenses agreements and setting up joint ventures; Public acceptance and support.

The DARE programme, success ans lessons learned from libraries to libratories

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2005-01-01

The DARE Programme is the Dutch national OAI program. It started January 2003 with a budget of MEuro 5.9 and will last until December 2006. Renowned successes are the national sites DAREnet, harvesting the openly available content of the IR's of all universities and some national research organisations, and Keur der Wetenschap/Cream of Science, exhibiting the complete oeuvre of more than 200 Dutch top scientists (see: www.darenet.nl). Recently we started project LOREnet, the equivalent of DAREnet for the educational community. The presentation will tell about the successes, the experiences and the transformation from libraries to 'libratories'.

Finding the key to success: A visitors' perspective at a National Arts Festival

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Saayman

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose and/or objectives: The purpose of this article was to segment festival visitors at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK based on their travel motives and their ratings of the Key Success Factors (KSFs in terms of their festival experience. Problem investigated: Previous research has indicated that the success and sustainability of an arts festival is dependent on the number of tickets sold for shows and productions during the festival. Therefore, success depends on attracting visitors who attend and buy tickets for different types of shows and productions. To achieve this festival organisers need to understand the aspects that visitors regard as satisfying their needs and which create a unique festival experience. Methodology: A survey was conducted using a questionnaire at the festival. A total of 450 questionnaires were administered and 443 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. Factor analysis was used to identify visitors' motivation to travel to and attend the KKNK. Cluster analysis followed the factor analysis to segments visitors based their identified travel motives. ANOVAs, Chi-square tests, two-way frequency tables and Tukey's multiple comparisons were conducted to investigate and determine any significant differences between the clusters based on demographics, behavioural variables and KSFs. Analysis and interpretation of findings: The findings of this study revealed that the travel motives that are important to visitors to the arts festival are: Festival Attractiveness, Novelty and Escape and Socialisation. Furthermore, different markets have different travel motives, clustered as Escapists, Festival Junkies and Culture Seekers. These different clusters have different tastes and needs, for example the Culture Seekers are more interested in Rock shows and all three clusters enjoy Drama, Music Theatre and Cabaret and Comedy shows and productions. Different markets also focus on different KSFs that

Orchiopexy for intra-abdominal testes: factors predicting success.

Science.gov (United States)

Stec, Andrew A; Tanaka, Stacy T; Adams, Mark C; Pope, John C; Thomas, John C; Brock, John W

2009-10-01

Intra-abdominal testes can be treated with several surgical procedures. We evaluated factors influencing the outcome of orchiopexy for intra-abdominal testis. We retrospectively reviewed 156 consecutive orchiopexies performed for intra-abdominal testis, defined as a nonpalpable testis on examination and located in the abdomen at surgery. All surgical approaches were included in the study. Primary outcome was the overall success rate and secondary outcomes were success based on surgical approach, age and a patent processus vaginalis. Success was considered a testis with normal texture and size compared to the contralateral testis at followup. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine factors predictive of success. The overall success rate of all orchiopexies was 79.5%. Median patient age at orchiopexy was 12 months and mean followup was 16 months. Of the patients 117 had a patent processus vaginalis at surgery. One-stage abdominal orchiopexy was performed in 92 testes with 89.1% success. Of these cases 32 were performed laparoscopically with 96.9% success. One-stage Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy was performed in 27 testes and 2-stage Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy was performed in 37 with success in 63.0% and 67.6%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that 1-stage orchiopexy without vessel division had more successful outcomes than 1 and 2-stage Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy (OR 0.24, p = 0.007 and 0.29, p = 0.19, respectively). Neither age at surgery nor an open internal ring was significant (p = 0.49 and 0.12, respectively). The overall success of orchiopexy for intra-abdominal testis is 79.5%. While patient selection remains a critical factor, 1-stage orchiopexy without vessel division was significantly more successful and a laparoscopic approach was associated with the fewest failures for intra-abdominal testes.

Levels of Management Commitment: a Moderator the Structural Relationships Among Critical Success Factors of TQM, World-Class Performance in Operations, and Company Financial Performance

OpenAIRE

Slamet Ciptono, Wakhid

2008-01-01

This study investigates the moderating impacts of the three levels of management commitment (top, middle, and low levels) on the structural relationships among the constructs— six critical success factors of TQM (quality improvement program, supervisory leadership, supplier involvement, management commitment, training to improve products/services, cross-functional relationships); world-class performance in operations (world-class company practices, operational excellence practices, company no...

Lessons from 2012: What the NHS Can Learn from Britain's Olympic Success.

Science.gov (United States)

Maile, Edward J; Blake, Alastair M

2013-01-01

The 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games were widely regarded as an organisational and sporting success for the United Kingdom. Therefore, it is prudent to consider what other large, public endeavours might learn from the Games' success. Team GB worked to develop a positive team culture based around shared values. This is something the National Health Service (NHS) could learn from, as an organisation which can appear to lack this culture. The NHS should also work harder to adopt evidence-based practices, and to adopt them quickly, as is often the case in sport. Sport is the ultimate example of transparent results reporting, and the NHS ought to consider systematic reporting of risk-adjusted performance data, which may drive improved performance. The NHS should pay attention to the experiences of successful Olympic sports with centralised centres of excellence, and to medical data which suggests that better outcomes result from centres of excellence. The NHS and wider government should look to Olympic athletes and place more emphasis on prevention of disease by encouraging positive lifestyle choices. Finally, the NHS should develop private sector partnerships carefully. We must look to gather knowledge and ideas from every area of life in pursuit of excellence in the NHS. Experience of the Olympics offers a number of instructive lessons.

Capsule Performance Optimization in the National Ignition Campaign

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Landen, O L; MacGowan, B J; Haan, S W; Edwards, J

2009-10-13

A capsule performance optimization campaign will be conducted at the National Ignition Facility to substantially increase the probability of ignition. The campaign will experimentally correct for residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. The required tuning techniques using a variety of ignition capsule surrogates have been demonstrated at the Omega facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design and shown to meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, a roll-up of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors has been derived that meets the required budget.

Capsule performance optimization in the national ignition campaign

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landen, O L; MacGowan, B J; Haan, S W; Edwards, J

2010-01-01

A capsule performance optimization campaign will be conducted at the National Ignition Facility [1] to substantially increase the probability of ignition. The campaign will experimentally correct for residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. The required tuning techniques using a variety of ignition capsule surrogates have been demonstrated at the Omega facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design and shown to meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, a roll-up of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors has been derived that meets the required budget.

Capsule performance optimization in the national ignition campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Landen, O. L.; MacGowan, B. J.; Haan, S. W.; Edwards, J.

2010-08-01

A capsule performance optimization campaign will be conducted at the National Ignition Facility [1] to substantially increase the probability of ignition. The campaign will experimentally correct for residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. The required tuning techniques using a variety of ignition capsule surrogates have been demonstrated at the Omega facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design and shown to meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, a roll-up of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors has been derived that meets the required budget.

Performance Outcomes After Metacarpal Fractures in National Basketball Association Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Guss, Michael S; Begly, John P; Ramme, Austin J; Hinds, Richard M; Karia, Raj J; Capo, John T

2016-12-01

Background: The aim was to determine whether players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who sustain metacarpal fractures demonstrate decreased performance upon return to competition when compared with their performance before injury and that of their control-matched peers. Methods: Data for 32 NBA players with metacarpal fractures incurred over 11 seasons (2002-2003 to 2012-2013) were obtained from injury reports, press releases, and player profiles (www.nba.com and www.basketballreference.com). Player age, body mass index (BMI), position, shooting hand, number of years in the league, and treatment (surgical vs nonsurgical) were recorded. Individual season statistics for the 2 seasons immediately prior to injury and the 2 seasons after injury, including player efficiency rating (PER), were obtained. Thirty-two controls matched by player position, age, and performance statistics were identified. A performance comparison of the cohorts was performed. Results: Mean age at the time of injury was 27 years with an average player BMI of 24. Players had a mean 5.6 seasons of NBA experience prior to injury. There was no significant change in PER when preinjury and postinjury performances were compared. Neither injury to their shooting hand nor operative management of the fracture led to a decrease in performance during the 2 seasons after injury. When compared with matched controls, no significant decline in performance in PER the first season and second season after injury was found. Conclusion: NBA players sustaining metacarpal fractures can reasonably expect to return to their preinjury performance levels following appropriate treatment.

Indicator-based systems of performance management in the National Health Service: a comparison of the perceptions of local- and national-level managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, G T

2000-02-01

Historically, the UK Government has policed the use of National Health Service (NHS) resources through the centralization of control. With the majority of resource-draining decisions being taken by clinicians, however, professional financial accountability is becoming more important within the NHS management structure. Variations in clinical performance can be monitored through the use of performance indicators, although these are not without their problems. The use of league tables of such indicators in the national press is now infamous and there is much anecdotal evidence about the intraorganizational conflict arising from the use of such tables. A questionnaire survey and interview study of clinical directors, clinical service directors and business managers in several Scottish NHS Trusts was undertaken to ascertain the perceptions of local-level managers on the issue of performance indicators. Interviews were also carried out with a number of personnel in the Scottish Office Department of Economics and Information, the Division of Health Gain and the Finance Directorate. This paper explores the differences between the perceptions of the managers at these two levels of the NHS with regards to issues of performance measurement, intraorganizational conflict and corporate vision.

Performance following a first professional concussion among National Basketball Association players.

Science.gov (United States)

Yengo-Kahn, Aaron M; Zuckerman, Scott L; Stotts, Jeff; Zalneraitis, Brian H; Gardner, Ryan M; Kerr, Zachary Y; Solomon, Gary S

2016-09-01

Basketball is a physical game played on a hardwood floor among high-jumping athletes at risk for injury. It is currently unknown how sport-related concussion (SRC) affects player performance after injury among professional basketball players. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of SRC on basketball performance among National Basketball Association (NBA) players. A retrospective, archival cohort study was performed that compared NBA player performance following concussion to pre-concussive performance. A comprehensive NBA injury database, compiled from publically available sources, was queried for NBA players who suffered concussion from 2005-06 to 2014-15 (10 seasons). Intra-and inter-player analyses were performed against a matched control group of players who missed playing time for personal reasons. Following application of inclusion/exclusion criteria and a matching process, 51 concussed players and 51 control players were included in analysis. There were no statistically significant decrements in baseline to post-concussion performance metrics in intra-player or player vs. controls after 5 return games. Our findings suggest that at the NBA level, an athlete's performance in the initial 5 games following injury does not suffer from the after-effects of concussive injury. These results may be useful in counseling professional athletes following a concussion.

32 CFR 1630.48 - Class 4-A-A: Registrant who has performed military service for a foreign nation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... military service for a foreign nation. 1630.48 Section 1630.48 National Defense Other Regulations Relating... who has performed military service for a foreign nation. In Class 4-A-A shall be placed any registrant... be written in the English language. [52 FR 24456, July 1, 1987] ...

Evaluation as a critical factor of success in local public health accreditation programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Tremain, Beverly; Davis, Mary; Joly, Brenda; Edgar, Mark; Kushion, Mary L; Schmidt, Rita

2007-01-01

This article presents the variety of approaches used to conduct evaluations of performance improvement or accreditation systems, while illustrating the complexity of conducting evaluations to inform local public health practice. We, in addition, hope to inform the Exploring Accreditation Program about relevant experiences involving accreditation and performance assessment processes, specifically evaluation, as it debates and discusses a national voluntary model. A background of each state is given. To further explore these issues, interviews were conducted with each state's evaluator to gain more in-depth information on the many different evaluation strategies and approaches used. On the basis of the interviews, the authors provide several overall themes, which suggest that evaluation is a critical tool and success factor for performance assessment or accreditation programs.

Conceptualizing Success And Performance for Adult Learners: Merging the Contexts of Adult Education and Professional Training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rieger Gil

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This article examines the concepts of learning performance and learning success within the context of adult learners. The focus is on how these concepts have been defined in the literature, as they are anchored in different didactic theories and how they can effectively be applied to learning contexts with adults. Due to the divergent approaches and definitions in the literature, this article compares, categorizes and merges the literature, providing an overview and recommendations for practice. The overview refers to a critical examination of constructivism based approaches compared to other didactic learning theories such as cognitivism or behaviorism. Adult education presents itself as a dynamic area that can develop progressively, in both the professional and educational environments. Nowadays, it is important to be able to collect and use information quickly. This makes it possible to gain an advantage and deal with problems or questions in more focused ways. One must deal with increasing demands and a higher number of competitors not only in professional life. A synthesis of the literature can be presented by examining the terms of learning performance and learning success in different approaches, regarding implementations, definitions, historical developments as well as continuative and connected concepts, tendencies or point of views.

The Teaching of Dr. W. E. Deming and the Performance Domains of the National Commission for the Principalship.

Science.gov (United States)

House, Jess E.

This paper considers the total-quality-management teachings of W. E. Deming as a basis for the redesign of educational-administration preparation programs. The performance domains developed by the National Commission for the Principalship (jointly sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the National Association of…

From national air carriers to low-cost companies: Effects of successful marketing strategy implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aćimović Slobodan

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Huge changes in marketing strategies and, more generally - in business philosophies are not so often. During the last 20 years global and/or national companies have already defined their general approaches of marketing instruments implementation. Therefore, when a contemporary company changes something in its marketing approach, it usually only refers to 'subtle adjustment' of the already determined strategy. Another reason for changes in a particular segment of marketing is a crisis of some kind that forces firms to implement innovations, especially regarding the elements such as costs - price - or service quality. A global enterprise segment consisting of low tariff airline companies is here identified as the one that has dramatically changed its marketing approach within the last 20 years, which continually resulted in its improved market position and business results. Changes in marketing strategies of low-cost companies have truly been revolutionary and are completely the consequence of recognizing the real needs of clients who use services of air transport. The success of low-cost airline companies is forcing the traditional, classic, air carriers to adapt their marketing instruments to this new model of business management. This paper also identifies one very significant assumption of the low-cost carriers phenomenon and their marketing approach - the liberalization of the global air transport market.

Critical success factors for implementation of supply chain management in Indian small and medium enterprises and their impact on performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravinder Kumar

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Globalization of the economy, e-business, and introduction of new technologies pose new challenges to all organizations especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs. In this scenario, successful implementation of supply chain management (SCM can give SMEs an edge over their competitors. However, SMEs in India and other developing countries face problems in SCM implementation due to lack of resources and direction. Against this backdrop, this paper identified 13 critical success factors (CSFs for implementation of SCM in SMEs and studied their impact on performance of Indian SMEs. Top management commitment, long–term vision, focus on core strengths, devoted resources for supply chain, and development of effective SCM strategy emerged as the most pertinent CSFs. To measure improvement in performance, the authors considered different measures related to customer service and satisfaction, innovation and growth, financial performance, and internal business. Results are analysed by testing research propositions using standard statistical tools.

National Integration, Citizenship, Political Participation

African Journals Online (AJOL)

USER

attainment of a successful democratization process and national stability. ... insecurity, sectarian violence, ethnic strifes, political instability and threats of .... of nation-states out of disparate socio-economic, religious, ethnic and geographical.

The BaBar detector: Upgrades, operation and performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aubert, B.; Barate, R.; Boutigny, D.; Couderc, F.; del Amo Sanchez, P.; Gaillard, J. -M.; Hicheur, A.; Karyotakis, Y.; Lees, J. P.; Poireau, V.; Prudent, X.; Robbe, P.; Tisserand, V.; Zghiche, A.; Grauges, E.; Garra Tico, J.; Lopez, L.; Martinelli, M.; Palano, A.; Pappagallo, M.; Pompili, A.; Chen, G. P.; Chen, J. C.; Qi, N. D.; Rong, G.; Wang, P.; Zhu, Y. S.; Eigen, G.; Stugu, B.; Sun, L.; Abrams, G. S.; Battaglia, M.; Borgland, A. W.; Breon, A. B.; Brown, D. N.; Button-Shafer, J.; Cahn, R. N.; Charles, E.; Clark, A. R.; Day, C. T.; Furman, M.; Gill, M. S.; Groysman, Y.; Jacobsen, R. G.; Kadel, R. W.; Kadyk, J. A.; Kerth, L. T.; Kolomensky, Yu. G.; Kral, J. F.; Kukartsev, G.; LeClerc, C.; Levi, M. E.; Lynch, G.; Merchant, A. M.; Mir, L. M.; Oddone, P. J.; Orimoto, T. J.; Osipenkov, I. L.; Pripstein, M.; Roe, N. A.; Romosan, A.; Ronan, M. T.; Shelkov, V. G.; Suzuki, A.; Tackmann, K.; Tanabe, T.; Wenzel, W. A.; Zisman, M.; Barrett, M.; Bright-Thomas, P. G.; Ford, K. E.; Harrison, T. J.; Hart, A. J.; Hawkes, C. M.; Knowles, D. J.; Morgan, S. E.; O' Neale, S. W.; Penny, R. C.; Smith, D.; Soni, N.; Watson, A. T.; Watson, N. K.; Goetzen, K.; Held, T.; Koch, H.; Kunze, M.; Lewandowski, B.; Pelizaeus, M.; Peters, K.; Schmuecker, H.; Schroeder, T.; Steinke, M.; Fella, A.; Antonioli, E.; Boyd, J. T.; Chevalier, N.; Cottingham, W. N.; Foster, B.; Mackay, C.; Walker, D.; Abe, K.; Asgeirsson, D. J.; Cuhadar-Donszelmann, T.; Fulsom, B. G.; Hearty, C.; Knecht, N. S.; Mattison, T. S.; McKenna, J. A.; Thiessen, D.; Khan, A.; Kyberd, P.; McKemey, A. K.; Randle-Conde, A.; Saleem, M.; Sherwood, D. J.; Teodorescu, L.; Blinov, V. E.; Bukin, A. D.; Buzykaev, A. R.; Druzhinin, V. P.; Golubev, V. B.; Korol, A. A.; Kravchenko, E. A.; Onuchin, A. P.; Serednyakov, S. I.; Skovpen, Yu. I.; Solodov, E. P.; Telnov, V. I.; Todyshev, K. Yu.; Yushkov, A. N.; Best, D. S.; Bondioli, M.; Bruinsma, M.; Chao, M.; Curry, S.; Eschrich, I.; Kirkby, D.; Lankford, A. J.; Mandelkern, M.; Martin, E. C.; McMahon, S.; Mommsen, R. K.; Stoker, D. P.; Abachi, S.; Buchanan, C.; Hartfiel, B. L.; Weinstein, A. J. R.; Atmacan, H.; Foulkes, S. D.; Gary, J. W.; Layter, J.; Liu, F.; Long, O.; Shen, B. C.; Vitug, G. M.; Wang, K.; Yasin, Z.; Zhang, L.; Hadavand, H. K.; Hill, E. J.; Paar, H. P.; Rahatlou, S.; Schwanke, U.; Sharma, V.; Berryhill, J. W.; Campagnari, C.; Cunha, A.; Dahmes, B.; Hong, T. M.; Kovalskyi, D.; Kuznetsova, N.; Levy, S. L.; Lu, A.; Mazur, M. A.; Richman, J. D.; Verkerke, W.; Beck, T. W.; Beringer, J.; Eisner, A. M.; Flacco, C. J.; Grillo, A. A.; Grothe, M.; Heusch, C. A.; Kroseberg, J.; Lockman, W. S.; Martinez, A. J.; Nesom, G.; Schalk, T.; Schmitz, R. E.; Schumm, B. A.; Seiden, A.; Spencer, E.; Spradlin, P.; Turri, M.; Walkowiak, W.; Wang, L.; Wilder, M.; Williams, D. C.; Wilson, M. G.; Winstrom, L. O.; Chen, E.; Cheng, C. H.; Doll, D. A.; Dorsten, M. P.; Dvoretskii, A.; Echenard, B.; Erwin, R. J.; Fang, F.; Flood, K.; Hitlin, D. G.; Metzler, S.; Narsky, I.; Oyang, J.; Piatenko, T.; Porter, F. C.; Ryd, A.; Samuel, A.; Yang, S.; Zhu, R. Y.; Andreassen, R.; Devmal, S.; Geld, T. L.; Jayatilleke, S.; Mancinelli, G.; Meadows, B. T.; Mishra, K.; Sokoloff, M. D.; Abe, T.; Antillon, E. A.; Barillari, T.; Becker, J.; Blanc, F.; Bloom, P. C.; Chen, S.; Clifton, Z. C.; Derrington, I. M.; Destree, J.; Dima, M. O.; Ford, W. T.; Gaz, A.; Gilman, J. D.; Hachtel, J.; Hirschauer, J. F.; Johnson, D. R.; Kreisel, A.; Nagel, M.; Nauenberg, U.; Olivas, A.; Rankin, P.; Roy, J.; Ruddick, W. O.; Smith, J. G.; Ulmer, K. A.; van Hoek, W. C.; Wagner, S. R.; West, C. G.; Zhang, J.; Ayad, R.; Blouw, J.; Chen, A.; Eckhart, E. A.; Harton, J. L.; Hu, T.; Toki, W. H.; Wilson, R. J.; Winklmeier, F.; Zeng, Q. L.; Altenburg, D.; Feltresi, E.; Hauke, A.; Jasper, H.; Karbach, M.; Merkel, J.; Petzold, A.; Spaan, B.; Wacker, K.; Brandt, T.; Brose, J.; Colberg, T.; Dahlinger, G.; Dickopp, M.; Eckstein, P.; Futterschneider, H.; Kaiser, S.; Kobel, M. J.; Krause, R.; Müller-Pfefferkorn, R.; Mader, W. F.; Maly, E.; Nogowski, R.; Otto, S.; Schubert, J.; Schubert, K. R.; Schwierz, R.; Sundermann, J. E.; Volk, A.; Wilden, L.; Bernard, D.; Brochard, F.; Cohen-Tanugi, J.; Dohou, F.; Ferrag, S.; Latour, E.; Mathieu, A.; Renard, C.; Schrenk, S.; T' Jampens, S.; Thiebaux, Ch.; Vasileiadis, G.; Verderi, M.; Anjomshoaa, A.; Bernet, R.; Clark, P. J.; Lavin, D. R.; Muheim, F.; Playfer, S.; Robertson, A. I.; Swain, J. E.; Watson, J. E.; Xie, Y.; Andreotti, D.; Andreotti, M.; Bettoni, D.; Bozzi, C.; Calabrese, R.; Carassiti, V.; Cecchi, A.; Cibinetto, G.; Cotta Ramusino, A.; Evangelisti, F.; Fioravanti, E.; Franchini, P.; Garzia, I.; Landi, L.; Luppi, E.; Malaguti, R.; Negrini, M.; Padoan, C.; Petrella, A.; Piemontese, L.; Santoro, V.; Sarti, A.; Anulli, F.; Baldini-Ferroli, R.; Calcaterra, A.; Finocchiaro, G.; Pacetti, S.; Patteri, P.; Peruzzi, I. M.; Piccolo, M.; Rama, M.; de Sangro, R.; Santoni, M.; Zallo, A.; Bagnasco, S.; Buzzo, A.; Capra, R.; Contri, R.; Crosetti, G.; Lo Vetere, M.; Macri, M. M.; Minutoli, S.; Monge, M. R.; Musico, P.; Passaggio, S.; Pastore, F. C.; Patrignani, C.; Pia, M. G.; Robutti, E.; Santroni, A.; Tosi, S.; Bhuyan, B.; Prasad, V.; Bailey, S.; Brandenburg, G.; Chaisanguanthum, K. S.; Lee, C. L.; Morii, M.; Won, E.; Wu, J.; Adametz, A.; Dubitzky, R. S.; Marks, J.; Schenk, S.; Uwer, U.; Klose, V.; Lacker, H. M.; Aspinwall, M. L.; Bhimji, W.; Bowerman, D. A.; Dauncey, P. D.; Egede, U.; Flack, R. L.; Gaillard, J. R.; Gunawardane, N. J. W.; Morton, G. W.; Nash, J. A.; Nikolich, M. B.; Panduro Vazquez, W.; Sanders, P.; Smith, D.; Taylor, G. P.; Tibbetts, M.; Behera, P. K.; Chai, X.; Charles, M. J.; Grenier, G. J.; Hamilton, R.; Lee, S. -J.; Mallik, U.; Meyer, N. T.; Chen, C.; Cochran, J.; Crawley, H. B.; Dong, L.; Eyges, V.; Fischer, P. -A.; Lamsa, J.; Meyer, W. T.; Prell, S.; Rosenberg, E. I.; Rubin, A. E.; Gao, Y. Y.; Gritsan, A. V.; Guo, Z. J.; Lae, C. K.; Schott, G.; Albert, J. N.; Arnaud, N.; Beigbeder, C.; Breton, D.; Davier, M.; Derkach, D.; Dû, S.; Firmino da Costa, J.; Grosdidier, G.; Höcker, A.; Laplace, S.; Le Diberder, F.; Lepeltier, V.; Lutz, A. M.; Malaescu, B.; Nief, J. Y.; Petersen, T. C.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pruvot, S.; Roudeau, P.; Schune, M. H.; Serrano, J.; Sordini, V.; Stocchi, A.; Tocut, V.; Trincaz-Duvoid, S.; Wang, L. L.; Wormser, G.; Bionta, R. M.; Brigljević, V.; Lange, D. J.; Simani, M. C.; Wright, D. M.; Bingham, I.; Burke, J. P.; Chavez, C. A.; Coleman, J. P.; Forster, I. J.; Fry, J. R.; Gabathuler, E.; Gamet, R.; George, M.; Hutchcroft, D. E.; Kay, M.; Parry, R. J.; Payne, D. J.; Schofield, K. C.; Sloane, R. J.; Touramanis, C.; Azzopardi, D. E.; Bellodi, G.; Bevan, A. J.; Clarke, C. K.; Cormack, C. M.; Di Lodovico, F.; Dixon, P.; George, K. A.; Menges, W.; Potter, R. J. L.; Sacco, R.; Shorthouse, H. W.; Sigamani, M.; Strother, P.; Vidal, P. B.; Brown, C. L.; Cowan, G.; Flaecher, H. U.; George, S.; Green, M. G.; Hopkins, D. A.; Jackson, P. S.; Kurup, A.; Marker, C. E.; McGrath, P.; McMahon, T. R.; Paramesvaran, S.; Salvatore, F.; Vaitsas, G.; Winter, M. A.; Wren, A. C.; Brown, D. N.; Davis, C. L.; Denig, A. G.; Fritsch, M.; Gradl, W.; Griessinger, K.; Hafner, A.; Prencipe, E.; Allison, J.; Alwyn, K. E.; Bailey, D. S.; Barlow, N. R.; Barlow, R. J.; Chia, Y. M.; Edgar, C. L.; Forti, A. C.; Fullwood, J.; Hart, P. A.; Hodgkinson, M. C.; Jackson, F.; Jackson, G.; Kelly, M. P.; Kolya, S. D.; Lafferty, G. D.; Lyon, A. J.; Naisbit, M. T.; Savvas, N.; Weatherall, J. H.; West, T. J.; Williams, J. C.; Yi, J. I.; Anderson, J.; Farbin, A.; Hulsbergen, W. D.; Jawahery, A.; Lillard, V.; Roberts, D. A.; Schieck, J. R.; Simi, G.; Tuggle, J. M.; Blaylock, G.; Dallapiccola, C.; Hertzbach, S. S.; Kofler, R.; Koptchev, V. B.; Li, X.; Moore, T. B.; Salvati, E.; Saremi, S.; Staengle, H.; Willocq, S. Y.; Cowan, R.; Dujmic, D.; Fisher, P. H.; Henderson, S. W.; Koeneke, K.; Lang, M. I.; Sciolla, G.; Spitznagel, M.; Taylor, F.; Yamamoto, R. K.; Yi, M.; Zhao, M.; Zheng, Y.; Klemetti, M.; Lindemann, D.; Mangeol, D. J. J.; Mclachlin, S. E.; Milek, M.; Patel, P. M.; Robertson, S. H.; Biassoni, P.; Cerizza, G.; Lazzaro, A.; Lombardo, V.; Neri, N.; Palombo, F.; Pellegrini, R.; Stracka, S.; Bauer, J. M.; Cremaldi, L.; Eschenburg, V.; Kroeger, R.; Reidy, J.; Sanders, D. A.; Summers, D. J.; Zhao, H. W.; Godang, R.; Brunet, S.; Cote, D.; Nguyen, X.; Simard, M.; Taras, P.; Viaud, B.; Nicholson, H.; Cavallo, N.; De Nardo, G.; Fabozzi, F.; Gatto, C.; Lista, L.; Monorchio, D.; Onorato, G.; Paolucci, P.; Piccolo, D.; Sciacca, C.; Baak, M. A.; Raven, G.; Snoek, H. L.; Jessop, C. P.; Knoepfel, K. J.; LoSecco, J. M.; Wang, W. F.; Allmendinger, T.; Benelli, G.; Brau, B.; Corwin, L. A.; Gan, K. K.; Honscheid, K.; Hufnagel, D.; Kagan, H.; Kass, R.; Morris, J. P.; Rahimi, A. M.; Regensburger, J. J.; Smith, D. S.; Ter-Antonyan, R.; Wong, Q. K.; Blount, N. L.; Brau, J.; Frey, R.; Igonkina, O.; Iwasaki, M.; Kolb, J. A.; Lu, M.; Potter, C. T.; Rahmat, R.; Sinev, N. B.; Strom, D.; Strube, J.; Torrence, E.; Borsato, E.; Castelli, G.; Colecchia, F.; Crescente, A.; Dal Corso, F.; Dorigo, A.; Fanin, C.; Furano, F.; Gagliardi, N.; Galeazzi, F.; Margoni, M.; Marzolla, M.; Michelon, G.; Morandin, M.; Posocco, M.; Rotondo, M.; Simonetto, F.; Solagna, P.; Stevanato, E.; Stroili, R.; Tiozzo, G.; Voci, C.; Akar, S.; Bailly, P.; Ben-Haim, E.; Bonneaud, G.; Briand, H.; Chauveau, J.; Hamon, O.; John, M. J. J.; Lebbolo, H.; Leruste, Ph.; Malclès, J.; Marchiori, G.; Martin, L.; Ocariz, J.; Perez, A.; Pivk, M.; Prendki, J.; Roos, L.; Sitt, S.; Stark, J.; Thérin, G.; Vallereau, A.; Biasini, M.; Covarelli, R.; Manoni, E.; Pennazzi, S.; Pioppi, M.; Angelini, C.; Batignani, G.; Bettarini, S.; Bosi, F.; Bucci, F.; Calderini, G.; Carpinelli, M.; Cenci, R.; Cervelli, A.; Forti, F.; Giorgi, M. A.; Lusiani, A.; Marchiori, G.; Morganti, M.; Morsani, F.; Paoloni, E.; Raffaelli, F.; Rizzo, G.; Sandrelli, F.; Triggiani, G.; Walsh, J. J.; Haire, M.; Judd, D.; Biesiada, J.; Danielson, N.; Elmer, P.; Fernholz, R. E.; Lau, Y. P.; Lu, C.; Miftakov, V.; Olsen, J.; Lopes Pegna, D.; Sands, W. R.; Smith, A. J. S.; Telnov, A. V.; Tumanov, A.; Varnes, E. W.; Baracchini, E.; Bellini, F.; Bulfon, C.; Buccheri, E.; Cavoto, G.; D' Orazio, A.; Di Marco, E.; Faccini, R.; Ferrarotto, F.; Ferroni, F.; Gaspero, M.; Jackson, P. D.; Lamanna, E.; Leonardi, E.; Li Gioi, L.; Lunadei, R.; Mazzoni, M. A.; Morganti, S.; Piredda, G.; Polci, F.; del Re, D.; Renga, F.; Safai Tehrani, F.; Serra, M.; Voena, C.; Bünger, C.; Christ, S.; Hartmann, T.; Leddig, T.; Schröder, H.; Wagner, G.; Waldi, R.; Adye, T.; Bly, M.; Brew, C.; Condurache, C.; De Groot, N.; Franek, B.; Geddes, N. I.; Gopal, G. P.; Olaiya, E. O.; Ricciardi, S.; Roethel, W.; Wilson, F. F.; Xella, S. M.; Aleksan, R.; Bourgeois, P.; Emery, S.; Escalier, M.; Esteve, L.; Gaidot, A.; Ganzhur, S. F.; Giraud, P. -F.; Georgette, Z.; Graziani, G.; Hamel de Monchenault, G.; Kozanecki, W.; Langer, M.; Legendre, M.; London, G. W.; Mayer, B.; Micout, P.; Serfass, B.; Vasseur, G.; Yèche, Ch.; Zito, M.; Allen, M. T.; Akre, R.; Aston, D.; Azemoon, T.; Bard, D. J.; Bartelt, J.; Bartoldus, R.; Bechtle, P.; Becla, J.; Benitez, J. F.; Berger, N.; Bertsche, K.; Boeheim, C. T.; Bouldin, K.; Boyarski, A. M.; Boyce, R. F.; Browne, M.; Buchmueller, O. L.; Burgess, W.; Cai, Y.; Cartaro, C.; Ceseracciu, A.; Claus, R.; Convery, M. R.; Coupal, D. P.; Craddock, W. W.; Crane, G.; Cristinziani, M.; DeBarger, S.; Decker, F. J.; Dingfelder, J. C.; Donald, M.; Dorfan, J.; Dubois-Felsmann, G. P.; Dunwoodie, W.; Ebert, M.; Ecklund, S.; Erickson, R.; Fan, S.; Field, R. C.; Fisher, A.; Fox, J.; Franco Sevilla, M.; Fulsom, B. G.; Gabareen, A. M.; Gaponenko, I.; Glanzman, T.; Gowdy, S. J.; Graham, M. T.; Grenier, P.; Hadig, T.; Halyo, V.; Haller, G.; Hamilton, J.; Hanushevsky, A.; Hasan, A.; Hast, C.; Hee, C.; Himel, T.; Hryn' ova, T.; Huffer, M. E.; Hung, T.; Innes, W. R.; Iverson, R.; Kaminski, J.; Kelsey, M. H.; Kim, H.; Kim, P.; Kharakh, D.; Kocian, M. L.; Krasnykh, A.; Krebs, J.; Kroeger, W.; Kulikov, A.; Kurita, N.; Langenegger, U.; Leith, D. W. G. S.; Lewis, P.; Li, S.; Libby, J.; Lindquist, B.; Luitz, S.; Lüth, V.; Lynch, H. L.; MacFarlane, D. B.; Marsiske, H.; McCulloch, M.; McDonald, J.; Melen, R.; Menke, S.; Metcalfe, S.; Messner, R.; Moss, L. J.; Mount, R.; Muller, D. R.; Neal, H.; Nelson, D.; Nelson, S.; Nordby, M.; Nosochkov, Y.; Novokhatski, A.; O' Grady, C. P.; O' Neill, F. G.; Ofte, I.; Ozcan, V. E.; Perazzo, A.; Perl, M.; Petrak, S.; Piemontese, M.; Pierson, S.; Pulliam, T.; Ratcliff, B. N.; Ratkovsky, S.; Reif, R.; Rivetta, C.; Rodriguez, R.; Roodman, A.; Salnikov, A. A.; Schietinger, T.; Schindler, R. H.; Schwarz, H.; Schwiening, J.; Seeman, J.; Smith, D.; Snyder, A.; Soha, A.; Stanek, M.; Stelzer, J.; Su, D.; Sullivan, M. K.; Suzuki, K.; Swain, S. K.; Tanaka, H. A.; Teytelman, D.; Thompson, J. M.; Tinslay, J. S.; Trunov, A.; Turner, J.; van Bakel, N.; van Winkle, D.; Va' vra, J.; Wagner, A. P.; Weaver, M.; Weinstein, A. J. R.; Weber, T.; West, C. A.; Wienands, U.; Wisniewski, W. J.; Wittgen, M.; Wittmer, W.; Wright, D. H.; Wulsin, H. W.; Yan, Y.; Yarritu, A. K.; Yi, K.; Yocky, G.; Young, C. C.; Ziegler, V.; Chen, X. R.; Liu, H.; Park, W.; Purohit, M. V.; Singh, H.; Weidemann, A. W.; White, R. M.; Wilson, J. R.; Yumiceva, F. X.; Sekula, S. J.; Bellis, M.; Burchat, P. R.; Edwards, A. J.; Majewski, S. A.; Meyer, T. I.; Miyashita, T. S.; Petersen, B. A.; Roat, C.; Ahmed, M.; Ahmed, S.; Alam, M. S.; Bula, R.; Ernst, J. A.; Jain, V.; Liu, J.; Pan, B.; Saeed, M. A.; Wappler, F. R.; Zain, S. B.; Gorodeisky, R.; Guttman, N.; Peimer, D.; Soffer, A.; De Silva, A.; Lund, P.; Krishnamurthy, M.; Ragghianti, G.; Spanier, S. M.; Wogsland, B. J.; Eckmann, R.; Ritchie, J. L.; Ruland, A. M.; Satpathy, A.; Schilling, C. J.; Schwitters, R. F.; Wray, B. C.; Drummond, B. W.; Izen, J. M.; Kitayama, I.; Lou, X. C.; Ye, S.; Bianchi, F.; Bona, M.; Gallo, F.; Gamba, D.; Pelliccioni, M.; Bomben, M.; Borean, C.; Bosisio, L.; Cossutti, F.; Della Ricca, G.; Dittongo, S.; Grancagnolo, S.; Lanceri, L.; Poropat, P.; Rashevskaya, I.; Vitale, L.; Vuagnin, G.; Manfredi, P. F.; Re, V.; Speziali, V.; Frank, E. D.; Gladney, L.; Guo, Q. H.; Panetta, J.; Azzolini, V.; Lopez-March, N.; Martinez-Vidal, F.; Milanes, D. A.; Oyanguren, A.; Agarwal, A.; Albert, J.; Banerjee, Sw.; Bernlochner, F. U.; Brown, C. M.; Choi, H. H. F.; Fortin, D.; Fransham, K. B.; Hamano, K.; Kowalewski, R.; Lewczuk, M. J.; Nugent, I. M.; Roney, J. M.; Sobie, R. J.; Back, J. J.; Gershon, T. J.; Harrison, P. F.; Ilic, J.; Latham, T. E.; Mohanty, G. B.; Puccio, E.; Band, H. R.; Chen, X.; Cheng, B.; Dasu, S.; Datta, M.; Eichenbaum, A. M.; Hollar, J. J.; Hu, H.; Johnson, J. R.; Kutter, P. E.; Li, H.; Liu, R.; Mellado, B.; Mihalyi, A.; Mohapatra, A. K.; Pan, Y.; Pierini, M.; Prepost, R.; Scott, I. J.; Tan, P.; Vuosalo, C. O.; von Wimmersperg-Toeller, J. H.; Wu, S. L.; Yu, Z.; Greene, M. G.; Kordich, T. M. B.

