Child welfare caseworkers as service brokers for youth in foster care: findings from project focus.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorsey, Shannon; Kerns, Suzanne E U; Trupin, Eric W; Conover, Kate L; Berliner, Lucy

2012-02-01

Youth in the foster care system have substantially higher rates of mental health needs compared to the general population, yet they rarely receive targeted, evidence-based practices (EBPs). Increasingly emerging in the literature on mental health services is the importance of "brokers" or "gateway providers" of services. For youth in foster care, child welfare caseworkers often play this role. This study examines caseworker-level outcomes of Project Focus, a caseworker training and consultation model designed to improve emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth in foster care through increased linkages with EBPs. Project Focus was tested through a small, randomized trial involving four child welfare offices. Caseworkers in the Project Focus intervention group demonstrated an increased awareness of EBPs and a trend toward increased ability to identify appropriate EBP referrals for particular mental health problems but did not have significantly different rates of actual referral to EBPs. Dose of consultation was associated with general awareness of EBPs. Implications for practice and outcomes for youth are discussed.

Ecosystem services to enhance sustainable forest management in the US: moving from forest service national programmes to local projects in the Pacific Northwest

Science.gov (United States)

Robert L. Deal; Nikola Smith; Joe Gates

2017-01-01

Ecosystem services are increasingly recognized as a way of framing and describing the broad suite of benefits that people receive from forests. The USDA Forest Service has been exploring use of an ecosystem services framework to describe forest values provided by federal lands and to attract and build partnerships with stakeholders to implement projects. Recently, the...

Project management in interior design services

OpenAIRE

Şahinoglu, Alp

1997-01-01

Ankara : Bilkent University, Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design and Institute of Fine Arts, 1997. Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 1997. Includes bibliographical references. In this study, the concept of project management is analyzed within the framework of interior design services. Project management has been defined as the managing and coordination of all human and physical resources, in order to accomplish the predetermined goals (aim of the proj...

Assessing the value of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) in Everglades restoration: an ecosystem service approach

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Leslie A.; Keefe, Kelly; Huber, Christopher C.; Racevskis, Laila; Gregg, Reynolds; Thourot, Scott; Miller, Ian

2014-01-01

This study identifies a full range of ecosystem services that could be affected by a restoration project in the central Everglades and monetizes the economic value of a subset of these services using existing data. Findings suggest that the project will potentially increase many ecosystem services that have considerable economic value to society. The ecosystem services monetized within the scope of this study are a subset of the difference between the future-with the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) and the future-without CEPP, and they totaled ~ $1.8 billion USD at a 2.5% discount rate. Findings suggest that the use of ecosystem services in project planning and communications may require acknowledgment of the difficulty of monetizing important services and the limitations associated with using only existing data and models. Results of this study highlight the need for additional valuation efforts in this region, focused on those services that are likely to be impacted by restoration activities but were notably challenging to value in this assessment due to shortages of data.

Increasing Customer Service Behaviors Using Manager-Delivered Task Clarification and Social Praise

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Anna; Austin, John; Gravina, Nicole

2009-01-01

This project assessed an intervention to improve employee customer service behaviors (correct greetings and closing behaviors). A combination of task clarification and manager-delivered social praise resulted in increased correct greeting from 11.5% to 66% and correct closing from 8% to 70%. The effect was maintained at a 48-week follow-up for…

[Performance assessment of health services in Catalonia (Spain): evaluation of initial results of the Catalan healthcare service project].

Science.gov (United States)

García-Altés, Anna; Dalmau-Bueno, Albert; Colls, Cristina; Mendivil, Joan; Benet, Josep; Mompart, Anna; Torné, Elvira; Zara, Corinne; Borrell, Carme; Brugulat, Pilar; Guarga, Alex

2009-01-01

Performance assessment of healthcare services is receiving greater attention due to increasing health care expenditures, greater expectations among the population, and the need to obtain results from the invested resources. Taking advantage of the existing experience of the Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona and the Consorci Sanitari de Barcelona, which compared the healthcare services of Barcelona and Montreal, a grant from the Agència d'Avaluació de Tecnologia i Recerca Mèdiques, and the health planning interest of the Departament de Salut, the performance assessment of the Catalan healthcare service project was started in Catalonia in 2005. This article aims to present the development of the project, to provide some examples that illustrate the kind of numerical and graphical information that could be obtained and the kind of analysis that could be performed, to provide possible explanations for the results shown, and to discuss some limitations and implications. Currently, the added value of this project is that it identifies the extent to which the healthcare system is achieving its objectives, establishes a set of homogeneous indicators that could be used in the future, and is a key tool in the development of the Central de Resultats del Departament de Salut de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

Increasing use of mental health services in remote areas using mobile technology: a pre-post evaluation of the SMART Mental Health project in rural India.

Science.gov (United States)

Maulik, Pallab K; Kallakuri, Sudha; Devarapalli, Siddhardha; Vadlamani, Vamsi Krishna; Jha, Vivekanand; Patel, Anushka

2017-06-01

About 25% of the Indian population experience common mental disorders (CMD) but only 15-25% of them receive any mental health care. Stigma, lack of adequate mental health professionals and mental health services account for this treatment gap, which is worse in rural areas. Our project evaluated task shifting and mobile-technology based electronic decision support systems to enhance the ability of primary care health workers to provide evidence-based mental health care for stress, depression, and suicidal risk in 30 remote villages in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Systematic Medical Appraisal Referral and Treatment (SMART) Mental Health project between May 2014 and April 2016 trained lay village health workers (Accredited Social Health Activists - ASHAs) and primary care doctors to screen, diagnose and manage individuals with common mental disorders using an electronic decision support system. An anti-stigma campaign using multi-media approaches was conducted across the villages at the outset of the project. A pre-post evaluation using mixed methods assessed the change in mental health service utilization by screen positive individuals. This paper reports on the quantitative aspects of that evaluation. Training was imparted to 21 ASHAs and 2 primary care doctors. 5007 of 5167 eligible individuals were screened, and 238 were identified as being positive for common mental disorders and referred to the primary care doctors for further management. Out of them, 2 (0.8%) had previously utilized mental health services. During the intervention period, 30 (12.6%) visited the primary care doctor for further diagnosis and treatment, as advised. There was a significant reduction in the depression and anxiety scores between start and end of the intervention among those who had screened positive at the beginning. Stigma and mental health awareness in the broader community improved during the project. The intervention led to individuals being screened for common mental

Increasing use of mental health services in remote areas using mobile technology: a pre–post evaluation of the SMART Mental Health project in rural India

Science.gov (United States)

Maulik, Pallab K; Kallakuri, Sudha; Devarapalli, Siddhardha; Vadlamani, Vamsi Krishna; Jha, Vivekanand; Patel, Anushka

2017-01-01

Background About 25% of the Indian population experience common mental disorders (CMD) but only 15–25% of them receive any mental health care. Stigma, lack of adequate mental health professionals and mental health services account for this treatment gap, which is worse in rural areas. Our project evaluated task shifting and mobile–technology based electronic decision support systems to enhance the ability of primary care health workers to provide evidence–based mental health care for stress, depression, and suicidal risk in 30 remote villages in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Methods The Systematic Medical Appraisal Referral and Treatment (SMART) Mental Health project between May 2014 and April 2016 trained lay village health workers (Accredited Social Health Activists – ASHAs) and primary care doctors to screen, diagnose and manage individuals with common mental disorders using an electronic decision support system. An anti–stigma campaign using multi–media approaches was conducted across the villages at the outset of the project. A pre–post evaluation using mixed methods assessed the change in mental health service utilization by screen positive individuals. This paper reports on the quantitative aspects of that evaluation. Results Training was imparted to 21 ASHAs and 2 primary care doctors. 5007 of 5167 eligible individuals were screened, and 238 were identified as being positive for common mental disorders and referred to the primary care doctors for further management. Out of them, 2 (0.8%) had previously utilized mental health services. During the intervention period, 30 (12.6%) visited the primary care doctor for further diagnosis and treatment, as advised. There was a significant reduction in the depression and anxiety scores between start and end of the intervention among those who had screened positive at the beginning. Stigma and mental health awareness in the broader community improved during the project. Conclusions The intervention

Understanding the usage of the Helioviewer Project clients and services

Science.gov (United States)

Ireland, J.; Zahniy, S.; Mueller, D.; Nicula, B.; Verstringe, F.; Bourgoignie, B.; Buchlin, E.; Alingery, P.

2017-12-01

The Helioviewer Project enables visual exploration of the Sun and the inner heliosphere for everyone, everywhere via intuitive interfaces and novel technology. The project mainly develops two clients, helioviewer.org and JHelioviewer, and the server-side capabilities accessed via those clients. Images from many different ground and space-based sources are currently available from multiple servers. Solar and heliospheric feature and event information, magnetic field extrapolations and important time-series can also be browsed and visualized using Helioviewer Project clients. Users of the Helioviewer Project have made over two million movies and many millions of screenshots since detailed (and anonymous) logging of Helioviewer Project usage was implemented in February 2011. These usage logs are analyzed to give a detailed breakdown on user interaction with solar and heliospheric data via Helioviewer Project clients and services. We present summary statistics on how our users are using our clients and services, which data they are interested in, and how they choose to interact with different data sources. At the poster presentation we will also be soliciting ideas from the community to improve our clients and services.

Evaluation of Service Station Attendant-Auto Care Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Cress, Ronald J.

The project described offers an approach to providing occupational skills to socially and educationally handicapped youth, specifically the skills necessary for a service station attendant in driveway salesmanship and auto care. The 10-page evaluation report presents project goals and objectives with evaluation data (represented graphically) and…

Service Learning in Medical Education: Project Description and Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Nicole J.; Hartung, Paul J.

2007-01-01

Although medical education has long recognized the importance of community service, most medical schools have not formally nor fully incorporated service learning into their curricula. To address this problem, we describe the initial design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a service-learning project within a first-year medical…

47 CFR 74.785 - Low power TV digital data service pilot project.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Low power TV digital data service pilot project... Power TV, TV Translator, and TV Booster Stations § 74.785 Low power TV digital data service pilot project. Low power TV stations authorized pursuant to the LPTV Digital Data Services Act (Public Law 106...

Caching web service for TICF project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pais, V.F.; Stancalie, V.

2008-01-01

A caching web service was developed to allow caching of any object to a network cache, presented in the form of a web service. This application was used to increase the speed of previously implemented web services and for new ones. Various tests were conducted to determine the impact of using this caching web service in the existing network environment and where it should be placed in order to achieve the greatest increase in performance. Since the cache is presented to applications as a web service, it can also be used for remote access to stored data and data sharing between applications

LYNX community advocacy & service engagement (CASE) project final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-05-14

This report is a final assessment of the Community Advocacy & Service Engagement (CASE) project, a LYNX-FTA research project designed : to study transit education and public engagement methods in Central Florida. In the Orlando area, as in other part...

Project reconversion Service Hospital Radiation Oncology Clinics-Medical School

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quarneti, A.; Levaggi, G.

2004-01-01

Introduction: The Health Sector operates within the framework of Social Policy and it is therefore one of the ways of distribution of public benefit, like Housing, Education and Social Security. While public spending on health has grown in recent years, its distribution has been uneven and the sector faces funding and management problems. The Service Hospital Radiation Oncology has reduced its health care liavility , lack technological development and unsufficient human resources and training. Aim: developing an inclusive reform bill Service Hospital Radiation Oncology .Material and Methods: This project tends to form a network institutional, introducing concepts of evidence-based medicine, risk models, cost analysis, coding systems, system implementation of quality management (ISO-9000 Standards). Proposes redefining radiotherapy centers and their potential participation in training resource development goals humanos.Promueve scientific research of national interest. Separate strictly administrative function, management and teaching. The project takes into account the characteristics of demand, the need to order it and organize around her, institutional network system and within the Hospital das Clinicas own related services related to Service Hospital Radiation Oncology , Encourages freedom of choice, and confers greater equity in care. The project would managed by the Hospital Clínicas. Conclusions: We believe this proposal identifies problems and opportunities, Service Hospital Radiation Oncology proposes the development of institutional network under one management model

Reaping the harvest: nursing student service involvement with a campus gardening project.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahonen, Kathleen; Lee, Carolyn; Daker, Emily

2012-01-01

The authors describe the development and incorporation of a multidisciplinary community garden as a service project in a baccalaureate nursing cohort in an urban university. The concepts of professional ethics and service, application of nutritional theory to a community cohort, and competencies in community health nursing are briefly discussed and applied to this service project.

Generic Lean Six Sigma project definitions in financial services

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Koning, H.; de Mast, J.; Does, R.J.M.M.; Vermaat, T.; Simons, S.

2008-01-01

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is applied in financial service organizations to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness. LSS prescribes that these improvements are designed and implemented by projects. The purpose of this article is to facilitate the process of defining LSS projects in finance,

The Florida Ranchlands Environmental Services Project: Field Testing a Pay-for-Environmental-Services Program

OpenAIRE

Lynch, S.; Shabman, L.

2007-01-01

The Florida Ranchlands Environmental Services Project (FRESP) was recently launched, which will field test a program to complement the existing restoration programs such as the Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan (LOPP), which uses public funding to build treatment wetlands, drill aquifer storage, and capture rainwater (to delay its arrival downstream). FRESP will pay cattle ranchers to provide environmental services that will benefit the lake. PES-1 (Payments for Environmental Services Associ...

Project ALERT: Forging New Partnerships to Improve Earth System Science Education for Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Metzger, E. P.; Ambos, E. L.; Ng, E. W.; Skiles, J.; Simila, G.; Garfield, N.

2002-05-01

Project ALERT (Augmented Learning Environment and Renewable Teaching) was founded in 1998, with funding from NASA and the California State University (CSU), to improve earth system science education for pre-service teachers. Project ALERT has formed linkages between ten campuses of the CSU, which prepares about 60 percent of California's teachers, and two NASA centers, Ames Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. ALERT has also fostered alliances between earth science and science education faculty. The combined expertise of Project ALERT's diverse partners has led to a wide array of activities and products, including: 1) incorporation in university classrooms of NASA-developed imagery, data, and educational resources; 2) creation and/or enhancement of several courses that bring earth systems science to pre-service teachers; 3) fellowships for CSU faculty to participate in collaborative research and education projects at the NASA Centers; 4) development of teaching modules on such varied topics as volcanoes, landslides, and paleoclimate; and 5) a central web site that highlights resources for teaching introductory Earth system science. An outgrowth of Project ALERT is the increased interest on the part of CSU earth scientists in education issues. This has catalyzed their participation in other projects, including NASA's Project NOVA, Earth System Science Education Alliance, and Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum, the Digital Library for Earth System Science Education, and the California Science Project. Project ALERT has also expanded to provide professional development opportunities for in-service teachers, as exemplified by its support of the Bay Area Earth Science Institute (BAESI) at San Jose State University. Each year, BAESI offers 10-15 full-day workshops that supply teachers and teachers-to-be with a blend of science concepts and classroom activities, free instructional materials, and the opportunity to earn inexpensive university credit. These

Self-service for software development projects and HPC activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Husejko, M; Høimyr, N; Gonzalez, A; Koloventzos, G; Asbury, D; Trzcinska, A; Agtzidis, I; Botrel, G; Otto, J

2014-01-01

This contribution describes how CERN has implemented several essential tools for agile software development processes, ranging from version control (Git) to issue tracking (Jira) and documentation (Wikis). Running such services in a large organisation like CERN requires many administrative actions both by users and service providers, such as creating software projects, managing access rights, users and groups, and performing tool-specific customisation. Dealing with these requests manually would be a time-consuming task. Another area of our CERN computing services that has required dedicated manual support has been clusters for specific user communities with special needs. Our aim is to move all our services to a layered approach, with server infrastructure running on the internal cloud computing infrastructure at CERN. This contribution illustrates how we plan to optimise the management of our of services by means of an end-user facing platform acting as a portal into all the related services for software projects, inspired by popular portals for open-source developments such as Sourceforge, GitHub and others. Furthermore, the contribution will discuss recent activities with tests and evaluations of High Performance Computing (HPC) applications on different hardware and software stacks, and plans to offer a dynamically scalable HPC service at CERN, based on affordable hardware.

Model projections and policy reviews for energy saving in China's service sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Lin

2013-01-01

Energy efficiency of buildings in the service sector is becoming increasingly important in China due to the structural shift of the economy from industry to services. This paper employs a bottom-up cohort model to simulate current energy saving policies and to make projections for future energy use and CO 2 emissions for the period 2000–2030 in the Chinese service sector. The analysis shows that energy demand in the service sector will approximately triple in 2030, far beyond the target of quadrupling GDP while only doubling energy use. However, it is feasible to achieve the target of emission reduction by 40% in 2020 even under the poor state of compliance rate of building standard. This paper also highlights four crucial aspects of designing optimal energy saving policies for China's service sector based on the model results. - Highlights: • Government energy saving target cannot realize with current policies in services. • Energy savings policies for new buildings are crucial than building retrofitting. • Cooling energy use increases significantly to reach equal weight as heating. • CO 2 tax can contribute to change in fuel mix, and thus emission reductions. • Low compliance rate limits further energy saving, hence green fund is required

A Service-Learning Project Using Crowdfunding Strategy: Students' Experience and Reflection

Science.gov (United States)

Mat-jizat, Jessnor Elmy; Khalid, Khalizul

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore students' experience and reflection in doing a Service Learning project as part of their course work. The Service Learning project allows the students to practice their knowledge of raising capital through crowdfunding, and at the same time situates them in an environment where they could learn from the…

Development and Assessment of Service Learning Projects in General Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Felzien, Lisa; Salem, Laura

2008-01-01

Service learning involves providing service to the community while requiring students to meet learning goals in a specific course. A service learning project was implemented in a general biology course at Rockhurst University to involve students in promoting scientific education in conjunction with community partner educators. Students were…

Integrated care services: lessons learned from the deployment of the NEXES project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carme Hernandez

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To identify barriers to deployment of four articulated Integrated Care Services supported by Information Technologies in three European sites. The four services covered the entire spectrum of severity of illness. The project targeted chronic patients with obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiac failure and/or type II diabetes mellitus. Setting: One health care sector in Spain (Barcelona (n = 11.382; six municipalities in Norway (Trondheim (n = 450; and one hospital in Greece (Athens (n = 388. Method: The four services were: (i Home-based long-term maintenance of rehabilitation effects (n = 337; (ii Enhanced Care for frail patients, n = 1340; (iii Home Hospitalization and Early Discharge (n = 2404; and Support for remote diagnosis (forced spirometry testing in primary care (Support (n = 8139. Both randomized controlled trials and pragmatic study designs were combined. Two technological approaches were compared. The Model for Assessment of Telemedicine applications was adopted. Results: The project demonstrated: (i Sustainability of training effects over time in chronic patients with obstructive pulmonary disease (p < 0.01; (ii Enhanced care and fewer hospitalizations in chronic respiratory patients (p < 0.05; (iii Reduced in-hospital days for all types of patients (p < 0.001 in Home Hospitalization/Early Discharge; and (iv Increased quality of testing (p < 0.01 for patients with respiratory symptoms in Support, with marked differences among sites. Conclusions: The four integrated care services showed high potential to enhance health outcomes with cost-containment. Change management, technological approach and legal issues were major factors modulating the success of the deployment. The project generated a business plan to foster service sustainability and health innovation. Deployment strategies require site-specific adaptations.

Integrated care services: lessons learned from the deployment of the NEXES project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carme Hernandez

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To identify barriers to deployment of four articulated Integrated Care Services supported by Information Technologies in three European sites. The four services covered the entire spectrum of severity of illness. The project targeted chronic patients with obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiac failure and/or type II diabetes mellitus.Setting: One health care sector in Spain (Barcelona (n = 11.382; six municipalities in Norway (Trondheim (n = 450; and one hospital in Greece (Athens (n = 388.Method: The four services were: (i Home-based long-term maintenance of rehabilitation effects (n = 337; (ii Enhanced Care for frail patients, n = 1340; (iii Home Hospitalization and Early Discharge (n = 2404; and Support for remote diagnosis (forced spirometry testing in primary care (Support (n = 8139. Both randomized controlled trials and pragmatic study designs were combined. Two technological approaches were compared. The Model for Assessment of Telemedicine applications was adopted.Results: The project demonstrated: (i Sustainability of training effects over time in chronic patients with obstructive pulmonary disease (p < 0.01; (ii Enhanced care and fewer hospitalizations in chronic respiratory patients (p < 0.05; (iii Reduced in-hospital days for all types of patients (p < 0.001 in Home Hospitalization/Early Discharge; and (iv Increased quality of testing (p < 0.01 for patients with respiratory symptoms in Support, with marked differences among sites.Conclusions: The four integrated care services showed high potential to enhance health outcomes with cost-containment. Change management, technological approach and legal issues were major factors modulating the success of the deployment. The project generated a business plan to foster service sustainability and health innovation. Deployment strategies require site-specific adaptations.

Enhancing youth potential through Civic Service: ethical reflections arising from a geo-educational project

Science.gov (United States)

Rubbia, Giuliana

2015-04-01

Different forms of Civic Service are present in Europe. The National Civic Service (SCN) of Italy started, with a law, as an alternative to military service in 2001. It was conceived as an opportunity to people from 18 to 28 years, the volunteers, who intend to grow in social, civic, cultural and professional dimensions while performing experiences of social solidarity, national and international cooperation, protection and preservation of national heritage. Each accredited organization, which hosts SCN projects, signs up an ethical charter, regulating relationships between volunteers and the hosting organization. Summarizing, the organization must be aware 1)of putting into effect a law aimed to involve young generations in homeland defense with non violent means through services of social utility; 2) that the Civic Service wants young people to spend one year of their life in a critical phase in which they reach the responsibilities of adults; 3) that adopted working method is learning by doing, working with tutors having to increase skills and exploit the full potential of volunteers; 4) of recognizing the volunteers' right to work to reach the project's objectives, and not only for the benefits of the hosting organization; 5) that volunteers should work with well defined procedures, clear since the beginning; 6) of requiring from volunteers their full commitment to learn and responsibly participate to project's activities as well as to fully express and increase their expertise, skills and personal resources. Ethical implications emerged during an ongoing Earth Sciences education project funded by SCN and involving young volunteers at Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV). According to SCN's ethical charter, in this case the challenge is to welcome a group of young people in a public research organization, and to integrate them in the limited time lapse of one year. The European Charter for Researchers came as a valuable help. Its principles

A European classification of services for long-term care—the EU-project eDESDE-LTC

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Germain; Brehmer, Barbara; Zeilinger, Elisabeth; Salvador-Carulla, Luis

2009-01-01

Purpose and theory The eDESDE-LTC project aims at developing an operational system for coding, mapping and comparing services for long-term care (LTC) across EU. The projects strategy is to improve EU listing and access to relevant sources of healthcare information via development of SEMANTIC INTER-OPERABILITY in eHEALTH (coding and listing of services for LTC); to increase access to relevant sources of information on LTC services, and to improve linkages between national and regional websites; to foster cooperation with international organizations (OECD). Methods This operational system will include a standard classification of main types of care for persons with LTC needs and an instrument for mapping and standard description of services. These instruments are based on previous classification systems for mental health services (ESMS), disabilities services (DESDE) and ageing services (DESDAE). A Delphi panel made by seven partners developed a DESDE-LTC beta version, which was translated into six languages. The feasibility of DESDE-LTC is tested in six countries using national focal groups. Then the final version will be developed by the Delphi panel, a webpage, training material and course will be carried out. Results and conclusions The eDESDE-LTC system will be piloted in two EU countries (Spain and Bulgaria). Evaluation will focus primarily on usability and impact analysis. Discussion The added value of this project is related to the right of “having access to high-quality healthcare when and where it is needed” by EU citizens. Due to semantic variability and service complexity, existing national listings of services do not provide an adequate framework for patient mobility.

Problem-Based Service Learning: The Evolution of a Team Project

Science.gov (United States)

Connor-Greene, Patricia A.

2002-01-01

In this article, I describe the evolution of a problem-based service learning project in an undergraduate Abnormal Psychology course. Students worked in teams on a semester-long project to locate and evaluate information and treatment for specific psychiatric disorders. As part of the project, each team selected relevant bibliographic materials,…

Using Pamphlets to Teach Biochemistry: A Service-Learning Project

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Melinda A.; Dunbar, David; Lopatto, David

2013-01-01

A service-learning project appropriate for a biochemistry or advanced biochemistry course was designed and implemented. The project involved students partnering with a homeless shelter to design informational pamphlets to be displayed at the shelter for the clients' use. The pamphlet topics were based on diseases studied within the course.…

Implementing service improvement projects within pre-registration nursing education: a multi-method case study evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Baillie, Lesley; Bromley, Barbara; Walker, Moira; Jones, Rebecca; Mhlanga, Fortune

2014-01-01

Preparing healthcare students for quality and service improvement is important internationally. A United Kingdom (UK) initiative aims to embed service improvement in pre-registration education. A UK university implemented service improvement teaching for all nursing students. In addition, the degree pathway students conducted service improvement projects as the basis for their dissertations. The study aimed to evaluate the implementation of service improvement projects within a pre-registration nursing curriculum. A multi-method case study was conducted, using student questionnaires, focus groups with students and academic staff, and observation of action learning sets. Questionnaire data were analysed using SPSS v19. Qualitative data were analysed using Ritchie and Spencer's (1994) Framework Approach. Students were very positive about service improvement. The degree students, who conducted service improvement projects in practice, felt more knowledgeable than advanced diploma students. Selecting the project focus was a key issue and students encountered some challenges in practice. Support for student service improvement projects came from action learning sets, placement staff, and academic staff. Service improvement projects had a positive effect on students' learning. An effective partnership between the university and partner healthcare organisations, and support for students in practice, is essential. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving family planning services delivery and uptake: experiences from the "Reversing the Stall in Fertility Decline in Western Kenya Project".

Science.gov (United States)

Amo-Adjei, Joshua; Mutua, Michael; Athero, Sherine; Izugbara, Chimaraoke; Ezeh, Alex

2017-10-10

In this paper, we reflect on our experiences of implementing a multipronged intervention to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes. The project used family planning as its entry point and was implemented in two high fertility counties-Busia and Siaya in Kenya. The intervention, implemented by a seven-member consortium, involved: family planning services delivery; regular training of service providers to deliver high quality services; monitoring and evaluation; strengthening of commodity chain delivery and forecasting; school-based and out-of-school based sexuality education; and advocacy and stakeholder engagements at the community, county and national levels. Over a 5-year period, the project contributed to raising demand for family planning considerably, evidenced in fertility decline. It also improved the capacity of family planning services providers, increased commitment and awareness of county government and other community stakeholders on the importance of investments in family planning. Our collaborations with organisations interested in sexual and reproductive health issues substantially enhanced the consortium's ability to increase demand for, and supply of family planning commodities. These collaborations are proving useful in the continuity and sustainability of project achievements.

The Societe de Services Decentralises (SDD), a Franco-Dutch energy project designed to provide local energy services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, B.; Courillon, M.; Goedmakers, A-M.; Darne, D.

1998-01-01

The Societe de Services Decentralises (SDD) is a joint pilot project of the EDF from France and NUON from the Netherlands, designed to test the feasibility of providing electricity to the rural regions of developing countries. The concept of the SDD emerged from the 1995 Marrakech conference on rural electrification. The project is presently being tested in Mali where 80,000 people, living in 20 villages of the cotton region are being provided with basic electric services. Power is generated by small village generating stations or by solar stations. Service is limited to a few electrical lights per customer. Marketing, financing and human resource aspects are also discussed

Increase in competitiveness of housing-and-communal services

Science.gov (United States)

Skripnik, Oksana

2017-10-01

The problems, interfering effective activity of housing-and-communal complex are considered in the article. Some factors of the increase in competitiveness and the importance of transactional expenses are revealed. The assessment of competitiveness of the organizations of the sphere of housing-and-communal services is considered as the set of the following basic elements organizational and administrative, marketing, financial, production, indicators of quality, indicators of development, labor indicators interconnected with processes of the organization. The author proves that the increase in competitiveness is possible by carrying out organizational and administrative, innovative, technological, economic transformations, increasing quality of services, reducing costs for production and realization of services, providing new services.

Articulating current service development practices: a qualitative analysis of eleven mental health projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, Gyuchan Thomas; Morrison, Cecily; Clarkson, P John

2014-01-17

The utilisation of good design practices in the development of complex health services is essential to improving quality. Healthcare organisations, however, are often seriously out of step with modern design thinking and practice. As a starting point to encourage the uptake of good design practices, it is important to understand the context of their intended use. This study aims to do that by articulating current health service development practices. Eleven service development projects carried out in a large mental health service were investigated through in-depth interviews with six operation managers. The critical decision method in conjunction with diagrammatic elicitation was used to capture descriptions of these projects. Stage-gate design models were then formed to visually articulate, classify and characterise different service development practices. Projects were grouped into three categories according to design process patterns: new service introduction and service integration; service improvement; service closure. Three common design stages: problem exploration, idea generation and solution evaluation - were then compared across the design process patterns. Consistent across projects were a top-down, policy-driven approach to exploration, underexploited idea generation and implementation-based evaluation. This study provides insight into where and how good design practices can contribute to the improvement of current service development practices. Specifically, the following suggestions for future service development practices are made: genuine user needs analysis for exploration; divergent thinking and innovative culture for idea generation; and fail-safe evaluation prior to implementation. Better training for managers through partnership working with design experts and researchers could be beneficial.

Evaluation system of Research and Development projects and services from ININ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reglero, R.

1994-01-01

To make a plan for a project is one thing; to control it are a hundred things at the same time. Because of this fact, the enterprises and Research and Development Institutions have searched better ways to manage this activities. The management system of Research and Development projects and services from ININ, is used as a recording, evaluation tracking, information and control of result instrument for these activities. The need to have update information of different activities in the working areas of ININ, such as: Projects, technical or technological services either internal or external; diffusion programs and human resources training programs; and departmental activities, has taken to the development of uniform methods of recording, evaluation tracking and control of events, which allow the standardization, compilation, analysis and reporting of the results in an easy and quick way. The elaboration of an original scheme for the evaluation system of assessment for Research and Development projects and services was started in July 1988, and the data acquisition was manual. The use of Personal Computers began at 1992. (Author)

Student-Designed Service-Learning Projects in an Undergraduate Neurobiology Course

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katharine V. Northcutt

2015-12-01

Full Text Available One of the challenges in teaching a service-learning course is obtaining student buy-in from all students in the course. To circumvent this problem, I have let students in my undergraduate Neurobiology course design their own service-learning projects at the beginning of the semester. Although this can be chaotic because it requires last-minute planning, I have made it successful through facilitating student communication in the classroom, requiring thorough project proposals, meeting with students regularly, and monitoring group progress through written reflection papers. Most of my students have strong opinions about the types of projects that they want to carry out, and many students have used connections that they have already made with local organizations. Almost all projects that students have designed to this point involve teaching basic concepts of neurobiology to children of various ages while simultaneously sparking their interest in science. Through taking ownership of the project and designing it such that it works well with their strengths, interests, and weekly schedule, students have become more engaged in service learning and view it as a valuable experience. Despite some class time being shifted away from more traditional assignments, students have performed equally well in the course, and they are more eager to talk with others about course concepts. Furthermore, the feedback that I have received from community partners has been excellent, and some students have maintained their work with the organizations.

