D Mapping of Cultural Heritage: Special Problems and best Practices in Extreme Case-Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Patias, P.; Kaimaris, D.; Georgiadis, Ch.; Stamnas, A.; Antoniadis, D.; Papadimitrakis, D.

2013-07-01

Photogrammetrey has a long successful history in the area of 3D modelling and documentation of cultural heritage monuments. In some cases an extensive study, preparation and the application of novel solutions is required for the successful documentation and 3D modelling of monuments. In most of the cases the problem that we have to face is difficulties regarding accessing, photographing, and measuring the monument from the optimal distance, in combination with the need for a high spatial resolution mapping. This paper is highlighting the special problems and the novel solutions, performed during mapping of two significant cultural heritage monuments in Greece. The Roussanou monastery (1527-1529 A.C., Meteora, Center Greece) and its underlying rock, had to be photographed and measured from a far distance and measured with various spatial resolutions. In the lakeside Neolithic settlement of Dispilio (6.000 B.C., western Greece) the enclosure which is covered with vegetation above a height of 3 m, had to be measured with high spatial resolution. The combined use of a laser scanner, a digital camera equipped with a telephoto lens and UAV allowed the successful mapping and the production of orthophotomaps in each case.

The role of metacognitive skills in solving object-oriented programming problems: a case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marietjie Havenga

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This article reports on the role of metacognitive skills when solving object-oriented programming problems as part of a case study. The research was constructivist-based within an interpretivist approach to explore how four students constructed their own thinking when solving programming problems. A qualitative methodology was employed. Both concept-driven coding and data-driven coding were applied. Two main issues emerged from the findings. Participating students had fragmented knowledge of the object-oriented approach and shortcomings regarding the implementation thereof, and they experienced problems with metacognitive control during all the steps of program development. Based on the findings the use of metacognitive critical control points (MCCPs is proposed to be used as a mechanism to facilitate students in their programming efforts and to prevent loss of control during program development.

Revisiting the Majority Problem: Average-Case Analysis with Arbitrarily Many Colours

OpenAIRE

Kleerekoper, Anthony

2016-01-01

The majority problem is a special case of the heavy hitters problem. Given a collection of coloured balls, the task is to identify the majority colour or state that no such colour exists. Whilst the special case of two-colours has been well studied, the average-case performance for arbitrarily many colours has not. In this paper, we present heuristic analysis of the average-case performance of three deterministic algorithms that appear in the literature. We empirically validate our analysis w...

A case study of analyzing 11th graders’ problem solving ability on heat and temperature topic

Science.gov (United States)

Yulianawati, D.; Muslim; Hasanah, L.; Samsudin, A.

2018-05-01

Problem solving ability must be owned by students after the process of physics learning so that the concept of physics becomes meaningful. Consequently, the research aims to describe their problem solving ability. Metacognition is contributed to physics learning to the success of students in solving problems. This research has already been implemented to 37 science students (30 women and 7 men) of eleventh grade from one of the secondary schools in Bandung. The research methods utilized the single case study with embedded research design. The instrument is Heat and Temperature Problem Solving Ability Test (HT-PSAT) which consists of twelve questions from three context problems. The result shows that the average value of the test is 8.27 out of the maximum total value of 36. In conclusion, eleventh graders’ problem-solving ability is still under expected. The implication of the findings is able to create learning situations which are probably developing students to embrace better problem solving ability.

New methods for solving a vertex p-center problem with uncertain demand-weighted distance: A real case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javad Nematian

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Vertex and p-center problems are two well-known types of the center problem. In this paper, a p-center problem with uncertain demand-weighted distance will be introduced in which the demands are considered as fuzzy random variables (FRVs and the objective of the problem is to minimize the maximum distance between a node and its nearest facility. Then, by introducing new methods, the proposed problem is converted to deterministic integer programming (IP problems where these methods will be obtained through the implementation of the possibility theory and fuzzy random chance-constrained programming (FRCCP. Finally, the proposed methods are applied for locating bicycle stations in the city of Tabriz in Iran as a real case study. The computational results of our study show that these methods can be implemented for the center problem with uncertain frameworks.

Investigating the Wicked Problems of (Un)sustainability Through Three Case Studies Around the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Science.gov (United States)

Metzger, E. P.; Curren, R. R.

2016-12-01

Effective engagement with the problems of sustainability begins with an understanding of the nature of the challenges. The entanglement of interacting human and Earth systems produces solution-resistant dilemmas that are often portrayed as wicked problems. As introduced by urban planners Rittel and Webber (1973), wicked problems are "dynamically complex, ill-structured, public problems" arising from complexity in both biophysical and socio-economic systems. The wicked problem construct is still in wide use across diverse contexts, disciplines, and sectors. Discourse about wicked problems as related to sustainability is often connected to discussion of complexity or complex systems. In preparation for life and work in an uncertain, dynamic and hyperconnected world, students need opportunities to investigate real problems that cross social, political and disciplinary divides. They need to grapple with diverse perspectives and values, and collaborate with others to devise potential solutions. Such problems are typically multi-casual and so intertangled with other problems that they cannot be resolved using the expertise and analytical tools of any single discipline, individual, or organization. We have developed a trio of illustrative case studies that focus on energy, water and food, because these resources are foundational, interacting, and causally connected in a variety of ways with climate destabilization. The three interrelated case studies progress in scale from the local and regional, to the national and international and include: 1) the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill with examination of the multiple immediate and root causes of the disaster, its ecological, social, and economic impacts, and the increasing risk and declining energy return on investment associated with the relentless quest for fossil fuels; 2) development of Australia's innovative National Water Management System; and 3) changing patterns of food production and the intertwined challenge of

Using Interactive Case Studies to Support Students Understandings of Local Environmental Problems

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Z. Kostova

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents designed and refined an interactive-enhanced curriculum module for 9th grade secondary school students in Bulgaria, based on environmental case studies. In the module activities students from two schools studied the local environments, performed observations and experiments, collected and analyzed data, prepared and presented posters and role plays, made connections between scientific processes and socio-scientific issues and drew conclusions about the global effects of locally created environmental problems. The students’ critical observations of the quality of their surroundings helped them to make a list of local environmental problems, to apply interactive strategies in studying them and to propose rational scientifically based solutions. In the study the attention was directed to the advantages and disadvantages of poster presentations and role playing and to the specific learning difficulties that students had to overcome. Students’ achievements from the two experimental schools were assessed independently in order to give us insights into the details of learning using different interactive strategies and into the acquired performance skills, dependant on students’ interests and personal abilities. The three versions of the module (traditional, dominated by teacher presentation; poster preparation and presentation in which students imitate scientific team research; and role playing in which students not only study the local environmental problems but assume social roles to cope with them demonstrate three levels of students learning independence. Specific assessment tests and check lists were developed for analyzing, evaluating and comparing students’ achievements in each version of the module and in each school. Ecological knowledge assessment tests were based on Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Poster and role playing preparations and presentations were assessed by specific criteria, shown in the

High School Learners' Mental Construction during Solving Optimisation Problems in Calculus: A South African Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Brijlall, Deonarain; Ndlovu, Zanele

2013-01-01

This qualitative case study in a rural school in Umgungundlovu District in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, explored Grade 12 learners' mental constructions of mathematical knowledge during engagement with optimisation problems. Ten Grade 12 learners who do pure Mathemat-ics participated, and data were collected through structured activity sheets and…

Public Librarians as Partners in Problem-Based Learning in Secondary Schools: A Case Study in Finland

Science.gov (United States)

Pietikäinen, Virpi; Kortelainen, Terttu; Siklander, Pirkko

2017-01-01

Introduction: Teachers in Finland are demanded to develop students' competencies in information literacy. However, they can meet this demand only by collaborating with public librarians. The aim in this case study was to explore the perspectives of teachers, librarians and students in a problem-based project and to analyse the advantages and…

Tacit knowledge of public health nurses in identifying community health problems and need for new services: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshioka-Maeda, Kyoko; Murashima, Sachiyo; Asahara, Kiyomi

2006-09-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the tacit knowledge of public health nurses in identifying community health problems and developing relevant new projects. Previous research only roughly showed those skills for creating new community health services, such as lobbying. Nine Japanese public health nurses who had created new projects in their municipalities were selected by theoretical sampling and interviewed in 2002-2003. Yin's Case Study Method, especially the multiple-case study design, was used. All 9 public health nurses used similar approaches in identifying community health problems and the need for creating new services, even though their experiences differed and the kinds of projects varied. They identified the difficulties of clients, recognized clients who had the same problems, elucidated the limitations of existing services, and forecasted outcomes from the neglect of the clients' problems. Then they succeeded in creating a new project by examining individual health problems in the context of their community's characteristics, societal factors, and using existing policies to support their clients. This is the first study to explore the skills of public health nurses and their intention to use such skills in creating new projects as well as the exact process. They could identify community health problems that will be the basis for developing new services to provide care for individual clients. This is different from the traditional community assessment approach that requires the collection of a huge amount of information to clarify community health problems. The tacit knowledge of public health nurses will help to create needs-oriented new services more smoothly.

Problem-Based Learning and the Training of Secondary Social Studies Teachers: A Case Study of Candidate Perceptions during Their Field Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Wynn, Charles T., Sr.; Okie, William

2017-01-01

We present results of a case study in which we analyzed the impact of problem-based learning (PBL) and cognitive scaffolding techniques introduced in our secondary social studies methods course on the perceptions and practices of 12 preservice teachers (PSTs) during their fall practicum and spring student teaching. Our PSTs reported teaching 54…

Discrete harmony search algorithm for scheduling and rescheduling the reprocessing problems in remanufacturing: a case study

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Kaizhou; Wang, Ling; Luo, Jianping; Jiang, Hua; Sadollah, Ali; Pan, Quanke

2018-06-01

In this article, scheduling and rescheduling problems with increasing processing time and new job insertion are studied for reprocessing problems in the remanufacturing process. To handle the unpredictability of reprocessing time, an experience-based strategy is used. Rescheduling strategies are applied for considering the effect of increasing reprocessing time and the new subassembly insertion. To optimize the scheduling and rescheduling objective, a discrete harmony search (DHS) algorithm is proposed. To speed up the convergence rate, a local search method is designed. The DHS is applied to two real-life cases for minimizing the maximum completion time and the mean of earliness and tardiness (E/T). These two objectives are also considered together as a bi-objective problem. Computational optimization results and comparisons show that the proposed DHS is able to solve the scheduling and rescheduling problems effectively and productively. Using the proposed approach, satisfactory optimization results can be achieved for scheduling and rescheduling on a real-life shop floor.

Self-Regulation in the Midst of Complexity: A Case Study of High School Physics Students Engaged in Ill-Structured Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Milbourne, Jeffrey David

The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore the experiences of high school physics students who were solving complex, ill-structured problems, in an effort to better understand how self-regulatory behavior mediated the project experience. Consistent with Voss, Green, Post, and Penner's (1983) conception of an ill-structured problem in the natural sciences, the 'problems' consisted of scientific research projects that students completed under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Zimmerman and Campillo's (2003) self-regulatory framework of problem solving provided a holistic guide to data collection and analysis of this multi-case study, with five individual student cases. The study's results are explored in two manuscripts, each targeting a different audience. The first manuscript, intended for the Science Education Research community, presents a thick, rich description of the students' project experiences, consistent with a qualitative, case study analysis. Findings suggest that intrinsic interest was an important self-regulatory factor that helped motivate students throughout their project work, and that the self-regulatory cycle of forethought, performance monitoring, and self-reflection was an important component of the problem-solving process. Findings also support the application of Zimmerman and Campillo's framework to complex, ill-structured problems, particularly the cyclical nature of the framework. Finally, this study suggests that scientific research projects, with the appropriate support, can be a mechanism for improving students' selfregulatory behavior. The second manuscript, intended for Physics practitioners, combines the findings of the first manuscript with the perspectives of the primary, on-site research mentor, who has over a decade's worth of experience mentoring students doing physics research. His experience suggests that a successful research experience requires certain characteristics, including: a slow, 'on-ramp' to the research

Facilitating case reuse during problem solving in algebra-based physics

Science.gov (United States)

Mateycik, Frances Ann

This research project investigates students' development of problem solving schemata while using strategies that facilitate the process of using solved examples to assist with a new problem (case reuse). Focus group learning interviews were used to explore students' perceptions and understanding of several problem solving strategies. Individual clinical interviews were conducted and quantitative examination data were collected to assess students' conceptual understanding, knowledge organization, and problem solving performance on a variety of problem tasks. The study began with a short one-time treatment of two independent, research-based strategies chosen to facilitate case reuse. Exploration of students' perceptions and use of the strategies lead investigators to select one of the two strategies to be implemented over a full semester of focus group interviews. The strategy chosen was structure mapping. Structure maps are defined as visual representations of quantities and their associations. They were created by experts to model the appropriate mental organization of knowledge elements for a given physical concept. Students were asked to use these maps as they were comfortable while problem solving. Data obtained from this phase of our study (Phase I) offered no evidence of improved problem solving schema. The 11 contact hour study was barely sufficient time for students to become comfortable using the maps. A set of simpler strategies were selected for their more explicit facilitation of analogical reasoning, and were used together during two more semester long focus group treatments (Phase II and Phase III of this study). These strategies included the use of a step-by-step process aimed at reducing cognitive load associated with mathematical procedure, direct reflection of principles involved in a given set of problems, and the direct comparison of problem pairs designed to be void of surface similarities (similar objects or object orientations) and sharing

The classification problem in machine learning: an overview with study cases in emotion recognition and music-speech differentiation

OpenAIRE

Rodríguez Cadavid, Santiago

2015-01-01

This work addresses the well-known classification problem in machine learning -- The goal of this study is to approach the reader to the methodological aspects of the feature extraction, feature selection and classifier performance through simple and understandable theoretical aspects and two study cases -- Finally, a very good classification performance was obtained for the emotion recognition from speech

A case study of heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing problem: Touristic distribution application in Alanya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenan Karagül

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In this study, Fleet Size and Mix Vehicle Routing Problem is considered in order to optimize the distribution of the tourists who have traveled between the airport and the hotels in the shortest distance by using the minimum cost. The initial solution space for the related methods are formed as a combination of Savings algorithm, Sweep algorithm and random permutation alignment. Then, two well-known solution methods named as Standard Genetic Algorithms and random search algorithms are used for changing the initial solutions. Computational power of the machine and heuristic algorithms are used instead of human experience and human intuition in order to solve the distribution problem of tourists coming to hotels in Alanya region from Antalya airport. For this case study, daily data of tourist distributions performed by an agency operating in Alanya region are considered. These distributions are then modeled as Vehicle Routing Problem to calculate the solutions for various applications. From the comparisons with the decision of a human expert, it is seen that the proposed methods produce better solutions with respect to human experience and insight. Random search method produces a solution more favorable in terms of time. As a conclusion, it is seen that, owing to the distribution plans offered by the obtained solutions, the agencies may reduce the costs by achieving savings up to 35%.

Evaluating Students' Beliefs in Problem Solving Process: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ozturk, Tugba; Guven, Bulent

2016-01-01

Problem solving is not simply a process that ends when an answer is found; it is a scientific process that evolves from understanding the problem to evaluating the solution. This process is affected by several factors. Among these, one of the most substantial is belief. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the beliefs of high school students…

On bi-criteria two-stage transportation problem: a case study

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Ahmad MURAD

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The study of the optimum distribution of goods between sources and destinations is one of the important topics in projects economics. This importance comes as a result of minimizing the transportation cost, deterioration, time, etc. The classical transportation problem constitutes one of the major areas of application for linear programming. The aim of this problem is to obtain the optimum distribution of goods from different sources to different destinations which minimizes the total transportation cost. From the practical point of view, the transportation problems may differ from the classical form. It may contain one or more objective function, one or more stage to transport, one or more type of commodity with one or more means of transport. The aim of this paper is to construct an optimization model for transportation problem for one of mill-stones companies. The model is formulated as a bi-criteria two-stage transportation problem with a special structure depending on the capacities of suppliers, warehouses and requirements of the destinations. A solution algorithm is introduced to solve this class of bi-criteria two-stage transportation problem to obtain the set of non-dominated extreme points and the efficient solutions accompanied with each one that enables the decision maker to choose the best one. The solution algorithm mainly based on the fruitful application of the methods for treating transportation problems, theory of duality of linear programming and the methods of solving bi-criteria linear programming problems.

The archeological sites on lands: actual problems of the legislation and case study

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А. Б. Наконечний

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article is dedicated to the analysis of the archeological sites on lands. There was examined their legal status, places of the main categories among the land plots in Ukraine. It is proposed the decision of the main legislative problems and the elimination of shortcomings in the proceedings of relevant categories of cases.

One Critical Case in Singularly Perturbed Control Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Sobolev, Vladimir

2017-02-01

The aim of the paper is to describe the special critical case in the theory of singularly perturbed optimal control problems. We reduce the original singularly perturbed problem to a regularized one such that the existence of slow integral manifolds can be established by means of the standard theory. We illustrate our approach by an example of control problem.

An Analysis of Looking Back Method in Problem-Based Learning: Case Study on Congruence and Similarity in Junior High School

Science.gov (United States)

Kosasih, U.; Wahyudin, W.; Prabawanto, S.

2017-09-01

This study aims to understand how learners do look back their idea of problem solving. This research is based on qualitative approach with case study design. Participants in this study were xx students of Junior High School, who were studying the material of congruence and similarity. The supporting instruments in this research are test and interview sheet. The data obtained were analyzed by coding and constant-comparison. The analysis find that there are three ways in which the students review the idea of problem solving, which is 1) carried out by comparing answers to the completion measures exemplified by learning resources; 2) carried out by examining the logical relationship between the solution and the problem; and 3) carried out by means of confirmation to the prior knowledge they have. This happens because most students learn in a mechanistic way. This study concludes that students validate the idea of problem solving obtained, influenced by teacher explanations, learning resources, and prior knowledge. Therefore, teacher explanations and learning resources contribute to the success or failure of students in solving problems.

Well-solvable special cases of the Traveling Salesman Problem : a survey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Burkard, R.E.; Deineko, V.G.; Dal, van R.; Veen, van der J.A.A.; Woeginger, G.J.

1998-01-01

The traveling salesman problem (TSP) belongs to the most basic, most important, and most investigated problems in combinatorial optimization. Although it is an ${\\cal NP}$-hard problem, many of its special cases can be solved efficiently in polynomial time. We survey these special cases with

Application of an engineering problem-solving methodology to address persistent problems in patient safety: a case study on retained surgical sponges after surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Devon E; Watts, Bradley V

2013-09-01

Despite innumerable attempts to eliminate the postoperative retention of surgical sponges, the medical error persists in operating rooms worldwide and places significant burden on patient safety, quality of care, financial resources, and hospital/physician reputation. The failure of countless solutions, from new sponge counting methods to radio labeled sponges, to truly eliminate the event in the operating room requires that the emerging field of health-care delivery science find innovative ways to approach the problem. Accordingly, the VA National Center for Patient Safety formed a unique collaboration with a team at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College to evaluate the retention of surgical sponges after surgery and find a solution. The team used an engineering problem solving methodology to develop the best solution. To make the operating room a safe environment for patients, the team identified a need to make the sponge itself safe for use as opposed to resolving the relatively innocuous counting methods. In evaluation of this case study, the need for systematic engineering evaluation to resolve problems in health-care delivery becomes clear.

Absenteeism due to mental health problems and systems for return to work: an internet-based unmatched case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Doki, Shotaro; Sasahara, Shinichiro; Hirai, Yasuhito; Oi, Yuichi; Matsuzaki, Ichiyo

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for absenteeism due to mental health problems with regard to company characteristics and systems for return to work in Japan. This was an Internet-based unmatched case-control study. Two hundred and fifty-eight workers who experienced over 28 days of sick leave due to mental health problems (cases) and 258 workers who have not taken sick leave (controls) were recruited. Company characteristics and the awareness and presence of systems for return to work were analysed as indicators of absenteeism. A total of 501 workers were included in the analysis. Females were less likely to experience absenteeism when adjustments were made for both the awareness and presence of systems [odds ratio (OR) = 0.51 and 0.41, respectively]. Large companies showed an increased risk of having absentee workers than small companies. The awareness of a gradual resumption system and the presence of a sick pay system were related to absenteeism (OR = 2.75 and 2.40, respectively). The awareness and presence of systems for return to work are related to the long-term absenteeism. The predictors of sex and company size are also related to the experience of the long-term absenteeism. To understand the effect of systems for return to work on absenteeism due to mental problems, further studies are needed.

Case study method and problem-based learning: utilizing the pedagogical model of progressive complexity in nursing education.

Science.gov (United States)

McMahon, Michelle A; Christopher, Kimberly A

2011-08-19

As the complexity of health care delivery continues to increase, educators are challenged to determine educational best practices to prepare BSN students for the ambiguous clinical practice setting. Integrative, active, and student-centered curricular methods are encouraged to foster student ability to use clinical judgment for problem solving and informed clinical decision making. The proposed pedagogical model of progressive complexity in nursing education suggests gradually introducing students to complex and multi-contextual clinical scenarios through the utilization of case studies and problem-based learning activities, with the intention to transition nursing students into autonomous learners and well-prepared practitioners at the culmination of a nursing program. Exemplar curricular activities are suggested to potentiate student development of a transferable problem solving skill set and a flexible knowledge base to better prepare students for practice in future novel clinical experiences, which is a mutual goal for both educators and students.

Using fuzzy logic for automatic control: Case study of a problem of cereals samples classification

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Lakhoua Najeh Mohamed

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to present the use of fuzzy logic for automatic control of industrial systems particularly the way to approach a problem of classification. We present a case study of a grading system of cereals that allows us to determine the price of transactions of cereals in Tunisia. Our contribution in this work consists in proposing not only an application of the fuzzy logic on the grading system of cereals but also a methodology enabling the proposing of a new grading system based on the concept of 'Grade' while using the fuzzy logic techniques. .

Case-Based Reasoning as a Heuristic Selector in a Hyper-Heuristic for Course Timetabling Problems

OpenAIRE

Petrovic, Sanja; Qu, Rong

2002-01-01

This paper studies Knowledge Discovery (KD) using Tabu Search and Hill Climbing within Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) as a hyper-heuristic method for course timetabling problems. The aim of the hyper-heuristic is to choose the best heuristic(s) for given timetabling problems according to the knowledge stored in the case base. KD in CBR is a 2-stage iterative process on both case representation and the case base. Experimental results are analysed and related research issues for future work are dis...

On some special cases of the restricted assignment problem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, C. (Chao); R.A. Sitters (René)

2016-01-01

textabstractWe consider some special cases of the restricted assignment problem. In this scheduling problem on parallel machines, any job j can only be assigned to one of the machines in its given subset Mj of machines. We give an LP-formulation for the problem with two job sizes and show that it

Skin problems in ostomy patients: a case-control study of risk factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nybaek, Hanne; Bang Knudsen, Dorte; Nørgaard Laursen, Troels

2009-01-01

Skin complications are frequent in ostomy patients and a number of risk factors have been suggested. The data on risk factors have, however, been documented mainly in single-centre studies and the actual importance of the suggested risk factors should therefore be verified in a group of ostomy...... patients broadly selected from the gene-ral population. All patients with permanent ostomies living in Roskilde County, Denmark, were invited to participate in the study. A total of 338 responded and 199 agreed to participate. Forty-five percent of all patients presented a skin problem. Less than half (43......%) of patients with a skin problem were aware of the skin problems, and less than 1 in 5 (16%) had sought treatment for their skin problem. Ileostomies, ostomies with leakage and ostomies in patients with body mass index >30 were associated with skin problems. In conclusion, ileostomy, leakage and obesity...

Collaborative Learning in Problem Solving: A Case Study in Metacognitive Learning

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Shelly L. Wismath

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Problem solving and collaborative communication are among the key 21st century skills educators want students to develop. This paper presents results from a study of the collaborative work patterns of 133 participants from a university level course designed to develop transferable problem-solving skills. Most of the class time in this course was spent on actually solving puzzles, with minimal direct instruction; students were allowed to work either independently or in small groups of two or more, as they preferred, and to move back and forth between these two modalities as they wished. A distinctive student-driven pattern blending collaborative and independent endeavour was observed, consistently over four course offerings in four years. We discuss a number of factors which appear to be related to this variable pattern of independent and collaborative enterprise, including the thinking and learning styles of the individuals, the preference of the individuals, the types of problems being worked on, and the stage in a given problem at which students were working. We also consider implications of these factors for the teaching of problem solving, arguing that the development of collaborative problem solving abilities is an important metacognitive skill.

The selection problem for discounted Hamilton–Jacobi equations: some non-convex cases

KAUST Repository

Gomes, Diogo A.; Mitake, Hiroyoshi; Tran, Hung V.

2018-01-01

Here, we study the selection problem for the vanishing discount approximation of non-convex, first-order Hamilton–Jacobi equations. While the selection problem is well understood for convex Hamiltonians, the selection problem for non-convex Hamiltonians has thus far not been studied. We begin our study by examining a generalized discounted Hamilton–Jacobi equation. Next, using an exponential transformation, we apply our methods to strictly quasi-convex and to some non-convex Hamilton–Jacobi equations. Finally, we examine a non-convex Hamiltonian with flat parts to which our results do not directly apply. In this case, we establish the convergence by a direct approach.

The selection problem for discounted Hamilton–Jacobi equations: some non-convex cases

KAUST Repository

Gomes, Diogo A.

2018-01-26

Here, we study the selection problem for the vanishing discount approximation of non-convex, first-order Hamilton–Jacobi equations. While the selection problem is well understood for convex Hamiltonians, the selection problem for non-convex Hamiltonians has thus far not been studied. We begin our study by examining a generalized discounted Hamilton–Jacobi equation. Next, using an exponential transformation, we apply our methods to strictly quasi-convex and to some non-convex Hamilton–Jacobi equations. Finally, we examine a non-convex Hamiltonian with flat parts to which our results do not directly apply. In this case, we establish the convergence by a direct approach.

Effect of digital problem-based learning cases on student learning outcomes in ophthalmology courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Jun; Li, Xiaoyan; Wang, Youdong; Sun, Wei; Zhang, Jinsong

2009-09-01

To assess the impact of digital problem-based learning (PBL) cases on student learning in ophthalmology courses. Ninety students were randomly divided into 3 classes (30 students per class). The first class studied under a didactic model. The other 2 classes were divided into 6 groups (10 students per group) and received PBL teaching; 3 groups studied via cases presented in digital form and the others studied via paper-form cases. The results of theoretical and case analysis examinations were analyzed using the chi(2) test. Student performance on the interval practice was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Questionnaires were used to evaluate student and facilitator perceptions. Students in the digital groups exhibited better performance in the practice procedures according to tutorial evaluations compared with the other groups (P digital groups (vs 73% in the paper groups) noted that the cases greatly stimulated their interest. Introducing PBL into ophthalmology could improve educational quality and effectiveness. Digital PBL cases stimulate interest and motivate students to further improve diagnosis and problem-handling skills.

Decision PBL: A 4-year retrospective case study of the use of virtual patients in problem-based learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellaway, Rachel H; Poulton, Terry; Jivram, Trupti

2015-01-01

In 2009, St George's University of London (SGUL) replaced their paper-based problem-based learning (PBL) cases with virtual patients for intermediate-level undergraduate students. This involved the development of Decision-Problem-Based Learning (D-PBL), a variation on progressive-release PBL that uses virtual patients instead of paper cases, and focuses on patient management decisions and their consequences. Using a case study method, this paper describes four years of developing and running D-PBL at SGUL from individual activities up to the ways in which D-PBL functioned as an educational system. A number of broad issues were identified: the importance of debates and decision-making in making D-PBL activities engaging and rewarding; the complexities of managing small group dynamics; the time taken to complete D-PBL activities; the changing role of the facilitator; and the erosion of the D-PBL process over time. A key point in understanding this work is the construction and execution of the D-PBL activity, as much of the value of this approach arises from the actions and interactions of students, their facilitators and the virtual patients rather than from the design of the virtual patients alone. At a systems level D-PBL needs to be periodically refreshed to retain its effectiveness.

Case management services for work related upper extremity disorders. Integrating workplace accommodation and problem solving.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, W S; Feuerstein, M; Lincoln, A E; Miller, V I; Wood, P M

2001-08-01

A case manager's ability to obtain worksite accommodations and engage workers in active problem solving may improve health and return to work outcomes for clients with work related upper extremity disorders (WRUEDs). This study examines the feasibility of a 2 day training seminar to help nurse case managers identify ergonomic risk factors, provide accommodation, and conduct problem solving skills training with workers' compensation claimants recovering from WRUEDs. Eight procedural steps to this case management approach were identified, translated into a training workshop format, and conveyed to 65 randomly selected case managers. Results indicate moderate to high self ratings of confidence to perform ergonomic assessments (mean = 7.5 of 10) and to provide problem solving skills training (mean = 7.2 of 10) after the seminar. This training format was suitable to experienced case managers and generated a moderate to high level of confidence to use this case management approach.

Case Designs for Ill-Structured Problems: Analysis and Implications for Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Dabbagh, Nada; Blijd, Cecily Williams

2009-01-01

This study is a third in a series of studies that examined students' information seeking and problem solving behaviors while interacting with one of two types of web-based representations of an ill-structured instructional design case: hierarchical (tree-like) and heterarchical (network-like). A Java program was used to track students' hypermedia…

Collaborative Learning in Problem Solving: A Case Study in Metacognitive Learning

OpenAIRE

Shelly L. Wismath; Doug Orr

2015-01-01

Problem solving and collaborative communication are among the key 21st century skills educators want students to develop. This paper presents results from a study of the collaborative work patterns of 133 participants from a university level course designed to develop transferable problem-solving skills. Most of the class time in this course was spent on actually solving puzzles, with minimal direct instruction; students were allowed to work either independently or in small groups...

A case study of secondary teachers facilitating a historical problem-based learning instructional unit

Science.gov (United States)

Pecore, John L.

Current curriculum trends promote inquiry-based student-centered strategies as a way to foster critical thinking and learning. Problem-based learning (PBL), a type of inquiry focusing on an issue or "problem," is an instructional approach taught on the basis that science reform efforts increase scientific literacy. PBL is a constructivist approach to learning real life problems where understanding is a function of content, context, experiences, and learner goals; historical PBL situates the lesson in a historical context and provides opportunities for teaching NOS concepts. While much research exists on the benefits of historical PBL to student learning in general, more research is warranted on how teachers implement PBL in the secondary science curriculum. The purpose of this study was to examine the classroom-learning environment of four science teachers implementing a historical PBL instructional unit to identify the teachers' understandings, successes and obstacles. By identifying teachers' possible achievements and barriers with implementing a constructivist philosophy when executing historical PBL, educators and curriculum designers may improve alignment of the learning environment to constructivist principles. A qualitative interpretive case study guided this research study. The four participants of this study were purposefully and conveniently selected from biology teachers with at least three years of teaching experience, degrees in education, State Licensure, and completion of a PBL workshop. Data collection consisted of pre and post questionnaires, structured interviews, a card sort activity in which participants categorized instructional outcomes, and participant observations. Results indicated that the four teachers assimilated reform-based constructivist practices to fit within their preexisting routines and highlighted the importance of incorporating teachers' current systems into reform-based teacher instruction. While participating teachers

national Case study

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This national case study reports on the development of a national network, ... system under the new policy), tends to be limited by content on problems and ... 20 credit programme; and within two Post Graduate Certificate of Education contexts, ...... descriptive with an issues focus (empirical) towards awareness production to.

The system evaluation for report writing skills of summary by HGA-SVM with Ontology: Medical case study in problem based learning

Science.gov (United States)

Yenaeng, Sasikanchana; Saelee, Somkid; Samai, Wirachai

2018-01-01

The system evaluation for report writing skills of summary by Hybrid Genetic Algorithm-Support Vector Machines (HGA-SVM) with Ontology of Medical Case Study in Problem Based Learning (PBL) is a system was developed as a guideline of scoring for the facilitators or medical teacher. The essay answers come from medical student of medical education courses in the nervous system motion and Behavior I and II subject, a third year medical student 20 groups of 9-10 people, the Faculty of Medicine in Prince of Songkla University (PSU). The audit committee have the opinion that the ratings of individual facilitators are inadequate, this system to solve such problems. In this paper proposes a development of the system evaluation for report writing skills of summary by HGA-SVM with Ontology of medical case study in PBL which the mean scores of machine learning score and humans (facilitators) score were not different at the significantly level .05 all 3 essay parts contain problem essay part, hypothesis essay part and learning objective essay part. The result show that, the average score all 3 essay parts that were not significantly different from the rate at the level of significance .05.

THE USE OF SCHEMATA IN READING COMPREHENSION: A CASE OF LEARNERS’ READING PROBLEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cucu Sutarsyah

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The Use of Schemata in Reading Comprehension: A Case of Learners’ Reading Problems. Schemata have an important role in the process of reading. It is almost impossible for a person to read without utilizing schemata. This study aimed to find learners’ reading problem in terms of using sche­mata.  A group of second year students of English Department of State University of Malang were in­volved in this study. As a case study, an interview, observation, and test were used to collect the data. The study reveals that the main reading problems were lack of background knowledge, over-reliance on background knowledge, and lack of background knowledge activation. In the process of reading, learn­ers’ background knowledge should be activated. Without optimal activation, the process of reading does not reach satisfactory results. It is also suggested that learners should not be over confident in get­ting the meaning from the text. Over-reliance on background knowledge might lead to misinterpretation.

Surmounting the sign problem in nonrelativistic calculations: A case study with mass-imbalanced fermions

Science.gov (United States)

Rammelmüller, Lukas; Porter, William J.; Drut, Joaquín E.; Braun, Jens

2017-11-01

The calculation of the ground state and thermodynamics of mass-imbalanced Fermi systems is a challenging many-body problem. Even in one spatial dimension, analytic solutions are limited to special configurations and numerical progress with standard Monte Carlo approaches is hindered by the sign problem. The focus of the present work is on the further development of methods to study imbalanced systems in a fully nonperturbative fashion. We report our calculations of the ground-state energy of mass-imbalanced fermions using two different approaches which are also very popular in the context of the theory of the strong interaction (quantum chromodynamics, QCD): (a) the hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm with imaginary mass imbalance, followed by an analytic continuation to the real axis; and (b) the complex Langevin algorithm. We cover a range of on-site interaction strengths that includes strongly attractive as well as strongly repulsive cases which we verify with nonperturbative renormalization group methods and perturbation theory. Our findings indicate that, for strong repulsive couplings, the energy starts to flatten out, implying interesting consequences for short-range and high-frequency correlation functions. Overall, our results clearly indicate that the complex Langevin approach is very versatile and works very well for imbalanced Fermi gases with both attractive and repulsive interactions.

EGS4, case study and tutor problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, S.K.

2000-01-01

Tutor problems having sub-directory of EGS4 code for electron transfer through medium like metal plate of tantalum, sodium iodides radiation detectors are discussed. Semi infinite slab of material is placed in a vacuum and a pencil beam of electrons or photons is incident at the origin travelling along the Z-axis is described

Using Case Studies to Teach Courtesy Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Patrick

1990-01-01

Explains some courtesy techniques that technical professionals can use to deal with interpersonal problems that arise in writing situations. Presents three case studies with sample responses to show how case studies can teach these courtesy strategies to technical writing students. (MM)

The main problems faced Ukraine in case of low-carbon economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Artemenko L. P.

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The article presents main thoughts covering the process of implementation of low-carbon economy principles in Ukraine, presented main problems towards this aim and proposes one of the main steps to be taken on this long-term way. In case of the damaged limit of the natural recourses to be developed in Ukraine nowadays (especially gas, oil, coil, etc., lost of competitive position on international market to be always placed by Ukrainian manufactories, disability to cut the value of carbon gases and then, as a result, disability to ensure Ukrainian obligations by the Kyoto protocol, Ukrainian Government needs to find better solution for solving the problems mentioned above. In this case we should take into account that the main part of these problems appeared in case of the low-carbon economy movement in the world. As we declare our desire to be next to the leaders countries, than we have to find solutions for our problems based on the main international best practices.