2013-11-01

The BaBar detector operated successfully at the PEP-II asymmetric e+e- collider at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory from 1999 to 2008. This report covers upgrades, operation, and performance of the collider and the detector systems, as well as the trigger, online and offline computing, and aspects of event reconstruction since the beginning of data taking.

Financial performance among adult day centers: results of a national demonstration program.

Science.gov (United States)

Reifler, B V; Henry, R S; Rushing, J; Yates, M K; Cox, N J; Bradham, D D; McFarlane, M

1997-02-01

This paper describes the financial performance (defined as percent of total expenses covered by net operating revenue) of 16 adult day centers participating in a national demonstration program on day services for people with dementia, including examination of possible predictors of financial performance. Participating sites submitted quarterly financial and utilization reports to the National Program Office. Descriptive statistics summarize the factors believed to influence financial performance. Sites averaged meeting 35% of expenses from self-pay and 29% from government (mainly Medicaid) revenue, totaling 64% of all (cash plus in-kind) expenses met by operating revenue. Examination of center characteristics suggests that factors related to meeting consumer needs, such as being open a full day (i.e., 7:30 am to 6:00 pm) rather than shorter hours, and providing transportation, may be related to improved utilization and, thus, improved financial performance. Higher fees were not related to lower enrollment, census, or revenue. Adult day centers are able to achieve financial viability through a combination of operating (i.e., fee-for-service) and non-operating revenue. Operating revenue is enhanced by placing emphasis on consumer responsiveness, such as being open a full day. Because higher fees were not related to lower utilization, centers should set fees to reflect actual costs. The figure of 64% of expenses met by operating revenue is conservative inasmuch as sites included in-kind revenue as expenses in their budgeting calculations, and percent of cash expenses met by operating revenue would be higher (approximately 75% for this group of centers).

Energy Performance Contracting - success in Austria and Germany - dead end for Europe?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seefeldt, Friedrich

2003-01-01

At the beginning of the 21st century, the European market for Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) is extremely diverse. Without a doubt, Germany and Austria are the pioneers, standing out due to their already high market standards and consistent market growth. The market in Germany is characterised by more than 200 EPC-agreements made since the mid-90s - with high-tech individual buildings like hospitals, as well as building 'pools' of up to 100 separate buildings. In Austria, EPC projects have been implemented in approximately 500 buildings during the last four years - with the public building administrations as the driving forces. While EPC has become a standard instrument in facility management in Germany and Austria, in most other European countries the market is still at its very beginning. First, the basic idea and conception of the instrument will be presented in a short introduction, illustrated by concrete project examples with an emphasis on discussing the perspectives from the demand side, especially the public and tertiary sectors. Next, the question centres on how a deliberate energy (efficiency) policy can accelerate the successful market introduction of EPC (role of public building administration as pioneers, support of building owners during project preparation; energy agencies with specific know-how etc.). A last reflection discusses the consequences for a possible directive on Energy Services. In all this, the authors draw continuous attention to the common traits, but also take a look at barriers and success factors. The analysis is based on both authors' broad practical experience in EPC project development and dissemination of best practices

Financial Performance of Rural Medicare ACOs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nattinger, Matthew C; Mueller, Keith; Ullrich, Fred; Zhu, Xi

2018-12-01

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has facilitated the development of Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs), mostly through the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). To inform the operation of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation's (CMMI) ACO programs, we assess the financial performance of rural ACOs based on different levels of rural presence. We used the 2014 performance data for Medicare ACOs to examine the financial performance of rural ACOs with different levels of rural presence: exclusively rural, mostly rural, and mixed rural/metropolitan. Of the ACOs reporting performance data, we identified 97 ACOs with a measurable rural presence. We found that successful rural ACO financial performance is associated with the ACO's organizational type (eg, physician-based) and that 8 of the 11 rural ACOs participating in the Advanced Payment Program (APP) garnered savings for Medicare. Unlike previous work, we did not find an association between ACO size or experience and rural ACO financial performance. Our findings suggest that rural ACO financial success is likely associated with factors unique to rural environments. Given the emphasis CMS has placed on rural ACO development, further research to identify these factors is warranted. © 2016 National Rural Health Association.

Successful Innovations in Educational Leadership Preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Stephen P.; Oliver, John; Solis, Rachel

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe successful innovations in educational leadership preparation programs. Professors of educational leadership from across the nation nominated innovations of 12 programs. Based on review of descriptions of the innovations provided by nominees, further documentation on the innovations was…

Strategies of high-performing paramedic educational programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Margolis, Gregg S; Romero, Gabriel A; Fernandez, Antonio R; Studnek, Jonathan R

2009-01-01

To identify the specific educational strategies used by paramedic educational programs that have attained consistently high success rates on the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) examination. NREMT data from 2003-2007 were analyzed to identify consistently high-performing paramedic educational programs. Representatives from 12 programs that have maintained a 75% first-attempt pass rate for at least four of five years and had more than 20 graduates per year were invited to participate in a focus group. Using the nominal group technique (NGT), participants were asked to answer the following question: "What are specific strategies that lead to a successful paramedic educational program?" All 12 emergency medical services (EMS) educational programs meeting the eligibility requirements participated. After completing the seven-step NGT process, 12 strategies were identified as leading to a successful paramedic educational program: 1) achieve and maintain national accreditation; 2) maintain high-level entry requirements and prerequisites; 3) provide students with a clear idea of expectations for student success; 4) establish a philosophy and foster a culture that values continuous review and improvement; 5) create your own examinations, lesson plans, presentations, and course materials using multiple current references; 6) emphasize emergency medical technician (EMT)-Basic concepts throughout the class; 7) use frequent case-based classroom scenarios; 8) expose students to as many prehospital advanced life support (ALS) patient contacts as possible, preferably where they are in charge; 9) create and administer valid examinations that have been through a review process (such as qualitative analysis); 10) provide students with frequent detailed feedback regarding their performance (such as formal examination reviews); 11) incorporate critical thinking and problem solving into all testing; and 12) deploy predictive testing with analysis prior to

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR IMPROVING BUSINESS PERFORMANCE WITH LEAN MANUFACTURING AND SUCCESSFUL HUMAN FACTORS INTERVENTIONS-A CASE STUD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajiv Sharm

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Nowadays organizations compete between themselves in various categories such as faster delivery, price tags, state of art - technology and higher quality dimensio ns. A Conceptual framework with lean manufacturing and hum an factors interventions for improving business performance in terms of improved quality, reduced cost and faster de livery is presented and example s from literature are given to illustrate the desir ed situation in which ergonomics is considered as an integrated part of performance strategy . A case from an industry engaged in manufacturing shafts using lean manufacturing practices with successful ergonomic or human factors interventions is also inves tigated.

Test Scores, Class Rank and College Performance: Lessons for Broadening Access and Promoting Success.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Sunny X; Tienda, Marta

2012-04-01

Using administrative data for five Texas universities that differ in selectivity, this study evaluates the relative influence of two key indicators for college success-high school class rank and standardized tests. Empirical results show that class rank is the superior predictor of college performance and that test score advantages do not insulate lower ranked students from academic underperformance. Using the UT-Austin campus as a test case, we conduct a simulation to evaluate the consequences of capping students admitted automatically using both achievement metrics. We find that using class rank to cap the number of students eligible for automatic admission would have roughly uniform impacts across high schools, but imposing a minimum test score threshold on all students would have highly unequal consequences by greatly reduce the admission eligibility of the highest performing students who attend poor high schools while not jeopardizing admissibility of students who attend affluent high schools. We discuss the implications of the Texas admissions experiment for higher education in Europe.

An empirical assessment of high-performing medical groups: results from a national study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shortell, Stephen M; Schmittdiel, Julie; Wang, Margaret C; Li, Rui; Gillies, Robin R; Casalino, Lawrence P; Bodenheimer, Thomas; Rundall, Thomas G

2005-08-01

The performance of medical groups is receiving increased attention. Relatively little conceptual or empirical work exists that examines the various dimensions of medical group performance. Using a national database of 693 medical groups, this article develops a scorecard approach to assessing group performance and presents a theory-driven framework for differentiating between high-performing versus low-performing medical groups. The clinical quality of care, financial performance, and organizational learning capability of medical groups are assessed in relation to environmental forces, resource acquisition and resource deployment factors, and a quality-centered culture. Findings support the utility of the performance scorecard approach and identification of a number of key factors differentiating high-performing from low-performing groups including, in particular, the importance of a quality-centered culture and the requirement of outside reporting from third party organizations. The findings hold a number of important implications for policy and practice, and the framework presented provides a foundation for future research.

Paving the Road to Success: A Framework for Implementing the Success Tutoring Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spark Linda

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The exponential growth of higher education enrolment in South Africa has resulted in increased diversity of the student body, leading to a proliferation of factors that affect student performance and success. Various initiatives have been adopted by tertiary institutions to mitigate the negative impact these factors may have on student success, and it is suggested that interventions that include aspects of social integration are the most successful. This paper outlines an approach called Success Tutoring (a non-academic tutorial approach used as part of a student success and support programme in the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, which is underscored by empirical evidence drawn from evaluation data collected during Success Tutor symposia. The authors draw conclusions and make recommendations based on a thematic analysis of the dataset, and ultimately provide readers with a framework for implementing Success Tutoring at their tertiary institutions.

Relationship Between Dental Hygiene Students' Performance in an Oral Radiology Course and the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination: A Retrospective Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Hui; DeWald, Janice P; Solomon, Eric S

2018-02-01

Dental hygiene students' performance in oral radiology courses may give an early indication of their readiness prior to taking the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between dental hygiene students' performance in an oral radiology lecture course and their performance on the NBDHE. Data were collected for all 117 dental hygiene students at Texas A&M University College of Dentistry from 2006 to 2009 who took the NBDHE during their second year of the program. Their final grades and scores on three written section examinations in an oral radiology course taken in their first year were compared with their overall NBDHE scores and raw scores on the oral radiology and case study sections. Moderate correlations (0.3radiology course, with the strongest correlation with the final grade (r=0.488, pradiology, followed by scores in anatomic sciences; the weakest relationship was with scores in pharmacology. This relationship can help identify students who may need extra support in the oral radiology course and other courses to prepare them to succeed when they take the NBDHE. This study also contributes to understanding of the general relationship between dental hygiene program courses and students' success on the clinical licensing exam and will hopefully encourage other programs to assess their students' performance in this way.

Performance success or failure is influenced by weeks lost to injury and illness in elite Australian track and field athletes: A 5-year prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Raysmith, Benjamin P; Drew, Michael K

2016-10-01

To investigate the impact of training modification on achieving performance goals. Previous research demonstrates an inverse relationship between injury burden and success in team sports. It is unknown whether this relationship exists within individual sport such as athletics. A prospective, cohort study (n=33 International Track and Field Athletes; 76 athlete seasons) across five international competition seasons. Athlete training status was recorded weekly over a 5-year period. Over the 6-month preparation season, relationships between training weeks completed, the number of injury/illness events and the success or failure of a performance goal at major championships was investigated. Two-by-two table were constructed and attributable risks in the exposed (AFE) calculated. A mixed-model, logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between failure and burden per injury/illness. Receiver Operator Curve (ROC) analysis was performed to ascertain the optimal threshold of training week completion to maximise the chance of success. Likelihood of achieving a performance goal increased by 7-times in those that completed >80% of planned training weeks (AUC, 0.72; 95%CI 0.64-0.81). Training availability accounted for 86% of successful seasons (AFE=0.86, 95%CI, 0.46 to 0.96). The majority of new injuries occurred within the first month of the preparation season (30%) and most illnesses occurred within 2-months of the event (50%). For every modified training week the chance of success significantly reduced (OR=0.74, 95%CI 0.58 to 0.94). Injuries and illnesses, and their influence on training availability, during preparation are major determinants of an athlete's chance of performance goal success or failure at the international level. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Idaho National Laboratory Quarterly Performance Analysis - 3rd Quarter FY2014

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lisbeth A. Mitchell

2014-09-01

This report is published quarterly by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Performance Assurance Organization. The Department of Energy (DOE) Occurrence Reporting and Processing System (ORPS), as prescribed in DOE Order 232.2, “Occurrence Reporting and Processing of Operations Information,” requires a quarterly analysis of events, both reportable and not reportable, for the previous 12 months. This report is the analysis of occurrence reports and other non-reportable issues identified at INL from July 2013 through June 2014.

Highlighting High Performance: National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Visitors Center, Golden, Colorado

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burgert, S.

2001-01-01

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitors Center, also known as the Dan Schaefer Federal Building, is a high-performance building located in Golden, Colorado. The 6,400-square-foot building incorporates passive solar heating, energy-efficient lighting, an evaporative cooling system, and other technologies to minimize energy costs and environmental impact. The Visitors Center displays a variety of interactive exhibits on energy efficiency and renewable energy, and the building includes an auditorium, a public reading room, and office space

Performance Assessment of the Juaboso District Office of the National Health Insurance Authority.

Science.gov (United States)

Effah, Paul; Appiah, Kingsley Opoku; Abor, Patience Aseweh

2016-09-01

To assess the performance of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Ghana. Using a thorough case study of the Juaboso District Office of the NHIA, this study assessed the community coverage rate, the annual expenditure and income, and the trend of claims payment for the period 2009 to 2012 as well as factors influencing the level of patronage of the National Health Insurance Scheme. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to gather data from the management of the scheme. Secondary data were also gathered from the scheme's audited financial statements. Informal discussions were held with the premium collectors and clients to throw more light on revenue generation challenges. The study found an increasing trend in the coverage rate on a yearly basis. Over the study period, the rate moved from 30.6 to 60.1, representing an increase of 96.7%. This shows that in terms of coverage rate, the Juaboso District Office of the NHIA is performing very well. The study also found that revenue has increased but the percentage rate of increase has decreased, compared with the coverage percentage rate. Expenditure has been on the rise, increasing by as much as 20.7% in 2011. Again, the study revealed a consistent year-on-year increase in the claims payment, consistent with the national trend. Constant clinical auditing of claims payments is required to ensure accountability. This would lead to transparency with regard to performance assessment of the claims. The findings have important implications for the effective management of the NHIA. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Risk Management Practices on IT Project Success

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pimchangthong Daranee

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Successful management of an information technology (IT project is the most desirable for all organisations and stakeholders. Many researchers elaborated that risk management is a key part of project management for any project size. Risk management is so critical because it provides project managers with a forward-looking view of both threats and opportunities to improve the project success. The objectives of this research are to explore organisational factors affecting IT project success and risk management practices influencing IT project success. Risk management practices include risk identification, risk analysis, risk response planning, and risk monitoring and control. The IT project success is measured by process performance and product performance. Data are collected from 200 project managers, IT managers, and IT analysts in IT firms through questionnaires and analysed using Independent Sample t-test, One-way ANOVA, and Multiple Linear Regression at the statistical significance level of 0.05. The results show that the differences in organisational types affect IT project success in all aspects, while the differences on organisational sizes affect IT project success in the aspect of product performance and total aspects. Risk identification and risk response planning influence the process performance and the total aspects of IT project success. Risk identification has the highest positive influence on product performance, followed closely by risk response, while risk analysis negatively influences product performance.

Wenatchee River steelhead reproductive success - Estimate the relative reproductive success of hatchery and wild steelhead in the Wenatchee River, WA

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This project uses genetic parentage analysis to estimate the relative reproductive success of hatchery and wild steelhead spawning in the Wenatchee River, WA. The...

Measures of Gross National Happiness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruut Veenhoven

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Happiness is rising on the political agenda and this calls for measures of how well nations perform in creating great happiness for a great number, analogous to measures of success in creating wealth, such as GDP. Happiness is defined as subjective enjoyment of one’s life as-a-whole and this can be measured using self-reports. Question on happiness are currently used in large scale surveys of the general population in nations. As a result we have now comparable data on happiness in 144 contemporary nations and time-series of 25 years and longer on 11 developed nations. These data can be aggregated in different ways: If the aim is simply greater happiness for a greater number of citizens, Average happiness (AH is an appropriate measure. If the focus is on enduring happiness, it is better to combine average happiness with longevity in an index of Happy Life Years (HLY. If the aim is to reduce disparity among citizens a relevant indicator is the Inequality of Happiness (IH in the nations as measured with the standard deviation. Average and dispersion can also be combined in an index of Inequality-Adjusted Happiness (IAH. Comparison across nations shows sizable differences on all these measures of gross national happiness and these differences correspond with societal characteristics that can be influenced by policy makers, such as freedom and justice. Comparison over time shows major improvement during the last decade.