Studying Student Benefits of Assigning a Service-Learning Project Compared to a Traditional Final Project in a Business Statistics Class

Science.gov (United States)

Phelps, Amy L.; Dostilio, Lina

2008-01-01

The present study addresses the efficacy of using service-learning methods to meet the GAISE guidelines (http://www.amstat.org/education/gaise/GAISECollege.htm) in a second business statistics course and further explores potential advantages of assigning a service-learning (SL) project as compared to the traditional statistics project assignment.…

Achieving Service-Learning Goals in a Financial Accounting Class Project

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Darwin D.

2011-01-01

Background: A financial accounting class in a Philippine university has a service-learning group project that involves setting up a simple accounting system for microenterprises. Aims: This paper examines the extent to which service-learning goals such as course learning, teamwork, civic responsibility, and impact on the client organization are…

Seizing an opportunity: increasing use of cessation services following a tobacco tax increase.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Paula A; Greenseid, Lija O; Christenson, Matthew; Boyle, Raymond G; Schillo, Barbara A

2015-04-10

Tobacco tax increases are associated with increases in quitline calls and reductions in smoking prevalence. In 2013, ClearWay Minnesota(SM) conducted a six-week media campaign promoting QUITPLAN® Services (QUITPLAN Helpline and quitplan.com) to leverage the state's tax increase. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the association of the tax increase and media campaign on call volumes, web visits, and enrollments in QUITPLAN Services. In this observational study, call volume, web visits, enrollments, and participant characteristics were analyzed for the periods June-August 2012 and June-August 2013. Enrollment data and information about media campaigns were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis to determine the association of the tax increase on QUITPLAN Services while controlling for media. There was a 160% increase in total combined calls and web visits, and an 81% increase in enrollments in QUITPLAN Services. Helpline call volumes and enrollments declined back to prior year levels approximately six weeks after the tax increase. Visits to and enrollments in quitplan.com also declined, but increased again in mid-August. The tax increase and media explained over 70% of variation in enrollments in the QUITPLAN Helpline, with media explaining 34% of the variance and the tax increase explaining an additional 36.1% of this variance. However, media explained 64% of the variance in quitplan.com enrollments, and the tax increase explained an additional 7.6% of this variance. Since tax increases occur infrequently, these policy changes must be fully leveraged as quickly as possible to help reduce prevalence.

EPOS Thematic Core Service Anthropogenic Hazards for SHEER project: maintain, process and manage your project research data

Science.gov (United States)

Orlecka-Sikora, Beata; Lasocki, Stanislaw; Staszek, Monika; Olszewska, Dorota; Urban, Pawel; Jaroslawski, Janusz; Cielesta, Szymon; Mirek, Janusz; Wiszniowski, Jan; Picozzi, Matteo; Solaro, Giuseppe; Pringle, Jamie; Toon, Sam; Cesca, Simone; Kuehn, Daniela; Ruigrok, Elmer; Gunning, Andrew; Isherwood, Catherine

2017-04-01

The main objective of the "Shale gas exploration and exploitation induced risks - SHEER" project (Horizon 2020, call LCE 16-2014) is to develop a probabilistic methodology to assess and mitigate the short- and the long-term environmental risks associated with the exploration and exploitation of shale gas. To this end, the SHEER project makes use of a large amount of heterogeneous data of various types. This data, from different disciplines of science e.g. geophysical, geochemical, geological, technological, etc., must be homogenized, harmonized and made accessible exclusively for all project participants. This requires to develop an over-arching structure for high-level multidisciplinary data integration. The bespoke solution is provided by Thematic Core Service Anthropogenic Hazards (TCS AH) developed in the framework of European Plate Observing System Program (https://tcs.ah-epos.eu/, infrastructural projects IS-EPOS, POIG.02.03.00-14-090/13-00 and EPOS IP, H2020-INFRADEV-1-2015-1). TCS AH provides virtual access to a comprehensive, wide-scale and high quality research infrastructure in the field of induced seismicity and other anthropogenic hazards evoked by exploration and exploitation of geo-resources. TCS AH is designed as a functional e-research environment to ensure a researcher the maximum possible freedom for experimentation by providing a virtual laboratory flexible to create own workspace for processing streams. A data-management process promotes the use of research infrastructure in novel ways providing an access to (i) data gathered in the so-called "episodes", comprehensively describing a geophysical process, induced or triggered by human technological activity, which under certain circumstances can become hazardous for people, infrastructure and the environment, (ii) problem-oriented, specific services, with the particular attention devoted to methods analyzing correlations between technology, geophysical response and resulting hazards, (iii) the

Service-learning and learning communities: two innovative school projects that are mutually enriched

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen ÁLVAREZ ÁLVAREZ

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article reflects on the interrelationships that exist between two educational projects of today: service-learning (ApS and learning communities (CdA. The ApS is an educational methodology applied worldwide where a single project combines a learning based on experience with the implementation of a service to the community. CdA is a school transformation project to achieve that the information society does not exclude any person, constituting a reality in more than one hundred and ninety schools in Spain and Latin America. Between the two, it is possible to show differences, especially in what refers to its theoretical substrates, but in actual teaching practice in schools there is some harmony, particularly in the so closely that they cultivate both projects with the school community. Therefore, we conclude that service-learning and learning communities can occur as two innovative and relevant today projects which can be mutually enriching: because for both the approach school-community-environment and volunteering is essential.

Data Publishing Services in a Scientific Project Platform

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Matthias; Stender, Vivien; Wächter, Joachim

2014-05-01

Data-intensive science lives from data. More and more interdisciplinary projects are aligned to mutually gain access to their data, models and results. In order to achieving this, an umbrella project GLUES is established in the context of the "Sustainable Land Management" (LAMA) initiative funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The GLUES (Global Assessment of Land Use Dynamics, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Ecosystem Services) project supports several different regional projects of the LAMA initiative: Within the framework of GLUES a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is implemented to facilitate publishing, sharing and maintenance of distributed global and regional scientific data sets as well as model results. The GLUES SDI supports several OGC webservices like the Catalog Service Web (CSW) which enables it to harvest data from varying regional projects. One of these regional projects is SuMaRiO (Sustainable Management of River Oases along the Tarim River) which aims to support oasis management along the Tarim River (PR China) under conditions of climatic and societal changes. SuMaRiO itself is an interdisciplinary and spatially distributed project. Working groups from twelve German institutes and universities are collecting data and driving their research in disciplines like Hydrology, Remote Sensing, and Agricultural Sciences among others. Each working group is dependent on the results of another working group. Due to the spatial distribution of participating institutes the data distribution is solved by using the eSciDoc infrastructure at the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). Further, the metadata based data exchange platform PanMetaDocs will be used by participants collaborative. PanMetaDocs supports an OAI-PMH interface which enables an Open Source metadata portal like GeoNetwork to harvest the information. The data added in PanMetaDocs can be labeled with a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) to publish the data and to

The rationale for selecting the method of calculation of project products coast (works, services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. V. Molchanova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In modern conditions of management it is necessary to develop a number of recommendations on the introduction of management accounting at state-owned enterprises that carry out revenue-generating activities or based on the right of economic management. It is necessary to apply the correct cost-accounting method for the production of products, works, services for a more rational calculation of the cost price. This will allow management personnel to receive timely objective information about their cost price, identify the feasibility of production and sales, justify the assortment, plan profits. The procedure for determining the cost price of the project products (works, services in the theory and practice of the state enterprise of the Astrakhan region “Kasprybproekt” is investigated in the work. With the existing practice of planning in design organizations, the planned cost price of design and survey works for established cost items is planned in the cost estimate for production by the design organization as a whole and by the types of work: design, survey and others, without subdividing it by orders (projects. According to this, accounting of the actual costs for work in the design organizations is based. The study showed that the state enterprise of the Astrakhan region “Kasprybproyekt” performs different projects with different execution periods; therefore, it is advisable to use one method of calculating the cost price - job (order costing method, and link it to the responsibility centers depending on the department of the performer. Based on the research of the used method to the cost price calculate of the project products (works, services in the state enterprise of the Astrakhan region “Kasprybproekt”, it was proposed to use the job (order costing method that allows to detail all the project costs without distorting the final financial result and optimize the project costs. If the calculation method is correctly determined

Changing characteristics of land use and ecological service value in the water source region of the Middle Route of South-to-North Water Transfer Project

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jian; Zhai, Wenliang; Cao, Huiqun

2017-08-01

Research on changing characteristics of land use and ecological service value (ESV) can guide the regional land use planning and promote the rational use of environmental resources. On the basis of four phases of land-use data (2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015), this research analysed the changing characteristics of land use and ESV in the water source region of the Middle Route of South-to-North Water Transfer Project (SRMRP). The results showed that forest, grassland and cultivated land were the major land-use types in the SRMRP. During 2000∼2015, forest, grassland, farmland and wetland decreased. Construction land and bare land had increased, and the annual increase rates reached 3.6% and 8%, respectively. After the implementation of the water transfer project in 2003, water area was also increasing. The total ESV in the SRMRP is about 196 billion CNY, and mainly comes from the contributions of forest, grassland and farmland. During 2000∼2015, farmland shrinks leaded to the declines in value from supply service. With increasing in water and construction land, value from entertainment and cultural service increased. During the early stage of the water transfer project, value from regulation and support services increased due to the increase in water. With the decreasing in wetland and the increasing in construction land, the negative effects on the regulation and support services were increasing, and value from regulation and support services were therefore decreasing. During the process of resource exploitation and management, more attentions should be paid to the total control of construction land and wetland protection in the SRMRP.

Medicare annual preventive care visits: use increased among fee-for-service patients, but many do not participate.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Sukyung; Lesser, Lenard I; Lauderdale, Diane S; Johns, Nicole E; Palaniappan, Latha P; Luft, Harold S

2015-01-01

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare coverage expanded in 2011 to fully cover annual preventive care visits. We assessed the impact of coverage expansion, using 2007-13 data from primary care patients of Medicare-eligible age at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (204,388 patient-years), which serves people in four counties near San Francisco, California. We compared trends in preventive visits and recommended preventive services among Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare health maintenance organization (HMO) patients as well as non-Medicare patients ages 65-75 who were covered by private fee-for-service and private HMO plans. Among Medicare fee-for-service patients, the annual use of preventive visits rose from 1.4 percent before the implementation of the ACA to 27.5 percent afterward. This increase was significantly larger than was seen for patients in the other insurance groups. Nevertheless, rates of annual preventive care visit use among Medicare fee-for-service patients remained 10-20 percentage points lower than was the case for people with private coverage (43-44 percent) or those in a Medicare HMO (53 percent). ACA policy changes led to increased preventive service use by Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, which suggests that Medicare coverage expansion is an effective way to increase seniors' use of preventive services. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Connecticut's Value-Based Insurance Plan Increased The Use Of Targeted Services And Medication Adherence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirth, Richard A; Cliff, Elizabeth Q; Gibson, Teresa B; McKellar, M Richard; Fendrick, A Mark

2016-04-01

In 2011 Connecticut implemented the Health Enhancement Program for state employees. This voluntary program followed the principles of value-based insurance design (VBID) by lowering patient costs for certain high-value primary and chronic disease preventive services, coupled with requirements that enrollees receive these services. Nonparticipants in the program, including those removed for noncompliance with its requirements, were assessed a premium surcharge. The program was intended to curb cost growth and improve health through adherence to evidence-based preventive care. To evaluate its efficacy in doing so, we compared changes in service use and spending after implementation of the program to trends among employees of six other states. Compared to employees of other states, Connecticut employees were similar in age and sex but had a slightly higher percentage of enrollees with chronic conditions and substantially higher spending at baseline. During the program's first two years, the use of targeted services and adherence to medications for chronic conditions increased, while emergency department use decreased, relative to the situation in the comparison states. The program's impact on costs was inconclusive and requires a longer follow-up period. This novel combination of VBID principles and participation requirements may be a tool that can help plan sponsors increase the use of evidence-based preventive services. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of service-learning through a school-based community project.

Science.gov (United States)

Bassi, Sherry

2011-01-01

Service-learning (SL) is an experiential teaching method that combines instruction with community service, with the aim of enriching students' academic learning, interpersonal skills and sense of responsibility while making meaningful contributions to the community. However, measuring outcomes of service-learning projects is difficult. This article reports on the perceptions of 18 third-year undergraduate nursing students who took part in a pilot service-learning project targeting tobacco use in a local elementary school. Faculty members evaluated the program's outcomes by engaging students in structured reflection on the program about its relevance to their future careers as practicing professionals, especially in community-based settings. The students' perceptions were elicited through three sets of reflective assignments following the project. Findings from the reflective assignments suggest that the pilot program was successful in enhancing the students' academic, social, and personal development while building a partnership between the school of nursing and key players in the community, including school-based nurses, teachers, administrators, families, and community leaders. The author suggests that service-learning projects can help nursing students accomplish key developmental tasks of the college years (such as building their competence, autonomy, and integrity), while helping impart the skills and values they will need as they graduate and seek professional nursing roles.

Barriers to innovation within large financial services firms : An in-depth study into disruptive and radical innovation projects at a bank

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Das, P.A.C.; Verburg, R.M.; Verbraeck, A.; Bonebakker, Lodewijk

2017-01-01

Purpose - Since the 2008 financial crisis, the financial industry is in need of innovation to increase stability and improve quality of services. The purpose of this paper is to explore internal barriers that influence the effectiveness of projects within large financial services firms focussing on

Design and initial implementation of the WHO FP umbrella project- to strengthen contraceptive services in the sub Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabra, Rita; Ali, Moazzam; Kiarie, James

2017-06-15

Strengthening contraceptive services in sub Saharan Africa is critical to achieve the FP 2020 goal of enabling 120 million more women and girls to access and use contraceptives by 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets of universal access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services including family planning by 2030. The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners have designed a multifaceted project to strengthen health systems to reduce the unmet need of contraceptive and family planning services in sub Saharan Africa. The plan leverages global, regional and national partnerships to facilitate and increase the use of evidence based WHO guidelines with a specific focus on postpartum family planning. The four key approaches undertaken are i) making WHO Guidelines adaptable & appropriate for country use ii) building capacity of WHO regional/country staff iii) providing technical support to countries and iv) strengthening partnerships for introduction and implementation of WHO guidelines. This paper describes the project design and elaborates the multifaceted approaches required in initial implementation to strengthen contraceptive services. The initial results from this project reflect that simultaneous application these approaches may strengthen contraceptive services in Sub Saharan Africa and ensure sustainability of the efforts. The lessons learned may be used to scale up and expand services in other countries.

Impact assessment of a maternal health project in a megacity, Nigeria: toward a future with more demand for maternal health services.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuoka, Sadatoshi; Koga, Sumiko; Suzui, Emiko; Tsukada, Yoshiko; Ohashi, Kazutomo; Johnson, Taiwo

2017-10-01

To improve the quantity and quality of maternal health services in Lagos State, Nigeria having a maternal mortality ratio of 555 per 100 000 live births, a four-year project was implemented since February 2010. The major activity of the project was training for both the service supply and demand sides. This study aimed to examine the impact of the project on coverages and quality of the services in target areas, and guide statewide policies. The Cochran-Armitage test for trend was applied to understand trends in the service coverages during 2009-2013. The same test was performed to analyse trends in the proportions of perineal conditions (i.e. intact or tear) and to evaluate variations in midwives' snkill during 2011-2013. The paired t-test was used to analyse changes in midwives' knowledge. The project interventions contributed to a significant increase in the overall service coverages, including improvements in midwifery knowledge and possibly in their skills. However, the service coverage was still limited as of the termination of the project. To instal the interventions and maximise the effect of them state-wide, it is recommended to undertake five tasks: (i) establishment of public primary health centres offering 24-h maternal health services; (ii) redeployment and recruitment of public health personnel; (iii) expansion of midwifery trainings and continuous education by the local trainers; (iv) review of grass-roots level activities; and (v) scrutiny of barriers to maternal health services. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

CERN's IT Consultancy Team: a new IT project support service

CERN Multimedia

Ignacio Reguero, IT Department

2016-01-01

Newly created IT Consultancy Team provides advice on IT matters to communities at CERN starting new projects or reviewing computing activities of old.   The members of CERN's IT Consultancy Team. The consultants share their knowledge and experience to improve awareness of the IT landscape at CERN and to advise on system architecture and design to ensure best usage of existing IT services and solutions that favour, and are compatible with, the infrastructure already in place. They also help to formalise requirements and assess impact on security, software licenses and cost, especially where contacts among different services are needed and questions go beyond the current computing service offerings. For instance, the IT consultants may help answering questions like the ones below: We are starting with project X – how could we make its computing aspects compatible with the CERN IT infrastructure? E.g. if you need a web content management system favour Drupal instead of Wor...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-01-01

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

Integrated care services: lessons learned from the deployment of the NEXES project.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández, Carme; Alonso, Albert; Garcia-Aymerich, Judith; Grimsmo, Anders; Vontetsianos, Theodore; García Cuyàs, Francesc; Altes, Anna Garcia; Vogiatzis, Ioannis; Garåsen, Helge; Pellise, Laura; Wienhofen, Leendert; Cano, Isaac; Meya, Montserrat; Moharra, Montserrat; Martinez, Joan Ignasi; Escarrabill, Juan; Roca, Josep

2015-01-01

To identify barriers to deployment of four articulated Integrated Care Services supported by Information Technologies in three European sites. The four services covered the entire spectrum of severity of illness. The project targeted chronic patients with obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiac failure and/or type II diabetes mellitus. One health care sector in Spain (Barcelona) (n = 11.382); six municipalities in Norway (Trondheim) (n = 450); and one hospital in Greece (Athens) (n = 388). The four services were: (i) Home-based long-term maintenance of rehabilitation effects (n = 337); (ii) Enhanced Care for frail patients, n = 1340); (iii) Home Hospitalization and Early Discharge (n = 2404); and Support for remote diagnosis (forced spirometry testing) in primary care (Support) (n = 8139). Both randomized controlled trials and pragmatic study designs were combined. Two technological approaches were compared. The Model for Assessment of Telemedicine applications was adopted. The project demonstrated: (i) Sustainability of training effects over time in chronic patients with obstructive pulmonary disease (p management, technological approach and legal issues were major factors modulating the success of the deployment. The project generated a business plan to foster service sustainability and health innovation. Deployment strategies require site-specific adaptations.

78 FR 78342 - Extension of Autism Services Demonstration Project for TRICARE Beneficiaries Under the Extended...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-26

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Extension of Autism Services Demonstration Project... (the Department) Enhanced Access to Autism Services Demonstration Project (Autism Demonstration) under the Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) for beneficiaries diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder...

75 FR 8927 - Autism Services Demonstration Project for TRICARE Beneficiaries Under the Extended Care Health...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-26

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Autism Services Demonstration Project for TRICARE... Access to Autism Services Demonstration Project under the Extended Care Health Option for beneficiaries diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Under the demonstration, the Department implemented a...

76 FR 80903 - Extension of Autism Services Demonstration Project for TRICARE Beneficiaries Under the Extended...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-27

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Extension of Autism Services Demonstration Project... Enhanced Access to Autism Services Demonstration Project under the Extended Care Health Option for beneficiaries diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Under the demonstration, the Department...

Towards implementing climate services in Peru – The project CLIMANDES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Rosas

2016-12-01

The efforts accomplished within CLIMANDES improved the quality of the climate services provided by SENAMHI. The project hence contributed successfully to higher awareness and higher confidence in the climate information by SENAMHI.

77 FR 47166 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-07

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods... Service Methods Project Committee will be held Tuesday, September 11, 2012, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time via...

76 FR 78342 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-16

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of Meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods... Service Methods Project Committee will be held Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time via...

77 FR 2611 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-18

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods... Service Methods Project Committee will be held Tuesday, February 14, 2012, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time via...

RIBA Project - Risk-Informed approach for In-Service Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components. Project summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lidbury, D.; Smith, G.

2001-12-01

The need for a European review of a Risk-Informed Approach for In-Service Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components (RIBA) was identified in 1998. This was as a priority item in the programme of activities conducted in the framework of the Council Resolutions of 22 July 1975 and of 18 June 1992 on the Technological Problems of Nuclear Safety. The RIBA Project was established in November 1999 as a 24-month Study Contract funded by the European Commission within the frame of the former DG XI WGCS (Working Group on Codes and Standards). The Study Contract was subsequently managed for the EC by DG TREN. The participants in RIBA were Serco Assurance (project coordinator), Ringhals AB, EDF, Tecnatom SA and Westinghouse Electric Europe. The work is presented in a summary report with the detailed results contained in three companion reports as follows: main conclusions and recommendations, Review of Existing Risk-Informed Methodologies, A Comparative Study of Risk-Informed In-Service Inspection Applications, Conclusions and Recommendations for Risk-Informed in-service inspection methodology applied to Nuclear Power Plants in Europe. (author)

The Iowa new practice model: Advancing technician roles to increase pharmacists' time to provide patient care services.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreski, Michael; Myers, Megan; Gainer, Kate; Pudlo, Anthony

Determine the effects of an 18-month pilot project using tech-check-tech in 7 community pharmacies on 1) rate of dispensing errors not identified during refill prescription final product verification; 2) pharmacist workday task composition; and 3) amount of patient care services provided and the reimbursement status of those services. Pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study where baseline and study periods were compared. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in 7 community pharmacies in Iowa. The outcome measures were 1) percentage of technician verified refill prescriptions where dispensing errors were not identified on final product verification; 2) percentage of time spent by pharmacists in dispensing, management, patient care, practice development, and other activities; 3) the number of pharmacist patient care services provided per pharmacist hours worked; and 4) percentage of time that technician product verification was used. There was no significant difference in overall errors (0.2729% vs. 0.5124%, P = 0.513), patient safety errors (0.0525% vs. 0.0651%, P = 0.837), or administrative errors (0.2204% vs. 0.4784%, P = 0.411). Pharmacist's time in dispensing significantly decreased (67.3% vs. 49.06%, P = 0.005), and time in direct patient care (19.96% vs. 34.72%, P = 0.003), increased significantly. Time in other activities did not significantly change. Reimbursable services per pharmacist hour (0.11 vs. 0.30, P = 0.129), did not significantly change. Non-reimbursable services increased significantly (2.77 vs. 4.80, P = 0.042). Total services significantly increased (2.88 vs. 5.16, P = 0.044). Pharmacy technician product verification of refill prescriptions preserved dispensing safety while significantly increasing the time spent in delivery of pharmacist provided patient care services. The total number of pharmacist services provided per hour also increased significantly, driven primarily by a significant increase in the number of non

Outsourcing to increase service capacity in a New Zealand hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Renner, C; Palmer, E

1999-01-01

Service firms manage variability using both demand-side tactics (levelling customer demand), and supply-side tactics (increasing available capacity). One popular way of increasing available capacity is the outsourcing of non-core services. This article uses a case study to examine the impact of an outsourced non-core service on a hospital's overall service system. Findings show that the outsourced service provides access to more sophisticated technology, increases in-house capacity and saves capital expenditure. However, the outsourcing also increases the scheduling problems that the hospital faces. These problems are largely due to communication delays from the involvement of more than one organisation. These delays decrease the response time available to match changes in demand for the outsourced service. Given the obvious benefits of such outsourcing, the article concludes that management should pay close attention to the communication pathways between organisations, in order to minimise the end effects identified in this study.

77 FR 61053 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-05

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods... Service Methods Project Committee will be held Tuesday, November 13, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time via...

77 FR 8328 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-14

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods... Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee will be held Tuesday, March 13, 2012, at 2 p.m...

Statistics in Action: The Story of a Successful Service-Learning Project

Science.gov (United States)

DeHart, Mary; Ham, Jim

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share the stories of an Introductory Statistics service-learning project in which students from both New Jersey and Michigan design and conduct phone surveys that lead to publication in local newspapers; to discuss the pedagogical benefits and challenges of the project; and to provide information for those who…

The work and recovery project: changing organizational culture and practice in New York City outpatient services.

Science.gov (United States)

Pascaris, Alysia; Shields, Leslie Reed; Wolf, Jessica

2008-01-01

Complex and multiple barriers confront out-patient programs in promoting recovery and addressing mental health recipients' work-related goals. This article describes a focused organizational change project utilizing intensive consultation and technical assistance within five New York City outpatient psychiatric services. The project aimed to increase staff exposure to, understanding and use of work-related and recovery-based concepts to promote consumers' recovery and attainment of employment goals. Tailored assessment, curriculum delivery, and identification and implementation of change objectives were useful strategies in promoting change. This change model can serve to assist programs in their efforts to integrate new approaches and to better understand changes among leadership, staff and consumers, and changes in organizational culture and practice required to support a work and recovery-oriented service paradigm. The project experience suggests that adopting and embracing new practices takes time. Varied and incremental steps toward programmatic and operational changes can be significant and can reap authentic sustainable change occurring in the process of learning, experiencing, internalizing and adjusting to new methods of practice.

Management of Service Projects in Support of Space Flight Research

Science.gov (United States)

Love, J.

2009-01-01

Goal:To provide human health and performance countermeasures, knowledge, technologies, and tools to enable safe, reliable, and productive human space exploration . [HRP-47051] Specific Objectives: 1) Develop capabilities, necessary countermeasures, and technologies in support of human space exploration, focusing on mitigating the highest risks to human health and performance. 2) Define and improve human spaceflight medical, environmental, and human factors standards. 3) Develop technologies that serve to reduce medical and environmental risks, to reduce human systems resource requirements (mass, volume, power, data, etc.) and to ensure effective human-system integration across exploration systems. 4) Ensure maintenance of Agency core competencies necessary to enable risk reduction in the following areas: A. Space medicine B. Physiological and behavioral effects of long duration spaceflight on the human body C. Space environmental effects, including radiation, on human health and performance D. Space "human factors" [HRP-47051]. Service projects can form integral parts of research-based project-focused programs to provide specialized functions. Traditional/classic project management methodologies and agile approaches are not mutually exclusive paradigms. Agile strategies can be combined with traditional methods and applied in the management of service projects functioning in changing environments. Creative collaborations afford a mechanism for mitigation of constrained resource limitations.

ECO2, Emissions Trading Services, development project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruokonen, A.

2006-01-01

Emissions Trading started within EU at the beginning of 2005. It caused substantial changes to the business environment of energy companies and energy intensive industry. The planning of Emissions Trading is a complicated process and companies will need consulting, IT systems and other services. Emissions Trading introduces a new factor of production emission allowances, which are tradable commodities. In future, Emissions Trading emissions, emission allowances and the prices of emission allowances have to be considered during the fuel purchasing and the energy production planning. And the best possible knowledge of the own emissions balance and market situation has a monetary value when trading emission allowances. Allocation of emission allowances has done in each country according to National Allocation Plan (NAP), accepted by EU. Finland itself and thus also the Finnish companies will be net buyers of emission allowances in long run. That means commonly that the Finnish companies have to buy more allowances meaning some extra costs to the companies. That's why it is very important to develop and provide to the companies an innovatory emissions planning, follow-up, management and reporting systems. With good emission balance management the extra costs of Emissions Trading will be as low as possible. In ECO2 project, Empower together with Power-Deriva, developed Expert services, Emissions Balance Management and Reporting services and Risk Management services for Emissions Trading and needed software and tools for these services. (orig.)

Students' perceptions of a community-based service-learning project related to aging in place.

Science.gov (United States)

Oakes, Claudia E; Sheehan, Nancy W

2014-01-01

This article describes a service-learning project that was designed to help undergraduate health professions students understand the complexities related to aging in place. The service-learning project also incorporated a research component to expose the students to the research process. Students' reflections regarding the benefits that they derived from the experience suggest that they value learning about older adults through one-on-one interactions more than they value the opportunity to participate in the research project. Implications for undergraduate health professional education are discussed.

Creating International Community Service Learning Experiences in a Capstone Marketing-Projects Course

Science.gov (United States)

Metcalf, Lynn E.

2010-01-01

This article outlines the development of a project-based capstone marketing course, specifically designed to provide marketing students with an international community service learning experience. It differs significantly from previous studies, which focus on integrating service learning into existing marketing courses and on helping local…

Service user integration into social work education: lessons learned from nordic participatory action projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Angelin, Anna

2015-01-01

Service users have lacked substantial influence, access, and participation in social work education in Norway and Sweden. In this article the author presents comparative analyses of two participatory projects that have developed and implemented practices that integrate service users into academic social work education and empower service users. The Norwegian HUSK project and the Social Work as Mobilization and Entrepreneurship course, also known as the "Mobilization course," at Lund University in Sweden demonstrate collaboration between research, social work education, and service users. The conclusions focus on the importance of the empowering processes by including recognition and dialogue, co-learning in practice, and the use of neutral venues to ensure effective user participation. The inclusion of service users in social work education can improve both practice and education.

Final Report for DOE Project: Portal Web Services: Support of DOE SciDAC Collaboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mary Thomas, PI; Geoffrey Fox, Co-PI; Gannon, D; Pierce, M; Moore, R; Schissel, D; Boisseau, J

2007-10-01

Grid portals provide the scientific community with familiar and simplified interfaces to the Grid and Grid services, and it is important to deploy grid portals onto the SciDAC grids and collaboratories. The goal of this project is the research, development and deployment of interoperable portal and web services that can be used on SciDAC National Collaboratory grids. This project has four primary task areas: development of portal systems; management of data collections; DOE science application integration; and development of web and grid services in support of the above activities.

Federated query services provided by the Seamless SAR Archive project

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, S.; Bryson, G.; Buechler, B.; Meertens, C. M.; Crosby, C. J.; Fielding, E. J.; Nicoll, J.; Youn, C.; Baru, C.

2013-12-01

The NASA Advancing Collaborative Connections for Earth System Science (ACCESS) seamless synthetic aperture radar (SAR) archive (SSARA) project is a 2-year collaboration between UNAVCO, the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and OpenTopography at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) to design and implement a seamless distributed access system for SAR data and derived data products (i.e. interferograms). A major milestone for the first year of the SSARA project was a unified application programming interface (API) for SAR data search and results at ASF and UNAVCO (WInSAR and EarthScope data archives) through the use of simple web services. A federated query service was developed using the unified APIs, providing users a single search interface for both archives (http://www.unavco.org/ws/brokered/ssara/sar/search). A command line client that utilizes this new service is provided as an open source utility for the community on GitHub (https://github.com/bakerunavco/SSARA). Further API development and enhancements added more InSAR specific keywords and quality control parameters (Doppler centroid, faraday rotation, InSAR stack size, and perpendicular baselines). To facilitate InSAR processing, the federated query service incorporated URLs for DEM (from OpenTopography) and tropospheric corrections (from the JPL OSCAR service) in addition to the URLs for SAR data. This federated query service will provide relevant QC metadata for selecting pairs of SAR data for InSAR processing and all the URLs necessary for interferogram generation. Interest from the international community has prompted an effort to incorporate other SAR data archives (the ESA Virtual Archive 4 and the DLR TerraSAR-X_SSC Geohazard Supersites and Natural Laboratories collections) into the federated query service which provide data for researchers outside the US and North America.