The Influence of Game Design on the Collaborative Problem Solving Process: A Cross-Case Study of Multi-Player Collaborative Gameplay Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Yildirim, Nilay

2013-01-01

This cross-case study examines the relationships between game design attributes and collaborative problem solving process in the context of multi-player video games. The following game design attributes: sensory stimuli elements, level of challenge, and presentation of game goals and rules were examined to determine their influence on game…

Using a Recommendation System to Support Problem Solving and Case-Based Reasoning Retrieval

Science.gov (United States)

Tawfik, Andrew A.; Alhoori, Hamed; Keene, Charles Wayne; Bailey, Christian; Hogan, Maureen

2018-01-01

In case library learning environments, learners are presented with an array of narratives that can be used to guide their problem solving. However, according to theorists, learners struggle to identify and retrieve the optimal case to solve a new problem. Given the challenges novice face during case retrieval, recommender systems can be embedded…

Modeling Soil Sodicity Problems under Dryland and Irrigated Conditions: Case Studies in Argentina and Colombia

Science.gov (United States)

Pla-Sentís, Ildefonso

2014-05-01

Salt-affected soils, both saline and sodic, my develop both under dryland and irrigated conditions, affecting negatively the physical and chemical soil properties, the crop production and the animal and human health.Among the development processes of salt-affected soils, the processes of sodification have been generally received less attention and is less understood than the development of saline soils. Although in both of them, hydrological processes are involved in their development, in the case of sodic soils we have to consider some additional chemical and physicochemical reactions, making more difficult their modeling and prediction. In this contribution we present two case studies: one related to the development of sodic soils in the lowlands of the Argentina Pampas, under dryland conditions and sub-humid temperate climate, with pastures for cattle production; the other deals with the development of sodic soils in the Colombia Cauca Valley, under irrigated conditions and tropical sub-humid climate, in lands used for sugarcane cropping dedicated to sugar and ethanol production. In both cases the development of sodicity in the surface soil is mainly related to the effects of the composition and level of groundwater, affected in the case of Argentina Pampas by the off-site changes in dryland use and management in the upper zones and by the drainage conditions in the lowlands, and in the case of the Cauca Valley, by the on-site irrigation and drainage management in lands with sugarcane. There is shown how the model SALSODIMAR, developed by the main author, based on the balance of water and soluble componentes of both the irrigation water and groundwater under different water and land management conditions, may be adapted for the diagnosis and prediction of both problems, and for the selection of alternatives for their management and amelioration.

High school learners' mental construction during solving optimisation problems in Calculus: a South African case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deonarain Brijlall

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This qualitative case study in a rural school in Umgungundlovu District in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, explored Grade 12 learners' mental constructions of mathematical knowledge during engagement with optimisation problems. Ten Grade 12 learners who do pure Mathematics participated, and data were collected through structured activity sheets and semi-structured interviews. Structured activity sheets with three tasks were given to learners; these tasks were done in groups, and the group leaders were interviewed. It was found that learners tended to do well with routine-type questions, implying that they were functioning at an action level. From the interviews it appeared that learners might have the correct answer, but lacked conceptual understanding. Exploring learners' mental constructions via their responses to activity sheets and interviews enabled common errors and misconceptions to be identified. Themes that emerged were that learners: 1 lacked the understanding of notation dy/dx, 2 had not constructed the derivative and minima/maxima schema, 3 had some difficulty in modelling problems, 4 preferred rules and formulas, and 5 applied algebraic notions incorrectly. Inferences are drawn for curriculum developers and teachers. This study also formulated itemised genetic decompositions for particular tasks, which contribute to APOS theory.

Agreement between questionnaire and medical records on some health and socioeconomic problems among poisoning cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fathelrahman Ahmed I

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the agreement between questionnaire and medical records on some health and socioeconomic problems among poisoning cases. Methods Cross-sectional sample of 100 poisoning cases consecutively admitted to the Hospital Pulau Pinang, Malaysia during the period from September 2003 to February 2004 were studied. Data on health and socioeconomic problems were collected both by self-administered questionnaire and from medical records. Agreement between the two sets of data was assessed by calculating the concordance rate, Kappa (k and PABAK. McNemar statistic was used to test differences between categories. Results Data collected by questionnaire and medical records showed excellent agreement on the "marital status"; good agreements on "chronic illness", "psychiatric illness", and "previous history of poisoning"; and fair agreements on "at least one health problem", and "boy-girl friends problem". PABAK values suggest better agreements' measures. Conclusion There were excellent to good agreements between questionnaire and medical records on the marital status and most of the health problems and fair to poor agreements on the majority of socioeconomic problems. The implications of those findings were discussed.

Problems and Challenges in Human Resource Management: Case of a Large Organization in Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Irshad

2008-09-01

Full Text Available This paper critically analyzes the work culture for a mainstream financial organization operating within Pakistan, while drawing a specific example to elucidate certain dilemmas that impede the potential growth for the financial sector and its constituent workforce, besides hampering the performance of the organizations. The case study is related to an organization in financial sector which conducts a Management Trainee Program with the purpose to select, train and develop a high-potential pool of talent into future leaders and fore-runners of the organization. This paper critically analyzes several inherent problems that face the successful implementation of the trainee program under the frameworks of various theories of organizational management. To solve these problems, this article presents a detailed diagnosis of the management shortcomings to improve the firm‟s corporate culture, work ethics and employee handling strategy and mechanism. Recommendations are also made to minimize the problems and maximize the success of the Management Trainee Program in the case study organization.

Improvement of Students’ Ability to Analyzing Cases on Case Studies Through Journal and Learning Log

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riska Ahmad

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to improve the ability of students in guidance and counseling  to  analyzing the case through journals and learning logs This research is classroom action research consists of two cycles. The research phase consisted of planning, implementation, observation and reflection. The research subject are students in guidance and counseling while they are in sixth semester, totaling 20 people who were taking courses in Case Study. The research instrument is the observation guidelines, assessment rubrics and documentation of case studies in the form of journals and learning logs, and case study reports. The study was conducted collaboratively with student magister’s program guidance and counseling. The results showed that in cycle 1 students are able to identify cases, to develop ideas about the case, select and use instruments to analyze the cause of the problem. The results of the research cycle 2, showed 17 of the 20 students were able to analyze the cause of the problem, select the type of service and provide appropriate assistance in accordance with problem cases. Overall value obtained by the students in the subject of Case Studies also increased. In terms of the ability of explanation of the concept, the concept of truth and creativity, based on the ratings given by fellow students of average ability students were in either category, although there is less good, as are associated with the activity of the opinion and the quality of the opinions expressed.

Experience gained with a case control study of risk factors in bronchial carcinoma - would the approach be suitable for assessment of the radon problem?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wichmann, H.E.

1988-01-01

In the USA and in Sweden, case control studies are being done for investigating the incidence of lung cancer and a possible association with indoor exposure to radon daughters. In the F.R.G., methods and results of a case control study of other risk factors in bronchial carcinoma are available, and the question currently discussed is whether the data obtained by this study, together with additional measurements, could be used to assess the radon problem, or whether an individual radon study should be done, and what its requirements would be. (orig.) [de

Underwater fuel handling equipment maintenance. Verification of design assumptions, specific problems and tools, case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurek, J.B.

1995-01-01

The majority of CANDU Fuel Transfer System equipment at Pickering is located under fourteen feet of water, as dictated by the containment and shielding requirements. Such arrangement, however, creates specific problems with equipment maintenance. Each single piece of equipment serves two generating units, which means in case of defect- double losses on production, or two units shut down simultaneously for planned maintenance. The requirement for underwater maintenance was not anticipated at the design stage, which multiples the level of difficulty, and creates requirement for developing special tools for each work. Removal of the damaged fuel from the receiving bays and decontamination of submerged equipment is also part of the problem. The purpose of this presentation is to share our experience with the designers, operators, maintenance mechanics and technical personnel of the other CANDU generating stations

The Case of Web-Based Course on Taxation: Current Status, Problems and Future Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Zhigang

This paper mainly introduces the case of the web-based course on taxation developed by Xiamen University. We analyze the current status, problems and future improvement of the web-based course. The web-based course has the basic contents and modules, but it has several problems including unclear object, lacking interaction, lacking examination module, lacking study management module, and the learning materials and the navigation are too simple. According to its problems, we put forward the measures to improve it.

Can renewables etc. solve the greenhouse problem? The negative case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trainer, Ted

2010-01-01

Virtually all current discussion of climate change and energy problems proceeds on the assumption that technical solutions are possible within basically affluent-consumer societies. There is however a substantial case that this assumption is mistaken. This case derives from a consideration of the scale of the tasks and of the limits of non-carbon energy sources, focusing especially on the need for redundant capacity in winter. The first line of argument is to do with the extremely high capital cost of the supply system that would be required, and the second is to do with the problems set by the intermittency of renewable sources. It is concluded that the general climate change and energy problem cannot be solved without large scale reductions in rates of economic production and consumption, and therefore without transition to fundamentally different social structures and systems.

An Interpretive Inquiry of the Case Law of Teacher Evaluation in the Southern Regional Education Board States: Forecasting Pressing Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Kidder-Wilkerson, Kathy S.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze case law related to teacher evaluation between 1980 and 2008 in the SREB states to determine the problems associated with teacher evaluation and if these problems were documented in the literature. Content analysis of teacher dismissal cases revealed many types of teacher evaluation problems. The two most…

Use of Scaffolding in Problem-Based Learning in an Elementary Classroom: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Dittmer, Lucinda

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gather data on the scaffolding a facilitator developed and used for learners during a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) setting. The study explored how the learners developed their ability to share their understanding and current knowledge by solving the presented real-world problem through investigation…

Benchmark Problems of the Geothermal Technologies Office Code Comparison Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

White, Mark D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Podgorney, Robert [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Kelkar, Sharad M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); McClure, Mark W. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Danko, George [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Ghassemi, Ahmad [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fu, Pengcheng [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bahrami, Davood [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Barbier, Charlotte [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Cheng, Qinglu [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Chiu, Kit-Kwan [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Detournay, Christine [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Elsworth, Derek [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fang, Yi [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Furtney, Jason K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Gan, Quan [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Gao, Qian [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Guo, Bin [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hao, Yue [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Horne, Roland N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Huang, Kai [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Im, Kyungjae [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Norbeck, Jack [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Rutqvist, Jonny [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Safari, M. R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Sesetty, Varahanaresh [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Sonnenthal, Eric [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Tao, Qingfeng [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); White, Signe K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wong, Yang [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Xia, Yidong [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-12-02

A diverse suite of numerical simulators is currently being applied to predict or understand the performance of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). To build confidence and identify critical development needs for these analytical tools, the United States Department of Energy, Geothermal Technologies Office has sponsored a Code Comparison Study (GTO-CCS), with participants from universities, industry, and national laboratories. A principal objective for the study was to create a community forum for improvement and verification of numerical simulators for EGS modeling. Teams participating in the study were those representing U.S. national laboratories, universities, and industries, and each team brought unique numerical simulation capabilities to bear on the problems. Two classes of problems were developed during the study, benchmark problems and challenge problems. The benchmark problems were structured to test the ability of the collection of numerical simulators to solve various combinations of coupled thermal, hydrologic, geomechanical, and geochemical processes. This class of problems was strictly defined in terms of properties, driving forces, initial conditions, and boundary conditions. Study participants submitted solutions to problems for which their simulation tools were deemed capable or nearly capable. Some participating codes were originally developed for EGS applications whereas some others were designed for different applications but can simulate processes similar to those in EGS. Solution submissions from both were encouraged. In some cases, participants made small incremental changes to their numerical simulation codes to address specific elements of the problem, and in other cases participants submitted solutions with existing simulation tools, acknowledging the limitations of the code. The challenge problems were based on the enhanced geothermal systems research conducted at Fenton Hill, near Los Alamos, New Mexico, between 1974 and 1995. The problems

Problems Teachers Face When Doing Action Research and Finding Possible Solutions: Three Cases

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Jun

2012-01-01

Through case studies, this paper explores problems teachers face when doing action research: for instance, teachers may misunderstand the research, mistrust university researchers, lack the time or adequate library resources to conduct research, lack theoretical guidance or knowledge of research methodology, and feel pressure or frustration during…

Case Studies in Sports Nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Nancy

1988-01-01

This article presents case studies of two athletes who wanted to affect a change in their body weight in order to enhance athletic performance. Each athlete's problem and the nutrition approach used to solve it are discussed. Caloric values of fast foods are listed. (JL)

Validation of key indicators in cattle farms at high risk of animal welfare problems: a qualitative case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, P C; More, S J; Blake, M; Higgins, I; Clegg, T; Hanlon, A

2013-03-23

The objective of this study was to validate four key farmer performance indicators (KFPI), identified in a previous study, as indicators of on-farm cattle welfare incidents in Ireland, through comparison of the distribution of these KPFIs in the national herd (n=109,925) and in case herds (n=18), where welfare incidents were previously studied. The KFPIs identified were late registrations, and exits from the herd by on-farm burial, by moves to knackeries and by moves to 'herd unknown'. Data were extracted from two Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine databases for the national herd and the case herds. All four KFPIs differed significantly between the case herds and the national herd, and one further KFPI was identified, namely moves to factories. The data for these KFPIs are routinely stored on national databases, which were established in order to comply with Regulation (EC) 1760/2000. Based on the results obtained in this study, it may be possible in the future to use routine data capture to improve strategy towards on-farm animal welfare. At this point, however, based on calculated specificities and sensitivities, none of these five KFPIs, at the cut-offs investigated and using several combinations, are able to distinguish herds with and without on-farm animal welfare problems at an accuracy suitable for routine national use in Ireland.

Case Study: The Mystery of the Seven Deaths--A Case Study in Cellular Respiration

Science.gov (United States)

Gazdik, Michaela

2014-01-01

Cellular respiration, the central component of cellular metabolism, can be a difficult concept for many students to fully understand. In this interrupted, problem-based case study, students explore the purpose of cellular respiration as they play the role of medical examiner, analyzing autopsy evidence to determine the mysterious cause of death…

Television Medical Dramas as Case Studies in Biochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Millard, Julie T.

2009-01-01

Several case studies from popular television medical dramas are described for use in an undergraduate biochemistry course. These cases, which illustrate fundamental principles of biochemistry, are used as the basis for problems that can be discussed further in small groups. Medical cases provide an interesting context for biochemistry with video…

Effects of case-based learning on communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation in nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Moon-Sook; Park, Hyung-Ran

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of case-based learning on communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation in sophomore nursing students. In this prospective, quasi-experimental study, we compared the pretest and post-test scores of an experimental group and a nonequivalent, nonsynchronized control group. Both groups were selected using convenience sampling, and consisted of students enrolled in a health communication course in the fall semesters of 2011 (control group) and 2012 (experimental group) at a nursing college in Suwon, South Korea. The two courses covered the same material, but in 2011 the course was lecture-based, while in 2012, lectures were replaced by case-based learning comprising five authentic cases of patient-nurse communication. At post-test, the case-based learning group showed significantly greater communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation than the lecture-based learning group. This finding suggests that case-based learning is an effective learning and teaching method. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Case Study: A Separation of Powers Lesson.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Steve

1986-01-01

Presents a case study involving students in the issue of separation of powers as applied to the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act. Students examine the case of Jagdish Rai Chadha, an immigrant threatened with deportation whose problems resulted in 1983 U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring legislative veto provision of Immigration and…

The Effects of Successful versus Failure-Based Cases on Argumentation while Solving Decision-Making Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Tawfik, Andrew; Jonassen, David

2013-01-01

Solving complex, ill-structured problems may be effectively supported by case-based reasoning through case libraries that provide just-in-time domain-specific principles in the form of stories. The cases not only articulate previous experiences of practitioners, but also serve as problem-solving narratives from which learners can acquire meaning.…

Supporting Problem Solving with Case-Stories Learning Scenario and Video-based Collaborative Learning Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun Hu

2004-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we suggest that case-based resources, which are used for assisting cognition during problem solving, can be structured around the work of narratives in social cultural psychology. Theories and other research methods have proposed structures within narratives and stories which may be useful to the design of case-based resources. Moreover, embedded within cases are stories which are contextually rich, supporting the epistemological groundings of situated cognition. Therefore the purposes of this paper are to discuss possible frameworks of case-stories; derive design principles as to “what” constitutes a good case story or narrative; and suggest how technology can support story-based learning. We adopt video-based Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL technology to support problem solving with case-stories learning scenarios. Our hypothesis in this paper is that well-designed case-based resources are able to aid in the cognitive processes undergirding problem solving and meaning making. We also suggest the use of an emerging video-based collaborative learning technology to support such an instructional strategy.

Lifeline electric rates and alternative approaches to the problems of low-income ratepayers. Ten case studies of implemented programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-07-01

Program summaries, issue developments, governmental processes, and impacts are discussed for 10 case studies dealing with lifeline electric rates and alternative approaches to the problems of low-income ratepayers, namely; the Boston Edison rate freeze; the California lifeline; Florida Power and Light conservation rate; the Iowa-Illinois Gas and Electric small-use rate; the Maine demonstration lifeline program; the Massachusetts Electric Company A-65 rate; the Michigan optional senior citizen rate; the Narragansett Electric Company A-65 SSI rate; the Northern States Power Company conservation rate break; and the Potomac Electric Power Company rate freeze. (MCW)

Souvenirs: A Case Study for the 90s.

Science.gov (United States)

Shagam, Janet Yagoda; Decker, Janet; Stanley, Ethel

The case-based study, which presents students with a dilemma that encourages exploration, is becoming a popular method for teaching biology. This Web-based report offers one such case study that asks readers to solve problems and make decisions based on information gathered as they engage with characters or situations in the story. The basis for…

A Soft Systems Approach Case Study. Faustin Kamuzora Abstrac

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Kamuzora

The paper details a case study conducted in Lushoto District, Tanzania ... area's cultural and natural resources through sustainable tourism. To achieve .... As stated above, the case study used the SSM for solving the problems in ..... Constraints: time, political environment, level of education of FoUS members. ... Road sector.

Study the Problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Choate, Joyce S.

1990-01-01

The initial step of a strategic process for solving mathematical problems, "studying the question," is discussed. A lesson plan for teaching students to identify and revise arithmetic problems is presented, involving directed instruction and supervised practice. (JDD)

Reverse case study: to think like a nurse.

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, Deborah A

2011-01-01

Reverse case study is a collaborative, innovative, active learning strategy that nurse educators can use in the classroom. Groups of students develop a case study and a care plan from a list of medications and a short two- to three-sentence scenario. The students apply the nursing process to thoroughly develop a complete case study written as a concept map. The strategy builds on previous learned information and applies the information to new content, thus promoting critical thinking and problem solving. Reverse case study has been used in both associate and baccalaureate nursing degree theory courses to generate discussion and assist students in thinking like a nurse. 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Beyond Clinical Case Studies in Psychoanalysis: A Review of Psychoanalytic Empirical Single Case Studies Published in ISI-Ranked Journals

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Meganck, Reitske; Inslegers, Ruth; Krivzov, Juri; Notaerts, Liza

2017-01-01

Single case studies are at the origin of both theory development and research in the field of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. While clinical case studies are the hallmark of psychoanalytic theory and practice, their scientific value has been strongly criticized. To address problems with the subjective bias of retrospective therapist reports and uncontrollability of clinical case studies, systematic approaches to investigate psychotherapy process and outcome at the level of the single case have been developed. Such empirical case studies are also able to bridge the famous gap between academic research and clinical practice as they provide clinically relevant insights into how psychotherapy works. This study presents a review of psychoanalytic empirical case studies published in ISI-ranked journals and maps the characteristics of the study, therapist, patient en therapies that are investigated. Empirical case studies increased in quantity and quality (amount of information and systematization) over time. While future studies could pay more attention to providing contextual information on therapist characteristics and informed consent considerations, the available literature provides a basis to conduct meta-studies of single cases and as such contribute to knowledge aggregation. PMID:29046660

Seeking creativity: A case study on information problem solving in professional music

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Wopereis, Iwan; Derix, Egbert

2017-01-01

This study explored the information seeking behavior of a professional jazz musician during creative work. It aimed at revealing information seeking activities necessary to execute present-day musical projects. A single case was studied in depth. First, a narrative interview was conducted to reveal

The Geometric Construction Abilities Of Gifted Students In Solving Real - World Problems: A Case From Turkey

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Avni YILDIZ

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Geometric constructions have already been of interest to mathematicians. However, studies on geometric construction are not adequate in the relevant literature. Moreover, these studies generally focus on how secondary school gifted students solve non-routine mathematical problems. The present study aims to examine the geometric construction abilities of ninth-grade (15 years old gifted students in solving real-world geometry problems; thus a case study was conducted. Six gifted students participated in the study. The data consisted of voice records, solutions, and models made by the students on the GeoGebra screen. Results indicate that gifted students use their previous knowledge effectively during the process of geometric construction. They modeled the situations available in the problems through using mathematical concepts and the software in coordination. Therefore, it is evident that gifted students think more creatively while solving problems using GeoGebra.

Problems in the Study of lineaments

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Anokhin, Vladimir; Kholmyanskii, Michael

2015-04-01

The study of linear objects in upper crust, called lineaments, led at one time to a major scientific results - discovery of the planetary regmatic network, the birth of some new tectonic concepts, establishment of new search for signs of mineral deposits. But now lineaments studied not enough for such a promising research direction. Lineament geomorphology has a number of problems. 1.Terminology problems. Lineament theme still has no generally accepted terminology base. Different scientists have different interpretations even for the definition of lineament We offer an expanded definition for it: lineaments - line features of the earth's crust, expressed by linear landforms, geological linear forms, linear anomalies of physical fields may follow each other, associated with faults. The term "lineament" is not identical to the term "fault", but always lineament - reasonable suspicion to fault, and this suspicion is justified in most cases. The structure lineament may include only the objects that are at least presumably can be attributed to the deep processes. Specialists in the lineament theme can overcome terminological problems if together create a common terminology database. 2. Methodological problems. Procedure manual selection lineaments mainly is depiction of straight line segments along the axes of linear morphostructures on some cartographic basis. Reduce the subjective factors of manual selection is possible, following a few simple rules: - The choice of optimal projection, scale and quality of cartographic basis; - Selection of the optimal type of linear objects under study; - The establishment of boundary conditions for the allocation lineament (minimum length, maximum bending, the minimum length to width ratio, etc.); - Allocation of an increasing number of lineaments - for representative sampling and reduce the influence of random errors; - Ranking lineaments: fine lines (rank 3) combined to form larger lineaments rank 2; which, when combined

Analytical and numerical study of validation test-cases for multi-physic problems: application to magneto-hydro-dynamic

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D Cébron

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The present paper is concerned with the numerical simulation of Magneto-Hydro-Dynamic (MHD problems with industrial tools. MHD has receivedattention some twenty to thirty years ago as a possible alternative inpropulsion applications; MHD propelled ships have even been designed forthat purpose. However, such propulsion systems have been proved of lowefficiency and fundamental researches in the area have progressivelyreceived much less attention over the past decades. Numerical simulationof MHD problem could however provide interesting solutions in the field ofturbulent flow control. The development of recent efficient numericaltechniques for multi-physic applications provide promising tool for theengineer for that purpose. In the present paper, some elementary testcases in laminar flow with magnetic forcing terms are analysed; equationsof the coupled problem are exposed, analytical solutions are derived ineach case and are compared to numerical solutions obtained with anumerical tool for multi-physic applications. The present work can be seenas a validation of numerical tools (based on the finite element method foracademic as well as industrial application purposes.

Case Study on Logistics Performance

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Shahryar Sorooshian

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The paper presents research carried out at a medium‐size manufacturing organization in east Asia. The study tries to highlight the importance of supply chain management; specifically, our aim for this study is to understand logistics and performance measurement in the logistics and supply chain, and we include a theoretical discussion of online data collected and a case study of the logistic performance of a real organization. The study also examines the performance of the selected company, identifies the problems and provides recommendations for improvements. This study can be a guide for business advisers and those interested in analysing company performance, especially from a logistics viewpoint. We also suggest the methodology of this case study for those who want to have a better understanding of a business environment before starting their own business, or for benchmarking practice during strategic planning.

The operating room case-mix problem under uncertainty and nurses capacity constraints.

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Yahia, Zakaria; Eltawil, Amr B; Harraz, Nermine A

2016-12-01

Surgery is one of the key functions in hospitals; it generates significant revenue and admissions to hospitals. In this paper we address the decision of choosing a case-mix for a surgery department. The objective of this study is to generate an optimal case-mix plan of surgery patients with uncertain surgery operations, which includes uncertainty in surgery durations, length of stay, surgery demand and the availability of nurses. In order to obtain an optimal case-mix plan, a stochastic optimization model is proposed and the sample average approximation method is applied. The proposed model is used to determine the number of surgery cases to be weekly served, the amount of operating rooms' time dedicated to each specialty and the number of ward beds dedicated to each specialty. The optimal case-mix selection criterion is based upon a weighted score taking into account both the waiting list and the historical demand of each patient category. The score aims to maximizing the service level of the operating rooms by increasing the total number of surgery cases that could be served. A computational experiment is presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method. The results show that the stochastic model solution outperforms the expected value problem solution. Additional analysis is conducted to study the effect of varying the number of ORs and nurses capacity on the overall ORs' performance.

Real Time Locations Systems or Outsourcing: A Case Study

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Lawrence, Cameron; Firth, David; Khumalo, Floyd

2013-01-01

Information Technology has transformed almost all aspects of modern healthcare and is playing a vital role in the administration of hospitals around the world. This case study examines one hospital's struggle to solve crucial operational problems related to the efficient management of medical equipment inventory. This case study is the result of…

[Outlier cases in surgical disciplines. Micro-economic and macro-economic problems].

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Tecklenburg, A; Liebeneiner, J; Schaefer, O

2009-09-01

Postoperative complications will always occur and the negative impact puts strain on patients, relatives and the attending physicians. The conversion to a remuneration system based on flat rates (diagnosis-related groups) presents additional economic problems for hospitals in some resource-intensive treatments. This particularly pertains to extremely cost-intensive cases in which costs succeed revenue by the factor of 2 and are often surgical procedures. Here the economic risk increases with the number of interventions performed. Despite improvements in the remuneration system this problem persists. An improved payment for these treatments is desirable. To achieve this it is necessary to systematically analyze the extremely cost-intensive cases by experts of different medical disciplines to create a data basis for a proposal of a cost-covering payment.

The coupled dynamical problem of thermoelasticity in case of large temperature differences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szekeres, A.

1981-01-01

In the tasks of thermoelasticity in general, also in dynamical problems it is common to suppose small temperature differences. The equations used in scientific literature refer to these. It arises the thought of what is the influence on the dynamical problems of taking into account the large temperature changes. To investigate this first we present the general equation of heat conduction in case of small temperature differences according to Nowacki and Biot. On this basis we introduce the general equation of heat conduction with large temperature changes. Some remarks show the connection between the two cases. Using the latter in the equations of thermoelasticity we write down the expressions of the problem for the thermal shock of a long bar. Finally we show the results of the numerical example and the experimental opoortunity to measure some of the constants. (orig.)

The Use of Video Cases in a Multimedia Learning Environment for Facilitating High School Students' Inquiry into a Problem from Varying Perspectives

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Zydney, Janet Mannheimer; Grincewicz, Amy

2011-12-01

This study investigated the connection between the use of video cases within a multimedia learning environment and students' inquiry into a socio-scientific problem. The software program was designed based on principles from the Cognitive Flexibility Theory (CFT) and incorporated video cases of experts with differing perspectives. Seventy-nine 10th-grade students in an urban high school participated in this study. After watching the expert videos, students generated investigative questions and reflected on how their ideas changed over time. This study found a significant correlation between the time students spent watching the expert videos and their ability to consider the problem's perspectives as well as their ability to integrate these perspectives within their questions. Moreover, problem-solving ability and time watching the videos were detected as possible influential predictors of students' consideration of the problem's perspectives within their questions. Although students watched all video cases in equivalent ways, one of the video cases, which incorporated multiple perspectives as opposed to just presenting one perspective, appeared most influential in helping students integrate the various perspectives into their own thinking. A qualitative analysis of students' reflections indicated that many students appreciated the complexity, authenticity, and ethical dimensions of the problem. It also revealed that while the majority of students thought critically about the problem, some students still had naïve or simplistic ways of thinking. This study provided some preliminary evidence that offering students the opportunity to watch videos of different perspectives may influence them to think in alternative ways about a complex problem.

ROBUST-HYBRID GENETIC ALGORITHM FOR A FLOW-SHOP SCHEDULING PROBLEM (A Case Study at PT FSCM Manufacturing Indonesia

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Johan Soewanda

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the application of Robust Hybrid Genetic Algorithm to solve a flow-shop scheduling problem. The proposed algorithm attempted to reach minimum makespan. PT. FSCM Manufacturing Indonesia Plant 4's case was used as a test case to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm was compared to Ant Colony, Genetic-Tabu, Hybrid Genetic Algorithm, and the company's algorithm. We found that Robust Hybrid Genetic produces statistically better result than the company's, but the same as Ant Colony, Genetic-Tabu, and Hybrid Genetic. In addition, Robust Hybrid Genetic Algorithm required less computational time than Hybrid Genetic Algorithm

Mathematical problem solving ability of sport students in the statistical study

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Sari, E. F. P.; Zulkardi; Putri, R. I. I.

2017-12-01

This study aims to determine the problem-solving ability of sport students of PGRI Palembang semester V in the statistics course. Subjects in this study were sport students of PGRI Palembang semester V which amounted to 31 people. The research method used is quasi experiment type one case shoot study. Data collection techniques in this study use the test and data analysis used is quantitative descriptive statistics. The conclusion of this study shown that the mathematical problem solving ability of PGRI Palembang sport students of V semester in the statistical course is categorized well with the average of the final test score of 80.3.

On the Coplanar Integrable Case of the Twice-Averaged Hill Problem with Central Body Oblateness

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Vashkov'yak, M. A.

2018-01-01

The twice-averaged Hill problem with the oblateness of the central planet is considered in the case where its equatorial plane coincides with the plane of its orbital motion relative to the perturbing body. A qualitative study of this so-called coplanar integrable case was begun by Y. Kozai in 1963 and continued by M.L. Lidov and M.V. Yarskaya in 1974. However, no rigorous analytical solution of the problem can be obtained due to the complexity of the integrals. In this paper we obtain some quantitative evolution characteristics and propose an approximate constructive-analytical solution of the evolution system in the form of explicit time dependences of satellite orbit elements. The methodical accuracy has been estimated for several orbits of artificial lunar satellites by comparison with the numerical solution of the evolution system.

Case studies: Application of SEA in provincial level expressway infrastructure network planning in China - Current existing problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Kaiyi; Sheate, William R.

2011-01-01

Since the Law of the People's Republic of China on Environmental Impact Assessment was enacted in 2003 and Huanfa 2004 No. 98 was released in 2004, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has been officially being implemented in the expressway infrastructure planning field in China. Through scrutinizing two SEA application cases of China's provincial level expressway infrastructure (PLEI) network plans, it is found that current SEA practice in expressway infrastructure planning field has a number of problems including: SEA practitioners do not fully understand the objective of SEA; its potential contributions to strategic planning and decision-making is extremely limited; the employed application procedure and prediction and assessment techniques are too simple to bring objective, unbiased and scientific results; and no alternative options are considered. All these problems directly lead to poor quality SEA and consequently weaken SEA's effectiveness.

Data Mining and Complex Problems: Case Study in Composite Materials

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Rabelo, Luis; Marin, Mario

2009-01-01

Data mining is defined as the discovery of useful, possibly unexpected, patterns and relationships in data using statistical and non-statistical techniques in order to develop schemes for decision and policy making. Data mining can be used to discover the sources and causes of problems in complex systems. In addition, data mining can support simulation strategies by finding the different constants and parameters to be used in the development of simulation models. This paper introduces a framework for data mining and its application to complex problems. To further explain some of the concepts outlined in this paper, the potential application to the NASA Shuttle Reinforced Carbon-Carbon structures and genetic programming is used as an illustration.

Case Study: Testing with Case Studies

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Herreid, Clyde Freeman

2015-01-01

This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. This month's issue discusses using case studies to test for knowledge or lessons learned.

Mathematical modelling a case studies approach

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Illner, Reinhard; McCollum, Samantha; Roode, Thea van

2004-01-01

Mathematical modelling is a subject without boundaries. It is the means by which mathematics becomes useful to virtually any subject. Moreover, modelling has been and continues to be a driving force for the development of mathematics itself. This book explains the process of modelling real situations to obtain mathematical problems that can be analyzed, thus solving the original problem. The presentation is in the form of case studies, which are developed much as they would be in true applications. In many cases, an initial model is created, then modified along the way. Some cases are familiar, such as the evaluation of an annuity. Others are unique, such as the fascinating situation in which an engineer, armed only with a slide rule, had 24 hours to compute whether a valve would hold when a temporary rock plug was removed from a water tunnel. Each chapter ends with a set of exercises and some suggestions for class projects. Some projects are extensive, as with the explorations of the predator-prey model; oth...

Differentiating case-based learning from problem-based learning after a twoday introductory workshop on case-based learning

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Aqil Mohammad Daher

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background Considerable overlap exists between case-based learning (CBL and problem-based learning (PBL and differentiating between the two can be difficult for a lot of the academicians. Aims This study gauged the ability of members of medical school, familiar with a problem-based learning (PBL curriculum, to differentiate between case-based learning (CBL and PBL after a two-day workshop on CBL. Methods A questionnaire was distributed to all participants, attending the introductory course on CBL. It was designed to document the basic characteristics of the respondents, their preference for either CBL or PBL, their ability to recognize differences between CBL and PBL, and their overall perception of the course. Results Of the total workshop participants, 80.5 per cent returned the completed questionnaire. The mean age of the respondents was 44.12±12.31 years and women made up a slight majority. Majority favoured CBL over PBL and felt it was more clinical, emphasizes on self-directed learning, provides more opportunities for learning, permits in-depth exploration of cases, has structured environment and encourages the use of all learning resources. On the respondents’ ability to discriminate CBL from PBL, a weighted score of 39.9 per cent indicated a failure on the part of the respondents to correctly identify differences between CBL and PBL. Less than half opined that CBL was a worthwhile progression from PBL and about third would recommend CBL over PBL. Conclusion It seems that majority of the respondents failed to adequately differentiate between CBL and PBL and didn’t favour CBL over PBL.

Mathematical Tasks without Words and Word Problems: Perceptions of Reluctant Problem Solvers

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Holbert, Sydney Margaret

2013-01-01

This qualitative research study used a multiple, holistic case study approach (Yin, 2009) to explore the perceptions of reluctant problem solvers related to mathematical tasks without words and word problems. Participants were given a choice of working a mathematical task without words or a word problem during four problem-solving sessions. Data…

Finding p-Hub Median Locations: An Empirical Study on Problems and Solution Techniques

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Xiaoqian Sun

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Hub location problems have been studied by many researchers for almost 30 years, and, accordingly, various solution methods have been proposed. In this paper, we implement and evaluate several widely used methods for solving five standard hub location problems. To assess the scalability and solution qualities of these methods, three well-known datasets are used as case studies: Turkish Postal System, Australia Post, and Civil Aeronautics Board. Classical problems in small networks can be solved efficiently using CPLEX because of their low complexity. Genetic algorithms perform well for solving three types of single allocation problems, since the problem formulations can be neatly encoded with chromosomes of reasonable size. Lagrangian relaxation is the only technique that solves reliable multiple allocation problems in large networks. We believe that our work helps other researchers to get an overview on the best solution techniques for the problems investigated in our study and also stipulates further interest on cross-comparing solution techniques for more expressive problem formulations.

Teaching Business Intelligence through Case Studies

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Pomykalski, James J.

2015-01-01

In teaching business students about the application and implementation of technology, especially involving business intelligence, it is important to discover that project success in enterprise systems development efforts often depend on the non-technological problems or issues. The focus of this paper will be on the use of multiple case studies in…

Using Clinical Gait Case Studies to Enhance Learning in Biomechanics

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Chester, Victoria

2011-01-01

Clinical case studies facilitate the development of clinical reasoning strategies through knowledge and integration of the basic sciences. Case studies have been shown to be more effective in developing problem-solving abilities than the traditional lecture format. To enhance the learning experiences of students in biomechanics, clinical case…

Reflective action assessment with a prospective clinical problem solving tool in the context of rehabilitation medicine: an illustrative case study.

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Kellett, David; Mpofu, Elias; Madden, Richard

2013-06-01

This study describes a case formulation approach applying a prospective ICF derived clinical tool to assess rehabilitation needs for a community dwelling stroke survivor with care from an outpatient rehabilitation medicine clinic. Case history data on the person were assessed for rehabilitation management planning using a prospective tool to interlink current with projected future functional status in everyday settings. Implicit assessment with reflective action informed decision points at each stage of the rehabilitation process. As a result of reflective action using the prospective tool, rehabilitation management led to significant changes in client participation after limitations to mobility and self care were mapped to the living conditions of the stroke survivor. The context sensitive rehabilitative plan resulted in higher subjective health-related quality of life in the stroke survivor and significant other and enhanced their capacity for participation. Reflective action informed assessment applying ICF concepts to clinical problem solving resulted in positive gains in health-related quality of life in a stroke survivor.