Influence of Continuing Medical Education on Rheumatologists' Performance on National Quality Measures for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sapir, Tamar; Rusie, Erica; Greene, Laurence; Yazdany, Jinoos; Robbins, Mark L; Ruderman, Eric M; Carter, Jeffrey D; Patel, Barry; Moreo, Kathleen

2015-12-01

In recent years researchers have reported deficits in the quality of care provided to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including low rates of performance on quality measures. We sought to determine the influence of a quality improvement (QI) continuing education program on rheumatologists' performance on national quality measures for RA, along with other measures aligned with National Quality Strategy priorities. Performance was assessed through baseline and post-education chart audits. Twenty community-based rheumatologists across the United States were recruited to participate in the QI education program and chart audits. Charts were retrospectively audited before (n = 160 charts) and after (n = 160 charts) the rheumatologists participated in a series of accredited QI-focused educational activities that included private audit feedback, small-group webinars, and online- and mobile-accessible print and video activities. The charts were audited for patient demographics and the rheumatologists' documented performance on the 6 quality measures for RA included in the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). In addition, charts were abstracted for documentation of patient counseling about medication benefits/risks and adherence, lifestyle modifications, and quality of life; assessment of RA medication side effects; and assessment of RA medication adherence. Mean rates of documented performance on 4 of the 6 PQRS measures for RA were significantly higher in the post-education versus baseline charts (absolute increases ranged from 9 to 24% of patient charts). In addition, after the intervention, significantly higher mean rates were observed for patient counseling about medications and quality of life, and for assessments of medication side effects and adherence (absolute increases ranged from 9 to 40% of patient charts). This pragmatic study provides preliminary evidence for the positive influence of QI-focused education in helping rheumatologists improve

Comparative physiology and relative swimming performance of three redhorse (Moxostoma spp.) species: associations with fishway passage success.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatry, Charles; Thiem, Jason D; Binder, Thomas R; Hatin, Daniel; Dumont, Pierre; Stamplecoskie, Keith M; Molina, Juan M; Smokorowski, Karen E; Cooke, Steven J

2014-01-01

Our understanding of biological criteria to inform fish passage design is limited, partially due to the lack of understanding of biological motivators, cues, and constraints, as well as a lack of biological performance evaluations of structures once they are built. The Vianney-Legendre vertical slot fishway on the Richelieu River, Quebec, Canada, passes large numbers of migrating redhorse (Moxostoma spp.) upriver to spawning grounds each year. We evaluated the physiological capacity and relative swimming ability of three redhorse species (Moxostoma anisurum, Moxostoma carinatum, Moxostoma macrolepidotum; silver, river, and shorthead redhorse, respectively) to determine how these biotic factors relate to variation in fishway passage success and duration. Shorthead redhorse had higher maximum metabolic rates and were faster swimmers than silver and river redhorse at their species-specific peak migration temperatures. Blood lactate and glucose concentrations recovered more quickly for river redhorse than for silver and shorthead redhorse, and river redhorse placed second in terms of metabolic recovery and swim speed. Interestingly, fish sampled from the top of the fishway had nearly identical lactate, glucose, and pH values compared to control fish. Using passive integrated transponders in 2010 and 2012, we observed that passage success and duration were highly variable among redhorse species and were not consistent among years, suggesting that other factors such as water temperature and river flows may modulate passage success. Clearly, additional research is needed to understand how organismal performance, environmental conditions, and other factors (including abundance of conspecifics and other comigrants) interact with fishway features to dictate which fish will be successful and to inform research of future fishways. Our research suggests that there may be an opportunity for a rapid assessment approach where fish chased to exhaustion to determine maximal values

Investing in improved performance of national tuberculosis programs reduces the tuberculosis burden: analysis of 22 high-burden countries, 2002-2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Akachi, Yoko; Zumla, Alimuddin; Atun, Rifat

2012-05-15

To assess the impact of investment in national tuberculosis programs (NTPs) on NTP performance and tuberculosis burden in 22 high-burden countries, as determined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Estimates of annual tuberculosis burden and NTP performance indicators and control variables during 2002-2009 were obtained from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the WHO, the World Bank, and the Penn World Table for the 22 high-burden countries. Panel data analysis was performed using the outcome variables tuberculosis incidence, prevalence, and mortality and the key explanatory variables Partnership case detection rate and treatment success rate, controlling for gross domestic product per capita, population structure, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence. A $1 per capita (general population) higher NTP budget (including domestic and external sources) was associated with a 1.9% (95% confidence interval, .12%-3.6%) higher estimated case detection rate the following year for the 22 high-burden countries between 2002 and 2009. In the final models, which corrected for autocorrelation and heteroskedasticity, achieving the STOP TB Partnership case detection rate target of >70% was associated with significantly (P < .01) lower tuberculosis incidence, prevalence, and mortality the following year, even when controlling for general economic development and HIV prevalence as potential confounding variables. Increased investment in NTPs was significantly associated with improved performance and with a downward trend in the tuberculosis burden in the 22 high-burden countries during 2002-2009.

Hanford Site Performance Report - March 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EDER, D.M.

2001-01-01

The purpose of the Hanford Site Performance Report is to provide the Department of Energy Richland Operations Office's (DOE-RL's) report of Hanford's performance by: U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC) through Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc. (FDH) and its subcontractors, Environmental Restoration Contract through Bechtel Hanford, Inc. (BHI), and its subcontractors, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) for Science and Technology (S and T) Mission and support to the Environmental Management (EM). This report is published monthly with the intent of relating work performance and progress in the context of the Success Indicators and Critical Success Factors as outlined in the Hanford Strategic Plan. On a quarterly basis, the report also addresses performance and progress related to the Science and Technology Mission's Critical Outcomes as derived from the Hanford Strategic Plan. Section A of this report is the Executive Summary, encapsulating high-level data in this report into an overall brief. Summary information provided includes Notable Accomplishments, a performance profile with associated analyses, Critical Issues, Key Integration Activities, and a ''quick list'' of Upcoming Key Events. Section B of this report, the Site Summary section, provides Environmental Management performance data specifically organized to the pertinent Critical Success Factors and Success Indicators, and Science and Technology data in the context of the Critical Outcomes. The Site Summary demonstrates the various missions' overall progress against these strategic objectives. The information is presented in both narrative and graphical formats. The remaining sections provide performance data relative to each individual mission area (e.g., Waste Management, Spent Nuclear Fuels, etc.). The information provided in the Mission Area sections is at a level of greater detail than is presented in either the Executive Summary or

Hanford Site Performance Report - May 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EDER, D.M.

2001-01-01

The purpose of the Hanford Site Performance Report is to provide the Department of Energy Richland Operations Office's (DOE-RL's) report of Hanford's performance by: U. S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC) through Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc. (FDH) and its subcontractors, Environmental Restoration Contract through Bechtel Hanford, Inc. (BHI), and its subcontractors, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) for Science and Technology (S and T) Mission and support to the Environmental Management (EM). This report is published monthly with the intent of relating work performance and progress in the context of the Success Indicators and Critical Success Factors as outlined in the Hanford Strategic Plan. On a quarterly basis, the report also addresses performance and progress related to the Science and Technology Mission's Critical Outcomes as derived from the Hanford Strategic Plan. Section A of this report is the Executive Summary, encapsulating high-level data in this report into an overall brief. Summary information provided includes Notable Accomplishments, a performance profile with associated analyses, Critical Issues, Key Integration Activities, and a ''quick list'' of Upcoming Key Events. Section B of this report, the Site Summary section, provides Environmental Management performance data specifically organized to the pertinent Critical Success Factors and Success Indicators, and Science and Technology data in the context of the Critical Outcomes. The Site Summary demonstrates the various missions' overall progress against these strategic objectives. The information is presented in both narrative and graphical formats. The remaining sections provide performance data relative to each individual mission area (e.g., Waste Management, Spent Nuclear Fuels, etc.). The information provided in the Mission Area sections is at a level of greater detail than is presented in either the Executive Summary or

Hanford Site Performance Report - April 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EDER, D.M.

2001-01-01

The purpose of the Hanford Site Performance Report is to provide the Department of Energy Richland Operations Office's (DOE-RL's) report of Hanford's performance by: U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC) through Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc. (FDH) and its subcontractors, Environmental Restoration Contract through Bechtel Hanford, Inc. (BHI), and its subcontractors, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) for Science and Technology (S and T) Mission and support to the Environmental Management (EM). This report is published monthly with the intent of relating work performance and progress in the context of the Success Indicators and Critical Success Factors as outlined in the Hanford Strategic Plan. On a quarterly basis, the report also addresses performance and progress related to the Science and Technology Mission's Critical Outcomes as derived from the Hanford Strategic Plan. Section A of this report is the Executive Summary, encapsulating high-level data in this report into an overall brief. Summary information provided includes Notable Accomplishments, a performance profile with associated analyses, Critical Issues, Key Integration Activities, and a ''quick list'' of Upcoming Key Events. Section B of this report, the Site Summary section, provides Environmental Management performance data specifically organized to the pertinent Critical Success Factors and Success Indicators, and Science and Technology data in the context of the Critical Outcomes. The Site Summary demonstrates the various missions' overall progress against these strategic objectives. The information is presented in both narrative and graphical formats. The remaining sections provide performance data relative to each individual mission area (e.g., Waste Management, Spent Nuclear Fuels, etc.). The information provided in the Mission Area sections is at a level of greater detail than is presented in either the Executive Summary or

Hanford Site performance report - December 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EDER, D.M.

2001-01-01

The purpose of the Hanford Site Performance Report is to provide the Department of Energy Richland Operations Office's (DOE-RL's) report of Hanford's performance by: U. S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC) through Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc. (FDH) and its subcontractors, Environmental Restoration Contract through Bechtel Hanford, Inc. (BHI), and its subcontractors, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) for Science and Technology support to the Environmental Management (EM) mission. This report is published monthly with the intent of relating work performance and progress in the context of the Success Indicators and Critical Success Factors as outlined in the Hanford Strategic Plan. Currently, the report focuses on the EM mission, and will be expanded in the future to include non-EM activities. Section A of this report is the Executive Summary, encapsulating high-level data in this report into an overall brief. Summary information provided includes Notable Accomplishments, a tabular performance profile with associated analyses, Critical Issues, Key Integration Activities, a look at Significant Trends, and a ''quick list'' of Upcoming Key Events. Section B of this report, the Site Summary section, provides Environmental Management performance data specifically organized to the pertinent Critical Success Factors and Success Indicators. The Site Summary is a compilation of performance data from all of the Mission Areas and the Projects that comprise these Mission Areas; the information is presented in both narrative and graphical formats. The remaining sections provide performance data relative to each individual mission area (e.g., Waste Management, Spent Nuclear Fuels, etc.). The information provided in the Mission Area sections is at a level of greater detail than is presented in either the Executive Summary or the Site Summary sections. At the end of this report, a glossary of terms is provided

Successful implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) at a US Department of Energy (DOE) site: Environmental assessment preparation - a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haagenstad, T.; Ladino, A.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) implements the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) using a NEPA Compliance Team. The NEPA Compliance Team (Team) is composed of DOE Los Alamos Area Office (LAAO) and LANL employees that combine to create quality improvements in the DOE NEPA compliance process at both LAAO and LANL. A major focus of quality improvement has been in the area of Environmental Assessment (EA) documentation preparation. The NEPA Team within LANL's Ecology Group (ESH-20) is the organization responsible for preparing the EA documentation on behalf of DOE. DOE and LANL team in an interdisciplinary process to prepare review, and complete EAs using the technical expertise of individuals throughout the DOE and LANL. This approach has demonstrated significant time and cost savings as well as EA document quality improvements. The process used to prepare an EA for the Low Energy Demonstration Accelerator (LEDA) is presented as an example of a successful approach to implementing NEPA. The LEDA EA is used as a case study example to demonstrate how an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to conducting a NEPA analysis yields extremely successful results. The LEDA EA was prepared on an extremely aggressive schedule with tight cost constraints. The ESH-20 NEPA Team was successful in providing a critical link between the DOE decision-makers and the LEDA project representatives within LANL. As the technical scope of the LEDA project changed during the preparation of the EA, by emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach, the Team was able to quickly assess the implications and potential impacts through open communications with the various subject matter experts while maintaining a pace consistent with the EA schedule demands

Business excellence as a success factor for the performance of large Croatian enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivica Zdrilić

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Croatian companies need a new approach that will provide them with sufficient competitive strength, based on business excellence. Focusing only on financial indicators and measures is insufficient. Therefore new concepts should be introduced, especially by large companies that are traditionally inert and exposed to global competition, and situated in the countries with ongoing transition, such as Croatia. Today 75% of the source of value within a company cannot be measured by means of the standard accounting techniques anymore, and in the 21st century it is impossible to rely exclusively on measuring financial parameters. According to the authors, in addition to financial measuring, a way should be found to measure non-financial parameters within a company. The paper is therefore aimed at exploring the influence of business excellence and its values on business in the Croatian business practice. The authors carried out a research on 106 large Croatian enterprises with more than 250 employees, exploring the connection between the values of business excellence and company performance, Results show a positive correlation between applying the principles of business excellence and successful company performance in practice.

National Security Technology Incubator Business Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2007-12-31

This document contains a business plan for the National Security Technology Incubator (NSTI), developed as part of the National Security Preparedness Project (NSPP) and performed under a Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) grant. This business plan describes key features of the NSTI, including the vision and mission, organizational structure and staffing, services, evaluation criteria, marketing strategies, client processes, a budget, incubator evaluation criteria, and a development schedule. The purpose of the NSPP is to promote national security technologies through business incubation, technology demonstration and validation, and workforce development. The NSTI will focus on serving businesses with national security technology applications by nurturing them through critical stages of early development. The vision of the NSTI is to be a successful incubator of technologies and private enterprise that assist the NNSA in meeting new challenges in national safety, security, and protection of the homeland. The NSTI is operated and managed by the Arrowhead Center, responsible for leading the economic development mission of New Mexico State University (NMSU). The Arrowhead Center will recruit business with applications for national security technologies recruited for the NSTI program. The Arrowhead Center and its strategic partners will provide business incubation services, including hands-on mentoring in general business matters, marketing, proposal writing, management, accounting, and finance. Additionally, networking opportunities and technology development assistance will be provided.

Determinants of construction project success in India

CERN Document Server

Jha, Kumar Neeraj

2013-01-01

This study presents exploratory work and seeks to identify and evaluate the success and failure factors that could form a guideline for further study and to some extent help professionals to understand some critical aspects that impact project performance concerning construction in India. A total of 55 attributes affecting the performance of construction projects are analysed in terms of their level of influence on four key performance criteria – schedule, cost, quality, and no disputes – using a two-stage questionnaire survey. These attributes are then further analysed, interpreted and evaluated.   Based on the critical success factors obtained from the study, a neural network model-based predictive model for project performance has been developed. The performance prediction models have been derived for all four project performance criteria. Further, a hypothesis that ‘project success’ is influenced by ‘success traits’ has also been formulated. The hypothesized positive inter-relationships betwe...

Performance-based vs socially supportive culture: A cross-national study of descriptive norms and entrepreneurship

OpenAIRE

Ute Stephan; Lorraine M Uhlaner

2010-01-01

This paper is a cross-national study testing a framework relating cultural descriptive norms to entrepreneurship in a sample of 40 nations. Based on data from the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness project, we identify two higher-order dimensions of culture – socially supportive culture (SSC) and performance-based culture (PBC) – and relate them to entrepreneurship rates and associated supply-side and demand-side variables available from the Global Entrepreneurship Mo...

Evaluating national environmental sustainability: performance measures and influential factors for OECD-member countries featuring Canadian performance and policy implications

OpenAIRE

Calbick, Kenneth Stuart

2011-01-01

This research reviews five studies that evaluate national environmental sustainability with composite indices; performs uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of techniques for building a composite index; completes principal components factor analysis to help build subindices measuring waste and pollution, sustainable energy, sustainable food, nature conservation, and sustainable cities (Due to its current importance, the greenhouse gases (GHG) indicator is included individually as another poli...

Improving Success in Developmental Mathematics: An Interview with Paul Nolting

Science.gov (United States)

Boylan, Hunter R.

2011-01-01

This article presents an interview with Dr. Paul Nolting, a national expert in assessing individual math learning problems, developing effective student learning strategies, and assessing institutional variables that affect math success. Since his dissertation in 1986 on improving math success with study skills Dr. Nolting has consulted with over…

The use of quality control performance charts to analyze cesarean delivery rates nationally.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Turner, Michael J

2012-02-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of quality control performance charts to analyze cesarean rates nationally. METHODS: Information on cesarean rates was obtained for all 19 Irish maternity hospitals receiving state funding in 2009. All women who underwent cesarean delivery of a live or stillborn infant weighing 500 g or more between January 1 and December 31 were included. Deliveries were classified as elective or emergency. Individual hospitals were not identified in the analysis. RESULTS: The mean rates per hospital of elective and emergency cesarean were 12.9+\\/-2.6% (n=9337) and 13.8+\\/-3.0% (n=9989), respectively-giving an overall mean rate of 26.7+\\/-4.2% (n=19326) per hospital. Cesarean rates were normally distributed. Using a quality control performance chart with a cutoff 2 standard deviations from the mean, 1 hospital was above the normal range for both total and elective cesareans, indicating that its pre-labor obstetric practices warrant clinical review. Another hospital had a mean emergency cesarean rate above the normal range, indicating that its labor ward practices warrant review. CONCLUSION: Quality control performance charts can be used to analyze cesarean rates nationally and, thus, to identify hospitals at which obstetric practices should be reviewed.

Idaho National Laboratory Quarterly Performance Analysis - 2nd Quarter FY2014

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lisbeth A. Mitchell

2014-06-01

This report is published quarterly by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Performance Assurance Organization. The Department of Energy Occurrence Reporting and Processing System (ORPS), as prescribed in DOE Order 232.2, “Occurrence Reporting and Processing of Operations Information,” requires a quarterly analysis of events, both reportable and not reportable, for the previous 12 months. This report is the analysis of occurrence reports and other deficiency reports (including not reportable events) identified at INL from January 2014 through March 2014.

Biosphere reserves: Attributes for success.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Cuong, Chu; Dart, Peter; Hockings, Marc

2017-03-01

Biosphere reserves established under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program aim to harmonise biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Concerns over the extent to which the reserve network was living up to this ideal led to the development of a new strategy in 1995 (the Seville Strategy) to enhance the operation of the network of reserves. An evaluation of effectiveness of management of the biosphere reserve network was called for as part of this strategy. Expert opinion was assembled through a Delphi Process to identify successful and less successful reserves and investigate common factors influencing success or failure. Ninety biosphere reserves including sixty successful and thirty less successful reserves in 42 countries across all five Man and the Biosphere Program regions were identified. Most successful sites are the post-Seville generation while the majority of unsuccessful sites are pre-Seville that are managed as national parks and have not been amended to conform to the characteristics that are meant to define a biosphere reserve. Stakeholder participation and collaboration, governance, finance and resources, management, and awareness and communication are the most influential factors in the success or failure of the biosphere reserves. For success, the biosphere reserve concept needs to be clearly understood and applied through landscape zoning. Designated reserves then need a management system with inclusive good governance, strong participation and collaboration, adequate finance and human resource allocation and stable and responsible management and implementation. All rather obvious but it is difficult to achieve without commitment to the biosphere reserve concept by the governance authorities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Capsule Performance Optimization for the National Ignition Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Landen, Otto

2009-11-01

The overall goal of the capsule performance optimization campaign is to maximize the probability of ignition by experimentally correcting for likely residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. This will be accomplished using a variety of targets that will set key laser, hohlraum and capsule parameters to maximize ignition capsule implosion velocity, while minimizing fuel adiabat, core shape asymmetry and ablator-fuel mix. The targets include high Z re-emission spheres setting foot symmetry through foot cone power balance [1], liquid Deuterium-filled ``keyhole'' targets setting shock speed and timing through the laser power profile [2], symmetry capsules setting peak cone power balance and hohlraum length [3], and streaked x-ray backlit imploding capsules setting ablator thickness [4]. We will show how results from successful tuning technique demonstration shots performed at the Omega facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. We will also present estimates of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors, and show that these get reduced after a number of shots and iterations to meet an acceptable level of residual uncertainty. Finally, we will present results from upcoming tuning technique validation shots performed at NIF at near full-scale. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. [4pt] [1] E. Dewald, et. al. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79 (2008) 10E903. [0pt] [2] T.R. Boehly, et. al., Phys. Plasmas 16 (2009) 056302. [0pt] [3] G. Kyrala, et. al., BAPS 53 (2008) 247. [0pt] [4] D. Hicks, et. al., BAPS 53 (2008) 2.

National and Regional Competitiveness in the Crisis Context. Successful Examples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gina Cristina DIMIAN

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The paper addresses the issue of national and regional competitiveness in the context of socio-economic and financial crisis. Competitiveness is a complex concept which can be studied at both the firm and the local and national level.Thus, in economic terms the competitiveness is most often associated with the productivity or efficiency with which inputs are transformed into goods and services. As for the regional competitiveness it should be analyzed in terms of results (revenue, employment and in relation to its determinants: ranging from the classical production factors (capital, labour, technological progress to the “soft” factors (human capital, research and development, dissemination of knowledge.The current economic environment has revealed that countries such as China, India, Brazil and also the Czech Republic and Poland, following prudent economic policies, have managed to make from macroeconomic stability, investment in education and research some of their major drivers of economic growth.

Floristic composition and plant succession on near-surface radioactive-waste-disposal facilities in the Los Alamos National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tierney, G.D.; Foxx, T.S.

1982-03-01

Since 1946, low-level radioactive waste has been buried in shallow landfills within the confines of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Five of these sites were studied for plant composition and successional patterns by reconnaissance and vegetation mapping. The data show a slow rate of recovery for all sites, regardless of age, in both the pinon-juniper and ponderosa pine communities. The sites are not comparable in succession or composition because of location and previous land use. The two oldest sites have the highest species diversity and the only mature trees. All sites allowed to revegetate naturally tend to be colonized by the same species that originally surrounded the sites. Sites on historic fields are colonized by the old field flora, whereas those in areas disturbed only by grazing are revegetated by the local native flora

Floristic composition and plant succession on near-surface radioactive-waste-disposal facilities in the Los Alamos National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tierney, G.D.; Foxx, T.S.

1982-03-01

Since 1946, low-level radioactive waste has been buried in shallow landfills within the confines of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Five of these sites were studied for plant composition and successional patterns by reconnaissance and vegetation mapping. The data show a slow rate of recovery for all sites, regardless of age, in both the pinon-juniper and ponderosa pine communities. The sites are not comparable in succession or composition because of location and previous land use. The two oldest sites have the highest species diversity and the only mature trees. All sites allowed to revegetate naturally tend to be colonized by the same species that originally surrounded the sites. Sites on historic fields are colonized by the old field flora, whereas those in areas disturbed only by grazing are revegetated by the local native flora.

The making of expert performers at Cirque du Soleil and the National Circus School: A performance enhancement outlook

OpenAIRE

Filho, Edson; Aubertin, Patrice; Petiot, Bernard

2016-01-01

In this paper, an applied analysis of the psychological processes and skills necessary for performance artists to excel in contemporary circus is presented. This analysis is based on applied experience at Cirque du Soleil and the National Circus School, leading contemporary circus programs in the world. The importance of learning the rules of the circus domain, transferring motor skills to the circus environment, and developing an artistic identity and mindful mind-set are discussed. Furtherm...

Successful neural network projects at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cordes, G.A.

1991-01-01

This paper presents recent and current projects at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) that research and apply neural network technology. The projects are summarized in the paper and their direct application to space reactor power and propulsion systems activities is discussed. 9 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs

A Best Practices Model for Implementing Successful Electronic Disease Surveillance Systems: Insights from Peru and Around the Globe

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-03

reports provided detailed information for each case such as age, residential district, gender, and laboratory data. For instance, dengue fever and... region in Management of Childhood Observational study I) Training component I) Experienced high staff turnover. Brazil ; Inclusion Illness) aims to reduce...proved to be key to the successful implementation of such a system. National and regional surveillance teams performed the critical functions of disease

A success story of multi-national efforts in innovative soil remediation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mann, M.J., P.E.

1994-01-01

The global and institutional issues relating to the implementation of innovative technologies in the environmental cleanup market can be significant, limiting, and confusing. Alternative Remedial Technologies, Inc. (ART) has made real progress in utilizing soil washing for full-scale cleanups hazardous waste and low-level radioactive waste sites. ART was formed in 1990 as joint venture between Geraghty ampersand Miller, Inc. (USA) and Heidemij (The Netherlands) for the purpose of using the proven Dutch soil washing technology in the U.S. market. The purpose of this paper is to present the opportunities, methods of implementation, and to examine future developments in the transfer of technology for environmental restoration and waste management applications. The effective transfer of technology is a multi-faceted task integrating the technology itself with an objective understanding of the market coupled with a business plan that can support the financial and administrative requirements of commercialization. This paper contends that technology transfer that falls short of commercialization is not successful since the benefits offered by the technology do not become available for full scale use. ART's specific objective in accomplishing a transfer of technology was to bring a soil washing technology, proven in Europe, to the U.S. to fill an unsatisfied market niche for the treatment of contaminated soils. The measurement of this objective was clear from the beginning...commercialize the technology by performing projects profitably while growing the business. Significant side benefits resulted from this focus, and those will be discussed later

Success stories in nuclear science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fox, M.R.

1990-01-01

The low level of public understanding of energy in general, and nuclear energy in particular in the United States is well known, especially by the world's scientific community. A technologically leading nation such as the United States, will not remain so for long, if fear, anxiety, worry, anger, and technological misinformation continue to influence if not drive science and energy policy. Our society, our freedom, and even our national security are at risk when sound science and energy policies are inhibited or prevented. As a scientific organization, the American Nuclear Society believes that it is our responsibility, not merely an obligation, to get involved with the educational processes of our nation. Through the Public Information Committee of ANS a variety of educational activities have been undertaken, with remarkable success. This presentation describes some of these and some of the many lessons learned from these activities and about ourselves

Capsule performance optimization in the National Ignition Campaigna)

Science.gov (United States)

Landen, O. L.; Boehly, T. R.; Bradley, D. K.; Braun, D. G.; Callahan, D. A.; Celliers, P. M.; Collins, G. W.; Dewald, E. L.; Divol, L.; Glenzer, S. H.; Hamza, A.; Hicks, D. G.; Hoffman, N.; Izumi, N.; Jones, O. S.; Kirkwood, R. K.; Kyrala, G. A.; Michel, P.; Milovich, J.; Munro, D. H.; Nikroo, A.; Olson, R. E.; Robey, H. F.; Spears, B. K.; Thomas, C. A.; Weber, S. V.; Wilson, D. C.; Marinak, M. M.; Suter, L. J.; Hammel, B. A.; Meyerhofer, D. D.; Atherton, J.; Edwards, J.; Haan, S. W.; Lindl, J. D.; MacGowan, B. J.; Moses, E. I.

2010-05-01

A capsule performance optimization campaign will be conducted at the National Ignition Facility [G. H. Miller et al., Nucl. Fusion 44, 228 (2004)] to substantially increase the probability of ignition by laser-driven hohlraums [J. D. Lindl et al., Phys. Plasmas 11, 339 (2004)]. The campaign will experimentally correct for residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. The required tuning techniques using a variety of ignition capsule surrogates have been demonstrated at the OMEGA facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design and shown to meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, a roll-up of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors has been derived that meets the required budget.

Capsule performance optimization in the National Ignition Campaign

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landen, O. L.; Bradley, D. K.; Braun, D. G.; Callahan, D. A.; Celliers, P. M.; Collins, G. W.; Dewald, E. L.; Divol, L.; Glenzer, S. H.; Hamza, A.; Hicks, D. G.; Izumi, N.; Jones, O. S.; Kirkwood, R. K.; Michel, P.; Milovich, J.; Munro, D. H.; Robey, H. F.; Spears, B. K.; Thomas, C. A.

2010-01-01

A capsule performance optimization campaign will be conducted at the National Ignition Facility [G. H. Miller et al., Nucl. Fusion 44, 228 (2004)] to substantially increase the probability of ignition by laser-driven hohlraums [J. D. Lindl et al., Phys. Plasmas 11, 339 (2004)]. The campaign will experimentally correct for residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. The required tuning techniques using a variety of ignition capsule surrogates have been demonstrated at the OMEGA facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design and shown to meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, a roll-up of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors has been derived that meets the required budget.

The Relation Between Fear of Success and Sex Role Orientation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Studies on Sex Role Orientation is popular in developed nations, also popular is the study of Fear of Success Syndrome. And foreign studies usually confirm a correlation between one\\'s sex role orientation and disposition to fear of success syndrome. The present study aimed at finding out if earlier findings could be ...

2011 Critical Success Factors Report

Science.gov (United States)

North Carolina Community College System (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

The Critical Success Factors Report is the North Carolina Community College System's major accountability document. This annual performance report serves to inform colleges and the public on the performance of North Carolina's 58 community colleges. In 1993, the State Board of Community Colleges began monitoring performance data on specific…

Measuring strategic success.

Science.gov (United States)

Gish, Ryan

2002-08-01

Strategic triggers and metrics help healthcare providers achieve financial success. Metrics help assess progress toward long-term goals. Triggers signal market changes requiring a change in strategy. All metrics may not move in concert. Organizations need to identify indicators, monitor performance.

Against the Odds: Influences on the Post-School Success of "Low Performers"

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Sue; Hillman, Kylie

2010-01-01

The link between academic achievement and labour market outcomes is well established. But how well does a student's achievement in a test predict their later success in life? This study examines this question, with "success" considered to encompass satisfaction with life together with the extent to which young people are fully occupied…

Developing Undergraduates’ Multicultural Skills for Career Success and National Integration

OpenAIRE

Chong, Yen Wan; Rahman, Maria Abdul

2016-01-01

In today’s global work environment characterised by workplace diversity, multicultural skills or cultural intelligence (CQ) are essential soft skills for managerial success. In a multi-cultural country like Malaysia, the development of multicultural sensitivity is also important so that its citizens will learn to live in harmony. This paper reports on a study which reviews the effectiveness of a campus wide program that was implemented by a Malaysian public university which specializes in man...