34 CFR 647.4 - What activities and services may a project provide?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... PROGRAM General § 647.4 What activities and services may a project provide? A McNair project may provide... activities designed to prepare participants for doctoral study. (d) Tutoring. (e) Academic counseling. (f... programs. (g) Mentoring programs involving faculty members or students at institutions of higher education...

77 FR 37101 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-20

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and...

77 FR 40411 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-09

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and...

77 FR 21157 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-09

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and...

77 FR 55525 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-10

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and...

Developing Web Services for Technology Education. The Graphic Communication Electronic Publishing Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Mark

1999-01-01

Graphic Communication Electronic Publishing Project supports a Web site (http://TechEd.vt.edu/gcc/) for graphic communication teachers and students, providing links to Web materials, conversion of print materials to electronic formats, and electronic products and services including job listings, resume posting service, and a listserv. (SK)

76 FR 81929 - South Carolina Public Service Authority; Notice of Workshop for Santee Cooper Hydroelectric Project

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-29

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 199-205] South Carolina Public Service Authority; Notice of Workshop for Santee Cooper Hydroelectric Project On May 26 and...) and the South Carolina Public Service Authority (SCPSA), licensee for the Santee-Cooper Hydroelectric...

An assessment of adherence to basic ecological principles by payments for ecosystem service projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Prager, C M; Varga, A; Olmsted, P; Ingram, J C; Cattau, M; Freund, C; Wynn-Grant, R; Naeem, S

2016-08-01

Programs and projects employing payments for ecosystem service (PES) interventions achieve their objectives by linking buyers and sellers of ecosystem services. Although PES projects are popular conservation and development interventions, little is known about their adherence to basic ecological principles. We conducted a quantitative assessment of the degree to which a global set of PES projects adhered to four ecological principles that are basic scientific considerations for any project focused on ecosystem management: collection of baseline data, identification of threats to an ecosystem service, monitoring, and attention to ecosystem dynamics or the formation of an adaptive management plan. We evaluated 118 PES projects in three markets-biodiversity, carbon, and water-compiled using websites of major conservation organizations; ecology, economic, and climate-change databases; and three scholarly databases (ISI Web of Knowledge, Web of Science, and Google Scholar). To assess adherence to ecological principles, we constructed two scientific indices (one additive [ASI] and one multiplicative [MSI]) based on our four ecological criteria and analyzed index scores by relevant project characteristics (e.g., sector, buyer, seller). Carbon-sector projects had higher ASI values (P < 0.05) than water-sector projects and marginally higher ASI scores (P < 0.1) than biodiversity-sector projects, demonstrating their greater adherence to ecological principles. Projects financed by public-private partnerships had significantly higher ASI values than projects financed by governments (P < 0.05) and marginally higher ASI values than those funded by private entities (P < 0.1). We did not detect differences in adherence to ecological principles based on the inclusion of cobenefits, the spatial extent of a project, or the size of a project's budget. These findings suggest, at this critical phase in the rapid growth of PES projects, that fundamental ecological principles should be

INCREASING THE QUALITY OF SERVICE : Case Service Desk

OpenAIRE

Åhlgren, Niklas

2014-01-01

The topic of this thesis was to study how service quality is formed and to use this outcome to improve the quality of an IT service desk. The goal was to bring value to the customers and to the company by orienting the service desk personnel towards better service quality. By giving the service desk personnel a better understanding of the business process, customer relationship management and service quality the employees would gain more insight in to their own importance when it comes to imp...

Increasing student success in STEM through geosciences based GIS curriculum, interdisciplinary project based learning, and specialized STEM student services

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, W.

2012-12-01

Under the auspices of the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Grant and the Department of Education's Title V/HSI Grant, Palomar College students from a variety of disciplines have not only been exposed to the high growth field of geospatial technologies, but have also been exposed to the geosciences and regional environmental issues in their GIS courses. By integrating introductory Physical Geography topics such as liquefaction, subsidence, ozone depletion, plate tectonics, and coastal processes in the introductory GIS curriculum, GIS students from fields ranging from Archaeology to Zoology were exposed to basic geosciences theories in a series of hands-on interactive exercises, while gaining competency in geospatial technologies. Additionally, as students undertake interdisciplinary service learning projects under the supervision of experts in the private, governmental, and nonprofit sectors, students were introduced to the STEM workplace, forged invaluable professional connections, applied their classroom knowledge to advance research (e.g. analyzing migration patterns of cephalopod), and analyzed regional environmental issues (e.g. distribution of invasive plants in state natural preserves). In order to further the retention and completion of students in GIS, Earth Science, and other STEM courses, a STEM Student Learning Center was constructed, whereby students can receive services such as supplemental instruction, walk-in tutoring, STEM counseling and transfer advising, as well as faculty and peer mentoring.

34 CFR 643.4 - What services may a project provide?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... as cultural events, academic programs, and other sites or activities not usually available to disadvantaged youth. (h) Workshops and counseling for parents of students served. (i) Mentoring programs... provide? A Talent Search project may provide the following services: (a) Academic advice and assistance in...

Student experiences of the adolescent diversion project: a community-based exemplar in the pedagogy of service-learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, William S; Jimenez, Tiffeny R; Onifade, Eyitayo; Hankins, Sean S

2010-12-01

Service-learning partnerships between universities and surrounding communities striving to create systems-level change must consider an emphasis in critical community service; a community centered paradigm where students are taught to work with communities to better understand contexts surrounding a social problem, as opposed to merely volunteering to provide a service to a community. The Adolescent Diversion Project (ADP), which has been operating for over 30 years, demonstrates critical community service through the type of relationship built between students and the local community. This article describes: a qualitative study with ADP students, the historical context of ADP, what and how students learned through their involvement in ADP, and reframes the work of this project as a form of service-learning pedagogy. Inductive content analysis was employed to identify underlying themes across participants related to their personal experiences of ADP and its impact in their lives. Findings were compared with service-learning outcomes and other quantitative studies conducted with past ADP cohorts from the literature. Consistent with past studies, ADP students become more negative toward social systems involved with their youth. This finding may explain an increase in feelings of political commitment following involvement in ADP. Consistent with service-learning outcomes, results demonstrate that ADP should be further documented as not only an effective community-based program but also as an exemplar in the pedagogy of service-learning. This study highlights why service-learning opportunities for students are not just one way to teach students, they are opportunities to bridge relationships within communities, bring life to theoretical concepts, and build the foundations necessary for educated citizens that will one day take lead roles in our society.

Service and the Millennial Business Student: The Motivating Influence of an E-Book Class Project

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, William W.

2017-01-01

A commitment to voluntary service that benefits others was reinforced for students who authored an e-book on service as a class project in a senior business course. The immersive experience of writing short essays that focused on service shifted students' motivations toward service and solidified their intentions to continue with service after…

50 CFR 86.61 - What process does the Service use to select projects for grants?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false What process does the Service use to....61 What process does the Service use to select projects for grants? The Service's Division of Federal... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION...

SOAP based web services and their future role in VO projects

Science.gov (United States)

Topf, F.; Jacquey, C.; Génot, V.; Cecconi, B.; André, N.; Zhang, T. L.; Kallio, E.; Lammer, H.; Facsko, G.; Stöckler, R.; Khodachenko, M.

2011-10-01

Modern state-of-the-art web services are from crucial importance for the interoperability of different VO tools existing in the planetary community. SOAP based web services assure the interconnectability between different data sources and tools by providing a common protocol for communication. This paper will point out a best practice approach with the Automated Multi-Dataset Analysis Tool (AMDA) developed by CDPP, Toulouse and the provision of VEX/MAG data from a remote database located at IWF, Graz. Furthermore a new FP7 project IMPEx will be introduced with a potential usage example of AMDA web services in conjunction with simulation models.

Exploiting rules and processes for increasing flexibility in service composition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sapkota, Brahmananda; van Sinderen, Marten J.

2010-01-01

Recent trends in the use of service oriented architecture for designing, developing, managing, and using distributed applications have resulted in an increasing number of independently developed and physically distributed services. These services can be discovered, selected and composed to develop

From Adopt-a-Project to Permanent Services: The Evolution of Water For People’s Approach to Rural Water Supply in Bolivia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Fogelberg

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The dominant paradigm in rural water provision in Bolivia has focused on the provision of infrastructure, whether by government agencies or international cooperation groups. However, the investment in infrastructure has led neither to universal access for all Bolivians nor to consistently high levels of services for those who do have access to a water system. This paper will describe the transition of one international non-profit organisation, Water For People, from supporting dispersed water projects throughout the country towards targeted support of water services at the municipal level, aiming to support permanent universal services. The institutional evolution – including changes in governance, implementation strategy, donor base, and indicators of success – that allowed field programmes to shift from projects to services provides the context for the change of approach in Bolivia. A discussion of the various aspects that have changed in the organisation’s operations in seven municipalities in Bolivia, from the scale of intervention, to municipal-wide planning information and tools, to support to service providers and service authorities, and an increased focus on post-construction monitoring, demonstrates how the Everyone, Forever approach is resulting in a more service- delivery-oriented approach in Bolivia.

Systematic Review Methodology for the Fatigue in Emergency Medical Services Project

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-11

Background: Guidance for managing fatigue in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) setting is limited. The Fatigue in EMS Project sought to complete multiple systematic reviews guided by seven explicit research questions, assemble the best available e...

Interventions to increase use of services; Mental Health Awareness in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, Julian; Nwefoh, Emeka; Okafor, Godwin; Onyeonoro, Ugochukwu; Nwaubani, Kenneth; Henderson, Claire

2017-01-01

Mental health services in Nigeria consist mainly of large government psychiatric hospitals and there are very few mental health professionals to serve the large population of the country. However, more recently, community mental health services, which have been shown to improve access to care and clinical outcomes are beginning to develop in some locations. Despite efforts to promote more accessible services, low levels of knowledge about effective treatment of mental disorders means that even where these services are available, a very small proportion of people utilise these services. Therefore interventions to increase service use are an essential component of health system. This intervention was designed to increase use of a mental health services through the work of community-based Village Health Workers. Fifteen Village Health Workers in each Local Government Area (district) were selected and trained to create mental health awareness in communities. Their function also include identification and referral of persons with mental illness to trained mental health nurses in the clinics. Attendance data prior to and after intervention were collected and compared. The incident rate for initial period of intervention is five times higher than the baseline rate (95% CI; 3.42-7.56; p awareness raising using volunteers in communities as part of health programme implementation can increase services use by a population. Mechanisms such as informing populations of the existence of a service which they were previously lacking; explanation of causation of mental illness and achieving community leaders' support for a new service can make investment in services more efficient by increasing attendance.

Preparing Hispanic Students for the Real World: Benefits of Problem-Based Service Learning Projects

Science.gov (United States)

West, Jean Jaymes; Simmons, Donna

2012-01-01

Student learning is enriched by problem-based service learning (PBSL) projects. For Hispanic students, the learning that takes place in PBSL projects may be even more significant, although the research published in academic journals about client-based projects for Hispanic students is limited. This article begins to advance an understanding of how…

Enhancing student perspectives of humanism in medicine: reflections from the Kalaupapa service learning project.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Winona K; Harris, Chessa C D; Mortensen, Kawika A; Long, Linsey M; Sugimoto-Matsuda, Jeanelle

2016-05-09

Service learning is endorsed by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) as an integral part of U.S. medical school curricula for future physicians. Service learning has been shown to help physicians in training rediscover the altruistic reasons for pursuing medicine and has the potential to enhance students' perspectives of humanism in medicine. The Kalaupapa service learning project is a unique collaboration between disadvantaged post-baccalaureate students with an underserved rural community. This study was conducted to determine whether the Kalaupapa service learning curricula enhanced student perspectives of humanism in medicine at an early stage of their medical training. Program participants between 2008 and 2014 (n = 41) completed written reflections following the conclusion of the service learning project. Four prompts guided student responses. Reflections were thematically analyzed. Once all essays were read, team members compared their findings to condense or expand themes and assess levels of agreement. Emerging themes of resilience and unity were prominent throughout the student reflections. Students expressed respect and empathy for the patients' struggles and strengths, as well as those of their peers. The experience also reinforced students' commitment to service, particularly to populations in rural and underserved communities. Students also gained a deeper understanding of the patient experience and also of themselves as future physicians. To identify and address underserved and rural patients' health care needs, training programs must prepare an altruistic health care workforce that embraces the humanistic element of medicine. The Kalaupapa service learning project is a potential curricular model that can be used to enhance students' awareness and perspectives of humanism in medicine.

In the Service of Learning and Activism: Service Learning, Critical Pedagogy, and the Problem Solution Project

Science.gov (United States)

Stenhouse, Vera L.; Jarrett, Olga S.

2012-01-01

To counteract disempowerment frequently experienced in education, in 2001 the authors initiated a "Problem Solution Project" (PSP) in the second year a two-year urban certification and Master's program. The PSP, designed to promote empowerment of first-year urban teachers and their students, involves both service learning. In 2004, the authors…

[Managing digital medical imaging projects in healthcare services: lessons learned].

Science.gov (United States)

Rojas de la Escalera, D

2013-01-01

Medical imaging is one of the most important diagnostic instruments in clinical practice. The technological development of digital medical imaging has enabled healthcare services to undertake large scale projects that require the participation and collaboration of many professionals of varied backgrounds and interests as well as substantial investments in infrastructures. Rather than focusing on systems for dealing with digital medical images, this article deals with the management of projects for implementing these systems, reviewing various organizational, technological, and human factors that are critical to ensure the success of these projects and to guarantee the compatibility and integration of digital medical imaging systems with other health information systems. To this end, the author relates several lessons learned from a review of the literature and the author's own experience in the technical coordination of digital medical imaging projects. Copyright © 2012 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Integrating Project-Based Service-Learning into an Advanced Environmental Chemistry Course

Science.gov (United States)

Draper, Alison J.

2004-01-01

An active service-learning research work is conducted in the field of advanced environmental chemistry. Multiple projects are assigned to students, which promote individual learning skills, self-confidence as scientists, and a deep understanding of the environmental chemist's profession.

Developing Federated Services within Seismology: IRIS' involvement in the CoopEUS Project

Science.gov (United States)

Ahern, T. K.; Trabant, C. M.; Stults, M.

2014-12-01

As a founding member of the CoopEUS initiative, IRIS Data Services has partnered with five data centers in Europe and the UC Berkeley (NCEDC) in the US to implement internationally standardized web services to access seismological data using identical methodologies. The International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks (FDSN) holds commission status within IASPEI/IUGG and as such is the international body that governs data exchange formats and access protocols within seismology. The CoopEUS project involves IRIS and UNAVCO as part of the EarthScope project and the European collaborators are all members of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS). CoopEUS includes one work package that attempts to coordinate data access between EarthScope and EPOS facilities. IRIS has worked with its partners in the FDSN to develop and adopt three key international service standards within seismology. These include 1) fdsn-dataselect, a service that returns time series data in a variety of standard formats, 2) fdsn-station, a service that returns related metadata about a seismic station in stationXML format, and 3) fdsn-event, a service that returns information about earthquakes and other seismic events in QuakeML format. Currently the 5 European data centers supporting these services include the ORFEUS Data Centre in the Netherlands, the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany, ETH Zurich in Switzerland, INGV in Rome, Italy, and the RESIF Data Centre in Grenoble France. Presently these seven centres can all be accessed using standardized web services with identical service calls and returns results in standardized ways. IRIS is developing an IRIS federator that will allow a client to seamlessly access information across the federated centers. Details and current status of the IRIS Federator will be presented.

The Service Learning Projects: Stakeholder Benefits and Potential Class Topics

Science.gov (United States)

Rutti, Raina M.; LaBonte, Joanne; Helms, Marilyn Michelle; Hervani, Aref Agahei; Sarkarat, Sy

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to summarize the benefits of including a service learning project in college classes and focusses on benefits to all stakeholders, including students, community, and faculty. Design/methodology/approach: Using a snowball approach in academic databases as well as a nominal group technique to poll faculty, key…

Project Photofly: New 3d Modeling Online Web Service (case Studies and Assessments)

Science.gov (United States)

Abate, D.; Furini, G.; Migliori, S.; Pierattini, S.

2011-09-01

During summer 2010, Autodesk has released a still ongoing project called Project Photofly, freely downloadable from AutodeskLab web site until August 1 2011. Project Photofly based on computer-vision and photogrammetric principles, exploiting the power of cloud computing, is a web service able to convert collections of photographs into 3D models. Aim of our research was to evaluate the Project Photofly, through different case studies, for 3D modeling of cultural heritage monuments and objects, mostly to identify for which goals and objects it is suitable. The automatic approach will be mainly analyzed.

An Assessment of Experiential Learning of Global Poverty Issues through International Service Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Quan V.; Raven, Peter V.

2015-01-01

Service learning has been used to supplement a standard business curriculum, but not typically in an international business context. We report the results of two short-term study abroad programs in which we incorporated service learning projects, one in Cambodia and the other in Vietnam. Our objective is to assess how we organized and delivered…

Does Service-Learning Increase Student Learning?: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Jami L.

2012-01-01

Research studies reflect mixed results on whether or not service-learning increases student learning outcomes. The current study seeks to reconcile these findings by extending a meta-analysis conducted by Novak, Markey, and Allen (2007) in which these authors examined service-learning and student learning outcomes. In the current study, 11…

Incorporating Facebook and Twitter in a Service-Learning Project in a Business Communication Course

Science.gov (United States)

Crews, Tena B.; Stitt-Gohdes, Wanda L.

2012-01-01

Implementing real-world business writing situations and service learning into business communication courses are not new concepts. Business communication students work through a service-learning project with nonprofit organizations to create communication documents to improve the nonprofit's communication with the public. Writing for social…

Service Family Support -- A Small-Scale Project of Educational Psychologists Working with Parents

Science.gov (United States)

Hogg, Jane; Hart, Anne; Collins, Zoe V.

2014-01-01

Being in a Service family can be a difficult position for children and parents alike due to high levels of mobility, parental separation, and the remaining parent's stress and emotional well-being. A Service family is defined as a family with one or both parents employed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The current project looked at the…

Integrating Project-Based Service-Learning into an Advanced Environmental Chemistry Course

Science.gov (United States)

Draper, Alison J.

2004-02-01

In an advanced environmental chemistry course, the inclusion of semester-long scientific service projects successfully integrated the research process with course content. Each project involved a unique community-based environmental analysis in which students assessed an aspect of environmental health. The projects were due in small pieces at even intervals, and students worked independently or in pairs. Initially, students wrote a project proposal in which they chose and justified a project. Following a literature review of their topic, they drafted sampling and analysis plans using methods in the literature. Samples were collected and analyzed, and all students assembled scientific posters describing the results of their study. In the last week of the semester, the class traveled to a regional professional meeting to present the posters. In all, students found the experience valuable. They learned to be professional environmental chemists and learned the value of the discipline to community health. Students not only learned about their own project in depth, but they were inspired to learn textbook material, not for an exam, but because it helped them understand their own project. Finally, having a community to answer to at the end of the project motivated students to do careful work.

Interdisciplinary Service-Learning: Building Student Competencies through the Cross-Cultural Parent Groups Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele Belliveau

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Changing demographics and an emphasis on competency-based social work education call for innovative approaches to the delivery of curricular content. In an effort to introduce BSW students to the socio-political issues facing the local Latino immigrant community, a service-learning project was developed in collaboration with the Spanish Language Department and a local middle school. An analysis of outcomes from social work student evaluations showed that students engaged with the community and issues in new and unexpected ways. Through their engagement in a cross-cultural group project, students developed greater cultural competency, honed their group practice skills in an unfamiliar context, provided a needed service to the community, and raised their awareness about the working conditions of new immigrants as part of a developing framework for social action. Details and implications of the project as a means to build student competencies are described.

Preventing Elder Abuse: The Texas Plan for a Coordinated Service Delivery System. Collaborative Elder Abuse Prevention Project.

Science.gov (United States)

McDaniel, Garry L.

The Texas Department of Human Services, in collaboration with 13 other public and private organizations, co-sponsored a statewide Collaborative Elder Abuse Prevention project. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive, long-range plan for the prevention of elder abuse, a method for achieving a coordinated service delivery system for…

Improving Accessibility to Services and Increasing Efficiency Through Merger and Centralization in Québec

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amélie Quesnel-Vallée

2018-03-01

Full Text Available On 25 September 2014, Bill 10 was tabled to reorganize Québec’s health and social services network through the abolition of an administrative layer at the regional health authority level and institutional mergers of health and social services facilities under a new governance structure. Thus, the province’s 182 health and social services facilities were merged into 34 Centre intégré de santé et des services sociaux (CISSS / Centre intégré universitaire de santé et des services sociaux (CIUSSS. CISSS/CIUSSS are responsible for delivering a range of health and social services in a designated territory through the administrative integration of facilities including: local community health centres, generalized and specialized hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, child and youth protection centres, residential and long-term care centres, and rehabilitation centres. These mergers were operationalized notably by a new governance structure whereby the minister-appointed board of directors in each CISSS/CIUSSS reports directly to the Minister of Health and Social Services. As such, a centralization of powers was also achieved. While formal evaluations of reform performance have yet to be completed, analyses projecting potential difficulties of the reform were presented during special consultation hearings. Among the key concerns identified was whether there was evidence to support claims that administrative mergers increased efficiency by achieving economies of scale. Additionally, implicit to Bill 10 is the assumption that continuity of care will follow from administrative mergers. Strategic mergers through professional networks can promote more streamlined approaches to information sharing.

STEM-related, Student-led Service Learning / Community Engagement Projects: Examples and Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Swap, R. J.; Wayland, K.

2015-12-01

Field-based, STEM-related service learning / community engagement projects present an opportunity for undergraduate students to demonstrate proficiencies related to the process of inquiry. These proficiencies include: appreciation of the larger project context, articulation of an informed question/hypothesis, project proposal development, interdisciplinary collaboration, project management (including planning, implementation reconfiguration and synthesis) and lastly the generation and handing off of acquired knowledge. Calls for these types of proficiencies have been expressed by governmental, non-governmental as well as the private sector. Accordingly, institutions of higher learning have viewed such activities as opportunities for enriching the learning experience for undergraduate students and for making such students more marketable, especially those from STEM-related fields. This institutional interest has provided an opportunity to support and expand field-based learning. Here we present examples of student-led/faculty-mentored international service learning and community engagement projects along the arc of preparation, implementation and post-field process. Representative examples that draw upon environmental science and engineering knowledge have been selected from more than 20 international undergraduate student projects over past decade and include: slow-sand water filtration, rainwater harvesting, methane biodigesters, water reticulation schemes and development and implementation of rocket stoves for communal cooking. We discuss these efforts in terms of the development of the aforementioned proficiencies, the utility of such proficiencies to the larger enterprise of STEM and the potential for transformative student learning outcomes. We share these experiences and lessons learned with the hope that others may intelligently borrow from our approach in a manner appropriate for their particular context.

Increase coverage of HIV and AIDS services in Myanmar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bühler Markus

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Myanmar is experiencing an HIV epidemic documented since the late 1980s. The National AIDS Programme national surveillance ante-natal clinics had already estimated in 1993 that 1.4% of pregnant women were HIV positive, and UNAIDS estimates that at end 2005 1.3% (range 0.7–2.0% of the adult population was living with HIV. While a HIV surveillance system has been in place since 1992, the programmatic response to the epidemic has been slower to emerge although short- and medium-terms plans have been formulated since 1990. These early plans focused on the health sector, omitted key population groups at risk of HIV transmission and have not been adequately funded. The public health system more generally is severely under-funded. By the beginning of the new decade, a number of organisations had begun working on HIV and AIDS, though not yet in a formally coordinated manner. The Joint Programme on AIDS in Myanmar 2003–2005 was an attempt to deliver HIV services through a planned and agreed strategic framework. Donors established the Fund for HIV/AIDS in Myanmar (FHAM, providing a pooled mechanism for funding and significantly increasing the resources available in Myanmar. By 2006 substantial advances had been made in terms of scope and diversity of service delivery, including outreach to most at risk populations to HIV. More organisations provided more services to an increased number of people. Services ranged from the provision of HIV prevention messages via mass media and through peers from high-risk groups, to the provision of care, treatment and support for people living with HIV. However, the data also show that this scaling up has not been sufficient to reach the vast majority of people in need of HIV and AIDS services. The operating environment constrains activities, but does not, in general, prohibit them. The slow rate of service expansion can be attributed to the burdens imposed by administrative measures, broader constraints on

Tackling the work-life balance challenge in Professional Service Firms: the impact of projects, organizing and service characteristics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noury, L.C.; Gand, Sébastien; Sardas, Jean-Claude

2017-01-01

Professional Service Firms (PSFs) are currently under considerable pressure for economic reasons (low growth, pressure on cost), but also from the emergence of individual demands for work-life balance (WLB) from professionals, which challenge traditional ways of organizing both projects and careers.

34 CFR 377.1 - What is the Demonstration Projects to Increase Client Choice Program?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is the Demonstration Projects to Increase Client... PROJECTS TO INCREASE CLIENT CHOICE PROGRAM General § 377.1 What is the Demonstration Projects to Increase Client Choice Program? The Demonstration Projects to Increase Client Choice Program is designed to...

Increasing podiatry referrals for patients with inflammatory arthritis at a tertiary hospital in Singapore: A quality improvement project.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, K; Cheung, P P; Rome, K; Santosa, A; Lahiri, M

2017-06-01

Foot disease is highly prevalent in people with inflammatory arthritis and is often under-recognized. Podiatry intervention can significantly reduce foot pain and disability, with timely access being the key factor. The aim of this study was to plan and implement a quality improvement project to identify the barriers to, and improve, uptake of podiatry services among patients with inflammatory arthritis-related foot problems seen at a tertiary hospital in Singapore. A 6-month quality improvement program was conducted by a team of key stakeholders using quality improvement tools to identify, implement and test several interventions designed to improve uptake of podiatry services. The number of patients referred for podiatry assessment was recorded on a weekly basis by an experienced podiatrist. The criterion for appropriate referral to podiatry was those patients with current or previous foot problems such as foot pain, swelling and deformity. Interventions included education initiatives, revised workflow, development of national guidelines for inflammatory arthritis, local podiatry guidelines for the management of foot and ankle problems, routine use of outcome measures, and introduction of a fully integrated rheumatology-podiatry service with reduced cost package. Referral rates increased from 8% to 11%, and were sustained beyond the study period. Complete incorporation of podiatry into the rheumatology consultation as part of the multidisciplinary team package further increased referrals to achieve the target of full uptake of the podiatry service. Through a structured quality improvement program, referrals to podiatry increased and improved the uptake and acceptance of rheumatology-podiatry services. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Controlling applied to information processing: quality management applied to IP projects and IP services; Informationsverarbeitungs-Controlling: Qualitaetsmanagement fuer IV-Projekte und fuer IV-Service

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, B. [Vereinigung Deutscher Elektrizitaetswerke e.V. (VDEW), Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Beckers, F. [Isar-Amperwerke AG, Muenchen (Germany); Dewald, N. [Bayernwerk AG, Muenchen (Germany); Hauffe, P. [Pfalzwerke AG, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (Germany); Hein, F. [EVS AG Stuttgart (Germany); Hoederath, M. [Vereinigte Elektrizitaetswerke Westfalen AG (VEW), Dortmund (Germany); Seyen, R. [Staedtische Werke Nuernberg GmbH (Germany)

1998-01-12

The working group on information processing (IP) basics (in German: `IV-Grundlagen`) has prepared this contribution dealing with controlling applied to information processing. This new report, on the one hand, takes into consideration the role of the organizational IP unit as one offering its services to all sections of a company. On the other hand, information processing as an operational infrastructure influencing all business processes becomes increasingly important with respect to the competitiveness of the EVU. Therefore, quality management applied to IP projects and IP services must support this development. (orig./RHM) [Deutsch] Der VDEW Arbeitskreis `IV-Grundlagen` hat einen Beitrag zum Controlling fuer die Informationsverarbeitung erstellt. Hier geht zum einen die Rolle der Organisationseinheit IV als Dienstleister fuer alle Unternehmensbereiche ein. Zum anderen gewinnt die Informationsverarbeitung als betriebliche Infrastruktur fuer alle Geschaeftsprozesse zunehmende Bedeutung fuer die Wettbewerbsfaehigkeit der EVU. Das Qualitaetsmanagement fuer IV-Projekte und fuer IV-Service muss dies unterstuetzen. (orig./RHM)

Peer-based education and the integration of HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health services for young people in Vietnam: evidence from a project evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngo, Anh D; Ha, Toan H; Rule, John; Dang, Chinh V

2013-01-01

This paper reports changes in behavioral outcomes related to the use of HIV testing service of a project that employed peer-based education strategies and integration of HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services targeting young people aged 15-24 across 5 provinces in Vietnam. A pre-test/post-test, non-experimental evaluation design was used. Data were collected from cross-sectional surveys of youth and client exit interviews at project supported SRH clinics conducted at baseline and again at 24 months following implementation. The baseline samples consisted of 813 youth and 399 exit clients. The end line samples included 501 youths and 399 exit clients. Z test was used to assess changes in behavioral outcomes. Results show that there was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the percentage of youth who wanted to obtain a HIV test (from 33% to 51%), who had ever had a test (from 7.5% to 15%), and who had a repeat test in the last 12 months (from 54.5% to 67.5%). Exit client interviews found a nearly five-fold increase in the percentage of clients seeking HIV VCT in their current visit (5.0% vs. 24.5%) and almost two-fold increase in the percentage of those having their last test at a project supported clinic (9.3% vs. 17.8%). There were also positive changes in some aspects of youth HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and risk perceptions. This study provides preliminary evidence regarding the benefits of the integration of HIV VCT-SRH services in terms of increased access to HIV services and testing in Vietnam. Benefits of peer-based education regarding increased HIV knowledge were also identified. Further investigations, including experimental studies with assessment of health outcomes and the uptake of HIV testing services, are required to better elucidate the effectiveness and challenges of this intervention model in Vietnam.

The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Pre-Service Teachers' Technology Attitudes and Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Curby; Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda; Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Bull, Glen

2014-01-01

Researchers in this study looked at the effect of content-specific, technology-rich project-based learning activities on EC-8 pre-service teachers' competencies and skills, as well as pre-service teacher's attitudes toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Researchers employed a quantitative design involving participants in…

The UK Human Genome Mapping Project online computing service.

Science.gov (United States)

Rysavy, F R; Bishop, M J; Gibbs, G P; Williams, G W

1992-04-01

This paper presents an overview of computing and networking facilities developed by the Medical Research Council to provide online computing support to the Human Genome Mapping Project (HGMP) in the UK. The facility is connected to a number of other computing facilities in various centres of genetics and molecular biology research excellence, either directly via high-speed links or through national and international wide-area networks. The paper describes the design and implementation of the current system, a 'client/server' network of Sun, IBM, DEC and Apple servers, gateways and workstations. A short outline of online computing services currently delivered by this system to the UK human genetics research community is also provided. More information about the services and their availability could be obtained by a direct approach to the UK HGMP-RC.