Incorporating Case Studies into a World Food and Population Course

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Econopouly, Bethany F.; Byrne, Patrick F.; Johnson, Marc A.

2010-01-01

The use of case studies in college courses can increase student engagement with the subject matter and improve analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. Case studies were introduced in a relatively large (54 students) undergraduate world food and population course at Colorado State University in the spring semester of 2008 and…

Investigating a Proposed Problem Solving Theory in the Context of Mathematical Problem Solving: A Multi-Case Study

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Mills, Nadia Monrose

2015-01-01

The ability to succeed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers is contingent on a student's ability to engage in mathematical problem solving. As a result, there has been increased focus on students' ability to think critically by providing them more with problem solving experiences in the classroom. Much research has…

Classical and quantum treatments of the diffraction problem in the case of non-homogeneous media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Datzeff, A.B.

1978-02-01

The diffraction of waves by an aperture is usually studied in the case of a homogeneous medium. In this paper, a method is proposed for the solution of the same problem in a medium of variable parameters (refractive index, external fields). It is successfully applied to diffraction of a classical scalar wave as well as of an electromagnetic vector wave and a Schroedinger wave, within the framework of this method, the scattering of particles may be considered as a particular case of the diffraction problem. Furthermore, the method is extended to cover the case of diffraction of dense electron beams. This has been achieved by means of a non-linear integro-differential equation, proposed by the author as a generalization of the well-known linear Schroedinger equation. A decisive experiment could be made which, besides showing whether the solution thus obtained is true, would also speak in favour of one of the two equations mentioned above. The latter is pertinent to the discussion of the physical essence of Quantum Mechanics

Context Matters: Increasing Understanding with Interactive Clicker Case Studies

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Lundeberg, Mary A.; Kang, Hosun; Wolter, Bjorn; delMas, Robert; Armstrong, Norris; Borsari, Bruno; Boury, Nancy; Brickman, Peggy; Hannam, Kristi; Heinz, Cheryl; Horvath, Thomas; Knabb, Maureen; Platt, Terry; Rice, Nancy; Rogers, Bill; Sharp, Joan; Ribbens, Eric; Maier, Kimberly S.; Deschryver, Mike; Hagley, Rodney; Goulet, Tamar; Herreid, Clyde F.

2011-01-01

Although interactive technology is presumed to increase student understanding in large classes, no previous research studies have empirically explored the effects of Clicker Cases on students' performance. A Clicker Case is a story (e.g., a problem someone is facing) that uses clickers (student response systems) to engage students in understanding…

Embracing Wicked Problems: The Turn to Design in Composition Studies

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Marback, Richard

2009-01-01

Recent appeal to the concept of design in composition studies benefits teaching writing in digital media. Yet the concept of design has not been developed enough to fully benefit composition instruction. This article develops an understanding of design as a matter of resolving wicked problems and makes a case for the advantages of this…

A proposal to improve e-waste collection efficiency in urban mining: Container loading and vehicle routing problems - A case study of Poland.

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Nowakowski, Piotr

2017-02-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), also known as e-waste, is one of the most important waste streams with high recycling potential. Materials used in these products are valuable, but some of them are hazardous. The urban mining approach attempts to recycle as many materials as possible, so efficiency in collection is vital. There are two main methods used to collect WEEE: stationary and mobile, each with different variants. The responsibility of WEEE organizations and waste collection companies is to assure all resources required for these activities - bins, containers, collection vehicles and staff - are available, taking into account cost minimization. Therefore, it is necessary to correctly determine the capacity of containers and number of collection vehicles for an area where WEEE need to be collected. There are two main problems encountered in collection, storage and transportation of WEEE: container loading problems and vehicle routing problems. In this study, an adaptation of these two models for packing and collecting WEEE is proposed, along with a practical implementation plan designed to be useful for collection companies' guidelines for container loading and route optimization. The solutions are presented in the case studies of real-world conditions for WEEE collection companies in Poland. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pediatric surgical diseases. A radiological surgical case study approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esposito, Ciro; Esposito, Giovanni

2009-01-01

Radiologic evaluation of an infant or child suspected of having a surgical disease can be a complex problem. With this volume, the editors have created a book focused on pediatric imaging written by pediatricians, pediatric surgeons and pediatric radiologists. This book is a collection of over 200 case reports. The concept is a case study approach: The reader is given radiologic images (plain radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, etc.) and the clinical history of the patient. On the basis of this information, the reader is asked to identify a diagnostic and therapeutic strategy. Each case is complemented by information on the disease affecting the patient and the management of the case shown, including therapy and follow-up. This educational text is targeted at all medical professionals faced with a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic problems affecting infants and children. (orig.)

Pediatric surgical diseases. A radiological surgical case study approach

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Esposito, Ciro [Federico II Univ. of Naples (Italy). Chair of Pediatric Surgery; Esposito, Giovanni (eds.) [Federico II Univ. of Naples (Italy). School of Medicine

2009-07-01

Radiologic evaluation of an infant or child suspected of having a surgical disease can be a complex problem. With this volume, the editors have created a book focused on pediatric imaging written by pediatricians, pediatric surgeons and pediatric radiologists. This book is a collection of over 200 case reports. The concept is a case study approach: The reader is given radiologic images (plain radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, etc.) and the clinical history of the patient. On the basis of this information, the reader is asked to identify a diagnostic and therapeutic strategy. Each case is complemented by information on the disease affecting the patient and the management of the case shown, including therapy and follow-up. This educational text is targeted at all medical professionals faced with a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic problems affecting infants and children. (orig.)

Reflective thinking in solving an algebra problem: a case study of field independent-prospective teacher

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Agustan, S.; Juniati, Dwi; Yuli Eko Siswono, Tatag

2017-10-01

Nowadays, reflective thinking is one of the important things which become a concern in learning mathematics, especially in solving a mathematical problem. The purpose of this paper is to describe how the student used reflective thinking when solved an algebra problem. The subject of this research is one female student who has field independent cognitive style. This research is a descriptive exploratory study with data analysis using qualitative approach to describe in depth reflective thinking of prospective teacher in solving an algebra problem. Four main categories are used to analyse the reflective thinking in solving an algebra problem: (1) formulation and synthesis of experience, (2) orderliness of experience, (3) evaluating the experience and (4) testing the selected solution based on the experience. The results showed that the subject described the problem by using another word and the subject also found the difficulties in making mathematical modelling. The subject analysed two concepts used in solving problem. For instance, geometry related to point and line while algebra is related to algebra arithmetic operation. The subject stated that solution must have four aspect to get effective solution, specifically the ability to (a) understand the meaning of every words; (b) make mathematical modelling; (c) calculate mathematically; (d) interpret solution obtained logically. To test the internal consistency or error in solution, the subject checked and looked back related procedures and operations used. Moreover, the subject tried to resolve the problem in a different way to compare the answers which had been obtained before. The findings supported the assertion that reflective thinking provides an opportunity for the students in improving their weakness in mathematical problem solving. It can make a grow accuracy and concentration in solving a mathematical problem. Consequently, the students will get the right and logic answer by reflective thinking.

The Problem Revisited

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ovesen, Nis

2015-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) is becoming increasingly popular in design educations, but how is it taught and practiced? This paper presents a case study of a three-day workshop that has the purpose of introducing PBL to design students. A theoretical background on PBL and problems in design is es...... is established and is backing up the case study. The study shows that design engineering and architectural students without experience in PBL in general finds the approach to be beneficial when working on a design challenge in a student team....

Introducing future engineers to sustainable ecology problems: a case study

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Filipkowski, A.

2011-12-01

The problem of Earth environmental destruction by human activities is becoming dangerous. Engineers responsible for the production of any goods should be well aware of the negative influence of their activities on the state of the planet. This is why the understanding of ecological problems is essential for people responsible for production and industrial design. The energy, which they consume, is increasing the greenhouse effect and the waste poisons the environment. So far, most courses on ecology are offered to specialists in environmental engineering. These courses are filled with many details. The Warsaw Academy of Computer Science, Management and Administration teaches students in the direction of management and production engineering. Upon completion, the students receive the degree of 'engineer'. Their future work will mainly concern management of different types of industrial enterprises and they will be responsible for organising it in such a way as to avoid a dangerous contribution to environmental pollution and climate change. This is why it was decided to introduce a new course entitled 'Principles of Ecology and Environmental Management'. This course is quite broad, concerning almost all technical, law and organisational aspects of the problem. The presentation is made in a spectacular way, aiming to convince students that their future activity must be environmentally friendly. It contains information about international activities in ecology, legal aspects concerning pollution, technical and information methods of monitoring and, finally, the description of 'green' solutions. Altogether, 27 hours of lectures and 15 hours of discussions and students' presentations complete the course. Details of this course are described in this paper.

Humanitarian logistics: Review and case study of Zimbabwean experiences

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Charles Mbohwa

2010-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews and presents findings on mini-case studies done on the difficulties and problems faced by humanitarian organisations in running logistics systems in Zimbabwe. Document analysis was done and this was complemented by mini-case studies and semi-structured interviews and site visits. Mini-case studies of the operations of the World Food Programme, the International Red Cross Society and the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Children's Fund and the Zimbabwean Civil Protection Organisation in Zimbabwe are discussed. These clarify the difficulties and problems faced such as the lack of trained logistics personnel, lack of access to specialised humanitarian logistics courses and research information, the difficulty in using and adapting existing logistics systems in attending to humanitarian logistics and the lack of collaborative efforts that address the area specifically. This study seeks to use primary and secondary information to inform decision-making in humanitarian logistics with possible lessons for neighbouring countries, other regions in Africa and beyond. Activities on collaborative networks that are beneficial to humanitarian logistics are also suggested.

Case studies in organic contaminant hydrogeology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, J.A.

1989-01-01

The effective management of domestic solid waste and hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste is a major problem in the area of environmental geology and water sciences throughout the world. A series of case studies is presented of organic contaminants from both solid and hazardous waste disposal facilities to provide examples of these problems. The facilities were investigated to determine risks and liabilities before acquisition, to determine the site hydrogeologic conditions for design of appropriate groundwater monitoring plans, and/or to determine the potential for groundwater contamination. The case studies are of disposal facilities located in glacial tills, carbonaceous weathered clay soils, weathered shale, limestone bedrock, dolomite bedrock, and alluvial and sedimentary deposits. The results of these studies and investigations show certain relationships in the distribution of organic pollutants to the different geologic and hydrogeologic characteristics of each facility. In each of the four case studies, all 129 priority pollutants were analyzed in private wells and/or monitoring wells. The 31 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the priority pollutant list were the majority of organic compounds detected. When VOCs are found in groundwater impacted by disposal facilities, they are present in groups and tend to be distributed in patterns based on their relative concentrations. It is rare to find only one or two VOCs from facilities where leakage has been detected. The ethylenes and ethanes appear to be more prevalent and mobile than aromatic VOCs. The aromatics are restricted primarily to leachates and wastes and in monitoring wells located adjacent to facilities. 2 refs., 15 figs

The surface water storage problem in arid regions: a case study of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Most dams lose capacity as a result of three principal phenomena: leakage, sedimentation and evaporation. The study of these phenomena is particularly important as they can also endanger the dam's stability. Here, we examine the case of the Gargar dam in western Algeria. This dam is located in an arid zone where ...

Improving Transportation Services for the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce: A Case Study on Solving the Mixed-Fleet Vehicle Routing Problem with Split Deliveries

Science.gov (United States)

Suthikarnnarunai, N.; Olinick, E.

2009-01-01

We present a case study on the application of techniques for solving the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) to improve the transportation service provided by the University of The Thai Chamber of Commerce to its staff. The problem is modeled as VRP with time windows, split deliveries, and a mixed fleet. An exact algorithm and a heuristic solution procedure are developed to solve the problem and implemented in the AMPL modeling language and CPLEX Integer Programming solver. Empirical results indicate that the heuristic can find relatively good solutions in a small fraction of the time required by the exact method. We also perform sensitivity analysis and find that a savings in outsourcing cost can be achieved with a small increase in vehicle capacity.

Anorexia in the Adolescence - case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Almeida de Paiva, Maria O

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Eating disorders lead to special biological and psychological states. The result of the total lack of food is treated in a distinct way by anorexia. Nutritionists have thus had difficulty in coming to an agreement on the best therapy to prevent such disorders. First it is essential to understand which treatment aims are and then to attempt to know how the several treatment models used nowadays can reach those aims. Someone who suffers from eating disorders, together with an inner deformation, suffers from too much sensitiveness. In order to solve these problems, one needs a change in the relationship with oneself, with the others and with the world. This study presents a teenager’s case study – Anorexia. Is, in fact, a problem that society faces and can’t ignore. Many youngsters have already died and others are following their steps. But there are also those ones that succeeded in overcoming the problem and now are reporting their stories.

A heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing model for solving the LPG distribution problem: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onut, S; Kamber, M R; Altay, G

2014-01-01

Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) is an important management problem in the field of distribution and logistics. In VRPs, routes from a distribution point to geographically distributed points are designed with minimum cost and considering customer demands. All points should be visited only once and by one vehicle in one route. Total demand in one route should not exceed the capacity of the vehicle that assigned to that route. VRPs are varied due to real life constraints related to vehicle types, number of depots, transportation conditions and time periods, etc. Heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing problem is a kind of VRP that vehicles have different capacity and costs. There are two types of vehicles in our problem. In this study, it is used the real world data and obtained from a company that operates in LPG sector in Turkey. An optimization model is established for planning daily routes and assigned vehicles. The model is solved by GAMS and optimal solution is found in a reasonable time

A heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing model for solving the LPG distribution problem: A case study

Science.gov (United States)

Onut, S.; Kamber, M. R.; Altay, G.

2014-03-01

Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) is an important management problem in the field of distribution and logistics. In VRPs, routes from a distribution point to geographically distributed points are designed with minimum cost and considering customer demands. All points should be visited only once and by one vehicle in one route. Total demand in one route should not exceed the capacity of the vehicle that assigned to that route. VRPs are varied due to real life constraints related to vehicle types, number of depots, transportation conditions and time periods, etc. Heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing problem is a kind of VRP that vehicles have different capacity and costs. There are two types of vehicles in our problem. In this study, it is used the real world data and obtained from a company that operates in LPG sector in Turkey. An optimization model is established for planning daily routes and assigned vehicles. The model is solved by GAMS and optimal solution is found in a reasonable time.

Seedbed based on IoT: A Case Study

OpenAIRE

J. Kalathas; D.V. Bandekas; A. Kosmidis; V. Kanakaris

2016-01-01

Nowadays, the Wireless Sensors Network (WSN) and the Internet of Things (IOT) are widely used in providing decision support systems which solve many problems in the real-world. This paper presents IoT as the best way to solve the agricultural problems, related to seedbed resources optimization, decision making support and seed breeding monitoring. This case study provides real-time information about the seedbed that will help agriculturists make the right decisions during the seed...

A real case study on transportation scenario comparison

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsoukiás A.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a real case study dealing with the comparison of transport scenarios. The study is conducted within a larger project concerning the establishment of the maritime traffic policy in Greece. The paper presents the problem situation and an appropriate problem formulation. Moreover a detailed version of the evaluation model is presented in the paper. The model consists of a complex hierarchy of evaluation models enabling us to take into account the multiple dimensions and points of view of the actors involved in the evaluations.

Case Studies on the Symbolism of Difference-Finding Problems in First Grade.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasegawa, Junichi

2002-01-01

Discusses a class on subtraction or difference-finding, problems such as "There are eight white flowers and five red flowers, how many more white flowers are there than red flowers?" used in the teaching of Japanese first grade children. Describes three instances of introductory teaching of "difference-finding" problems in the…

Studies in nonlinear problems of energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matkowsky, B.J.

1992-07-01

Emphasis has been on combustion and flame propagation. The research program was on modeling, analysis and computation of combustion phenomena, with emphasis on transition from laminar to turbulent combustion. Nonlinear dynamics and pattern formation were investigated in the transition. Stability of combustion waves, and transitions to complex waves are described. Combustion waves possess large activation energies, so that chemical reactions are significant only in thin layers, or reaction zones. In limit of infinite activation energy, the zones shrink to moving surfaces, (fronts) which must be found during the analysis, so that (moving free boundary problems). The studies are carried out for limiting case with fronts, while the numerical studies are carried out for finite, though large, activation energy. Accurate resolution of the solution in the reaction zones is essential, otherwise false predictions of dynamics are possible. Since the the reaction zones move, adaptive pseudo-spectral methods were developed. The approach is based on a synergism of analytical and computational methods. The numerical computations build on and extend the analytical information. Furthermore, analytical solutions serve as benchmarks for testing the accuracy of the computation. Finally, ideas from analysis (singular perturbation theory) have induced new approaches to computations. The computational results suggest new analysis to be considered. Among the recent interesting results, was spatio-temporal chaos in combustion. One goal is extension of the adaptive pseudo-spectral methods to adaptive domain decomposition methods. Efforts have begun to develop such methods for problems with multiple reaction zones, corresponding to problems with more complex, and more realistic chemistry. Other topics included stochastics, oscillators, Rysteretic Josephson junctions, DC SQUID, Markov jumps, laser with saturable absorber, chemical physics, Brownian movement, combustion synthesis, etc.

Error Analysis for Arithmetic Word Problems--A Case Study of Primary Three Students in One Singapore School

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Lu Pien

2015-01-01

In this study, ways in which 9-year old students from one Singapore school solved 1-step and 2-step word problems based on the three semantic structures were examined. The students' work and diagrams provided insights into the range of errors in word problem solving for 1- step and 2-step word problems. In particular, the errors provided some…

Competitiveness based on logistic management: a real case study

OpenAIRE

García Márquez, Fausto Pedro; Peña García Pardo, Isidro; Ramos M. Nieto, Marta

2014-01-01

An efficient and effective logistic system is a strategic objective in any produc- tive business. This paper presents a real case study of a routing problem in a food industry firm. This problem is solved as a Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) using the Neural Net- work (NN) and Tabu Search (TS) algorithms. A customer selection based on a profitability analysis was carried out. The aforementioned algorithms were then applied, leading to a considerable reduction in the total logistic costs. This r...

A granular tabu search algorithm for a real case study of a vehicle routing problem with a heterogeneous fleet and time windows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Bernal

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: We consider a real case study of a vehicle routing problem with a heterogeneous fleet and time windows (HFVRPTW for a franchise company bottling Coca-Cola products in Colombia. This study aims to determine the routes to be performed to fulfill the demand of the customers by using a heterogeneous fleet and considering soft time windows. The objective is to minimize the distance traveled by the performed routes. Design/methodology/approach: We propose a two-phase heuristic algorithm. In the proposed approach, after an initial phase (first phase, a granular tabu search is applied during the improvement phase (second phase. Two additional procedures are considered to help that the algorithm could escape from local optimum, given that during a given number of iterations there has been no improvement. Findings: Computational experiments on real instances show that the proposed algorithm is able to obtain high-quality solutions within a short computing time compared to the results found by the software that the company currently uses to plan the daily routes. Originality/value: We propose a novel metaheuristic algorithm for solving a real routing problem by considering heterogeneous fleet and time windows. The efficiency of the proposed approach has been tested on real instances, and the computational experiments shown its applicability and performance for solving NP-Hard Problems related with routing problems with similar characteristics. The proposed algorithm was able to improve some of the current solutions applied by the company by reducing the route length and the number of vehicles.

THE MANAGEMENT OF AN ADOLESCENT WITH CONDUCT PROBLEMS IN A PRIMARY CARE CLINIC – A CASE REPORT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KHAIRANI O

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To describe the management of mild conduct problems in an adolescent at the primary care level. Case report: A 16 year old girl presented with conduct problems with impending school suspension. The cause of her behavioural problems was mainly related to poor parenting skills of her parents and anger in herself. She was successfully managed with counselling and improvement of parenting styles in her parents. Conclusion: This case report illustrates the opportunity for family physicians to manage simple conduct problems at primary care level.

Alcohol effects on family relations: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Reinaldo, Amanda Márcia Dos Santos; Pillon, Sandra Cristina

2008-01-01

Problems related to alcohol abuse have been associated to different factors, regardless of the causes attributed to this phenomenon. Alcohol consumption and dependence is considered a public health problem and deserve attention because of the social, work, family, physical, legal and violence-related risks it represents. This study aimed to identify the effects of alcoholism on family relations and, by means of case management, to encourage the recovery of these relationships. The results show that the problems caused by alcohol abuse impose profound suffering to family members, which contributes to high levels of interpersonal conflict, domestic violence, parental inadequacy, child abuse and negligence, financial and legal difficulties, in addition to clinical problems associated to it.

The construction of minimal multilayered perceptrons : a case study for sorting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zwietering, P.J.; Aarts, E.H.L.; Wessels, J.

1993-01-01

We consider the construction of minimal multilayered perceptrons for solving combinatorial optimization problems. Though general in nature, the proposed construction method is presented as a case study for the sorting problem. The presentation starts with an O((n!)2) three-layered perceptron based

Work, Productivity, and Human Performance: Practical Case Studies in Ergonomics, Human Factors and Human Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraser, T. M.; Pityn, P. J.

This book contains 12 case histories, each based on a real-life problem, that show how a manager can use common sense, knowledge, and interpersonal skills to solve problems in human performance at work. Each case study describes a worker's problem and provides background information and an assignment; solutions are suggested. The following cases…

Persistent User Bias in Case-Crossover Studies in Pharmacoepidemiology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hallas, Jesper; Pottegård, Anton; Wang, Shirley

2016-01-01

Studying the effect of chronic medication exposure by means of a case-crossover design may result in an upward-biased odds ratio. In this study, our aim was to assess the occurrence of this bias and to evaluate whether it is remedied by including a control group (the case-time-control design...... for the retinal detachment controls were similar, leading to near-null case-time-control estimates for all 3 medication classes. For wrist fracture and stroke, the odds ratios were higher for cases than for controls, and case-time-control odds ratios were consistently above unity, thus implying significant...... residual bias. In case-crossover studies of medications, contamination by persistent users confers a moderate bias upward, which is partly remedied by using a control group. The optimal strategy for dealing with this problem is currently unknown....

Comprehensive Report For Proposed Elevated Temperature Elastic Perfectly Plastic (EPP) Code Cases Representative Example Problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hollinger, Greg L. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2014-06-01

Background: The current rules in the nuclear section of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel (B&PV) Code , Section III, Subsection NH for the evaluation of strain limits and creep-fatigue damage using simplified methods based on elastic analysis have been deemed inappropriate for Alloy 617 at temperatures above 1200F (650C)1. To address this issue, proposed code rules have been developed which are based on the use of elastic-perfectly plastic (E-PP) analysis methods and which are expected to be applicable to very high temperatures. The proposed rules for strain limits and creep-fatigue evaluation were initially documented in the technical literature 2, 3, and have been recently revised to incorporate comments and simplify their application. The revised code cases have been developed. Task Objectives: The goal of the Sample Problem task is to exercise these code cases through example problems to demonstrate their feasibility and, also, to identify potential corrections and improvements should problems be encountered. This will provide input to the development of technical background documents for consideration by the applicable B&PV committees considering these code cases for approval. This task has been performed by Hollinger and Pease of Becht Engineering Co., Inc., Nuclear Services Division and a report detailing the results of the E-PP analyses conducted on example problems per the procedures of the E-PP strain limits and creep-fatigue draft code cases is enclosed as Enclosure 1. Conclusions: The feasibility of the application of the E-PP code cases has been demonstrated through example problems that consist of realistic geometry (a nozzle attached to a semi-hemispheric shell with a circumferential weld) and load (pressure; pipe reaction load applied at the end of the nozzle, including axial and shear forces, bending and torsional moments; through-wall transient temperature gradient) and design and operating conditions (Levels A, B and C).

Lean Perspectives: A Case for Implementing Parent-Child Relational Problem Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Okeoma, Bryson C

2018-04-17

The purpose of the current study was to make a case for instituting parent-child relational problem (PCRP) screening as a standard of care in pediatric inpatient psychiatric units due to increasing evidence that PCRP may be an underreported problem that affects more adolescents than currently realized. Adolescents who are admitted to the hospital for mood exacerbation, suicidal ideation, self-harm behavior, or behavioral escalation may improve and be discharged. However, these adolescents often are readmitted, which may be associated with parent-child relational factors. By identifying adolescents with PCRP and initiating holistic therapy/intervention that addresses the underlying cause of their PCRP, it may be possible to improve the parent-adolescent relationship and break the cycle of admission, discharge, and readmission. PCRP is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for development and progression of childhood mental illnesses. Investment in screening and treatment for PCRP may result in significant cost savings from prevention or reduction of rehospitalization and/or amelioration of disability. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(x), xx-xx.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Case Study: Use of Problem-Based Learning to Develop Students' Technical and Professional Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Warnock, James N.; Mohammadi-Aragh, M. Jean

2016-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogy that has attracted attention for many biomedical engineering curricula. The aim of the current study was to address the research question, "Does PBL enable students to develop desirable professional engineering skills?" The desirable skills identified were communication, teamwork, problem…

Soft computing based on hierarchical evaluation approach and criteria interdependencies for energy decision-making problems: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gitinavard, Hossein; Mousavi, S. Meysam; Vahdani, Behnam

2017-01-01

In numerous real-world energy decision problems, decision makers often encounter complex environments, in which existent imprecise data and uncertain information lead us to make an appropriate decision. In this paper, a new soft computing group decision-making approach is introduced based on novel compromise ranking method and interval-valued hesitant fuzzy sets (IVHFSs) for energy decision-making problems under multiple criteria. In the proposed approach, the assessment information is provided by energy experts or decision makers based on interval-valued hesitant fuzzy elements under incomplete criteria weights. In this respect, a new ranking index is presented respecting to interval-valued hesitant fuzzy Hamming distance measure to prioritize energy candidates, and criteria weights are computed based on an extended maximizing deviation method by considering the preferences experts' judgments about the relative importance of each criterion. Also, a decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method is extended under an IVHF-environment to compute the interdependencies between and within the selected criteria in the hierarchical structure. Accordingly, to demonstrate the applicability of the presented approach a case study and a practical example are provided regarding to hierarchical structure and criteria interdependencies relations for renewable energy and energy policy selection problems. Hence, the obtained computational results are compared with a fuzzy decision-making method from the recent literature based on some comparison parameters to show the advantages and constraints of the proposed approach. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is prepared to indicate effects of different criteria weights on ranking results to present the robustness or sensitiveness of the proposed soft computing approach versus the relative importance of criteria. - Highlights: • Introducing a novel interval-valued hesitant fuzzy compromise ranking method. • Presenting

Social entrepreneurship and innovation international case studies and practice

CERN Document Server

2016-01-01

Social innovators and social entrepreneurs look for creative and affordable solutions to specific societal problems. Fueled by the spread of the internet and the ubiquity of cell phones, it is easier than ever before to attempt to solve pressing social and environmental problems in the world. "Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation" presents the journeys of pioneering and often accidental social innovators who used their courage, tenacity, and creative thinking to find a solution to their problem. The case studies do not gloss over the setbacks and dead ends these people faced; instead, they offer a realistic insight into the challenges and mindset needed to overcome them. From bringing solar-powered lighting to Nigerian midwives, to using surplus food to reconnecting broken refugee families, each case draws out the lessons learned and provides guidance and advice for anyone inspired to take action of their own.

THE MANAGEMENT OF AN ADOLESCENT WITH CONDUCT PROBLEMS IN A PRIMARY CARE CLINIC – A CASE REPORT

OpenAIRE

KHAIRANI O; AZIMAH MN

2009-01-01

Purpose: To describe the management of mild conduct problems in an adolescent at the primary care level. Case report: A 16 year old girl presented with conduct problems with impending school suspension. The cause of her behavioural problems was mainly related to poor parenting skills of her parents and anger in herself. She was successfully managed with counselling and improvement of parenting styles in her parents. Conclusion: This case report illustrates the opportunity for family physician...

Problems of Gas Pressure Build-up in Casing String of UGS and Gas Wells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Sovius

2006-10-01

Full Text Available This paper consists of three basic parts. The opening part is a brief description of problems associated with the secondary untightness of UGS wells (Underground Gas Storages and gas wells generally.The main part of the paper is composed of some cases that we have met in our company. Solution proposals of various cases are also supplied in this part. Separate problem situations are described in terms of finding out an untight point and also a testing result and consequential removing of untightness.The conclusion includes knowledge summary that were taken by solution of complicatedsituations connected with well non-hermeticity.

Impact of an Engineering Case Study in a High School Pre-Engineering Course

Science.gov (United States)

Rutz, Eugene; Shafer, Michelle

2011-01-01

Students at an all-girls high school who were enrolled in an introduction to engineering course were presented an engineering case study to determine if the case study affected their attitudes toward engineering and their abilities to solve engineering problems. A case study on power plants was implemented during a unit on electrical engineering.…

Slow Integral Manifolds and Control Problems in Critical and Twice Critical Cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobolev, Vladimir

2016-01-01

We consider singularly perturbed differential systems in cases where the standard theory to establish a slow integral manifold existence does not work. The theory has traditionally dealt only with perturbation problems near normally hyperbolic manifold of singularities and this manifold is supposed to isolated. Applying transformations we reduce the original singularly perturbed problem to a regularized one such that the existence of slow integral manifolds can be established by means of the standard theory. We illustrate our approach by several examples. (paper)

Roadmaster Roading Contractors Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hazel Taylor

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Systems analysis students seldom experience the practical difficulties of the initial investigation into a client’s requirements. They get little chance to practice the skills they need to investigate complex and confused problem situations, or to appreciate the wider organizational issues that can impact on a situation. This teaching case is designed to give students the opportunity to practice and apply investigation skills and to challenge them to consider the wider work environment when considering possible solutions to a problem situation. The case is conducted as a role-play, with students acting as systems analysts and teaching staff role-playing the clients. The students develop a report analyzing the client’s situation based on the issues that arise during the interviews. Feed-back sessions focus on discussing how well the students applied various interviewing strategies previously covered in lectures, and on the wider organizational problems that could impact proposed information system solutions.

Non-integrability of the Anisotropic Stormer Problem and the Isosceles Three-Body Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Nomikos, D. G.; Papageorgiou, V. G.

2009-02-01

We study the Anisotropic Stormer Problem (ASP) and the Isosceles Three-Body Problem (IP), from the viewpoint of integrability, using Morales-Ramis theory and its generalization. The study of their integrability presents particular interest since they model important physical phenomena. Both problems can be reduced with respect to the S1 symmetry. Almeida and Stuchi [M.A. Almeida, T.J. Stuchi, Non-integrability of the anisotropic Stormer problem with angular momentum, Physica D 189 (2004) 219-233] proved that the reduced ASP is non-integrable for almost all values of the parameters. In this paper we establish the non-integrability (in the extended Liouville sense) of the remaining cases. The IP is a special case of the three-body problem and it can be considered as a generalization of the Sitnikov problem. Here we prove that the complexified reduced IP does not admit an additional independent meromorphic first integral.

Occupational medicine in a developing society: a case study of Venezuela.

Science.gov (United States)

Guidotti, T L; Goldsmith, D F

1980-01-01

Recent activities of the World Health Organization and other international agencies have placed new emphasis on occupational health in developing nations. Venezuela is a nation in transition from a developing society dominated economically by petroleum and agriculture to an economically-diversified industrialized urban society. It provides a case study which illuminates the problems of extending occupational health services in developing economies and questions of public policy regarding utilization of medical resources and the priority that occupational health should hold in such a society. Occupational health has become a serious problem in the developing world as new industries and accelerating ecnomic development occur without adequate resources for worker protection. The study of cases such as that of Venezuela may provide guidance for anticipating and preventing problems in other nations. This paper should be considered a pilot study to explore a social aspect of occupational health that has not received adequate attention.

School Leaders' Problem Framing: A Sense-Making Approach to Problem-Solving Processes of Beginning School Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Sleegers, Peter; Wassink, Hartger; van Veen, Klaas; Imants, Jeroen

2009-01-01

In addition to cognitive research on school leaders' problem solving, this study focuses on the situated and personal nature of problem framing by combining insights from cognitive research on problem solving and sense-making theory. The study reports the results of a case study of two school leaders solving problems in their daily context by…

City personification as problem solving to strengthen the wholeness of the city: study case in Serui city, Papua

Science.gov (United States)

Hardine, Y. R. I.; Herlily

2018-03-01

Serui City in Papua Province has many unique characters and must be maintained for the sake of the continuity of its identity. However, this city still lacks the facility and depend on other areas. Accordingly, it becomes vulnerable. The wholeness of the city is not just by having strong character but also having strength regarding vitality. The loss of it can affect the character and even eliminate it. Cities and people have many similarities regarding character and vitality. Therefore, there is a chance to solve the problems in the city using the similar approach to treat the human. We called city personification methods as problem-solving to the city. It means that we treat the city as a human being so that the problem can be solved as the human’s treatment. The personification of this city is conducted because of the many treatments that have proven effective in humans and may also be powerful to manifest in city. The personification makes the design will only focus on the particular networks and not on the whole “body,” remain in the hope for strengthening (maintain and improve) the quality of wholeness (character and vitality) city which in this case is Serui.

The Drop-Out Problem in Primary Education: Towards Universalization of Primary Education in Asia and the Pacific--Some Case Studies: China, India, Peninsular Malaysia, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific.

The ways in which six developing countries in Asia are dealing with the problem of children dropping out of elementary school are discussed in these essays. One of the persistent problems that has deterred universalization of primary education is the early dropping out of children from schools. Case studies describing the magnitude and causes of…

Aero-disaster in Port Harcourt, Nigeria: A case study

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aero-disaster in Port Harcourt, Nigeria: A case study ... Aero-disaster in Nigeria is posing a serious problem to government, the public and relatives of victims, ..... which was recorded in one of our victim's relation, ... this communication.

Problem Posing in Leadership Education: Using Case Study to Foster More Effective Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Myran, Steve; Sutherland, Ian

2016-01-01

This case explores Crabapple Middle, a struggling urban school in the midst of a transition that seeks new leadership that can overcome the challenges of two sub-cultures that divide the school and community. In an effort to address issues of low academic performance and negative community perception, an International Baccalaureate magnet program…

Just in time or Just in case: A Case study on the impact of context in ERP implementations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Don V Kerr

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This paper looks at a case study of an Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP implementation in a geographically dispersed utility company and the approach by middle management to several problem situations involving contextual issues and end-user developed (feral systems. The paper contends that despite the extremely effective databases and sophisticated modules for business analytic functions within most ERP’s, middle managers are still in the “just in case of an incident” mode of inventory management and data entered in their own feral systems may be significantly different to the inventory levels recorded in the main ERP. We contend that these problems point towards the failure of ERP systems to be context sensitive to organisations. It highlights problems in contemporary research which appears to lack understanding of different organisational contexts and how they could impact on ERP implementations. This paper argues that context and the ideals of ERP systems are often mismatched which leads to the development of feral systems, poor inventory practices and ERP systems implementation failure. The paper discusses the literature around ERP systems implementation and argues that context is an overlooked factor in the analysis of such systems. The paper uses case study evidence to demonstrate mismatched context and highlights the problems with assuming ERP systems are one size fits all. The paper concludes with a call to build more contextual research in the study of ERP implementations.

Ethics in scientific communication: study of a problem case.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, R L

1994-12-01

The hypothermia experiments performed on humans during the Second World War at the German concentration camp in Dachau have been regarded as crimes against humanity, disguised as medical research. For almost 50 years, scientists maintained that the study produced valuable, even if not totally reliable, information. In recent years, the results from the Dachau hypothermia project were glamorized with life-saving potential and a heated ethical dialogue was activated about the use of life-saving but tainted scientific information. In the wake of the debate, an in-depth examination of the scientific rigour of the project was performed and revealed that neither the science nor the scientists from Dachau could be trusted and that the data were worthless. The body of medical opinion accepted the unfavourable determination but a few scientists and ethicists have continued to endorse the validity, of at least parts, of the Dachau hypothermia data. The conduct of the scientific communications about the Dachau hypothermia experiments by the scientific and ethical communities invites serious consideration of a possible ethical misadventure. It appears that for almost 50 years, the results of the study had been endorsed without careful examination of the scientific base of the experiments and that secondary citation of relevant original material may have been commonly employed. These infractions contributed to a myth that good science was practised by the Nazis at Dachau. The more recent emphasis on the life-saving potential of the Dachau data, without citation of credible supporting evidence, has also been misleading. Similarly, acceptance of a determination by an in-depth examination that the 'whole' Dachau project if flawed with simultaneous endorsement of the validity of 'parts' of the results, poses an ethical problem. It is advisable that before seeking ethical consultation about the use of unethically obtained data, scientists should examine the quality of science behind

Users are problem solvers!