Performance-oriented: toward a successful strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, K; Subramanian, R; Yauger, C

1997-01-01

Changes in the health care industry have profoundly affected hospital management and have caused severe declines in hospital profitability. In 1993, Health Care Management Review reported that the average operating profit margin, around 2% in 1984, had declined to a 0.2% loss by 1990. In the past, hospitals were buffered by entry regulations and cost reimbursement; thus, they rarely dealt with traditional market pressures. But the changed terrain means that competitive factors now underscore all strategic decisions. This study examines the strategic significance of market orientation in the health care industry. The authors identified forms of market orientation by emphasizing different components, and discovered that hospitals fell into four distinct clusters or groups. They also found a critical relationship between market orientation and performance scores on a number of criteria. Finally, the authors suggest that different forms of market orientation should be employed to target specific performance measures.

A BALANCED TEAM WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: 66 YEARS OF DATA FROM THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

Science.gov (United States)

Otten, Mark P; Miller, Travis J

2015-12-01

Explicitly monitoring one's own actions has been noted as detrimental to the performance of fine motor skills under duress. Offensive skills rather than defensive skills are typically studied in this context. Defensive techniques typically require skills such as footwork and continuous movement, as opposed to more precise, hand-eye coordinated action. Explicit monitoring theory may be less relevant for defensive skills than offensive skills when playing under pressure. Archival data (66 years) for teams and for individual players was compiled from the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Football League (NFL). For basketball (n=778) and football (n=515) teams, regular season offensive and defensive statistics similarly predicted success in the postseason, which was assumed to create more pressure. For individual basketball players (n=5,132), nine indices of offensive (FG, free throw and three-point shooting, offensive win shares, points, and assists) and defensive (defensive win shares, steals, and blocks) production were compared; among these, three-point shooting percentage was least correlated from season to postseason, suggesting it is especially variable under pressure. A balanced basketball or football team that focuses on both offense and defense may be most successful.

National laboratory-based surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance: a successful tool to support the control of antimicrobial resistance in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Altorf-van der Kuil, Wieke; Schoffelen, Annelot F; de Greeff, Sabine C; Thijsen, Steven Ft; Alblas, H Jeroen; Notermans, Daan W; Vlek, Anne Lm; van der Sande, Marianne Ab; Leenstra, Tjalling

2017-11-01

An important cornerstone in the control of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a well-designed quantitative system for the surveillance of spread and temporal trends in AMR. Since 2008, the Dutch national AMR surveillance system, based on routine data from medical microbiological laboratories (MMLs), has developed into a successful tool to support the control of AMR in the Netherlands. It provides background information for policy making in public health and healthcare services, supports development of empirical antibiotic therapy guidelines and facilitates in-depth research. In addition, participation of the MMLs in the national AMR surveillance network has contributed to sharing of knowledge and quality improvement. A future improvement will be the implementation of a new semantic standard together with standardised data transfer, which will reduce errors in data handling and enable a more real-time surveillance. Furthermore, the scientific impact and the possibility of detecting outbreaks may be amplified by merging the AMR surveillance database with databases from selected pathogen-based surveillance programmes containing patient data and genotypic typing data.

Success factors for implementation of the balanced scorecard in a NHS multi-agency setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Radnor, Zoe; Lovell, Bill

2003-01-01

Even though the balanced scorecard (BSC) has become a highly popular performance management tool, usage in local public sector National Health Service (NHS) organisations is still rare. This paper conditionally outlines some grounds in supporting such usage. In particular underlying conceptual concerns with the BSC system and its implementation pitfalls require full consideration. This paper then outlines some factors to be taken into account for "successful" BSC implementation in a NHS multi-agency setting. These findings emerged from a series of focus groups that took place with contributors drawn from all the key organisations within the Bradford Health Action Zone. Finally, this paper argues that if key criteria are met, successful implementation of the BSC may then proceed. However, "blind" BSC implementation without consideration of these factors may result in potential "failure".

The success of international development projects, trust and communication: an African perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diallo, A.; Thuillier, D. [Universite du Quebec a Montreal (Canada). Dept. Management et Technologie

2005-04-01

Project success is strongly linked to communication and cooperation between stakeholders. This research explores the relationship between trust and communication and tests the influence of these factors upon project success and success criteria for international development projects financed by multilateral institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. The research analyses the coordinators' perceptions of project success, communication climate and interpersonal relationship between himself and his stakeholders (task manager in the multilateral agency, national supervisor) and within the project team. Data were collected from questionnaires completed by project coordinators of development projects. The statistical analysis confirms that trust and communication between players are proxy variables. Trust between the task manager and the coordinator is the key success factor, whereas team cohesion is the second most important factor. Trust between the coordinator and his national supervisor does not play a prominent role, although the task manager considers significant local autonomy for the coordinator a prerequisite for funding a subsequent phase when the project comes to an end. (author)

Performance of the ocean state forecast system at Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nair, T.M.B.; Sirisha, P.; Sandhya, K.G.; Srinivas, K.; SanilKumar, V.; Sabique, L.; Nherakkol, A.; KrishnaPrasad, B.; RakhiKumari; Jeyakumar, C.; Kaviyazhahu, K.; RameshKumar, M.; Harikumar, R.; Shenoi, S.S.C.; Nayak, S.

The reliability of the operational Ocean State Forecast system at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) during tropical cyclones that affect the coastline of India is described in this article. The performance...

Assessing the performance of national innovation systems in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edquist, C.; Zabala-Iturriagagoitia, J.M.

2016-07-01

To support the establishment of the European Innovation Union, the European Commission is using the Innovation Union Scoreboard (IUS). In this paper, the performance of EU28 national innovation systems are analyzed from an efficiency perspective by using exactly the same data as those provided by the IUS for years 2010-2015. This efficiency analysis was carried out using Data Envelopment Analysis. Our analysis demonstrates that the results based on efficiency measures reflect that in general terms innovation systems are widely underexploited in Europe and that there are important variances among territories. We have shown that many countries which devote fewer resources than the innovation leaders, achieve outstanding levels of efficiency and, contrary to what the IUS predicts, countries with consolidated innovation systems, do not show efficiency levels commensurate with their expected competitiveness. (Author)

Research into Success

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bogomir Novak

1997-12-01

Full Text Available As competition is becoming ever more fierce, research into the prerequisites for success is gaining ground. By most people, success is perceived as an external phenomenon, but it is in fact the consequence of a person's readiness to perform in the world (of business. In the paper, Novak distinguishes between internal, external and group success. The essence of interna!success, which is the condition for the other two types of success, is assuming responsibility for, and exercising self-control over one's psychic phenomena. This in fact means that one needs to "reprogramme" the old patterns of behaviour and substitute them for the new, which leads to personality changes based on the understanding and acceptance of the self and others as they are. In realizing personal abilities, motives and goals, mental guiding laws must also be taken into account. Nowadays, the overall success of an organization is an important indicator of the quality of gro up work. The working patterns of individuals comply with the patterns used by his or her colleagues. When we do something for ourselves, we do it for others. In certain organizations, through accepted ways of communication all people become successful, and no body needs to be paid off. Employees wholly identify themselves with their organization, and vice versa. This three-part paradigm (I-Others-Community is the basis for various models of practical training for success, which are often idealized, but are primarily aimed at abolishing passivity and flaws in the system and its wider environment.

Intubation Success in Critical Care Transport: A Multicenter Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichert, Ryan J; Gothard, Megan; Gothard, M David; Schwartz, Hamilton P; Bigham, Michael T

2018-02-21

Tracheal intubation (TI) is a lifesaving critical care skill. Failed TI attempts, however, can harm patients. Critical care transport (CCT) teams function as the first point of critical care contact for patients being transported to tertiary medical centers for specialized surgical, medical, and trauma care. The Ground and Air Medical qUality in Transport (GAMUT) Quality Improvement Collaborative uses a quality metric database to track CCT quality metric performance, including TI. We sought to describe TI among GAMUT participants with the hypothesis that CCT would perform better than other prehospital TI reports and similarly to hospital TI success. The GAMUT Database is a global, voluntary database for tracking consensus quality metric performance among CCT programs performing neonatal, pediatric, and adult transports. The TI-specific quality metrics are "first attempt TI success" and "definitive airway sans hypoxia/hypotension on first attempt (DASH-1A)." The 2015 GAMUT Database was queried and analysis included patient age, program type, and intubation success rate. Analysis included simple statistics and Pearson chi-square with Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc z tests (significance = p success was lowest in neonates (59.3%, 617 attempts), better in pediatrics (81.7%, 519 attempts), and best in adults (87%, 2900 attempts), p success versus pediatric- and neonatal-focused teams (86.9% vs. 63.5%, p success (86.5% vs. 75.3%, p success are higher in adult patients and adult-focused CCT teams. TI success rates are higher in CCT than other prehospital settings, but lower than in-hospital success TI rates. Identifying factors influencing TI success among high performers should influence best practice strategies for TI.

The force applied to successfully turn a foetus during reattempts of external cephalic version is substantially reduced when performed under spinal analgesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Suen, Stephen Sik Hung; Khaw, Kim S; Law, Lai Wa; Sahota, Daljit Singh; Lee, Shara Wee Yee; Lau, Tze Kin; Leung, Tak Yeung

2012-06-01

To compare the forces exerted during external cephalic version (ECV) on the maternal abdomen between ( 1 ) the primary attempts performed without spinal analgesia (SA), which failed and ( 2 ) the subsequent reattempts performed under SA. Patients with an uncomplicated singleton breech-presenting pregnancy suitable for ECV were recruited. During ECV, the operator wore a pair of gloves, which had thin piezo-resistive pressure sensors measuring the contact pressure between the operator's hands and maternal abdomen. For patients who had failed ECV, reattempts by the same operator was made with patients under SA, and the applied force was measured in the same manner. The profile of the exerted forces over time during each attempt was analyzed and denoted by pressure-time integral (PTI: mmHg sec). Pain score was also graded by patients using visual analogue scale. Both PTI and pain score before and after the use of SA were then compared. Overall, eight patients who had a failed ECV without SA underwent a reattempt with SA. All of them had successful version and the median PTI of the successful attempts under SA were lower than that of the previous failed attempts performed without SA (127 386 mmHg sec vs. 298,424 mmHg sec; p = 0.017). All of them also reported a 0 pain score, which was significantly lower than that of before (median 7.5; p = 0.016). SA improves the success rate of ECV as well as reduces the force required for successful version.

Development assistance for health: donor commitment as a critical success factor.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Franklin

2011-01-01

In 1970, led by Canada, the world's richest nations pledged 0.7% of their gross national income (GNI) to official development assistance (ODA). Although this pledge has been renewed several times, with the exception of only five countries, ODA allocations have lagged chronically behind this commitment. Put more bluntly, our rhetoric outpaces our actions. For example, spending only 0.3% GNI on development, Canada performs at about 40% of its pledge. The good news is that development assistance for health has improved over the past two decades, mostly due to private development assistance (PDA) and favourable shifts within bilateral and multilateral funding, but clearly more must be done to enhance this effort. Actions in support of the Millennium Development Goals and the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness should make a difference, subject to monitoring and evaluation, and Canada's Muskoka Initiative also is a step in the right direction. However, while success in meeting international development and global health goals depends on donor and recipient nations working as partners through such mechanisms, the relevance of the developed world as a force for global health will be measured in part by how well its governments keep their development commitments.

Implementation of computerized physician order entry in National Guard Hospitals: assessment of critical success factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Altuwaijri, Majid M; Bahanshal, Abdullah; Almehaid, Mona

2011-09-01

The purpose of this study is to describe the needs, process and experience of implementing a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system in a leading healthcare organization in Saudi Arabia. The National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA) deployed the CPOE in a pilot department, which was the intensive care unit (ICU) in order to assess its benefits and risks and to test the system. After the CPOE was implemented in the ICU area, a survey was sent to the ICU clinicians to assess their perception on the importance of 32 critical success factors (CSFs) that was acquired from the literature. The project team also had several meetings to gather lessons learned from the pilot project in order to utilize them for the expansion of the project to other NGHA clinics and hospitals. The results of the survey indicated that the selected CSFs, even though they were developed with regard to international settings, are very much applicable for the pilot area. The top three CSFs rated by the survey respondents were: The "before go-live training", the adequate clinical resources during implementation, and the ordering time. After the assessment of the survey and the lessons learned from the pilot project, NGHA decided that the potential benefits of the CPOE are expected to be greater the risks expected. The project was then expanded to cover all NGHA clinics and hospitals in a phased approach. Currently, the project is in its final stages and expected to be completed by the end of 2011. The role of CPOE systems is very important in hospitals in order to reduce medication errors and to improve the quality of care. In spite of their great benefits, many studies suggest that a high percentage of these projects fail. In order to increase the chances of success and due to the fact that CPOE is a clinical system, NGHA implemented the system first in a pilot area in order to test the system without putting patients at risk and to learn from mistakes before expanding the system to other

Implementation of computerized physician order entry in National Guard hospitals: Assessment of critical success factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majid M Altuwaijri

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe the needs, process and experience of implementing a computerized physician order entry (CPOE system in a leading healthcare organization in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: The National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA deployed the CPOE in a pilot department, which was the intensive care unit (ICU in order to assess its benefits and risks and to test the system. After the CPOE was implemented in the ICU area, a survey was sent to the ICU clinicians to assess their perception on the importance of 32 critical success factors (CSFs that was acquired from the literature. The project team also had several meetings to gather lessons learned from the pilot project in order to utilize them for the expansion of the project to other NGHA clinics and hospitals. Results: The results of the survey indicated that the selected CSFs, even though they were developed with regard to international settings, are very much applicable for the pilot area. The top three CSFs rated by the survey respondents were: The "before go-live" training, the adequate clinical resources during implementation, and the ordering time. After the assessment of the survey and the lessons learned from the pilot project, NGHA decided that the potential benefits of the CPOE are expected to be greater the risks expected. The project was then expanded to cover all NGHA clinics and hospitals in a phased approach. Currently, the project is in its final stages and expected to be completed by the end of 2011. Conclusion: The role of CPOE systems is very important in hospitals in order to reduce medication errors and to improve the quality of care. In spite of their great benefits, many studies suggest that a high percentage of these projects fail. In order to increase the chances of success and due to the fact that CPOE is a clinical system, NGHA implemented the system first in a pilot area in order to test the system without putting patients at

Segmenting the Performing Arts Markets: The Case of Czech National Theater Attenders’ Motivations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chytková Zuzana

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Strategic marketing instruments such as segmentation and targeting can benefit performing arts institutions and render their offer more competitive. To segment classical performing arts audiences, however, the traditionally used variable is social class. In this paper, it is argued that such often suggested traditional segmentation criteria can prove to be context-insensitive and as such cannot be applied invariably across different settings. Based on an analysis of Czech National Theater audiences and its motivations, we propose the sought benefit of the theater visit as an alternative segmentation basis that may prove to be more context-sensitive.

Summary of Environmental Data Analysis and Work Performed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in Support of the Navajo Nation Abandoned Mine Lands Project at Tse Tah, Arizona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taffet, Michael J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Esser, Bradley K. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Madrid, Victor M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-05-17

This report summarizes work performed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) under Navajo Nation Services Contract CO9729 in support of the Navajo Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation Program (NAMLRP). Due to restrictions on access to uranium mine waste sites at Tse Tah, Arizona that developed during the term of the contract, not all of the work scope could be performed. LLNL was able to interpret environmental monitoring data provided by NAMLRP. Summaries of these data evaluation activities are provided in this report. Additionally, during the contract period, LLNL provided technical guidance, instructional meetings, and review of relevant work performed by NAMLRP and its contractors that was not contained in the contract work scope.

Dynamics of animal movement in an ecological context: dragonfly wing damage reduces flight performance and predation success.

Science.gov (United States)

Combes, S A; Crall, J D; Mukherjee, S

2010-06-23

Much of our understanding of the control and dynamics of animal movement derives from controlled laboratory experiments. While many aspects of animal movement can be probed only in these settings, a more complete understanding of animal locomotion may be gained by linking experiments on relatively simple motions in the laboratory to studies of more complex behaviours in natural settings. To demonstrate the utility of this approach, we examined the effects of wing damage on dragonfly flight performance in both a laboratory drop-escape response and the more natural context of aerial predation. The laboratory experiment shows that hindwing area loss reduces vertical acceleration and average flight velocity, and the predation experiment demonstrates that this type of wing damage results in a significant decline in capture success. Taken together, these results suggest that wing damage may take a serious toll on wild dragonflies, potentially reducing both reproductive success and survival.

PISA Performance and Australian Education : myths and realities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony Welch

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Australia's record as one of the higher performing nations on therecent PISA tests occasioned more interest internationally than domestically. Not with standing this success however, it is argued that its overall national success on the PISA tests is something of a myth, masking wide differences between the overall majority, and certain disadvantaged minorities. Disaggregating the performance data reveals the actual situation with respect to indigenous Australians, certain ethnic minorities and the effects of social class, which in each case is complemented with analysis of test performance differentials from PISA and NAPLAN. This examination reveals the reality that Australia is less successful than several other countries in extending high levels of school performance to key minorities. Given this failure, the myth of Australian high performance needs to be re-examined: much more needs to be done to boost the educational success of disadvantaged minorities.Los resultados de Australia, como uno de los países como uno de los países con los mejores resultados en el reciente estudio PISA han interesado más fuera de sus fronteras que dentro de ellas. A pesar de este éxito, sin embargo, se argumenta que los buenos resultados nacionales en los test de PISA encierran algo de mito y enmascara amplias diferencias entre la inmensa mayoría y ciertas minorías desaventajadas. Realizando un examen desagregado de los datos de Australia se pone de manifiesto la situación actual respecto a los indígenas de ese continente, ciertas minorías étnicas y el efecto de la clase social que se complementa en cada caso con el análisis de los diferenciales de rendimiento entre PISA y NAPLAN. El examen revela que Australia en realidad es menos exitosa que algunos de otros países a la hora de extender elevados niveles de rendimiento escolar a determinadas minorías clave. Ante este fracaso, el mito del alto rendimiento australiano necesita ser revisado: es

Environmental Performance Report 2015

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2016-07-01

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Environmental Performance Report provides a description of the laboratory's environmental management activities for 2015, including information on environmental and sustainability performance, environmental compliance activities and status, and environmental protection programs, highlights, and successes. The purpose of this report is to ensure that U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the public receive timely, accurate information about events that have affected or could adversely affect the health, safety, and security of the public or workers; the environment; or the operations of DOE facilities. This report meets the requirements of the Annual Site Environmental Report and is prepared in accordance with the DOE Order 231.1B, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting.

Environmental Performance Report 2016

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Braus, Genevieve [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-09-06

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Environmental Performance Report provides a description of the laboratory's environmental management activities for 2016, including information on environmental and sustainability performance, environmental compliance activities and status, and environmental protection programs, highlights, and successes. The purpose of this report is to ensure that U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the public receive timely, accurate information about events that have affected or could adversely affect the health, safety, and security of the public or workers; the environment; or the operations of DOE facilities. This report meets the requirements of the Annual Site Environmental Report and is prepared in accordance with the DOE Order 231.1B, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting.

Laser performance operations model (LPOM): a computational system that automates the setup and performance analysis of the national ignition facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaw, M; House, R; Williams, W; Haynam, C; White, R; Orth, C; Sacks, R [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA, 94550 (United States)], E-mail: shaw7@llnl.gov

2008-05-15

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a stadium-sized facility containing a 192-beam, 1.8 MJ, 500-TW, 351-nm laser system together with a 10-m diameter target chamber with room for many target diagnostics. NIF will be the world's largest laser experimental system, providing a national center to study inertial confinement fusion and the physics of matter at extreme energy densities and pressures. A computational system, the Laser Performance Operations Model (LPOM) has been developed and deployed that automates the laser setup process, and accurately predict laser energetics. LPOM determines the settings of the injection laser system required to achieve the desired main laser output, provides equipment protection, determines the diagnostic setup, and supplies post shot data analysis and reporting.

Reading Success and Failure among Chinese Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Chen-chin

Drawing on a cross-national study of children's reading, a study examined the correlates of reading success and failure in Taiwan. Subjects, 240 randomly selected Taipei fifth graders, were administered a reading test, cognitive test, and mathematics achievement test. A structured interview with each child's mother and classroom behavior…

National Identity and Economic Nationalism: Can an Economic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Since the demise of economic Marxism, the global environment has sought to uphold economic liberalism as the only successful theoretical position. The theoretical position of economic nationalism was relegated to obscurity on the basis that it was considered protectionist, stifled international trade and led to the creation ...

Dual Nation : Is the restaurant suited for franchise?

OpenAIRE

Gudmundsson, Erik; Jönsson, Marcus; Björnberg, Jenny

2006-01-01

Problem Dual Nation is a local restaurant and pub located in the centre of Helsingborg. The seven year old business has grown fast and established itself as a successful restaurant in the city. After a initial growth period, the restaurant has now reached a point where a change in its structure, strategy or system must be performed in order to witness renewed growth. A popular business system for expanding restaurants is the concept of franchise. Is the restau-rant suitable for such an expans...

The Danish National badminton center: A successful talent development environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Carsten Hvid; Storm, Louise Kamuk; Henriksen, Kristoffer

A specific shared feature of the successful environments is a strong and coherent organizational culture characterized by a close coherence between espoused and enacted values. Organizational culture of elite and talent development environments and sporting organizations exerts an important impact...... and qualitatively oriented case study. Methods of data collection included interviewing coaches, young players, professional players, management, and also observations of daily life in the center to obtain systematic and detailed knowledge of the environment as it occurs in the real world. The environment...

Estimating Invasion Success by Non-Native Trees in a National Park Combining WorldView-2 Very High Resolution Satellite Data and Species Distribution Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio T. Monteiro

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Invasion by non-native tree species is an environmental and societal challenge requiring predictive tools to assess invasion dynamics. The frequent scale mismatch between such tools and on-ground conservation is currently limiting invasion management. This study aimed to reduce these scale mismatches, assess the success of non-native tree invasion and determine the environmental factors associated to it. A hierarchical scaling approach combining species distribution models (SDMs and satellite mapping at very high resolution (VHR was developed to assess invasion by Acacia dealbata in Peneda-Gerês National Park, the only national park in Portugal. SDMs were first used to predict the climatically suitable areas for A. dealdata and satellite mapping with the random-forests classifier was then applied to WorldView-2 very-high resolution imagery to determine whether A. dealdata had actually colonized the predicted areas (invasion success. Environmental attributes (topographic, disturbance and canopy-related differing between invaded and non-invaded vegetated areas were then analyzed. The SDM results indicated that most (67% of the study area was climatically suitable for A. dealbata invasion. The onset of invasion was documented to 1905 and satellite mapping highlighted that 12.6% of study area was colonized. However, this species had only colonized 62.5% of the maximum potential range, although was registered within 55.6% of grid cells that were considerable unsuitable. Across these areas, the specific success rate of invasion was mostly below 40%, indicating that A. dealbata invasion was not dominant and effective management may still be possible. Environmental attributes related to topography (slope, canopy (normalized difference vegetation index (ndvi, land surface albedo and disturbance (historical burnt area differed between invaded and non-invaded vegetated area, suggesting that landscape attributes may alter at specific locations with Acacia

Predicting Success Study Using Students GPA Category

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Awan Setiawan

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Maintaining student graduation rates are the main tasks of a University. High rates of student graduation and the quality of graduates is a success indicator of a university, which will have an impact on public confidence as stakeholders of higher education and the National Accreditation Board as a regulator (government. Making predictions of student graduation and determine the factors that hinders will be a valuable input for University. Data mining system facilitates the University to create the segmentation of students’ performance and prediction of their graduation. Segmentation of student by their performance can be classified in a quadrant chart is divided into 4 segments based on grade point average and the growth rate of students performance index per semester. Standard methodology in data mining i.e CRISP-DM (Cross Industry Standard Procedure for Data Mining will be implemented in this research. Making predictions, graduation can be done through the modeling process by utilizing the college database. Some algorithms such as C5, C & R Tree, CHAID, and Logistic Regression tested in order to find the best model. This research utilizes student performance data for several classes. Parameters used in addition to GPA also included the master's students data are expected to build the student profile data. The outcome of the study is the student category based on their study performance and prediction of graduation. Based on this prediction, the  university may recommend actions to be taken to improve the student  achievement index and graduation rates.Keywords: graduation, segmentation, quadrant GPA, data mining, modeling algorithms

Predicting Success Study Using Students GPA Category

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Awan Setiawan

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Maintaining student graduation rates are the main tasks of a University. High rates of student graduation and the quality of graduates is a success indicator of a university, which will have an impact on public confidence as stakeholders of higher education and the National Accreditation Board as a regulator (government. Making predictions of student graduation and determine the factors that hinders will be a valuable input for University. Data mining system facilitates the University to create the segmentation of students’ performance and prediction of their graduation. Segmentation of student by their performance can be classified in a quadrant chart is divided into 4 segments based on grade point average and the growth rate of students performance index per semester. Standard methodology in data mining i.e CRISP-DM (Cross Industry Standard Procedure for Data Mining will be implemented in this research. Making predictions, graduation can be done through the modeling process by utilizing the college database. Some algorithms such as C5, C & R Tree, CHAID, and Logistic Regression tested in order to find the best model. This research utilizes student performance data for several classes. Parameters used in addition to GPA also included the master's students data are expected to build the student profile data. The outcome of the study is the student category based on their study performance and prediction of graduation. Based on this prediction, the university may recommend actions to be taken to improve the student achievement index and graduation rates. Keywords: graduation, segmentation, quadrant GPA, data mining, modeling algorithms

Succession Planning As an Economic Education to Improve Family Business Performance in East Java Province of Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Sentot Imam Wahjono; Wahjoedi; Syafei Idrus; J.G. Nirbito

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to determine the role of succession planning as part of economic education in improving family business performance. Research carried out by using qualitative approach with in-depth interview and outside observation as a technique. The data source is owner of 3 family businesses (6 peoples) as key informants and 6 experts as expertise informants. The data were processed using content analysis. The finding of this research is business start-up from own money and saving...

Success factors of energy performance contracting (EPC) for sustainable building energy efficiency retrofit (BEER) of hotel buildings in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Pengpeng; Chan, Edwin Hon-Wan; Queena Kun Qian

2011-01-01

Hotel building is a type of high-energy-consuming building and most existing hotel buildings need energy efficiency improvement in China. Energy performance contracting (EPC) is considered a win-win mechanism to organize building energy efficiency retrofit (BEER) project. However, EPC mechanism has been introduced into China relatively recently and many EPCs have not been successful in building energy efficiency retrofit projects. This research aims to develop a set of critical success factors (CSFs) of EPC for sustainable energy efficiency retrofit (BEER) of hotel buildings in China. Semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey with practitioners and other professionals were conducted. The findings reveal the relative importance of the 21 number of identified success factors. In order to explore the underlying relationship among the identified critical success factors (CSFs), factor analysis method was adopted for further investigation, which leads to grouping the 21 identified CSFs into six clusters. These are (1) project organization process, (2) EPC project financing for hotel retrofit, (3) knowledge and innovation of EPC, sustainable development (SD), and M and V, (4) implementation of sustainable development strategy, (5) contractual arrangement, and (6) external economic environment. Finally, several relevant policies were proposed to implement EPC successfully in sustainable BEER in hotel buildings. - Highlights: → EPC is a win-win mechanism to organize building energy efficiency retrofit project. → CSFs of EPC mechanism for sustainable BEER of hotel building in China are examined. → Six clusters are extracted from 21 identified CSFs based on factor analysis.

Evaluating National Environmental Sustainability: Performance Measures and Influential Factors for OECD-Member Countries featuring Canadian Performance and Policy Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Calbick, Kenneth S.

This research reviews five studies that evaluate national environmental sustainability with composite indices; performs uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of techniques for building a composite index; completes principal components factor analysis to help build subindices measuring waste and pollution, sustainable energy, sustainable food, nature conservation, and sustainable cities (Due to its current importance, the greenhouse gases (GHG) indicator is included individually as another policy measure.); analyses factors that seem to influence performance: climate, population growth, population density, economic output, technological development, industrial structure, energy prices, environmental governance, pollution abatement and control expenditures, and environmental pricing; and explores Canadian policy implications of the results. The techniques to build composite indices include performance indicator selection, missing data treatment, normalisation technique, scale-effect adjustments, weights, and aggregation method. Scale-effect adjustments and normalisation method are significant sources of uncertainty inducing 68% of the observed variation in a country's final rank at the 95% level of confidence. Choice of indicators also introduces substantial variation as well. To compensate for this variation, the current study recommends that a composite index should always be analysed with other policy subindices and individual indicators. Moreover, the connection between population and consumption indicates that per capita scale-effect adjustments should be used for certain indicators. Rather than ranking normalisation, studies should use a method that retains information from the raw indicator values. Multiple regression and cluster analyses indicate economic output, environmental governance, and energy prices are major influential factors, with energy prices the most important. It is statistically significant for five out of seven performance measures at the 95

Behind the Exporters’ Success: Analysis of Successful Hungarian Exporter Companies From a Strategic Perspective

OpenAIRE

Annamaria Kazai Onodi; Krisztina Pecze

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study is to provide an overview of export success from a strategic management perspective. The paper empirically tested the relationships between the firm’s export performance, strategic thinking, adaptation to the changing environment and companies’ capabilities. The research is based on the Hungarian Competitiveness Research database of 2013 that consists of 300 firms. Cluster analysis differentiated successful export-oriented and stagnant companies. Both of them had high...