Examination of in-service risk management at the level of the draft project for Cigeo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

This document reports the opinion of the IRSN on the issue of in-service risk management as it appears in the draft project of Cigeo. After having recalled the general context of the ASN request for this opinion, and presented the ANDRA file on in-service risk-management of the draft project for Cigeo, this report describes the underground installation and the different flows during the exploitation phase, and recalls the various evolutions of Cigeo general design from the 2009 file to the draft project. The next part reports the examination by the IRSN of the relevance of the in-service safety approach by the ANDRA. The next chapter reports the examination of the risk analysis made by the ANDRA on radioactive material dissemination, fire (protection measures, ventilation control, case of exothermal reactions), explosion, handling, co-activity, as well as ageing and maintenance of storage components, intervention in accidental and incidental situation and possibility of retrieval of waste packages

Fostering Experiential Learning and Service through Client Projects in Graduate Business Courses Offered Online

Science.gov (United States)

Hagan, Linda M.

2012-01-01

Undergraduate marketing and public relations capstone courses utilize client projects to allow students to apply their knowledge and encourage collaboration. Yet, at the graduate level, especially with courses offered in an online modality, experiential service learning in the form of client project assignments presents unique challenges. However,…

77 FR 38796 - Alabama Power Company; Holt Hydroelectric Project; Notice of Revised Restricted Service List for...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-29

... Power Company; Holt Hydroelectric Project; Notice of Revised Restricted Service List for a Programmatic... Hydroelectric Project No. 2203. The programmatic agreement, when executed by the Commission, the Alabama SHPO...

78 FR 39725 - Grenada Lake Hydroelectric Project; Notice Of Proposed Restricted Service List for a Programmatic...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-02

...-001--Mississippi] Grenada Lake Hydroelectric Project; Notice Of Proposed Restricted Service List for a... license for the proposed Grenada Lake Hydroelectric Project No. 13702. The Programmatic Agreement, when... Grenada Lake Hydroelectric Project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the...

Formation and Assessment of a Tool to Evaluate STEM Literacy in Service-Learning Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Hayford, Barbara; Blomstrom, Sally; Mumpower, Lori

2015-01-01

The purpose of the authors' research was to create a tool to evaluate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) literacy in service-learning projects. The researchers posited that components of service-learning, which in this case included the deliverable and reflections, are examples of fundamental STEM literacy and thus can be…

Increasing Shareholders Value through NPV-Negative Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paweł Mielcarz

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The concept of Net Present Value (NPV is a widely accepted tool for verification of financial rationality of planned investment projects. Projects with positive NPV increase a company's value. Similarly, those with negative NPV lead to a decline in the value of a business. This article attempts to answer the question: are projects with negative NPV always disadvantageous in terms of maximization of shareholder value and when should an NPV-negative project be considered justified? The authors discuss the issues of project valuation depending on different conditions. First, they briefly summarize the main idea of valuation - the aim of every company is to maximize shareholder value. Contemporary professional texts say that the way to achieve this goal is through projects that can generate a positive Net Present Value. When there are no such investments within reach, the company should pay dividends to its owners. The authors claim that some circumstances justify investments with a negative Net Present Value, as they still produce maximum possible shareholder value. The three model situations where this takes place are: (1 tax on dividends; (2 shareholders' perception of risk; and (3 temporary inefficiency of the markets. Taxes on dividends reduce cashflows for shareholders from distributed dividends. Therefore, they act exactly as an investment with a negative NPV. The authors conclude that this creates an opportunity to maximize shareholder value by comparing this loss with available alternate projects with negative NPV. If the loss of worth, caused by such taxes, is bigger that the negative NPV of possible investments it will be more rational to invest instead of paying dividends. And, according to the authors, a project with a negative NPV leads to maximized shareholder value. In the second situation, the authors point out that some projects may have negative fundamental (intrinsic value when valuated by the market (diversified owners because

Projected increases in the annual flood pulse of the western Amazon

Science.gov (United States)

Zulkafli, Zed; Buytaert, Wouter; Manz, Bastian; Veliz Rosas, Claudia; Willems, Patrick; Lavado-Casimiro, Waldo; Guyot, Jean-Loup; Santini, William

2016-04-01

The impact of a changing climate on the Amazon basin is a subject of intensive research due to its rich biodiversity and the significant role of rain forest in carbon cycling. Climate change has also direct hydrological impact, and there have been increasing efforts to understand such dynamics at continental and subregional scales such as the scale of the western Amazon. New projections from the Coupled Model Inter- comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) ensemble indicate consistent climatic warming and increasing seasonality of precipitation in the Peruvian Amazon basin. Here we use a distributed land surface model to quantify the potential impact of this change in the climate on the hydrological regime of the river. Using extremes value analysis, historical and future projections of the annual minimum, mean, and maximum river flows are produced for a range of return periods between 1 and 100 years. We show that the RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios of climate change project an increased severity of the wet season flood pulse (7.5% and 12% increases respectively for the 100- year return floods). These findings are in agreement with previously projected increases in high extremes under the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) climate projections, and are important to highlight due to the potential consequences on reproductive processes of in-stream species, swamp forest ecology, and socio-economy in the floodplain, amid a growing literature that more strongly emphasises future droughts and their impact on the viability of the rain forest system over the greater Amazonia.

Increasing use of mental health services in remote areas using mobile technology: a pre-post evaluation of the SMART Mental Health project in rural India.

OpenAIRE

Maulik, PK; Kallakuri, S; Devarapalli, S; Vadlamani, VK; Jha, V; Patel, A

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: About 25% of the Indian population experience common mental disorders (CMD) but only 15-25% of them receive any mental health care. Stigma, lack of adequate mental health professionals and mental health services account for this treatment gap, which is worse in rural areas. Our project evaluated task shifting and mobile-technology based electronic decision support systems to enhance the ability of primary care health workers to provide evidence-based mental health care for stress,...

Improved gas installations and services. Phase 1: Analysis project. Part report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, K.J.

1996-05-01

As Danish gas companies receive a large number of complaints related to the installation and operation of gas installations it was suggested that a course for personnel should be established in order to raise the standard of services and installation requirements. The first phase of the described project was to evaluate the quality of the gas installers' services so as to determine which aspects of installation and services should be emphasized during such a course. Interviews were carried out and questionnaires (illustrated within the document) sent out to installaters etc. Recommendations include that the level of information given to customers should be raised, also in relation to maintenance, and that installation should be improved. Analyses of the degree of customers' satisfaction, of the nature of the quality of services etc. expected, subjects for further training in this area and details of the training system are dealt with

Reorienting health services with capacity building: a case study of the Core Skills in Health Promotion Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeatman, H R; Nove, T

2002-12-01

This paper presents a case study of the application of a framework for capacity building [Hawe, P., King, L., Noort, M., Jordens, C. and Lloyd, B. (2000) Indicators to Help with Capacity Building in Health Promotion. NSW Health, Sydney] to describe actions aimed at building organizational support for health promotion within an area health service in New South Wales, Australia. The Core Skills in Health Promotion Project (CSHPP) arose from an investigation which reported that participants of a health promotion training course had increased health promotion skills but that they lacked the support to apply their skills in the workplace. The project was action-research based. It investigated and facilitated the implementation of a range of initiatives to support community health staff to apply a more preventive approach in their practice and it contributed to the establishment of new organizational structures for health promotion. An evaluation was undertaken 4 years after the CSHPP was established, and 2 years after it had submitted its final report. Interviews with senior managers, document analysis of written reports, and focus groups with middle managers and service delivery staff were undertaken. Change was achieved in the three dimensions of health infrastructure, program maintenance and problem solving capacity of the organization. It was identified that the critically important elements in achieving the aims of the project-partnership, leadership and commitment-were also key elements of the capacity building framework. This case study provides a practical example of the usefulness of the capacity building framework in orienting health services to be supportive of health promotion.

Project U-Turn: increasing active transportation in Jackson, Michigan.

Science.gov (United States)

TenBrink, David S; McMunn, Randall; Panken, Sarah

2009-12-01

Jackson, Michigan, is a medium-sized city suffering from a bad economy and obesity-related health issues. Nearly 20% of the 36,000 residents live below the poverty line. It is a relatively young city (median age of 30 years) with a mixed ethnicity (20% black, 73% white, 4% Hispanic). The city offers many structured, active recreational opportunities, but has not integrated physical activity into daily life. Project U-Turn aimed to increase active transportation (e.g., biking, walking, and transit use) through an integrated approach to Active Living by Design's community action model and the Michigan Safe Routes to School model. Resources were focused on active living promotions and programs; partnership meetings were the source of changes in policy and physical projects. Each initiative was designed to introduce each of the 5Ps (preparation, promotion, programs, policy, and physical projects) to build support for the partnership's overall work. The partnership collected snapshot data of community walking and biking behavior, percentage of students walking to school, participation in events and programs, and new physical projects. Jackson saw a vast improvement in physical infrastructure and policy and a related increase in walking and biking in the community. The project engaged in purposeful partnership building to implement effective programs and promotions that built support for policy and physical projects. Limited resources were best used by encouraging partners to contribute and coordinate activities using existing staff, funding, and resources. Jackson has seen a shift toward awareness of the benefits of active living on community health, economic development, and environmental awareness.

EnviroAtlas - Ecosystem Service Market and Project Locations, U.S., 2015, Forest Trends' Ecosystem Marketplace

Science.gov (United States)

This EnviroAtlas dataset contains points depicting the location of market-based programs, referred to herein as markets, and projects addressing ecosystem services protection in the United States. The data were collected via surveys and desk research conducted by Forest Trends' Ecosystem Marketplace from 2008 to 2016 on biodiversity (i.e., imperiled species/habitats; wetlands and streams), carbon, and water markets. Additional biodiversity data were obtained from the Regulatory In-lieu Fee and Bank Information Tracking System (RIBITS) database in 2015. Points represent the centroids (i.e., center points) of market coverage areas, project footprints, or project primary impact areas in which ecosystem service markets or projects operate. National-level markets are an exception to this norm with points representing administrative headquarters locations. Attribute data include information regarding the methodology, design, and development of biodiversity, carbon, and water markets and projects. This dataset was produced by Forest Trends' Ecosystem Marketplace for EnviroAtlas in order to support public access to and use of information related to environmental markets. EnviroAtlas (https://www.epa.gov/enviroatlas) allows the user to interact with a web-based, easy-to-use, mapping application to view and analyze multiple ecosystem services for the contiguous United States. The dataset is available as downloadable data (https://edg.epa.gov/data/Public/ORD/EnviroAtlas) o

Residual services and power increases for components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pauli, W.

1991-01-01

As part of the moratorium in Switzerland work in nuclear power stations has been concentrating more on increasing capacity, reducing radiation levels to which personnel is exposed and extending the service life of existing plants. This has meant the requalification, repair or replacement of components and systems some of which have been in operation for more than 20 years. In addition to the classic role of manufacturer, the industry which acts as both supplier and manufacturer of these components also has to be the expertise holder, documentation pool and analysts. The examples described in this article show that close cooperation with operators leads to solutions which fully ensure the safe and successful operation of the plants, even in the second section of their service life. 4 refs

New Media Institute – Personal Public Service Announcement Project

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2009-05-15

In this podcast, Erin Edgerton, CDC, and Scott Shamp, New Media Institute, University of Georgia, discuss new media and the personal public service announcement project.  Created: 5/15/2009 by National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM), Division of eHealth Marketing (DeHM).   Date Released: 2/10/2010.

Using cultural-historical activity theory to analyze social service practices evolving from the Norwegian HUSK projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Foot, Kirsten

2015-01-01

The HUSK projects catalyzed innovation in the practices of providing social services that could yield useful insights both within and outside of Norway if analyzed in these two ways: (a) retrospective analysis of the development of individual HUSK projects in light of their cultural-historical contexts, and (b) comparative analysis of the efforts to advance multi-sector collaboration in some of the HUSK projects. Such analyses require a practice-based research approach that takes into account culture and history. In this article the author explains how cultural-historical activity theory provides such an approach, illustrated via several HUSK cases. The author suggests five questions for future analyses of the HUSK projects and argues that insights gleaned from such analyses could contribute significantly to research on-and the provision of-social services.

Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences and Views on Project-Based Learning Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Dag, Funda; Durdu, Levent

2017-01-01

Project-based learning (PjBL) has been promoted as an effective and frequently used student-centered learning approach for various learning environments. To have various learning experiences with PjBL is an important requirement for pre-service teachers (PSTs). The purpose of the study was to investigate the experiences PSTs had with group work…

Using Service-Learning Projects to Jump Start Research at Small Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Ongley, L. K.; Spigel, K.; Olin, J.

2010-12-01

Geoscientists at small institutions must frequently be very creative about funding and conducting research. High teaching loads, tuition-driven budgets, and a dearth of geosciences colleagues all contribute challenges to an intellectual life that includes research as a scholarship endeavor. Fortunately, service-learning can be used as a multi-purpose pedagogical technique. Unity College is a very small environmentally-focused undergraduate institution in rural Maine with a student population of less than 600 students. Our students really appreciate learning in the field and through participation in projects that impact the communities in which they live and study. Our Environmental Science (geosciences) and Environmental Analysis (chemistry) majors have been showing increasing interest in pursuing graduate school and independent projects in greater and greater depth. In the past 5 years we have had a complete turn-over in geoscience and chemistry faculty (2 persons), a shift that has brought new ideas to campus and a different idea about importance of research. Unity College has always been a big proponent of community-based projects so the extension to service learning as a pedagogical technique has been smooth. A wide variety of towns, schools, land trusts, pond associations and other groups approach Unity College with project ideas. We are best equipped to handle suggestions that relate to environmental chemistry and to lake sedimentation owing to the research interests of our geoscience faculty. We present two examples of ways to sequence student work that ultimately end in student/faculty research projects. Sophomores in the Unity College Environmental Stewardship Core curriculum may choose to take a course that introduces lake sedimentation as a tool to study environmental change. Students in the course take several sediment cores to analyze proxies of environmental change to reconstruct past environments. The final results are reported to the community

Supporting UK adaptation: building services for the next set of UK climate projections

Science.gov (United States)

Fung, Fai; Lowe, Jason

2016-04-01

As part of the Climate Change Act 2008, the UK Government sets out a national adaptation programme to address the risks and opportunities identified in a national climate change risk assessment (CCRA) every five years. The last risk assessment in 2012 was based on the probabilistic projections for the UK published in 2009 (UKCP09). The second risk assessment will also use information from UKCP09 alongside other evidence on climate projections. However, developments in the science of climate projeciton, and evolving user needs (based partly on what has been learnt about the diverse user requirements of the UK adaptation community from the seven years of delivering and managing UKCP09 products, market research and the peer-reviewed literature) suggest now is an appropriate time to update the projections and how they are delivered. A new set of UK climate projections are now being produced to upgrade UKCP09 to reflect the latest developments in climate science, the first phase of which will be delivered in 2018 to support the third CCRA. A major component of the work is the building of a tailored service to support users of the new projections during their development and to involve users in key decisions so that the projections are of most use. We will set out the plan for the new climate projections that seek to address the evolving user need. We will also present a framework which aims to (i) facilitate the dialogue between users, boundary organisations and producers, reflecting their different decision-making roles (ii) produce scientifically robust, user-relevant climate information (iii) provide the building blocks for developing further climate services to support adaptation activities in the UK.

Ensuring IT service continuity in the face of increasing threats.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Vishwanath

2014-01-01

How is IT service continuity related to business continuity management? Is it just a glorified disaster recovery procedure? Will IT service continuity help increase the assurance of IT services from the business owner to the customer? This paper is an attempt at answering these and many such questions. It is presented as a case study of IT service continuity management implementation at Emirates Group IT, Dubai. It takes the reader through the need for the process as felt by the business, through the learning acquired during implementation, to the practices deployed for managing the process on an ongoing basis. It provides a detailed view of the kind of pitfalls that could be encountered during implementation of the IT service continuity management process in a large-scale enterprise.

Quality function deployment (QFD in the development of training projects: an exploratory study for service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco José Dias Junior

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Training is important in preparing employees. The Quality Function Deployment (QFD is an effective method to systematically translate customer requirements into project specifications. This study presents the use of QFD method in development of training project. It is a qualitative research conducted in the industry services company. The results show that the use of QFD is an effective alternative for managers to develop or improve their training projects.

Projecting climate change in the United States: A technical document supporting the Forest Service RPA 2010 Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Linda A. Joyce; David T. Price; David P. Coulson; Daniel W. McKenney; R. Martin Siltanen; Pia Papadopol; Kevin. Lawrence

2014-01-01

A set of climate change projections for the United States was developed for use in the 2010 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment. These climate projections, along with projections for population dynamics, economic growth, and land use change in the United States, comprise the RPA scenarios and are used in the RPA Assessment to project future renewable resource conditions...

The Effects of an Experiential Service-Learning Project on Residential Interior Design Students' Attitudes toward Design and Community

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez-Lanier, Lilia

2016-01-01

This mixed research methods study explores whether project-based service-learning projects promote greater learning than standard project-based projects and whether introduced earlier into the curriculum promotes a greater student understanding of the world issues affecting their community. The present study focused on comparing sophomore and…

Project Half Double

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svejvig, Per; Gerstrøm, Anna; Frederiksen, Signe Hedeboe

The Half Double mission: Project Half Double has a clear mission. We want to succeed in finding a project methodology that can increase the success rate of our projects while increasing the development speed of new products and services. We are convinced that by doing so we can strengthen...... the competitiveness of Denmark and play an important role in the battle for jobs and future welfare. The overall goal is to deliver “Projects in half the time with double the impact” where projects in half the time should be understood as half the time to impact (benefit realization, effect is achieved......) and not as half the time for project execution. The Half Double project journey: It all began in May 2013 when we asked ourselves: How do we create a new and radical project paradigm that can create successful projects? Today we are a movement of hundreds of passionate project people, and it grows larger...

Integration of academic learning and service development through guided projects for rural practitioners in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyas, Rashmi; Zachariah, Anand; Swamidasan, Isobel; Doris, Priya; Harris, Ilene

2011-01-01

Christian Medical College Vellore (CMC) aspired through its Fellowship in Secondary Hospital Medicine (FSHM), a 1-year distance-learning program, to integrate academic learning and service development through guided projects for junior doctors working in small rural hospitals. The purpose of this article is to report the evaluation of the effectiveness of the project work in the FSHM program. Mixed method evaluation was done using focus group discussion with students, written surveys for students and faculty, and telephone interviews with students and medical superintendents. Evidence for validity was gathered for the written survey. Criteria for trustworthiness were applied for the qualitative data analysis. The major strengths of the project work identified were that students became aware of local health problems and how to deal with them, learned to work as a team, and had a sense of doing something useful. Recommendations for improvement were to have more interactions between guides and students. The benefits of projects to the hospital were providing improved clinical care, improved health systems, cost effective care management and benefits to the community. Service learning through guided project work should be incorporated into distance-learning educational programs for junior doctors working in rural hospitals.

The EFF Project Status and the NEA Nuclear Data Services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henriksson, H.; Kodeli, I.; Nordborg, C.; Forrest, R.; Batistoni, P.; Fischer, U.

2006-01-01

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Data Bank is part of an international network of data centres in charge of the compilation and dissemination of basic nuclear data. Through its activities in the reaction data field, the NEA participates in the production of data and their distribution to its users. The NEA Data Bank administrates the collection and validation as well as the distribution of the Joint Evaluated Fusion and Fission (JEFF) library. The JEFF project has evolved from two separate projects, namely the European Fusion File (EFF) and the Joint Evaluated File (JEF), to JEFF with the latest release of the library, JEFF-3.1, in May 2005. The EFF Project is a collaborative project with work funded by the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA). The tasks within the project comprise new data evaluation and verification of activation and transport data, calculation methods and validation via integral experiments. The EFF project brings together all available expertise in Europe, relating to the nuclear data requirements of existing and future fusion devices. EFF contributed greatly to the successful release of the internationally recognised nuclear data library JEFF-3.1. The NEA Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC) is established to promote the exchange of information on nuclear data evaluations, measurements, nuclear model calculations and validation. WPEC provides a framework for co-operative activities between the participating projects, such as the high priority request list that is a collection of experimental data requests of special interest in a certain project, such as JEFF or ITER. The NEA provides also computer program services for nuclear energy and radiation physics applications. Of special interest for fusion applications are the integral experiments, such as SINBAD, with radiation shielding and dosimetry experiments including many fusion neutronics shielding experiments. (author)

Risk management of the North Anna Power Station Service Water System Preservation Project using the IPE model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afzali, A.; Donovan, M.D.; Sartain, M.D.; Bankley, A.V.

1993-01-01

This paper discusses the application of the North Anna Power Station Individual Plant Examination (IPE) models in PRA study of the Service Water System Preservation Project (SWSPP). The service water project involves repair and restoration of the Service Water System (SWS) piping and will require excavation of the buried SWS lines in addition to temporarily removing one of the two redundant SWS loops from operation. The SWSPP will be carried out with one or both units in normal operation. The objective of the PRA study was to quantify the risk impact (as measured by the change in Core Damage Frequency (ΔCDF)) of the SWSPP and to identify and evaluate countermeasures to reduce the risk impact of the project activities. The study concluded that the ΔCDF would be acceptable by undertaking preventative measures and by providing additional accident mitigating measures during performance of the SWSPP activities

Project Half Double

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svejvig, Per; Ehlers, Michael; Adland, Karoline Thorp

activities carried out within the framework of the projects. The formal part of Project Half Double was initiated in June 2015. We started out by developing, refining and testing the Half Double methodology on seven pilot projects in the first phase of the project, which will end June 2016. The current......Project Half Double has a clear mission to succeed in finding a project methodology that can increase the success rate of our projects while increasing the speed at which we generate new ideas and develop new products and services. Chaos and complexity should be seen as a basic condition...... and as an opportunity rather than a threat and a risk. We are convinced that by doing so, we can strengthen Denmark’s competitiveness and play an important role in the battle for jobs and future welfare. The overall goal is to deliver “projects in half the time with double the impact”, where projects in half the time...

Operational Space-Assisted Irrigation Advisory Services: Overview Of And Lessons Learned From The Project DEMETER

Science.gov (United States)

Osann Jochum, M. A.; Demeter Partners

2006-08-01

The project DEMETER (DEMonstration of Earth observation TEchnologies in Routine irrigation advisory services) was dedicated to assessing and demonstrating improvements introduced by Earth observation (EO) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in farm and Irrigation Advisory Service (IAS) day-to-day operations. The DEMETER concept of near-real-time delivery of EO-based irrigation scheduling information to IAS and farmers has proven to be valid. The operationality of the space segment was demonstrated for Landsat 5-TM in the Barrax pilot zone during the 2004 and 2005 irrigation campaigns. Extra-fast image delivery and quality controlled operational processing make the EO-based crop coefficient maps available at the same speed and quality as ground-based data (point samples), while significantly extending the spatial coverage and reducing service cost. Leading-edge online analysis and visualization tools provide easy, intuitive access to the information and personalized service to users. First feedback of users at IAS and farmer level is encouraging. The paper gives an overview of the project and its main achievements.

The EFF project status and the NEA nuclear data services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henriksson, H. [OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, 12 Blvd des Iles, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux (France)], E-mail: henriksson@nea.fr; Batistoni, P. [Associazione Euratom-ENEA sulla Fusione, Via E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Fischer, U. [Association FZK-Euratom, Postfach 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany); Forrest, R. [Euratom/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Oxfordshire OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Kodeli, I.; Nordborg, C. [OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, 12 Blvd des Iles, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux (France)

2007-10-15

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Data Bank participates in the production of data and their distribution to users including the collection and validation as well as the distribution of the Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion (JEFF) library. The JEFF project has evolved from two separate projects, namely the European Fusion File (EFF) and the Joint Evaluated File (JEF), with the release of JEFF-3.1, in May 2005. The NEA also provides tools for the EFF project, such as computer codes for nuclear energy and radiation physics applications. Of special interest for fusion applications are the integral experiments collected in the SINBAD database, with radiation shielding and dosimetry experiments including many fusion neutronics shielding experiments. In this paper an overview will be given of the NEA, and some examples of nuclear data services offered, such as the SINBAD database. JANIS, a display program evaluated and experimental data developed at the NEA will be mentioned briefly. The main emphasis will be given to the EFF project including the contents of the new JEFF-3.1 library, released in May 2005. Examples of recent work are given as well as a discussion on the forth-coming evaluation efforts among the EFF collaborators.

The EFF project status and the NEA nuclear data services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henriksson, H.; Batistoni, P.; Fischer, U.; Forrest, R.; Kodeli, I.; Nordborg, C.

2007-01-01

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Data Bank participates in the production of data and their distribution to users including the collection and validation as well as the distribution of the Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion (JEFF) library. The JEFF project has evolved from two separate projects, namely the European Fusion File (EFF) and the Joint Evaluated File (JEF), with the release of JEFF-3.1, in May 2005. The NEA also provides tools for the EFF project, such as computer codes for nuclear energy and radiation physics applications. Of special interest for fusion applications are the integral experiments collected in the SINBAD database, with radiation shielding and dosimetry experiments including many fusion neutronics shielding experiments. In this paper an overview will be given of the NEA, and some examples of nuclear data services offered, such as the SINBAD database. JANIS, a display program evaluated and experimental data developed at the NEA will be mentioned briefly. The main emphasis will be given to the EFF project including the contents of the new JEFF-3.1 library, released in May 2005. Examples of recent work are given as well as a discussion on the forth-coming evaluation efforts among the EFF collaborators

U.S. Energy Service Company Industry: Market Size and Project Performance from 1990-2008

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsen, Peter; Goldman, Charles; Satchwell, Andrew

2012-08-21

The U.S. energy service company (ESCO) industry is an example of a private sector business model where energy savings are delivered to customers primarily through the use of performance-based contracts. This study was conceived as a snapshot of the ESCO industry prior to the economic slowdown and the introduction of federal stimulus funding mandated by enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This study utilizes two parallel analytic approaches to characterize ESCO industry and market trends in the U.S.: (1) a ?top-down? approach involving a survey of individual ESCOs to estimate aggregate industry activity and (2) a ?bottom-up? analysis of a database of ~;;3,250 projects (representing over $8B in project investment) that reports market trends including installed EE retrofit strategies, project installation costs and savings, project payback times, and benefit-cost ratios over time. Despite the onset of a severe economic recession, the U.S. ESCO industry managed to grow at about 7percent per year between 2006 and 2008. ESCO industry revenues were about $4.1 billion in 2008 and ESCOs anticipate accelerated growth through 2011 (25percent per year). We found that 2,484 ESCO projects in our database generated ~;;$4.0 billion ($2009) in net, direct economic benefits to their customers. We estimate that the ESCO project database includes about 20percent of all U.S. ESCO market activity from 1990-2008. Assuming the net benefits per project are comparable for ESCO projects that are not included in the LBNL database, this would suggest that the ESCO industry has generated ~;;$23 billion in net direct economic benefits for customers at projects installed between 1990 and 2008. There is empirical evidence confirming that the industry is evolving by installing more comprehensive and complex measures?including onsite generation and measures to address deferred maintenance?but this evolution has significant implications for customer project

A Service-Learning Project in Chemistry: Environmental Monitoring of a Nature Preserve

Science.gov (United States)

Kammler, David C.; Truong, Triet M.; VanNess, Garrett; McGowin, Audrey E.

2012-01-01

A collaborative environmental service-learning project was implemented between upper-level undergraduate science majors and graduate chemistry students at a large state school and first-year students at a small private liberal arts college. Students analyzed the water quality in a nature preserve by determining the quantities of 12 trace metals,…

Universal access to ambulance does not increase overall demand for ambulance services in Queensland, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tippett, Vivienne C; Toloo, Ghasem Sam; Eeles, David; Ting, Joseph Y S; Aitken, Peter J; Fitzgerald, Gerard J

2013-02-01

To determine the impact of the introduction of universal access to ambulance services via the implementation of the Community Ambulance Cover (CAC) program in Queensland in 2003-04. The study involved a 10-year (2000-01 to 2009-10) retrospective analysis of routinely collected data reported by the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) and by the Council of Ambulance Authorities. The data were analysed for the impact of policy changes that resulted in universal access to ambulance services in Queensland. QAS is a statewide, publically funded ambulance service. In Queensland, ambulance utilisation rate (AUR) per 1000 persons grew by 41% over the decade or 3.9% per annum (10-year mean=149.8, 95% CI: 137.3-162.3). The AUR mean after CAC was significantly higher for urgent incidents than for non-urgent ones. However projection modelling demonstrates that URs after the introduction of CAC were significantly lower than the projected utilisation for the same period. The introduction of universal access under the Community Ambulance Cover program in Queensland has not had any significant independent long-term impact on demand overall. There has been a reduction in the long-term growth rate, which may have been contributed to by an 'appropriate use' public awareness program.

75 FR 26945 - International Education Programs Service-Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-13

.... Schools and/or departments of education have a role to play in creating greater exposure since they are... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION International Education Programs Service--Fulbright-Hays Group Projects... Postsecondary Education, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of proposed priorities. SUMMARY: The Assistant...

Public-private partnership role in increasing the quality of the health insurance services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan CONSTANTINESCU

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In a context in which the social politics tend to become an optimization instrument for adapting the social security system to the market’s forces, and the talk of some analysts about reinventing the European social model, the partnership between the public sector and the private one in the social domain presumes, besides a tight collaboration, a combination of advantages specific to the private sector, more competitive and efficient, with the ones from the public sector, more responsible toward the society regarding the public money spending. The existence of the private health insurances cannot be tied, causally, to a social politics failure, reason for which they don’t intend, usually, to replace the public insurances, but rather, to offer a complementary alternative for them. In such a context, the public-private partnership’s goal regards both increasing the insurant’s satisfaction and increasing his/her access degree to services, and increasing the investments profitability made by the insurant and insurer. We are facing thus a mixed competitive system that combines the peculiarities of the public and private sectors. Interesting is the fact that, although the different meanings for the quality term may generate some problems regarding implementing quality management in the two health insurance sectors, the experts in the area reckon that establishing a good relationship between public buyers and private providers of healthcare can reduce the costs of public health programs. An essential condition for operating efficiently the partnership model is defining correctly the basic medical services packet financed by the public budget. Which doesn’t exclude the possibility of administrating by the private insurers, the sums of money gathered from the employees and employers contributions to the health fund, as a recently initiated project of law intends to do in Romania.

Procurement of Architectural and Engineering Services for Sustainable Buildings: A Guide for Federal Project Managers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2004-06-01

This guide was prepared to be a resource for federal construction project managers and others who want to integrate the principles of sustainable design into the procurement of professional building design and consulting services. To economize on energy costs and improve the safety, comfort, and health of building occupants, building design teams can incorporate daylighting, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and passive solar design into all projects in which these elements are technically and economically feasible. The information presented here will help project leaders begin the process and manage the inclusion of sustainable design in the procurement process. The section on establishing selection criteria contains key elements to consider before selecting an architectural and engineering (A/E) firm. The section on preparing the statement of work discusses the broad spectrum of sustainable design services that an A/E firm can provide. Several helpful checklists are included.