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer-Janse, M.D.

1991-01-01

Most formal problem-solving studies use verbal protocol and observational data of problem solvers working on a task. In user-centred product-design projects, observational studies of users are frequently used too. In the latter case, however, systematic control of conditions, indepth analysis and

The Welfare of Bears in Zoos: A Case Study of Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Maślak, Robert; Sergiel, Agnieszka; Bowles, David; Paśko, Łukasz

2016-01-01

The welfare of captive bears became a big issue of concern in Poland when a case of a bear being ill-treated became a high-profile case in the media. This case created a challenge to verify, study, and understand the main problems associated with bear keeping so that zoos could significantly improve the conditions in which they keep bears or ensure they keep bears at the minimum required standards. The results presented here are from 1 of the few countrywide studies of captive bear conditions conducted in all the captive institutions in Poland that keep bears. Thirteen institutions kept bears at the time of the study (2007-2009), including 54 individuals of 5 species. Major welfare problems were identified, and the results have been used to challenge zoos to address the changes required and focus the government's attention on areas that require legislative improvement.

A granular t abu search algorithm for a real case study of a vehicle routing problem with a heterogeneous fleet and time windows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernal, Jose; Escobar, John Willmer; Linfati, Rodrigo

2017-07-01

We consider a real case study of a vehicle routing problem with a heterogeneous fleet and time windows (HFVRPTW) for a franchise company bottling Coca-Cola products in Colombia. This study aims to determine the routes to be performed to fulfill the demand of the customers by using a heterogeneous fleet and considering soft time windows. The objective is to minimize the distance traveled by the performed routes. Design/methodology/approach: We propose a two-phase heuristic algorithm. In the proposed approach, after an initial phase (first phase), a granular tabu search is applied during the improvement phase (second phase). Two additional procedures are considered to help that the algorithm could escape from local optimum, given that during a given number of iterations there has been no improvement. Findings: Computational experiments on real instances show that the proposed algorithm is able to obtain high-quality solutions within a short computing time compared to the results found by the software that the company currently uses to plan the daily routes. Originality/value: We propose a novel metaheuristic algorithm for solving a real routing problem by considering heterogeneous fleet and time windows. The efficiency of the proposed approach has been tested on real instances, and the computational experiments shown its applicability and performance for solving NP-Hard Problems related with routing problems with similar characteristics. The proposed algorithm was able to improve some of the current solutions applied by the company by reducing the route length and the number of vehicles.

A granular t abu search algorithm for a real case study of a vehicle routing problem with a heterogeneous fleet and time windows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernal, Jose; Escobar, John Willmer; Linfati, Rodrigo

2017-01-01

We consider a real case study of a vehicle routing problem with a heterogeneous fleet and time windows (HFVRPTW) for a franchise company bottling Coca-Cola products in Colombia. This study aims to determine the routes to be performed to fulfill the demand of the customers by using a heterogeneous fleet and considering soft time windows. The objective is to minimize the distance traveled by the performed routes. Design/methodology/approach: We propose a two-phase heuristic algorithm. In the proposed approach, after an initial phase (first phase), a granular tabu search is applied during the improvement phase (second phase). Two additional procedures are considered to help that the algorithm could escape from local optimum, given that during a given number of iterations there has been no improvement. Findings: Computational experiments on real instances show that the proposed algorithm is able to obtain high-quality solutions within a short computing time compared to the results found by the software that the company currently uses to plan the daily routes. Originality/value: We propose a novel metaheuristic algorithm for solving a real routing problem by considering heterogeneous fleet and time windows. The efficiency of the proposed approach has been tested on real instances, and the computational experiments shown its applicability and performance for solving NP-Hard Problems related with routing problems with similar characteristics. The proposed algorithm was able to improve some of the current solutions applied by the company by reducing the route length and the number of vehicles.

Investigation of problems of closing of geophysical cracks in thermoelastic media in the case of flow of fluids with impurities

Science.gov (United States)

Martirosyan, A. N.; Davtyan, A. V.; Dinunts, A. S.; Martirosyan, H. A.

2018-04-01

The purpose of this article is to investigate a problem of closing cracks by building up a layer of sediments on surfaces of a crack in an infinite thermoelastic medium in the presence of a flow of fluids with impurities. The statement of the problem of closing geophysical cracks in the presence of a fluid flow is presented with regard to the thermoelastic stress and the influence of the impurity deposition in the liquid on the crack surfaces due to thermal diffusion at the fracture closure. The Wiener–Hopf method yields an analytical solution in the special case without friction. Numerical calculations are performed in this case and the dependence of the crack closure time on the coordinate is plotted. A similar spatial problem is also solved. These results generalize the results of previous studies of geophysical cracks and debris in rocks, where the closure of a crack due to temperature effects is studied without taking the elastic stresses into account.

A conversational case-based reasoning approach to assisting experts in solving professional problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Negar Armaghan

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, organizations attempt to retrieve, collect, preserve and manage knowledge and experience of experts in order to reuse them later and to promote innovation. In this sense, Experience Management is one of the important organizational issues. This article is discussed the main ideas of a future Conversational Case-Based Reasoning (CCBR intended to assist the experts of after-sales service in a French industrial company. The aim of this research is to formalize the experience of experts in after-sales service in order to better reuse them for similar problems in future. The research opts for an action research method which consists of two main parts: description of failure and proposition of decision protocol. The data were complemented by questionnaires, documentary analysis (including technical reports and other technical documents, observation and many interviews with experts. The findings include several aspects: the formalization of Problem-solving Cards, proposing the structure of case base, as well as the framework of proposed system. These formalizations permit after-sales service experts to provide effective diagnosis and problem-solving.

Solving multi-objective facility location problem using the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process and goal programming: a case study on infectious waste disposal centers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Narong Wichapa

Full Text Available The selection of a suitable location for infectious waste disposal is one of the major problems in waste management. Determining the location of infectious waste disposal centers is a difficult and complex process because it requires combining social and environmental factors that are hard to interpret, and cost factors that require the allocation of resources. Additionally, it depends on several regulations. Based on the actual conditions of a case study, forty hospitals and three candidate municipalities in the sub-Northeast region of Thailand, we considered multiple factors such as infrastructure, geological and social & environmental factors, calculating global priority weights using the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP. After that, a new multi-objective facility location problem model which combines FAHP and goal programming (GP, namely the FAHP-GP model, was tested. The proposed model can lead to selecting new suitable locations for infectious waste disposal by considering both total cost and final priority weight objectives. The novelty of the proposed model is the simultaneous combination of relevant factors that are difficult to interpret and cost factors, which require the allocation of resources. Keywords: Multi-objective facility location problem, Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, Infectious waste disposal centers

Bridge flap technique as a single-step solution to mucogingival problems: A case series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vivek Gupta

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Shallow vestibule, gingival recession, inadequate width of attached gingiva (AG and aberrant frenum pull are an array of mucogingival problems for which several independent and effective surgical solutions are reported in the literature. This case series reports the effectiveness of the bridge flap technique as a single-step surgical entity for increasing the depth of the vestibule, root coverage, increasing the width of the AG and solving the problem of abnormal frenum pull. Eight patients with 18 teeth altogether having Millers class I, II or III recession along with problems of shallow vestibule, inadequate width of AG and with or without frenum pull underwent this surgical procedure and were followed-up till 9 months post-operatively. The mean root coverage obtained was 55% and the mean average gain in width of the AG was 3.5 mm. The mean percentage gain in clinical attachment level was 41%. The bridge flap technique can be an effective single-step solution for the aforementioned mucogingival problems if present simultaneously in any case, and offers considerable advantages over other mucogingival surgical techniques in terms of simplicity, limited chair-time for the patient and the operator, single surgical intervention for manifold mucogingival problems and low morbidity because of the absence of palatal donor tissue.

Off-Line and Dynamic Production Scheduling – A Comparative Case Study

OpenAIRE

Bożek Andrzej; Wysocki Marian

2016-01-01

A comprehensive case study of manufacturing scheduling solutions development is given. It includes highly generalized scheduling problem as well as a few scheduling modes, methods and problem models. The considered problem combines flexible job shop structure, lot streaming with variable sublots, transport times, setup times, and machine calendars. Tabu search metaheuristic and constraint programming methods have been used for the off-line scheduling. Two dynamic scheduling methods have also ...

Hemiequilibrium problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Aslam Noor

2004-01-01

Full Text Available We consider a new class of equilibrium problems, known as hemiequilibrium problems. Using the auxiliary principle technique, we suggest and analyze a class of iterative algorithms for solving hemiequilibrium problems, the convergence of which requires either pseudomonotonicity or partially relaxed strong monotonicity. As a special case, we obtain a new method for hemivariational inequalities. Since hemiequilibrium problems include hemivariational inequalities and equilibrium problems as special cases, the results proved in this paper still hold for these problems.

Overview of the Case Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cameron, Ian; Gani, Rafiqul

2011-01-01

A series of case studies are used to illustrate many of the underlying modelling principles within the book. To facilitate this, the ICAS-MoT modelling tool has been used. A wide range of application areas have been chosen to ensure that the principal concepts of effective and efficient modelling...... are exercised. Conceptual frameworks for single and multiscale problems are given and explained. The importance of the steps is also explained, through annotated schematic diagrams. The important issues around workflow and data flow are given in diagrammatic form....

Case studies of nurseries in Malawi

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Namoto, M.; Likoswe, M.G.

This study of 42 case studies of nurseries was made as part of a major sample survey of 360 nurseries in 6 districts in Malawi. The purpose of the study was to let the small nurseries in the country explain in their own words how they source seed, how and for whom they produce seedlings......, and to explain about their problems and opportunities in the nursery business. The assessment was made within the framework of Improved Seed Supply for Agroforestry in African Countries (ISSAAC), a Danida supported programme implemented in cooperation between Forest & Landscape Denmark and World Agroforestry...

Eddy current imaging. Simplifying the direct problem. Analysis of a 2D case with formulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spineanu, A.; Zorgati, R.

1995-01-01

Eddy current non-destructive testing is used by EDF to detect faults affecting conductive objects such as steam generator tubes. A new technique, known as eddy current imaging, is being developed to facilitate diagnosis in this context. The first stage in this work, discussed in the present paper, consists in solving the direct problem. This entails determining the measurable quantities, on the basis of a thorough knowledge of the material considered. This was done by formulating the direct problem in terms of eddy currents in general 3D geometry context, applying distribution theory and Maxwell equations. Since no direct problem code was available we resorted to simplified situations. Taking care not to interfere with previous developments or those to be attempted in an inversion context, we studied the case of a flaw affecting a 2D structure, illuminated by a plane wave type probe. For this configuration, we studied the exact model and compared results with those of a linearized simplified model. This study emphasizes the ill-posed situation of the eddy current inverse problem related with the severe electromagnetic field attenuation. This means that regularization of the inverse problem, although absolutely necessary, will not be sufficient. Owing to the simplicity of the models available and implemented during the inversion process, processing real data would not yet be possible. We must first focus all our efforts on the direct 3 D problem, in conformity with the requirements of the inverse procedure ad describing a realistic eddy current NDT situation. At the same time, consideration should be given to the design of a specific probe customized for eddy current imaging. (authors). 9 refs., 5 figs., 3 appends

Problem Based Learning - Linking Students and Industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fink, Flemming K.

2006-01-01

WG2_G4 Problem based learning – linking students and industry: a case study from Aalborg, Denmark Flemming K. Flink ELITE Aalborg University In Aalborg University, Denmark, all study programmes are organised around inter-disciplinary project work in groups. Up to 50% of the study work is problem-...... is essentially problem solving. The presentation looks into on campus POPBL and the Facilitated Work Based Learning (FBL) for continuing education. It also presents case examples of POPBL work....

a South African case study

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

learn different algorithms to solve problems, but in many cases cannot solve .... centre of Piaget‟s work is a fundamental cognitive process, which he termed ..... concept definition of continuity in calculus through collaborative instructional ...

Effective Teaching in Case-Based Education: Patterns in Teacher Behavior and Their Impact on the Students' Clinical Problem Solving and Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Ramaekers, Stephan; van Keulen, Hanno; Kremer, Wim; Pilot, Albert; van Beukelen, Peter

2011-01-01

Case-based learning formats, in which relevant case information is provided just in time, require teachers to combine their scaffolding role with an information-providing one. The objective of this study is to establish how this combination of roles affects teacher behavior and that, in turn, mediates students' reasoning and problem solving. Data…

Automating the Analysis of Problem-solving Activities in Learning Environments: the Co-Lab Case Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duque, R.; Bollen, Lars; Anjewierden, Anjo Allert; Bravo, C.

2012-01-01

The analysis of problem-solving activities carried out by students in learning settings involves studying the students' actions and assessing the solutions they have created. This analysis constitutes an ideal starting point to support an automatic intervention in the student activity by means of

Obstacle mean-field game problem

KAUST Repository

Gomes, Diogo A.; Patrizi, Stefania

2015-01-01

In this paper, we introduce and study a first-order mean-field game obstacle problem. We examine the case of local dependence on the measure under assumptions that include both the logarithmic case and power-like nonlinearities. Since the obstacle operator is not differentiable, the equations for first-order mean field game problems have to be discussed carefully. Hence, we begin by considering a penalized problem. We prove this problem admits a unique solution satisfying uniform bounds. These bounds serve to pass to the limit in the penalized problem and to characterize the limiting equations. Finally, we prove uniqueness of solutions. © European Mathematical Society 2015.

Problem-Oriented Corporate Knowledge Base Models on the Case-Based Reasoning Approach Basis

Science.gov (United States)

Gluhih, I. N.; Akhmadulin, R. K.

2017-07-01

One of the urgent directions of efficiency enhancement of production processes and enterprises activities management is creation and use of corporate knowledge bases. The article suggests a concept of problem-oriented corporate knowledge bases (PO CKB), in which knowledge is arranged around possible problem situations and represents a tool for making and implementing decisions in such situations. For knowledge representation in PO CKB a case-based reasoning approach is encouraged to use. Under this approach, the content of a case as a knowledge base component has been defined; based on the situation tree a PO CKB knowledge model has been developed, in which the knowledge about typical situations as well as specific examples of situations and solutions have been represented. A generalized problem-oriented corporate knowledge base structural chart and possible modes of its operation have been suggested. The obtained models allow creating and using corporate knowledge bases for support of decision making and implementing, training, staff skill upgrading and analysis of the decisions taken. The universal interpretation of terms “situation” and “solution” adopted in the work allows using the suggested models to develop problem-oriented corporate knowledge bases in different subject domains. It has been suggested to use the developed models for making corporate knowledge bases of the enterprises that operate engineer systems and networks at large production facilities.

Arts-Based Learning and Leadership Development: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Brenner, Michael Yoel

2010-01-01

This qualitative case study was designed to explore how participants in an arts-based leadership development program learned to draw on their right brain capabilities in order to develop the creative competencies required to solve complex modern-day problems in new and different ways. The rationale for this study emerges from the researcher's…

Health and Sleep Problems in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: A Case Control Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, S. S.; Arron, K.; Sloneem, J.; Oliver, C.

2008-01-01

Background: Self-injury, sleep problems and health problems are commonly reported in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) but there are no comparisons with appropriately matched participants. The relationship between these areas and comparison to a control group is warranted. Method: 54 individuals with CdLS were compared with 46 participants with…

Participative business modelling to support strategic decision making in operations : a case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Akkermans, H.A.

1993-01-01

Describes a case study in which a consultancy method based on participative business modelling was used to support strategic decision making in the field of operations. In this case study the Dutch client company faced serious logical and financial problems after an attempt to attain competitive

E-BANKING: A CASE STUDY OF ASKARI COMMERCIAL BANK PAKISTAN

OpenAIRE

Muhammad Shakil AHMAD; Shahid RASHID; Muhammad Tahir MASOOD; Ehtesham UL MUJEEB

2011-01-01

This paper has covered the operational issues related to e-banking as well as customer’s perception on usage of e-banking a case study of Askari Bank, Pakistan. 40 staff members and four customers are selected as sample for this study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used to present the results. Descriptive statistics is applied to describe the demographic variables while for operational problems correlation was used. Finally cross case analysis present customers’ perception abo...

CASE STUDY CRITIQUE; UPPER CLINCH CASE STUDY

Science.gov (United States)

Case study critique: Upper Clinch case study (from Research on Methods for Integrating Ecological Economics and Ecological Risk Assessment: A Trade-off Weighted Index Approach to Integrating Economics and Ecological Risk Assessment). This critique answers the questions: 1) does ...

Archaeological culture and medieval ethnic community: theoretical and methodical problems of correlation (the case of medieval Bulgaria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Izmaylov Iskander L.

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Problems related to archaeological culture and ethnos comparison in the case of medieval Bulgaria are discussed in the article. According to the author, in recent years it has become evident that the traditional concept and methodology of the study of the Bulgars’ ethnogenesis and ethnic history are in contradiction with the facts accumulated. The methods of “archaeological ethno-genetics”, which dictated solving problems of ethnogenesis of the ancient population belonging to an archaeological culture in direct correlation with ethnicity, are currently being criticized. According to modern ideas about ethnos and ethnicity, ethnicity is based upon identity with a complex hierarchical nature. Contemporary methodology requires proceeding with the integrated study of the problems of ethnogenesis on the basis of archaeology and ethnology. This kind of analysis is based upon the study of the medieval Bulgar mentality as a source of information on key aspects of ethno-political ideas. The analysis of authentic historical sources, historiographical tradition elements and folklore materials makes it possible to reconstruct the basic ideas that were significant for an ethnic group. The archaeological culture of the population of Bulgaria is characterized by two clearly distinguished and interconnected elements – the common Muslim culture and that of the elite military “druzhina” (squad. These elements directly characterize the Bulgar ethno-political community. These theoretical conclusions and empirical research concerning the case of the medieval Bulgars’ ethnogenesis attest to the productivity of ethnological synthesis techniques on an interdisciplinary basis.

Comparison of 2 resident learning tools-interactive screen-based simulated case scenarios versus problem-based learning discussions: a prospective quasi-crossover cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajan, Shobana; Khanna, Ashish; Argalious, Maged; Kimatian, Stephen J; Mascha, Edward J; Makarova, Natalya; Nada, Eman M; Elsharkawy, Hesham; Firoozbakhsh, Farhad; Avitsian, Rafi

2016-02-01

Simulation-based learning is emerging as an alternative educational tool in this era of a relative shortfall of teaching anesthesiologists. The objective of the study is to assess whether screen-based (interactive computer simulated) case scenarios are more effective than problem-based learning discussions (PBLDs) in improving test scores 4 and 8 weeks after these interventions in anesthesia residents during their first neuroanesthesia rotation. Prospective, nonblinded quasi-crossover study. Cleveland Clinic. Anesthesiology residents. Two case scenarios were delivered from the Anesoft software as screen-based sessions, and parallel scripts were developed for 2 PBLDs. Each resident underwent both types of training sessions, starting with the PBLD session, and the 2 cases were alternated each month (ie, in 1 month, the screen-based intervention used case 1 and the PBLD used case 2, and vice versa for the next month). Test scores before the rotation (baseline), immediately after the rotation (4 weeks after the start of the rotation), and 8 weeks after the start of rotation were collected on each topic from each resident. The effect of training method on improvement in test scores was assessed using a linear mixed-effects model. Compared to the departmental standard of PBLD, the simulation method did not improve either the 4- or 8-week mean test scores (P = .41 and P = .40 for training method effect on 4- and 8-week scores, respectively). Resident satisfaction with the simulation module on a 5-point Likert scale showed subjective evidence of a positive impact on resident education. Screen-based simulators were not more effective than PBLD for education during the neuroanesthesia rotation in anesthesia residency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integration of case study approach, project design and computer ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

pc

2018-03-05

Mar 5, 2018 ... computer modeling used as a research method applied in the process ... conclusions discuss the benefits for students who analyzed the ... accounting education process the case study method should not .... providing travel safety information to passengers ... from literature readings with practical problems.

The problem of digital heritage: the case of Costa Rica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Bernal Rivas Fernández

2012-04-01

Full Text Available In this article we analyze the problem you are facing the production of documents in digital form, as a result of the latest trends in the e-government that poses new challenges for archives and access to information contained in this type of support. This is a brief review the case of Costa Rica, where there have already been some effects in terms of the protection of digital heritage especially by the impact of information technologies and communication.

Recommendations on the use of expert judgment in safety and reliability engineering studies. Two offshore case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hokstada, Per; Oien, Knut; Reinertsen, Rune

1998-01-01

This paper provides guidance on the process of establishing input data to safety and reliability engineering analyses when no or little field data exist, and expert judgment is required. Some recommendations are directly related to a discussion of basic requirements for scientific work. Further, two case studies are discussed in order to highlight some actual problem areas that are experienced when using expert judgment, and some recommendations for handling these problems are given. The first case describes how expert judgment was used to analyse the safe operation of an umbilical on a semisubmersible drilling rig, and the second case is related to establishing generic failure rates/probabilities for components of offshore safety systems

The problem of criticality and initial-value problem in neutron transport theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kyncl, J.

1984-10-01

The problem of criticality and the initial value problem are studied in the case of a linear Boltzmann equation and of both finite and infinite media. The space of functions where the problems are solved is chosen in such a way as to cover a wide range of physical situations. The asymptotic time behavior of the solution to the initial-value problem is also discussed, and main results are summarized in three basic theorems. (author)

Case Study Method in Business Education in the USA

Science.gov (United States)

Velushchak, Maryna

2014-01-01

Business Education is dynamic in nature and needs diverse information to deal with different business problems. To understand the peculiar situations and to manage them effectively, case studies are widely used. Researchers in education have already demonstrated that students' active participation in the educational process increases their…

Problem based learning (PBL) vs. Case based curriculum in clinical clerkship, Internal Medicine innovated Curriculum, Student prospective.

Science.gov (United States)

Aljarallah, Badr; Hassan, Mohammad Saleh

2015-04-01

The vast majority of PBL experience is in basic science courses. Application of classic Problem based learning in clerkship phase is challenging. Although the clinical case is considered a problem, yet solving this problem following the burrow's law has faced hurdles. The difficulties are facing the learner, the teacher and curricula. We implement innovative curriculum for the clerkship year in internal medicine course. We surveyed the student just before coming to an internal medicine course to ask them about continuing PBL or other types of learning in clinical years. A committee was created to study the possible ways to integrate PBL in the course. After multiple brainstorming meeting, an innovated curriculum was implemented. Student surveyed again after they completed their course. The survey is asking them about what is the effect of the implemented curriculum in their skills, attitude, and knowledge. 70% of Students, who finished their basic science in PBL, preferred not to have classical PBL, but more a clinical oriented case based curriculum in the clinical years. After this innovated curriculum, 50-60 % of students who completed it showed a positive response in all aspects of effects including skill, attitude, and knowledge. The Innovated curriculum includes daily morning report, 3 bedside teaching, investigation session, and clinical reasoning weekly, and Lectures up to twice a week. We suggest implementing a curriculum with PBL and case-based criteria in clinical phase are feasible, we are providing a framework with this innovated curriculum.

Prototype Development and Redesign: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

1990-03-01

deal with difficult problems of leadership , strategy and management." [Ref. 10:p. 1] Admiral Turner feels that using the case study method "will help...placement officer was a Lieutenant Commander or Commander. Often times they came from leadership positions of executive officer equivalence. They were...ting power. Personnel within the computer organizatin who are used to manual methods and potential users of the system are resisting the change and

The management of an adolescent with conduct problems in a primary care clinic - a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Azimah, Mn; Khairani, O

2009-01-01

To describe the management of mild conduct problems in an adolescent at the primary care level. A 16 year old girl presented with conduct problems with impending school suspension. The cause of her behavioural problems was mainly related to poor parenting skills of her parents and anger in herself. She was successfully managed with counselling and improvement of parenting styles in her parents. This case report illustrates the opportunity for family physicians to manage simple conduct problems at primary care level.

Self-Management for Primary School Students Demonstrating Problem Behavior in Regular Classrooms: Evidence Review of Single-Case Design Research

Science.gov (United States)

Busacca, Margherita L.; Anderson, Angelika; Moore, Dennis W.

2015-01-01

This review evaluates self-management literature targeting problem behaviors of primary school students in general education settings. Thirty-one single-case design studies met inclusion criteria, of which 16 demonstrated adequate methodological rigor, according to What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) design standards. Visual analysis and WWC…

Single case studies as a means for developing psychological theories.

Science.gov (United States)

Skvortsov, Anatoliy; Romashchuk, Alexander

2015-12-01

The Socratic function of single case studies (SCSs) is described in its relation to the problem of scientific theory development. Contrary to the traditional point of view, the single case study is not a demonstration or verification of theoretical concepts, but a method of their generation and opportunity for analysis of their interrelations. Considering the case study from the perspective of the Socratic function brings to light important conclusions about the ecological validity of theory development. The essential features of the Socratic function are illustrated using the example of the famous Romantic Essays of Alexandr Luria. © 2015 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Mathematical and numerical study of nonlinear boundary problems related to plasma physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sermange, M.

1982-06-01

After the study of some equations based on the Hodgkin-Huxley model, the work presented here is concerned with nonlinear boundary problems in MHD. They are gathered in two subjects: equilibrium equations and stability equations. The axisymmetric MHD equilibrium equations with free boundary have been studied by different authors, particularly the existence, regularity, unicity and non-unicity. Here, bifurcation, convergence of calculation methods existence of solutions in a discontinuous frame are studied. MHD stability can be determined by the principle of Bernstein et al; the mathematical work concerned here bears on the equivalence, in the case of two-dimensional or axisymmetric stability, between this model and a scalar eigenvalue problem which is introduced. At last, modules for computing MHD equilibrium for the simulation of plasma confinement in a tokamak are described [fr

Problem Solving vs. Troubleshooting Tasks: The Case of Sixth-Grade Students Studying Simple Electric Circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Safadi, Rafi'; Yerushalmi, Edit

2014-01-01

We compared the materialization of knowledge integration processes in class discussions that followed troubleshooting (TS) and problem-solving (PS) tasks and examined the impact of these tasks on students' conceptual understanding. The study was conducted in two sixth-grade classes taught by the same teacher, in six lessons that constituted a…

Designing and Maintaining a Communication Consulting Relationship: A Fire Officer Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Cragan, John F.

2008-01-01

This case study describes a 35-year communication consulting relationship with the Illinois Fire Chiefs' Association. This case explains the fire chiefs' educational problems, the five-step method for creating an educational curriculum for fire officers, and the five-step procedure for continuous evaluation of the curriculum. Finally, an…

Multimodal Behavior Therapy: Case Study of a High School Student.

Science.gov (United States)

Seligman, Linda

1981-01-01

A case study of a high school student concerned with weight problems illustrates multimodal behavior therapy and its use in a high school setting. Multimodal therapy allows the school counselor to maximize referral sources while emphasizing growth and actualization. (JAC)

Investigation of an online, problem-based introduction to nuclear sciences: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, M.; Easter, M.; Jiazhen, W.; Jonassen, D.

2006-01-01

An online, grant-funded course on nuclear engineering in society was developed at a large Midwestern university with the goal of providing non-majors a meaningful introduction to the many applications of nuclear science in a modern society and to stimulate learner interest in academic studies and/or professional involvement in nuclear science. Using a within-site case study approach, the current study focused on the efficacy of the online learning environment's support of learners' acquisition of knowledge and the impact of the environment on learners' interest in and beliefs about nuclear sciences in society. Findings suggest the environment successfully promoted learning and had a positive impact on learners' interests and beliefs. (authors)

Investigation of an online, problem-based introduction to nuclear sciences: A case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, M.; Easter, M.; Jiazhen, W.; Jonassen, D. [Univ. of Missouri - Columbia, 111 London Hall, Columbia, MO 65211 (United States)

2006-07-01

An online, grant-funded course on nuclear engineering in society was developed at a large Midwestern university with the goal of providing non-majors a meaningful introduction to the many applications of nuclear science in a modern society and to stimulate learner interest in academic studies and/or professional involvement in nuclear science. Using a within-site case study approach, the current study focused on the efficacy of the online learning environment's support of learners' acquisition of knowledge and the impact of the environment on learners' interest in and beliefs about nuclear sciences in society. Findings suggest the environment successfully promoted learning and had a positive impact on learners' interests and beliefs. (authors)

Shuttle Transportation System Case-Study Development

Science.gov (United States)

Ransom, Khadijah

2012-01-01

A case-study collection was developed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Using lessons learned and documented by NASA KSC engineers, analysts, and contractors, decades of information related to processing and launching the Space Shuttle was gathered into a single database. The goal was to provide educators with an alternative means to teach real-world engineering processes and to enhance critical thinking, decision making, and problem solving skills. Suggested formats were created to assist both external educators and internal NASA employees to develop and contribute their own case-study reports to share with other educators and students. Via group project, class discussion, or open-ended research format, students will be introduced to the unique decision making process related to Shuttle missions and development. Teaching notes, images, and related documents will be made accessible to the public for presentation of Space Shuttle reports. Lessons investigated included the engine cutoff (ECO) sensor anomaly which occurred during mission STS-114. Students will be presented with general mission infom1ation as well as an explanation of ECO sensors. The project will conclude with the design of a website that allows for distribution of information to the public as well as case-study report submissions from other educators online.

Project-Based Learning in Electronic Technology: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Li

2015-01-01

A case study of project-based learning (PBL) implemented in Tianjin University of Technology and Education is presented. This multidiscipline project is innovated to meet the novel requirements of industry while keeping its traditional effectiveness in driving students to apply knowledge to practice and problem-solving. The implementation of PBL…

Students' errors in solving linear equation word problems: Case ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study examined errors students make in solving linear equation word problems with a view to expose the nature of these errors and to make suggestions for classroom teaching. A diagnostic test comprising 10 linear equation word problems, was administered to a sample (n=130) of senior high school first year Home ...

CASE STUDY: China — Young researchers battle poverty and ...

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

2010-12-14

Dec 14, 2010 ... CASE STUDY: China — Young researchers battle poverty and bureaucracy in rural China ... And the “three pig rule” is just one example of the problems the local people ... Revenues were applied to system maintenance and all financial ... The researchers, of course, were trained in science, fieldwork, and ...

Indoor Air Quality and Student Performance [and Case Studies].

Science.gov (United States)

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

This report examines how indoor air quality (IAQ) affects a child's ability to learn and provides several case studies of schools that have successfully addressed their indoor air problems, the lessons learned from that experience, and what long-term practices and policies emerged from the effort. The report covers the effects from…

Applying the Kanban method in problem-based project work: a case study in a manufacturing engineering bachelor's programme at Aalborg University Copenhagen

Science.gov (United States)

Balve, Patrick; Krüger, Volker; Tolstrup Sørensen, Lene

2017-11-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) has proven to be highly effective for educating students in an active and self-motivated manner in various disciplines. Student projects carried out following PBL principles are very dynamic and carry a high level of uncertainty, both conditions under which agile project management approaches are assumed to be highly supportive. The paper describes an empirical case study carried out at Aalborg University Copenhagen involving students from two different semesters of a Bachelor of Science programme. While executing the study, compelling examples of how PBL and the agile project management method Kanban blend could be identified. A final survey reveals that applying Kanban produces noticeable improvements with respect to creating, assigning and coordinating project tasks. Other improvements were found in group communication, knowledge about the work progress with regards to both the individual and the collective and the students' way of continuously improving their own teamwork.

Questionnaire-based assessment of executive functioning: Case studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kronenberger, William G; Castellanos, Irina; Pisoni, David B

2018-01-01

Delays in the development of executive functioning skills are frequently observed in pediatric neuropsychology populations and can have a broad and significant impact on quality of life. As a result, assessment of executive functioning is often relevant for the development of formulations and recommendations in pediatric neuropsychology clinical work. Questionnaire-based measures of executive functioning behaviors in everyday life have unique advantages and complement traditional neuropsychological measures of executive functioning. Two case studies of children with spina bifida are presented to illustrate the clinical use of a new questionnaire measure of executive and learning-related functioning, the Learning, Executive, and Attention Functioning Scale (LEAF). The LEAF emphasizes clinical utility in assessment by incorporating four characteristics: brevity in administration, breadth of additional relevant content, efficiency of scoring and interpretation, and ease of availability for use. LEAF results were consistent with another executive functioning checklist in documenting everyday behavior problems related to working memory, planning, and organization while offering additional breadth of assessment of domains such as attention, processing speed, and novel problem-solving. These case study results demonstrate the clinical utility of questionnaire-based measurement of executive functioning in pediatric neuropsychology and provide a new measure for accomplishing this goal.

Project selection problem under uncertainty: An application of utility theory and chance constrained programming to a real case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reza Hosnavi Atashgah

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Selecting from a pool of interdependent projects under certainty, when faced with resource constraints, has been studied well in the literature of project selection problem. After briefly reviewing and discussing popular modeling approaches for dealing with uncertainty, this paper proposes an approach based on chance constrained programming and utility theory for a certain range of problems and under some practical assumptions. Expected Utility Programming, as the proposed modeling approach, will be compared with other well-known methods and its meaningfulness and usefulness will be illustrated via two numerical examples and one real case.

PROBLEMS IN VEGETATION MONITORING IN NATURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: TWO CASE STUDIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. DE RONDE

2007-04-01

Full Text Available One of the major requirements of the monitoring of vegetation is the comparability of data between years. Therefore, a proper sampling scheme is essential. However, through the years, in nature management practice lots of data collected without a primary monitoring goal. Afterwards, it often seems very valuable to include these older data in the analysis for several reasons. In two examples from military ranges in the Netherlands, two of the problems which can be met with in comparing unequivalent or biased data in monitoring are shown. In the first example, the frequency of grassland species in two sets of relevés is examined. A solution is presented for the overrepresentation of relevés from one or more vegetation types from the first year, based on the area of the vegetation types on the vegetation map of this same year. In the second example, two sequential vegetation maps are compared. A major problem is often the thematic incongruence of sequential vegetation maps. Afterwards, this can only be resolved by upscaling one or both maps. It is concluded that the use of old data for monitoring purposes can be very valuable, but that this often calls for creative data handling, in which GIS and modern computer programmes are very helpful.

Inference for Ecological Dynamical Systems: A Case Study of Two Endemic Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel A. Vasco

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method is used to infer parameters for an open stochastic epidemiological model: the Markovian susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR model, which is suitable for modeling and simulating recurrent epidemics. This allows exploring two major problems of inference appearing in many mechanistic population models. First, trajectories of these processes are often only partly observed. For example, during an epidemic the transmission process is only partly observable: one cannot record infection times. Therefore, one only records cases (infections as the observations. As a result some means of imputing or reconstructing individuals in the susceptible cases class must be accomplished. Second, the official reporting of observations (cases in epidemiology is typically done not as they are actually recorded but at some temporal interval over which they have been aggregated. To address these issues, this paper investigates the following problems. Parameter inference for a perfectly sampled open Markovian SIR is first considered. Next inference for an imperfectly observed sample path of the system is studied. Although this second problem has been solved for the case of closed epidemics, it has proven quite difficult for the case of open recurrent epidemics. Lastly, application of the statistical theory is made to measles and pertussis epidemic time series data from 60 UK cities.

Computer Assisted Instruction in Special Education Three Case Studies

OpenAIRE

İbrahim DOĞAN; Ömür AKDEMİR

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the computer use of three students attending the special education center. Students have mental retardation, hearing problem and physical handicap respectively. The maximum variation sampling is used to select the type of handicap while the convenience sampling is used to select the participants. Three widely encountered handicap types in special education are chosen to select the study participants. The multiple holistic case study design is used i...

Forecasting demand for single-period products : A case study in the apparel industry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mostard, Julien; Teunter, Ruud; de Koster, Rene

2011-01-01

The problem considered is that of forecasting demand for single-period products before the period starts. We study this problem for the case of a mail order apparel company that needs to order its products pre-season. The lack of historical demand data implies that other sources of data are needed.

On Making Autonomous Vehicles Respect Traffic Law : a Case Study for Dutch Law

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Prakken, H.