Return to Sport and Performance After Microfracture in the Knees of National Basketball Association Players

OpenAIRE

Harris, Joshua D.; Walton, David M.; Erickson, Brandon J.; Verma, Nikhil N.; Abrams, Geoffrey D.; Bush-Joseph, Charles A.; Bach, Bernard R.; Cole, Brian J.

2013-01-01

Background: Use of microfracture in the knees of National Basketball Association (NBA) players is controversial. Hypotheses: (1) There would be a high rate of return to sport (RTS) in NBA players following microfracture, (2) players would RTS the season following surgery, (3) preoperative player performance would not be significantly different on RTS, and (4) there would be no significant difference in RTS rate or postoperative performance in players undergoing microfracture in comparison wit...

Breeding success in a Red Bishop ( Euplectes orix ) colony in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Data are presented on breeding success of Red Bishops (Euplectes orix) collected over four breeding seasons at a colony in the Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Overall hatching and fledging success were 53.8% and 26.0% of all eggs laid, respectively, and the overall mean number of fledglings ...

Performance Evaluation Factors: Designing an Instrument for National Health Network in Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sassan Ghorbani-Kalkhajeh

2016-04-01

Full Text Available As a systematic process for gathering and analyzing data, performance evaluation could be used as a valid method to highlight levels of success and to identify strength and weakness of ongoing programs. The aim of the present study was to develop an instrument for evaluating rural health centers in Iran. Based on related literature and experts’ views, eight crucial fields of performance evaluation, and a questionnaire including 100 items were formed. The participants of the study were 525 people having health related jobs in rural or urban health centers. Reliability and validity requirements were checked; exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used. Factor analysis identified 11 components which embraced 60 items. Components were named as planning, control, coordination, structure, setting and facilities, education, customers’ satisfaction, staff’s job satisfaction, disease surveillance, mother-child care, and effectiveness which are presented as a model for performance evaluation. The obtained instrument embraces all required factors suggested by experts and literature hence it can be used as an evaluation instrument in both rural and urban health centers.

Neonatal tetanus prevention programme in Kenya: Successes and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To review the disease process, and success and controversies associated with neonatal tetanus control in Kenya. Data sources: Medline search on published articles in journals, books and national/ international agency reports. Data selection: Relevant literature from peer-reviewed scientific papers, international ...

Self-Presentation Strategies, Fear of Success and Anticipation of Future Success among University and High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Kosakowska-Berezecka, Natasza; Jurek, Paweł; Besta, Tomasz; Badowska, Sylwia

2017-01-01

The backlash avoidance model (BAM) suggests women insufficiently self-promote because they fear backlash for behavior which is incongruent with traditional gender roles. Avoiding self-promoting behavior is also potentially related to associating success with negative consequences. In two studies we tested whether self-promotion and fear of success will be predictors of lower salaries and anticipation of lower chances of success in an exam. In study 1, prior to the exam they were about to take, we asked 234 students about their predictions concerning exam results and their future earnings. They also filled scales measuring their associations with success (fear of success) and tendency for self-promotion. The tested model proved that in comparison to men, women expect lower salaries in the future, anticipate lower test performance and associate success with more negative consequences. Both tendency for self-promotion and fear of success are related to anticipation of success in test performance and expectations concerning future earnings. In study 2 we repeated the procedure on a sample of younger female and male high school pupils (N = 100) to verify whether associating success with negative consequences and differences in self-promotion strategies are observable in a younger demographic. Our results show that girls and boys in high school do not differ with regard to fear of success, self-promotion or agency levels. Girls and boys anticipated to obtain similar results in math exam results, but girls expected to have higher results in language exams. Nevertheless, school pupils also differed regarding their future earnings but only in the short term. Fear of success and agency self-ratings were significant predictors of expectations concerning future earnings, but only among high school boys and with regard to earnings expected just after graduation. PMID:29163271

Self-Presentation Strategies, Fear of Success and Anticipation of Future Success among University and High School Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosakowska-Berezecka, Natasza; Jurek, Paweł; Besta, Tomasz; Badowska, Sylwia

2017-01-01

The backlash avoidance model (BAM) suggests women insufficiently self-promote because they fear backlash for behavior which is incongruent with traditional gender roles. Avoiding self-promoting behavior is also potentially related to associating success with negative consequences. In two studies we tested whether self-promotion and fear of success will be predictors of lower salaries and anticipation of lower chances of success in an exam. In study 1, prior to the exam they were about to take, we asked 234 students about their predictions concerning exam results and their future earnings. They also filled scales measuring their associations with success (fear of success) and tendency for self-promotion. The tested model proved that in comparison to men, women expect lower salaries in the future, anticipate lower test performance and associate success with more negative consequences. Both tendency for self-promotion and fear of success are related to anticipation of success in test performance and expectations concerning future earnings. In study 2 we repeated the procedure on a sample of younger female and male high school pupils ( N = 100) to verify whether associating success with negative consequences and differences in self-promotion strategies are observable in a younger demographic. Our results show that girls and boys in high school do not differ with regard to fear of success, self-promotion or agency levels. Girls and boys anticipated to obtain similar results in math exam results, but girls expected to have higher results in language exams. Nevertheless, school pupils also differed regarding their future earnings but only in the short term. Fear of success and agency self-ratings were significant predictors of expectations concerning future earnings, but only among high school boys and with regard to earnings expected just after graduation.

Self-Presentation Strategies, Fear of Success and Anticipation of Future Success among University and High School Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The backlash avoidance model (BAM suggests women insufficiently self-promote because they fear backlash for behavior which is incongruent with traditional gender roles. Avoiding self-promoting behavior is also potentially related to associating success with negative consequences. In two studies we tested whether self-promotion and fear of success will be predictors of lower salaries and anticipation of lower chances of success in an exam. In study 1, prior to the exam they were about to take, we asked 234 students about their predictions concerning exam results and their future earnings. They also filled scales measuring their associations with success (fear of success and tendency for self-promotion. The tested model proved that in comparison to men, women expect lower salaries in the future, anticipate lower test performance and associate success with more negative consequences. Both tendency for self-promotion and fear of success are related to anticipation of success in test performance and expectations concerning future earnings. In study 2 we repeated the procedure on a sample of younger female and male high school pupils (N = 100 to verify whether associating success with negative consequences and differences in self-promotion strategies are observable in a younger demographic. Our results show that girls and boys in high school do not differ with regard to fear of success, self-promotion or agency levels. Girls and boys anticipated to obtain similar results in math exam results, but girls expected to have higher results in language exams. Nevertheless, school pupils also differed regarding their future earnings but only in the short term. Fear of success and agency self-ratings were significant predictors of expectations concerning future earnings, but only among high school boys and with regard to earnings expected just after graduation.

Success of Chemotherapy in Soft Matter

OpenAIRE

Trifonova, I.; Kurteva, G.; Stefanov, S. Z.

2014-01-01

The success of chemotharapy in soft matter as a survival is found in the paper. Therefore, it is found the analogous tumor stretching force in soft matter; ultrasonography is performed for this tumor; restoration in soft matter with such a tumor is found; Bayes estimate of the probability of chemotherapy success is derived from the transferred chemical energy and from soft matter entropy; survival probability is juxtaposed to this probability of success.

The National Health Service (NHS) at 70: Bevan's double-edged legacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, Rudolf

2018-01-08

The paper analyses the achievements and problems stemming from Nye Bevan's model of a tax funded national health care system, on the assumption that only so could equity be achieved. The evidence shows that indeed the National Health Service (NHS) scores highly on equity, so vindicating Bevan's vision. The price paid is that fiscal crises are the norm for the NHS, with ever more centralisation, intensive regulation and performance management. Successive reorganisations represent attempts to square the circle - to combine the strengths of Bevan's model and those of a less hierarchic system - but have so far failed to deliver and can be expected to continue.

Building a Framework of Global Cooperation Beyond the Economic Performance of Companies in Developing Nations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fitriasari, Dewi; Kampf, Constance Elizabeth

2011-01-01

We examine the emerging generative force in developing SER (social and environmental reporting) that focuses on the economic performance of companies from developing nations. The focus raises our concern because it suggests that the development of SER is for shareholders and other capital suppliers....... We observe that the focus is in direct contradiction to the original generative force of SER, i.e. stakeholder interests. This leads to the marginalization of other stakeholder groups' interests. In order to shift the focus of developing nations, cooperation between developing nations and SER...... actors to give insights into their cultural values, Foucault's technology of the selfwith its care of one-self introduces the concept of social actors liberation from the history of subjectivity and thereby, to elaborate and transform their self-conception in relation to others' conceptions of identity...

Performance Assessment National Review Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lieberman, J.A.; Davis, S.N.; Harleman, D.R.F.

1985-02-01

Performance assessment involves predicting the potential radiological impact of a nuclear waste disposal system, taking into account all of the natural and engineered components of the system. It includes the analysis and evaluation of predicted system and component performance to determine compliance with regulatory performance criteria. In the context of the nuclear waste management program, performance assessment has five major purposes: to assist in the evaluation and selection of repository sites; to guide the research, development, and testing programs; to assist in the evaluation of repository designs; to assist in the evaluation of the design and performance of engineered barriers; and to show regulatory compliance and support repository licensing. Current performance assessment methodologies are still in the developmental stage. Only the simplest of bounding calculations have produced quantitative predictions of radionuclide releases. The methodologies require considerable extension and validation before they can provide answers suitable for project decisions and licensing. 135 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab

Performance indicators for quality in surgical and laboratory services at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Mbembati, Naboth A; Mwangu, Mugwira; Muhondwa, Eustace P Y; Leshabari, Melkizedek M

2008-04-01

Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), a teaching and national referral hospital, is undergoing major reforms to improve the quality of health care. We performed a retrospective descriptive study using a set of performance indicators for the surgical and laboratory services of MNH in years 2001 and 2002, to help monitor and evaluate the impact of reforms on the quality of health care during and after the reform process. Hospital records were reviewed and information recorded for planned and postponed operations, laboratory equipment, reagents, laboratory tests and quality assurance programmes. In the year 2001 a total of 4332 non-emergency operations were planned, 3313 operations were performed and 1019 (23.5%) operations were postponed. In the year 2002, 4301 non-emergency operations were planned, 3046 were performed and 1255 (29%) were postponed. The most common reasons for operation postponement were "time-barred", interference by emergency operations, no show of patients and inoperable anaesthetic machines. Equipment problems and supply and staff shortages together accounted for one quarter of postponements. In the laboratory, a lack of equipment prevented some tests, but quality assurance was performed for most tests. Current surgical services at MNH are inadequate; operating theatres require modern, functioning equipment and adequate supplies of consumables to provide satisfactory care.

Profiler : Canadian oil and gas : the First Nations : building successful partnerships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

2010-05-15

Canada's petroleum and natural gas is often produced in remote areas where the majority of the population is Aboriginal. Many First Nations and Metis communities are now playing an active role in Canada's oil and gas industry. Aboriginal-owned companies have earned more than $2.6 billion in the oil sands region since 1999. In 2007, the value of contracts between Alberta oil sands companies and Aboriginal companies was estimated at $606 million. This special supplement discussed First Nations partnerships in the oil and gas industry. Articles in the supplement presented new employment, training and partnership activities in the oil and gas industry as well as activities related to emerging unconventional resources. Educational programs and training facilities were described. The employment and procurement practices of leading oil and gas operators were discussed. The supplement featured presentations by several leading oil and gas companies. tabs., figs.

Structural Validity of the Fear of Success Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Metzler, Jonathan N.; Conroy, David E.

2004-01-01

Fear of success is a dispositional form of anxiety that can have harmful effects on athletes' motivation and performance; however, empirical research on fear of success in sport has been limited. Zuckerman and Allison's (1976) Fear of Success Scale (FOSS) has been the most popular fear of success measure used in sport, yet it is laden with…

WERC -- a case study of a successful technology transfer partnership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhada, R.K.; Ghassemi, A.; Jacquez, R.; Kauffman, D.

1994-01-01

In 1990, the Department of Energy approved a cooperative agreement for a Waste-management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) program. This consortium includes as its members the New Mexico State University (NMSU), the University of New Mexico (UNM), the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMIMT), the Navajo Community College, the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Sandia National Laboratories working with industrial affiliates. Several of the unique technologies developed via WERC are successfully demonstrated /via application at national laboratories and industrial sites. Some examples are: Remediation of soil contaminated with plutonium using a polymer capture process has been applied at a DOE waste site; Subsurface mapping of buried waste has been applied at a DOE integrated demonstration (ID) site; and A pipeline detection system has been applied to leak detection from storage tanks and pipelines in the oil industry. This paper will present how the WERC partnership has been successful because of its unique structure and method of operation

A Mixed Methods Analysis of the Effect of Google Docs Environment on EFL Learners' Writing Performance and Causal Attributions for Success and Failure

Science.gov (United States)

Seyyedrezaie, Zari Sadat; Ghonsooly, Behzad; Shahriari, Hesamoddin; Fatemi, Hazar Hosseini

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effect of writing process in Google Docs environment on Iranian EFL learners' writing performance. It also examined students' perceptions towards the effects of Google Docs and their perceived causes of success or failure in writing performance. In this regard, 48 EFL students were chosen based on their IELTs writing…

The influence of successive matches on match-running performance during an under-23 international soccer tournament: The necessity of individual analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Varley, Matthew C; Di Salvo, Valter; Modonutti, Mattia; Gregson, Warren; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto

2018-03-01

This study investigated the effects of successive matches on match-running in elite under-23 soccer players during an international tournament. Match-running data was collected using a semi-automated multi-camera tracking system during an international under-23 tournament from all participating outfield players. Players who played 100% of all group stage matches were included (3 matches separated by 72 h, n = 44). Differences in match-running performance between matches were identified using a generalised linear mixed model. There were no clear effects for total, walking, jogging, running, high-speed running and sprinting distance between matches 1 and 3 (effect size (ES); -0.32 to 0.05). Positional analysis found that sprint distance was largely maintained from matches 1 to 3 across all positions. Attackers had a moderate decrease in total, jogging and running distance between matches 1 and 3 (ES; -0.72 to -0.66). Classifying players as increasers or decreasers in match-running revealed that match-running changes are susceptible to individual differences. Sprint performance appears to be maintained over successive matches regardless of playing position. However, reductions in other match-running categories vary between positions. Changes in match-running over successive matches affect individuals differently; thus, players should be monitored on an individual basis.

Factors determining UK album success

OpenAIRE

Elliott, Caroline; Simmons, Robert

2011-01-01

This article uses a recently compiled dataset on the UK album sales to determine which factors contribute to best-selling album sales success. We control for factors including length of time since release, nationality of artist, artist type and album type, testing the increasing returns to information hypothesis. Information on general public online review scores for the albums in the dataset allows for a strong test of the accuracy of online reviews in predicting music sales, as online revie...

Cross-National Yardstick Comparisons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller Hansen, Kasper; Leth Olsen, Asmus; Bech, Mickael

2015-01-01

performance comparisons—even when accounting for classic national sociotropic and egotropic items. Specifically, voters respond strongly to how the prospective wealth of Denmark evolves relative to the neighboring Sweden. Interestingly, voters are more negative in their response to cross-national losses......Comparing performance between countries is both a theoretically and intuitively useful yardstick for voters. Cross-national comparisons provide voters with heuristics that are less cognitively demanding, less ambiguous, and less uncertain than solely national, absolute performance measurements. We...... test this proposition using a unique, choice experiment embedded in the 2011 Danish National Election Study. This design allows to contrast cross-national comparisons with more traditional national sociotropic and egotropic concerns. The findings suggest that voters are strongly influenced by cross-national...

Does elite sporting success have a lasting impact on national pride?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elling, Agnes; Hilvoorde, Ivo van; Dool, Remko van den

2012-01-01

Like many other countries, the Dutch government increased investments in elite sports in the last decennium, partly driven by the ambition to organize the Olympic Games in 2028 in the Netherlands. One of the most important legitimations for this ambition is that elite sports events and national

Modeling Student Success in Engineering Education

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Qu

2013-01-01

In order for the United States to maintain its global competitiveness, the long-term success of our engineering students in specific courses, programs, and colleges is now, more than ever, an extremely high priority. Numerous studies have focused on factors that impact student success, namely academic performance, retention, and/or graduation.…

Stress for Success: How to Optimize Your Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Gmelch, Walter H.

1983-01-01

This article explores linkages between stress and effective job performance: while too much stress can lead to burnout, too little stressful stimulation can result in boredom. Generating the proper amount of stress for optimal job performance is discussed. (PP)

School Emphasis on Academic Success: Exploring Changes in Science Performance in Norway between 2007 and 2011 Employing Two-Level SEM

Science.gov (United States)

Nilsen, Trude; Gustafsson, Jan-Eric

2014-01-01

We study whether changes in school emphasis on academic success (SEAS) and safe schools (SAFE) may explain the increased science performance in Norway between TIMSS 2007 and 2011. Two-level structural equation modelling (SEM) of merged TIMSS data was used to investigate whether changes in levels of SEAS and SAFE mediate the changes in science…

Measuring success in global health diplomacy: lessons from marketing food to children in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Richard; Irwin, Rachel

2016-06-16

Global health diplomacy (GHD) focuses on international negotiation; principally between nation states, but increasingly non-state actors However, agreements made at the global level have to be enacted at the national, and in some cases the sub-national level. This presents two related problems: (1) how can success be measured in global health diplomacy and (2) at what point should success be evaluated? This commentary highlights these issues through examining the relationship between India and the WHO Set of Recommendations on the Marketing of Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages to Children, endorsed by Resolution WHA63.14 at the 63rd World Health Assembly in 2010.

Idaho National Laboratory Quarterly Performance Analysis for the 2nd Quarter FY 2015

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitchell, Lisbeth A. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-04-01

This report is published quarterly by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Quality and Performance Management Organization. The Department of Energy (DOE) Occurrence Reporting and Processing System (ORPS), as prescribed in DOE Order 232.2, “Occurrence Reporting and Processing of Operations Information,” requires a quarterly analysis of events, both reportable and not reportable, for the previous 12 months. This report is the analysis of events for the 2nd Qtr FY-15.

Successful international cooperation : The influence of cultural similarity, strategic differences, and international experience

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Oudenhoven, JP; van der Zee, KI

2002-01-01

Cooperation between companies increasingly exceeds national borders. In the present study 78 international cooperation cases were examined. It was shown that similarity in national and corporate culture is associated with successful cooperation. On the other hand, with respect to corporate strategy,

National direct-drive program on OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Goncharov, V. N.; Regan, S. P.; Campbell, E. M.; Sangster, T. C.; Radha, P. B.; Myatt, J. F.; Froula, D. H.; Betti, R.; Boehly, T. R.; Delettrez, J. A.; Edgell, D. H.; Epstein, R.; Forrest, C. J.; Glebov, V. Yu; Harding, D. R.; Hu, S. X.; Igumenshchev, I. V.; Marshall, F. J.; McCrory, R. L.; Michel, D. T.; Seka, W.; Shvydky, A.; Stoeckl, C.; Theobald, W.; Gatu-Johnson, M.

2017-01-01

A major advantage of the laser direct-drive (DD) approach to ignition is the increased fraction of laser drive energy coupled to the hot spot and relaxed hot-spot requirements for the peak pressure and convergence ratios relative to the indirect-drive approach at equivalent laser energy. With the goal of a successful ignition demonstration using DD, the recently established national strategy has several elements and involves multiple national and international institutions. These elements include the experimental demonstration on OMEGA cryogenic implosions of hot-spot conditions relevant for ignition at MJ-scale energies available at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and developing an understanding of laser-plasma interactions and laser coupling using DD experiments on the NIF. DD designs require reaching central stagnation pressures in excess of 100 Gbar. The current experiments on OMEGA have achieved inferred peak pressures of 56 Gbar (Regan et al 2016 Phys. Rev. Lett. 117 025001). Extensive analysis of the cryogenic target experiments and two- and three-dimensional simulations suggest that power balance, target offset, and target quality are the main limiting factors in target performance. In addition, cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) has been identified as the main mechanism reducing laser coupling. Reaching the goal of demonstrating hydrodynamic equivalence on OMEGA includes improving laser power balance, target position, and target quality at shot time. CBET must also be significantly reduced and several strategies have been identified to address this issue.

2012 Critical Success Factors Report

Science.gov (United States)

North Carolina Community College System (NJ1), 2012

2012-01-01

The Critical Success Factors Report is the North Carolina Community College System's major accountability document. This annual performance report is based on data compiled from the previous year and serves to inform colleges and the public on the performance of North Carolina's 58 community colleges. In 1993, the State Board of Community Colleges…

The cognitive basis of effective team performance: features of failure and success in simulated cardiac resuscitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shetty, Pallavi; Cohen, Trevor; Patel, Bhavesh; Patel, Vimla L

2009-11-14

Despite a body of research on teams in other fields relatively little is known about measuring teamwork in healthcare. The aim of this study is to characterize the qualitative dimensions of team performance during cardiac resuscitation that results in good and bad outcomes. We studied each team's adherence to Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) protocol for ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia and identified team behaviors during simulated critical events that affected their performance. The process was captured by a developed task checklist and a validated team work coding system. Results suggest that deviation from the sequence suggested by the ACLS protocol had no impact on the outcome as the successful team deviated more from this sequence than the unsuccessful team. It isn't the deviation from the protocol per se that appears to be important, but how the leadership flexibly adapts to the situational changes with deviations is the crucial factor in team competency.

Successful completion of a time sensitive MTR and TRIGA Indonesian shipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anne, Catherine; Patterson, John; Messick, Chuck

2005-01-01

Early this year, a shipment of 109 MTR fuel assemblies was received at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site from the BATAN reactor in Serpong, Indonesia and another of 181 TRIGA fuel assemblies was received at the Idaho National Laboratory from the two BATAN Indonesian TRIGA reactors in Bandung and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. These were the first Other-Than- High-Income Countries shipments under the FRR program since the Spring 2001. The Global Threat Reduction Initiative announced by Secretary Abraham will require expeditious scheduling and extreme sensitivity to shipment security. The subject shipments demonstrated exceptional performance in both respects. Indonesian terrorist acts and 9/11 impacted the security requirements for the spent nuclear fuel shipments. Internal Indonesian security issues and an upcoming Indonesian election led to a request to perform the shipment with a very short schedule. Preliminary site assessments were performed in November 2003. The DOE awarded a task order to NAC for shipment performance just before Christmas 2003. The casks departed the US in January and the fuel elements were delivered at the DOE sites by the end of April 2004. The paper will present how the team completed a successful shipment in a timely manner. (author)

Exploring Game Performance in the National Basketball Association Using Player Tracking Data

Science.gov (United States)

Calleja-González, Julio; Jiménez Sáiz, Sergio; Schelling i del Alcázar, Xavi; Balciunas, Mindaugas

2015-01-01

Recent player tracking technology provides new information about basketball game performance. The aim of this study was to (i) compare the game performances of all-star and non all-star basketball players from the National Basketball Association (NBA), and (ii) describe the different basketball game performance profiles based on the different game roles. Archival data were obtained from all 2013-2014 regular season games (n = 1230). The variables analyzed included the points per game, minutes played and the game actions recorded by the player tracking system. To accomplish the first aim, the performance per minute of play was analyzed using a descriptive discriminant analysis to identify which variables best predict the all-star and non all-star playing categories. The all-star players showed slower velocities in defense and performed better in elbow touches, defensive rebounds, close touches, close points and pull-up points, possibly due to optimized attention processes that are key for perceiving the required appropriate environmental information. The second aim was addressed using a k-means cluster analysis, with the aim of creating maximal different performance profile groupings. Afterwards, a descriptive discriminant analysis identified which variables best predict the different playing clusters. The results identified different playing profile of performers, particularly related to the game roles of scoring, passing, defensive and all-round game behavior. Coaching staffs may apply this information to different players, while accounting for individual differences and functional variability, to optimize practice planning and, consequently, the game performances of individuals and teams. PMID:26171606

Exploring Game Performance in the National Basketball Association Using Player Tracking Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Sampaio, Jaime; McGarry, Tim; Calleja-González, Julio; Jiménez Sáiz, Sergio; Schelling I Del Alcázar, Xavi; Balciunas, Mindaugas

2015-01-01

Recent player tracking technology provides new information about basketball game performance. The aim of this study was to (i) compare the game performances of all-star and non all-star basketball players from the National Basketball Association (NBA), and (ii) describe the different basketball game performance profiles based on the different game roles. Archival data were obtained from all 2013-2014 regular season games (n = 1230). The variables analyzed included the points per game, minutes played and the game actions recorded by the player tracking system. To accomplish the first aim, the performance per minute of play was analyzed using a descriptive discriminant analysis to identify which variables best predict the all-star and non all-star playing categories. The all-star players showed slower velocities in defense and performed better in elbow touches, defensive rebounds, close touches, close points and pull-up points, possibly due to optimized attention processes that are key for perceiving the required appropriate environmental information. The second aim was addressed using a k-means cluster analysis, with the aim of creating maximal different performance profile groupings. Afterwards, a descriptive discriminant analysis identified which variables best predict the different playing clusters. The results identified different playing profile of performers, particularly related to the game roles of scoring, passing, defensive and all-round game behavior. Coaching staffs may apply this information to different players, while accounting for individual differences and functional variability, to optimize practice planning and, consequently, the game performances of individuals and teams.

Exploring Game Performance in the National Basketball Association Using Player Tracking Data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Sampaio

Full Text Available Recent player tracking technology provides new information about basketball game performance. The aim of this study was to (i compare the game performances of all-star and non all-star basketball players from the National Basketball Association (NBA, and (ii describe the different basketball game performance profiles based on the different game roles. Archival data were obtained from all 2013-2014 regular season games (n = 1230. The variables analyzed included the points per game, minutes played and the game actions recorded by the player tracking system. To accomplish the first aim, the performance per minute of play was analyzed using a descriptive discriminant analysis to identify which variables best predict the all-star and non all-star playing categories. The all-star players showed slower velocities in defense and performed better in elbow touches, defensive rebounds, close touches, close points and pull-up points, possibly due to optimized attention processes that are key for perceiving the required appropriate environmental information. The second aim was addressed using a k-means cluster analysis, with the aim of creating maximal different performance profile groupings. Afterwards, a descriptive discriminant analysis identified which variables best predict the different playing clusters. The results identified different playing profile of performers, particularly related to the game roles of scoring, passing, defensive and all-round game behavior. Coaching staffs may apply this information to different players, while accounting for individual differences and functional variability, to optimize practice planning and, consequently, the game performances of individuals and teams.

Double success for neutrino lab

CERN Multimedia

2010-01-01

"The Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy is celebrating two key developments in the field of neutrino physics. Number one is the first ever detection, by the OPERA experiement, of possible tau neutrino that has switched its identity from a muon neutrino as it travelled form its origins at CERN in Switzerland to the Italian lab. Number two is the successful start-up of the ICARUS detector, which, like OPERA, is designed to study neutrinos that "oscillate" between types" (0.5 pages)

Social-philosophical practices of success

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. R. Karpenko

2017-01-01

Is social-philosophical experts of success represent the complicated system of various world outlook, speech, mental factors and events in life of the various professional, age and subcultural bunches producing assessments under different visual angles, from positions of various social installations and identity in what the social philosophy of success expresses. In the course of forming social an expert (both in daily, and in an institutional discourse are shaped also theoretical ideas success: instrumental, is social-philosophical, is social-psychological, world outlook, historical and cultural, etc., characterising thereby various systems of a social discourse. Examination is social-philosophical the success expert shows the real complexity and ambiguity of the given appearance. Besides the presented typology constructed as the most approximate abstract plan, in each separate case probably build-up of typological models according to a principle ad hoc. It looks quite justified, considering that circumstance that representations about success and the successful person are constantly transformed and acquire new performances. Efficiency of the further examinations of a discourse and a success expert will depend on accepting of new heuristic approaches, capable to consider multidimensionality and ambiguity of the given phenomenon.