Students Upgrading through Computer and Career Education System Services (Project SUCCESS). Final Evaluation Report 1993-94. OER Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Judy

Students Upgrading through Computer and Career Education System Services (Project SUCCESS) was an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its fourth year of operation. The project operated at two high schools in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan (New York). In the 1993-94 school year, the project served 393 students of…

Interdisciplinary collaboration within project-level NEPA teams in the US Forest Service

Science.gov (United States)

James W. Freeman; Marc J. Stern; Michael Mortimer; Dale J. Blahna; Lee K. Cerveny

2011-01-01

Interdisciplinary teamwork has become a foundation of natural resources planning and management in the US. Yet, we know little about the degree of interdisciplinary collaboration of natural resource planning teams. We conducted 10 case studies of Forest Service NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) teams working on projects related to the 2005 Travel Management Rule...

Technology News; Distance Education Project: Extending Extension Programming via Telecommunications Technology; [and] Fax for Library Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Coyle, Larry; Spitzer, Kathleen L.

1992-01-01

Three articles discuss (1) the numbers of microcomputers installed in elementary and secondary schools; (2) a distance education project in the Minnesota Extension Service that used a satellite delivery system and integrated it with a computer information network; and (3) the use of facsimile machines for library services. (LRW)

Science in Action: How Middle School Students Are Changing Their World through STEM Service-Learning Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Newman, Jane L.; Dantzler, John; Coleman, April N.

2015-01-01

The purpose of Science in Action (SIA) was to examine the relationship between implementing quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) service-learning (SL) projects and the effect on students' academic engagement in middle school science, civic responsibility, and resilience to at-risk behaviors. The innovative project funded by…

Integrating mental health services into primary HIV care for women: the Whole Life project.

OpenAIRE

Dodds, Sally; Nuehring, Elane M.; Blaney, Nancy T.; Blakley, Theresa; Lizzotte, Jean-Marie; Lopez, Myriam; Potter, JoNell E.; O'Sullivan, Mary J.

2004-01-01

The high rate of mental health problems in HIV-infected women jeopardizes the health of this vulnerable population, and constitutes a mandate for integrating mental health services into HIV primary care. The Whole Life project-a collaboration of the departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics/Gynecology at the University of Miami School of Medicine-successfully integrated mental health services into primary HIV care for women. This article describes the conceptual framework of the integration, i...

Data Dictionary Services in XNAT and the Human Connectome Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rick eHerrick

2014-07-01

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

A Project-Based Learning Approach to Teaching Physics for Pre-Service Elementary School Teacher Education Students

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Olzan

2016-01-01

This paper describes the impact of the project-based learning (PBL) approach on learning and teaching physics from the perspective of pre-service elementary school teacher education students and an instructor. This approach promoted meaningful learning (mainly in the scope of projects), higher motivation, and active involvement of students in…

General practitioners in Styria - who is willing to take part in research projects and why? : A survey by the Institute of General Practice and Health Services Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Poggenburg, Stephanie; Reinisch, Manuel; Höfler, Reinhild; Stigler, Florian; Avian, Alexander; Siebenhofer, Andrea

2017-11-01

Increasing recognition of general practice is reflected in the growing number of university institutes devoted to the subject and Health Services Research (HSR) is flourishing as a result. In May 2015 the Institute of General Practice and Evidence-based Health Services Research, Medical University of Graz, initiated a survey of Styrian GPs. The aim of the survey was to determine the willingness to take part in HSR projects, to collect sociodemographic data from GPs who were interested and to identify factors affecting participation in research projects. Of the 1015 GPs who received the questionnaire, 142 (14%) responded and 135 (13%) were included in the analysis. Overall 106 (10%) GPs indicated their willingness to take part in research projects. Factors inhibiting participation were lack of time, administrative workload, and lack of assistance. Overall, 10% of Styrian GPs were willing to participate in research projects. Knowledge about the circumstances under which family doctors are prepared to participate in HSR projects will help in the planning of future projects.

Project FIND: a profile of a community-based senior services agency.

Science.gov (United States)

Lockwood, Andrée

2007-01-01

Project FIND has been providing innovative supportive housing, nutrition, and social support to homeless and low- and moderate-income seniors on New York City's West Side since 1967. This article profiles this nonprofit, community-based agency, which was established to meet the needs of the frail and isolated elderly, and has continued to grow and evolve in response to changing demographics, neighborhood gentrification, and needs of both the homeless as well as the active "younger old." The article describes creative programming that has distinguished Project FIND's response to seniors' needs beyond basic housing and nutrition. It also explores what it takes to successfully provide senior services using limited resources and examines challenges for the future both nationally and for the agency.

National Youth Service Day: A Youth Development Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Blitzer Golombek

2006-06-01

Full Text Available A growing number of studies show connections between youth participation in service and service-learning opportunities and positive behavior outcomes. Building on this data, the article presents National Youth Service Day (NYSD as a program that can be incorporated into ongoing activities to enhance youth development goals. The paper describes the program’s components– building a network of support organizations, offering project planning grants, providing service-learning materials, and developing a media and advocacy campaign. Examples of NYSD projects show how project planners are using the program to learn and practice academic and non-academic skills. A review of evaluations to date indicates the program is annually increasing its output measures. Participants’ responses show that the program is also contributing to positive behavioral changes, in particular related to young people’s increasing awareness about specific community issues and their own competency in addressing them.

Professional Service innovations at Consulting Engineering - how change stay flat in project Organisations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koch, Christian; Bendixen, Mads

understood through a practicebased theory approach using predominantly Actor Network Theory (Latour 2005). The paper focus on attempts to innovate service products, within projects and the remaining organisation. A seven-year cooperation with a consulting engineering, now employing the one of the authors has...... production. One relates to the formation of a building envelope group and a design of a building with a double glass facade, the other to client counselling on realising a public private partnership, a 30 year contract of a public service, where the initial programming was followed. The analysis follows...

Transitioning a home telehealth project into a sustainable, large-scale service: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, Victoria A; Taylor, Alan D; Kidd, Michael R; Carati, Colin

2016-05-16

This study was a component of the Flinders Telehealth in the Home project, which tested adding home telehealth to existing rehabilitation, palliative care and geriatric outreach services. Due to the known difficulty of transitioning telehealth projects services, a qualitative study was conducted to produce a preferred implementation approach for sustainable and large-scale operations, and a process model that offers practical advice for achieving this goal. Initially, semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior clinicians, health service managers and policy makers, and a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts was undertaken to identify the range of options for ongoing operations, plus the factors affecting sustainability. Subsequently, the interviewees and other decision makers attended a deliberative forum in which participants were asked to select a preferred model for future implementation. Finally, all data from the study was synthesised by the researchers to produce a process model. 19 interviews with senior clinicians, managers, and service development staff were conducted, finding strong support for home telehealth but a wide diversity of views on governance, models of clinical care, technical infrastructure operations, and data management. The deliberative forum worked through these options and recommended a collaborative consortium approach for large-scale implementation. The process model proposes that the key factor for large-scale implementation is leadership support, which is enabled by 1) showing solutions to the problems of service demand, budgetary pressure and the relationship between hospital and primary care, 2) demonstrating how home telehealth aligns with health service policies, and 3) achieving clinician acceptance through providing evidence of benefit and developing new models of clinical care. Two key actions to enable change were marketing telehealth to patients, clinicians and policy-makers, and building a community of

EnviroAtlas - Ecosystem Service Market and Project Locations, U.S., 2015, Forest Trends' Ecosystem Marketplace

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This EnviroAtlas dataset contains points depicting the location of market-based programs, referred to herein as markets, and projects addressing ecosystem services...

The CASE Project: Evaluation of Case-Based Approaches to Learning and Teaching in Statistics Service Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Fawcett, Lee

2017-01-01

The CASE project (Case-based Approaches to Statistics Education; see www.mas.ncl.ac.uk/~nlf8/innovation) was established to investigate how the use of real-life, discipline-specific case study material in Statistics service courses could improve student engagement, motivation, and confidence. Ultimately, the project aims to promote deep learning…

Using a Balance Scorecard Approach to Evaluate the Value of Service Learning Projects in Online Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Schwieger, Dana

2015-01-01

Service learning projects serve as a valuable tool for applying course concepts in a way to benefit both the students and community. However, they often require a significant amount of additional effort beyond that required of assigning conventional homework problems. When the projects take place in an online course setting, the level of…

A training and development project to improve services and opportunities for social inclusion for children and young people with autism in Romania.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasco, Greg; Clark, Bruce; Dragan, Ioana; Kalambayi, Fidelie; Slonims, Vicky; Tarpan, Adelaide Katerine; Wittemeyer, Kerstin

2014-10-01

In 2010, the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation launched a 3-year national training and development programme to develop and deliver a model of diagnostic and therapeutic services aimed at promoting social inclusion for children and young people with autism spectrum disorders. The project adopted a number of strategies aimed at developing knowledge and skills among professionals and increasing awareness in political and public spheres: (a) a three-stage training programme designed to increase knowledge of autism spectrum disorders and promote best practice among professionals working in services providing for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families, on a nationwide basis; (b) two online courses for general practitioners and psychiatrists, with content relating to the identification, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders; (c) a total of 40 counselling and assistance centres for people with autism spectrum disorders were launched in partnership with local authorities; (d) a national strategy for social and professional integration of people with autism spectrum disorders developed through consultation with political, statutory and voluntary sector partners; and (e) a nationwide media campaign to raise awareness of the needs of children and young people with autism spectrum disorders that reached over eight million people. The project provides a transferable model to achieve important improvements in the quantity and quality of services on a national level within a brief time frame. © The Author(s) 2014.

Examining Success Factors Related to ERP Implementations in Higher Education Shared Services Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Stoyanoff, Dawn Galadriel Pfeiffer

2012-01-01

This study examined the enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations that utilized a shared services model in higher education. The purpose of this research was to examine the critical success factors which were perceived to contribute to project success. This research employed a quantitative non-experimental correlational design and the…

Projecting the climatic effects of increasing carbon dioxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MacCracken, M C; Luther, F M [eds.

1985-12-01

This report presents the current knowns, unknowns, and uncertainties regarding the projected climate changes that might occur as a result of an increasing atmospheric CO/sub 2/ concentration. Further, the volume describes what research is required to estimate the magnitude and rate of a CO/sub 2/-induced clamate change with regional and seasonal resolution. Separate abstracts have been prepared for the individual papers. (ACR)

Health Advocacy Project: Evaluating the Benefits of Service Learning to Nursing Students and Low Income Individuals Involved in a Community-Based Mental Health Promotion Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Samuels-Dennis, Joan; Xia, Liudi; Secord, Sandra; Raiger, Amelia

2016-10-08

Poverty, along with other factors such as unemployment, work and life stressors, interpersonal violence, and lack of access to high quality health and/or social services all play a role in determining who develops a mental illness and for whom those symptoms persist or worsen. Senior nursing student preparing to enter the field and working in a service learning capacity may be able to influence early recovery and symptom abatement among those most vulnerable to mental illness. A consortium of community stakeholders and researchers collaboratively designed a 10-week mental health promotion project called the Health Advocacy Project (HAP). The project combines case management and system navigation support delivered by trained and highly supervised nursing students to individuals experiencing major depressive disorder (MDD) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this article, we present the findings of a qualitative fidelity evaluation that examines the effectiveness of nursing students in delivering the health advocacy intervention at the level and with the intensity originally intended. The findings demonstrate how the services of senior nursing students may be optimized to benefit our healthcare system and populations most at risk for developing MDD and PTSD.

The National Weather Service Ceilometer Planetary Boundary Layer Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hicks M.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The National Weather Service (NWS is investigating the potential of utilizing the Automatic Surface Observing System’s (ASOS cloud base height indicator, the Vaisala CL31 ceilometer, to profile aerosols in the atmosphere. Field test sites of stand-alone CL31 ceilometers have been established, primarily, around the Washington DC metropolitan area, with additional systems in southwest USA and Puerto Rico. The CL31 PBL project examines the CL31 data collected for data quality, mixing height retrieval applicability, and its compliment to satellite data. This paper reviews the topics of the CL31 data quality and mixing height retrieval applicability.

Project risk and appeals in U.S. Forest Service planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stern, Marc J.; Predmore, S. Andrew; Morse, Wayde C.; Seesholtz, David N.

2013-01-01

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires U.S. Forest Service planning processes to be conducted by interdisciplinary teams of resource specialists to analyze and disclose the likely environmental impacts of proposed natural resource management actions on Forest Service lands. Multiple challenges associated with these processes have been a source of frustration for the agency. One of these challenges involves administrative appeals through which public entities can challenge a Forest Service decision following a NEPA process. These appeals instigate an internal review process and can result in an affirmation of the Forest Service decision, a reversal of that decision, or additional work that re-initiates all or part of the NEPA process. We examine the best predictors of appeals and their outcomes on a representative sample of 489 Forest Service NEPA processes that were decided between 2007 and 2009. While certain factors associated with pre-existing social contexts (such as a history of controversy) or pre-determined elements of a proposed action (such as the extraction of forest products) predispose certain processes to a higher risk of appeals, other practices and process-related strategies within the control of the agency also appear to bear meaningful influence on the occurrence of appeals and their outcomes. Appeals and their outcomes were most strongly related to programmatic, structural (turnover of personnel in particular), and relationship risks (both internal and external) within the processes, suggesting the need for greater focus within the agency on cultivating positive internal and external relationships to manage the risk of appeals. -- Highlights: ► We examined appeals and their outcomes on 489 U.S. Forest Service NEPA processes. ► Project type, context, team turnover, and personal relationships predicted appeals. ► External relationship management and staff turnover best predicted appeal outcomes. ► Positive internal and

Project risk and appeals in U.S. Forest Service planning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stern, Marc J., E-mail: mjstern@vt.edu [Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech, 304 Cheatham Hall (0324), Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States); Predmore, S. Andrew, E-mail: spred2@uis.edu [Department of Environmental Studies, University of Illinois-Springfield, Public Affairs Center, Room 314, Springfield, IL 62703 (United States); Morse, Wayde C., E-mail: morsewc@auburn.edu [School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 3301 Forestry and Wildlife Bldg., Auburn, AL 36849 (United States); Seesholtz, David N., E-mail: dseesholtz@fs.fed.us [Focused Science Delivery Program, Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 1249S Vinnell Way, Suite 200, Boise, ID 83709 (United States)

2013-09-15

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires U.S. Forest Service planning processes to be conducted by interdisciplinary teams of resource specialists to analyze and disclose the likely environmental impacts of proposed natural resource management actions on Forest Service lands. Multiple challenges associated with these processes have been a source of frustration for the agency. One of these challenges involves administrative appeals through which public entities can challenge a Forest Service decision following a NEPA process. These appeals instigate an internal review process and can result in an affirmation of the Forest Service decision, a reversal of that decision, or additional work that re-initiates all or part of the NEPA process. We examine the best predictors of appeals and their outcomes on a representative sample of 489 Forest Service NEPA processes that were decided between 2007 and 2009. While certain factors associated with pre-existing social contexts (such as a history of controversy) or pre-determined elements of a proposed action (such as the extraction of forest products) predispose certain processes to a higher risk of appeals, other practices and process-related strategies within the control of the agency also appear to bear meaningful influence on the occurrence of appeals and their outcomes. Appeals and their outcomes were most strongly related to programmatic, structural (turnover of personnel in particular), and relationship risks (both internal and external) within the processes, suggesting the need for greater focus within the agency on cultivating positive internal and external relationships to manage the risk of appeals. -- Highlights: ► We examined appeals and their outcomes on 489 U.S. Forest Service NEPA processes. ► Project type, context, team turnover, and personal relationships predicted appeals. ► External relationship management and staff turnover best predicted appeal outcomes. ► Positive internal and

Best practice in the management of clinical coding services: Insights from a project in the Republic of Ireland, Part 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Beth A; Ridoutt, Lee; O'Connor, Paul; Murphy, Deirdre

2017-09-01

This is the second of two articles about best practice in the management of coding services. The best practice project was part of a year-long project conducted in the Republic of Ireland to review the quality of the Hospital Inpatient Enquiry data for its use in activity-based funding. The four methods used to address the best practice aspect of the project were described in detail in Part 1. The results included in this article are those relating to the coding manager's background, preparation and style, clinical coder (CC) workforce adequacy, the CC workforce structure and career pathway, and the physical and psychological work environment for the clinical coding service. Examples of best practice were found in the study hospitals but there were also areas for improvement. Coding managers would benefit from greater support in the form of increased opportunities for management training and a better method for calculating CC workforce numbers. A career pathway is needed for CCs to progress from entry to expert CC, mentor, manager and quality controller. Most hospitals could benefit from investment in infrastructure that places CCs in a physical environment that tells them they are an important part of the hospital and their work is valued.

Students Upgrading through Computer and Career Education System Services (Project SUCCESS). Final Evaluation Report 1992-93. OER Report.

Science.gov (United States)

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Educational Research.

Student Upgrading through Computer and Career Education System Services (Project SUCCESS) was an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its third year of operation. Project SUCCESS served 460 students of limited English proficiency at two high schools in Brooklyn and one high school in Manhattan (New York City).…

Experiences of unemployed clients with services offered them by the front office of the Bridge project

OpenAIRE

Twum, Sampson

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of unemployed clients of the Bridge project to the services offered them by the front office. The Bridge project organises programs to ease immigrant’s integration. The project also aid immigrant’s integration with supervision, information and education through front office activity. This study used a qualitative research approach and the method of data collection was in-depth interviews. The participants were selected using snow b...

Project management: a case of fixed price IS/IT projects. Analysis of projects by project scopes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Kral

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The paper provides an overview of major issues of IS / IT projects. Attention will be focused on projects that are implemented under a contract for a specified amount of work and fixed price. The main purpose of the paper is to analyse the project parameters in terms of the types of projects, and to confirm, or refuse, a hypothesis related to this. There is some evidence from the portfolio of projects that have been implemented by the international companies providing IT services. Regarding the localisation, CEE region was selected for our research. The outputs of the paper should be a contribution to managing IS/IT projects in IT service delivery organizations and for the support of innovative thinking about project management generally.

Data dictionary services in XNAT and the Human Connectome Project

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-01-01

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

Social accountability and education revives health sub-centers in India and increases access to family planning services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan Otchere

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Uttar Pradesh (UP is the most populous state in India. The maternal mortality ratio, infant mortality rate, and fertility rates are all higher than the national average. Sixty percent of UP inhabitants live in rural communities. The reasons behind the poor state of health and services in many areas of UP are inadequate knowledge and availability in communities of healthy behaviors, and information on available government health services. Methods: World Vision, Inc. implemented a three-and-half year mobilizing plan for maternal and neonatal health through a birth spacing and advocacy project (MOMENT, partnering with local organizations in rural Hardoi and urban slums of Lucknow districts in UP. World Vision used print, audio, visual media, and house-to-house contacts to educate communities on timing and spacing of pregnancies; and the benefits of seeking and using maternal and child health services (MCH including immunization and family planning (FP.This paper focuses on World Vision’s social accountability strategy – Citizen Voice and Action (CVA and interface meetings – used in Hardoi that helped educate and empower Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs and village leaders to access government untied funds to improve community social and health services. Results: Forty VHSNCs were revived in 24 months. Nine local leaders accessed government untied funds. In addition, increased knowledge of the benefits of timing and spacing of pregnancies, maternal child health, family planning services, and access to community entitlements led the community to embrace and contribute their time to rebuild and re-open 17 non-functional Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM sub-centers. Seventeen ANMs received refresher training to provide quality care. Sub-center data showed that 1,121 and 3,156 women opted for intra-uterine contraceptive device and oral pills, respectively, and 29,316 condoms were distributed. Conclusion: In Hardoi

Examining of the Predictors of Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of the Quality of the Science Fair Projects in Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Tortop, Hasan Said

2014-01-01

This study aimed at examining the predictors of quality of science fair (SF) projects in the light of pre-service teachers' evaluation of SF rubric' domains. These projects were selected by judges in A city for the A Regional Exhibition of Science and Mathematics Project Study for Primary School Students: The SF projects were evaluated by thirty…

Project W-519 CDR supplement: Raw water and electrical services for privatization contractor, AP tank farm operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parazin, R.J.

1998-01-01

This supplement to the Project W-519 Conceptual Design will identify a means to provide RW and Electrical services to serve the needs of the TWRS Privatization Contractor (PC) at AP Tank Farm as directed by DOE-RL. The RW will serve the fire suppression and untreated process water requirements for the PC. The purpose of this CDR supplement is to identify Raw Water (RW) and Electrical service line routes to the TWRS Privatization Contractor (PC) feed delivery tanks, AP-106 and/or AP-108, and establish associated cost impacts to the Project W-519 baseline

Bundling of ecosystem services to increase forestland value and enhance sustainable forest management

Science.gov (United States)

Robert L. Deal; Bobby Cochran; Gina. LaRocco

2012-01-01

There has been increasing interest in the use of market-based approaches to add value for forestland and to assist with the conservation of natural resources. While markets for ecosystem services show potential for increasing forestland value, there is concern that the lack of an integrated program will simply add to the complexity of these services without generating...

Cooperation for Innovation in Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pyka, Andreas; Schön, Benjamin; Windrum, Paul

the development in service industries include the increasing modularization of services, the increasing importance of the introduction of novelties as well as new organizational forms for the division of labour between private and public actors in service innovation processes. In economics research so far...... is strongly biased towards innovation in manufacturing, only a few attempts exist to develop a self-contained economic theory of innovation for the service industries. The same can be said on economic research on the organization of innovation processes in the service industries. In public sector economics......PPin-Project places collaboration between public and private actors in service innovation processes central. To do this we develop in this working package a theory of public-private service innovation networks. For this purpose the literature on innovation processes and innovation networks is surveyed...

The EVNATURB project: toward an operational platform to assess Blue Green Solutions eco-systemic services in urban environment

Science.gov (United States)

Schertzer, D. J. M.; Versini, P. A.; Tchiguirinskaia, I.

2017-12-01

Urban areas are facing an expected increase in intensity and frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change. Combined with unsustainable urbanization, this should exacerbate the environmental consequences related to the water cycle as stormwater management issues, urban heat island increase and biodiversity degradation. Blue Green Solutions (BGS), such as green roofs, vegetated swales or urban ponds, appear to be particularly efficient to reduce the potential impact of new and existing urban developments with respect to these issues. Based on this statement, the French ANR EVNATURB project aims to develop a platform to assess the eco-systemic services provided by BGS and related with the previously mentioned issues. By proposing a multi-disciplinary consortium coupling monitoring, modelling and prospecting, it attempts to tackle several scientific issues currently limiting BGS wide implementation. Based on high resolution monitored sites and modelling tools, space-time variability of the related physical processes will be studied over a wide range of scales (from the material to the district scale), as well as local social-environmental stakes and constraints, to better consider the complexity of the urban environment. The EVNATURB platform developed during the project is intended for every stakeholder involved in urban development projects (planners, architects, engineering and environmental certification companies…) and will help them to implement BGS and evaluate which ones are the most appropriate for a particular project depending on its environmental objectives and constraints, and particularly for obtaining environmental certification.

The place and role of project management in the field of sports and recreation services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Skopin Oleg Viktorovich

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The author notes that in Russia the greatest application in the management area of health and fitness services received target-oriented and process approaches. Task that requires immediate action, is to develop an effective system of management development sphere of physical culture and recreational services, based on methodological developments in the field of project management, taking into account the peculiarities of the industry, based on the use of appropriate management technologies.

77 FR 20355 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Award Amendment Requests and Project Service Maps

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-04

... collection). Affected Public: Current recipients of EDA assistance, to include (1) cities or other political... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economic Development Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Award Amendment Requests and Project Service Maps AGENCY: Economic Development...

Managing Service Development (SaaS) as a project: business process modeling

OpenAIRE

Iliadi, Vasiliki; Ηλιάδη, Βασιλική

2017-01-01

In the context of the present thesis, we will be studying core principles of Business Process Management, and how we can take advantage of them in combination with Project Management Methodologies and modeling tools in the context of Software as a Service businesses and their development. Initially we provide the reader with an introduction to Business Process Management, how it can be used, and how the life cycle is structured. We further define the first three phases of the life cycle to...

Projects for increasing job satisfaction and creating a healthy work environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunges, Michele; Foley-Brinza, Christine

2014-12-01

Workplace culture is one of the biggest factors driving employee commitment and engagement. Multiple studies have shown that hospitals will perform better over time if employees are committed to their jobs and engaged in what they do. By creating and implementing multiple projects during a three-year period, a team at the University of Florida Health Shands Hospital, Gainesville, increased job satisfaction. Projects included ensuring meal breaks were offered, creating a serenity area, developing the patient ambassador role, actively addressing bullying and unprofessional behavior, assigning a student mentee to work with staff members on culture change, offering regular fun activities, redesigning the unit, reorganizing schedules to reduce stress, implementing education and training initiatives, establishing a Unit Practice Council, and implementing reward and recognition programs. Survey results and anecdotal evidence suggest that these projects combined to increase employee satisfaction and employee retention rates. Copyright © 2014 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bilingual Enrichment Services and Training (Project BEST): Community School District 2, Manhattan. Final Evaluation Report, 1992-93. OER Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Musante, Patricia

This report presents an evaluation of Bilingual Enrichment Services and Training (Project BEST), an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its third year of operation at four schools in Manhattan. The project served 266 Cantonese-, Fukienese, and Mandarin-speaking gifted students of limited English proficiency.…

Municipal services as a means of increasing the citizens’ activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Valeryevna Yakhina

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Objective to propose ways of increasing the activity of Russian citizens through the institution of municipal services. Methods the methodological basis of the study was a systematic and integrated approach to the analysis of the institution of municipal services. The general philosophical method was used as well as general scientific methods of cognition dialectical systemic analysis and synthesis induction and deduction and specific scientific methods comparativelegal formallegal historicallegal sociological systemicfunctional theoreticalprognostic linguolegal methods. In particular the formallegal method was used to study the problem of the legal fixation of administrative regulations statuses the theoreticalprognostic method was used in preparing recommendations to increase the activity of citizens. Results the municipal services are regarded by the author as a way to meet the needs of the population of a particular territory and as a way of interaction between local public authorities and the citizens. The issue of the functioning of emunicipalities is studied as well as the shortcomings in the legal regulation in this field. The problem is discussed of insufficient use of the Internet in the local authoritiesrsquo interaction with citizens. The author suggests ways to improve the Federal Law quotOn the organization of state and municipal servicesquot N 210FZ of July 2 2010 regarding the use of the Internet as a means of feedback between the public authorities and the population of a territory. Special attention is paid to normative legal acts regulating the procedure of municipal services provision i.e. the administrative regulations of local authorities. The emerging challenges in the legal regulation of the specified institution are identified the solutions to the identified problems are proposed. Scientific novelty in 2010 the institution of municipal services has undergone significant modernization thus the necessity to its research

Project Management Support and Services for the Environmental Restoration and Waste Management. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Environmental Restoration Technical Support Office (ERTSO) contracted Project Time ampersand Cost, Inc. (PT ampersand C) on 16 November 1992 to provide support services to the US Department of Energy (DOE). ERTSO had traditionally supported the DOE Albuquerque office in the Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs and had also supported the Office of Waste Management (EM-30) at DOE Headquarters in Germantown, Maryland. PT ampersand C was requested to provide project management and support services for the DOE as well as liaison and coordination of responses and efforts between various agencies. The primary objective of this work was to continue LANL's technical support role to EM-30 and assist in the development of the COE Cost and Schedule Estimating (CASE) Guide for EM-30. PT ampersand C's objectives, as specified in Section B of the contract, were well met during the duration of the project through the review and comment of various draft documents, trips to DOE sites providing program management support and participating in the training for the EM-30 Cost and Schedule Estimating Guide, drafting memos and scheduling future projects, attending numerous meetings with LANL, DOE and other subcontractors, and providing written observations and recommendations.he results obtained were determined to be satisfactory by both the LANL ERTSO and DOE EM-30 organizations. The objective to further the support from LANL and their associated subcontractor (PT ampersand C) was met. The contract concluded with no outstanding issues

Increasing corn for biofuel production reduces biocontrol services in agricultural landscapes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Landis, D.A.; Gardiner, M.M.; Werf, van der W.; Swinton, S.M.

2008-01-01

Increased demand for corn grain as an ethanol feedstock is altering U. S. agricultural landscapes and the ecosystem services they provide. From 2006 to 2007, corn acreage increased 19% nationally, resulting in reduced crop diversity in many areas. Biological control of insects is an ecosystem

Evolution of the U.S. energy service company industry: Market size and project performance from 1990–2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsen, Peter H.; Goldman, Charles A.; Satchwell, Andrew

2012-01-01

The U.S. energy service company (ESCO) industry is an example of a private sector business model where energy savings are delivered to customers primarily through the use of performance-based contracts. This study was conceived as a snapshot of the ESCO industry prior to the economic slowdown and the introduction of federal stimulus funding mandated by enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This study utilizes two parallel analytic approaches to characterize ESCO industry and market trends in the U.S.: (1) a “top-down” approach involving a survey of individual ESCOs to estimate aggregate industry activity and (2) a “bottom-up” analysis of a database of ∼3250 projects (representing over $8B in project investment) that reports market trends including installed EE retrofit strategies, project installation costs and savings, project payback times, and benefit-cost ratios over time. Despite the onset of a severe economic recession, the U.S. ESCO industry managed to grow at about 7% per year between 2006 and 2008. ESCO industry revenues were about $4.1 billion in 2008 and ESCOs anticipate accelerated growth through 2011 (25% per year). We found that 2484 ESCO projects in our database generated ∼$4.0 billion ($2009) in net, direct economic benefits to their customers. We estimate that the ESCO project database includes about 20% of all U.S. ESCO market activity from 1990–2008. Assuming the net benefits per project are comparable for ESCO projects that are not included in the LBNL database, this would suggest that the ESCO industry has generated ∼$23 billion in net direct economic benefits for customers at projects installed between 1990 and 2008. There is empirical evidence confirming that the industry is evolving by installing more comprehensive and complex measures—including onsite generation and measures to address deferred maintenance—but this evolution has significant implications for customer project economics

Building a partnership to evaluate school-linked health services: the Cincinnati School Health Demonstration Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Barbara L; Mansour, Mona; Kohake, Kelli

2005-12-01

The Cincinnati School Health Demonstration Project was a 3-year collaboration that evaluated school-linked health services in 6 urban elementary (kindergarten to eighth grade) schools. Partners from the Cincinnati Health Department, Cincinnati Public Schools, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati wanted to determine if levels of school-linked care made a difference in student quality of life, school connectedness, attendance, emergency department use, and volume of referrals to health care specialists. School nurses, principals and school staff, parents and students, upper-level managers, and health service researchers worked together over a 2.5-year period to learn about and use new technology to collect information on student health, well-being, and outcome measures. Varying levels of school health care intervention models were instituted and evaluated. A standard model of care was compared with 2 models of enhanced care and service. The information collected from students, parents, nurses, and the school system provided a rich database on the health of urban children. School facilities, staffing, and computer technology, relationship building among stakeholders, extensive communication, and high student mobility were factors that influenced success and findings of the project. Funding for district-wide computerization and addition of school health staff was not secured by the end of the demonstration project; however, relationships among the partners endured and paved the way for future collaborations designed to better serve urban school children in Cincinnati.