Among the problems that still need to be solved before autonomous vehicles can fully autonomously participate in traffic is the one of making them respect the traffic laws. This paper discusses this problem by way of a case study of Dutch traffic law. First it is discussed to what extent Dutch

Case Studies on Superconducting Magnets for Particle Accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferracin, P

2014-01-01

During the CERN Accelerator School 'Superconductivity for accelerators', the students were divided into 18 groups, and 6 different exercises (case studies), involving the design and analysis of superconducting magnets and RF cavities, were assigned. The problems covered a broad spectrum of topics, from properties of superconducting materials to operation conditions and general dimensions of components. The work carried out by the students turned out to be an extremely useful opportunity to review the material explained during the lectures, to become familiar with the orders of magnitude of the key parameters, and to understand and compare different design options. We provide in this paper a summary of the activities related to the case studies on superconducting magnets and present the main outcomes

Case Studies on Superconducting Magnets for Particle Accelerators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferracin, P [European Organization for Nuclear Research, Geneva (Switzerland)

2014-07-01

During the CERN Accelerator School 'Superconductivity for accelerators', the students were divided into 18 groups, and 6 different exercises (case studies), involving the design and analysis of superconducting magnets and RF cavities, were assigned. The problems covered a broad spectrum of topics, from properties of superconducting materials to operation conditions and general dimensions of components. The work carried out by the students turned out to be an extremely useful opportunity to review the material explained during the lectures, to become familiar with the orders of magnitude of the key parameters, and to understand and compare different design options. We provide in this paper a summary of the activities related to the case studies on superconducting magnets and present the main outcomes.

Studies in the Hyperbolic Circle Problem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cherubini, Giacomo

In this thesis we study the remainder term e(s) in the hyperbolic lattice point counting problem. Our main approach to this problem is that of the spectral theory of automorphic forms. We show that the function e(s) exhibits properties similar to those of almost periodic functions, and we study d...

Nonlinear Eigenvalue Problems in Elliptic Variational Inequalities: a local study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conrad, F.; Brauner, C.; Issard-Roch, F.; Nicolaenko, B.

1985-01-01

The authors consider a class of Nonlinear Eigenvalue Problems (N.L.E.P.) associated with Elliptic Variational Inequalities (E.V.I.). First the authors introduce the main tools for a local study of branches of solutions; the authors extend the linearization process required in the case of equations. Next the authors prove the existence of arcs of solutions close to regular vs singular points, and determine their local behavior up to the first order. Finally, the authors discuss the connection between their regularity condition and some stability concept. 37 references, 6 figures

The value of play for conflict management: a case study | Snodgrass ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The value of play for conflict management: a case study. ... The feature of the intervention that we examine is the use of play as an educational strategy. ... training; games; multicultural; play; problem-solving; role play; secondary schools

Examining the Role of Web 2.0 Tools in Supporting Problem Solving during Case-Based Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Koehler, Adrie A.; Newby, Timothy J.; Ertmer, Peggy A.

2017-01-01

As learners solve complex problems, such as the ones present in case narratives, they need instructional support. Potentially, Web 2.0 applications can be useful to learners during case-based instruction (CBI), as their affordances offer creative and collaborative opportunities. However, there is limited research available on how the affordances…

SOLVING A COPPER CORROSION PROBLEM WITH ORTHOPHOSPHATE: INDIAN HILL, OHIO CASE STUDY

Science.gov (United States)

Many small and medium-sized water systems have troublt complying with the copper Action Level (of the Lead and Copper Rule), sometimes concurrently with meeting the lead Action level. The problem is especially troubling and widespread with ground water supplies having high alkali...

Response problems in a vacation panel study

Science.gov (United States)

Christine A. Vogt; Susan I. Stewart

2001-01-01

This paper investigates response problems encountered in a panel study of travel behavior. Though the overall response rate to the three-wave panel study was acceptable (over 60%), three types of response problems were encountered: refusal, non-response, and attrition. In a follow-up phone survey, a sample of individuals from each problem response group was questioned...

Implementing Case Studies in a Plant Pathology Course: Impact on Student Learning and Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Aman; Beckerman, Janna L.

2009-01-01

Case studies have been used in undergraduate science education as a way to develop students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills. However, little empirical evidence exists on whether this teaching method is having the desired impact on students in plant pathology courses. This study evaluated the influence of the case teaching method on…

Operating an Advertising Programmatic Buying Platform: A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Carlos Gonzalvez-Cabañas

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses how new technological developments and the possibilities generated by the internet are shaping the online advertising market. More specifically it focuses on a programmatic advertising case study. The origin of the problem is how publishers resort to automated buying and selling when trying to shift unsold inventory. To carry out our case study, we will use a programmatic online advertising sales platform, which identifies the optimal way of promoting a given product. The platform executes, evaluates, manages and optimizes display advertising campaigns, all in real-time. The empirical analysis carried out in the case study reveals that the platform and its exclusion algorithms are suitable mechanisms for analysing the performance and efficiency of the various segments that might be used to promote products. Thanks to Big Data tools and artificial intelligence the platform performs automatically, providing information in a user-friendly and simple manner.

Teacher Mathematical Literacy: Case Study of Junior High School Teachers in Pasaman

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, D.; Suherman, S.; Maulana, H.

2018-04-01

The aim of this paper was to examine the ability of junior high school mathematics teachers to solve mathematical literacy base Problems (PISA and PISA-like problems) for the case Pasaman regency. The data was collected by interviews and test. As the results of this study, teacher ability in solving mathematical literacy base problems for level 1 until 3 has been good, but for level 4 or above is still low. It is caused by teacher knowledge about mathematical literacy still few.

Case Study: Camptocormia, a Rare Conversion Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajmohan, Velayudhan; Thomas, Biju; Sreekumar, Kumaran

2004-01-01

Camptocormia is a condition characterized by severe frontal flexion of the spinal cord and knees, with passive drooping of both arms. It occurs as a form of conversion disorder. Some cases are associated with behavioral problems. A case of camptocormia of 2-year duration in a south Indian adolescent girl with oppositional defiant disorder and…

Deterministic versus Stochastic Sensitivity Analysis in Investment Problems : An Environmental Case Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Groenendaal, W.J.H.; Kleijnen, J.P.C.

2001-01-01

Sensitivity analysis in investment problems is an important tool to determine which factors can jeopardize the future of the investment.Information on the probability distribution of those factors that affect the investment is mostly lacking.In those situations the analysts have two options: (i)

The potential of optimization in communal routing problems : case studies from Finland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bräysy, Olli; Dullaert, Wout; Nakari, Pentti

2009-01-01

In many European countries, municipalities offer their inhabitants a wide variety of social services. In this paper we will focus on efficiently scheduling home care, transportation of the elderly, and home meal delivery. These so-called municipal or communal routing problems can be modeled as

Case Study of Multi-Unit Risk: Multi-Unit Station Black-Out

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Kyemin; Jang, Seung-cheol [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Heo, Gyunyoung [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

After Fukushima Daiichi Accident, importance and public concern for Multi-Unit Risk (MUR) or Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) have been increased. Most of nuclear power plant sites in the world have more than two units. These sites have been facing the problems of MUR or accident such as Fukushima. In case of South Korea, there are generally more than four units on the same site and even more than ten units are also expected. In other words, sites in South Korea also have been facing same problems. Considering number of units on the same site, potential of these problems may be larger than other countries. The purpose of this paper is to perform case study based on another paper submitted in the conference. MUR is depended on various site features such as design, shared systems/structures, layout, environmental condition, and so on. Considering various dependencies, we assessed Multi-Unit Station Black-out (MSBO) accident based on Hanul Unit 3 and 4 model. In this paper, case study for multi-unit risk or PSA had been performed. Our result was incomplete to assess total multi-unit risk because of two challenging issues. First, economic impact had not been evaluated to estimate multi-unit risk. Second, large uncertainties were included in our result because of various assumptions. These issues must be resolved in the future.

Case Study of Multi-Unit Risk: Multi-Unit Station Black-Out

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Kyemin; Jang, Seung-cheol; Heo, Gyunyoung

2015-01-01

After Fukushima Daiichi Accident, importance and public concern for Multi-Unit Risk (MUR) or Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) have been increased. Most of nuclear power plant sites in the world have more than two units. These sites have been facing the problems of MUR or accident such as Fukushima. In case of South Korea, there are generally more than four units on the same site and even more than ten units are also expected. In other words, sites in South Korea also have been facing same problems. Considering number of units on the same site, potential of these problems may be larger than other countries. The purpose of this paper is to perform case study based on another paper submitted in the conference. MUR is depended on various site features such as design, shared systems/structures, layout, environmental condition, and so on. Considering various dependencies, we assessed Multi-Unit Station Black-out (MSBO) accident based on Hanul Unit 3 and 4 model. In this paper, case study for multi-unit risk or PSA had been performed. Our result was incomplete to assess total multi-unit risk because of two challenging issues. First, economic impact had not been evaluated to estimate multi-unit risk. Second, large uncertainties were included in our result because of various assumptions. These issues must be resolved in the future

Participatory Environmental Valuation: A Comparative Analysis of Four Case Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leslie Carnoye

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The valuation of multiple ecosystem services requires the design of valuation processes able to integrate different dimensions of value and to cope with complexity. Following the “value-articulating institution” framework, we note that three core problems arise: the cognitive, normative and composition problems. Combining valuation methods, such as contingent valuation and multicriteria analysis, with participatory and deliberative techniques is increasingly promoted as a means to address those fundamental problems. However, the quality and legitimacy of the valuation process then becomes dependent on how participation is framed. We note that numerous issues need to be taken into account, such as the roles assumed by participants, the differences in contribution among participants, the level of participatory impact and the level of democratization of the decision-making process. This paper proposes a detailed qualitative analysis of four case studies, each of them having implemented a specific valuation method in a participatory process. We analyze how those cases were handled in each of the dimensions considered and offer our conclusions about the added values and remaining challenges related to participatory environmental valuation.

Case study of a problem-based learning course of physics in a telecommunications engineering degree

Science.gov (United States)

Macho-Stadler, Erica; Jesús Elejalde-García, Maria

2013-08-01

Active learning methods can be appropriate in engineering, as their methodology promotes meta-cognition, independent learning and problem-solving skills. Problem-based learning is the educational process by which problem-solving activities and instructor's guidance facilitate learning. Its key characteristic involves posing a 'concrete problem' to initiate the learning process, generally implemented by small groups of students. Many universities have developed and used active methodologies successfully in the teaching-learning process. During the past few years, the University of the Basque Country has promoted the use of active methodologies through several teacher training programmes. In this paper, we describe and analyse the results of the educational experience using the problem-based learning (PBL) method in a physics course for undergraduates enrolled in the technical telecommunications engineering degree programme. From an instructors' perspective, PBL strengths include better student attitude in class and increased instructor-student and student-student interactions. The students emphasised developing teamwork and communication skills in a good learning atmosphere as positive aspects.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CASE STUDY METHOD IN DISTANCE LEARNING OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP FUNDAMENTALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. R. Chepyuk

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the presented publication is to show new opportunities of application of a a case study method (educational situations in modern edu cational process of the higher school in general, and in particular – in teaching fundementals of business and economy wherein this method has gained special popularity.Methods and results. By means of methods of aggregation, deduction and logical synthesis, the authors developed the principles of the organization of distance training of economic disciplines on the basis of the case study method. The structure of educational cases is designated; the standard set of the materials accompanying them is designed. These practical problems were solved within implementation of the project Tempus «Acquisition of Professional and Entrepreneurial Skills by means of Education of Entrepreneurial Spirit and Consultation of the Beginning Entrepreneurs». Possible types and forms of cases were studied; several options of adaptation of their content to the electronic training environment which possesses both restrictions, and extensive additional educational potential are allocated. Various types of cases are shown based on specific examples: illustrating processes and concepts; imitating sample processes; describing original situations in real business and having decisions which are already realized in practice; cases with an uncertain answer to the asked problematic issue. The choice of this or that type of case study tasks is determined by the educational purposes and necessary level of development of a discipline. Cases supplement each other when forming the fund of evaluative means.Scientific novelty. The majority of researches define the case study method as a group discussion in the educational purposes of any problem situation and collective search of its decision, i.e. application of this method assumes classroom full-time courses. The question of use the case study method in a distance format for individual

Bernoulli Variational Problem and Beyond

KAUST Repository

Lorz, Alexander

2013-12-17

The question of \\'cutting the tail\\' of the solution of an elliptic equation arises naturally in several contexts and leads to a singular perturbation problem under the form of a strong cut-off. We consider both the PDE with a drift and the symmetric case where a variational problem can be stated. It is known that, in both cases, the same critical scale arises for the size of the singular perturbation. More interesting is that in both cases another critical parameter (of order one) arises that decides when the limiting behaviour is non-degenerate. We study both theoretically and numerically the values of this critical parameter and, in the symmetric case, ask if the variational solution leads to the same value as for the maximal solution of the PDE. Finally we propose a weak formulation of the limiting Bernoulli problem which incorporates both Dirichlet and Neumann boundary condition. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Common Group Problems: A Field Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Weinberg, Sanford B.; And Others

1981-01-01

A field study of a naturally functioning group (N=125) was conducted to identify common group problems. Trained observers attended group meetings and described the problems encountered. Difficulties of cohesion, leadership, sub-group formation, and personality conflict were identified. (RC)

Modeling of environmentally significant interfaces: Two case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williford, R.E.

2006-01-01

When some parameters cannot be easily measured experimentally, mathematical models can often be used to deconvolute or interpret data collected on complex systems, such as those characteristic of many environmental problems. These models can help quantify the contributions of various physical or chemical phenomena that contribute to the overall behavior, thereby enabling the scientist to control and manipulate these phenomena, and thus to optimize the performance of the material or device. In the first case study presented here, a model is used to test the hypothesis that oxygen interactions with hydrogen on the catalyst particles of solid oxide fuel cell anodes can sometimes occur a finite distance away from the triple phase boundary (TPB), so that such reactions are not restricted to the TPB as normally assumed. The model may help explain a discrepancy between the observed structure of SOFCs and their performance. The second case study develops a simple physical model that allows engineers to design and control the sizes and shapes of mesopores in silica thin films. Such pore design can be useful for enhancing the selectivity and reactivity of environmental sensors and catalysts. This paper demonstrates the mutually beneficial interactions between experiment and modeling in the solution of a wide range of problems

VISUALIZATION AND ANALYSIS OF LIGHT POLLUTION: A CASE STUDY IN HONG KONG

OpenAIRE

B. Wu; H. Wong

2012-01-01

The effects of light pollution problems in metropolitan areas are investigated in this study. Areas of Hong Kong are used as the source of three typical study cases. One case represents the regional scale, a second represents the district scale, and a third represents the street scale. Two light pollution parameters, Night Sky Brightness (NSB) and Street Light Level (SLL), are the focus of the analyses. Light pollution visualization approaches in relation to the different scales incl...

Developing Information Technology for Vocational Education in Contiguous Destitute Areas Significance, Problems, and Countermeasures: The Case of the Wuling Mountain Area

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jie; Xu, Fenghua

2014-01-01

Using the Wuling Mountain area as a case study, the authors discuss the significance as well as five problems of developing information technology for vocational education in contiguous destitute areas. Recommendations are provided at the end of the article. [Translated by Michelle LeSourd.

Science-Technology-Society literacy in college non-majors biology: Comparing problem/case studies based learning and traditional expository methods of instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, John S.

This study used a multiple response model (MRM) on selected items from the Views on Science-Technology-Society (VOSTS) survey to examine science-technology-society (STS) literacy among college non-science majors' taught using Problem/Case Studies Based Learning (PBL/CSBL) and traditional expository methods of instruction. An initial pilot investigation of 15 VOSTS items produced a valid and reliable scoring model which can be used to quantitatively assess student literacy on a variety of STS topics deemed important for informed civic engagement in science related social and environmental issues. The new scoring model allows for the use of parametric inferential statistics to test hypotheses about factors influencing STS literacy. The follow-up cross-institutional study comparing teaching methods employed Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to model the efficiency and equitability of instructional methods on STS literacy. A cluster analysis was also used to compare pre and post course patterns of student views on the set of positions expressed within VOSTS items. HLM analysis revealed significantly higher instructional efficiency in the PBL/CSBL study group for 4 of the 35 STS attitude indices (characterization of media vs. school science; tentativeness of scientific models; cultural influences on scientific research), and more equitable effects of traditional instruction on one attitude index (interdependence of science and technology). Cluster analysis revealed generally stable patterns of pre to post course views across study groups, but also revealed possible teaching method effects on the relationship between the views expressed within VOSTS items with respect to (1) interdependency of science and technology; (2) anti-technology; (3) socioscientific decision-making; (4) scientific/technological solutions to environmental problems; (5) usefulness of school vs. media characterizations of science; (6) social constructivist vs. objectivist views of theories; (7

Intergovernmental Information Highways for Local Police Organizations: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Vidal, Denise Helena

2013-01-01

A lack of communication, information sharing, and a centralized and unified intelligence repository to gather, maintain, and analyze intelligence information before the September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks limited the ability of U.S. law enforcement to share intelligence. The problem addressed in this case study was the lack of multiagency…

Equilibrium problems with complementarity constraints: case study with applications to oligopolistic markets

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mordukhovich, B. S.; Outrata, Jiří; Červinka, Michal

2007-01-01

Roč. 56, č. 4 (2007), s. 479-494 ISSN 0233-1934 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA1030405 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : equilibrium problems with complementarity constraints * multiobjective optimization * necessary optimality conditions * numerical methods * oligopolistic market s Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.408, year: 2007

The inhomogeneous Suslov problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

García-Naranjo, Luis C., E-mail: luis@mym.iimas.unam.mx [Departamento de Matemáticas y Mecánica, IIMAS-UNAM, Apdo Postal 20-726, Mexico City 01000 (Mexico); Maciejewski, Andrzej J., E-mail: andrzej.j.maciejewski@gmail.com [J. Kepler Institute of Astronomy, University of Zielona Góra, Licealna 9, 65-417 Zielona Góra (Poland); Marrero, Juan C., E-mail: jcmarrero@ull.edu.es [ULL-CSIC, Geometría Diferencial y Mecánica Geométrica, Departamento de Matemática Fundamental, Facultad de Matemáticas, Universidad de la Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain); Przybylska, Maria, E-mail: M.Przybylska@if.uz.zgora.pl [Institute of Physics, University of Zielona Góra, Licealna 9, 65-417 Zielona Góra (Poland)

2014-06-27

We consider the Suslov problem of nonholonomic rigid body motion with inhomogeneous constraints. We show that if the direction along which the Suslov constraint is enforced is perpendicular to a principal axis of inertia of the body, then the reduced equations are integrable and, in the generic case, possess a smooth invariant measure. Interestingly, in this generic case, the first integral that permits integration is transcendental and the density of the invariant measure depends on the angular velocities. We also study the Painlevé property of the solutions. - Highlights: • We consider the Suslov problem of nonholonomic rigid body motion with inhomogeneous constraints. • We study the problem in detail for a particular choice of the parameters that has a clear physical interpretation. • We show that the equations of motion possess an invariant measure whose density depends on the velocity variables. • We show that the reduced system is integrable due to the existence of a transcendental first integral. • We study the Painlevé property of the solutions.

The Transfer Pricing Problem in a Service Firm : A Case Study on a Swedish Multinational Enterprise

OpenAIRE

Husain, Shakir; Yilmaz, Emre

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to answer the research question of how a service company (ServiceCo) could achieve a transfer price of its services. This is of particular interest, due to the growth of service firms that have rapidly increased and surpassed the manufacturing firms, as well as the dominant logic shifting towards services. However, the problem with this field of study is that transfer pricing with regards to the service industry, is a rather unexplored phenomenon in which the guid...

Problem solving strategies used by RN-to-BSN students in an online problem-based learning course.

Science.gov (United States)

Oldenburg, Nancy L; Hung, Wei-Chen

2010-04-01

It is essential that nursing students develop the problem solving and critical thinking skills required in the current health care environment. Problem-based learning has been promoted as a way to help students acquire those skills; however, gaps exist in the knowledge base of the strategies used by learners. The purpose of this case study was to gain insight into the problem solving experience of a group of six RN-to-BSN students in an online problem-based learning course. Data, including discussion transcripts, reflective papers, and interview transcripts, were analyzed using a qualitative approach. Students expanded their use of resources and resolved the cases, identifying relevant facts and clinical applications. They had difficulty communicating their findings, establishing the credibility of sources, and offering challenging feedback. Increased support and direction are needed to facilitate the development of problem solving abilities of students in the problem-based learning environment.

Problem- and case-based learning in science: an introduction to distinctions, values, and outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Allchin, Douglas

2013-01-01

Case-based learning and problem-based learning have demonstrated great promise in reforming science education. Yet an instructor, in newly considering this suite of interrelated pedagogical strategies, faces a number of important instructional choices. Different features and their related values and learning outcomes are profiled here, including: the level of student autonomy; instructional focus on content, skills development, or nature-of-science understanding; the role of history, or known outcomes; scope, clarity, and authenticity of problems provided to students; extent of collaboration; complexity, in terms of number of interpretive perspectives; and, perhaps most importantly, the role of applying versus generating knowledge.

Using Analytics to Transform a Problem-Based Case Library: An Educational Design Research Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Matthew; Tawfik, Andrew A.

2018-01-01

This article describes the iterative design, development, and evaluation of a case-based learning environment focusing on an ill-structured sales management problem. We discuss our processes and situate them within the broader framework of educational design research. The learning environment evolved over the course of three design phases. A…

Accounting for control mislabeling in case-control biomarker studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Rantalainen, Mattias; Holmes, Chris C

2011-12-02

In biomarker discovery studies, uncertainty associated with case and control labels is often overlooked. By omitting to take into account label uncertainty, model parameters and the predictive risk can become biased, sometimes severely. The most common situation is when the control set contains an unknown number of undiagnosed, or future, cases. This has a marked impact in situations where the model needs to be well-calibrated, e.g., when the prediction performance of a biomarker panel is evaluated. Failing to account for class label uncertainty may lead to underestimation of classification performance and bias in parameter estimates. This can further impact on meta-analysis for combining evidence from multiple studies. Using a simulation study, we outline how conventional statistical models can be modified to address class label uncertainty leading to well-calibrated prediction performance estimates and reduced bias in meta-analysis. We focus on the problem of mislabeled control subjects in case-control studies, i.e., when some of the control subjects are undiagnosed cases, although the procedures we report are generic. The uncertainty in control status is a particular situation common in biomarker discovery studies in the context of genomic and molecular epidemiology, where control subjects are commonly sampled from the general population with an established expected disease incidence rate.

Space engineering modeling and optimization with case studies

CERN Document Server

Pintér, János

2016-01-01

This book presents a selection of advanced case studies that cover a substantial range of issues and real-world challenges and applications in space engineering. Vital mathematical modeling, optimization methodologies and numerical solution aspects of each application case study are presented in detail, with discussions of a range of advanced model development and solution techniques and tools. Space engineering challenges are discussed in the following contexts: •Advanced Space Vehicle Design •Computation of Optimal Low Thrust Transfers •Indirect Optimization of Spacecraft Trajectories •Resource-Constrained Scheduling, •Packing Problems in Space •Design of Complex Interplanetary Trajectories •Satellite Constellation Image Acquisition •Re-entry Test Vehicle Configuration Selection •Collision Risk Assessment on Perturbed Orbits •Optimal Robust Design of Hybrid Rocket Engines •Nonlinear Regression Analysis in Space Engineering< •Regression-Based Sensitivity Analysis and Robust Design ...

Use of Case Study Methods in Human Resource Management, Development, and Training Courses: Strategies and Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, James R.; Gilberti, Anthony F.; Mupinga, Davison M.

2006-01-01

This paper will study some of the problems associated with case studies and make recommendations using standard and innovative methodologies effectively. Human resource management (HRM) and resource development cases provide context for analysis and decision-making designs in different industries. In most HRM development and training courses…

Using the Case Study Technology in Developing the Students’ Environmental Competence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. B. Ignatov

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The case study technology is considered to be an effective tool for developing the students’ environmental competence. Numerous modern interactive techniques, facilitating the competence approach, can be fitted into its framework. The essence of the case-study is defined as the teaching method of problem-solving. The technology in question makes it possible to use the so called triad of «training – education – development», and provides such teaching opportunities as streaming the students according to their interests, skills, abilities and psychological peculiarities; and, therefore, assigning the relevant and motivating individual tasks.The paper traces the history of the case-study, as well as some theoretical and methodological aspects of its implementation in teaching process; the pedagogic goals fulfilled by means of the given technology are listed along with its advantages compared to other methods. The «case-study» term, its structure and working algorithms are defined. The application examples relating to environmental education at different levels are given. 

A real-world Case Study in Information Technology for Undergraduate Students

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sikkel, Nicolaas; Spil, Antonius A.M.; van de Weg, R.L.W.

1999-01-01

Real-world case studies are important to complement the academic skills and knowledge acquired by computer science students. In this paper we relate our experiences with a course specifically designed to address this issue. The problem to be addressed is the replacement of a Hospital Information

Using systems thinking in patient safety: a case study on medicines management.

Science.gov (United States)

Brimble, Mandy; Jones, Aled

2017-06-29

Systems thinking is used as a way of understanding behaviours and actions in complex healthcare organisations. An important premise of the concept is that every action in a system causes a reaction elsewhere in that system. These reactions can lead to unintended consequences, sometimes long after the original action, and so are not always attributed to them. This article applies systems thinking to a medicines management case study, to highlight how quality-improvement practitioners can use the approach to underpin planning and implementation of patient-safety initiatives. The case study is specific to transcribing in children's hospices, but the strategies can be applied to other areas. The article explains that, while root cause analysis tools are useful for identifying the cause of, and possible solutions to, problems, they need to be considered carefully in terms of unintended consequences, and how the system into which the solution is implemented can be affected by the change. Analysis of problems using a systems-thinking approach can help practitioners to develop robust and well informed business cases to present to decision makers.

Hair toe tourniquets: a review of two case studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Booth, Julia; Morse, Tim

2018-05-22

Digit hair tourniquets are relatively uncommon. There are reports in the literature of hair tourniquets involving other appendages, such as the penis and uvula, however the phenomenon is not widely recognised and is often overlooked by healthcare professionals. This article discusses two case studies in which hair was responsible for creating a tourniquet around a digit. The article explores possible causes and management options for patients, with reference to the case studies. Midwives and health visitors are central to minimising the risk of injury to children as they can educate expectant mothers about this potential problem. © 2018 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

Using Case Studies to Teach Interdisciplinary Water Resource Sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Orr, C. H.; Tillotson, K.

2012-12-01

Teaching about water resources and often emphasizes the biophysical sciences to understand highly complex hydrologic, ecologic and engineering systems, yet most impediments to improving management emerge from social processes. Challenges to more sustainable management often result from trade-offs among stakeholders (e.g., ecosystem services, energy, municipal use, and agriculture) and occur while allocating resources to competing goals of economic development, social equity, and efficient governance. Competing interests operating across multiple scales can increase tensions and prevent collaborative resolution of resource management problems. Here we discuss using specific, place-based cases to teach the interdisciplinary context of water management. Using a case approach allows instructors to first explore the geologic and hydrologic setting of a specific problem to let students understand where water comes from, then how it is used by people and ecosystems, and finally what conflicts arise from mismatches between water quality, quantity, timing, human demand, and ecosystem needs. The case approach helps students focus on specific problem to understand how the landscape influences water availability, without needing to first learn everything about the relevant fields. We look at geology, hydrology and climate in specific watersheds before addressing the human and ecosystem aspects of the broader, integrated system. This gives students the context to understand what limits water availability and how a water budget constrains possible solutions to sustainability problems. It also mimics the approach we have taken in research addressing these problems. In an example case the Spokane Coeur D'Alene basin, spanning the border between SE Washington and NW Idaho, includes a sole source aquifer system with high exchange between surface water and a highly conductive aquifer. The Spokane River does not meet water quality standards and is likely to face climate driven shifts

Finite element simulations with ANSYS workbench 17 theory, applications, case studies

CERN Document Server

Lee, Huei-Huang

2017-01-01

Finite Element Simulations with ANSYS Workbench 17 is a comprehensive and easy to understand workbook. Printed in full color, it utilizes rich graphics and step-by-step instructions to guide you through learning how to perform finite element simulations using ANSYS Workbench. Twenty seven real world case studies are used throughout the book. Many of these case studies are industrial or research projects that you build from scratch. Prebuilt project files are available for download should you run into any problems. Companion videos, that demonstrate exactly how to perform each tutorial, are also available. Relevant background knowledge is reviewed whenever necessary. To be efficient, the review is conceptual rather than mathematical. Key concepts are inserted whenever appropriate and summarized at the end of each chapter. Additional exercises or extension research problems are provided as homework at the end of each chapter. A learning approach emphasizing hands-on experiences spreads though this entire boo...

Finite element simulations with ANSYS Workbench 18 theory, applications, case studies

CERN Document Server

Lee,\tHuei-huang

2018-01-01

Finite Element Simulations with ANSYS Workbench 18 is a comprehensive and easy to understand workbook. Printed in full color, it utilizes rich graphics and step-by-step instructions to guide you through learning how to perform finite element simulations using ANSYS Workbench. Twenty seven real world case studies are used throughout the book. Many of these case studies are industrial or research projects that you build from scratch. Prebuilt project files are available for download should you run into any problems. Companion videos, that demonstrate exactly how to perform each tutorial, are also available. Relevant background knowledge is reviewed whenever necessary. To be efficient, the review is conceptual rather than mathematical. Key concepts are inserted whenever appropriate and summarized at the end of each chapter. Additional exercises or extension research problems are provided as homework at the end of each chapter. A learning approach emphasizing hands-on experiences is utilized though this entire...

Reinforcement learning: Solving two case studies

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Ana Filipa; Silva, Pedro; dos Santos, Cristina Peixoto

2012-09-01

Reinforcement Learning algorithms offer interesting features for the control of autonomous systems, such as the ability to learn from direct interaction with the environment, and the use of a simple reward signalas opposed to the input-outputs pairsused in classic supervised learning. The reward signal indicates the success of failure of the actions executed by the agent in the environment. In this work, are described RL algorithmsapplied to two case studies: the Crawler robot and the widely known inverted pendulum. We explore RL capabilities to autonomously learn a basic locomotion pattern in the Crawler, andapproach the balancing problem of biped locomotion using the inverted pendulum.

How to save distressed IDS-physician marriages: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, H; Johnson, B A

1998-04-01

A hospital-driven IDS that encounters serious problems resulting from ownership of a physician practice should address those problems by focusing on three core areas: vision and leadership, effectiveness of operations, and physician compensation arrangements. If changes in these areas do not lead to improvements, the IDS may need to consider organizational restructuring. In one case study, a hospital-driven IDS faced the problem of owning a poorly performing MSO with a captive physician group. The IDS's governing board determined that the organization lacked effective communication with the physicians and that realization of the organization's vision would require greater physician involvement in organizational decision making. The organization is expected to undergo some corporate reorganization in which physicians will acquire an equity interest in the enterprise.

Relationships between undergraduates' argumentation skills, conceptual quality of problem solutions, and problem solving strategies in introductory physics

Science.gov (United States)

Rebello, Carina M.

This study explored the effects of alternative forms of argumentation on undergraduates' physics solutions in introductory calculus-based physics. A two-phase concurrent mixed methods design was employed to investigate relationships between undergraduates' written argumentation abilities, conceptual quality of problem solutions, as well as approaches and strategies for solving argumentative physics problems across multiple physics topics. Participants were assigned via stratified sampling to one of three conditions (control, guided construct, or guided evaluate) based on gender and pre-test scores on a conceptual instrument. The guided construct and guided evaluate groups received tasks and prompts drawn from literature to facilitate argument construction or evaluation. Using a multiple case study design, with each condition serving as a case, interviews were conducted consisting of a think-aloud problem solving session paired with a semi-structured interview. The analysis of problem solving strategies was guided by the theoretical framework on epistemic games adapted by Tuminaro and Redish (2007). This study provides empirical evidence that integration of written argumentation into physics problems can potentially improve the conceptual quality of solutions, expand their repertoire of problem solving strategies and show promise for addressing the gender gap in physics. The study suggests further avenues for research in this area and implications for designing and implementing argumentation tasks in introductory college physics.

The art and science of problem solving

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vidal, Rene Victor Valqui

2005-01-01

In this paper we will document that real-life problem solving in complex situations demands both rational (scientific) and intuitive (artistic) thinking. First, the concepts of art and science will be discussed; differences and similarities will be enhanced. Thereafter the concept of group problem...... solving facilitation both as science and art will be presented. A case study related to examination's planning will be discussed to illustrate the main concepts in practice. In addition, other cases studies will also be shortly presented....

Assessment of global phase uncertainty in case-control studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Houwelingen Hans C

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In haplotype-based candidate gene studies a problem is that the genotype data are unphased, which results in haplotype ambiguity. The measure 1 quantifies haplotype predictability from genotype data. It is computed for each individual haplotype, and for a measure of global relative efficiency a minimum value is suggested. Alternatively, we developed methods directly based on the information content of haplotype frequency estimates to obtain global relative efficiency measures: and based on A- and D-optimality, respectively. All three methods are designed for single populations; they can be applied in cases only, controls only or the whole data. Therefore they are not necessarily optimal for haplotype testing in case-control studies. Results A new global relative efficiency measure was derived to maximize power of a simple test statistic that compares haplotype frequencies in cases and controls. Application to real data showed that our proposed method gave a clear and summarizing measure for the case-control study conducted. Additionally this measure might be used for selection of individuals, who have the highest potential for improving power by resolving phase ambiguity. Conclusion Instead of using relative efficiency measure for cases only, controls only or their combined data, we link uncertainty measure to case-control studies directly. Hence, our global efficiency measure might be useful to assess whether data are informative or have enough power for estimation of a specific haplotype risk.

Using an Epistemic Game to Facilitate Students' Problem-Solving: The Case of Hospitality Management

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shwu-Huey; Wang, Hsiu-Yuan

2017-01-01

Hospitality students are required to be able to address challenging cases or problems in the work environment. However, traditional lecture- or exam-based instruction leaves a gap between theory and practice. On the other hand, modern youth live and socialise in an increasingly digital environment, and one of their biggest pastimes is playing…

Making Sense of Conceptual Tools in Student-Generated Cases: Student Teachers' Problem-Solving Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Jahreie, Cecilie Flo

2010-01-01

This article examines the way student teachers make sense of conceptual tools when writing cases. In order to understand the problem-solving process, an analysis of the interactions is conducted. The findings show that transforming practical experiences into theoretical reflection is not a straightforward matter. To be able to elaborate on the…

Dealing with Multi-Level Governance and Wicked Problems in Urban Transportation Systems: The Case of Palermo Municipality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guido Noto

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Italian New Public Management (NPM has been mainly characterized by a political orientation toward power decentralization to local governments and privatization of public companies. Nowadays, local utilities in Italy are often run by joint stock companies controlled by public agencies such as Regional and Municipal Administrations. Due to this transformation, these companies must comply with a set of diverse expectations coming from a wide range of stakeholders, related to their financial, competitive and social performance. Such fragmented governance increases the presence of “wicked” problems in the decision-making sphere of these entities. Given this multi-level governance structure, how do these agents influence public services performance? In recent years, coordination and inter-institutional joint action have been identified as possible approaches for dealing with governance fragmentation and wicked problems deriving from it. How can we adapt a performance management perspective in order to help us reform the system and so have a better collaboration between the stakeholders involved? In order to address and discuss these research questions, a case study will be developed. The case concerns AMAT, the local utility providing the public transportation service in the Municipality of Palermo (Italy. The result of this study is a dynamic model including a set of performance indicators that help us in understanding the impact of the governing structure on the system’s performance.

Case Study Research Methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Widdowson

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Commenting on the lack of case studies published in modern psychotherapy publications, the author reviews the strengths of case study methodology and responds to common criticisms, before providing a summary of types of case studies including clinical, experimental and naturalistic. Suggestions are included for developing systematic case studies and brief descriptions are given of a range of research resources relating to outcome and process measures. Examples of a pragmatic case study design and a hermeneutic single-case efficacy design are given and the paper concludes with some ethical considerations and an exhortation to the TA community to engage more widely in case study research.

Undiagnosed tuberculosis as clinical, epidemiological and medicolegal problem: Report of two cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Savić Slobodan

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The authors present two cases of undiagnosed tuberculosis in order to point out clinical, epidemiological and medicolegal importance of such cases. The first patient was a 29- year old woman, who died after 10-day hospital treatment, but true nature of her disease remained undiscovered. Due to her known marital problems, as well as numerous bruises developed as a consequence of hemorrhagic syndrome, violent death caused by injuries inflicted by her husband was suspected. Medicolegal autopsy and microscopic examination revealed fatal tuberculosis of the lungs, and small and large intestines. In another case, a 35-year old male died suddenly and unexpectedly, being found dead in his flat where numerous blood traces were noticed during the scene investigation. Therefore, possible homicide was suspected. Medicolegal investigation proved pulmonary tuberculosis as a cause of natural death. Presented cases point out the fact that even nowadays both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis may remain clinically undiscovered, even when this disease is a cause of death. Hence, physicians should always keep in mind possible tuberculosis, especially in patients with long-lasting typical symptoms and signs. In both reported cases, the individuals suffered from cavernous pulmonary tuberculosis being thus a permanent source of infection. From medicolegal point of view, described cases represent examples of so called suspicious natural death. On the other hand, the fact that fatal tuberculosis remained clinically undiagnosed may make physicians be accused of medical negligence and malpractice.