Politics Perceptions as Moderator of the Political Skill-Job Performance Relationship: A Two-Study, Cross-National, Constructive Replication

Science.gov (United States)

Kapoutsis, Ilias; Papalexandris, Alexandros; Nikolopoulos, Andreas; Hochwarter, Wayne A.; Ferris, Gerald R.

2011-01-01

We developed a two-study, cross-national, constructive replication to examine the role of organizational politics perceptions as a contextual moderator of the political skill-job performance relationship. Specifically, we hypothesized that high levels of political skill would demonstrate its strongest positive effects on job performance when…

The Future of Basic Science in Academic Surgery: Identifying Barriers to Success for Surgeon-scientists.

Science.gov (United States)

Keswani, Sundeep G; Moles, Chad M; Morowitz, Michael; Zeh, Herbert; Kuo, John S; Levine, Matthew H; Cheng, Lily S; Hackam, David J; Ahuja, Nita; Goldstein, Allan M

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to examine the challenges confronting surgeons performing basic science research in today's academic surgery environment. Multiple studies have identified challenges confronting surgeon-scientists and impacting their ability to be successful. Although these threats have been known for decades, the downward trend in the number of successful surgeon-scientists continues. Clinical demands, funding challenges, and other factors play important roles, but a rigorous analysis of academic surgeons and their experiences regarding these issues has not previously been performed. An online survey was distributed to 2504 members of the Association for Academic Surgery and Society of University Surgeons to determine factors impacting success. Survey results were subjected to statistical analyses. We also reviewed publicly available data regarding funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH data revealed a 27% decline in the proportion of NIH funding to surgical departments relative to total NIH funding from 2007 to 2014. A total of 1033 (41%) members responded to our survey, making this the largest survey of academic surgeons to date. Surgeons most often cited the following factors as major impediments to pursuing basic investigation: pressure to be clinically productive, excessive administrative responsibilities, difficulty obtaining extramural funding, and desire for work-life balance. Surprisingly, a majority (68%) did not believe surgeons can be successful basic scientists in today's environment, including departmental leadership. We have identified important barriers that confront academic surgeons pursuing basic research and a perception that success in basic science may no longer be achievable. These barriers need to be addressed to ensure the continued development of future surgeon-scientists.

Behind the Exporters’ Success: Analysis of Successful Hungarian Exporter Companies From a Strategic Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annamaria Kazai Onodi

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study is to provide an overview of export success from a strategic management perspective. The paper empirically tested the relationships between the firm’s export performance, strategic thinking, adaptation to the changing environment and companies’ capabilities. The research is based on the Hungarian Competitiveness Research database of 2013 that consists of 300 firms. Cluster analysis differentiated successful export-oriented and stagnant companies. Both of them had high export intensity (higher than 75%, but significant differences could be observed in export volume and profitability. More than 90Ťn of total export revenue belonged to the successful export-oriented cluster. Successful export oriented companies proved to be more proactive and innovative than stagnant, thus they were capable of adapting to the changing environment better. The study highlighted that appropriate strategic thinking could play a significant role in improving export success. The implication of the study is that stagnant companies need to develop their forecast abilities, flexibility to adapt to the changing environment and operational efficiency. Stagnant companies lagged behind successful exporters concerning industry forecast, production level, number of innovations, competitive prices and employee qualifications.

U.S. Department of Energy FY 1994 and 1995 annual performance report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-12-31

This is the Department of Energy`s first Annual Performance Report. The topics of the report include a new era for the US DOE, sustainable energy, science and technology, national security--reducing the global nuclear danger, environmental quality, economic productivity through a competitive economy and the critical success factors--assessing the way the US DOE does business.

INCUBATORS WITHIN UNIVERSITY AND CLUSTERED CONTEXTS: CASES OF NATIONAL CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY (NCTU AND NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY (NTHU INCUBATORS IN HSINCHU, TAIWAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khairul Akmaliah Adham

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Research literature on business incubators has highlighted the significance of clustered locational contexts and networking as key to an incubator's success. Using the case study approach, this study aimed to test the validity of this framework for explaining the level of success of the National Chiao Tung University (NCTU and National Tsing Hua University (NTHU Incubators in Hsinchu, Taiwan – both of which are highly-networked, cluster-centric and university-based. In-depth interviews were conducted with the managers of both incubators, and these were followed by information gathering on university patents and knowledge transfers from the research and development (R&D office at each university. Analysis found that the incubators' locational contexts determined the degree and manner of their networking, but their profitability and growth potential were influenced by many other factors working in combination. Satisfying their sponsors' requirements and serving their core functions through sound management and strategic planning appeared to be the key to achieving profitability and sustainability, with benefits for all stakeholders. These constructs provide directions for more research on the performance of incubators and other business entities that are located within university and clustered contexts.

Transforming High School Counseling: Counselors' Roles, Practices, and Expectations for Students' Success

Science.gov (United States)

Mau, Wei-Cheng J.; Li, Jiaqi; Hoetmer, Kimberly

2016-01-01

This study examined the current roles and practices of American high school counselors in relation to the ASCA [American School Counselor Association] National Model. Expectations for student success by high school counselors were also examined and compared to those of teachers' and school administrators'. A nationally representative sample of 852…

Behavioral Health and Performance at NASA JSC: Recent Successes and Future Plan for BHP Research and Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Leveton, L. B.; VanderArk, S. T.

2014-01-01

The Behavioral Health and Performance discipline at NASA Johnson Space Center is organized into two distinct Divisions (Biomedical Research and Environmental Science Division and Space and Clinical Operations Division) but is integrated and interrelated in its day-to-day work. Ongoing operations supporting NASA's spaceflight goals benefit from the research portfolios that address risks to mission success. Similarly, these research portfolios are informed by operations to ensure investigations stay relevant given the dynamic environment of spaceflight. There are many success stories that can be presented where initial work begun as a BHP Research project, and funded through the Human Research Program, was fully implemented in operations or addressed an operational need. Examples include improving effectiveness of the debriefings used within Mission Control by the Mission Operations Directorate and countermeasures for fatigue management. There is also ongoing collaboration with research and operations for developing selection methods for future generation astronauts, and to enhance and inform the current family support function. The objective of this panel is to provide examples of recent success stories, describe areas where close collaboration is benefitting ongoing research and operations, and summarize how this will come together as NASA plans for the one year ISS mission - a unique opportunity for both BHP operations and research to learn more about preparing and supporting crewmembers for extended missions in space. The proposed panel will be comprised of six presentations, each describing a unique aspect of research or operations and the benefits to current and future spaceflight.

National Clean Fleets Partnership (Fact Sheet)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2012-01-01

Provides an overview of Clean Cities National Clean Fleets Partnership (NCFP). The NCFP is open to large private-sector companies that have fleet operations in multiple states. Companies that join the partnership receive customized assistance to reduce petroleum use through increased efficiency and use of alternative fuels. This initiative provides fleets with specialized resources, expertise, and support to successfully incorporate alternative fuels and fuel-saving measures into their operations. The National Clean Fleets Partnership builds on the established success of DOE's Clean Cities program, which reduces petroleum consumption at the community level through a nationwide network of coalitions that work with local stakeholders. Developed with input from fleet managers, industry representatives, and Clean Cities coordinators, the National Clean Fleets Partnership goes one step further by working with large private-sector fleets.

Laterality related to the successive selection of Dutch national youth soccer players

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verbeek, Jan; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T.; Jonker, Laura; Huijgen, Barbara C. H.; Visscher, Chris

2017-01-01

In the general population, estimates of left-foot preference are around 20%. In soccer, specific tasks create positional demands, requiring 40% of the players to be left-footed. Whether and how this is related to the selection of players is unknown. To examine the successive selection of soccer

Long-Run Nexus between Tax Revenue on Economic Performance: Empirical Evidence from Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Roshaiza Taha; Nanthakumar Loganathan

2014-01-01

Taxation is main source of government income and has direct linkages with economic performance for most of countries. This study attempts to investigate the long-run nexus between economic performance and tax revenue for Malaysia as a developing nation with dynamic economic progress for the last 2 decades. To determine the long-run nexus, we used the structural breaks effects with the conjunction of ARDL cointegration analysis along with causality analysis. The empirical finding successfully ...

National Cultures, Performance Appraisal Practices, and Organizational Absenteeism and Turnover: A Study across 21 Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Peretz, Hilla; Fried, Yitzhak

2012-01-01

Performance appraisal (PA) is a key human resource activity in organizations. However, in this global economy, we know little about how societal cultures affect PA practices. In this study, we address this gap by focusing on 2 complementary issues: (a) the influence of societal (national) cultural practices on PA practices adopted by organizations…

[The Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency performance evaluation at the management contract model].

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Elka Maltez de Miranda; Costa, Ediná Alves

2010-11-01

The Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) is supervised by the Ministry of Health by means of a management contract, a performance evaluation tool. This case study was aimed at describing and analyzing Anvisa's performance evaluation model based on the agency's institutional purpose, according to the following analytical categories: the management contract formalization, evaluation tools, evaluators and institutional performance. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis revealed that Anvisa signed only one management contract with the Ministry of Health in 1999, updated by four additive terms. The Collegiate Board of Directors and the Advisory Center for Strategic Management play the role of Anvisa's internal evaluators and an Assessing Committee, comprising the Ministry of Health, constitutes its external evaluator. Three phases were identified in the evaluation model: the structuring of the new management model (1999-2000), legitimation regarding the productive segment (2001-2004) and widespread legitimation (2005). The best performance was presented in 2000 (86.05%) and the worst in 2004 (40.00%). The evaluation model was shown to have contributed little towards the agency's institutional purpose and the effectiveness measurement of the implemented actions.

Performance management excellence among the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Winners in Health Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Neville T; Goodson, Jane R; Arnold, Edwin W

2013-01-01

When carefully constructed, performance management systems can help health care organizations direct their efforts toward strategic goals, high performance, and continuous improvement needed to ensure high-quality patient care and cost control. The effective management of performance is an integral component in hospital and health care systems that are recognized for excellence by the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in Health Care. Using the framework in the 2011-2012 Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence, this article identifies the best practices in performance management demonstrated by 15 Baldrige recipients. The results show that all of the recipients base their performance management systems on strategic goals, outcomes, or competencies that cascade from the organizational to the individual level. At the individual level, each hospital or health system reinforces the strategic direction with performance evaluations of leaders and employees, including the governing board, based on key outcomes and competencies. Leader evaluations consistently include feedback from internal and external stakeholders, creating a culture of information sharing and performance improvement. The hospitals or health care systems also align their reward systems to promote high performance by emphasizing merit and recognition for contributions. Best practices can provide a guide for leaders in other health systems in developing high-performance work systems.

A conceptual framework for analysing sports policy factors leading to international sporting success

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Paul de Knop; Veerle de Bosscher; Drs. Maarten van Bottenburg; Simon Shibli

2006-01-01

Although an increasing number of nations invest large amounts of money in sport in order to compete against other nations, there is no clear evidence that demonstrates how sports policies can influence international sporting success. This paper provides an overview of important determinants that can

Success tree method of resources evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Qinglan; Sun Wenpeng

1994-01-01

By applying the reliability theory in system engineering, the success tree method is used to transfer the expert's recognition on metallogenetic regularities into the form of the success tree. The aim of resources evaluation is achieved by means of calculating the metallogenetic probability or favorability of the top event of the success tree. This article introduces in detail, the source, principle of the success tree method and three kinds of calculation methods, expounds concretely how to establish the success tree of comprehensive uranium metallogenesis as well as the procedure from which the resources evaluation is performed. Because this method has not restrictions on the number of known deposits and calculated area, it is applicable to resources evaluation for different mineral species, types and scales and possesses good prospects of development

Healthcare succession planning: an integrative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Carriere, Brian K; Muise, Melanie; Cummings, Greta; Newburn-Cook, Chris

2009-12-01

Succession planning is a business strategy that has recently gained attention in the healthcare literature, primarily because of nursing shortage concerns and the demand for retaining knowledgeable personnel to meet organizational needs. Little research has been conducted in healthcare settings that clearly defines best practices for succession planning frameworks. To effectively carry out such organizational strategies during these challenging times, an integrative review of succession planning in healthcare was performed to identify consistencies in theoretical approaches and strategies for chief nursing officers and healthcare managers to initiate. Selected articles were compared with business succession planning to determine whether healthcare strategies were similar to best practices already established in business contexts. The results of this integrative review will aid leaders and managers to use succession planning as a tool in their recruitment, retention, mentoring, and administration activities and also provide insights for future development of healthcare succession planning frameworks.

"Such a smoking nation as this I never saw...": smoking, nationalism, and manliness in nineteenth-century Hungary.

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, Alexander

2006-01-01

Tobacco smoking became an important marker of Hungarian national identity during the nineteenth century. this national symbol ultimately had an economic origin: Hungarian tobacco producers resisted the tobacco monopoly of the Habsburg central government, and led an ultimately successful consumer boycott of Austrian products. Tobacco nationalism, however, became a common theme in Hungarian popular culture in its own right, as tobacco use came to symbolize community and fraternity. The use of tobacco was also highly gendered; smoking as a metaphor for membership shows that the Hungarian nation was a gender-exclusive "national brotherhood."

Idaho National Laboratory Quarterly Performance Analysis - 1st Quarter FY2015

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mitchell, Lisbeth A. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-03-01

This report is published quarterly by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Quality and Performance Management Organization. The Department of Energy (DOE) Occurrence Reporting and Processing System (ORPS), as prescribed in DOE Order 232.2, “Occurrence Reporting and Processing of Operations Information,” requires a quarterly analysis of events, both reportable and not reportable, for the previous 12 months. This report is the analysis of 73 reportable events (27 from the 1St Qtr FY-15 and 46 from the prior three reporting quarters), as well as 38 other issue reports (including nine not reportable events and Significant Category A and B conditions reported during the1st Qtr FY-15) identified at INL during the past 12 months.

A model for a national low level waste program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blankenhorn, James A.

2009-01-01

A national program for the management of low level waste is essential to the success of environmental clean-up, decontamination and decommissioning, current operations and future missions. The value of a national program is recognized through procedural consistency and a shared set of resources. A national program requires a clear waste definition and an understanding of waste characteristics matched against available and proposed disposal options. A national program requires the development and implementation of standards and procedures for implementing the waste hierarchy, with a specitic emphasis on waste avoidance, minimization and recycling. It requires a common set of objectives for waste characterization based on the disposal facility's waste acceptance criteria, regulatory and license requirements and performance assessments. Finally, a national waste certification program is required to ensure compliance. To facilitate and enhance the national program, a centralized generator services organization, tasked with providing technical services to the generators on behalf of the national program, is necessary. These subject matter experts are the interface between the generating sites and the disposal facility(s). They provide an invaluable service to the generating organizations through their involvement in waste planning prior to waste generation and through championing implementation of the waste hierarchy. Through their interface, national treatment and transportation services are optimized and new business opportunities are identified. This national model is based on extensive experience in the development and on-going management of a national transuranic waste program and management of the national repository, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The Low Level Program at the Savannah River Site also successfully developed and implemented the waste hierarchy, waste certification and waste generator services concepts presented below. The Savannah River Site

National approach to economic performance indicators for nuclear power plants: USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

The structure of the US electric power industry comprises a combination of traditional electric utilities and less traditional electricity producing companies. The electric utilities include investor owned, publicly owned, federal and cooperative firms. Approximately three quarters of the electricity generated by utilities is generated by investor owned companies. These utilities are, for the most part, franchised monopolies that have an obligation to provide electricity to all customers within a service area. Most provide for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, although the distinctions between these services are breaking down as the electricity industry becomes more deregulated. The shares are publicly traded and their areas of business operation are expanding into new ones, sometimes unrelated to the provision of electricity or even energy. Under deregulation and open market pricing of electricity, the business and financial success of operating nuclear plants must be considered to a much greater extent along with the successful achievement of safety and reliability objectives. In developing strategic and operational goals, nuclear plant managers are required to embrace clear and measurable business objectives and goals that not only assure the achievement of safety and reliability but, in addition, eliminate unnecessary costs and identify investment opportunities. These goals must balance operating and safety risk while optimizing plant revenues and earnings and ultimately ensure the profitability of electricity generating facilities. In doing so, it is essential that plant managers articulate goal achievement through the application of effective, measurable, economic performance indicators. Individual nuclear plants will sell their output competing on electricity price, ultimately to ensure the safe, reliable and economic dispatch of their generation either onto open spot markets or by competitive bidding for bilateral contracts. In

High-Performance Cryogenic Designs for OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Goncharov, V. N.; Collins, T. J. B.; Marozas, J. A.; Regan, S. P.; Betti, R.; Boehly, T. R.; Campbell, E. M.; Froula, D. H.; Igumenshchev, I. V.; McCrory, R. L.; Myatt, J. F.; Radha, P. B.; Sangster, T. C.; Shvydky, A.

2016-10-01

The main advantage of laser symmetric direct drive (SDD) is a significantly higher coupled drive laser energy to the hot-spot internal energy at stagnation compared to that of laser indirect drive. Because of coupling losses resulting from cross-beam energy transfer (CBET), however, reaching ignition conditions on the NIF with SDD requires designs with excessively large in-flight aspect ratios ( 30). Results of cryogenic implosions performed on OMEGA show that such designs are unstable to short-scale nonuniformity growth during shell implosion. Several CBET reduction strategies have been proposed in the past. This talk will discuss high-performing designs using several CBET-mitigation techniques, including using drive laser beams smaller than the target size and wavelength detuning. Designs that are predicted to reach alpha burning regimes as well as a gain of 10 to 40 at the NIF-scale will be presented. Hydrodynamically scaled OMEGA designs with similar CBET-reduction techniques will also be discussed. This material is based upon work supported by the Department Of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Award Number DE-NA0001944.

Modernism: Representations of National Culture

OpenAIRE

Ersoy, Ahmet; Górny, Maciej; Kechriotis, Vangelis; Ady, Endre; Bedirxan, Celadet Alî; Beöthy, Zsolt; Bobrzyński, Michał; Boilǎ, Romul; Caragiale, Ion Luca; Fikret, Tevfik; Fishta, Gjergj; Gombrowicz, Witold; Górski, Artur; Gusti, Dimitrie; Hašek, Jaroslav

2012-01-01

This is the second part of the third volume of the four-volume series, a daring project of CEU Press, presenting the most important texts that triggered and shaped the processes of nation-building in the many countries of Central and Southeast Europe. The aim is to confront ‘mainstream’ and seemingly successful national discourses with each other, thus creating a space for analyzing those narratives of identity which became institutionalized as “national canons.” After the volumes focousing ...

Longitudinal motor performance development in early adolescence and its relationship to adult success: An 8-year prospective study of highly talented soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Leyhr, Daniel; Kelava, Augustin; Raabe, Johannes; Höner, Oliver

2018-01-01

Several talent identification and development (TID) programs in soccer have implemented diagnostics to measure players' motor performance. Yet, there is a lack of research investigating the relationship between motor development in adolescence and future, adult performance. This longitudinal study analyzed the three-year development of highly talented young soccer players' speed abilities and technical skills and examined the relevance of this development to their adult success. The current research sample consisted of N = 1,134 players born between 1993 and 1995 who were selected for the German Soccer Association's TID program and participated in nationwide motor diagnostics (sprinting, agility, dribbling, ball control, shooting) four times between the Under 12 (U12) and Under 15 (U15) age class. Relative age (RA) was assessed for all players, and a total motor score was calculated based on performances in the individual tests. In order to investigate players' future success, participants were divided into two groups according to their adult performance level (APL) in the 2014/2015 season: Elite (1st-5th German division; N = 145, 12.8%) and non-elite players (lower divisions; N = 989, 87.2%). Using multilevel regression analyses each motor performance was predicted by Time, Time2 (level-1 predictors), APL, and RA (level-2 covariates) with simultaneous consideration for interaction effects between the respective variables. Time and Time2 were significant predictors for each test performance. A predictive value for RA was confirmed for sprinting and the total motor score. A significant relationship between APL and the motor score as well as between APL and agility, dribbling, ball control, and shooting emerged. Interaction effects distinctly failed to reach significance. The study found a non-linear improvement in players' performance for all considered motor performance factors over a three-year period from early to middle adolescence. While their predictive value

Longitudinal motor performance development in early adolescence and its relationship to adult success: An 8-year prospective study of highly talented soccer players

Science.gov (United States)

Kelava, Augustin; Raabe, Johannes; Höner, Oliver

2018-01-01

Several talent identification and development (TID) programs in soccer have implemented diagnostics to measure players’ motor performance. Yet, there is a lack of research investigating the relationship between motor development in adolescence and future, adult performance. This longitudinal study analyzed the three-year development of highly talented young soccer players’ speed abilities and technical skills and examined the relevance of this development to their adult success. The current research sample consisted of N = 1,134 players born between 1993 and 1995 who were selected for the German Soccer Association’s TID program and participated in nationwide motor diagnostics (sprinting, agility, dribbling, ball control, shooting) four times between the Under 12 (U12) and Under 15 (U15) age class. Relative age (RA) was assessed for all players, and a total motor score was calculated based on performances in the individual tests. In order to investigate players’ future success, participants were divided into two groups according to their adult performance level (APL) in the 2014/2015 season: Elite (1st-5th German division; N = 145, 12.8%) and non-elite players (lower divisions; N = 989, 87.2%). Using multilevel regression analyses each motor performance was predicted by Time, Time2 (level-1 predictors), APL, and RA (level-2 covariates) with simultaneous consideration for interaction effects between the respective variables. Time and Time2 were significant predictors for each test performance. A predictive value for RA was confirmed for sprinting and the total motor score. A significant relationship between APL and the motor score as well as between APL and agility, dribbling, ball control, and shooting emerged. Interaction effects distinctly failed to reach significance. The study found a non-linear improvement in players’ performance for all considered motor performance factors over a three-year period from early to middle adolescence. While their

Understanding Megaproject Success beyond the Project Close-Out Stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johan Fahri

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Project success has always been an important topic in the project management literature. One of the main discussions is concerned with how a project’s success is evaluated and what factors lead to achieving this success. Traditionally project success has been measured at the point where the project outputs are handed over, after the close out phase. Recently, questions have been raised in the literature as to whether we should be evaluating project success beyond the close out phase, to better account for organizational and societal outcomes.  However, not much has been published about how the long term impacts and outcomes are measured. This is of particular concern in megaprojects as they often attract a high level of public attention and political interest, and have both direct and indirect impacts on the community, environment, and national budgets. In this paper the authors review success factors and criteria that are applicable to projects in general and megaprojects in particular. They identify the significance of evaluating outcomes and impact and propose an ex-post project evaluation (EPPE framework for megaprojects.

Predictors of student success in entry-level science courses

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Mamta K.

Although the educational evaluation process is useful and valuable and is supported by the Higher Education Act, a strong research base for program evaluation of college entry-level science courses is still lacking. Studies in science disciplines such as, biology, chemistry, and physics have addressed various affective and demographic factors and their relationships to student achievement. However, the literature contains little information that specifically addresses student biology content knowledge skills (basics and higher order thinking skills) and identifies factors that affect students' success in entry-level college science courses. These gate-keeping courses require detailed evaluation if the goal of an institution is to increase students' performance and success in these courses. These factors are, in fact, a stepping stone for increasing the number of graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors. The present study measured students' biology content knowledge and investigated students' performance and success in college biology, chemistry, and physics entry-level courses. Seven variables---gender, ethnicity, high school Grade Point Average (GPA), high school science, college major, school financial aid support, and work hours were used as independent variables and course final performance as a dichotomous dependent variable. The sample comprised voluntary student participants in entry-level science courses. The study attempted to explore eight research questions. Content knowledge assessments, demographic information analysis, multiple regression analysis, and binary logistic regression analysis were used to address research questions. The results suggested that high school GPA was a consistently good predictor of students' performance and success in entry-level science courses. Additionally, high school chemistry was a significant predictor variable for student success in entry-level biology and chemistry courses

Predictors of Success and Failure for ADN Students on the NCLEX-RN

Science.gov (United States)

Benefiel, Diane

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to: 1) analyze the relationship of preprogram and nursing program variables on National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) success and failure, and 2) develop a model to predict success and failure on the NCLEX-RN. The convenience sample was comprised of 245 spring, summer, and fall midterm…

从民族器乐演奏探究民族声乐演唱--以《江河水》为例%Research on National Vocal Performance Basis on National Instrument Playing---Taking the Red River as an Example

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

王琳

2016-01-01

“音与情”“美与韵”是中国民族音乐艺术审美特征所在，也是民族器乐演奏与民族声乐演唱共同追求的境界。民族声乐与民族器乐同根同宗，借鉴民族器乐演奏丰富的艺术表现手法来促进和加强民族声乐演唱具有深远的意义。把民族器乐演奏的风格和神韵潜移默化的融入民族声乐演唱中去，有利于培养民族声乐学习者和表演者的音乐感知能力，有利于加深民族声乐演唱的艺术表现力。通过二胡器乐曲《江河水》演奏技法的借鉴，可来拓展民族声乐演唱艺术的处理空间。%“rhythm and emotions”as well as“beauty and elegance”are considered art aesthetic characteristics of Chinese national mu-sic. They are also the goals of both national instrument playing and national vocal performance. National vocal and instrument performance o-riginates from the same source. It has great significance for us to strengthen national vocal performance by drawing experience from artistic manifestations of various instrument playing. Music sense of national vocal learners and performers can be improved by absorbing styles and elegance of national instrument performance. This could enhance the artistic manifestation of national vocal performance. This thesis broadens the processing potentials of national vocal performance by drawing experience from performance skills of the Red River played by Erhu.

Research and Energy Efficiency: Selected Success Stories

Science.gov (United States)

Garland, P. W.; Garland, R. W.

1997-06-26

Energy use and energy technology play critical roles in the U.S. economy and modern society. The Department of Energy (DOE) conducts civilian energy research and development (R&D) programs for the purpose of identifying promising technologies that promote energy security, energy efficiency, and renewable energy use. DOE-sponsored research ranges from basic investigation of phenomena all the way through development of applied technology in partnership with industry. DOE`s research programs are conducted in support of national strategic energy objectives, however austere financial times have dictated that R&D programs be measured in terms of cost vs. benefit. In some cases it is difficult to measure the return on investment for the basic "curiosity-driven" research, however many applied technology development programs have resulted in measurable commercial successes. The DOE has published summaries of their most successful applied technology energy R&D programs. In this paper, we will discuss five examples from the Building Technologies area of the DOE Energy Efficiency program. Each story will describe the technology, discuss the level of federal funding, and discuss the returns in terms of energy savings, cost savings, or national economic impacts.

Crowdsourcing The National Map

Science.gov (United States)

McCartney, Elizabeth; Craun, Kari J.; Korris, Erin M.; Brostuen, David A.; Moore, Laurence R.

2015-01-01

Using crowdsourcing techniques, the US Geological Survey’s (USGS) Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) project known as “The National Map Corps (TNMCorps)” encourages citizen scientists to collect and edit data about man-made structures in an effort to provide accurate and authoritative map data for the USGS National Geospatial Program’s web-based The National Map. VGI is not new to the USGS, but past efforts have been hampered by available technologies. Building on lessons learned, TNMCorps volunteers are successfully editing 10 different structure types in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Surgical treatment for obesity: ensuring success.

Science.gov (United States)

Andris, Deborah A

2005-01-01

In the United States, obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Serious medical complications, impaired quality of life, and premature mortality are all associated with obesity. Medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or sleep apnea can improve or be cured with weight loss. Medical treatment programs focused on diet, behavior modification, and/or pharmacologic intervention have met with limited long-term success. Although surgical treatments for obesity have become popular in recent years, they should only be used as a last resort for weight loss. Not all patients can be considered appropriate candidates for surgery; therefore, guidelines based on criteria from the National Institutes of Health should be used preoperatively to help identify suitable persons. Most individuals who opt for weight-loss surgery have usually struggled for many years with losing weight and keeping it off, but surgery alone will not ensure successful weight loss. Patient education is imperative for long-term success. Moreover, any such educational regimen should include information on diet, vitamin and mineral supplementation, and lifestyle changes, as well as expected weight-loss results and improvements in comorbid conditions. Patients must be willing to commit to a long-term follow-up program intended to promote successful weight loss and weight maintenance and to prevent metabolic and nutritional complications.

Does High Self-Esteem Cause Better Performance, Interpersonal Success, Happiness, or Healthier Lifestyles?