CQI project improves discharge process.

Science.gov (United States)

1998-08-01

At Gibson Rehab Center in Williamsport, PA, a continuous quality improvement project to bolster the institution's discharge planning process has resulted in increased satisfaction and an award for quality. The 15-month project was spearheaded by a multidisciplinary team charged with identifying areas that had a significant impact on customer service and suggesting better ways of delivering that service. Among the changes the group suggested were establishing a weekly discharge planning group for new neuro patients, assigning a discharge coordinator for each treatment team, and creating an interdisciplinary communication sheet for the home health therapy staff.

BiodivERsA project VineDivers: Analysing interlinkages between soil biota and biodiversity-based ecosystem services in vineyards across Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Zaller, Johann G.; Winter, Silvia; Strauss, Peter; Querner, Pascal; Kriechbaum, Monika; Pachinger, Bärbel; Gómez, José A.; Campos, Mercedes; Landa, Blanca; Popescu, Daniela; Comsa, Maria; Iliescu, Maria; Tomoiaga, Liliana; Bunea, Claudiu-Ioan; Hoble, Adela; Marghitas, Liviu; Rusu, Teodor; Lora, Ángel; Guzmán, Gema; Bergmann, Holger

2015-04-01

Essential ecosystem services provided by viticultural landscapes result from diverse communities of above- and belowground organisms and their interactions. For centuries traditional viticulture was part of a multifunctional agricultural system including low-input grasslands and fruit trees resulting in a high functional biodiversity. However, in the last decades intensification and mechanisation of vineyard management caused a separation of production and conservation areas. As a result of management intensification including frequent tilling and/or use of pesticides several ecosystem services are affected leading to high rates of soil erosion, degradation of soil structure and fertility, contamination of groundwater and high levels of agricultural inputs. In this transdisciplinary BiodivERsA project we will examine to what extent differently intensive managed vineyards affect the activity and diversity of soil biota (e.g. earthworms, collembola, soil microorganisms) and how this feed back on aboveground biodiversity (e.g. weeds, pollinators). We will also investigate ecosystem services associated with soil faunal activity and biodiversity such as soil structure, the formation of stable soil aggregates, water infiltration, soil erosion as well as grape quality. These effects will become increasingly important as more extreme precipitation events are predicted with climate change. The socio-economic part of the project will investigate the role of diversely structured, species-rich viticultural landscapes as a cultural heritage providing aesthetic values for human well-being and recreation. The project objectives will be analysed at plot, field (vineyard) and landscape scales in vineyards located in Spain, France, Romania and Austria. A detailed engagement and dissemination plan for stakeholder at the different governance levels will accompany scientific research and will contribute to the implementation of best-practice recommendations for policy and farmers.

In Madagascar, Use Of Health Care Services Increased When Fees Were Removed: Lessons For Universal Health Coverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Garchitorena, Andres; Miller, Ann C; Cordier, Laura F; Ramananjato, Ranto; Rabeza, Victor R; Murray, Megan; Cripps, Amber; Hall, Laura; Farmer, Paul; Rich, Michael; Orlan, Arthur Velo; Rabemampionona, Alexandre; Rakotozafy, Germain; Randriantsimaniry, Damoela; Gikic, Djordje; Bonds, Matthew H

2017-08-01

Despite overwhelming burdens of disease, health care access in most developing countries is extremely low. As governments work toward achieving universal health coverage, evidence on appropriate interventions to expand access in rural populations is critical for informing policies. Using a combination of population and health system data, we evaluated the impact of two pilot fee exemption interventions in a rural area of Madagascar. We found that fewer than one-third of people in need of health care accessed treatment when point-of-service fees were in place. However, when fee exemptions were introduced for targeted medicines and services, the use of health care increased by 65 percent for all patients, 52 percent for children under age five, and over 25 percent for maternity consultations. These effects were sustained at an average direct cost of US$0.60 per patient. The pilot interventions can become a key element of universal health care in Madagascar with the support of external donors. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

The CAMI Project - Weather and Climate Services for Caribbean Food Security

Science.gov (United States)

Trotman, Adrian; Van Meerbeeck, Cedric

2013-04-01

Food security is major focus of Caribbean governments, with production being of particular concern. For the past three decades, Caribbean agriculture has been declining in relative importance, both in terms of its contribution to GDP and its share of the labour force. One of the problems Caribbean agriculture faces is the destructive impacts from weather and climate extremes. These include flood, drought, extreme temperatures, and strong winds from tropical cyclones. Other potential disasters, such as from pests and diseases attacks, are also weather and climate driven. These make weather and climate information critically important to decision-making in agriculture in the Caribbean region. In an effort to help reduce weather and climate related risks to the food security sector, The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, along with its partners the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and ten National Meteorological Services from within the Caribbean Community launched and implemented the Caribbean Agrometeorological Initiative (CAMI). From 2010 to 2013, CAMI set out to provide relevant information to farmers, and the industry in general, for decision and policy making. The project is funded by the European Union through the Science and Technology Programme of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of Countries' (ACP). The overarching objective of CAMI was to increase and sustain agricultural productivity at the farm level in the Caribbean region through improved applications of weather and climate information, using an integrated and coordinated approach. Currently, this is done through (i) provision of relevant climate information appropriately disseminated, (ii) predictions on seasonal rainfall and temperature, (iii) support for improved irrigation management, (iv) the development of strategically selected weather-driven pest and disease models, (v) use of crop simulation models

Disrupting Faculty Service: Using Technology to Increase Academic Service Productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Burnett, Perry; Shemroske, Kenneth; Khayum, Mohammed

2014-01-01

Scholarly attention regarding faculty involvement has primarily focused on faculty opinions of shared governance and faculty influence on institutional decision-making. There has been limited attention given to academic service productivity and the effectiveness of traditional approaches toward the accomplishment of faculty service requirements.…

A generally applicable lightweight method for calculating a value structure for tools and services in bioinformatics infrastructure projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, Gerhard; Quast, Christian; Felden, Janine; Lange, Matthias; Prinz, Manuel; Pühler, Alfred; Lawerenz, Chris; Scholz, Uwe; Glöckner, Frank Oliver; Müller, Wolfgang; Marcus, Katrin; Eisenacher, Martin

2017-10-30

Sustainable noncommercial bioinformatics infrastructures are a prerequisite to use and take advantage of the potential of big data analysis for research and economy. Consequently, funders, universities and institutes as well as users ask for a transparent value model for the tools and services offered. In this article, a generally applicable lightweight method is described by which bioinformatics infrastructure projects can estimate the value of tools and services offered without determining exactly the total costs of ownership. Five representative scenarios for value estimation from a rough estimation to a detailed breakdown of costs are presented. To account for the diversity in bioinformatics applications and services, the notion of service-specific 'service provision units' is introduced together with the factors influencing them and the main underlying assumptions for these 'value influencing factors'. Special attention is given on how to handle personnel costs and indirect costs such as electricity. Four examples are presented for the calculation of the value of tools and services provided by the German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure (de.NBI): one for tool usage, one for (Web-based) database analyses, one for consulting services and one for bioinformatics training events. Finally, from the discussed values, the costs of direct funding and the costs of payment of services by funded projects are calculated and compared. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

The added value of telemedicine services for physical rehabilitation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kosterink, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Despite the huge potential of telemedicine services (increasing accessibility of care, increasing quality of care and lowering of healthcare costs), its implementation in daily clinical practice is very limited and most services fade away after a project or pilot phase. The aim of this thesis has

77 FR 30591 - Open Meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-23

... Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face [[Page 30592... meeting will be held Thursday, June 7 from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time and Friday, June 8 from 8:00 a...

Projected increases in the annual flood pulse of the Western Amazon

OpenAIRE

Zulkafli, Z.; Buytaert, W.; Manz, B.; Rosas, C. V.; Willems, P.; Lavado-Casimiro, W.; Guyot, Jean-Loup; Santini, William

2016-01-01

The impact of a changing climate on the Amazon basin is a subject of intensive research because of its rich biodiversity and the significant role of rainforests in carbon cycling. Climate change has also a direct hydrological impact, and increasing efforts have focused on understanding the hydrological dynamics at continental and subregional scales, such as the Western Amazon. New projections from the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 ensemble indicate consistent climatic warming...

Increasing the Value of Research: A Comparison of the Literature on Critical Success Factors for Projects, IT Projects and Enterprise Resource Planning Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annie Maddison Warren

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Since the beginning of modern project management in the 1960s, academic researchers have sought to identify a definitive list of Critical Success Factors (CSFs, the key things that project managers must get right in order to deliver a successful product. With the advent of Information Technology (IT projects and, more recently, projects to deliver Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP systems, attention has turned to identifying definitive lists of CSFs for these more specific project types. The purpose of this paper is to take stock of this research effort by examining how thinking about each type of project has evolved over time, before producing a consolidated list of CSFs for each as a basis for comparison. This process reveals a high degree of similarity, leading to the conclusion that the goal of identifying a generic list of CSFs for project management has been achieved. Therefore, rather than continuing to describe lists of CSFs, researchers could increase the value of their contribution by taking a step forward and focusing on why, despite this apparent knowledge of how to ensure their success, ERP projects continue to fail.

Implementation of Service Learning and Civic Engagement for Computer Information Systems Students through a Course Project at the Hashemite University

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Khasawneh, Ahmad; Hammad, Bashar K.

2013-01-01

Service learning methodologies provide information systems students with the opportunity to create and implement systems in real-world, public service-oriented social contexts. This paper presents a case study of integrating a service learning project into an undergraduate Computer Information Systems course titled "Information Systems"…

Determining the directions of increasing the innovative potential of the region by developing innovative technologies and competences when preparing and implementing large investment projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timur V. Kramin

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective to determine the directions of increasing the innovative potential of a region through the development of innovative technologies and competences in the process of preparation and implementation of large investment projects in the Republic of Tatarstan. Methods methodology of project management institutional approach. Results it is proved that the main largescale directions of innovative potential development in the Republic of Tatarstan as a result of preparation and implementing of Universiade 2013 in Kazan are knowledge management information technologies risk management. It is shown that in the framework of the considered innovative areas a complete system was formed of competences of employees and managers in the fields of education trade hospitality and service. Scientific novelty the key directions were defined of increasing the innovative potential of a region through the development of innovative technologies and competences in the process of preparation and implementation of large investment projects by the example of the World Summer Student Games in Kazan in 2013. Practical significance on the basis of specific examples the authors illustrate the practiceoriented mechanism of innovative potential development of a region as a result of implementation of large investment projects. nbsp

Tree cover and aridity projections to 2060: a technical document supporting the Forest Service 2010 RPA assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Eric J. Greenfield; David J. Nowak

2013-01-01

Future projections of tree cover and climate change are useful to natural resource managers as they illustrate potential changes to our natural resources and the ecosystem services they provide. This report a) details three projections of tree cover change across the conterminous United States based on predicted land-use changes from 2000 to 2060; b) evaluates nine...

Potential increase in floods in California's Sierra Nevada under future climate projections

Science.gov (United States)

Das, T.; Dettinger, M.D.; Cayan, D.R.; Hidalgo, H.G.

2011-01-01

California's mountainous topography, exposure to occasional heavily moisture-laden storm systems, and varied communities and infrastructures in low lying areas make it highly vulnerable to floods. An important question facing the state-in terms of protecting the public and formulating water management responses to climate change-is "how might future climate changes affect flood characteristics in California?" To help address this, we simulate floods on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the state's primary catchment, based on downscaled daily precipitation and temperature projections from three General Circulation Models (GCMs). These climate projections are fed into the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model, and the VIC-simulated streamflows and hydrologic conditions, from historical and from projected climate change runs, allow us to evaluate possible changes in annual maximum 3-day flood magnitudes and frequencies of floods. By the end of the 21st Century, all projections yield larger-than-historical floods, for both the Northern Sierra Nevada (NSN) and for the Southern Sierra Nevada (SSN). The increases in flood magnitude are statistically significant (at p models, while under the third scenario, GFDL CM2. 1, frequencies remain constant or decline slightly, owing to an overall drying trend. These increases appear to derive jointly from increases in heavy precipitation amount, storm frequencies, and days with more precipitation falling as rain and less as snow. Increases in antecedent winter soil moisture also play a role in some areas. Thus, a complex, as-yet unpredictable interplay of several different climatic influences threatens to cause increased flood hazards in California's complex western Sierra landscapes. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Lights! Camera! Action Projects! Engaging Psychopharmacology Students in Service-based Action Projects Focusing on Student Alcohol Abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Susan

2016-01-01

Alcohol abuse continues to be an issue of major concern for the health and well-being of college students. Estimates are that over 80% of college students are involved in the campus "alcohol culture." Annually, close to 2000 students die in the United States due to alcohol-related accidents, with another 600,000 sustaining injury due to alcohol-related incidents (NIAAA, 2013). Students enrolled in a Psychopharmacology course engaged in action projects (community outreach) focused on alcohol abuse on our campus. Research has indicated that these types of projects can increase student engagement in course material and foster important skills, including working with peers and developing involvement in one's community. This paper describes the structure and requirements of five student outreach projects and the final projects designed by the students, summarizes the grading and assessment of the projects, and discusses the rewards and challenges of incorporating such projects into a course.

Online charging for IMS-based inter-domain composite services

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Le, M.V.; Rumph, F.J.; Huitema, G.B.; Beijnum, B.J.V.; Nieuwenhuis, L.J.M.

2009-01-01

In order to manage financial risks online charging of composite services is becoming increasingly important for service providers to support service delivery in inter-domain environments. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has developed a framework for off-line and online charging of

The User Community and a Multi-Mission Data Project: Services, Experiences and Directions of the Space Physics Data Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Fung, Shing F.; Bilitza, D.; Candey, R.; Chimiak, R.; Cooper, John; Fung, Shing; Harris, B.; Johnson R.; King, J.; Kovalick, T.;

Bringing authentic service learning to the classroom: benefits and lessons learned

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlain, Leslie C.

2016-06-01

Project-based learning, which has gained significant attention within K-12 education, provides rich hands-on experiences for students. Bringing an element of service to the projects allow students to engage in a local or global community, providing an abundance of benefits to the students’ learning. For example, service projects build confidence, increase motivation, and exercise problem-solving and communication skills in addition to developing a deep understanding of content. I will present lessons I have learned through four years of providing service learning opportunities in my classroom. I share ideas for astronomy projects, tips for connecting and listening to a community, and helpful guidelines to hold students accountable in order to ensure a productive and educational project.

Qualifying in-service education of Science Teachers (QUEST)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Keld; Nielsen, Birgitte Lund; Pontoppidan, Birgitte

The Danish QUEST-project is a large-scale (450 teachers), long-term (4 years) professional development project for science teachers. The project aims at closing the gap between the present inconsequential practice in in-service education and recent research results documenting conditions for effe......The Danish QUEST-project is a large-scale (450 teachers), long-term (4 years) professional development project for science teachers. The project aims at closing the gap between the present inconsequential practice in in-service education and recent research results documenting conditions...... and peer involvement in collaborative practices in the school science teacher group is specifically addressed and targeted throughout the project. A special way of working (the QUEST-Rhythm) has been developed to increase the degree of teacher collaboration and networking over the 4 years. The accompanying...

On Services for Collaborative Project Management

Science.gov (United States)

Ollus, Martin; Jansson, Kim; Karvonen, Iris; Uoti, Mikko; Riikonen, Heli

This paper presents an approach for collaborative project management. The focus is on the support of collaboration, communication and trust. Several project management tools exist for monitoring and control the performance of project tasks. However, support of important intangible assets is more difficult to find. In the paper a leadership approach is identified as a management means and the use of new IT technology, especially social media for support of leadership in project management is discussed.

THE TERRITORIALIZATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE PROJECTS (PROINF IN THE MIDDLE SERTÃO DE ALAGOAS (BRAZIL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Antero da

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In the last three decades, the direction of public policies for family agriculture has been broadened. Thus, rural development programs and projects under the territorial approach are being implemented. In this sense, the objective of this study is to analyze the territorialisation of the Support Actions to Infrastructure and Services Projects of the Rural Territories (PROINF in the Middle Hinterland of Alagoas. The methodological procedures were performed through bibliographic, documentary and field research. Since the creation of the Territory of the Middle Hinterland of Alagoas in 2003, the Infrastructure and Services Projects have added 13 actions aimed at supporting territorial management and financing for the diversification of the technical means of production for family agriculture. The territorial strategy denotes a collective narrative in the process of integrating public policies for family agriculture. The insertion of the technique causes in individualistic agglutination when the PROINF proposals are materialized. The collective proposal is succumbed by a more perverse and disruptive process, because the interests are diverse and the intentionalities as well.

Access to health services in Western Newfoundland, Canada: Issues, barriers and recommendations emerging from a community-engaged research project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janelle Hippe

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Research indicates that people living in rural and remote areas of Canada face challenges to accessing health services. This article reports on a community-engaged research project conducted by investigators at Memorial University of Newfoundland in collaboration with the Rural Secretariat Regional Councils and Regional Partnership Planners for the Corner Brook–Rocky Harbour and Stephenville–Port aux Basques Rural Secretariat Regions of Newfoundland and Labrador. The aim of this research was to gather information on barriers to accessing health services, to identify solutions to health services’ access issues and to inform policy advice to government on enhancing access to health services. Data was collected through: (1 targeted distribution of a survey to communities throughout the region, and (2 informal ‘kitchen table’ discussions to discuss health services’ access issues. A total of 1049 surveys were collected and 10 kitchen table discussions were held. Overall, the main barriers to care listed in the survey included long wait times, services not available in the area and services not available at time required. Other barriers noted by survey respondents included transportation problems, financial concerns, no medical insurance coverage, distance to travel and weather conditions. Some respondents reported poorer access to maternal/child health and breast and cervical screening services and a lack of access to general practitioners, pharmacy services, dentists and nurse practitioners. Recommendations that emerged from this research included improving the recruitment of rural physicians, exploring the use of nurse practitioners, assisting individuals with travel costs,  developing specialist outreach services, increasing use of telehealth services and initiating additional rural and remote health research. Keywords: rural, remote, healthcare, health services, social determinants of health

Transfer of innovation, knowledge and competencies on the care service for people with acquired disabilities: the European Project "Care for Work".

Science.gov (United States)

Barchitta, M; Fragapane, S; Consoli, M T; Pennisi, C; Agodi, A

2012-01-01

The growing needs of people with disabilities require to integrate this issue into public health in order to improve political feasibility and to ensure that disability will not be left off from any strategic table. The main aim of the "Care for Work" project was to provide training contents to help workers and unemployed people to adapt their knowledge, skills and competencies to the care services sector in order to facilitate their insertion in a new employment source. The partners participating in the project are Organizations from 5 European countries. The project has been divided into seven Work Packages (WPs): three transversal WPs and four specific WPs, each addressing specific activities necessary to achieve the final objectives of the project. The "Care for Work" learning environment contains specific information and training on the techniques for caring people with acquired physical disabilities, as text documents and short training films. The project combines e-learning (Web 2.0) and mobile learning providing a flexible training platform for workers of care services sector. The "Care for Work" project offers specific training addressed to meet the new existing needs of workers of the care services sector and/or unemployed people. All the information and results of the project are available on the web page: www.careforwork.eu, and the present article is part of the WP "Valorization".

Pedagogical Strategies to Increase Pre-service Teachers’ Confidence in Computer Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li-Ling Chen

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards computers significantly influence their future adoption of integrating computer technology into their teaching. What are the pedagogical strategies that a teacher education instructor or an instructional designer can incorporate to enhance a pre-service teacher’s comfort level in using computers? In this exploratory report, the researcher synthesizes related literature, provides a comprehensive list of theory-based instructional strategies, and describes a study of the perceptions of 189 pre-service teachers regarding strategies related to increasing their comfort in using computers.

INCREASING CULTURALLY COMPETENT NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES FOR ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS: A CALL TO ACTION

Science.gov (United States)

Mindt, Monica Rivera; Byrd, Desiree; Saez, Pedro; Manly, Jennifer

2010-01-01

US demographic and sociopolitical shifts have resulted in a rapidly growing need for culturally competent neuropsychological services. However, clinical neuropsychology as a field has not kept pace with the needs of ethnic minority clients. In this discussion we review: historical precedents and the limits of universalism in neuropsychology; ethical/professional guidelines pertinent to neuropsychological practice with ethnic minority clients; critical cultural considerations in neuropsychology; current disparities germane to practice; and challenges to the provision of services to racial/ethnic minority clients. We provide a call to action for neuropsychologists and related organizations to advance multiculturalism and diversity within the field by increasing multicultural awareness and knowledge, multicultural education and training, multicultural neuropsychological research, and the provision of culturally competent neuropsychological services to racial/ethnic minority clients. Lastly, we discuss strategies for increasing the provision of culturally competent neuropsychological services, and offer several resources to meet these goals. PMID:20373222

Implementation of Service Learning and Civic Engagement for Students of Computer Information Systems through a Course Project at the Hashemite University

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Khasawneh, Ahmad; Hammad, Bashar K.

2015-01-01

Service learning methodologies provide students of information systems with the opportunity to create and implement systems in real-world, public service-oriented social contexts. This paper presents a case study which involves integrating a service learning project into an undergraduate Computer Information Systems course entitled…

Quality of service in the Netherlands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knijp, J.; Zwart, T. de; Frenken, R.M.L. [KEMA (Netherlands)

1997-12-31

Growing competition between utilities, changing legislation and increased usage of sensitive and disturbing end-user equipment, are some reasons for growing attention for the customers` view towards the product electricity and its related services. This growing interest certainly does not mean that the technical quality level always has to be increased. This depends mainly on the requirements and expectations of the customers. Achieving a reliable power supply at high quality level requires enormous investments. For electric utilities, it is important to know how the customers value the delivered products and services in order to determine if the investments are proportionally. Utilities need new tools and techniques to search for an optimal quality level for each customer. Product differentiation and additional services can be developed if the right information is available. In 1994 KEMA has started a project called: Quality of service. During the project different methods and techniques have been developed. In this paper three tools will be presented. The ``customer simulator``, the Dutch power quality monitoring programme and the ``PSQ-indicator``. (Author)

Further development of the spindle seal on reactor valves and development for increasing serviceability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zilling, H.

1977-01-01

A literature search concerning packing glands for sealing oscillating rods was marginally profitable. In order to design single-wall siphons a programme has been developed, in which by applying boundary conditions such as range, pressure, setting - the distortion tension which occur in each section of the siphon and also its life can be calculated. In the 'serviceability' project records have been kept during the installation of dampers and valves. (orig.) [de

Three new projects for the CERN Dosimetry Service

CERN Multimedia

CERN Bulletin

2011-01-01

The measures for the protection of personnel against ionising radiation at CERN are very strict. As soon as a new directive is issued by EURATOM, the Laboratory ensures it is adopted quickly. Since every system can be perfected, Pierre Carbonez and the Dosimetry Service team are working on three new projects aimed at improving the safety of workers exposed to ionising radiation in the course of their work on the CERN sites.       The two types of dosimeters currently in use at CERN. 4,700 people at CERN have a dosimeter. Every month, they have to have their dosimeter scanned by one of the 45 readers installed at various strategic locations around the Laboratory. Each month, the dosimetry team led by Pierre Carbonez exchanges around 450 dosimeters to recalibrate them and prepare them for further use. “These dosimeters are passive detectors which record the doses caused by beta, gamma and neutron radiation," explains Pierre Carbonez. &a...

Bilingual Academic and Career Education Services for Hispanic High School Students (Project BACES). Final Evaluation Report, 1992-93. OER Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Candice

This report presents an evaluation of the Bilingual Academic and Career Education Services for Hispanic High School Students (Project BACES), an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its third year of operation at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx and George Washington High School in Manhattan. The project served…

Letter of Intent for River Protection Project (RPP) Characterization Program: Process Engineering and Hanford Analytical Services and Characterization Project Operations and Quality Assurance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ADAMS, M.R.

2000-01-01

The Characterization Project level of success achieved by the River Protection Project (RPP) is determined by the effectiveness of several organizations across RPP working together. The requirements, expectations, interrelationships, and performance criteria for each of these organizations were examined in order to understand the performances necessary to achieve characterization objectives. This Letter of Intent documents the results of the above examination. It formalizes the details of interfaces, working agreements, and requirements for obtaining and transferring tank waste samples from the Tank Farm System (RPP Process Engineering, Characterization Project Operations, and RPP Quality Assurance) to the characterization laboratory complex (222-S Laboratory, Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility, and the Hanford Analytical Service Program) and for the laboratory complex analysis and reporting of analytical results

Increased use of dental services by children covered by Medicaid: 2000-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Ku, Leighton; Sharac, Jessica; Bruen, Brian; Thomas, Megan; Norris, Laurie

2013-01-01

This report analyzes the use of dental services by children enrolled in Medicaid from federal fiscal years (FFY) 2000 to 2010. The number and percent of children receiving dental services under Medicaid climbed continuously over the decade. In FFY 2000, 6.3 million children ages 1 to 20 were reported to receive some form of dental care (either preventive or treatment); the number more than doubled to 15.4 million by FFY 2010. Part of the increase was because the overall number of children covered by Medicaid rose by 12 million (50%), but the percentage of children who received dental care climbed appreciably from 29.3% in FFY 2000 to 46.4% in FFY 2010. In that same time period, the number of children ages 1 to 20 receiving preventive dental services climbed from a reported 5.0 million to 13.6 million, while the percentage of children receiving preventive dental services rose from 23.2% to 40.8%. For children ages 1 to 20 who received dental treatment services, the reported number rose from 3.3 million in FFY 2000 to 7.6 million in FFY 2010. The percentage of children who obtained dental treatment services increased from 15.3% to 22.9%. In FFY 2010, about one sixth of children covered by Medicaid (15.7%) ages 6-14 had a dental sealant placed on a permanent molar. While most states have made steady progress in improving children's access to dental care in Medicaid over the past decade, there is still substantial variation across states and more remains to be done.

Experiences of Social Inclusion and Employment of Mental Health Service Users in a European Union Project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nieminen, Irja; Ramon, Shulamit; Dawson, Ian

2012-01-01

users experienced improvement in their social life. Employment and participation in meaningful activities continued to improve to the end of the EMILIA project, although at a slower pace. In addition, users were motivated for work and actively searched for employment. Having a mental illness, stigma......, and discrimination were reported to be obstacles to social inclusion. The difficulties identified in social relationships continued to exist. Conclusions: Train- ing intervention impact positively on mental health service users’ social inclusion and employment. However stigma, discrimination, and having a mental......ABSTRACT: Aims: The aim of this study is to describe how the mental health service users experienced social inclusion and employment in the EU EMILIA project. Methods: The study design is an intervention group follow-up study, with data collection at three points: baseline (T0), at 10-month follow...

The Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station's Southwestern Borderlands Ecosystem Management Project: building on ten years of success [Abstract

Science.gov (United States)

Gerald J. Gottfried; Carleton B. Edminster

2005-01-01

The USDA Forest Service initiated the Southwestern Borderlands Ecosystem Management Project in 1994. The Project concentrates on the unique, relatively unfragmented landscape of exceptional biological diversity in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Its mission is to: "Contribute to the scientific basis for developing and implementing a comprehensive...

Evaluation of current Australian health service accreditation processes (ACCREDIT-CAP): protocol for a mixed-method research project.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinchcliff, Reece; Greenfield, David; Moldovan, Max; Pawsey, Marjorie; Mumford, Virginia; Westbrook, Johanna Irene; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2012-01-01

Accreditation programmes aim to improve the quality and safety of health services, and have been widely implemented. However, there is conflicting evidence regarding the outcomes of existing programmes. The Accreditation Collaborative for the Conduct of Research, Evaluation and Designated Investigations through Teamwork-Current Accreditation Processes (ACCREDIT-CAP) project is designed to address key gaps in the literature by evaluating the current processes of three accreditation programmes used across Australian acute, primary and aged care services. The project comprises three mixed-method studies involving documentary analyses, surveys, focus groups and individual interviews. Study samples will comprise stakeholders from across the Australian healthcare system: accreditation agencies; federal and state government departments; consumer advocates; professional colleges and associations; and staff of acute, primary and aged care services. Sample sizes have been determined to ensure results allow robust conclusions. Qualitative information will be thematically analysed, supported by the use of textual grouping software. Quantitative data will be subjected to a variety of analytical procedures, including descriptive and comparative statistics. The results are designed to inform health system policy and planning decisions in Australia and internationally. The project has been approved by the University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee (approval number HREC 10274). Results will be reported to partner organisations, healthcare consumers and other stakeholders via peer-reviewed publications, conference and seminar presentations, and a publicly accessible website.

Neural network based pattern matching and spike detection tools and services--in the CARMEN neuroinformatics project.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, Martyn; Liang, Bojian; Smith, Leslie; Knowles, Alastair; Jackson, Tom; Jessop, Mark; Austin, Jim

2008-10-01

In the study of information flow in the nervous system, component processes can be investigated using a range of electrophysiological and imaging techniques. Although data is difficult and expensive to produce, it is rarely shared and collaboratively exploited. The Code Analysis, Repository and Modelling for e-Neuroscience (CARMEN) project addresses this challenge through the provision of a virtual neuroscience laboratory: an infrastructure for sharing data, tools and services. Central to the CARMEN concept are federated CARMEN nodes, which provide: data and metadata storage, new, thirdparty and legacy services, and tools. In this paper, we describe the CARMEN project as well as the node infrastructure and an associated thick client tool for pattern visualisation and searching, the Signal Data Explorer (SDE). We also discuss new spike detection methods, which are central to the services provided by CARMEN. The SDE is a client application which can be used to explore data in the CARMEN repository, providing data visualization, signal processing and a pattern matching capability. It performs extremely fast pattern matching and can be used to search for complex conditions composed of many different patterns across the large datasets that are typical in neuroinformatics. Searches can also be constrained by specifying text based metadata filters. Spike detection services which use wavelet and morphology techniques are discussed, and have been shown to outperform traditional thresholding and template based systems. A number of different spike detection and sorting techniques will be deployed as services within the CARMEN infrastructure, to allow users to benchmark their performance against a wide range of reference datasets.

Increasing seat belt use through state-level demonstration projects : a compendium of initial findings

Science.gov (United States)

2008-08-01

This report summarizes the efforts and results from four of six State-level demonstration projects supported with cooperative agreements from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The projects were intended to increase seat belt use sta...

Managing Projects with the Public, -bringing Partnering, Contracts and Financing together in Building Public Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koch, Christian

2004-01-01

of opportunity shows that on the operational level the contractual, financial and skill basis for the project has to be mobilized, negotiated, partly stabilized and renegotiated. The participating actors thus have to develop a new set of skills in dealing with municipalities and managing operations in PPPs....... of projects have had trouble to develop. The paper views PPP as an interaction between an emergent governance frame and operational activities in the project. PPP is an element of a networked public sector and the paper takes a network and political process approach to the shaping of PPP in Denmark....... It is analysed how the governance frame for these type of projects constituted a window of opportunity in the late nineties for “sale and lease back” arrangements, combined with partnering and more traditional design-build contracts. A case of a municipality renewing its school services, exploiting this window...