Role reversal and problem solving in international negotiations: the Partial Nuclear Test Ban case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, T.D.

1978-01-01

To facilitate finding bargaining space and to reinforce cooperative potential, a number of analysts have promoted the use of role reversal and problem solving. Role reversal involves restating the positions of one's adversary to demonstrate understanding and to develop empathy, while problem solving involves searching for alternatives that promote joint interests. The case of the negotiations in the Eighteen Nation Disarmament Conference from 1962--1963 leading to the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty provided the context for examining bargaining relationships involving role reversal and problem solving. Interactions among the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, as recorded in transcripts of 112 sessions, were coded using Bargaining Process Analysis II, a content analysis instrument used to classify negotiation behaviors. Role reversal was measured by the frequency of paraphrases of the adversary's positions. Problem solving was measured by the frequency of themes promoting the exploration of alternatives and the search for mutually beneficial outcomes. The findings on the use of paraphrasing suggest that it can be used to restrict exploration as well as to promote it. The exploratory focus of problem solving was somewhat limited by its use in association with demands, suggesting that problem solving was interpreted as a sign of weakness

Project management case studies

CERN Document Server

Kerzner, Harold R

2013-01-01

A new edition of the most popular book of project management case studies, expanded to include more than 100 cases plus a ""super case"" on the Iridium Project Case studies are an important part of project management education and training. This Fourth Edition of Harold Kerzner''s Project Management Case Studies features a number of new cases covering value measurement in project management. Also included is the well-received ""super case,"" which covers all aspects of project management and may be used as a capstone for a course. This new edition:Contains 100-plus case studies drawn from re

Biased sampling, over-identified parameter problems and beyond

CERN Document Server

Qin, Jing

2017-01-01

This book is devoted to biased sampling problems (also called choice-based sampling in Econometrics parlance) and over-identified parameter estimation problems. Biased sampling problems appear in many areas of research, including Medicine, Epidemiology and Public Health, the Social Sciences and Economics. The book addresses a range of important topics, including case and control studies, causal inference, missing data problems, meta-analysis, renewal process and length biased sampling problems, capture and recapture problems, case cohort studies, exponential tilting genetic mixture models etc. The goal of this book is to make it easier for Ph. D students and new researchers to get started in this research area. It will be of interest to all those who work in the health, biological, social and physical sciences, as well as those who are interested in survey methodology and other areas of statistical science, among others. .

Problems of diagnostics and treatment of uterine tube cancer (clinical case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. E. Levchenko

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The clinical case of seldom found pathology – primary cancer of the uterine tube including at the same time both epithelial and sarcomatous component of a tumor is described. Data on a cancer of a uterine tube which, being a rare tumor are submitted, is morphologically similar to an ovary carcinoma. Predictively significant factors for this tumor are the disease stage, volume of residual tumoral masses, SA-125 indicators, and also as those the vascular invasion, degree of a differentiation of a tumor and age of patients are considered. On the basis of our supervision and clinical experience we came to a conclusion that this clinical case emphasizes not specificity of a current and complexity of timely diagnosis of a disease. Thus, an actual task is research of this problem for the purpose of improvement of quality of early diagnosis of primary cancer of uterine tube and use of new modern methods of treatment.

Where Learners' Questions Meet Modes of Teaching: A Study of Cases

Science.gov (United States)

de Jesus, Helena Pedrosa; Almeida, Patricia; Teixeira-Dias, Jose J.; Watts, Mike

2007-01-01

This paper is concerned with "match-mismatch" problems. In particular it seeks to match students' questioning to different modes of teaching in undergraduate chemistry. Kolb's theory of experiential learning is used to bridge between learners' questioning and teaching formats. Three case studies illuminate both sets of characteristics, the…

A Case Study of an Induction Year Teacher's Problem-Solving Using the LIBRE Model Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Guerra, Norma S.; Flores, Belinda Bustos; Claeys, Lorena

2009-01-01

Background: A federally-funded program at the University of Texas at San Antonio adopted a holistic problem solving mentoring approach for novice teachers participating in an accelerated teacher certification program. Aims/focus of discussion: To investigate a novice teacher's problem-solving activity through self-expression of challenges and…

Optimization approaches for treating nuclear power plant problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelgoad, A.S.A.

2012-01-01

Electricity generation is the process of generating electric energy from other forms of energy. There are many technologies that can be and are used to generate electricity. One of these technologies is the nuclear power. A nuclear power plant (NPP) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity. As of February 2nd, 2012, there were 439 nuclear power plants in operation through the world. NPP are usually considered to be base load stations, which are best suited to constant power output. The thesis consists of five chapters: Chapter I presents a survey on some important concepts of the NPP problems. Chapter II introduces the economic future of nuclear power. It presents nuclear energy scenarios beyond 2015, market potential for electricity generation to 2030 and economics of new plant construction. Chapter III presents a reliability centered problem of power plant preventive maintenance scheduling. NPP preventive maintenance scheduling problem with fuzzy parameters in the constraints is solved. A case study is provided to demonstrate the efficiency of proposed model. A comparison study between the deterministic case and fuzzy case for the problem of concern is carried out. Chapter IV introduces a fuzzy approach to the generation expansion planning problem (GEP) in a multiobjective environment. The GEP problem as an integer programming model with fuzzy parameters in the constraints is formulated. A parametric study is carried out for the GEP problem. A case study is provided to demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed model. A comparison study between our approach and the deterministic one is made. Chapter V is concerned with the conclusions arrived in carrying out this thesis and gives some suggestions for further research.

NUMERICAL SOLUTION OF SINGULAR INVERSE NODAL PROBLEM BY USING CHEBYSHEV POLYNOMIALS

OpenAIRE

NEAMATY, ABDOLALI; YILMAZ, EMRAH; AKBARPOOR, SHAHRBANOO; DABBAGHIAN, ABDOLHADI

2017-01-01

In this study, we consider Sturm-Liouville problem in two cases: the first case having no singularity and the second case having a singularity at zero. Then, we calculate the eigenvalues and the nodal points and present the uniqueness theorem for the solution of the inverse problem by using a dense subset of the nodal points in two given cases. Also, we use Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind for calculating the approximate solution of the inverse nodal problem in these cases. Finally, we...

A Review of Single-Case Studies Utilizing Self-Monitoring Interventions to Reduce Problem Classroom Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Sheffield, Kim; Waller, Raymond J.

2010-01-01

Trying to manage the problem behaviors of one or two students in the classroom can take teachers away from valuable instructional time with all students. However, these problem behaviors can be reduced and student engagement increased by teachers implementing effective behavior management strategies. 2008). Because behavior management is only one…

Teaching community diagnosis to medical students: evaluation of a case study approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Bair, C W

1980-01-01

A unique case study approach to training medical students in community diagnosis techniques was initiated at the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. This paper describes the five elements of this teaching method: preliminary specification of target community and data base; group problem-solving requirement; specification of desired output; defined performance objectives; and regularly scheduled time for analysis. Experience with the case study method over two years was evaluated to identify specific strengths and weaknesses. The identified strengths include use of limited educational time to introduce community health problems, development of experience in a collegial team work setting, and specific awareness of the types of data useful to the analysis of community health service problems. Negative evaluations suggested that the method was not conducive to the development of skills in three areas: ability to establish the relative importance of health problems in communities; ability to identify an appropriate health system response to a community health problem from feasible alternatives; and ability to anticipate the community impact of health program modifications or improvements. Potential explanations for these deficiencies include: need for increased didactic support in the classroom for particular skill areas; need to establish a direct field experience in community diagnosis; inappropriateness of the data base used for evaluation of particular skills; and the probability that quantitative analysis, as used in this evaluation, may not be sufficient in and of itself to measure the outcome of a community diagnosis experience.

Students' Problem Solving and Justification

Science.gov (United States)

Glass, Barbara; Maher, Carolyn A.

2004-01-01

This paper reports on methods of students' justifications of their solution to a problem in the area of combinatorics. From the analysis of the problem solving of 150 students in a variety of settings from high-school to graduate study, four major forms of reasoning evolved: (1) Justification by Cases, (2) Inductive Argument, (3) Elimination…

Factors influencing a problem-based learning implementation: A case study of IT courses

Science.gov (United States)

Darus, Norida Muhd; Mohd, Haslina; Baharom, Fauziah; Saip, Mohamed Ali; Puteh, Nurnasran; Marzuki @ Matt, Zaharin; Husain, Mohd Zabidin; Yasin, Azman

2016-08-01

IT students must be trained to work efficiently as teamwork. One of the techniques that can be used to train them is through Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach. The PBL implementation can be influenced by various factors depending on the ultimate goal of the study. This study is focusing on the IT students' perception of the PBL implementation. The student's perception is important to ensure the successfulness of the PBL implementation. Therefore, it is important to identify the factors that might influence the implementation of PBL of IT courses. This study aims to identify some catalyst factors that may influence the PBL implementation of IT courses. The study involved three (3) main phases: identifying PBL implementation factors, constructing a PBL model, and PBL model validation using statistical analysis. Four main factors are identified: PBL Characteristics, PBL Course Assessment, PBL Practices, and PBL Perception. Based on these four factors, a PBL model is constructed. Then, based on the proposed PBL model, four hypotheses are formulated and analyzed to validate the model. All hypotheses are significantly acceptable. The result shows that the PBL Characteristics and PBL Course Assessment factors are significantly influenced the PBL Practices and indirectly influenced the Students' Perception of the PBL Implementation for IT courses. This PBL model can assist decision makers in enhancing the PBL teaching and learning strategy for IT courses. It is also can be tested to other courses in the future.

A Problem Assisted Course Delivery for Occupational Health Students' Improved Learning: An Experience of Using Problems and Real Cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyedeh Negar Assadi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Problem based medical education had been useful in education of medical sciences students. The objective is the determination of effects of problem based medical education on occupational health students' learning.Methods: This study was a semi-experimental study. By using the curriculum of Ministry of Health, occupational toxicology course had been taught based on a problem based plan for group A, then students' grades or data had been analyzed by SPSS 16, mean, standard deviation, t-test with P<0.05.Results: The total grade of occupational toxicology in group A (with problem based medical education was 18.03±1.84 and in group B (regular education, it was 17.60±1.72 with t=0.852 and P=0.398 had not significant differences. The specific lessons such as cadmium and allergic disorders were promoted and its mean grades were more in group A than B.Conclusions: Problem based medical education was helpful in learning of some chapters of occupational toxicology.Keywords: PROBLEM BASED MEDICAL EDUCATION, OCCUPATIONAL TOXICOLOGY, MEDICAL SCIENCES EDUCATION, OCCUPATIONAL HEALT

Strategic Communication in Chaos Management and a Case Study

OpenAIRE

LATIF, Hasan; ELMAS, Tuğçe

2017-01-01

Abstract. Effective communication may be sufficient under normal conditions, but in chaos conditions strategic communication is required. There has been cases of unsuccessful management during times of sudden huge problems due to the use of wrong communication behaviors. This work presents together an example and the requisites of a successful a strategic communicator in chaotic conditions. The study begins with examples of mismanagement behaviors in strategic communication. It establishes a ...

Chronic disease and independence in old age: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeves, Pauline J.

2006-01-01

This report uses case study methodology to examine the issue of long-term care of the elderly in the United Kingdom, including where that care should take place. The report will examine the difficulties inherent in maintaining independent living for the elderly (in particular the danger and cost of falls). The case study presented is that of an elderly female patient who had suffered from chronic rheumatoid arthritis for over 10 years. She was admitted to hospital several times from December 2003 to January 2004. The discussion of her case is set in the context of the sociology of ageing; long-term care of the elderly and the UK National Service Frameworks, of which standard six relates to falls in the elderly. The report will also consider the problems in deciding whether it is necessary to terminate independent living for an individual

Accurate Prediction of Motor Failures by Application of Multi CBM Tools: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Rana; Singh, Veerendra Pratap; Dwivedi, Jai Prakash

2018-02-01

Motor failures are very difficult to predict accurately with a single condition-monitoring tool as both electrical and the mechanical systems are closely related. Electrical problem, like phase unbalance, stator winding insulation failures can, at times, lead to vibration problem and at the same time mechanical failures like bearing failure, leads to rotor eccentricity. In this case study of a 550 kW blower motor it has been shown that a rotor bar crack was detected by current signature analysis and vibration monitoring confirmed the same. In later months in a similar motor vibration monitoring predicted bearing failure and current signature analysis confirmed the same. In both the cases, after dismantling the motor, the predictions were found to be accurate. In this paper we will be discussing the accurate predictions of motor failures through use of multi condition monitoring tools with two case studies.

Solutions to HYDROCOIN [Hydrologic Code Intercomparison] Level 1 problems using STOKES and PARTICLE (Cases 1,2,4,7)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gureghian, A.B.; Andrews, A.; Steidl, S.B.; Brandstetter, A.

1987-10-01

HYDROCOIN (Hydrologic Code Intercomparison) Level 1 benchmark problems are solved using the finite element ground-water flow code STOKES and the pathline generating code PARTICLE developed for the Office of Crystalline Repository Development (OCRD). The objective of the Level 1 benchmark problems is to verify the numerical accuracy of ground-water flow codes by intercomparison of their results with analytical solutions and other numerical computer codes. Seven test cases were proposed for Level 1 to the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate, the managing participant of HYDROCOIN. Cases 1, 2, 4, and 7 were selected by OCRD because of their appropriateness to the nature of crystalline repository hydrologic performance. The background relevance, conceptual model, and assumptions of each case are presented. The governing equations, boundary conditions, input parameters, and the solution schemes applied to each case are discussed. The results are shown in graphic and tabular form with concluding remarks. The results demonstrate the two-dimensional verification of STOKES and PARTICLE. 5 refs., 61 figs., 30 tabs

Integrating transportation and production: an international study case

OpenAIRE

L Bertazzi; O Zappa

2012-01-01

The problem we study is inspired by the real case of Mesdan S.p.A., an Italian company worldwide leader in the textile machinery sector, which has two production units with two warehouses, one located in Italy (Brescia) and the other in China (Foshan). The critical point in this logistic system is the integration between production and transportation management, given the long distance between Brescia and Foshan. Shipments are performed by the means of different types of vehicles with differe...

Engaging novice researchers in the process and culture of science using a "Pass-the-Problem" case strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Harold B; Usher, David C

2015-01-01

Undergraduates having their first research experience frequently have little idea of what to expect. Institutions offering summer research experiences attempt to address this issue through programs that introduce students to the process and culture of science. However, didactic approaches frequently bore students who prefer more interactive sessions. We describe a "Pass-the-Problem" case study approach that engages groups of students in useful discussions about the research environment they are entering. The cases presented here include keeping a thorough laboratory notebook, balancing laboratory and personal time demands, anxiety about formal presentations, unexpected federal regulatory inspection, working in a lab with limited funds, being used as a technician rather than a researcher, frustration with failed experiments, effects of promotion and tenure on laboratory atmosphere, the importance of reading the research literature, and questioning a career in science. These cases alert students to different situations they might encounter and stimulate discussion about how to deal with them. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

[Case and studies].

Science.gov (United States)

Schubert, András

2015-11-15

Case studies and case reports form an important and ever growing part of scientific and scholarly literature. The paper deals with the share and citation rate of these publication types on different fields of research. In general, evidence seems to support the opinion that an excessive number of such publications may negatively influence the impact factor of the journal. In the literature of scientometrics, case studies (at least the presence of the term "case study" in the titles of the papers) have a moderate share, but their citation rate is practically equal to that of other publication types.

Similarities of discrete and continuous Sturm-Liouville problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazem Ghanbari

2007-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we present a study on the analogous properties of discrete and continuous Sturm-Liouville problems arising in matrix analysis and differential equations, respectively. Green's functions in both cases have analogous expressions in terms of the spectral data. Most of the results associated to inverse problems in both cases are identical. In particular, in both cases Weyl's m-function determines the Sturm-Liouville operators uniquely. Moreover, the well known Rayleigh-Ritz Theorem in linear algebra can be proved by using the concept of Green's function in discrete case.

STS Case Study Development Support

Science.gov (United States)

Rosa de Jesus, Dan A.; Johnson, Grace K.

2013-01-01

The Shuttle Case Study Collection (SCSC) has been developed using lessons learned documented by NASA engineers, analysts, and contractors. The SCSC provides educators with a new tool to teach real-world engineering processes with the goal of providing unique educational materials that enhance critical thinking, decision-making and problem-solving skills. During this third phase of the project, responsibilities included: the revision of the Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) source code to ensure all pages follow World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards, and the addition and edition of website content, including text, documents, and images. Basic HTML knowledge was required, as was basic knowledge of photo editing software, and training to learn how to use NASA's Content Management System for website design. The outcome of this project was its release to the public.

A Child With Learning Disability:A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahin Sedaie

2003-09-01

Full Text Available This case can be placed in a neurologic classification. The patient is a child with learning disability in school activities. He was first referred to an audiological clinic because of a central auditory processing disorder (CAPD. His mother has noticed several hearing problems and this led us to the evaluations for his central auditory processing disorder. He has problems in hearing speech in noise and speech processing and need his friends repeat words during communication. no vestibular disorder was noticed nor any localization problem. The child has a good progress in school and only suffered problems in reading tasks. Intelligence quotient(IQ was also normal.

Civil Service Reform in Ghana: A Case Study of Contemporary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Civil Service Reform in Ghana: A Case Study of Contemporary Reform Problems in Africa. Joseph R.A Ayee. Abstract. (A. J. of Political Science: 2001 6(1): 1-41). Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajps.v6i1.27319 · AJOL African ...

Several problems in accelerator shielding study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Takashi; Hirayama, Hideo; Ban, Shuichi.

1980-01-01

Recently, the utilization of accelerators has increased rapidly, and the increase of accelerating energy and beam intensity is also remarkable. The studies on accelerator shielding have become important, because the amount of radiation emitted from accelerators increased, the regulation of the dose of environmental radiation was tightened, and the cost of constructing shielding rose. As the plans of constructing large accelerators have been made successively, the survey on the present state and the problems of the studies on accelerator shielding was carried out. Accelerators are classified into electron accelerators and proton accelerators in view of the studies on shielding. In order to start the studies on accelerator shielding, first, the preparation of the cross section data is indispensable. The cross sections for generating Bremsstrahlung, photonuclear reactions generating neutrons, generation of neutrons by hadrons, nuclear reaction of neutrons and generation of gamma-ray by hadrons are described. The generation of neutrons and gamma-ray as the problems of thick targets is explained. The shielding problems are complex and diversified, but in this paper, the studies on the shielding, by which basic data are obtainable, are taken up, such as beam damping and side wall shielding. As for residual radioactivity, main nuclides and the difference of residual radioactivity according to substances have been studied. (J.P.N.)

Ransomware: A Research and a Personal Case Study of Dealing with this Nasty Malware

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azad Ali

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Aim/Purpose\t: Share research finding about ransomware, depict the ransomware work in a format that commonly used by researchers and practitioners and illustrate personal case experience in dealing with ransomware. Background: Author was hit with Ransomware, suffered a lot from it, and did a lot of research about this topic. Author wants to share findings in his research and his experience in dealing with the aftermath of being hit with ransomware. Methodology: Case study. Applying the literature review for a personal case study. Contribution: More knowledge and awareness about ransomware, how it attacks peoples’ computers, and how well informed users can be hit with this malware. Findings: Even advanced computer users can be hit and suffer from Ransomware attacks. Awareness is very helpful. In addition, this study drew in chart format what is termed “The Ransomware Process”, depicting in chart format the steps that ransomware hits users and collects ransom. Recommendations for Practitioners\t: Study reiterates other recommendations made for dealing with ransomware attacks but puts them in personal context for more effective awareness about this malware. Recommendation for Researchers: This study lays the foundation for additional research to find solutions to the ransomware problem. IT researchers are aware of chart representations to depict cycles (like SDLC. This paper puts the problem in similar representation to show the work of ransomware. Impact on Society: Society will be better informed about ransomware. Through combining research, illustrating personal experience, and graphically representing the work of ransomware, society at large will be better informed about the risk of this malware. Future Research: Research into solutions for this problem and how to apply them to personal cases.

A methodological review of qualitative case study methodology in midwifery research.

Science.gov (United States)

Atchan, Marjorie; Davis, Deborah; Foureur, Maralyn

2016-10-01

To explore the use and application of case study research in midwifery. Case study research provides rich data for the analysis of complex issues and interventions in the healthcare disciplines; however, a gap in the midwifery research literature was identified. A methodological review of midwifery case study research using recognized templates, frameworks and reporting guidelines facilitated comprehensive analysis. An electronic database search using the date range January 2005-December 2014: Maternal and Infant Care, CINAHL Plus, Academic Search Complete, Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS, Medline, Health Collection (Informit), Cochrane Library Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Wiley online and ProQuest Central. Narrative evaluation was undertaken. Clearly worded questions reflected the problem and purpose. The application, strengths and limitations of case study methods were identified through a quality appraisal process. The review identified both case study research's applicability to midwifery and its low uptake, especially in clinical studies. Many papers included the necessary criteria to achieve rigour. The included measures of authenticity and methodology were varied. A high standard of authenticity was observed, suggesting authors considered these elements to be routine inclusions. Technical aspects were lacking in many papers, namely a lack of reflexivity and incomplete transparency of processes. This review raises the profile of case study research in midwifery. Midwives will be encouraged to explore if case study research is suitable for their investigation. The raised profile will demonstrate further applicability; encourage support and wider adoption in the midwifery setting. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Sturm-Liouville spectrum problem: quartic oscillator case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voros, Andre.

1982-11-01

The Sturm-Liouville eigenvalue problem given by the steady-state Schroedinger equation in quantum mechanics is considered on the real axis. There are, however, exact expressions available only for a harmonic oscillator (the Hermite equation); consequently, semi-classical asymptotic methods (in powers of the Planck's constant), which yield very good approximations, have been much studied analytically and as regards their relationships to geometrical optics. These methods relate the asymptotic form of the spectrum to the closed orbits of the Hamiltonian vector field of the function H(p,q) = p 2 + V(q) in the phase space R 2 . We seek to show that these supposedly approximate methods are in fact an exact way of solving the problem. The quartic oscillator, with V(q) = q 4 , is used as an example [fr

Building theories from case study research: the progressive case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steenhuis, H.J.; de Bruijn, E.J.

2006-01-01

Meredith (1998) argues for more case and field research studies in the field of operations management. Based on a literature review, we discuss several existing approaches to case studies and their characteristics. These approaches include; the Grounded Theory approach which proposes no prior

Composing problem solvers for simulation experimentation: a case study on steady state estimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Leye, Stefan; Ewald, Roland; Uhrmacher, Adelinde M

2014-01-01

Simulation experiments involve various sub-tasks, e.g., parameter optimization, simulation execution, or output data analysis. Many algorithms can be applied to such tasks, but their performance depends on the given problem. Steady state estimation in systems biology is a typical example for this: several estimators have been proposed, each with its own (dis-)advantages. Experimenters, therefore, must choose from the available options, even though they may not be aware of the consequences. To support those users, we propose a general scheme to aggregate such algorithms to so-called synthetic problem solvers, which exploit algorithm differences to improve overall performance. Our approach subsumes various aggregation mechanisms, supports automatic configuration from training data (e.g., via ensemble learning or portfolio selection), and extends the plugin system of the open source modeling and simulation framework James II. We show the benefits of our approach by applying it to steady state estimation for cell-biological models.

Trans-Disciplinary Education for Sustainable Marine and Coastal Management: A Case Study in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsiao-Chien Lee

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The present study aims to investigate the effect of a trans-disciplinary design of curricula, deemed a powerful tool for teaching and research on complex environmental problems, with a goal to help solve the real problems that climate change has brought to the coastal environment in Taiwan. Three major real-life problems in southern Taiwan—declining mullet fisheries, flooding, and coral bleaching—were integrated into four courses. Adopting a qualitative case study method, the researchers investigated the student perceptions of the trans-disciplinary learning experiences, their attitudes toward marine and coastal environmental protection, and their capability of solving the problems related to marine and coastal environments. The researchers employed various methods to analyze the student reflection reports, student self-evaluation forms, and the tape-recorded class meetings. The findings suggest the following: the trans-disciplinary curriculum stands to be an innovative yet indispensable design for coastal management education; such a curriculum benefits students by equipping them with essential knowledge and skills to succeed in future marine conservation; action learning for marine and coastal sustainability serves as the final goal of trans-disciplinary learning project; a trans-disciplinary case study on the design of curricula provides effective knowledge integration of marine and coastal sustainability.

Three-body scattering problem in the fixed center approximation: The case of attraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kudryavtsev, Alexander E. [National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow (Russian Federation); Gani, Vakhid A. [National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow (Russian Federation); National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), Moscow (Russian Federation); Romanov, Alexander I. [National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), Moscow (Russian Federation)

2016-12-15

We study the scattering of a light particle on a bound pair of heavy particles (e.g., the deuteron) within the fixed center approximation in the case of light-heavy attraction, solving the integral equation for the three-body Green's function both in the coordinate and in the momentum space. The results for the three-body scattering amplitude appear to be ambiguous -they depend on a single real parameter. This parameter may be fixed by a three-body input, e.g., the three-body scattering length. We also solve the integral equation for the three-body Green function in the momentum space, introducing a finite cut-off. We show that all three approaches are equivalent. We also discuss how our approach to the problem matches with the introduction of three-body contact interaction as done by other authors. (orig.)

Report on the Recovery of a Personality Problem in a Case with Borderline Personality Disorder after Head Trauma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Nasiri

2017-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Borderline personality disorder which constantly changes the mood, identity and interpersonal relationship is a mental disorder classified in category B. Besides, it leads to behaviors such as drug abuse, impulsive sex and suicide which make more difficult the treatment of these patients. The aim of this study was to report the recovery of a personality problem in a case with borderline personality disorder after the head trauma. CASE REPORT: The personality signs of a 28-year-old boy who had the full criteria of borderline personality disorder including drug abuse, impulsivity, mood instability, periods of anger and aggression were significantly decreased after hitting. Personality difference and improvement of patient were shown in MMPI test and MRI indicated the structural changes in his brain. He had no problem in 4-year-follow up. CONCLUSION: This report suggested the personality and behavioral changes after head trauma. MRI results indicated that the recovery is probably caused by the destruction area in the frontal lobe and the anterior temporal lobe (near the hippocampus. Thus the importance of neuropsychological factors should be considered in creating the diagnostic criteria.

Mental health problems and psychopathology in infancy and early childhood. An epidemiological study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovgaard, Anne Mette

2010-01-01

UNLABELLED: The thesis includes seven published papers and an overview concerning the epidemiological aspects of mental health problems and psychopathology in children aged 0-3 years. The research behind the thesis focuses at psychopathology in the first years of life. The aim has been...... of psychiatric illness in early life. The Copenhagen Child Cohort CCC 2000 was established with inclusion of 6090 children born in year 2000. The cohort was described at baseline with data from Danish National registers and prospective data on mental health and development collected by health nurses at home...... visits. At 1½ years of age a subpopulation was thoroughly investigated regarding child psychiatric illness, in a random sample prevalence study and a case-control study nested in cohort, with cases being children of health nurse concern in the first ten months of living. Mental health disorders were...

Off-Line and Dynamic Production Scheduling – A Comparative Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bożek Andrzej

2016-03-01

Full Text Available A comprehensive case study of manufacturing scheduling solutions development is given. It includes highly generalized scheduling problem as well as a few scheduling modes, methods and problem models. The considered problem combines flexible job shop structure, lot streaming with variable sublots, transport times, setup times, and machine calendars. Tabu search metaheuristic and constraint programming methods have been used for the off-line scheduling. Two dynamic scheduling methods have also been implemented, i.e., dispatching rules for the completely reactive scheduling and a multi-agent system for the predictivereactive scheduling. In these implementations three distinct models of the problem have been used, based on: graph representation, optimal constraint satisfaction, and Petri net formalism. Each of these solutions has been verified in computational experiments. The results are compared and some findings about advantages, disadvantages, and suggestions on using the solutions are formulated.

Investigating sexual problems, psychological distress and quality of life in female patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: A prospective case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Saffari, Mohsen; Lin, Chung-Ying; Broström, Anders; Mårtensson, Jan; Malm, Dan; Burri, Andrea; Fridlund, Bengt; Pakpour, Amir H

2017-10-01

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TSCM) has detrimental effects on both physical and psychological health of sufferers. However, little is known whether TSCM also affects sexual functioning in female patients. The aim of this study was to investigate psychological distress (depression and anxiety), health-related quality of life, and sexual functioning in women with TSCM and compare them with women with acute myocardial infarction and with healthy controls. A three group prospective case-control design was used. Female patients with TSCM or acute myocardial infarction, as well as healthy controls (94 in each group), were recruited across eight Iranian university hospitals. Data were collected at baseline and after six and 18 months using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Short Form-12, the Female Sexual Function Index and the Female Sexual Distress Scale. Multilevel logistic regression was conducted. The TSCM group showed worst sexual functioning and the highest level of anxiety and depression at baseline ( pquality of life at baseline, which was lower in both groups compared with the healthy controls ( pquality of life showed a significant change over time, especially in the TSCM group, with health-related quality of life decreasing, while anxiety and depression were increasing. Compared with the acute myocardial infarction and healthy control groups, the TSCM group showed a higher prevalence of sexual problems (odds ratios = 3.10 and 2.28, respectively) across time. Moreover, sexual functioning was found to be a mediator between anxiety and health-related quality of life in the TSCM group. Depression, anxiety, health-related quality of life, and sexual dysfunction tend to increase over time in female patients with TSCM; thus, healthcare providers should pay attention to these problems and provide appropriate treatment where necessary.

CREATION OF A MULTIRESOLUTION AND MULTIACCURACY DTM: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS FOR HELI-DEM CASE STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Biagi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The work is part of "HELI-DEM" (HELvetia-Italy Digital Elevation Model project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund within the Italy-Switzerland cooperation program. The aim of the project is the creation of a unique DTM for the alpine and subalpine area between Italy (Piedmont, Lombardy and Switzerland (Ticino and Grisons Cantons; at present, different DTMs, that are in different reference frames and have been obtained with different technologies, accuracies, and resolutions, have been acquired. The final DTM should be correctly georeferenced and produced validating and integrating the data that are available for the project. DTMs are fundamental in hydrogeological studies, especially in alpine areas where hydrogeological risks may exist. Moreover, when an event, like for example a landslide, happens at the border between countries, a unique and integrated DTM which covers the interest area is useful to analyze the scenario. In this sense, HELI-DEM project is helpful. To perform analyses along the borders between countries, transnational geographic information is needed: a transnational DTM can be obtained by merging regional low resolution DTMs. Moreover high resolution local DTMs should be used where they are available. To be merged, low and high resolution DTMs should be in the same three dimensional reference frame, should not present biases and should be consistent in the overlapping areas. Cross-validation between the different DTMs is therefore needed. Two different problems should be solved: the merging of regional, partly overlapping low and medium resolution DTMs into a unique low/medium resolution DTM and the merging with other local high resolution/high accuracy height data. This paper discusses the preliminary processing of the data for the fusion of low and high resolution DTMs in a study-case area within the Lombardy region: Valtellina valley. In this region the Lombardy regional low resolution DTM is available, with

Computer Assisted Instruction in Special Education Three Case Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

İbrahim DOĞAN

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to investigate the computer use of three students attending the special education center. Students have mental retardation, hearing problem and physical handicap respectively. The maximum variation sampling is used to select the type of handicap while the convenience sampling is used to select the participants. Three widely encountered handicap types in special education are chosen to select the study participants. The multiple holistic case study design is used in the study. Results of the study indicate that teachers in special education prefer to use educational games and drill and practice type of computers programs. Also it is found that over use of the animation, text and symbols cause cognitive overload on the student with mental retardation. Additionally, it is also discovered that the student with hearing problem learn words better when the computers are used in education as compared to the traditional method. Furthermore the student with physical handicap improved his fine muscle control abilities besides planned course objectives when computers are used in special education.

About numerical analysis of a plasma physics problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almeida Cipolatti, R. de

1985-01-01

A numerical study on macroscopic equilibrium of a plasma at interior of a tokamak device, considering boundary problems for the case which f(s)=sis presented. The abstract Dirichlet problem enumerating main results which is applied to plasma model is studied. (M.C.K.) [pt

The most common problem facing by the maintenance department: A case Study between Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

Science.gov (United States)

Norazam Yasin, Mohd; Mohamad Zin, Rosli; Halid Abdullah, Abd; Shafiq Mahmad, Muhammad; Fikri Hasmori, Muhammad

2017-11-01

From time to time, the maintenance works become more challenging due to construction of new building and also aging of the existing buildings. University buildings without any exception require proper maintenance services to support their function requirements and this can be considered as major responsibilities to be fulfilled by the maintenance department in the universities. Maintenance department specifically will face various kinds of problems in their operation works and thus this might influence the maintenance work operations itself. This study purposely to identify the common problem facing by the maintenance department and also to examine the current status of the maintenance department. In addition, this study would also propose any suitable approach that could be implemented to overcome the problem facing by the maintenance department. To achieve the objectives of this study, a combination of deep literature study and carrying out a survey is necessary. Literature study aimed to obtain deeper information about this study, meanwhile a survey aimed at identifying the common problem facing by the maintenance department and also to provide the information of the maintenance department’s organization. Several methods will be used in analyzing the data obtained through the survey, including Microsoft Office Excel and also using mean index formula. This study has identified three categories of problem in the maintenance department, which are management problems, human resource problem, and technical problems. Following the findings, several solutions being proposed which can be implemented as the solution to the problem facing. These suggestions have the potential to improve the maintenance department work efficiency, thus could help to increase the department productivity.

The art and science of participative problem solving

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vidal, Rene Victor Valqui

In this paper we will document that real-life problem solving in complex situations demands both rational (scientific) and intuitive (artistic) thinking. First, the concepts of art and science will be discussed; differences and similarities will be enhanced. Thereafter the concept of group problem...... solving facilitation both as science and art will be presented. A case study related to examinations planning will be discussed to illustrate the main concepts in practice. In addition, other cases studies will also be shortly presented....

Improving road transport operations through lean thinking: A case study

OpenAIRE

Villarreal, B.; Garza-Reyes, J. A.; Kumar, V.; Lim, M. K.

2017-01-01

Traditionally, logistics and transportation problems have been addressed through mathematical modelling, operations research, and simulation methods. This paper documents a case study where the road transport operations of a leading Mexican brewery organisation have been improved through lean thinking and waste reduction. Two lean-based principles and tools were combined; the Seven Transportation Extended Wastes (STEWs) and Transportation Value Stream Mapping (TVSM), and three systematic step...

Self-rostering applied to case studies - An ILP method to construct a feasible schedule

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uijland, Suzanne; van der Veen, Egbert; Hurink, Johann L.; Schutten, Johannes M.J.; Kjenstad, D.; Riise, A.; Nordlander, T.E.; McCollum, B.; Burke, E.

We discuss the self-rostering problem, a concept receiving more and more attention from both theory and practice. We outline our methodology and discuss its application to a number of practical case studies.

Problem-Oriented Requirements in Practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauesen, Søren

2018-01-01

[Context and motivation] Traditional requirements describe what the system shall do. This gives suppliers little freedom to use what they have already. In contrast, problem-oriented requirements describe the customer’s demands: what he wants to use the system for and which problems he wants...... to remove. The supplier specifies how his system will deal with these issues. The author developed the problem-oriented approach in 2007 on request from the Danish Government, and named it SL-07. [Question/problem] SL-07 has been used in many projects – usually with success. However, we had no detailed re......¬ports of the effects. [Princi¬pal ideas/results] This paper is a case study of SL-07 in acquisition of a complex case-management system. The author wrote the requirements and managed the supplier selection. Next, he was asked to run the entire acquisition project, although he was a novice project manager. Some...

Solving scheduling problems by untimed model checking. The clinical chemical analyser case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Margaria, T.; Wijs, Anton J.; Massink, M.; van de Pol, Jan Cornelis; Bortnik, Elena M.