Science.gov (United States)

Baumeister, Roy F; Campbell, Jennifer D; Krueger, Joachim I; Vohs, Kathleen D

2003-05-01

Self-esteem has become a household word. Teachers, parents, therapists, and others have focused efforts on boosting self-esteem, on the assumption that high self-esteem will cause many positive outcomes and benefits-an assumption that is critically evaluated in this review. Appraisal of the effects of self-esteem is complicated by several factors. Because many people with high self-esteem exaggerate their successes and good traits, we emphasize objective measures of outcomes. High self-esteem is also a heterogeneous category, encompassing people who frankly accept their good qualities along with narcissistic, defensive, and conceited individuals. The modest correlations between self-esteem and school performance do not indicate that high self-esteem leads to good performance. Instead, high self-esteem is partly the result of good school performance. Efforts to boost the self-esteem of pupils have not been shown to improve academic performance and may sometimes be counterproductive. Job performance in adults is sometimes related to self-esteem, although the correlations vary widely, and the direction of causality has not been established. Occupational success may boost self-esteem rather than the reverse. Alternatively, self-esteem may be helpful only in some job contexts. Laboratory studies have generally failed to find that self-esteem causes good task performance, with the important exception that high self-esteem facilitates persistence after failure. People high in self-esteem claim to be more likable and attractive, to have better relationships, and to make better impressions on others than people with low self-esteem, but objective measures disconfirm most of these beliefs. Narcissists are charming at first but tend to alienate others eventually. Self-esteem has not been shown to predict the quality or duration of relationships. High self-esteem makes people more willing to speak up in groups and to criticize the group's approach. Leadership does not stem

Success Teaching Spelling with Music.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Mariellen

1983-01-01

A spelling approach which incorporates music on a cassette with spelling, pronunciation, and definition of specific words was successful in improving junior high learning disabled students' spelling performance, self-esteem, and sequential memories. (CL)

2003 Wastewater Land Application Site Performance Reports for the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teresa R. Meachum

2004-02-01

The 2003 Wastewater Land Application Site Performance Reports for the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory describe the conditions for the facilities with State of Idaho Wastewater Land Application Permits. Permit-required monitoring data are summarized, and permit exceedences or environmental impacts relating to the operations of the facilities during the 2003 permit year are discussed.

Does national scale economic and environmental indicators spur logistics performance? Evidence from UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Syed Abdul Rehman; Qianli, Dong

2017-12-01

The aim of this study is to examine the association between national economic and environmental indicators with green logistics performance in a time series data of UK since 1981 to 2016. The research used autoregressive distributed lag method to understand the long-run and short-run relationships of national scale economic (foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, per capita income) and environmental indicators (total greenhouse gases, fossil fuel, and renewable energy) on green logistics. In the short run, the research findings indicate that the green logistics and renewable energy have positive relationship, while fossil fuel is negatively correlated with green logistics operations. On the other hand, in the long run, the results show that FDI inflows, renewable energy sources, and per capita income have statistically significant and positive association with green logistics activities, while foreign investments attracted by environmental friendly policies and practices adopted in global logistics operations, which not only increase the environmental sustainability but also enhance economic activities with greater export opportunities in the region.

Increasing the success rate of groundwater exploration in developing nation using geophysical methods: Case of a small community in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Isiorho, S. A.; Omole, D.; Aizebeokhai, A.

2016-12-01

About 35 percent of Nigeria's population of the more than 180 M relies on groundwater. Due to the lack of an adequate water supply system within Ogun State, many homes result to drilling their own private wells. Most groundwater is sourced from shallow wells (less than 30 m) and is often of poor water quality. The number of borehole failures is also alarming. Several entrepreneurs have seized on the lack of adequate water supply to drill for groundwater. Several of these wells have either failed or are not adequate for the purposed use of the water. There also appears to be no proper coordination of the citing of these wells. To increase the success rates of the boreholes, the use of geophysical methods amongst others is recommended. This study examines the exploration for groundwater and water quality in Ogun State in Nigeria, using Ota as an example. Ogun State has both significant surface and groundwater resources. However, due to the indiscriminate and lack of proper waste disposal, the vast majority of the surface waters and shallow well waters are impaired making them unsuitable for many users. To access a deeper groundwater source, a geophysical survey was performed to assist in finding a possible location for a borehole. A geophysical survey using the vertical electric sounding (VES) with Schlumberger configuration was carried out. The data shows that there are five layers within the proposed borehole site. Based on the data, it was suggested that a well be placed at a depth between 65-75 m (213-246 ft.). The borehole was drilled to 67m. This depth, from the literature, corresponds to the Abeokuta formation. A pump was installed at 66 m (217 ft.) depth and the first 50 feet of the borehole was grouted to prevent surface water from getting into the hole. A pumping test was performed for about two hours. While this was noteworthy, the data is not made available to any centralized body. No water chemistry was undertaken and more still needs to be done with

Draft Statement of Work / Performance Work Statement SOL-R3-13-00006: Region 3 - National Remedial Action Contracts / Multiple Award Competition

Science.gov (United States)

Region 3 - EPA is performing market research to determine if industry has the capability and capacity to perform the work, on a national level, as described in the attached draft Statement of Work /Performance Work Statement(SOW/PWS).

Successful peroral endoscopic myotomy performed in Endoscopy Department as a radical, long-term treatment for esophageal achalasia - the Greek experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Eleftheriadis, Nikolas; Eleftheriadou, Eleni Damianos

2017-01-01

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has been considered as a minimal-invasive, innovative technique for long-term treatment of all types of esophageal achalasia and other esophageal motility disorders. We report on 20 consecutive Greek patients with manometrically proved esophageal achalasia (14 patients with type I, 4 with type II, 2 with type III, and 4 with sigmoid esophagus), with an age range of 32-92 years, mean age 59 years, 12 males, successfully treated by POEM from 2013 to 2015. The Eckardt score was 7-12 (type III). Seventeen (85%) POEM procedures were performed in the Endoscopy Department, according to a previous study. During POEM, CO 2 insufflation was mandatory, while the Triangle Tip knife was the only knife used in all procedures. Eckardt score, esophagogram and manometry before and after performing POEM were used for evaluation of our results. The follow-up period was 6 months to 3 years. Selective circular myotomy, 10-13 cm in length, was successfully completed in all patients without severe acute or late complications. Three patients (15%) showed moderate pneumomediastinum and pneumoperitoneum, which was successfully managed by abdominal needle drainage during the procedure. One patient showed mild pleural collection, and in one patient the clip-endoloop technique was used to successfully close the mucosal entry after the completion of POEM. The outcome was uneventful without any further clinical consequences. No other short- or long-term serious complications were reported. Patients were discharged after 1-3 days of hospitalization. Six months to 3 years after the POEM procedure, all patients were alive; the majority (90%) had complete clinical improvement, while two patients with sigmoid-type achalasia showed moderate-to-significant clinical improvement. Erosive esophagitis was reported in 15%. Our results are in accordance with international data, and proved the safety and efficacy of the POEM technique for radical long-term treatment of all

A Risk Communication Success Story

Science.gov (United States)

Peecook, Keith

2010-01-01

A key success of the decommissioning effort at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Plum Brook Reactor Facility (PBRF) has been the public outreach program. The approach has been based on risk communications rather than a public relations approach. As a result it has kept the public feeling more involved in the process. It ensures they have the information needed to understand the project and its goals, and to make recommendations. All this is done so that NASA can better plan and execute the necessary work without delays or suprises.

Motivational patterns as an instrument for predicting success in promising young football players.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuber, Claudia; Zibung, Marc; Conzelmann, Achim

2015-01-01

Psychological characteristics are crucial to identifying talents, which is why these are being incorporated in today's multidimensional talent models. In addition to multidimensionality, talent studies are increasingly drawing on holistic theories of development, leading to the use of person-oriented approaches. The present study adopts such an approach by looking at the influence that motivational characteristics have on the development of performance, in a person-oriented way. For this purpose, it looks at how the constructs achievement motive, achievement goal orientation and self-determination interact with one another, what patterns they form and how these patterns are linked to subsequent sports success. Ninety-seven top young football players were questioned twice. Another year later, it was enquired which of these players had been selected for the U15 national team. At both measuring points, four patterns were identified, which displayed a high degree of structural and individual stability. As expected, the highly intrinsically achievement-oriented players were significantly more likely to move up into the U15 national team. The results point to the importance of favourable patterns of motivational variables in the form of specific types, for medium-term performance development among promising football talents, and thus provide valuable clues for the selection and promotion of those.

Realizing High-Performance Buildings; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2015-03-02

High-performance buildings (HPBs) are exceptional examples of both design and practice. Their energy footprints are small, and these are buildings that people want to work in because of their intelligent structure, operations, and coincident comfort. However, the operation of most buildings, even ones that are properly constructed and commissioned at the start, can deviate significantly from the original design intent over time, particularly due to control system overrides and growing plug and data center loads. With early planning for systems such as submetering and occupant engagement tools, operators can identify and remedy the problems. This guide is a primer for owners and owners’ representatives who are pursuing HPBs. It describes processes that have been successful in the planning, procurement, and operation of HPBs with exceptional energy efficiency. Much of the guidance offered results from a series of semi-structured conference calls with a technical advisory group of 15 owners and operators of prominent HPBs in the United States. The guide provides a prescription for planning, achieving, and maintaining an HPB. Although the guide focuses on the operations stage of buildings, many of the operations practices are specified during the planning stage.

China’s Selection of Foreign Laws for Succession in the Late Qing Dynasty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongqiu Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This article studies the selection of a target country for succession of foreign laws by China of the late Qing Dynasty as well as the channels and approaches based on documentation in the Chinese language. According to this article, the selection was mostly limited by information, the national situation and political system, objectives, international environment, legal tradition as well as human and material resources, of which the national situation, political system and objectives serve as key factors. In this case, historically, China of the late Qing Dynasty looked at the United States, Britain, France and Germany before settling on Japan as the target country for the succession of foreign laws; and with respect to the channels and approaches for the succession, several relatively effective channels and approaches, such as studying aboard, translating foreign texts, making survey trips and hiring foreign experts, were employed. Such selection by China of the late Qing Dynasty for the purpose of succession of foreign laws provide us with useful references for thinking about law succession and the current exchange of laws and cultures b etween China and foreign countries.

Final Report National Laboratory Professional Development Workshop for Underrepresented Participants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, Valerie [Texas Engineering Experiment Station, College Station, TX (United States)

2016-11-07

The 2013 CMD-IT National Laboratories Professional Development Workshop for Underrepresented Participants (CMD-IT NLPDev 2013) was held at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory campus in Oak Ridge, TN. from June 13 - 14, 2013. Sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Scientific Computing Research Program, the primary goal of these workshops is to provide information about career opportunities in computational science at the various national laboratories and to mentor the underrepresented participants through community building and expert presentations focused on career success. This second annual workshop offered sessions to facilitate career advancement and, in particular, the strategies and resources needed to be successful at the national laboratories.

Successful Strategies for Planning a Green Building.

Science.gov (United States)

Browning, William D.

2003-01-01

Presents several strategies for successful green building on campus: develop a set of clear environmental performance goals (buildings as pedagogical tools, climate-neutral operations, maximized human performance), use Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as a gauge of performance, and use the project to reform the campus building…

Comparison of the success rate between self-drilling and self-tapping miniscrews: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Jianru; Ge, Mengke; Li, Meile; Li, Chunjie; Li, Yu; Li, Xiaobing; Zhao, Zhihe

2017-06-01

Both the self-drilling and self-tapping miniscrews have been commonly used as anchorage reinforcement devices in orthodontic treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the success rates of self-drilling and self-tapping miniscrews in orthodontic practice. Literature searches were performed by electronic search in database including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and SIGLE, and manual search of relevant journals and reference lists of included studies. Randomized controlled trials, clinical controlled trials and cohort studies comparing the success rates of self-drilling and self-tapping miniscrews as orthodontic anchorage. The data of success rates and root contact rates were extracted by two investigators independently. After evaluating the risk of bias, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Subgroup analysis was performed on the basis of study design, follow-ups, participant ages and immediate/delayed loading. Sensitivity analysis was performed to test the stability of the results in meta-analysis. Six studies assessed as high quality were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis results showed no difference between the two types of screws in the success rates. The root contact rates of the two screws were similar, while self-drilling miniscrews displayed higher risk of failure when contacting with a tooth root. Currently available clinical evidence suggests that the success rates of self-tapping and self-drilling miniscrews are similar. Determination of the position and direction of placement should be more precise when self-drilling miniscrews are used in sites with narrow root proximity. None. None. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Orthodontic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Drug choice as a self-handicapping strategy in response to noncontingent success.

Science.gov (United States)

Berglas, S; Jones, E E

1978-04-01

In two closely related experiments, college student subjects were instructed to choose between a drug that allegedly interfered with performance and a drug that allegedly enhanced performance. This choice was the main dependent measure of the experiment. The drug choice intervened between work on soluble or insoluble problems and a promised retest on similar problems. In Experiment 1, all subjects received success feedback after their initial problem-solving attempts, thus creating one condition in which the success appeared to be accidental (noncontingent on performance) and one in which the success appeared to be contingent on appropriate knowledge. Males in the noncontingent-success condition were alone in preferring the performance-inhibiting drug, presumably because they wished to externalize probable failure on the retest. The predicted effect, however, did not hold for female subjects. Experiment 2 replicated the unique preference shown by males after noncontingent success and showed the critical importance of success feedback.

Performance of ceramics in ring/cylinder applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dufrane, K.F.; Glaeser, W.A.

1987-01-01

In support of the efforts to apply ceramics to advanced heat engines, a study is being performed of the performance of ceramics at the ring/cylinder interface of advanced (low heat rejection) engines. The objective of the study, managed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is to understand the basic mechanisms controlling the wear of ceramics and thereby identify means for applying ceramics effectively. Attempts to operate three different zirconias, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and plasma-sprayed ceramic coatings without lubrication have not been successful because of excessive friction and high wear rates. Silicon carbide and silicon nitride perform well at ambient temperatures with fully formulated mineral oil lubrication, but are limited to temperatures of 500F because of the lack of suitable liquid lubricants for higher temperatures

Improved therapy-success prediction with GSS estimated from clinical HIV-1 sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Pironti, Alejandro; Pfeifer, Nico; Kaiser, Rolf; Walter, Hauke; Lengauer, Thomas

2014-01-01

Rules-based HIV-1 drug-resistance interpretation (DRI) systems disregard many amino-acid positions of the drug's target protein. The aims of this study are (1) the development of a drug-resistance interpretation system that is based on HIV-1 sequences from clinical practice rather than hard-to-get phenotypes, and (2) the assessment of the benefit of taking all available amino-acid positions into account for DRI. A dataset containing 34,934 therapy-naïve and 30,520 drug-exposed HIV-1 pol sequences with treatment history was extracted from the EuResist database and the Los Alamos National Laboratory database. 2,550 therapy-change-episode baseline sequences (TCEB) were assigned to test set A. Test set B contains 1,084 TCEB from the HIVdb TCE repository. Sequences from patients absent in the test sets were used to train three linear support vector machines to produce scores that predict drug exposure pertaining to each of 20 antiretrovirals: the first one uses the full amino-acid sequences (DEfull), the second one only considers IAS drug-resistance positions (DEonlyIAS), and the third one disregards IAS drug-resistance positions (DEnoIAS). For performance comparison, test sets A and B were evaluated with DEfull, DEnoIAS, DEonlyIAS, geno2pheno[resistance], HIVdb, ANRS, HIV-GRADE, and REGA. Clinically-validated cut-offs were used to convert the continuous output of the first four methods into susceptible-intermediate-resistant (SIR) predictions. With each method, a genetic susceptibility score (GSS) was calculated for each therapy episode in each test set by converting the SIR prediction for its compounds to integer: S=2, I=1, and R=0. The GSS were used to predict therapy success as defined by the EuResist standard datum definition. Statistical significance was assessed using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A comparison of the therapy-success prediction performances among the different interpretation systems for test set A can be found in Table 1, while those for test set

Sandia National Laboratories: Research

Science.gov (United States)

Energy Stationary Power Earth Science Transportation Energy Energy Research Global Security WMD and decision-making. Materials science Leading the nation in the knowledge of materials engineering success is our foundational scientific research, which provides us with knowledge and capabilities that

Success of free flap anastomoses performed within the zone of trauma in acute lower limb reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Bendon, Charlotte L; Giele, Henk P

2016-07-01

Traditionally, in free flap cover of lower limb injuries, every attempt is made to perform anastomoses proximal to the zone of injury. We report on the success of anastomoses within the zone of trauma, at the level of the fracture, avoiding further dissection and exposure. The records of free flap reconstructions for fractures of the lower extremity at a tertiary trauma centre between 2004 and 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 48 lower limb fractures required free flap reconstruction, performed at 28 days post injury (0-275 days). Anastomoses were proximal (21), distal (5) or within the zone of trauma (22). There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in return to theatre, revision of anastomosis or flap survival between groups. Of the 22 performed within the zone of injury, five returned to theatre but only two for revision of anastomosis and 20 (91%) of these flaps survived. Of the 48 free flaps, arterial anastomoses were end to end in 34 (71%) and end to side in 14 (30%). There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in return to theatre, revision of anastomosis or flap survival between the end-to-end and end-to-side groups. There was a tendency for arterial anastomoses to be performed end to end outside the zone of trauma (23/26) compared to within the zone of trauma (11/22). Our data suggest that free flap anastomoses can be performed safely in the zone of trauma in lower limb injuries. Copyright © 2016 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Compendium of Energy Conservation Success Stories

Science.gov (United States)

1988-09-01

Three-quarters of DOE's Conservation R and D funds have been devoted to technology research and development: basic and applied research, exploratory R and D, engineering feasibility studies, pilot-scale prototype R and D, and technology demonstration. Non R and D projects have involved technology assessment program planning and analysis, model development, technology transfer and consumer information, health effects and safety research, and technical support for rule making. The success stories summarized in this compendium fall into three general categories: Completed Technology Success Stories, projects that have resulted in new energy-saving technologies that are presently being used in the private sector; Technical Success Stories, projects that have produced or disseminated important scientific/technical information likely to result in future energy savings; Program Success Stories, non-R and D activities that have resulted in nationally significant energy benefits. The Energy Conservation research and development program at DOE is managed by the Office of Conservation under the direction of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Conservation. Three subordinate Program Offices correspond to the buildings, transportation, and industrial end-use sectors. A fourth subordinate Program Office{endash}Energy Utilization Research{endash}sponsors research and technical inventions for all end-use sectors.

Marital Status and Occupational Success Among Mental Health Professionals

Science.gov (United States)

Marx, John H.; Spray, S. Lee

1970-01-01

Concludes that personal relations, professional experiences and occupational success form a network of relationships which integrate the occupational and nonoccupational roles of highly specialized practitioners. Part of a Study of Careers in the Mental Health Field, supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH-09192 and directed by…

Accuracy of national key performance indicator reporting from two Aboriginal medical services: potential to underestimate the performance of primary health care.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-05-09

Objective The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy of extracting national key performance indicator (nKPI) data for the Online Community Health Reporting Environment for Health Services (OCHREStreams) program using the Pen Computer Systems (Leichhardt, NSW, Australia) Clinical Audit Tool (CAT) from Communicare (Telstra Health Communicare Systems, Perth, WA, Australia), a commonly used patient information management system (PIMS) in Aboriginal primary care. Methods Two Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) were recruited to the present study. A sample of regular clients aged ≥55 years from each ACCHS was selected and a subset of 13 nKPIs was examined. A manual case note audit of the nKPI subset within Communicare was undertaken by a clinician at each participating ACCHS and acted as a 'gold standard' comparator for three query methods: (1) internal Communicare nKPI reports; (2) PenCS CAT nKPI manual filtering (a third-party data-extraction tool); and (3) nKPI data submitted to the Improvement Foundation qiConnect portal. Results No errors were found in nKPI data extraction from Communicare using the CAT and subsequent submission to the qiConnect portal. However, the Communicare internal nKPI report included deceased clients and past patients, and we can be very confident that deceased clients and past patients are also included in the qiConnect portal data. This resulted in inflation of client denominators and an underestimation of health service performance, particularly for nKPIs recording activity in the past 6 months. Several minor errors were also detected in Communicare internal nKPI reports. Conclusions CAT accurately extracts a subset of nKPI data from Communicare. However, given the widespread use of Communicare in ACCHSs, the inclusion of deceased clients and past patients in the OCHREStreams nKPI data program is likely to have resulted in systematic under-reporting of health service performance nationally. What is known

DOE FES FY2017 Joint Research Target Fourth Quarter Milestone Report for theNational Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soukhanovskii, V. A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-09-13

A successful high-performance plasma operation with a radiative divertor has been demonstrated on many tokamak devices, however, significant uncertainty remains in accurately modeling detachment thresholds, and in how detachment depends on divertor geometry. Whereas it was originally planned to perform dedicated divertor experiments on the National Spherical Tokamak Upgrade to address critical detachment and divertor geometry questions for this milestone, the experiments were deferred due to technical difficulties. Instead, existing NSTX divertor data was summarized and re-analyzed where applicable, and additional simulations were performed.

High Performance Work System and Organizational Citizenship Behavior in Multinational Companies in Vietnam: the Mediation Effect of Career Success

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giang Thi Huong Vu

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In this study, the relationship between high performance work system (HPWS and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB in multinational corporations (MNCs in Vietnam, a fast-developing country with highly economic growth in Asia, was investigated. Besides, the underlying mechanism of this relationship was also explored. From the social exchange approach, an underlying mediated mechanism of career success in the relationship between HPWS and OCB was hypothesized. Data collected from individual employees working in multinational companies in Vietnam was used to test the hypotheses. The research findings supported the partial mediating role of career success in the positive relationship between HPWS and OCB. In addition, research implications as well as suggestions for future research were also presented.   Bahasa Indonesia Abstrak: Dalam studi ini, hubungan antara high performance work system (HPWS dan organizational citizenship behavior (OCB di multinational corporations (MNC di Vietnam, negara cepat berkembang dengan pertumbuhan ekonomi yang sangat tinggi di Asia, ditelliti. Selain itu, mekanisme yang mendasari hubungan ini juga dieksplorasi. Dari pendekatan pertukaran sosial, mekanisme mediasi yang dimediasi dari kesuksesan karir dalam hubungan antara HPWS dan OCB dihipotesiskan. Data yang dikumpulkan dari masing-masing karyawan yang bekerja di perusahaan multinasional di Vietnam digunakan untuk menguji hipotesis. Temuan penelitian mendukung peran mediasi parsial dari kesuksesan karir dalam hubungan positif antara HPWS dan OCB. Selain itu, implikasi penelitian serta saran untuk penelitian masa depan juga disajikan.

Pinning down high-performance Cu-chalcogenides as thin-film solar cell absorbers: A successive screening approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yubo; Zhang, Wenqing, E-mail: wqzhang@mail.sic.ac.cn, E-mail: pzhang3@buffalo.edu [Materials Genome Institute and Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Wang, Youwei; Zhang, Jiawei; Xi, Lili [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Zhang, Peihong, E-mail: wqzhang@mail.sic.ac.cn, E-mail: pzhang3@buffalo.edu [Materials Genome Institute and Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, New York 14260 (United States)

2016-05-21

Photovoltaic performances of Cu-chalcogenides solar cells are strongly correlated with the absorber fundamental properties such as optimal bandgap, desired band alignment with window material, and high photon absorption ability. According to these criteria, we carry out a successive screening for 90 Cu-chalcogenides using efficient theoretical approaches. Besides the well-recognized CuInSe{sub 2} and Cu{sub 2}ZnSnSe{sub 4} materials, several novel candidates are identified to have optimal bandgaps of around 1.0–1.5 eV, spike-like band alignments with CdS window layer, sharp photon absorption edges, and high absorption coefficients. These new systems have great potential to be superior absorbers for photovolatic applications if their carrrier transport and defect properties are properly optimized.

Identifying critical success factors for designing selection processes into postgraduate specialty training: the case of UK general practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Plint, Simon; Patterson, Fiona

2010-06-01

The UK national recruitment process into general practice training has been developed over several years, with incremental introduction of stages which have been piloted and validated. Previously independent processes, which encouraged multiple applications and produced inconsistent outcomes, have been replaced by a robust national process which has high reliability and predictive validity, and is perceived to be fair by candidates and allocates applicants equitably across the country. Best selection practice involves a job analysis which identifies required competencies, then designs reliable assessment methods to measure them, and over the long term ensures that the process has predictive validity against future performance. The general practitioner recruitment process introduced machine markable short listing assessments for the first time in the UK postgraduate recruitment context, and also adopted selection centre workplace simulations. The key success factors have been identified as corporate commitment to the goal of a national process, with gradual convergence maintaining locus of control rather than the imposition of change without perceived legitimate authority.

Keys to successful organ procurement: An experience-based review of clinical practices at a high-performing health-care organization

Science.gov (United States)

Wojda, Thomas R.; Stawicki, Stanislaw P.; Yandle, Kathy P.; Bleil, Maria; Axelband, Jennifer; Wilde-Onia, Rebecca; Thomas, Peter G.; Cipolla, James; Hoff, William S.; Shultz, Jill

2017-01-01

Organ procurement (OP) from donors after brain death and circulatory death represents the primary source of transplanted organs. Despite favorable laws and regulations, OP continues to face challenges for a number of reasons, including institutional, personal, and societal barriers. This focused review presents some of the key components of a successful OP program at a large, high-performing regional health network. This review focuses on effective team approaches, aggressive resuscitative strategies, optimal communication, family support, and community outreach efforts. PMID:28660162

The Role of School Performance in Narrowing Gender Gaps in the Formation of STEM Aspirations: A Cross-National Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allison eMann

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract This study uses cross-national evidence to estimate the effect of school peer performance on the size of the gender gap in the formation of STEM career aspirations. We argue that STEM aspirations are influenced not only by gender stereotyping in the national culture but also by the performance of peers in the local school environment. Our analyses are based on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA. They investigate whether 15-year-old students from 55 different countries expect to have STEM jobs at the age of 30. We find considerable gender differences in the plans to pursue careers in STEM occupations in all countries. Using PISA test scores in math and science aggregated at the school level as a measure of school performance, we find that stronger performance environments have a negative impact on student career aspirations in STEM. Although girls are less likely than boys to aspire to STEM occupations, even when they have comparable abilities, boys respond more than girls to competitive school performance environments. As a consequence, the aspirations gender gap narrows for high-performing students in stronger performance environments. We show that those effects are larger in countries that do not sort students into different educational tracks.

The role of school performance in narrowing gender gaps in the formation of STEM aspirations: a cross-national study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Allison; Legewie, Joscha; DiPrete, Thomas A

2015-01-01

This study uses cross-national evidence to estimate the effect of school peer performance on the size of the gender gap in the formation of STEM career aspirations. We argue that STEM aspirations are influenced not only by gender stereotyping in the national culture but also by the performance of peers in the local school environment. Our analyses are based on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). They investigate whether 15-year-old students from 55 different countries expect to have STEM jobs at the age of 30. We find considerable gender differences in the plans to pursue careers in STEM occupations in all countries. Using PISA test scores in math and science aggregated at the school level as a measure of school performance, we find that stronger performance environments have a negative impact on student career aspirations in STEM. Although girls are less likely than boys to aspire to STEM occupations, even when they have comparable abilities, boys respond more than girls to competitive school performance environments. As a consequence, the aspirations gender gap narrows for high-performing students in stronger performance environments. We show that those effects are larger in countries that do not sort students into different educational tracks.

Male rank affects reproductive success and offspring performance in bank voles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruczek, Małgorzata; Zatorska, Magdalena

2008-07-05

Laboratory studies reveal that in several rodent species the females prefer dominant males as mating partners. Here we investigate the correlation between males' social rank and their reproductive success. Similar numbers of females mating with relatively more dominant or relatively more subordinate males produced a litter, and parturition took place 19-21 days after mating. Relatively more dominant males tended to sire more pups than did relatively more subordinates, but the mean number of offspring per litter did not differ significantly between the two groups. Significantly more pups fathered by relatively more dominant males survived to weaning than those sired by relatively more subordinate fathers. Dominance had a long-term effect on the reproductive activity of the offspring: their rate of sexual maturation was increased. In pups sired by a relatively more dominant father, the uteruses of females, and the testes and accessory sex glands of males, were significantly heavier than those of offspring born to relatively more subordinate males. Our results suggest that social rank is an important determinant of the reproductive success of bank vole males.

[The Ability to Successfully Perform Different Kinds of Cognitive Activity Is Reflected in the Topological Features of Intracortical Interactions (Sex Differences in Boys and Girls Aged 5-6 Years)].