Jini service to reconstruct tomographic data

Science.gov (United States)

Knoll, Peter; Mirzaei, S.; Koriska, K.; Koehn, H.

2002-06-01

A number of imaging systems rely on the reconstruction of a 3- dimensional model from its projections through the process of computed tomography (CT). In medical imaging, for example magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and Single Computer Tomography (SPECT) acquire two-dimensional projections of a three dimensional projections of a three dimensional object. In order to calculate the 3-dimensional representation of the object, i.e. its voxel distribution, several reconstruction algorithms have been developed. Currently, mainly two reconstruct use: the filtered back projection(FBP) and iterative methods. Although the quality of iterative reconstructed SPECT slices is better than that of FBP slices, such iterative algorithms are rarely used for clinical routine studies because of their low availability and increased reconstruction time. We used Jini and a self-developed iterative reconstructions algorithm to design and implement a Jini reconstruction service. With this service, the physician selects the patient study from a database and a Jini client automatically discovers the registered Jini reconstruction services in the department's Intranet. After downloading the proxy object the this Jini service, the SPECT acquisition data are reconstructed. The resulting transaxial slices are visualized using a Jini slice viewer, which can be used for various imaging modalities.

Project for Establishing a Selected Dissemination of Information Service for the Faculty Members at Education and Psychology Faculty, University of Tehran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gholamreza Fadaei

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The project aim was to establish an SDI (Selected Dissemination of Information service for the faculty members at University of Tehran, faculty of psychology and education. The project was carried out during the 2006-2007 period. First, a three stage survey was conducted to identify the information needs which were then served using a current awareness service over the period. Findings confirmed that the SDI project significantly impacted on the faculty information seeking behavior. Furthermore, there had been evidence supporting the fact that it has also influenced the quality of instruction by facilitating the overall efficacy of information sources collected. It was the intent of researchers to expand this project at later stages to include all humanities faculties in the university and if possible at a national level.

Increasing competitiveness of service companies: developing conceptual models for implementing Lean Management in service companies

OpenAIRE

Damrath, Felix

2012-01-01

Lean management is a philosophy focused on identifying and eliminating waste throughout a product’s entire value stream. It originates from the manufacturing system of Japanese automotive manufacturer Toyota and attracted due to its tremendous success widespread attention worldwide. Lean promises significant benefits in terms of waste reduction, and increased organizational and supply chain communication and integration.Generally, in terms of operations and improvements service companies are ...

The Heliospheric Cataloguing, Analysis and Techniques Service (HELCATS) project

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, D.; Harrison, R. A.; Davies, J. A.; Perry, C. H.; Moestl, C.; Rouillard, A.; Bothmer, V.; Rodriguez, L.; Eastwood, J. P.; Kilpua, E.; Gallagher, P.; Odstrcil, D.

2017-12-01

Understanding solar wind evolution is fundamental to advancing our knowledge of energy and mass transport in the solar system, whilst also being crucial to space weather and its prediction. The advent of truly wide-angle heliospheric imaging has revolutionised the study of solar wind evolution, by enabling direct and continuous observation of both transient and background components of the solar wind as they propagate from the Sun to 1 AU and beyond. The recently completed, EU-funded FP7 Heliospheric Cataloguing, Analysis and Techniques Service (HELCATS) project (1st May 2014 - 30th April 2017) combined European expertise in heliospheric imaging, built up over the last decade in particular through leadership of the Heliospheric Imager (HI) instruments aboard NASA's STEREO mission, with expertise in solar and coronal imaging as well as the interpretation of in-situ and radio diagnostic measurements of solar wind phenomena. HELCATS involved: (1) the cataloguing of transient (coronal mass ejections) and background (stream/corotating interaction regions) solar wind structures observed by the STEREO/HI instruments, including estimates of their kinematic properties based on a variety of modelling techniques; (2) the verification of these kinematic properties through comparison with solar source observations and in-situ measurements at multiple points throughout the heliosphere; (3) the assessment of the potential for initialising numerical models based on the derived kinematic properties of transient and background solar wind components; and (4) the assessment of the complementarity of radio observations (Type II radio bursts and interplanetary scintillation) in the detection and analysis of heliospheric structure in combination with heliospheric imaging observations. In this presentation, we provide an overview of the HELCATS project emphasising, in particular, the principal achievements and legacy of this unprecedented project.

Umbrella project for Bangladesh: strengthening NGO capacity and linkages to improve reproductive health service and information. RAS/98/P55.

Science.gov (United States)

1999-06-01

In Bangladesh, the UN Population Fund is working to strengthen nongovernmental organization (NGO) capacity and linkages to improve reproductive health services and information. Specifically, the aim is to strengthen the technical and human resource capacity of participating NGOs and the functional linkages between national NGOs and relevant government agencies to help harmonize and standardize the delivery of reproductive health information and services. This umbrella project collaborates with RHI-participating NGOs in a policy paper on adolescent reproductive health, and will maintain contact with the regional dimension project to collaborate its activities. Programs implemented by partner NGOs are being reviewed and monitored, and linkages among national NGOs and government agencies are being developed. The main activities of the project are enumerated.

Project-based fieldwork: perspectives of graduate entry students and project sponsors.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortune, Tracy; McKinstry, Carol

2012-08-01

This article builds on an earlier viewpoint regarding the need for project-focussed fieldwork. It presents the findings of an evaluative study into the value of project placements undertaken by final year graduate entry master's students as part of a capstone subject. The authors argue that provision of project placements enable impending graduates to develop and implement macro level strategies to develop prevention, resource and service development skills often required of contemporary occupational therapy practitioners. A qualitative approach is adopted. Student cohorts from 2005 and 2006 completed open-ended, written questionnaires, and agency project sponsors were interviewed to obtain their perspectives of the project placement experience. Despite some concern that project placements might be undertaken at the expense of 'clinical' placements these findings reveal that projects managed by students were perceived by services to add great value enabling them to advance important priorities. Students and sponsors highlighted a range of positive learning outcomes, including the ability to work collaboratively with supervisors and develop advanced communication skills and political acumen. The success of such placements depends on supportive supervision from academic staff. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: The findings promote project placements as a highly authentic aspect of work integrated learning enabling learners to draw together a range of attributes that support the ability to manage complex issues that have occupational relevance at a macro level. In addition, such experiences help learners to develop agency and political acumen both increasingly important capabilities for the contemporary workplace. © 2012 The Authors Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2012 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Do expanded seven-day NHS services improve clinical outcomes? Analysis of comparative institutional performance from the ?NHS Services, Seven Days a Week? project 2013?2016

OpenAIRE

Gan, Hoong-Wei; Wong, Danny Jon Nian; Dean, Benjamin John Floyd; Hall, Alistair Scott

2017-01-01

Background The cause of adverse weekend clinical outcomes remains unknown. In 2013, the ?NHS Services, Seven Days a Week? project was initiated to improve access to services across the seven-day week. Three years on, we sought to analyse the impact of such changes across the English NHS. Methods Aggregated trust-level data on crude mortality rates, Summary Hospital-Level Mortality Indicator (SHMI), mean length of stay (LOS), A&E admission and four-hour breach rates were obtained from national...

Do expanded seven-day NHS services improve clinical outcomes? Analysis of comparative institutional performance from the "NHS Services, Seven Days a Week" project 2013-2016

OpenAIRE

Gan, H-W; Wong, D. J. N.; Dean, B. J. F.; Hall, A. S.

2017-01-01

Background: The cause of adverse weekend clinical outcomes remains unknown. In 2013, the “NHS Services, Seven Days a Week” project was initiated to improve access to services across the seven-day week. Three years on, we sought to analyse the impact of such changes across the English NHS. Methods: Aggregated trust-level data on crude mortality rates, Summary Hospital-Level Mortality Indicator (SHMI), mean length of stay (LOS), A&E admission and four-hour breach rates were obtained f...

Maui Smart Grid Demonstration Project Managing Distribution System Resources for Improved Service Quality and Reliability, Transmission Congestion Relief, and Grid Support Functions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2014-09-30

The Maui Smart Grid Project (MSGP) is under the leadership of the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The project team includes Maui Electric Company, Ltd. (MECO), Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (HECO), Sentech (a division of SRA International, Inc.), Silver Spring Networks (SSN), Alstom Grid, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), University of Hawaii-Maui College (UHMC), and the County of Maui. MSGP was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under Cooperative Agreement Number DE-FC26-08NT02871, with approximately 50% co-funding supplied by MECO. The project was designed to develop and demonstrate an integrated monitoring, communications, database, applications, and decision support solution that aggregates renewable energy (RE), other distributed generation (DG), energy storage, and demand response technologies in a distribution system to achieve both distribution and transmission-level benefits. The application of these new technologies and procedures will increase MECO’s visibility into system conditions, with the expected benefits of enabling more renewable energy resources to be integrated into the grid, improving service quality, increasing overall reliability of the power system, and ultimately reducing costs to both MECO and its customers.

The Students Upgrading through Computer and Career Education Systems Services (Project SUCCESS). 1990-91 Final Evaluation Profile. OREA Report.

Science.gov (United States)

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment.

An evaluation was done of the New York City Public Schools' Student Upgrading through Computer and Career Education Systems Services Program (Project SUCCESS). Project SUCCESS operated at 3 high schools in Brooklyn and Manhattan (Murry Bergtraum High School, Edward R. Murrow High School, and John Dewey High School). It enrolled limited English…

Give Water a Hand. School Site Action Guide. Organizing Water Conservation and Pollution Prevention Service Projects in Your Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Coll. of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Students grades 4-8 can use this guide to explore the topics of water, and water conservation at a school site, while conducting an environmental community service project. Youth groups, led by a group leader, work with local experts from business, government, or environmental organizations to complete the project. Nine activity sections involve…

Give Water a Hand. Community Site Action Guide. Organizing Water Conservation and Pollution Prevention Service Projects in Your Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Coll. of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Students grades 4-8 can use this guide to explore the topics of water, and water conservation within a community, while conducting an environmental community service project. Youth groups, led by a group leader, work with local experts from business, government, or environmental organizations to complete the project. Nine activity sections involve…

Give Water a Hand. Home Site Action Guide. Organizing Water Conservation and Pollution Prevention Service Projects in Your Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Coll. of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Students grades 4-8 can use this guide to explore the topics of water and water conservation within the home while conducting an environmental community service project. Youth groups, led by a group leader, work with local experts from business, government, or environmental organizations to complete the project. Nine activity sections involve…

The impact of project marketing on the projects finality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oxana SAVCIUC

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In the last years we assist at the level of the Republic of Moldova and also at international level at a trend to offer financial support with a special focus on project-based funding. Once with the appearance and development of the project concept, other related concepts are being developed such as project management or newly, we can also speak about the projects marketing. Until recently, the product marketing was intensely discussed; concepts such as services marketing appeared afterwards, but also the specific marketing for various branches, such as agromarketing, political marketing, etc. Given that fact that the projects are a product / service itself, at the moment, more and more often projects marketing is discussed.

Rehabilitation and modernization project of units 1 and 2 of Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant. A strengthening project to 120%. (2nd phase)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liebana, B.; Merino, A.; Garcia, J. L.; Gomez, M.; Martinez, I.; Ruiz, L.

2010-01-01

The power increase of the Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant is a project for the rehabilitation and modernization of the turbo and associated equipment to get an increase of its power and of its service life. The project scope includes the design, the engineering, the equipment supply, the installation, the testing and the commissioning. This article presents the work of the second phase.

All projects related to | Page 218 | IDRC - International Development ...

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

2012-04-01

Promoting Innovation in the Services Sector: Toward Productivity and Competitiveness. Project. The services sector is increasingly important to the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean, but productivity remains relatively low. Start Date: April 1, 2012. End Date: March 12, 2014. Topic: LATIN AMERICA, SERVICE ...

SEL2 servicing: increased science return via on-orbit propellant replenishment

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Benjamin B.; DeWeese, Keith; Kienlen, Michael; Aranyos, Thomas; Pellegrino, Joseph; Bacon, Charles; Qureshi, Atif

2016-07-01

Spacecraft designers are driving observatories to the distant Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2 (SEL2) to meet ever-increasing science requirements. The mass fraction dedicated to propellant for these observatories to reach and operate at SEL2 will be allocated with the upmost care, as it comes at the expense of optics and instrument masses. As such, these observatories could benefit from on-orbit refueling, allowing greater dry-to-wet mass ratio at launch and/or longer mission life. NASA is developing technologies, capabilities and integrated mission designs for multiple servicing applications in low Earth orbit (LEO), geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) and cisluner locations. Restore-L, a mission officially in formulation, will launch a free-flying robotic servicer to refuel a government-owned satellite in LEO by mid 2020. This paper will detail the results of a point design mission study to extend Restore-L servicing technologies from LEO to SEL2. This SEL2 mission would launch an autonomous, robotic servicer spacecraft equipped to extend the life of two space assets through refueling. Two space platforms were chosen to 1) drive the requirements for achieving SEL2 orbit and rendezvous with a spacecraft, and 2) to drive the requirements to translate within SEL2 to conduct a follow-on servicing mission. Two fuels, xenon and hydrazine, were selected to assess a multiple delivery system. This paper will address key mission drivers, such as servicer autonomy (necessitated due to communications latency at L2). Also discussed will be the value of adding cooperative servicing elements to the client observatories to reduce mission risk.

Project governance: selected South African government experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. van der Walt

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Some form of accountability and power structure binds all organisations. Such structures are typically referred to as the “governance” structure of the organisation. In organisations that have relatively mature project applications and methodologies in place, governance mechanisms are established on more permanent bases. With its focus on performance, results and outcomes, project governance establishes decision-making structures, as well as accountability and responsibility mechanisms in public institutions to oversee projects. As government institutions increasingly place emphasis on project applications for policy implementation and service delivery initiatives, mechanisms or structures should be established to facilitate clear interfaces between the permanent organisation and the temporary project organisation. Such mechanisms or structures should enhance the governance of projects, that is, the strategic alignment of projects, the decentralisation of decision- making powers, rapid resource allocation, and the participation of external stakeholders. The purpose of this article is to explore the concept “project governance”, and to highlight examples of project governance as applied in selected government departments in provincial and national spheres. This would enable the establishment of best practice examples and assist to develop benchmarks for effective project applications for service delivery improvement.

Increasing Cone-beam projection usage by temporal fitting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyksborg, Mark; Hansen, Mads Fogtmann; Larsen, Rasmus

2010-01-01

A Cone-beam CT system can be used to image the lung region. The system records 2D projections which will allow 3D reconstruction however a reconstruction based on all projections will lead to a blurred reconstruction in regions were respiratory motion occur. To avoid this the projections are typi......A Cone-beam CT system can be used to image the lung region. The system records 2D projections which will allow 3D reconstruction however a reconstruction based on all projections will lead to a blurred reconstruction in regions were respiratory motion occur. To avoid this the projections...... in [6] prior knowledge of the lung deformation estimated from the planning CT could be used to include all projections into the reconstruction. It has also been attempted to estimate both the motion and 3D volume simultaneously in [4]. Problems with motion estimation are ill-posed leading to suboptimal...... motion which in return affects the reconstruction. By directly including time into the image representation the effect of suboptimal motion fields are avoided and we are still capable of using phase neighbour projections. The 4D image model is fitted by solving a statistical cost function based...

Wireless and wireline service convergence in next generation optical access networks - the FP7 WISCON project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vegas Olmos, Juan José; Pang, Xiaodan; Lebedev, Alexander

2014-01-01

The next generation of information technology demands both high capacity and mobility for applications such as high speed wireless access capable of supporting broadband services. The transport of wireless and wireline signals is converging into a common telecommunication infrastructure....... In this paper, we will present the Marie Curie Framework Program 7 project “Wireless and wireline service convergence in next generation optical access networks” (WISCON), which focuses on the conception and study of novel architectures for wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) optical multi-modulation format...

The Value of Modern Decision-Making Support Services to Fusion Projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pascal, C.

2006-01-01

Whatever the power generation process ( fission or fusion), a nuclear plant is a complex system made of thousands of components and equipment. It is also submitted to the most strength requirements in terms of safety, environmental impact, schedule and economical competitiveness. Even the fission process is well known and managed, achieving successfully a nuclear facility construction project nowadays requires a mastery in integration and project management. The feedback of recent test and propulsion reactor projects designed and built by AREVA TA (more than 10 reactors from 4 different designs in the last 12 years) and the recent erected Asian NPPs and under process Okiluoto AREVA NP EPR construction project highlight the real interest of most modern engineering method utilization. These methods, satisfying the project management standards issued in the last five years, are based on a global approach and on the continuous improvement of the process. They offer a real minimization of risks for the client, for the public and the environment. Achieving a new fusion power plant project implies a change in the order of magnitude of the scientific and technical complexity. Naturally the feedback of previous scientific machines projects is strongly limited specially in the field of nuclear facility integration, nuclear safety culture, human factor, Integrated Logistic Support, nuclear operation and decommissioning requirements at the design and construction stages. The paper presents how can fusion community take advantages from best engineering practices of nuclear companies. The examples issued from AREVA group's experience show the versatility of the engineering approach and present some successful adaptations of these methods, even if the engineering responsibility is limited and the technical domain is different. These methods, initially developed for core activities (nuclear propulsion reactor engineering) have been successfully used in the field of scientific

Understanding the Influence of knowledge-sharing in Project Portfolio Management in professional services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Mads Lyngsø; Horsager, Betina; Tambo, Torben

2016-01-01

that combine the entire project-, program and portfolio life-cycle. The information processing must facilitate controlled knowledge flows and learnings, while helping the project managers to reduce non-productive knowledge acquisition. This is accomplished with a balance between the need for knowledge....... As critical findings of the paper are observations, characterization of knowledge-sharing and -management processes between clients, consultants, consultants-as-a-community, and senior management with information systems often in a retrospective position according to the immediate needs of PPM....... As such there is found knowledge-based deficit in the precision of the PPM system. The originality of this paper relates to knowledge management studies in small professional services organization at the tipping point where KM changes from person-based to be institutionalized in information systems with having...

Light rail project in Copenhagen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jonas Lohmann Elkjær; Landex, Alex; Nielsen, Otto Anker

2006-01-01

The need for high class public transport service of the increasing travel across the radial urban structure of the greater Copenhagen region was examined through planning of a light rail. The exact corridor (defined as the Ring 2½ corridor) and alignment of the light rail were documented and the ......The need for high class public transport service of the increasing travel across the radial urban structure of the greater Copenhagen region was examined through planning of a light rail. The exact corridor (defined as the Ring 2½ corridor) and alignment of the light rail were documented...... light rail projects...

Earth Observation-Supported Service Platform for the Development and Provision of Thematic Information on the Built Environment - the Tep-Urban Project

Science.gov (United States)

Esch, T.; Asamer, H.; Boettcher, M.; Brito, F.; Hirner, A.; Marconcini, M.; Mathot, E.; Metz, A.; Permana, H.; Soukop, T.; Stanek, F.; Kuchar, S.; Zeidler, J.; Balhar, J.

2016-06-01

The Sentinel fleet will provide a so-far unique coverage with Earth observation data and therewith new opportunities for the implementation of methodologies to generate innovative geo-information products and services. It is here where the TEP Urban project is supposed to initiate a step change by providing an open and participatory platform based on modern ICT technologies and services that enables any interested user to easily exploit Earth observation data pools, in particular those of the Sentinel missions, and derive thematic information on the status and development of the built environment from these data. Key component of TEP Urban project is the implementation of a web-based platform employing distributed high-level computing infrastructures and providing key functionalities for i) high-performance access to satellite imagery and derived thematic data, ii) modular and generic state-of-the art pre-processing, analysis, and visualization techniques, iii) customized development and dissemination of algorithms, products and services, and iv) networking and communication. This contribution introduces the main facts about the TEP Urban project, including a description of the general objectives, the platform systems design and functionalities, and the preliminary portfolio products and services available at the TEP Urban platform.

Multiple levels in the organisation of innovation : project organization in single-firm projects and multi-firm projects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jaspers, F.P.H.; Ende, van den J.C.M.; Borgh, van der W.; Yin, Jie

2008-01-01

Studies about how the organization of new product (and new service) development projects (NPD) projects influences project performance typically investigate this in Single-firm projects, i.e. projects with high ownership integration. However, NPD projects are often performed by two or more

Increasing EFL Learners’ Oral Production at a Public School Through Project-Based Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ady Marcela Vaca Torres

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This research study examined how a group of ninth graders enhanced the speaking skill in an English as a foreign language classroom through project-based learning. Data about the experience were collected through field notes, transcripts of learners’ oral performance, and one interview. Grounded theory was implemented for data analysis, out of which three main findings emerged: (1 project-based learning encouraged students to increase oral production through lexical competence development, (2 helped them to overcome fears of speaking in L2, and (3, increased their interest in learning about their school life and community.

Dynamics of participation and supply of services in the Hood River Conservation Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirst, E.; Goeltz, R.

1986-07-01

The Hood River Conservation Project (HRCP) is a major residential retrofit demonstration project. HRCP is funded by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and run by Pacific Power and Light Company. The project was conducted in the community of Hood River, Oregon, will cost $21 million, and will last for three years (mid-1983 through 1986). Installation of applicable retrofit measures was completed by the end of 1985; data collection, analysis, and report writing will continue through 1986. This report documents the extent to which households participated in HRCP. Differences between participants and eligible nonparticipants are examined. Similarly, differences among participants as a function of when they signed up for HRCP are analyzed. The report also examines the dynamics of program services (i.e., times between audit requests and audit, and between audit and installation of measures). These analyses are based on data from the roughly 3500 Hood River homes eligible for HRCP, 3189 of which received free home energy audits and 2988 of which received HRCP-financed retrofit measures.

Methodology Proposal for Increasing Swift Trust within Virtual Teams in the Inception Phase of a Project Life-Cycle: Project Manager’s Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milovanović Bojan Morić

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes team building methodology for project managers in virtual teams as means to develop swift trust between new team members in the inception phase of the project life cycle. Proposed methodology encompasses activities within the first three days after the team formation and proposes the measuring tools for monitoring and managing trust development within the project team. Aim of this paper is to provide new insights to various decision makers potentially interested in increasing the performance of project teams operating in virtual environment, such as: investors, business owners and project managers working in virtual environment.

Does SSP Plus Increase Employment? The Effect of Adding Services to the Self-Sufficiency Project's Financial Incentives.

Science.gov (United States)

Quets, Gail; Robins, Philip K.; Pan, Elsie C.; Michalopoulos, Charles; Card, David

In 1992, Human Resources Development Canada launched the Self-Sufficiency Project (SSP), which was a research and demonstration effort involving long-term, single-parent Income Assistance (IA) recipients in New Brunswick and British Columbia. Under SSP, IA recipients who left IA and worked at least 30 hours per week were offered a generous but…

Blind test results - measure of incessant progress in personnel monitoring services at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jashi, K.B.; Ashok Kumar, A.; Pandaram, P.

2018-01-01

Personnel Monitoring Services (PMS) at Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) laboratory, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) involve monitoring of about 1500 radiation workers of KKNPP for external radiation exposure on monthly basis. Quality assurance in PMS provides an overall estimate of accuracy which depends not only upon the dosimeter quality and reader performance but also on data interpretation, applicable software and the system. Therefore it measures the effectiveness of quality control mechanism. Blind test is an effective tool to check the performance of the processor without their knowledge during routine processing of the service cards

Increased utilization of health care services after psychotherapy: a register based study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fenger, Morten Munthe; Poulsen, Stig Bernt; Mortensen, Erik Lykke

2012-01-01

services for patients referred to psychotherapeutic treatment in 2004 and 2005. Method The study was a matched control study, which included 716 consecutive patients and 15,220 matched controls. Data from a comprehensive set of health care services were collected from central registries for an observation...... period of four years before intake and four years after ended treatment. Changes in utilization of health care services in eight health parameters were analyzed with t-test and with ANCOVA one and four year pre-post treatment. Results Of the 761 patients, 216 patients did not show up for treatment, while...... 545 patients completed treatment; 228 responded and 201 did not respond to treatment. Data on treatment response was missing for the remaining 116 patients. Completer patients increased their use of all health care services with 296% (ES=0.58) in the four year pre-post comparison, while the control...

A socioeconomic assessment of Forest Service American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects: eight case studies

Science.gov (United States)

Susan Charnley; Pamela J. Jakes; John Schelhas

2011-01-01

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 aimed to create jobs and jumpstart the economy while addressing the Nation’s social and environmental needs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, received $1.15 billion in recovery funding to support projects in wildland fire management, capital improvement and maintenance, and biomass utilization. This...

SERVICES OF FULL-TEXT SEARCHING IN A DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT (PROJECT HUMANITARIANA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. K. Lyapin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Problem statement. We justify the possibility of full-text search services application in both universal and specialized (in terms of resource base digital libraries for the extraction and analysis of the context knowledge in the humanities. The architecture and services of virtual information and resource center for extracting knowledge from the humanitarian texts generated by «Humanitariana» project are described. The functional integration of the resources and services for a full-text search in a distributed decentralized environment, organized in the Internet / Intranet architecture under the control of the client (user browser accessing a variety of independent servers. An algorithm for a distributed full-text query implementation is described. Methods. Method of combining requency-ranked and paragraph-oriented full-text queries is used: the first are used for the preliminary analysis of the subject area or a combination product (explication of "vertical" context, or macro context, the second - for the explication of "horizontal" context, or micro context within copyright paragraph. The results of the frequency-ranked queries are used to compile paragraph-oriented queries. Results. The results of textual research are shown on the topics "The question of fact in Russian philosophy", "The question of loneliness in Russian philosophy and culture". About 50 pieces of context knowledge on the total resource base of about 2,500 full-text resources have been explicated and briefly described to their further expert investigating. Practical significance. The proposed technology (advanced full-text searching services in a distributed information environment can be used for the information support of humanitarian studies and education in the humanities, for functional integration of resources and services of various organizations, for carrying out interdisciplinary research.

Use of Psychosocial Services Increases after a Social Worker-Mediated Intervention in Gynecology Oncology Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Yuko; Shah, Nina R.; Ward, Kristy K.; McHale, Michael T.; Alvarez, Edwin A.; Saenz, Cheryl C.; Plaxe, Steven C.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the introduction of psychosocial services to gynecologic oncology outpatients by a social worker increases service use. During the initial six weeks (phase I), patients were referred for psychosocial services by clinic staff. During the second six weeks (phase II), a nurse introduced available…

AmI and deployment considerations in AAL services provision for elderly independent living: the MonAMI project.

Science.gov (United States)

Falcó, Jorge L; Vaquerizo, Esteban; Lain, Luis; Artigas, Jose Ignacio; Ibarz, Alejandro

2013-07-12

The MonAMI project aims to investigate the feasibility of the deployment of open platforms for Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) services provision based on Ambient Intelligence (AmI) and to test user acceptance and the usability of the services. Services were designed to provide support in the areas of environmental control, security, well-being and leisure. These services were installed and evaluated in a Spanish geriatric residence. The participants included elderly persons with disabilities, nursing home care givers and informal carers. The concept of the open platform proved to be satisfactory for the provision of the services in a context aware framework. Furthermore, the usability of the technology was viewed positively and the overall results indicate that this system has the potential to prolong independent living at home for elderly people with disabilities. Deployment was proven successful and awareness of open-platform AAL service delivery was raised in local communities throughout Europe.

AmI and Deployment Considerations in AAL Services Provision for Elderly Independent Living: The MonAMI Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandro Ibarz

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The MonAMI project aims to investigate the feasibility of the deployment of open platforms for Ambient Assisted Living (AAL services provision based on Ambient Intelligence (AmI and to test user acceptance and the usability of the services. Services were designed to provide support in the areas of environmental control, security, well-being and leisure. These services were installed and evaluated in a Spanish geriatric residence. The participants included elderly persons with disabilities, nursing home care givers and informal carers. The concept of the open platform proved to be satisfactory for the provision of the services in a context aware framework. Furthermore, the usability of the technology was viewed positively and the overall results indicate that this system has the potential to prolong independent living at home for elderly people with disabilities. Deployment was proven successful and awareness of open-platform AAL service delivery was raised in local communities throughout Europe.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) in local services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carpintero, Samuel; Petersen, Ole Helby

2016-01-01

Local governments are increasingly utilising the public–private partnership (PPP) model as a means of organising service delivery in the public–private domain. This article examines the experiences with construction and operation of 131 PPP wastewater treatment plants in the region of Aragon, Spain...... to the complexity of implementing the projects. The findings contribute to the literature on local service delivery and provide insights regarding risk transfer in long-term PPP contracts for the delivery of local services in general and water services in particular....

Linking the benefits of ecosystem services to sustainable spatial planning of ecological conservation strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Lin; Cao, Wei; Xu, Xinliang; Fan, Jiangwen; Wang, Junbang

2018-09-15

The maintenance and improvement of ecosystem services on the Tibet Plateau are critical for national ecological security in China and are core objectives of ecological conservation in this region. In this paper, ecosystem service benefits of the Tibet Ecological Conservation Project were comprehensively assessed by estimating and mapping the spatiotemporal variation patterns of critical ecosystem services on the Tibet Plateau from 2000 to 2015. Furthermore, we linked the benefit assessment to the sustainable spatial planning of future ecological conservation strategies. Comparing the 8 years before and after the project, the water retention and carbon sink services of the forest, grassland and wetland ecosystems were slightly increased after the project, and the ecosystem sand fixation service has been steadily enhanced. The increasing forage supply service of grassland significantly reduced the grassland carrying pressure and eased the conflict between grassland and livestock. However, enhanced rainfall erosivity occurred due to increased rainfall, and root-layer soils could not recover in a short period of time, both factors have led to a decline in soil conservation service. The warm and humid climate is beneficial for the restoration of ecosystems on the Tibet Plateau, and the implementation of the Tibet Ecological Conservation Project has had a positive effect on the local improvement of ecosystem services. A new spatial planning strategy for ecological conservation was introduced and aims to establish a comprehensive, nationwide system to protect important natural ecosystems and wildlife, and to promote the sustainable use of natural resources. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Merkel cell carcinoma: Current US incidence and projected increases based on changing demographics.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulson, Kelly G; Park, Song Youn; Vandeven, Natalie A; Lachance, Kristina; Thomas, Hannah; Chapuis, Aude G; Harms, Kelly L; Thompson, John A; Bhatia, Shailender; Stang, Andreas; Nghiem, Paul

2018-03-01

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) incidence rates are rising and strongly age-associated, relevant for an aging population. Determine MCC incidence in the United States and project incident cases through the year 2025. Registry data were obtained from the SEER-18 Database, containing 6600 MCC cases. Age- and sex-adjusted projections were generated using US census data. During 2000-2013, the number of reported solid cancer cases increased 15%, melanoma cases increased 57%, and MCC cases increased 95%. In 2013, the MCC incidence rate was 0.7 cases/100,000 person-years in the United States, corresponding to 2488 cases/year. MCC incidence increased exponentially with age, from 0.1 to 1.0 to 9.8 (per 100,000 person-years) among age groups 40-44 years, 60-64 years, and ≥85 years, respectively. Due to aging of the Baby Boomer generation, US MCC incident cases are predicted to climb to 2835 cases/year in 2020 and 3284 cases/year in 2025. We assumed that the age-adjusted incidence rate would stabilize, and thus, the number of incident cases we projected might be an underestimate. An aging population is driving brisk increases in the number of new MCC cases in the United States. This growing impact combined with the rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape warrants expanded awareness of MCC diagnosis and management. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Innovations in electronic services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dagmara Wach

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Summarry Existence in electronic business has become increasingly difficult. High competition and considerable financial resources needed to enter electronic market are the problems of most micro and small sized enterprises, starting or developing their business. Nevertheless, there is a market niche for them, which can ensure success and grant partial financing of the business. This niche are small web projects, providing the customer with personalized service, hitting his tastes and meeting immediate needs. A projects that large websites are unable to perform. Financial sourcing of those projects comes from EU subsidies, in the framework of the Działanie 8.1. PO IG, 2007-2013.