2009-01-01

In this article, we show how scheduling problems can be modelled in untimed process algebra, by using special tick actions. A minimal-cost trace leading to a particular action, is one that minimises the number of tick steps. As a result, we can use any (timed or untimed) model checking tool to find

Metaheuristics applied to vehicle routing. A case study. Parte 1: formulating the problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillermo González Vargas

2006-09-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with VRP (vehicle routing problem mathematical formulation and presents some methodologies used by different authors to solve VRP variation. This paper is presented as the springboard for introducing future papers about a manufacturing company’s location decisions based on the total distance traveled to distribute its product.

Using Digital Mapping Tool in Ill-Structured Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Hua

2013-01-01

Scaffolding students' problem solving and helping them to improve problem solving skills are critical in instructional design courses. This study investigated the effects of students' uses of a digital mapping tool on their problem solving performance in a design case study. It was found that the students who used the digital mapping tool…

The prevalence, incidence, and gender and age-specific incidence of problem gambling: results of the Swedish longitudinal gambling study (Swelogs).

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Max; Romild, Ulla; Volberg, Rachel

2018-04-01

To estimate the prevalence, incidence and gender and age-specific incidence of problem gambling in the Swedish adult population. Longitudinal cohort study with linkage to register data. Sweden. Stratified random sample aged 16-84 years at baseline (n = 8165) re-assessed a year later (n = 6021). Problem gambling (life-time and past 12 months) was measured by the South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised (SOGS-R). Past 12-month (current) problem gambling was also measured by the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). The SOGS-R combined current pathological and problem gambling prevalence rate (PR) was 2.1 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.8-2.4] at baseline and 1.7 (1.4-2.0) at follow-up, approximately half the corresponding life-time estimates.[Correction added on 22 Dec 2017, after first online publication: In the preceding sentence, the SOGS-R combined current pathological and problem gambling prevalence rate (PR) was incorrectly reported as being double the corresponding life-time rate. It has been corrected in this version.] PGSI combined current problem and moderate-risk gambling PRs were 2.2 (1.9-2.5) at baseline and 1.9 (1.6-2.2) at follow-up. Combined incidence rates (IRs) were 1.0 (0.8-1.3) (SOGS-R) and 1.4 (1.1-1.7) (PGSI), with more than three-quarters being new cases. While first-time IRs did not vary by gender, males had a higher relapse IR and proportionately more females were new cases. The young adult IR was more than double the older adult IR; similar proportions were new cases. The actual incidence of problem gambling relapse in Sweden is likely to be higher than estimated. The profile of problem gambling in Sweden is likely to change over time, with increased proportions of women and older adults. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

EL PROGRAMA CASE STUDY HOUSE: INDUSTRIA, PROPAGANDA Y VIVIENDA / Case Study House Program: industry, propaganda and housing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Díez Martínez

2012-05-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN En enero de 1945, John Entenza, editor de la revista californiana Arts & Architecture, puso en marcha el programa Case Study House, un ambicioso proyecto cuyo firme objetivo era investigar las posibilidades y soluciones del problema de la vivienda al que se enfrentaba los Estados Unidos de la posguerra. Para ello, Entenza diseñó una novedosa estrategia de colaboración entre algunos de los mejores arquitectos californianos del momento y la maquinaria industrial estadounidense, abierta a un proceso de reconversión de producción bélica a objetos para la población civil que tendría lugar en un tiempo récord. Así, el artículo propone el análisis de esa relación entre empresa y domesticidad, entre viabilidad económica y calidad arquitectónica, entre procesos de prefabricación y espíritu individual. Todos ellos conceptos aparentemente opuestos pero que, de la mano del programa Case Study House, lograron un entendimiento que a día de hoy sigue resultando extraordinario. SUMMARY In January 1945, John Entenza, editor of the California Arts & Architecture magazine, launched the ‘Case Study House Program’, an ambitious project whose firm objective was to investigate the possibilities and solutions for the housing problem facing the United States after the war. To do this, Entenza designed a novel strategy for collaboration between some of the best Californian architects of the time and the U.S. industrial machine, open to a process of conversion from military production to objects for the civilian population that would take place in record time. Thus, the article proposes the analysis of the relationship between business and domesticity, between economic viability and architectural quality, between prefabrication processes and individual spirit. All of these seemingly opposing concepts reached, at the hands of the ‘Case Study House Program’, an understanding that still seems extraordinary today.

Struggling with solutions : a case study of using organisation concepts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benders, Jos; Slomp, Jannes

2009-01-01

Engineers contribute to the constant flow of new tools and organisation concepts. These tend to be presented as solutions to existing organisational problems. These solutions may become problems themselves, however. We present a longitudinal case of how a truck manufacturer struggled with various

Insurance problems among inflammatory bowel disease patients: results of a Dutch population based study.

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Russel, M G V M; Ryan, B M; Dagnelie, P C; de Rooij, M; Sijbrandij, J; Feleus, A; Hesselink, M; Muris, J W; Stockbrugger, R

2003-03-01

The majority of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a normal life expectancy and therefore should not be weighted when applying for life assurance. There is scant literature on this topic. In this study our aim was to document and compare the incidence of difficulties in application for life and medical insurance in a population based cohort of IBD patients and matched population controls. A population based case control study of 1126 IBD patients and 1723 controls. Based on a detailed questionnaire, the frequency and type of difficulties encountered when applying for life and medical insurance in matched IBD and control populations were appraised. In comparison with controls, IBD patients had an 87-fold increased risk of encountering difficulties when applying for life assurance (odds ratio (OR) 87 (95% confidence interval (CI) 31-246)), with a heavily weighted premium being the most common problem. Patients of high educational status, with continuous disease activity, and who smoked had the highest odds of encountering such problems. Medical insurance difficulties were fivefold more common in IBD patients compared with controls (OR 5.4 (95% CI 2.3-13)) although no specific disease or patient characteristics were identified as associated with such difficulties. This is the first detailed case control study that has investigated insurance difficulties among IBD patients. Acquiring life and medical insurance constituted a major problem for IBD patients in this study. These results are likely to be more widely representative given that most insurance companies use international guidelines for risk assessment. In view of the recent advances in therapy and promising survival data on IBD patients, evidence based guidelines for risk assessment of IBD patients by insurance companies should be drawn up to prevent possible discriminatory practices.

The Solution of a Velocity-Dependent Slowing-Down Problem Using Case's Eigenfunction Expansion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Claesson, A

1964-11-15

The slowing-down of neutrons in a hydrogenous moderator is calculated assuming a plane source of monoenergetic neutrons. The scattering is regarded as spherically symmetric, but it is shown that a generalization to anisotropy is possible. The cross-section is assumed to be constant. The virgin neutrons are separated out, and it follows that the distribution of the remaining neutrons can be obtained by using an expansion in the eigenfunctions given by Case for the velocity-independent problem.

Why use case studies rather than simulation-gaming techniques or library research?

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Mcdonald, S. W.

1981-01-01

Method which present a student with a more challenging and true to life situation of needing to conduct research in a problem solving context--and not thinking about organization of format until research and thinking are complete are investigated. Simulation-gaming techniques which attempt to teach initiative and creativity that library research are used for this purpose. However, it is shown case studies provide the greatest opportunities to engage the students in problem solving situations in which they develop skills as researchers and writers.

THE EFFECT OF NON-ROUTINE GEOMETRY PROBLEM ON ELEMENTARY STUDENTS BELIEF IN MATHEMATICS: A CASE STUDY

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Khoerul Umam

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Many learners hold traditional beliefs about perimeter and area that a shape with a larger area must have a larger perimeter while shape with the same perimeter must have the same area. To address this issue, non-routine geometry problem is given. This qualitative descriptive research used to reach the goal and to explore the effect of non-routine geometry problem on elementary student belief in mathematics. The instrument has been developed to accommodate intuitive student belief and student’s belief about the concept of perimeter. The results provide evidence that students’ intuitive belief about perimeter can be change through non-routine geometry problem which is required understanding and some mathematical analysis. Fortunately, the problem has helped the elementary students revise and correct their beliefs, thoughts, and understandings relating to the circumference of shape.

Implementation of PV plants in Spain: a case study

OpenAIRE

Diez Mediavilla, Montserrat; Alonso Tristán, Cristina; Rodríguez Amigo, María del Carmen; Garcia Calderon, Teofilo

2010-01-01

The implementation process of a photovoltaic system and its connection to the national grid in Spain is examined from an economic, an administrative and a legal standpoint. In the first place, this case study describes the solar farm, and it goes on to examine the economic aspects of electricity production, its associated costs, and relevant grants and financial subsidies. Finally, problems related to the administration of the project and the issuing of permits by local and regional authoriti...

Applied philosophy and psychotherapy: Heraclitus as case study

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Johann Beukes

2002-10-01

Full Text Available This article investigates a recent attempt to apply philosophy within the discipline of psychotherapy and to investigate the somewhat undefined realm of philosophical counselling. After introducing the claims of this interdisciplinary exercise and after addressing the problems involved in crossing the boundaries between philosophy and psychotherapy, the article elaborates on  Alex Howard’s (2000 [Philosophy for counselling and psychotherapy: Pythagoras to post-modernism. London: Macmillan] attempt to make explicit use of philosophy in psychotherapy, using his interpretation and application of Heraclitus’ philosophy as case study.

A Predictive and Follow-Up Study of Abusive and Neglectful Families by Case Analysis.

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Heap, Kari Killen

1991-01-01

A case analysis, predictive study, and follow-up study of 17 abused and/or neglected children found that the prognosis for abusive and/or neglectful parents is poorer when they are scored high on immaturity than when they are scored high on emotional problems. (BRM)

THE PROBLEM OF PROPER CARGO SECURING IN ROAD TRANSPORT – CASE STUDY

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Maria CIEŚLA

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the problem of improper security of cargo in trucks as the cause of about 25% of the accidents that takes place in road transport. Attention was drawn to aspects of legal liability for errors resulting from incorrect load securing according to polish law. Article was enriched with practical examples illustrating the effects of improper cargo securing on transport unit and shows how it had to be prepared properly. When planning the proper transport protection of metal sheets rolled both calculation methods and computer applications were used.

Hannibal Lecter: Case study of a fictional character

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Repišti Selman

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to review the case of the imaginary character, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, based on content analysis of four books ('Hannibal', 'Hannibal Rising', 'Silence of the Lambs' and 'Red Dragon', four films with the same title and two seasons of 13 episodes of the serial 'Hannibal'. In the first part, the analysis refers to the consideration of the aforementioned case, taking into account the following diagnostic classifications: DSM-IV, DSM-5 and ICD-10. Then, we offered a description of Dr. Lecter's personality through modern models of personality structure: Big Five Model, HEXACO Model, The Big Seven Model, Two-factor Model and One-factor Model. In particular, we address the interpretation of behavioral patterns of this fictional character from the perspective of classical psychodynamic theory, and through the prism of a theoretical point of Jacques Lacan. In addition, his behavior is explained by applying the postulates of cognitive-behavioral paradigm as well as evolutionary psychology. At the end of the paper are listed conclusions, created as a synthesis of previous interpretations, or an eclectic approach used in these analyses. In addition, there are featured disadvantages of this type of analysis, in the form of methodological limitations of qualitative research in one subject (case studies and problems of differential diagnosis in the case of a controversial character such as Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

Enabling Metacognitive Skills for Mathematics Problem Solving: A Collective Case Study of Metacognitive Reflection and Awareness

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Jagals, Divan; van der Walt, Marthie

2016-01-01

Metacognition encompasses knowledge and regulation that, through reflection, sustain problem solving behaviour. How metacognitive awareness is constructed from reflection on metacognitive knowledge and regulation and how these reflections enable metacognitive skills for Mathematics problem solving remain unclear. Three secondary schools…

The seasickness as marine problem-case study

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Fernandez, Rodrigo Perez

2013-03-01

Motion sickness is one of the main reasons why travelling by sea becomes a bad memory for a number of people, mainly due to a nauseating symptom. The aim of this paper is to characterize a condition called seasickness that has affected many people from a mathematical and psychological point of view. Based on the mathematical characterization, an existing model will be reviewed and described. In the psychological aspects, a statistical study of two hundred and thirteen people was performed in order to provide a comprehensive view of the different psychological factors affecting the passengers. Motion sickness also impacts onboard safety, as it reduces the effectiveness and the operating capability of the crew when responding to hazardous situations.

Implementing interactive decision support: A case for combining cyberinfrastructure, data fusion, and social process to mobilize scientific knowledge in sustainability problems

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Pierce, S. A.

2014-12-01

Geosciences are becoming increasingly data intensive, particularly in relation to sustainability problems, which are multi-dimensional, weakly structured and characterized by high levels of uncertainty. In the case of complex resource management problems, the challenge is to extract meaningful information from data and make sense of it. Simultaneously, scientific knowledge alone is insufficient to change practice. Creating tools, and group decision support processes for end users to interact with data are key challenges to transforming science-based information into actionable knowledge. The ENCOMPASS project began as a multi-year case study in the Atacama Desert of Chile to design and implement a knowledge transfer model for energy-water-mining conflicts in the region. ENCOMPASS combines the use of cyberinfrastructure (CI), automated data collection, interactive interfaces for dynamic decision support, and participatory modelling to support social learning. A pilot version of the ENCOMPASS CI uses open source systems and serves as a structure to integrate and store multiple forms of data and knowledge, such as DEM, meteorological, water quality, geomicrobiological, energy demand, and groundwater models. In the case study, informatics and data fusion needs related to scientific uncertainty around deep groundwater flowpaths and energy-water connections. Users may upload data from field sites with handheld devices or desktops. Once uploaded, data assets are accessible for a variety of uses. To address multi-attributed decision problems in the Atacama region a standalone application with touch-enabled interfaces was created to improve real-time interactions with datasets by groups. The tool was used to merge datasets from the ENCOMPASS CI to support exploration among alternatives and build shared understanding among stakeholders. To date, the project has increased technical capacity among stakeholders, resulted in the creation of both for-profit and non

Approaches and Obstacles to the Evaluation of Investment in Continuing Vocational Training: Discussion and Case Studies from Six Member States of the European Union. CEDEFOP Panorama. Discussion Paper/Case Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Grunewald, Uwe; Moraal, Dick; Sorensen, John Houman; Luttringer, Jean-Marie; Pasco, Nicolas; Kohler, Alexander; Barrett, Alan; O'Connell, Philip; Garibaldo, Francesco; Lorenzoni, Stefan; Mandl, Dieter

This report summarizes six case studies on different aspects of the issue of evaluating investing in continuing vocational training (CVT). Part 1 (chapters 1-2) contains "Conceptual Introduction" (Jean-Marie Luttringer), which explores practical problems in considering training expenses as an investment, and "Methodological…

PROBLEM SOLVING TECHNIQUES AS A PART OF IMPLEMENTATION OF SIX SIGMA METHODOLOGY IN TIRE PRODUCTION. CASE STUDY

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Maciej WOJTASZAK

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Problem solving methods – are an indispensable part of the management and improvement of production. At the turn of decades, with the development of industry, specific techniques have been implemented and refined by the leaders in this field, such as Toyota, GE and Motorola. The foundation of problem solving is to find real root cause of the problem as soon as possible, its understanding and implementation of appropriate solutions that will ensure that the problem does not occur again. This paper provides an overview of methods and techniques to solve problems in the manufactur-ing plant Trelleborg Wheel Systems Sri Lanka, producing pneumatic tires for light agricultural machinery. These tech-niques are implemented as part of the Lean Six Sigma program.

Epidemiological study of road traffic accident cases in Greater Noida: Hospital Based Study

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Rupali Roy

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Road accidents are associated with numerous problems each of which needs to be addressed separately [1]. Accidents, therefore, can be studied in terms of agent, host and environmental factors and epidemiologically classified into time, place and person distribution [2]. Objectives: 1.To assess the prevalence of RTAs coming to hospital and 2.To know the epidemiological factors related to RTAs and associated prevalence in hospital based study. Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted at SMSR, Gr Noida, in 2012. The study group consisted of all the RTA victims reporting to casualty in the last one year. The victims of the accidents were interviewed on a pretested semi structured performa. Results: In that one year period total number of reported accident cases was 144. The age groups of the study subjects were between 13-65 years. Out of total study subjects, only 16 were female. Again out of the total accident cases 45% were attended by police and of all injured, 45.8% were driver by occupation (7% without driving license. Among these drivers, 11% were not attentive during driving because of various reasons. Ambulance services had reached in 46.5% cases. Fracture was the most common type (60% of injury among all types of injuries. Among the applicable population only 33% wore helmet or seat belts. Conclusions: Only half of the total accident cases were attended by police and again only half of them received ambulance services. One third injuries were because of not wearing seat belt and helmets.

Epidemiological study of road traffic accident cases in Greater Noida: Hospital Based Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rupali Roy

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Road accidents are associated with numerous problems each of which needs to be addressed separately [1]. Accidents, therefore, can be studied in terms of agent, host and environmental factors and epidemiologically classified into time, place and person distribution [2]. Objectives: 1.To assess the prevalence of RTAs coming to hospital and 2.To know the epidemiological factors related to RTAs and associated prevalence in hospital based study. Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted at SMSR, Gr Noida, in 2012. The study group consisted of all the RTA victims reporting to casualty in the last one year. The victims of the accidents were interviewed on a pretested semi structured performa. Results: In that one year period total number of reported accident cases was 144. The age groups of the study subjects were between 13-65 years. Out of total study subjects, only 16 were female. Again out of the total accident cases 45% were attended by police and of all injured, 45.8% were driver by occupation (7% without driving license. Among these drivers, 11% were not attentive during driving because of various reasons. Ambulance services had reached in 46.5% cases. Fracture was the most common type (60% of injury among all types of injuries. Among the applicable population only 33% wore helmet or seat belts. Conclusions: Only half of the total accident cases were attended by police and again only half of them received ambulance services. One third injuries were because of not wearing seat belt and helmets.

Knowledge to action for solving complex problems: insights from a review of nine international cases.

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Riley, B L; Robinson, K L; Gamble, J; Finegood, D T; Sheppard, D; Penney, T L; Best, A

2015-05-01

Solving complex problems such as preventing chronic diseases introduces unique challenges for the creation and application of knowledge, or knowledge to action (KTA). KTA approaches that apply principles of systems thinking are thought to hold promise, but practical strategies for their application are not well understood. In this paper we report the results of a scan of systems approaches to KTA with a goal to identify how to optimize their implementation and impact. A 5-person advisory group purposefully selected 9 initiatives to achieve diversity on issues addressed and organizational forms. Information on each case was gathered from documents and through telephone interviews with primary contacts within each organization. Following verification of case descriptions, an inductive analysis was conducted within and across cases. The cases revealed 5 guidelines for moving from conceiving KTA systems to implementing them: (1) establish and nurture relationships, (2) co-produce and curate knowledge, (3) create feedback loops, (4) frame as systems interventions rather than projects, and (5) consider variations across time and place. Results from the environmental scan are a modest start to translating systems concepts for KTA into practice. Use of the strategies revealed in the scan may improve KTA for solving complex public health problems. The strategies themselves will benefit from the development of a science that aims to understand adaptation and ongoing learning from policy and practice interventions, strengthens enduring relationships, and fills system gaps in addition to evidence gaps. Systems approaches to KTA will also benefit from robust evaluations.

Solving Some Special Cases of Monomial Ratio Equations Appearing Frequently in Physical and Engineering Problems

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Enrique Castillo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We first show that monomial ratio equations are not only very common in Physics and Engineering, but the natural type of equations in many practical problems. More precisely, in the case of models involving scale variables if the used formulas are not of this type they are not physically valid. The consequence is that when estimating the model parameters we are faced with systems of monomial ratio equations that are nonlinear and difficult to solve. In this paper, we provide an original algorithm to obtain the unique solutions of systems of equations made of linear combinations of monomial ratios whose coefficient matrix has a proper null space with low dimension that permits solving the problem in a simple way. Finally, we illustrate the proposed methods by their application to two practical problems from the hydraulic and structural fields.

Is obesity an ineluctable consequence of development? A case study of Malaysia.

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Davey, T M; Allotey, P; Reidpath, D D

2013-12-01

Effective population-level solutions to the obesity pandemic have proved elusive. In low- and middle-income countries the problem may be further challenged by the perceived internal tension between economic development and sustainable solutions which create the optimal conditions for human health and well-being. This paper discusses some of the ecological obstacles to addressing the growing problem of obesity in 'aspiring' economies, using Malaysia as a case study. The authors conclude that current measures to stimulate economic growth in Malaysia may actually be exacerbating the problem of obesity in that country. Public health solutions which address the wider context in which obesity exists are needed to change the course of this burgeoning problem. Copyright © 2013 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Problem-based Learning and Problem Finding Among University Graduate Students

OpenAIRE

Ankit, A, Ravankar; Shotaro, Imai; Michiyo, Shimamura; Go, Chiba; Taichi, Takasuka

2017-01-01

In recent years, problem-based learning (PBL) techniques have been gaining momentum in schools and university curricula around the world. The main advantage of the PBL method is that it promotes creative problem solving, improves cognition and enhances overall thought processes in learners. For most PBL-style programmes, problem solving is at the core, although the notion of problem discovery or problem finding is not seriously considered. In most cases, students are always presen...

Class and Home Problems: Modeling of an Industrial Anaerobic Digester: A Case Study for Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Durruty, Ignacio; Ayude, María A.

2014-01-01

The case study discussed in this work is used at the chemical reaction engineering course, offered in fifth-year of the chemical engineering undergraduate program at National University of Mar del Plata (UNMdP). A serial-parallel reaction system based on the anaerobic degradation of particulate-containing potato processing wastewater is presented.…

A case study in intra-abdominal sepsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Jasmeet S; Ridolfi, Timothy J

2012-12-01

Intra-abdominal infections are a common problem for the general surgeon and major sources of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care unit. Some of these patients present with peritonitis that can rapidly progress to septic shock. The basic principles of care include prompt resuscitation, antibiotics, and source control. This article will use a detailed case study to outline the management of a patient with severe intra-abdominal infection from diverticulitis from initial resuscitation to reconstruction. Components of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign as they pertain to surgical patients are discussed and updated, and the concept of damage control general surgery is applied. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Effectiveness of Strengths-Based Case Management for People with Mental Health Problems in Hong Kong

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Kevin Y. C. Hui

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This study examined the effectiveness of a 6-month strengths-based case management intervention with 45 Chinese participants with mental health problems in Hong Kong. Social workers provided service according to the strengths-based case management (SCM model developed at the University of Kansas. Changes in participants’ recovery components (Stage of Recovery Scale, mental health symptoms (GHQ, and satisfaction with life were assessed using a single group pretest and posttest design. Results suggest that participants had some improvement in their autonomy, hope, and overall well-being as well as satisfaction with life after receiving services. No significant improvements in the other recovery components and GHQ score were found. Significantly, a number of participants progressed from stages of being overwhelmed or struggling with disability to stages of living with or beyond disability. Strengths-based practice helped participants develop a transformed self which sees hope and possibility despite the vulnerabilities caused by their illness. Though further refinement and testing are vital, adoption of SCM in Hong Kong mental health services is promising.

Coping with traumatic brain injury: representative case studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwasnica, C M; Heinemann, A

1994-04-01

This case report compares the use of social supports and vulnerability to substance abuse for two rehabilitation clients after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Using a psychosocial assessment, the Motivational Structure Questionnaire, Adaptive Skills Battery, and Ways of Coping Checklist within a representative case method, we studied two individuals in depth to understand differences in postinjury drinking behaviors. We also examined differences in availability and use of social supports and how support was related to coping efforts. Finally, we illustrated goal-setting and the relationship between long-term planning and follow-through on goals. Social supports, adaptive problem-solving behaviors, and positive reappraisal of situations seem to be important elements in postinjury abstinence. Clinically, this research supports the need for fostering use of both social supports and substance use prevention and treatment services when working with both inpatient and outpatient TBI clients.

Neuropsychiatric manifestation of celiac disease: A case-control study in North India

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Mahendra Nimel

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Celiac disease (CD is an immune-mediated disease dependent on gluten. Prevalence of CD is about 1% and beside gastrointestinal complaints, neuropsychiatric symptoms may represent an atypical feature of CD. Some studies suggest that a gluten-free diet is effective in treating them. Settings and Design: This case-control study of 49 cases was done during the period of January to March 2013. Aim: To know the spectrum of psychiatric manifestations and cognitive functions in children with CD. Materials and Methods: We took 49 diagnosed cases of CD (based on the demonstration of IgA tissue transglutaminase antibodies and duodenal biopsy and compared with demographically matched control group (n = 50 on Seguin Form Board Test for cognitive functions and Behavioral Summarized Evaluation-Revised scale for assessment of psychiatric and behavior disturbances. All possible psychiatric diagnosis was made on the basis of International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems-Tenth Revision criteria. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analyses were done by using Chi-square test and two-tailed P-values. Results: Neuropsychiatric manifestations were seen in 29% of cases as against 4% of controls which was statistically significant (P=0.001. Only four cases and 1 control fount to be mild mental retardation (P = 0.16. Autism, dyslexia, developmental delay, disruptive behavior disorder, and tic disorder present in cases were not found. Conclusion: Clinical manifestations of CD vary from typical malabsorption syndrome to neuropsychiatric manifestations. Those psychiatric patients who are not responding to standard pharmacological modalities, a diagnosis of CD should be taken into consideration. Only behavioral problem can be the sole clinical manifestation of CD.

A Study on Food Security Problems and Business Credit Crisis in Chinese Food Enterprises

OpenAIRE

Yanni Li; Dan Cui; Wenxuan Zhao; Jiayin Li; Fuguang Zhao

2015-01-01

Food security has become a big issue in China for some big incidents occurred in recent years. happened. This study has a survey on these cases and analyzes the reasons from the aspect of enterprises and government. Some solutions are put forward to solve the problems about food security and business credit crisis in China currently. The purpose is to guide enterprises to set up a sound operation system and gain long-term profits.

Challenges and opportunities in coding the commons: problems, procedures, and potential solutions in large-N comparative case studies

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Elicia Ratajczyk

2016-09-01

Full Text Available On-going efforts to understand the dynamics of coupled social-ecological (or more broadly, coupled infrastructure systems and common pool resources have led to the generation of numerous datasets based on a large number of case studies. This data has facilitated the identification of important factors and fundamental principles which increase our understanding of such complex systems. However, the data at our disposal are often not easily comparable, have limited scope and scale, and are based on disparate underlying frameworks inhibiting synthesis, meta-analysis, and the validation of findings. Research efforts are further hampered when case inclusion criteria, variable definitions, coding schema, and inter-coder reliability testing are not made explicit in the presentation of research and shared among the research community. This paper first outlines challenges experienced by researchers engaged in a large-scale coding project; then highlights valuable lessons learned; and finally discusses opportunities for further research on comparative case study analysis focusing on social-ecological systems and common pool resources.

A window into learning: case studies of online group communication and collaboration

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Richard E. Jones

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The two case studies presented explore the potential offered by in-depth qualitative analysis of students' online discussion to enhance our understanding of how students learn. Both cases are used to illustrate how the monitoring and moderation of online student group communication can open up a ‘window into learning', providing us with new insights into complex problem-solving and thinking processes. The cases offer examples of students' ‘thinking aloud' while problem-solving, showing how and why they arrived at particular outcomes and the underlying thought processes involved. It is argued that these insights into students' learning processes can in turn offer us the opportunity to adapt our own teaching practice in order to achieve a better pedagogical ‘fit' with the learning needs of our students; for example, through a more precise or more timely intervention. It is also suggested that looking through this ‘window' enables us to concentrate our assessment more closely on the process of task completion, rather than focusing solely on the end product.

Sampling design considerations for demographic studies: a case of colonial seabirds

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Kendall, William L.; Converse, Sarah J.; Doherty, Paul F.; Naughton, Maura B.; Anders, Angela; Hines, James E.; Flint, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

For the purposes of making many informed conservation decisions, the main goal for data collection is to assess population status and allow prediction of the consequences of candidate management actions. Reducing the bias and variance of estimates of population parameters reduces uncertainty in population status and projections, thereby reducing the overall uncertainty under which a population manager must make a decision. In capture-recapture studies, imperfect detection of individuals, unobservable life-history states, local movement outside study areas, and tag loss can cause bias or precision problems with estimates of population parameters. Furthermore, excessive disturbance to individuals during capture?recapture sampling may be of concern because disturbance may have demographic consequences. We address these problems using as an example a monitoring program for Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) and Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) nesting populations in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. To mitigate these estimation problems, we describe a synergistic combination of sampling design and modeling approaches. Solutions include multiple capture periods per season and multistate, robust design statistical models, dead recoveries and incidental observations, telemetry and data loggers, buffer areas around study plots to neutralize the effect of local movements outside study plots, and double banding and statistical models that account for band loss. We also present a variation on the robust capture?recapture design and a corresponding statistical model that minimizes disturbance to individuals. For the albatross case study, this less invasive robust design was more time efficient and, when used in combination with a traditional robust design, reduced the standard error of detection probability by 14% with only two hours of additional effort in the field. These field techniques and associated modeling approaches are applicable to studies of

Problems and constraints in Philippine municipal fisheries: The case of San Miguel Bay, Camarines Sur

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Cristina P.; Matsuda, Yoshiaki; Shigemi, Yukio

1995-11-01

The Philippine fisheries accounted for 3.7% of the gross national product at current prices. The sector employed about 990,872 persons. Of the divisions comprising the industry, municipal fisheries continued to contribute the largest share of fish production. However, the sector is beset with problems, many of which are best examplified by the case of San Miguel Bay (SMB). This paper presents the problems and constraints confronting SMB, a common property resource. This bay's open access condition has led to various problems, such as declining fishery resources, depressed socioeconomic conditions, illegal fishing, increasing population, and conflict among resource users. A poor marketing system, low level of fishing technology, fishermen's noncompliance and authorities' lax enforcement of rules and regulations, as well as lack of alternative sources of income further characterize the condition in SMB. Establishment of fishing rights, improvement of the marketing system, provision of alternative sources of income, and improvement of fishing technology were some of the solutions suggested. One major constraint, however, is financial, Comanagement complemented with other management tools has been proposed in addressing the problems in SMB.

Implementation of PV plants in Spain: A case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diez-Mediavilla, M.; Alonso-Tristan, C. [Dpto. Ingenieria Electromecanica, Escuela Politecnica Superior. Universidad de Burgos, Avda. Cantabria s/n, 09006 Burgos (Spain); Rodriguez-Amigo, M.C.; Garcia-Calderon, T. [Dpto. Matematicas y Computacion Escuela Politecnica Superior. Universidad de Burgos, Avda. Cantabria s/n, 09006 Burgos (Spain)

2010-05-15

The implementation process of a photovoltaic system and its connection to the national grid in Spain is examined from an economic, an administrative and a legal standpoint. In the first place, this case study describes the solar farm, and it goes on to examine the economic aspects of electricity production, its associated costs, and relevant grants and financial subsidies. Finally, problems related to the administration of the project and the issuing of permits by local and regional authorities are discussed. (author)

The Complexities of Implementing Cluster Supply Chain - Case Study of JCH

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Xiao; Zhang, Jibiao; Wang, Yang

As a new type of management pattern, "cluster supply chain" (CSC) can help SMEs to face the global challenges through all kinds of collaboration. However, a major challenge in implementing CSC is the gap between theory and practice in the field. In an effort to provide a better understanding of this emerging phenomenon, this paper presents the implementation process of CSC in the context of JingCheng Mechanical & Electrical Holding co., ltd.(JCH) as a case study. The cast study of JCH suggests that the key problems in the practice of cluster supply chain: How do small firms use cluster supply chain? Only after we clarify the problem, the actual construction and operation of cluster supply chain does show successful results as it should be.

Outline of cost-benefit analysis and a case study

Science.gov (United States)

Kellizy, A.

1978-01-01

The methodology of cost-benefit analysis is reviewed and a case study involving solar cell technology is presented. Emphasis is placed on simplifying the technique in order to permit a technical person not trained in economics to undertake a cost-benefit study comparing alternative approaches to a given problem. The role of economic analysis in management decision making is discussed. In simplifying the methodology it was necessary to restrict the scope and applicability of this report. Additional considerations and constraints are outlined. Examples are worked out to demonstrate the principles. A computer program which performs the computational aspects appears in the appendix.

Students' Research Experiences during Consulting Projects: Three Themes Emerging from Case Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Carissa M. Holler

2010-01-01

Student consulting projects, an advanced form of problem-based learning, allow students to apply the skills developed in their classes on behalf of client organizations. A review of selected case studies in business education and other management education literature shows that research is an integral part of this consulting process. More than…

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FOR DEVELOPING CORPORATE SUKUK: LESSONS FROM AN INDONESIAN CASE STUDY

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Nasution L.Z.

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This research is trying to find the issues, challenges, and strategies development of corporate sukuk in Indonesia. This objective arises because the level of supply and demand for corporate sukuk in Indonesia is still prolonged. This case in Indonesia is almost similar to cases in some countries, especially in Asian countries that are making efforts to develop sukuk market. Based on the method of mapping and root problem analysis, this study found three problem structures inhibiting the growth rate of corporate sukuk in Indonesia. The first stage of the problem is a surface issue, namely: concerns of potential double taxation; lack of understanding from investors; lack of knowledge of the issuer; unparted investor base; less liquid in the secondary market; very complex publishing documents; the contract variation remains unclear. Seven issues of this first phase are caused by five sources of the second issue, namely: there is still the required information regarding the issuance of sukuk is asymmetric; unavailability of supporting profession; unavailability of supporting industries; costly issuance costs; complex sukuk structures. The third stage of the problem causes the first and second problems, also called the root of the slow growth of corporate sukuk in Indonesia, namely: low socialization and education and the limited human resources of capital market actors concerning sukuk. On the three structures of the problem, the proposed development strategy sukuk corporations in Indonesia consist of two priority suggestions, namely: increasing socialization and education on corporate sukuk and clarify rules on corporate sukuk, related to rules on supporting institutions, contract structure, human resources, and administration. This result can be a reference to create the right strategy to encourage the growth of corporate sukuk in the long term. This research is also beneficial as a pilot development of corporate sukuk in several countries with

A Microgenetic Study of Insightful Problem Solving

Science.gov (United States)

Luwel, Koen; Siegler, Robert S.; Verschaffel, Lieven

2008-01-01

An eight-session microgenetic study of acquisition of an insightful problem-solving strategy was conducted. A total of 35 second graders who did not use this insightful strategy initially were assigned to two groups that differed in the frequency of problems likely to facilitate discovery and generalization of the strategy. Children in the…

SERVANT LEADERSHIP THROUGH DISTANCE LEARNING: A Case Study

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Eric James RUSSELL

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This qualitative study explored the influence a distance learning servant leadership course had on the emergency service students’ understanding of leadership. The research study utilized a case study design in order to tell the story of the lived experiences of the participants. The setting for the study was a state university in Utah, with the six participants being declared, undergraduate emergency services majors that underwent a 15-week distance learning servant leadership class. The data used in the study consisted of the post-hoc online eJournal writings of the participants. The data analysis revealed to two themes that formed the individual case descriptions presented in results section. The literature review acknowledged the problem of bureaucracy within the emergency services and identified the practice of servant leadership as a possibility for overcoming the often-bureaucratic approach towards leadership. In addition, the literature review identified commonalities between established constructs of servant leadership and the emergency services. The findings of the study seem to demonstrate that undergoing a class on servant leadership left lasting impressions on becoming a servant leader and overall was a positive experience for the student. This study’s findings add to the existing body of knowledge associated with servant leadership within emergency service academia.

A Case Study of Controlling Crossover in a Selection Hyper-heuristic Framework Using the Multidimensional Knapsack Problem.

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Drake, John H; Özcan, Ender; Burke, Edmund K

2016-01-01

Hyper-heuristics are high-level methodologies for solving complex problems that operate on a search space of heuristics. In a selection hyper-heuristic framework, a heuristic is chosen from an existing set of low-level heuristics and applied to the current solution to produce a new solution at each point in the search. The use of crossover low-level heuristics is possible in an increasing number of general-purpose hyper-heuristic tools such as HyFlex and Hyperion. However, little work has been undertaken to assess how best to utilise it. Since a single-point search hyper-heuristic operates on a single candidate solution, and two candidate solutions are required for crossover, a mechanism is required to control the choice of the other solution. The frameworks we propose maintain a list of potential solutions for use in crossover. We investigate the use of such lists at two conceptual levels. First, crossover is controlled at the hyper-heuristic level where no problem-specific information is required. Second, it is controlled at the problem domain level where problem-specific information is used to produce good-quality solutions to use in crossover. A number of selection hyper-heuristics are compared using these frameworks over three benchmark libraries with varying properties for an NP-hard optimisation problem: the multidimensional 0-1 knapsack problem. It is shown that allowing crossover to be managed at the domain level outperforms managing crossover at the hyper-heuristic level in this problem domain.