Science.gov (United States)

Panasevich, E A; Tsitseroshin, M N

2015-01-01

We studied the correlation of intellectual development according to The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC test) with the spatial organization of resting EEG in 52 children aged 5-6 years. It was found that the patterns of interregional interactions of different parts of the cortex which correspond with the best performance in the subtests in boys (n = 23) and girls (n = 29) have significant topological differences. In girls, successful subtest performance positively correlated to a greater extent with interhemispheric interactions; in boys--long longitudinal rostral-caudal interactions between various regions of the cortex. The results showed that there are important gender differences in the spatial organization of brain activity associated with the performance of different cognitive activities in preschool children. The successful performance of various subtests by boys required considerable variability in the organization of spatial patterns of interregional interactions; on the contrary, the spatial structure of these patterns in girls was relatively invariable. Obviously, for the successful performance of various cognitive activities at this age in boys, the cortex need to form highly specialized organization of intracortical interactions, while in girls the brain uses relatively similar reorganization of interactions. The data suggest that 5-6-year-old boys and girls use different cognitive strategies when performing the same subtests of the WISC test.

The National Geographic Society's Teaching Geography Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Bockenhauer, Mark H.

1993-01-01

Contends that the National Geographic Society's Teaching Geography Project is an inservice teacher education success story. Describes the origins, objectives, and development of the project. Summarizes the impact of the project and contends that its success is the result of the workshop format and guided practice in instructional strategies. (CFR)

Design and performance of the main amplifier system for the National Ignition Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beullier, J; Erlandson, A; Grebot, E; Guenet, J; Guenet, M; Horvath, J; Jancaitis, K; Larson, D; Lawson, J; LeTouze, G; Maille, X; Manes, K; Marshall, C; Mengue, T; Moor, E; Payne, S; Pedrotti, L; Rotter, M; Seznec, S; Sutton, S; Zapata, L.

1999-01-01

This paper describes the design and performance of flashlamp-pumped, Nd:glass. Brewster-angle slab amplifiers intended to be deployed in the National Ignition Facility (NIF). To verify performance, we tested a full-size, three-slab-long, NIF prototype amplifier, which we believe to be the largest flashlamp-pumped Nd:glass amplifier ever assembled. Like the NIF amplifier design, this prototype amplifier had eight 40-cm-square apertures combined in a four-aperture-high by two-aperture-wide matrix. Specially-shaped reflectors, anti-reflective coatings on the blastshields, and preionized flashlamps were used to increase storage efficiency. Cooling gas was flowed over the flashlamps to remove waste pump heat and to accelerate thermal wavefront recovery. The prototype gain results are consistent with model predictions and provide high confidence in the final engineering design of the NIF amplifiers. Although the dimensions, internal positions, and shapes of the components in the NIF amplifiers will be slightly different from the prototype, these differences are small and should produce only slight differences in amplifier performance

Causality: School Libraries and Student Success (CLASS). White Paper

Science.gov (United States)

American Association of School Librarians, 2014

2014-01-01

On April 11 and 12, 2014, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) held "Causality: School Libraries and Student Success" (CLASS), an IMLS-funded national forum. Dr. Thomas Cook, one of the most influential methodologists in education research, and a five member panel of expert scholars and practitioners led 50 established…

Performing three-dimensional neutral particle transport calculations on tera scale computers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodward, C.S.; Brown, P.N.; Chang, B.; Dorr, M.R.; Hanebutte, U.R.

1999-01-01

A scalable, parallel code system to perform neutral particle transport calculations in three dimensions is presented. To utilize the hyper-cluster architecture of emerging tera scale computers, the parallel code successfully combines the MPI message passing and paradigms. The code's capabilities are demonstrated by a shielding calculation containing over 14 billion unknowns. This calculation was accomplished on the IBM SP ''ASCI-Blue-Pacific computer located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)

In-situ containment of buried waste at Brookhaven National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwyer, B.P.; Heiser, J.; Stewart, W.; Phillips, S.

1997-01-01

The primary objective of this project was to further develop close-coupled barrier technology for the containment of subsurface waste or contaminant migration. A close-coupled barrier is produced by first installing a conventional cement grout curtain followed by a thin inner lining of a polymer grout. The resultant barrier is a cement polymer composite that has economic benefits derived from the cement and performance benefits from the durable and chemically resistant polymer layer. The technology has matured from a regulatory investigation of issues concerning barriers and barrier materials to a pilot-scale, multiple individual column injections at Sandia National Labs (SNL) to full scale demonstration. The feasibility of this barrier concept was successfully proven in a full scale 'cold test' demonstration at Hanford, WA. Consequently, a full scale deployment of the technology was conducted at an actual environmental restoration site at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL), Long Island, NY. This paper discusses the installation and performance of a technology deployment implemented at OU-1 an Environmental Restoration Site located at BNL

Ensuring a successful family business management succession

OpenAIRE

Desbois, Joris

2016-01-01

Succession is the biggest long-term challenge that most family businesses face. Indeed, leaders ‘disposition to plan for their succession is frequently the key factor defining whether their family business subsists or stops. The research seeks to find out how to manage successfully the business management succession over main principles. This work project aims at researching the key points relevant to almost all family firms, to have a viable succession transition and positioni...

The Strategic Value of Succession Planning for Department Chairs.

Science.gov (United States)

Rayburn, William; Grigsby, Kevin; Brubaker, Linda

2016-04-01

Most faculty who aspire to be department chairs are unaware of succession processes at their institution. This Commentary highlights the importance of succession planning, emphasizing the general need for transparency. Succession planning provides institutional leaders the opportunity to optimize, renew, and revitalize their organization by ensuring successful leadership transitions. In contrast to leadership pathways in the military, corporate business, and hospital administration, planned succession of medical school department chairs has received little attention. Different approaches to succession planning are essential for emergency and planned transitions. Emergency succession plans should be in place at all times, regularly revisited, and modified as needed. Department chairs should begin considering their planned succession between one and five years after their initial appointment. The succession discussion between a chair and medical school dean requires cautious, thoughtful, and open discussions. Intradepartmental annual faculty performance evaluations permit the chair to mentor potential successors in acquiring future-oriented, institution-based leadership qualities necessary to be considered for a future department chair position. If health and time permit, the successful chair should remain in his or her current position until a successor is named or, preferably, is in place. Appointment of an interim chair as part of succession planning can be useful for on-the-job training of an internal candidate, yet awkwardness might ensue if there is more than one internal candidate.Succession development offers the great advantage of maintaining smooth organizational performance while optimizing talent management and exploring opportunities for transitioning individuals into leadership roles.

Performance Assessment for the Idaho National Laboratory Remote-Handled Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Annette L. Schafer; A. Jeffrey Sondrup; Arthur S. Rood

2012-05-01

This performance assessment for the Remote-Handled Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility at the Idaho National Laboratory documents the projected radiological dose impacts associated with the disposal of low-level radioactive waste at the facility. This assessment evaluates compliance with the applicable radiological criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for protection of the public and the environment. The calculations involve modeling transport of radionuclides from buried waste to surface soil and subsurface media, and eventually to members of the public via air, groundwater, and food chain pathways. Projections of doses are calculated for both offsite receptors and individuals who inadvertently intrude into the waste after site closure. The results of the calculations are used to evaluate the future performance of the low-level radioactive waste disposal facility and to provide input for establishment of waste acceptance criteria. In addition, one-factor-at-a-time, Monte Carlo, and rank correlation analyses are included for sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. The comparison of the performance assessment results to the applicable performance objectives provides reasonable expectation that the performance objectives will be met

Successful introduction of an underutilized elderly pneumococcal vaccine in a national immunization program by integrating the pre-existing public health infrastructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Tae Un; Kim, Eunsung; Park, Young-Joon; Kim, Dongwook; Kwon, Yoon Hyung; Shin, Jae Kyong; Park, Ok

2016-03-18

Although pneumococcal vaccines had been recommended for the elderly population in South Korea for a considerable period of time, the coverage has been well below the optimal level. To increase the vaccination rate with integrating the pre-existing public health infrastructure and governmental funding, the Korean government introduced an elderly pneumococcal vaccination into the national immunization program with a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in May 2013. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the program in increasing the vaccine coverage rate and maintaining stable vaccine supply and safe vaccination during the 20 months of the program. We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed the process of introducing and the outcomes of the program in terms of the systematic organization, efficiency, and stability at the national level. A staggered introduction during the first year utilizing the public sector, with a target coverage of 60%, was implemented based on the public demand for an elderly pneumococcal vaccination, vaccine supply capacity, vaccine delivery capacity, safety, and sustainability. During the 20-month program period, the pneumococcal vaccine coverage rate among the population aged ≥65 years increased from 5.0% to 57.3% without a noticeable vaccine shortage or safety issues. A web-based integrated immunization information system, which includes the immunization registry, vaccine supply chain management, and surveillance of adverse events following immunization, reduced programmatic errors and harmonized the overall performance of the program. Introduction of an elderly pneumococcal vaccination in the national immunization program based on strong government commitment, meticulous preparation, financial support, and the pre-existing public health infrastructure resulted in an efficient, stable, and sustainable increase in vaccination coverage. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Success of nonoperative management of adductor longus tendon ruptures in National Football League athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Schlegel, Theodore F; Bushnell, Brandon D; Godfrey, Jenna; Boublik, Martin

2009-07-01

Acute complete ruptures of the proximal adductor longus tendon are rare but challenging injuries to treat. The limited literature supports operative treatment, but data from management of chronic groin pain in athletes indicate that anatomical attachment of the tendon to the pubis may not be required for high-level function. Nonoperative management of complete adductor rupture can provide equal results to surgical repair in terms of return to play in the National Football League. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Using the National Football League Injury Surveillance System, adductor tendon ruptures documented by magnetic resonance imaging were identified in 19 National Football League players from 1992 to 2004. The team physician for each respective player completed a survey with information about history, physical examination, magnetic resonance imaging findings, treatment, and outcomes. Statistics were analyzed with a Student unpaired t test. Fourteen players were treated nonoperatively, and 5 players were treated with surgical repair using suture anchors. In both groups, all players eventually returned to play in the National Football League. Mean time for return to play was 6.1 +/- 3.1 weeks (range, 3-12 weeks) for the nonoperative group and 12.0 +/- 2.5 weeks (range, 10-16 weeks) for the operative group (P = .001). One player in the operative group suffered the complication of a draining wound and heterotopic ossification. Players represented a variety of positions, and 12 of 19 (63%) had experienced prior symptoms or events. Nonoperative treatment of proximal adductor tendon rupture results in a statistically significantly faster return to play than does operative treatment in athletes competing in the National Football League and avoids the risks associated with surgery while providing an equal likelihood of return to play at the professional level.

Measurement protocols for performance testing of dosimetry services for external radiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

In the Health and Safety Executive's ''Requirements for the Approval of Dosimetry Services under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985'', it is stipulated that dosimetry services seeking approval must show that they have successfully completed a performance test. The services must arrange for the tests to be carried out on application and thereafter every 18 months, by a laboratory which has received accreditation from the National Measurement Accreditation Service (NAMAS) for the whole performance testing activity. The performance tests must be carried out to published protocols and the purpose here is to provide protocols for external, whole body film and TLD dosimetry services, and for skin and extremity dosimetry services. (Author)

Sandia National Laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Gilliom, Laura R.

1992-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories has identified technology transfer to U.S. industry as a laboratory mission which complements our national security mission and as a key component of the Laboratory's future. A number of technology transfer mechanisms - such as CRADA's, licenses, work-for-others, and consortia - are identified and specific examples are given. Sandia's experience with the Specialty Metals Processing Consortium is highlighted with a focus on the elements which have made it successful. A brief discussion of Sandia's potential interactions with NASA under the Space Exploration Initiative was included as an example of laboratory-to-NASA technology transfer. Viewgraphs are provided.

A Sandia National Laboratories decontamination and demolition success story

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, D.R.; Barber, D.S.; Lipka, G.

1994-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) has established a formal facility assessment, decontamination and demolition oversight process with the goal of ensuring that excess or contaminated facilities are managed in a cost-effective manner that is protective of human health and the environment. The decontamination and demolition process is designed so that all disciplines are consulted and have input from the initiation of a project. The committee consists of all essential Environmental, Safety and Health (ES and H) and Facilities disciplines. The interdisciplinary-team approach has provided a mechanism that verifies adequate building and site assessment activities are conducted. This approach ensures that wastes generated during decontamination and demolition activities are handled and disposed according to Department of Energy (DOE), Federal, state, and local requirements. Because of the comprehensive nature of the SNL decontamination and demolition process, the strategy can be followed for demolition, renovation and new construction projects, regardless of funding source. An overview of the SNL/NM decontamination and demolition process is presented through a case study which demonstrates the practical importance of the formal process

Evaluation of the performance of national health systems in 2004-2011: An analysis of 173 countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Daxin; Ahn, Haksoon; Lievens, Tomas; Zeng, Wu

2017-01-01

In an effort to improve health service delivery and achieve better health outcomes, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for improved efficiency of health care systems to better use the available funding. This study aims to examine the efficiency of national health systems using longitudinal country-level data. Data on health spending per capita, infant mortality rate (IMR), under 5 mortality rate (U5MR), and life expectancy (LE) were collected from or imputed for 173 countries from 2004 through 2011. Data envelopment analyses were used to evaluate the efficiency and regression models were constructed to examine the determinants of efficiency. The average efficiency of the national health system, when examined yearly, was 78.9%, indicating a potential saving of 21.1% of health spending per capita to achieve the same level of health status for children and the entire population, if all countries performed as well as their peers. Additionally, the efficiency of the national health system varied widely among countries. On average, Africa had the lowest efficiency of 67%, while West Pacific countries had the highest efficiency of 86%. National economic status, HIV/AIDS prevalence, health financing mechanisms and governance were found to be statistically associated with the efficiency of national health systems. Taking health financing as an example, a 1% point increase of social security expenses as a percentage of total health expenditure correlated to a 1.9% increase in national health system efficiency. The study underscores the need to enhance efficiency of national health systems to meet population health needs, and highlights the importance of health financing and governance in improving the efficiency of health systems, to ultimately improve health outcomes.

Buried waste remote survey of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory subsurface disposal area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, B.S.; Noakes, M.W.; Griebenow, B.E.; Josten, N.E.

1991-01-01

Burial site characterization is an important first step in the restoration of subsurface disposal sites. Testing and demonstration of technology for remote buried waste site characterization were performed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) by a team from five US Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories. The US Army's Soldier Robot Interface Project (SRIP) vehicle, on loan to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), was used as a remotely operated sensor platform. The SRIP was equipped with an array of sensors including terrain conductivity meter, magnetometer, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), organic vapor detector, gamma-based radar detector, and spectrum analyzer. The testing and demonstration were successfully completed and provided direction for future work in buried waste site characterization

Politics and the success of school-based health centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rienzo, B A; Button, J W; Wald, K D

2000-10-01

School-based health centers (SBHCs) provide access to health services by bringing providers to children (and sometimes parents) and furnishing low cost services in an atmosphere of trust. While the number of SBHCs has continued to grow and some clinics have continued to expand their services, others have barely survived and some have even closed. This study investigated factors, particularly political forces, that affected the success of SBHCs. Using a national survey of clinic directors, this study assessed clinic success in terms both of longevity and service delivery. Findings indicate the factors most consistently and significantly associated with success include not only measures of "need" (school size and percent African-American enrollment or population) but of "politics" (citizen political ideology and Southern conservatism). Thus, politics matters more than previous studies suggested.

Structured Innovation of High-Performance Wave Energy Converter Technology: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weber, Jochem W. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Laird, Daniel [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2018-01-25

Wave energy converter (WEC) technology development has not yet delivered the desired commercial maturity nor, and more importantly, the techno-economic performance. The reasons for this have been recognized and fundamental requirements for successful WEC technology development have been identified. This paper describes a multi-year project pursued in collaboration by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories to innovate and develop new WEC technology. It specifies the project strategy, shows how this differs from the state-of-the-art approach and presents some early project results. Based on the specification of fundamental functional requirements of WEC technology, structured innovation and systemic problem solving methodologies are applied to invent and identify new WEC technology concepts. Using Technology Performance Levels (TPL) as an assessment metric of the techno-economic performance potential, high performance technology concepts are identified and selected for further development. System performance is numerically modelled and optimized and key performance aspects are empirically validated. The project deliverables are WEC technology specifications of high techno-economic performance technologies of TPL 7 or higher at TRL 3 with some key technology challenges investigated at higher TRL. These wave energy converter technology specifications will be made available to industry for further, full development and commercialisation (TRL 4 - TRL 9).

Relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive test performance in National Football League draft picks.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Gary S; Kuhn, Andrew

2014-04-01

There are limited empirical data available regarding the relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive functioning in active National Football League (NFL) players in general and NFL draft picks in particular. Potential NFL draft picks undergo 2 neurocognitive tests at the National Invitational Camp (Scouting Combine) every year: the Wonderlic and, since 2011, the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT). After conclusion of the combine and before the draft, NFL teams invite potential draft picks to their headquarters for individual visits where further assessment may occur. To examine the relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive performance (ImPACT and Wonderlic) in a sample of elite NFL draft picks. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Over 7 years, 226 potential draft picks were invited to visit a specific NFL team's headquarters after the combine. The athletes were divided into 3 groups based on self-reported concussion history: no prior concussions, 1 prior concussion, and 2 or more prior concussions. Neurocognitive measures of interest included Wonderlic scores (provided by the NFL team) and ImPACT composite scores (administered either at the combine or during a visit to the team headquarters). The relationship between concussion history and neurocognitive scores was assessed, as were the relationships among the 2 neurocognitive tests. Concussion history had no relationship to neurocognitive performance on either the Wonderlic or ImPACT. Concussion history did not affect performance on either neurocognitive test, suggesting that for this cohort, a history of concussion may not have adverse effects on neurocognitive functioning as measured by these 2 tests. This study reveals no correlation between concussion history and neurocognitive test scores (ImPACT, Wonderlic) in soon-to-be active NFL athletes.

The Importance of the Study of Cognitive Performance Enhancement for U.S. National Security.

Science.gov (United States)

Malish, Richard G

2017-08-01

The American military is embarking on the 'Third Offset'-a strategy designed to produce seismic shifts in the future of warfare. Central to the approach is the conjoining of humans, technology, and machines to deliver a decisive advantage on the battlefield. Because technology will spread rapidly and globally, tactical overmatch will occur when American operators possess a competitive edge in cognition. Investigation of cognitive enhancing therapeutics is not widely articulated as an adjunct to the Third Offset, yet failure to study promising agents could represent a strategic vulnerability. Because of its legacy of research into therapeutic agents to enhance human-machine interplay, the aerospace medical community represents a front-running candidate to perform this work. Notably, there are strong signals emanating from gambling, academic, and video-gaming enterprises that already-developed stimulants and other agents provide cognitive benefits. These agents should be studied not only for reasons of national security, but also because cognitive enhancement may be a necessary step in the evolution of humankind. To illustrate these points, this article will assert that: 1) the need to preserve and enhance physical and cognitive health will become more and more important over the next century; 2) aeromedical specialists are in a position to take the lead in the endeavor to enhance cognition; 3) signals of enhancement of the type useful to both military and medical efforts exist aplenty in today's society; and 4) the aeromedical community should approach human enhancement research deliberately but carefully.Malish RG. The importance of the study of cognitive performance enhancement for U.S. national security. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(8):773-778.

Self-Esteem: The Key to a Child's Success and Happiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Cutright, Melitta C.

1992-01-01

The article discusses self-esteem as the key to parenting a successful, happy child. It notes ways parents can help foster self-esteem starting at a very early age. Ten suggestions for building a child's self-esteem, developed by the National PTA, are listed. (SM)

Performance in the FRCR (UK) Part 2B examination: Analysis of factors associated with success

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawtin, K.E.; Williams, H.R.T.; McKnight, L.; Booth, T.C.

2014-01-01

Aim: To assess factors that influence pass rates and examination scores in the Fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR) 2B examination. Materials and methods: 2238 attempts at the FRCR 2B examination were evaluated between Spring 2006 and Spring 2010. Pass rates and examination scores were analysed by gender and ethnicity, and the influence of factors such as radiology training (UK versus non-UK), sitting (Spring versus Autumn), and the presence of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree were examined. Results: 1571 candidates made 2238 examination attempts, with an overall pass rate of 59.4% (63.1% at first attempt). 66.2% entrants were male; 48.8% attempts were by candidates from a UK radiology training scheme. UK candidates were significantly more likely to pass than non-UK candidates (p < 0.0001). White candidates were more likely to pass at first or second attempt than non-white candidates (p < 0.0001), but when restricted to UK entrants ethnicity did not influence success at first attempt. Overall, females were more successful than males (p < 0.001). Presence of an undergraduate (p = 0.19) or postgraduate (p = 0.80) degree did not affect pass rate at first attempt for UK candidates. However, logistic regression demonstrated that the only significant factor influencing pass rates at first attempt was whether radiology training was undertaken in the UK (p < 0.0001). A trend towards increased pass rates in autumn sittings was seen (p = 0.06), but ethnicity (p = 0.99) and gender (p = 0.41) were not significant factors. Conclusion: The FRCR 2B examination is non-discriminatory for UK candidates with respect to gender and ethnicity. Poorer performance of non-UK trained candidates is a consistent outcome in the literature. - Highlights: • Factors influencing pass rates and scores in FRCR 2B examination were assessed. • UK candidates are more likely to pass than non-UK candidates. • There is no effect of gender or ethnicity on UK

Implementing a sub-national strategic framework to reduce the illicit tobacco market to support national strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ailsa Rutter

2018-03-01

The success of this strategic framework demonstrates that activity can be co-ordinated locally or sub-nationally to support national strategies to reduce the illicit tobacco market. Activity should always be placed within the broader context of 'all tobacco kills' and should contain measures to reduce both supply and demand. Useful resources for other programmes and settings can be found at www.illicit-tobacco.co.uk.

Leadership and Project Success in Development Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saghir Ahmed

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Aim/purpose - The study aims to investigate the relationship among the leadership, operational efficiency and project success in general and the impact of transformational leadership and operational efficiency on project success in particular. Design/methodology/approach - Mean comparison from descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression from inferential statistics was used to determine the association between variables and further impact of the transformational leadership and operational efficiency on project success in the development sector. The paper presents the results of a survey conducted among 200 employees from the top, middle & lower management levels of various national & international development organizations working in Pakistan like Microfinance Banks and other Rural Support Programs. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS was used to process data. Findings - The result shows positive association among transformational leadership, operational efficiency and project success. In addition, it was found that transformational leadership and operational efficiency have a positive and statistically significant impact on the project success. It is concluded that both transformational leadership and operational efficiency are vital to achieving the optimum level of success in any project, especially in the development sector. Research implications/limitations - The integral limitation of the study was the respondents because most of the development organizations have their operations in rural areas where access was difficult because of limited time and resources. In addition, such organizations are always reluctant to provide survey feedback. Originality/value/contribution - The paper contribution is in the theoretical and practical knowledge of the project success factors in the development sector which is still a somehow unexplored area. Regulators of the development sector may be benefited from this study.

Internet Usage, User Satisfaction, Task-Technology Fit, and Performance Impact among Public Sector Employees in Yemen

Science.gov (United States)

Isaac, Osama; Abdullah, Zaini; Ramayah, T.; Mutahar, Ahmed M.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The internet technology becomes an essential tool for individuals, organizations, and nations for growth and prosperity. The purpose of this paper is to integrate the DeLone and McLean IS success model with task-technology fit (TTF) to explain the performance impact of Yemeni Government employees. Design/methodology/approach:…

Impact of Facebook Usage on Undergraduate Students Performance in Irbid National University: Case Study

OpenAIRE

Altaany, Fawzi H.; Jassim, Firas A.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the style of Facebook usage between undergraduate students and the impact on their academics performance. Also, this paper was evaluated in the view of student the using of Facebook. A questioner was design for collecting data from a sample of 480 undergraduate students in Irbid National University. The survey revealed that 77% of the students have an account on Facebook. One of the main findings is that there was a significant relationship between gend...

A Rational, Successive G-Index Applied to Economics Departments in Ireland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tol, R.S.J.

2008-01-01

A rational, successive g-index is proposed, and applied to economics departments in Ireland. The successive g-index has greater discriminatory power than the successive h-index, and the rational index performs better still. The rational, successive g-index is also more robust to differences in

Stressing Success: Examining Hmong Student Success in Career and Technical Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen M. Iannarelli

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study examines factors affecting the academic performance of Hmong students at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, WI. Factors specifically analyzed for their impact upon student success are socioeconomic status, family support, the use of academic support programs, and the influence of agents of socialization. Through the use of archival institutional data, Hmong students were compared to white students at CVTC in terms of their relative grade point averages, course completion rates, and retention rates. Data revealed significant disparities in grade point average performance between Hmong and white students. The data also showed that eligibility for financial aid was significantly higher among Hmong students, and that this difference was commensurate with educational performance gaps between the two groups. Additionally, online surveys were used to assess family support while attending CVTC, the role of academic support programs, and influential agents of socialization. Gender differences in grade point average performance and socialization also were analyzed. Implications of the study’s findings are discussed and recommendations for improving the performance of Hmong students are provided.

Modeling Aeolian Transport of Contaminated Sediments at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Technical Area 54, Area G: Sensitivities to Succession, Disturbance, and Future Climate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whicker, Jeffrey J. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kirchner, Thomas B. [New Mexico State University; Breshears, David D. [University of Arizona; Field, Jason P. [University of Arizona

2012-03-27

The Technical Area 54 (TA-54) Area G disposal facility is used for the disposal of radioactive waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 435.1 (DOE, 2001) requires that radioactive waste be managed in a manner that protects public health and safety and the environment. In compliance with that requirement, DOE field sites must prepare and maintain site-specific radiological performance assessments for facilities that receive waste after September 26, 1988. Sites are also required to conduct composite analyses for facilities that receive waste after this date; these analyses account for the cumulative impacts of all waste that has been (and will be) disposed of at the facilities and other sources of radioactive material that may interact with these facilities. LANL issued Revision 4 of the Area G performance assessment and composite analysis in 2008. In support of those analyses, vertical and horizontal sediment flux data were collected at two analog sites, each with different dominant vegetation characteristics, and used to estimate rates of vertical resuspension and wind erosion for Area G. The results of that investigation indicated that there was no net loss of soil at the disposal site due to wind erosion, and suggested minimal impacts of wind on the long-term performance of the facility. However, that study did not evaluate the potential for contaminant transport caused by the horizontal movement of soil particles over long time frames. Since that time, additional field data have been collected to estimate wind threshold velocities for initiating sediment transport due to saltation and rates of sediment transport once those thresholds are reached. Data such as these have been used in the development of the Vegetation Modified Transport (VMTran) model. This model is designed to estimate patterns and long-term rates of contaminant redistribution caused by winds at the site, taking into account the impacts of plant

Modeling Aeolian Transport of Contaminated Sediments at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Technical Area 54, Area G: Sensitivities to Succession, Disturbance, and Future Climate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whicker, Jeffrey J.; Kirchner, Thomas B.; Breshears, David D.; Field, Jason P.

2012-01-01

The Technical Area 54 (TA-54) Area G disposal facility is used for the disposal of radioactive waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 435.1 (DOE, 2001) requires that radioactive waste be managed in a manner that protects public health and safety and the environment. In compliance with that requirement, DOE field sites must prepare and maintain site-specific radiological performance assessments for facilities that receive waste after September 26, 1988. Sites are also required to conduct composite analyses for facilities that receive waste after this date; these analyses account for the cumulative impacts of all waste that has been (and will be) disposed of at the facilities and other sources of radioactive material that may interact with these facilities. LANL issued Revision 4 of the Area G performance assessment and composite analysis in 2008. In support of those analyses, vertical and horizontal sediment flux data were collected at two analog sites, each with different dominant vegetation characteristics, and used to estimate rates of vertical resuspension and wind erosion for Area G. The results of that investigation indicated that there was no net loss of soil at the disposal site due to wind erosion, and suggested minimal impacts of wind on the long-term performance of the facility. However, that study did not evaluate the potential for contaminant transport caused by the horizontal movement of soil particles over long time frames. Since that time, additional field data have been collected to estimate wind threshold velocities for initiating sediment transport due to saltation and rates of sediment transport once those thresholds are reached. Data such as these have been used in the development of the Vegetation Modified Transport (VMTran) model. This model is designed to estimate patterns and long-term rates of contaminant redistribution caused by winds at the site, taking into account the impacts of plant