Final report on case studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ljungberg, Daniel; McKelvey, Maureen; Lassen, Astrid Heidemann

2012-01-01

Case study as a research design means investigating a single or multiple instance(s) or setting(s) (i.e. a case) and its entire context to explain a phenomenon and its processes. This is achieved through detailed understanding, usually comprised of multiple sources of information. In this way, case...... studies attempt to provide as a complete an understanding of a (complex) phenomenon as possible. Within the AEGIS project, survey and case study research are complementary. They are complementary in the sense that the former can provide more generalizable evidence on a phenomenon in terms of cross......-sectional data, while the latter can provide more in-depth (qualitative) understanding on specific issues. In systematically examining the case studies, however, this report goes beyond a typical single case study. Here we provide a synthesis of 86 case studies. Multiple case studies, following similar focus...

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CASE BASED DISCUSSION AS A VALID PROBLEM BASED LEARNING METHOD IN ANAESTHESIA POSTGRADUATE TEACHING

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Melveetil S

2015-11-01

Full Text Available : CONTEXT: Anaesthesia is a branch of medicine which allows only a very narrow margin of error. Anaesthesia post-graduate (PG teaching with problem-based learning (PBL enhances the critical thinking and problem-solving skills among the students .Among the different problem based learning methods case based discussions (CBD are most widely practiced out of all in anaesthesia PG teaching. METHODS AND MATERIAL: An anonymous questionnaire based, crosssectional survey among 37 anaesthesia residents from two medical institutions in North Kerala, India was conducted. The present survey was designed to assess the effectiveness of case based discussions in anaesthesia PG teaching by assessing the student’s satisfaction with CBD and the suggested modifications if any to improve the current status of teaching. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The CBD as a part of PBL in anesthesia PG teaching in our set up lacks many important aspects of PBL such as formulation of objectives, facilitation skills, communication on direction of PBL and supplementation of inadequacies. A broader, strict and organized implementation of PBL incorporating the key elements of PBL needs emphasis in PG teaching curriculum. Facilitation skill development programs needs motivation and encouragement from the perspective of the academic administrators.

[Clinical decision making: Fostering critical thinking in the nursing diagnostic process through case studies].

Science.gov (United States)

Müller-Staub, Maria; Stuker-Studer, Ursula

2006-10-01

Case studies, based on actual patients' situations, provide a method of clinical decision making to foster critical thinking in nurses. This paper describes the method and process of group case studies applied in continuous education settings. This method bases on Balints' case supervision and was further developed and combined with the nursing diagnostic process. A case study contains different phases: Pre-phase, selection phase, case delineation and case work. The case provider narratively tells the situation of a patient. This allows the group to analyze and cluster signs and symptoms, to state nursing diagnoses and to derive nursing interventions. Results of the case study are validated by applying the theoretical background and critical appraisal of the case provider. Learning effects of the case studies were evaluated by means of qualitative questionnaires and analyzed according to Mayring. Findings revealed the following categories: a) Patients' problems are perceived in a patient centred way, accurate nursing diagnoses are stated and effective nursing interventions implemented. b) Professional nursing tasks are more purposefully perceived and named more precise. c) Professional nursing relationship, communication and respectful behaviour with patients were perceived in differentiated ways. The theoretical framework is described in the paper "Clinical decision making and critical thinking in the nursing diagnostic process". (Müller-Staub, 2006).

Key aspects in managing safety when working with multiple contractors: A case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drupsteen, L.; Rasmussen, H.B.; Ustailieva, E.; Kampen, J. van

2015-01-01

Working with multiple contractors in a shared workplace can introduce and increase safety risks due to complexity. The aim of this study was to explore how safety issues are recognized in a specific case and to identify whether clients and contractors perceive problems similarly. The safety issues

Slope Stability Problems and Back Analysis in Heavily Jointed Rock Mass: A Case Study from Manisa, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Akin, Mutluhan

2013-03-01

This paper presents a case study regarding slope stability problems and the remedial slope stabilization work executed during the construction of two reinforced concrete water storage tanks on a steep hill in Manisa, Turkey. Water storage tanks of different capacities were planned to be constructed, one under the other, on closely jointed and deformed shale and sandstone units. The tank on the upper elevation was constructed first and an approximately 20-m cut slope with two benches was excavated in front of this upper tank before the construction of the lower tank. The cut slope failed after a week and the failure threatened the stability of the upper water tank. In addition to re-sloping, a 15.6-m deep contiguous retaining pile wall without anchoring was built to support both the cut slope and the upper tank. Despite the construction of a retaining pile wall, a maximum of 10 mm of displacement was observed by inclinometer measurements due to the re-failure of the slope on the existing slip surface. Permanent stability was achieved after the placement of a granular fill buttress on the slope. Back analysis based on the non-linear (Hoek-Brown) failure criterion indicated that the geological strength index (GSI) value of the slope-forming material is around 21 and is compatible with the in situ-determined GSI value (24). The calculated normal-shear stress plots are also consistent with the Hoek-Brown failure envelope of the rock mass, indicating that the location of the sliding surface, GSI value estimated by back analysis, and the rock mass parameters are well defined. The long-term stability analysis illustrates a safe slope design after the placement of a permanent toe buttress.

Online virtual-patient cases versus traditional problem-based learning in advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Dahir, Sara; Bryant, Kendrea; Kennedy, Kathleen B; Robinson, Donna S

2014-05-15

To evaluate the efficacy of faculty-led problem-based learning (PBL) vs online simulated-patient case in fourth-year (P4) pharmacy students. Fourth-year pharmacy students were randomly assigned to participate in either online branched-case learning using a virtual simulation platform or a small-group discussion. Preexperience and postexperience student assessments and a survey instrument were completed. While there were no significant differences in the preexperience test scores between the groups, there was a significant increase in scores in both the virtual-patient group and the PBL group between the preexperience and postexperience tests. The PBL group had higher postexperience test scores (74.8±11.7) than did the virtual-patient group (66.5±13.6) (p=0.001). The PBL method demonstrated significantly greater improvement in postexperience test scores than did the virtual-patient method. Both were successful learning methods, suggesting that a diverse approach to simulated patient cases may reach more student learning styles.

Treatment of uncertainty through the interval smart/swing weighting method: a case study

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Luiz Flávio Autran Monteiro Gomes

2011-12-01

Full Text Available An increasingly competitive market means that many decisions must be taken, quickly and with precision, in complex, high risk scenarios. This combination of factors makes it necessary to use decision aiding methods which provide a means of dealing with uncertainty in the judgement of the alternatives. This work presents the use of the MAUT method, combined with the INTERVAL SMART/SWING WEIGHTING method. Although multicriteria decision aiding was not conceived specifically for tackling uncertainty, the combined use of MAUT and the INTERVAL SMART/SWING WEIGHTING method allows approaching decision problems under uncertainty. The main concepts which are involved in these two methods are described and their joint application to the case study concerning the selection of a printing service supplier is presented. The case study makes use of the WINPRE software as a support tool for the calculation of dominance. It is then concluded that the proposed approach can be applied to decision making problems under uncertainty.

Underachievement in Gifted Students: A Case Study of Three College Physics Students in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Kuei-Fang; Fu, Guopeng

2016-01-01

This case study provides an explanatory account on the underachievement of three gifted students studying physics in a Taiwanese university. The students' physics underachievement was diagnosed by Sato's student-problem analysis chart. These students were invited to complete a questionnaire and a follow-up interview in order to (1) understand the…

A case study in pathway knowledgebase verification

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Shah Nigam H

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Biological databases and pathway knowledgebases are proliferating rapidly. We are developing software tools for computer-aided hypothesis design and evaluation, and we would like our tools to take advantage of the information stored in these repositories. But before we can reliably use a pathway knowledgebase as a data source, we need to proofread it to ensure that it can fully support computer-aided information integration and inference. Results We design a series of logical tests to detect potential problems we might encounter using a particular knowledgebase, the Reactome database, with a particular computer-aided hypothesis evaluation tool, HyBrow. We develop an explicit formal language from the language implicit in the Reactome data format and specify a logic to evaluate models expressed using this language. We use the formalism of finite model theory in this work. We then use this logic to formulate tests for desirable properties (such as completeness, consistency, and well-formedness for pathways stored in Reactome. We apply these tests to the publicly available Reactome releases (releases 10 through 14 and compare the results, which highlight Reactome's steady improvement in terms of decreasing inconsistencies. We also investigate and discuss Reactome's potential for supporting computer-aided inference tools. Conclusion The case study described in this work demonstrates that it is possible to use our model theory based approach to identify problems one might encounter using a knowledgebase to support hypothesis evaluation tools. The methodology we use is general and is in no way restricted to the specific knowledgebase employed in this case study. Future application of this methodology will enable us to compare pathway resources with respect to the generic properties such resources will need to possess if they are to support automated reasoning.

A case study in pathway knowledgebase verification.

Science.gov (United States)

Racunas, Stephen A; Shah, Nigam H; Fedoroff, Nina V

2006-04-08

Biological databases and pathway knowledge-bases are proliferating rapidly. We are developing software tools for computer-aided hypothesis design and evaluation, and we would like our tools to take advantage of the information stored in these repositories. But before we can reliably use a pathway knowledge-base as a data source, we need to proofread it to ensure that it can fully support computer-aided information integration and inference. We design a series of logical tests to detect potential problems we might encounter using a particular knowledge-base, the Reactome database, with a particular computer-aided hypothesis evaluation tool, HyBrow. We develop an explicit formal language from the language implicit in the Reactome data format and specify a logic to evaluate models expressed using this language. We use the formalism of finite model theory in this work. We then use this logic to formulate tests for desirable properties (such as completeness, consistency, and well-formedness) for pathways stored in Reactome. We apply these tests to the publicly available Reactome releases (releases 10 through 14) and compare the results, which highlight Reactome's steady improvement in terms of decreasing inconsistencies. We also investigate and discuss Reactome's potential for supporting computer-aided inference tools. The case study described in this work demonstrates that it is possible to use our model theory based approach to identify problems one might encounter using a knowledge-base to support hypothesis evaluation tools. The methodology we use is general and is in no way restricted to the specific knowledge-base employed in this case study. Future application of this methodology will enable us to compare pathway resources with respect to the generic properties such resources will need to possess if they are to support automated reasoning.

Mathematical and computational modeling and simulation fundamentals and case studies

CERN Document Server

Moeller, Dietmar P F

2004-01-01

Mathematical and Computational Modeling and Simulation - a highly multi-disciplinary field with ubiquitous applications in science and engineering - is one of the key enabling technologies of the 21st century. This book introduces to the use of Mathematical and Computational Modeling and Simulation in order to develop an understanding of the solution characteristics of a broad class of real-world problems. The relevant basic and advanced methodologies are explained in detail, with special emphasis on ill-defined problems. Some 15 simulation systems are presented on the language and the logical level. Moreover, the reader can accumulate experience by studying a wide variety of case studies. The latter are briefly described within the book but their full versions as well as some simulation software demos are available on the Web. The book can be used for University courses of different level as well as for self-study. Advanced sections are marked and can be skipped in a first reading or in undergraduate courses...

Reflection on Solutions in the Form of Refutation Texts versus Problem Solving: The Case of 8th Graders Studying Simple Electric Circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Safadi, Rafi; Safadi, Ekhlass; Meidav, Meir

2017-01-01

This study compared students' learning in troubleshooting and problem solving activities. The troubleshooting activities provided students with solutions to conceptual problems in the form of refutation texts; namely, solutions that portray common misconceptions, refute them, and then present the accepted scientific ideas. They required students…

An Investigation on the impact of using problem-based trainings in the in-service courses on the teachers' performance and capabilities, by relying on the elementary sixth grade mathematics book (case study: the city of Ahvaz

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Pari Cheraq

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Changes in the administrative structure of the education system and the need to coordinate with the world of science and technology and hence, the need to update the general and technical information and knowledge, have doubled the importance and necessity of holding the new and efficient in-service trainings for the teachers. In this study, the attempt was taken to examine and analyze the impact of using problem-based trainings during the in-service courses on the teachers' performance and capabilities, by relying on the mathematics book of the sixth grade elementary level (case study: the city of Ahvaz. To do so, using a quasi-experimental study, 37 teachers of the sixth grade were selected from the elementary schools of Ahvaz city. For the in-service training courses on the teaching of mathematics, the problem-based learning method was used. After conducting the problem-based teaching method and the traditional method of teaching, through using the test and the standard questionnaire, the data about the teaching practice and the capabilities of the teachers were collected. Using t-test for the paired and independent samples, it was demonstrated that the problem-based in-service trainings, enhance the teachers' capabilities and performance regarding the problem-solving skills.

The problem analysis for empirical studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenland, E.A.G.

2014-01-01

This article proposes a systematic methodology for the development of a problem analysis for cross-sectional, empirical research. This methodology is referred to as the 'Annabel approach'. It is suitable both for academic studies and applied (business) studies. In addition it can be used for both

Generalized network improvement and packing problems

CERN Document Server

Holzhauser, Michael

2016-01-01

Michael Holzhauser discusses generalizations of well-known network flow and packing problems by additional or modified side constraints. By exploiting the inherent connection between the two problem classes, the author investigates the complexity and approximability of several novel network flow and packing problems and presents combinatorial solution and approximation algorithms. Contents Fractional Packing and Parametric Search Frameworks Budget-Constrained Minimum Cost Flows: The Continuous Case Budget-Constrained Minimum Cost Flows: The Discrete Case Generalized Processing Networks Convex Generalized Flows Target Groups Researchers and students in the fields of mathematics, computer science, and economics Practitioners in operations research and logistics The Author Dr. Michael Holzhauser studied computer science at the University of Kaiserslautern and is now a research fellow in the Optimization Research Group at the Department of Mathematics of the University of Kaiserslautern.

Case studies in control putting theory to work

CERN Document Server

Juričić, Đani

2013-01-01

Case Studies in Control presents a framework to facilitate the use of advanced control concepts in real systems based on two decades of research and over 150 successful applications for industrial end-users from various backgrounds. In successive parts the text approaches the problem of putting the theory to work from both ends, theoretical and practical. The first part begins with a stress on solid control theory and the shaping of that theory to solve particular instances of practical problems. It emphasizes the need to establish by experiment whether a model-derived solution will perform properly in reality. The second part focuses on real industrial applications based on the needs and requirements of end-users. Here, the engineering approach is dominant but with theoretical input of varying degree depending on the particular process involved. Following the illustrations of the progress that can be made from either extreme of the well-known theory–practice divide, the text proceeds to a third part relate...

[Case-non case studies: Principles, methods, bias and interpretation].

Science.gov (United States)

Faillie, Jean-Luc

2017-10-31

Case-non case studies belongs to the methods assessing drug safety by analyzing the disproportionality of notifications of adverse drug reactions in pharmacovigilance databases. Used for the first time in the 1980s, the last few decades have seen a significant increase in the use of this design. The principle of the case-non case study is to compare drug exposure in cases of a studied adverse reaction with that of cases of other reported adverse reactions and called "non cases". Results are presented in the form of a reporting odds ratio (ROR), the interpretation of which makes it possible to identify drug safety signals. This article describes the principle of the case-non case study, the method of calculating the ROR and its confidence interval, the different modalities of analysis and how to interpret its results with regard to the advantages and limitations of this design. Copyright © 2017 Société française de pharmacologie et de thérapeutique. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

"Alea Iacta Est" (a case series report of problem and pathological gambling).

Science.gov (United States)

Koić, Elvira; Filaković, Pavo; Djordjević, Veljko; Nadj, Sanea

2009-09-01

Gambling or gaming is a common term for a group of various games, activities and behavior that involve wagering money on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money, i.e., a player risks and hopes to get back what he/she had gambled, or to win more. When the player is unable to resist impulses to gamble, and gambling behavior harmfully affects him or the others, then he/she is suffering from the so called "pathological gambling", which is one of six categories of the "Impulse control disorders" in the International Classification of Diseases. Since, at present, there is no standardized program and approach to the problem of gambling in Croatia, and having in mind the arising accessibility and popularity of the "games of chance", the authors are presenting seven cases of problem and pathological gambling and call for broad public discussion on the problem from medical-psychiatric and forensic-point of view. The first patient was treated on an outpatient basis with cognitive-behavioral and family therapy for problem gambling; for the second patient was treated for impulse control disorders; for the third patient gambling was a symptom of psychotic form of depressive disorder; the fourth had primary diagnosis of personality disorder; and the fifth patient was prosecuted for armed robbery and evaluated by a psychiatric expert. The sixth and the seventh patients were women suffering from primary bipolar affective and major depressive disorder, respectively. The authors conclude that, due to the size of the problem and its consequences, the prevention of pathological gambling is very important. The prevention can be carried out primarily through screening at the school level and primary health care services, whereas secondary screening may be conducted through the system of psychiatric care. It is recommended to invest into research, education of a wider population, and development of preventive programs.

Problem music and self-harming.

Science.gov (United States)

North, Adrian C; Hargreaves, David J

2006-10-01

Academics and protest groups have claimed that "problem music" (hard rock, hip hop/rap, & punk) causes self-injurious thoughts/behaviors among fans. In this study we investigated whether the relationship is mediated by self-esteem, delinquency, and conservatism; and whether first exposure to problem music preceded self-injurious thoughts. A liking for problem music was associated with four of the five self-injurious measures, although these significant relationships were weakened (into nonsignificance in the case of two self-injurious measures) when the mediating variables were included. Listening to problem music did not precede self-injurious thoughts. Problem music is associated with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, but this relationship is mediated by other factors and the former does not seem to cause the latter.

Service Journalism in the Association Magazine: A Case Study of the "Angus Journal."

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffers, Dennis W.

Examining the role of service journalism in association magazines (magazines focusing on technical and educational information relating to specific practices of association members), a case study of the "Angus Journal" (a monthly magazine devoted to the beef breeding industry) investigated the problem of determining the amount of service…

“Why can’t we all get along?” A conceptual analysis and case study of contentious energy problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Felder, Frank A.

2016-01-01

Energy policy and research span multiple objectives, disciplines, methodologies, and data sets. This breadth of research results in conflicting analyses and proposals, which enable various parties to leverage these conflicts to further their vested interests. This paper explores these issues caused by differing research methodologies. It examines a recent proposal to search for common ground regarding contentious energy problems that emphasizes the use of different analytical frames as major sources of disagreement, and a case study regarding a dispute on how to conduct cost-benefit analyses of energy efficiency programs. Resolving differences among the research community and energy analysts requires a collaborative effort of painstaking research and debate. This paper articulates four policy implications. First, energy analysts should not be inexorably bound to their analytical frames. Second, analysts should not encroach on the role of policymakers by being asked to resolve questions that involve tradeoffs among fundamental values. Third, analysts have an important role helping to inform policymakers of the implications and limitations of various types of analyses of energy and environmental issues. Fourth, analysts need to develop a research program that is able to answer particular questions from multiple research frames in order to assess the robustness of their findings. - Highlights: •Energy policy research spans multiple objectives, disciplines, methodologies, and data sets. •Resolving differences among researchers requires painstaking research and debate. •A framework and policy implications proffered to help identify and reduce differences.

A FMEA clinical laboratory case study: how to make problems and improvements measurable.

Science.gov (United States)

Capunzo, Mario; Cavallo, Pierpaolo; Boccia, Giovanni; Brunetti, Luigi; Pizzuti, Sante

2004-01-01

The authors have experimented the application of the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) technique in a clinical laboratory. FMEA technique allows: a) to evaluate and measure the hazards of a process malfunction, b) to decide where to execute improvement actions, and c) to measure the outcome of those actions. A small sample of analytes has been studied: there have been determined the causes of the possible malfunctions of the analytical process, calculating the risk probability index (RPI), with a value between 1 and 1,000. Only for the cases of RPI > 400, improvement actions have been implemented that allowed a reduction of RPI values between 25% to 70% with a costs increment of FMEA technique can be applied to the processes of a clinical laboratory, even if of small dimensions, and offers a high potential of improvement. Nevertheless, such activity needs a thorough planning because it is complex, even if the laboratory already operates an ISO 9000 Quality Management System.

Travel-related health risks in moderately and severely immunocompromised patients: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dekkiche, Souad; de Vallière, Serge; D'Acremont, Valérie; Genton, Blaise

2016-03-01

The number of immunocompromised persons travelling to tropical countries is increasing. The hypothesis is that this population is at increased risk of travel-related health problems but there are few data to support it. The objective was to assess the risk of travel-related health problems in immunocompromised persons when compared with the general population of travellers. A retrospective matched case-control study was performed. Cases were moderately or severely immunocompromised persons travelling to tropical countries and controls were non-immunocompromised persons, matched for demographic and travel characteristics. All participants responded to a phone questionnaire, asking them about any health problem they may have encountered while travelling or during the month following their return. The primary outcome was the incidence of a significant clinical event defined as repatriation, hospitalization during the travel or during the month following the return if due to a travel-related health problem and medical consultations during the trip. One hundred and sixteen moderately or severely immunocompromised cases [HIV infection (15), active cancer (25), splenectomized (20), solid organ transplant recipients (4) and use of systemic immunosuppressive medication (52)] and 116 controls were included. Incidence rates of significant clinical events were higher in immunocompromised travellers (9/116, 7.8%) than in controls (2/116, 1.7%) [OR = 4.8 , 95% CI 1.01-22.70; P = 0.048]. Most cases were related to infectious diseases (5/9, 55.5%), others were pulmonary embolism (2/9, 22%), inflammatory disease and trauma (1/9, 11.1% each). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding common health problems. Moderately and severely immunocompromised travellers are at increased risk of developing a serious health problem during or after a trip in a tropical country. They should be well informed about the specific risks they are particularly prone to

Minor Theft: Problems of the Initiation of a Case on an Administrative Offense and Conducting an Administrative Investigation

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Oleg Y. Filippov

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The paper defines the problem of the initiation of an administrative case and conducting an administrative investigation on cases of identifying signs of minor theft under Art. 7.27 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation in cases where the identity of the offender at the time of committing minor theft is not established, this person is not detained. Guidance on the application of this provision under the existing legislation and on amendments and supplements to the law on administrative offenses is offered.

Investigating the Problems and Needs of Infertile Patients Referring to Assisted Reproduction Centers: A Review Study

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Fahimeh Hasanbeigi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background: The provision of optimal care is the most important goal in nursing, the fulfillment of which requires the identification of clients’ problems and needs. However, based on the review of the literature, no review study has investigated the problems and needs of the infertile patients in Iran. Aim: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the problems and needs of the infertile patients referring to the assisted reproduction centers. Method: This review study was based on the traditional review procedure developed by Cronin et al., which entails five steps including: 1 choosing the topic of the review, 2 searching the manuscripts, 3 collecting, reading, and analyzing the texts, 4 writing the review, and 5 providing references. The articles published within 2003-2017 were searched in such valid databases as Google Scholar, Pub Med, Science Direct, Ovid, and Cochran. The inclusion criteria in this study were articles in Persian and English with the keywords referring to problems and needs of clients. Out of the 350 original articles, 31 cases were finally selected for this review study. Results: In general, the infertile patients’ problems were placed under four domains of mental-psychological, social, marital, and financial factors. The needs of the infertile individuals were grouped into six domains of physical, care, informational, financial, mental-psychological, and spiritual factors. Implications for Practice: The identification of the patients’ problems and needs can lead to the conceptualization of strategic points targeted toward the delivery of effective interventions facilitating the provision of patient-centered infertility care. This can enhance the quality of life and lower the levels of stress during the course of treatment.

A multi-objective set covering problem: A case study of warehouse allocation in truck industry

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Atefeh Malekinezhad

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Designing distribution centers is normally formulated in a form of set covering where is primary objective is to minimize the number of connected facilities. However, there are other issues affecting our decision on selecting suitable distribution centers such as weather conditions, temperature, infrastructure facilities, etc. In this paper, we propose a multi-objective set covering techniques where different objectives are considered in an integrated model. The proposed model of this paper is implemented for a real-world case study of truck-industry and the results are analyzed.

The case study of biomaterials and biominerals

Science.gov (United States)

Del Hoyo Martínez, Carmen

2013-04-01

The teaching of biomaterials as case study by on-line platform , susceptible to develop both individually and in groups, got different objectives proposed by the European Higher Education System, among which include: participate actively in the teaching-learning process by students, interpreting situations, adapt processes and solutions. It also improves oral and written communication, analytical skills and synthesis and also the ability to think critically. Biomaterials have their origin in biominerals. These are solid inorganic compounds of defined structure, consisting of molecular control mechanisms that operate in biological systems. Its main functions are: structural support, a reservoir of essential elements, sensors, mechanical protection and storage of toxic elements. Following the demand of materials compatible with certain functional systems of our body, developed biomaterials. Always meet the condition of biocompatibility. Should be tolerated by the body and do not provoke rejection. This involves a comprehensive study of physiological conditions and the anatomy of the body where a biomaterial has to be implemented. The possibility of generating new materials from biominerals has a major impact in medicine and other fields could reach as geology, construction, crystallography, etc. While the study of these issues is in its infancy today, can be viewed as an impact on the art and future technology. Planning case study that students would prepare its report for discussion in subgroups. Occurs then the pooling of individual analysis, joint case discussion and adoption by the subgroup of a consensual solution to the problem. The teacher as facilitator and coordinator of the final case analysis, sharing leads to group-wide class and said the unanimous decision reached by the students and gives his opinion on the resolution of the case. REFERENCES D.P. Ausubel. Psicología Educativa. Un punto de vista cognoscitivo. Trillas. Ed. 1983. E.W. Eisner. Procesos

Health effects from indoor air pollution: case studies.

Science.gov (United States)

White, L E; Clarkson, J R; Chang, S N

1987-01-01

In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the health effects associated with the presence of contaminants in indoor air. Numerous agents can accumulate in public buildings, homes and automobiles as a result of ongoing activities that normally occur in these closed spaces. Ventilation is a major factor in the control of indoor air pollutants since proper movement of air can prevent or minimize the build up of compounds in buildings. The recent emphasis on energy conservation has lead to measures which economize on energy for heating and air conditioning, but which also trap pollutants within a building. Three cases of indoor air pollution were investigated. A typical investigation of indoor air pollutant problems includes the following: interviews with building occupants; history of the building with regard to maintenance, pesticide treatment, etc.; a survey of the building and ventilation; and when warranted, sampling and analysis of air. Each case presented is unique in that atypical situations caused agents to accumulate in a building or section of a building. The indoor air problems in these cases were solved by identifying and removing the source of the offending agent and/or improving the ventilation in the building.

A case of spongiform polioencephalomyelopathy in a cat with a history of behavioural problems

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Tomàs Camps

2015-08-01

Full Text Available A 7-month-old, entire female, domestic shorthair cat was referred to our behavioural service owing to soiling in the house and a play-related problem. The owners’ complaints were that the cat had never used the litter tray, and it did not know how to play. After reviewing the behavioural history, a problem of substrate preferences acquisition was suspected with regard to the elimination problem. During the consultation, the physical examination was unremarkable, but the neurological examination revealed a moderate and hypermetric ataxic gait, and a bilateral lack of menace response. Some degree of visual impairment was suspected. The problem was located in the central nervous system (CNS; specifically, an intracranial and multifocal problem was diagnosed. After a complete work-up (complete ophthalmological examination, complete blood count and a complete biochemistry panel, feline immunodeficiency virus/feline leukaemia virus test, thorax radiographs, abdominal ultrasound, brain magnetic resonance imaging [0.2 T], cerebrospinal fluid analysis and a urinary metabolic screen test, a degenerative CNS problem was suspected. No treatment was prescribed for the neurological problem. Regarding the problem of soiling in the house, reward-based training with a clicker was used, and the cat partially improved in a few weeks. Three months later, the cat was referred to the neurology service in status epilepticus. A symptomatic treatment was prescribed, with a mild response. After 2 years of treatment and a progressive worsening, the cat was euthanased. Necropsy revealed spongiform polioencephalomyelopathy. In order to rule out prion aetiology a PrPsc inmunohistochemistry assay was performed, and the results were negative. Congenital spongiform polioencephalomyelopathy (CSP was diagnosed. We strongly suggest that the cat’s behavioural clinical signs were caused by the CSP, causing learning impairment. To the best of our knowledge, this would be the

Biomass energy policy in Africa: selected case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kgathi, D.L.; Hall, D.O.; Hategeka, A.; Sekhwela, M.B.M.

1997-01-01

The majority of the population in the continent of Africa depend on biomass as a source of energy. Woodfuel (charcoal and fuelwood), the most important source of energy, is a subject of major concern in developing countries mainly because of its increasing scarcity, and recently because of its importance to the debate on climate change as its use is associated with emission on the greenhouse gases (GHG's). The book discusses the biomass energy problem and the policy options for addressing it in Botswana and Rwanda. Though the studies mainly draw their material from the surveys undertaken in these countries, extensive use is made of the existing general literature on this subject. The two case studies on Botswana address the nature, extent, and policy implications of the fuelwood problem, including the extent to which it contributes to deforestation. The Rwanda case studies examine the seasonal and spatial variation of the consumption of biomass energy (woodfuel and residues) and the evolution of the energy policy process with particular reference to biomass energy. A number of policy recommendations are made which may not only be relevant to Botswana and Rwanda, but also to other developing countries in a similar situation. The book thus makes a valuable contribution to the scarce literature on energy and environment in Africa. The multi-disciplinarity of the book makes it more valuable to a large number of readers. It will be an important reference material for policy makers and researchers in Africa as well as other developing countries. AFREPREN The African Energy Policy Research Network (AFREPREN) promotes research on energy issues relevant to the formulation and implementation of policy by African governments. It also aims to build research capability as well as mobilize existing expertise to address both near- and long-term challenges faced by the energy sector in Africa. (UK)

The assessment of scientific research: a case-study of CERN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, B.R.; Minchin, Nigel; Skea, Jim; Peacock, Tim; Crouch, David

1987-01-01

The review aims to demonstrate that formal methods of evaluating research performance can play a valuable role in overcoming some of the problems with decision-making in basic science based on peer review. An approach which combines a number of research output indicators, including bibliometric measures derived from publication and citation analysis, is first outlined and then applied in a case study of the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, CERN, over the period 1961-1984. (author)

The problem of epistemic jurisdiction in global governance: The case of sustainability standards for biofuels.

Science.gov (United States)

Winickoff, David E; Mondou, Matthieu

2017-02-01

While there is ample scholarly work on regulatory science within the state, or single-sited global institutions, there is less on its operation within complex modes of global governance that are decentered, overlapping, multi-sectorial and multi-leveled. Using a co-productionist framework, this study identifies 'epistemic jurisdiction' - the power to produce or warrant technical knowledge for a given political community, topical arena or geographical territory - as a central problem for regulatory science in complex governance. We explore these dynamics in the arena of global sustainability standards for biofuels. We select three institutional fora as sites of inquiry: the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, and the International Organization for Standardization. These cases allow us to analyze how the co-production of sustainability science responds to problems of epistemic jurisdiction in the global regulatory order. First, different problems of epistemic jurisdiction beset different standard-setting bodies, and these problems shape both the content of regulatory science and the procedures designed to make it authoritative. Second, in order to produce global regulatory science, technical bodies must manage an array of conflicting imperatives - including scientific virtue, due process and the need to recruit adoptees to perpetuate the standard. At different levels of governance, standard drafters struggle to balance loyalties to country, to company or constituency and to the larger project of internationalization. Confronted with these sometimes conflicting pressures, actors across the standards system quite self-consciously maneuver to build or retain authority for their forum through a combination of scientific adjustment and political negotiation. Third, the evidentiary demands of regulatory science in global administrative spaces are deeply affected by 1) a market for standards, in which firms and states can

Case-controlled Study on Risk Factors for the Development of Constipation in Hospitalized Patients

OpenAIRE

Ueki, Tetsuya; Nagai, Keiko; Ooe, Nobuharu; Nakashima, Mihoko N.; Nishida, Koyo; Nakamura, Junzo; Nakashima, Mikiro

2011-01-01

Constipation is a common problem in hospitalized patients; however, the relative risks of its development with various factors have not been clarified. To clarify the risk factors associated with constipation, we performed a case-controlled study of 165 hospitalized patients who were not laxative users on admission. They were divided into case (n=35) and control (n=130) groups according to laxative administration during hospitalization. Comparison of the patient backgrounds in the two groups ...

Participants' safety versus confidentiality: A case study of HIV research.

Science.gov (United States)

Leyva-Moral, Juan Manuel; Feijoo-Cid, Maria

2017-05-01

Background When conducting qualitative research, participants usually share lots of personal and private information with the researcher. As researchers, we must preserve participants' identity and confidentiality of the data. Objective To critically analyze an ethical conflict encountered regarding confidentiality when doing qualitative research. Research design Case study. Findings and discussion one of the participants in a study aiming to explain the meaning of living with HIV verbalized his imminent intention to commit suicide because of stigma of other social problems arising from living with HIV. Given the life-threatening situation, the commitment related to not disclosing the participant's identity and/or the content of the interview had to be broken. To avoid or prevent suicide, the therapist in charge of the case was properly informed about the participant's intentions. One important question arises from this case: was it ethically appropriate to break the confidentiality commitment? Conclusion confidentiality could be broken if a life-threatening event is identified during data collection and participants must know that. This has to be clearly stated in the informed consent form.

Case studies of energy efficiency financing in the original five pilot states, 1993-1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farhar, B C; Collins, N E; Walsh, R W

1997-05-01

The purpose of this report is to document progress in state-level programs in energy efficiency financing programs that are linked with home energy rating systems. Case studies are presented of programs in five states using a federal pilot program to amortize the costs of home energy improvements. The case studies present background information, describe the states` program, list preliminary evaluation data and findings, and discuss problems and solution encountered in the programs. A comparison of experiences in pilot states will be used to provide guidelines for program implementers, federal agencies, and Congress. 5 refs.

A Text Mining Approach for Extracting Lessons Learned from Project Documentation: An Illustrative Case Study

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Benjamin Matthies

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Lessons learned are important building blocks for continuous learning in project-based organisations. Nonetheless, the practical reality is that lessons learned are often not consistently reused for organisational learning. Two problems are commonly described in this context: the information overload and the lack of procedures and methods for the assessment and implementation of lessons learned. This paper addresses these problems, and appropriate solutions are combined in a systematic lesson learned process. Latent Dirichlet Allocation is presented to solve the first problem. Regarding the second problem, established risk management methods are adapted. The entire lessons learned process will be demonstrated in a practical case study

Study of MHD problems in liquid metal blankets of fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michael, I.

1984-12-01

This study describes in a concise form the state of knowledge regarding MHD problems to be expected in case of use of liquid metal in the blankets of fusion reactors with magnetic confinement. MHD pressure losses and MHD friction coefficients in the straight channel, in bent sections and in case of variation of the channel cross section play a major role because the high MHD flow resistances call for high pumping powers. Influencing the velocity profile transverse to the main flow direction of the liquid metal by application of an external, strong magnetic field bears consequences on the release and transport of corrosion products in the liquid metal circuit and on the heat transfer. Possibilities of reducing the MHD effects are discussed. However, it becomes obvious that an account of the lack of experimental results there are still major gaps in the knowledge of MHD effects occurring in strong magnetic fields. These gaps can be greatly reduced by implementation of an experimental program as proposed in this report. (orig.) [de

A Survey on Psychosocial Problems in Adolescents with

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Asghar Dalvandi

2001-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: The impact of alcohol and other drugs increase dramatically in adolescent's lives when their parents are dependent drug users. Not only the children are at risk of developing drug users, but also they are at risk of developing drug related problems later in their life. They may also suffer other social and psychological problems. Matetials & Methods: The present study focusing on psychosocial problems of adolescents with addicted father, Uses the (s.c.l-90 and educational conditions Questionnaires.  It is a "Case-control" study. Our samples include 40 adolescents with "addicted father" and 80 with "non-addicted father". The addicted fathers were chosen randomly from Gharchak rehabilitation center. The adolescents ages were between 12-18 years old chosen randomly and matched by variables such as sex, age, education. Results: The result of the study shows a significant differences between the psychosocial problems of adolescents with "addicted father" and "non-addicted" ones, (p<0.05. So such that in our case group we see a higher drop in school subject anxiety and interactional disorders. Conclusion: It seems that there is a correlation between the addiction of father and psychosocial problems of their children.

Problem - oriented studies on plant - soil - water relations : sowing strategies for maize in rainfed agriculture in Southern Mozambique : water management in bog relicts in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouwenaars, J.M.

1990-01-01

Plant-soil-water models are applied in two case studies. Attention is given to the desired level of accuracy in (agro-)hydrological. research when applied in problem-oriented studies. In the case studies it is shown that when decision criteria are only roughly known and when only