49 CFR 633.11 - Covered projects.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Covered projects. 633.11 Section 633.11..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT Project Management Oversight Services § 633.11 Covered projects. The Administrator may contract for project management oversight services when the...

Web Services in 3G Service Platforms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lagerberg, Ko; Plas, Dirk-Jaap; Wegdam, M.

2002-01-01

In third-generation (3G) networks, third-party service developers will have access to the mobile network resources using open network interfaces, such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project's (3GPP's) Open Service Access (OSA). The service platforms that offer these interfaces provide

More Questions than Answers: Assessing the Impact of Online Social Networking on a Service-Learning Project

Science.gov (United States)

Moeller, Mary R.; Nagy, Dianne

2013-01-01

This article details the evolution and results of a service-learning project designed to extend cross-cultural relationships via online social networking between students at a U.S. Bureau of Indian Education boarding school and teacher candidates in a required diversity course. The goals for the partnership included helping Native American…

Alternative techniques for environmental project management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeves, S.

1994-01-01

Beginning in the late 1970s and early 1980s, increased regulation and recognition of ground water as an important natural resource led industry to address subsurface contamination at many sites. This caused the industry's dependence on environmental consultants to increase drastically. Initially, the accepted practice for addressing environmental concerns was to rely upon consultants to determine appropriate work scope, budgets, procedures and regulatory interaction. While significant advances have been made in technology and consulting services, improvement in project management and cost containment have been limited. In order to effectively manage environmental projects, it is imperative that business risks and standardized project management practices be factored into environmental solutions. A standardized environmental project management program was developed and applied to projects at petroleum marketing facilities throughout the United States. Following development and implementation, detailed studies were conducted to measure the value of standardization in reducing costs and enhancing efficiencies. The results indicate significant improvement in both reducing project costs and in enhancing the efficiency of consultants

The Introduction of Innovative Services in a State Owned Airline: A Case Study of an IT Migration Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinos Malagas

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This study critically examines the transition process followed by a state-owned airline in a major IT migration project (introduction of novel electronic services. The change management process proposed by Kotter (1995 is examined in relation to the different phases identifed, based on an interview based qualitative research. Focusing on the project team leaders a set of results is identifed / determined, which provides signifcant insight into the key factors, defciencies and outcomes of the project, with reference to the characteristics of a state-owned company. Further elaboration of the proposed methodology is deemed to be applicable in the identifcation of the weak and strong points of similar change projects.

Evolution of the U.S. Energy Service Company Industry: Market Size and Project Performance from 1990-2008

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsen, Peter [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Goldman, Charles A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Satchwell, Andrew [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2012-05-08

The U.S. energy service company (ESCO) industry is an example of a private sector business model where energy savings are delivered to customers primarily through the use of performance-based contracts. This study was conceived as a snapshot of the ESCO industry prior to the economic slowdown and the introduction of federal stimulus funding mandated by enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This study utilizes two parallel analytic approaches to characterize ESCO industry and market trends in the U.S.: (1) a “top-down” approach involving a survey of individual ESCOs to estimate aggregate industry activity and (2) a “bottom-up” analysis of a database of -3,265 projects (representing over $8B in project investment) that reports market trends including installed EE retrofit strategies, project installation costs and savings, project payback times, and benefit-cost ratios over time. Despite the onset of an economic recession, the U.S. ESCO industry managed to grow at about 7% per year between 2006 and 2008. ESCO industry revenues are relatively small compared to total U.S. energy expenditures (about $4.1 billion in 2008), but ESCOs anticipated accelerated growth through 2011 (25% per year). We found that 2,484 ESCO projects in our database generated -$4.0 billion ($2009) in net, direct economic benefits to their customers. We estimate that the ESCO project database includes about 20% of all U.S. ESCO market activity from 1990-2008. Assuming the net benefits per project are comparable for ESCO projects that are not included in the LBNL database, this would suggest that the ESCO industry has generated -$23 billion in net direct economic benefits for customers at projects installed between 1990 and 2008. We found that nearly 85% of all public and institutional projects met or exceeded the guaranteed level of savings. We estimated that a typical ESCO project generated $1.5 dollars of direct benefits for every dollar of customer

The implementation of electronic services: planned or organic growth?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Cole

2005-11-01

Full Text Available The literature on innovation suggests that projects are successful when rigorous project management is mixed judiciously with 'organic' development. This paper argues that organic growth can play a substantial role in the implementation of electronic services in healthcare settings. Evidence for organic growth is presented, based on a study of email use. Methods are presented for investigating email use in health service settings in the National Health Service (NHS in Bradford, England. Geographical information systems (GIS outputs and social network analyses are presented. The results demonstrate a fivefold increase in the use of email over a 13-month period, which is shown to be largely independent of the growth in the number of organisations using the network. They also demonstrate a marked increase in the complexity of the patterns of email use over the period.

Integrating evidence into policy and sustainable disability services delivery in western New South Wales, Australia: the 'wobbly hub and double spokes' project.

Science.gov (United States)

Veitch, Craig; Lincoln, Michelle; Bundy, Anita; Gallego, Gisselle; Dew, Angela; Bulkeley, Kim; Brentnall, Jennie; Griffiths, Scott

2012-03-21

Policy that supports rural allied health service delivery is important given the shortage of services outside of Australian metropolitan centres. The shortage of allied health professionals means that rural clinicians work long hours and have little peer or service support. Service delivery to rural and remote communities is further complicated because relatively small numbers of clients are dispersed over large geographic areas. The aim of this five-year multi-stage project is to generate evidence to confirm and develop evidence-based policies and to evaluate their implementation in procedures that allow a regional allied health workforce to more expeditiously respond to disability service need in regional New South Wales, Australia. The project consists of four inter-related stages that together constitute a full policy cycle. It uses mixed quantitative and qualitative methods, guided by key policy concerns such as: access, complexity, cost, distribution of benefits, timeliness, effectiveness, equity, policy consistency, and community and political acceptability. Stage 1 adopts a policy analysis approach in which existing relevant policies and related documentation will be collected and reviewed. Policy-makers and senior managers within the region and in central offices will be interviewed about issues that influence policy development and implementation. Stage 2 uses a mixed methods approach to collecting information from allied health professionals, clients, and carers. Focus groups and interviews will explore issues related to providing and receiving allied health services. Discrete Choice Experiments will elicit staff and client/carer preferences. Stage 3 synthesises Stage 1 and 2 findings with reference to the key policy issues to develop and implement policies and procedures to establish several innovative regional workforce and service provision projects. Stage 4 uses mixed methods to monitor and evaluate the implementation and impact of new or adapted

Increased Use of Dental Services by Children Covered by Medicaid: 2000–2010

Science.gov (United States)

Ku, Leighton; Sharac, Jessica; Bruen, Brian; Thomas, Megan; Norris, Laurie

2013-01-01

This report analyzes the use of dental services by children enrolled in Medicaid from federal fiscal years (FFY) 2000 to 2010. The number and percent of children receiving dental services under Medicaid climbed continuously over the decade. In FFY 2000, 6.3 million children ages 1 to 20 were reported to receive some form of dental care (either preventive or treatment); the number more than doubled to 15.4 million by FFY 2010. Part of the increase was because the overall number of children covered by Medicaid rose by 12 million (50%), but the percentage of children who received dental care climbed appreciably from 29.3% in FFY 2000 to 46.4% in FFY 2010. In that same time period, the number of children ages 1 to 20 receiving preventive dental services climbed from a reported 5.0 million to 13.6 million, while the percentage of children receiving preventive dental services rose from 23.2% to 40.8%. For children ages 1 to 20 who received dental treatment services, the reported number rose from 3.3 million in FFY 2000 to 7.6 million in FFY 2010. The percentage of children who obtained dental treatment services increased from 15.3% to 22.9%. In FFY 2010, about one sixth of children covered by Medicaid (15.7%) ages 6-14 had a dental sealant placed on a permanent molar. While most states have made steady progress in improving children's access to dental care in Medicaid over the past decade, there is still substantial variation across states and more remains to be done. PMID:24753975

Designing and Implementing Service Learning Projects in an Introductory Oceanography Course Using the ``8-Block Model''

Science.gov (United States)

Laine, E. P.; Field, C.

2010-12-01

The Campus Compact for New Hampshire (Gordon, 2003) introduced a practical model for designing service-learning exercises or components for new or existing courses. They divided the design and implementation process into eight concrete areas, the “8-Block Model”. Their goal was to demystify the design process of service learning courses by breaking it down into interconnected components. These components include: project design, community partner relations, the problem statement, building community in the classroom, building student capacity, project management, assessment of learning, and reflection and connections. The project design component of the “8-Block Model” asks that the service performed be consistent with the learning goals of the course. For science courses students carry out their work as a way of learning science and the process of science, not solely for the sake of service. Their work supports the goals of a community partner and the community partner poses research problems for the class in a letter on their letterhead. Linking student work to important problems in the community effectively engages students and encourages them to work at more sophisticated levels than usually seen in introductory science classes. Using team-building techniques, the classroom becomes a safe, secure learning environment that encourages sharing and experimentation. Targeted lectures, labs, and demonstrations build the capacity of students to do their research. Behind the scenes project management ensures student success. Learning is assessed using a variety of tools, including graded classroom presentations, poster sessions, and presentations and reports to community partners. Finally, students reflect upon their work and make connections between their research and its importance to the well being of the community. Over the past 10 years, we have used this approach to design and continually modify an introductory oceanography course for majors and non

Economic Analysis of Cikaso Mini Hydro Power Plant as a CDM Project for Increasing IRR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irhan Febijanto

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Renewable energy fueled power generations are few developed by private sector in Indonesia. High-cost investment and low electricity selling price to PT PLN as a single buyer is main barriers for private sector to involve in the development of renewable energy fueled power generations. In this project, the economic feasibility of Mini Hydro Power Plant of Cikaso with capacity of 5.3 MW, located at Sukabumi Regency, West Java province was assessed. This project utilized revenue generated from carbon market to increase the economic feasibility. Procedure to register the project to United Nation for Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC as a Clean Development Mechanism project was explained in detail. Approved Consolidation Methodology (ACM 0002 Version 12.3.0 was used to calculate grid emission factor in Jawa-Bali-Madura the grid electricity system. It was calculated that the grid emission factor is 0.833 (t-CO2/MWh, and the carbon emission reduction generated for this project is 21,982 ton/year. From the analysis result, it can be proven that the additional revenue from carbon credit could increase the project IRR from 10.28% to 13.52%.

75 FR 16728 - Beaver Creek Landscape Management Project, Ashland Ranger District, Custer National Forest...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-02

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Beaver Creek Landscape Management Project, Ashland Ranger... manner that increases resiliency of the Beaver Creek Landscape Management Project area ecosystem to... requirements to require. The Beaver Creek Landscape Management Project includes treatments previously proposed...

The EMBRACE web service collection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pettifer, S.; Ison, J.; Kalas, M.

2010-01-01

The EMBRACE (European Model for Bioinformatics Research and Community Education) web service collection is the culmination of a 5-year project that set out to investigate issues involved in developing and deploying web services for use in the life sciences. The project concluded that in order...... for web services to achieve widespread adoption, standards must be defined for the choice of web service technology, for semantically annotating both service function and the data exchanged, and a mechanism for discovering services must be provided. Building on this, the project developed: EDAM......, an ontology for describing life science web services; BioXSD, a schema for exchanging data between services; and a centralized registry (http://www.embraceregistry.net) that collects together around 1000 services developed by the consortium partners. This article presents the current status of the collection...

Using provider performance incentives to increase HIV testing and counseling services in Rwanda.

Science.gov (United States)

de Walque, Damien; Gertler, Paul J; Bautista-Arredondo, Sergio; Kwan, Ada; Vermeersch, Christel; de Dieu Bizimana, Jean; Binagwaho, Agnès; Condo, Jeanine

2015-03-01

Paying for performance provides financial rewards to medical care providers for improvements in performance measured by utilization and quality of care indicators. In 2006, Rwanda began a pay for performance scheme to improve health services delivery, including HIV/AIDS services. Using a prospective quasi-experimental design, this study examines the scheme's impact on individual and couples HIV testing. We find a positive impact of pay for performance on HIV testing among married individuals (10.2 percentage points increase). Paying for performance also increased testing by both partners by 14.7 percentage point among discordant couples in which only one of the partners is an AIDS patient. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Competences, education and support for new roles in cancer genetics services: outcomes from the cancer genetics pilot projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Catherine; Burton, Hilary; Farndon, Peter

2007-01-01

In 2004 the Department of Health in collaboration with Macmillan Cancer Support set up service development projects to pilot the integration of genetics in mainstream medicine in the area of cancer genetics.In developing these services, new roles and responsibilities were devised that required supporting programmes of education and training. The NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre has worked with the projects to draw together their experience in these aspects. New roles include the Cancer Family Nurse Specialist, in which a nurse working in a cancer setting was trained to identify and manage genetic or family history concerns, and the Genetic Risk Assessment Practitioner--a small team of practitioners working within a secondary care setting to deliver a standardised risk assessment pathway. Existing roles were also adapted for a different setting, in particular the use of genetic counsellors working in a community ethnic minority setting. These practitioners undertook a range of clinical activities that can be mapped directly to the 'UK National Workforce Competences for Genetics in Clinical Practice for Non-genetics Healthcare Staff' framework developed by Skills for Health and the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre (2007; draft competence framework). The main differences between the various roles were in the ordering of genetic tests and the provision of advice on invasive preventive options such as mastectomy. Those involved in service development also needed to develop competences in project management, business skills, audit and evaluation, working with users, general management (personnel, multi-agency work and marketing), educational supervision, IT, public and professional outreach, and research. Important resources to support the development of new roles and competences included pathways and guidelines, a formal statement of competences, a recognised syllabus, appropriate and timely courses, the availability of a

Community projects based on Art & Health: A collaboration between the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid and Madrid city council's Madrid Salud Service

OpenAIRE

Ávila, Noemí; Orellana, Ana M.; Claver, María Dolores; Borrego Hernando, Olga; Antúnez, Noelia; García Cano, Marta; Segura del Pozo, Javier; Belver, Manuel H.; Martínez Cortés, Mercedes; Martínez, Catalina; Jambers, Brigitte; Cortés, Fátima; Yeves, Laura; Soto, María del Carmen; Saavedra Macías, Francisco Javier (Coordinador)

2017-01-01

In 2011 the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid, and Madrid City Council's Health Promotion and Prevention Service (Madrid Salud Service) signed a collaboration agreement for developing joint projects and activities. This mutual collaboration agreement has generated an extremely active working network, in which university students supported by health service professionals plus Faculty academics and researchers have designed, and developed, community projects based on ...

View all projects | IDRC - International Development Research Centre

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

Education is a pillar of development. ... How can information and technology increase economic opportunities in the ... This project aims to strengthen the accountability and legitimacy of public institutions, improve public services, and fuel ...

Risk Management in Future Romanian E-Government 2.0 Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Didraga Otniel

2015-08-01

Full Text Available E-government public services in Romania must follow unitary procedures considering the new requirements of the European Union from the Digital Agenda for Europe Strategy 2020. E-government 2.0 has to be implemented because of the cultural and behavioral transformations in the interaction between governments and users of e-services. E-government 2.0 projects use tools and techniques of social media to accomplish their goals. This article examines the possible risk categories and the risk management procedures needed to mitigate risks in future Romanian e-government projects, according to the strategic lines of development for the Digital Agenda. We propose a risk management plan for the e-government lines of action within the strategic lines of development that includes identifying, assessing, and mitigating the risks. New and modernized government services through e-government 2.0 projects that apply risk management will bring a significant improvement in how citizens and businesses relate to government and will increase the use of e-government services.

Organising Sustainable Transition: Understanding the Product, Project and Service Domain of the Built Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thuesen, Christian; Koch-Ørvad, Nina; Maslesa, Esmir

2016-01-01

of three generic domains - the Project, Product and Service domain - with widely different markets, companies, business models and regulation. Besides identifying the characteristics of the different domains, the findings show that these domains are interdependent, but largely live their own lives......Sustainable transition of the built environment con struction industry is challenging the existing construction practices and business models. This article presents a framework for understanding and facilitating sustainable transition in the built environment. The framework was developed through...

Skew Projection of Echo-Detected EPR Spectra for Increased Sensitivity and Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, Michael K.; Krzyaniak, Matthew D.; Cruce, Alex A.; Weber, Ralph T.

2013-01-01

The measurement of EPR spectra during pulsed EPR experiments is commonly accomplished by recording the integral of the electron spin echo as the applied magnetic field is stepped through the spectrum. This approach to echo-detected EPR spectral measurement (ED-EPR) limits sensitivity and spectral resolution and can cause gross distortions in the resulting spectra because some of the information present in the electron spin echo is discarded in such measurements. However, Fourier Transformation of echo shapes measured at a series of magnetic field values followed by skew projection onto either a magnetic field or resonance frequency axis can increase both spectral resolution and sensitivity without the need to trade one against the other. Examples of skew-projected spectra with single crystals, glasses and powders show resolution improvements as large as a factor of seven with sensitivity increases of as much as a factor of five. PMID:23644351

78 FR 23903 - Forest Service

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-23

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Dixie Resource Advisory Committee AGENCY: Forest Service... and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding... review proposals for forest projects and recommending funding. DATES: The meeting will be held Thursday...

Project management in practice : Evaluating a case project through project management theories

OpenAIRE

Uusitalo, Jenni

2013-01-01

The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate a case project and to study whether it was carried out in a correct manner; meaning that did the case project follow the project management models. In addition, part of the study was to determine what could have been improved in the management of the case project. The case project was about creating and launching a communication channel based on a social media service, on a blog platform called Tumblr, for Team Finland in Spain network. The network p...

CSIR eNews: Knowledge services

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

CSIR

2007-12-01

Full Text Available CSIR Knowledge Services has added another offering to its current range of expertise. The newly established project management services area is designed to improve project success rates in terms of the three-dimensional goal of project management, i...

A rural virtual health sciences library project: research findings with implications for next generation library services*

OpenAIRE

Richwine, Margaret (Peggy); McGowan, Julie J.

2001-01-01

Purpose: The Shared Hospital Electronic Library of Southern Indiana (SHELSI) research project was designed to determine whether access to a virtual health sciences library and training in its use would support medical decision making in rural southern Indiana and achieve the same level of impact seen by targeted information services provided by health sciences librarians in urban hospitals.

[Community Service Program, Westmont College.

Science.gov (United States)

Kistler, Christina

This report describes a 2-year project at Westmont College, California, which established a Community Service Program with the purposes of decreasing student debt and increasing student participation in community organizations. Eligible students worked 8-10 hours per week for a qualified community agency and received credit towards tuition for the…

Concurrent increases in wet and dry extremes projected in Texas and combined effects on groundwater

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Jin-Ho; Wang, S.-Y. Simon; Lo, Min-Hui; Wu, Wen-Ying

2018-05-01

The US state of Texas has experienced consecutive flooding events since spring 2015 with devastating consequences, yet these happened only a few years after the record drought of 2011. Identifying the effect of climate variability on regional water cycle extremes, such as the predicted occurrence of La Niña in winter 2017–2018 and its association with drought in Texas, remains a challenge. The present analyses use large-ensemble simulations to project the future of water cycle extremes in Texas and assess their connection with the changing El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) teleconnection under global warming. Large-ensemble simulations indicate that both intense drought and excessive precipitation are projected to increase towards the middle of the 21st century, associated with a strengthened effect from ENSO. Despite the precipitation increase projected for the southern Great Plains, groundwater storage is likely to decrease in the long run with diminishing groundwater recharge; this is due to the concurrent increases and strengthening in drought offsetting the effect of added rains. This projection provides implications to short-term climate anomaly in the face of the La Niña and to long-term water resources planning.

Increasing positive attitudes toward individuals with disabilities through community service learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Janelle E; Cruz, Rebecca A; Knollman, Gregory A

2017-10-01

Providing equal-status contact between those with and without disabilities can improve attitudes and reduce discrimination toward individuals with disabilities. This study investigated community service learning as a means by which to provide college students with equal-status contact with individuals with disabilities and increase their positive attitudes toward those with disabilities. A total of 166 college students in one university in the United States enrolled in an Introduction to Disability course received content on disability in society and participated in community service involving 20h of direct contact with individuals with disabilities. Findings indicated that college students who had prior contact with individuals with disabilities had more positive attitudes toward individuals with disabilities than college students who did not have prior contact at the start of the course. For the college students who did not have any prior contact, their attitudes toward individuals with disabilities became significantly more positive at the end of the community service learning course. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of a Child-Based Health Promotion Service-Learning Project on the Growth of Occupational Therapy Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Cynthia

2016-01-01

This phenomenological study revealed the lived experiences of occupational therapy students as they embarked on a semester-long volunteer health promotion service-learning project during their entry-level master's program. Data analysis extrapolated themes from student journals, transcriptions of pre- and postinterviews, and field notes. Student roles were exemplified by what students wanted to learn, what they actually learned, and the unexpected benefits they experienced. In particular, issues with teaming, interprofessional development, and time management were discovered. The findings add to the growing literature about the benefits of service learning as a teaching strategy and how it facilitates mindfulness of community service, communication, and clinical reasoning of future therapists. Implications for learning and practice are discussed. Copyright © 2016 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Evaluation system of Research and Development projects and services from ININ; Sistema de Evaluacion de Proyectos de Investigacion y Desarrollo y Servicios del ININ

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reglero, R [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Mexico City (Mexico)

1994-12-31

To make a plan for a project is one thing; to control it are a hundred things at the same time. Because of this fact, the enterprises and Research and Development Institutions have searched better ways to manage this activities. The management system of Research and Development projects and services from ININ, is used as a recording, evaluation tracking, information and control of result instrument for these activities. The need to have update information of different activities in the working areas of ININ, such as: Projects, technical or technological services either internal or external; diffusion programs and human resources training programs; and departmental activities, has taken to the development of uniform methods of recording, evaluation tracking and control of events, which allow the standardization, compilation, analysis and reporting of the results in an easy and quick way. The elaboration of an original scheme for the evaluation system of assessment for Research and Development projects and services was started in July 1988, and the data acquisition was manual. The use of Personal Computers began at 1992. (Author).

Radiology Architecture Project Primer.

Science.gov (United States)

Sze, Raymond W; Hogan, Laurie; Teshima, Satoshi; Davidson, Scott

2017-12-19

The rapid pace of technologic advancement and increasing expectations for patient- and family-friendly environments make it common for radiology leaders to be involved in imaging remodel and construction projects. Most radiologists and business directors lack formal training in architectural and construction processes but are expected to play significant and often leading roles in all phases of an imaging construction project. Avoidable mistakes can result in significant increased costs and scheduling delays; knowledgeable participation and communication can result in a final product that enhances staff workflow and morale and improves patient care and experience. This article presents practical guidelines for preparing for and leading a new imaging architectural and construction project. We share principles derived from the radiology and nonradiology literature and our own experience over the past decade completely remodeling a large pediatric radiology department and building a full-service outpatient imaging center. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Everybody Kind of Looked at Me Like I Was from Mars:" Preparing Educators through Qualitative Service-Research Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Dorner, Lisa M.; Kim, Sujin; Floros, Alice; Mujanovic, Midheta

2017-01-01

Skills developed through qualitative research and community partnerships can be essential for developing education students' cultural competency and understandings about diverse student populations. Toward this end, we developed a qualitative "service-research" project in a teacher education course focused on child development, whereby…

Tools to Make Online Students and Community Partners in a Service Learning Project More "AT-EASE"--Evidence from a Finance Class

Science.gov (United States)

Butchey, Deanne

2014-01-01

The impact of service learning as a pedagogy to ensure efficient and effective experiential learning is well recognized, but in business schools, there is a perception that a steep learning curve exists for the students, faculty, and community. We use a tool to motivate and build competence in participants of a service learning project undertaken…

Service engineering for prospective vehicle service processes

OpenAIRE

Nagel, Alexander; Steinhilper, Rolf; Freiberger, Stefan; Thäter, Stefan

2013-01-01

Garages are - concerning the vehicle service - faced with growing complexity in automotive mechatronics and on-board bus communication technology. Because of the necessity of profound technical knowledge and smart as well as cost efficient diagnostic tools for garages, Bayreuth University and Fraunhofer IPA pick up the challenge and develop innovative service-processes for future requirements by the project "Kfz-Service Engineering 2020". In order to improve established service-processes and ...

Using a Service Audit Project for Improving Student Learning in a Service-Marketing Course

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Padron, Tracy; Ferguson, Jeffery M.

2015-01-01

Service-marketing education provides students customer service skills sought by employers who recognize the relationship between service and profit. Students in service marketing benefit from active-learning activities with actual organizations to apply customer service frameworks taught in the course. The purpose of this paper is to describe an…

Oxytocin increases the influence of public service advertisements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pei-Ying Lin

Full Text Available This paper presents a neurophysiologic model of effective public service advertisements (PSAs and reports two experiments that test the model. In Experiment 1, we show that after watching 16 PSAs participants who received oxytocin, compared to those given a placebo, donated to 57% more causes, donated 56% more money, and reported 17% greater concern for those in the ads. In Experiment 2, we measured adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH and oxytocin levels in blood before and after participants watched a PSA. As predicted by the model, donations occurred when participants had increases in both ACTH and oxytocin. Our results indicate that PSAs with social content that cause OT release will be more effective than those that do not. Our results also explain why some individuals do not respond to PSAs.

Oxytocin increases the influence of public service advertisements.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Pei-Ying; Grewal, Naomi Sparks; Morin, Christophe; Johnson, Walter D; Zak, Paul J

2013-01-01

This paper presents a neurophysiologic model of effective public service advertisements (PSAs) and reports two experiments that test the model. In Experiment 1, we show that after watching 16 PSAs participants who received oxytocin, compared to those given a placebo, donated to 57% more causes, donated 56% more money, and reported 17% greater concern for those in the ads. In Experiment 2, we measured adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and oxytocin levels in blood before and after participants watched a PSA. As predicted by the model, donations occurred when participants had increases in both ACTH and oxytocin. Our results indicate that PSAs with social content that cause OT release will be more effective than those that do not. Our results also explain why some individuals do not respond to PSAs.

Give Water a Hand. Farm and Ranch Site Action Guide. Organizing Water Conservation and Pollution Prevention Service Projects in Your Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Coll. of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Students grades 4-8 can use this guide to explore the topics of water, and water conservation on a farm or ranch, while conducting an environmental community service project. Youth groups, led by a group leader, work with local experts from business, government, or environmental organizations to complete the project. Nine activity sections involve…

Landslide risk impact management and web services for improving resilience: the LIFE+IMAGINE project approach

Science.gov (United States)

Congi, Maria Pia; Campo, Valentina; Cipolloni, Carlo; Delmonaco, Giuseppe; Guerrieri, Luca; Iadanza, Carla; Spizzichino, Daniele; Trigila, Alessandro

2014-05-01

The increasing damage caused by natural disasters in the last decades points out the need for interoperable added-value services to support environmental safety and human protection, by reducing vulnerability of exposed elements as well as improving the resilience of the involved communities. For this reason, to provide access to harmonized and customized data is only one of several steps towards delivering adequate support to risk assessment, reduction and management. Scope of the present work is to illustrate a methodology under development for analysis of potential impacts in areas prone to landslide hazard in the framework of the EC project LIFE+IMAGINE. The project aims to implement an infrastructure based on web services for environmental analysis, that integrates in its own architecture specifications and results from INSPIRE, SEIS and GMES. Existing web services will be customized during the project to provide functionalities for supporting the environmental integrated management. The implemented infrastructure will be applied to landslide risk scenarios, to be developed in selected pilot areas, aiming at: i) application of standard procedures to implement a landslide risk analysis; ii) definition of a procedure for assessment of potential environmental impacts, based on a set of indicators to estimate the different exposed elements with their specific vulnerability in the pilot area. More in detail, the landslide pilot will be aimed at providing a landslide risk scenario through the implementation and analysis of: 1) a landslide inventory from available historical databases and maps; 2) landslide susceptibility and hazard maps; 3) assessment of exposure and vulnerability on selected typologies of elements at risk; 4) implementation of a landslide risk scenario for different sets of exposed elements (e.g. population, road network, residential area, cultural heritage). The pilot will be implemented in Liguria, Italy, in two different catchment areas located

Mapping service quality : measuring and comparing quality of experience and quality of service for Internet-based map services

OpenAIRE

Eriksén, Sara; Eliasson, Charlott; Fiedler, Markus; Chevul, Stefan; Ekelin, Annelie

2007-01-01

In this paper, we present an on-going research project in which we are focusing on examining how users of map-based services on-line experience the quality of these services when the traffic load is high, and how the users' experiences of acceptable or not acceptable quality can be related to measurable parameters which can be used to manage network traffic and improve technical solutions. The project is a multi- and interdisciplinary project in cooperation between researchers within human wo...

BioProject

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The BioProject database provides an organizational framework to access information about research projects with links to data that have been or will be deposited...

Implementation of Trauma-Informed Care and Brief Solution-Focused Therapy: A Quality Improvement Project Aimed at Increasing Engagement on an Inpatient Psychiatric Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Aremu, Babatunde; Hill, Pamela D; McNeal, Joanne M; Petersen, Mary A; Swanberg, Debbie; Delaney, Kathleen R

2018-03-14

Addressing tense and escalating situations with noncoercive measures is an important element of inpatient psychiatric treatment. Although restraint rates are frequently monitored, the use of pro re nata (PRN) intramuscular (IM) injections to address agitation is also an important indicator. In 2015, at the current study site, a significant increase was noted in PRN IM medication use despite unit leadership's efforts to build a culture of trauma-informed care (TIC). The purpose of the current quality improvement project was to educate staff on methods to incorporate TIC into daily practice and the use of brief solution-focused therapy techniques in escalating situations. Measurement of attitudes toward patient aggression and engagement with patients followed two waves of staff education. Upon completion of the project, a decrease in PRN IM medications, improvement in staff attitudes toward patient aggression, and improved sense of staff competency in handling tense situations were noted. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(x), xx-xx.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Student Outcomes of Eco-Restoration Service-Learning Experiences in Urban Woodlands

Science.gov (United States)

Knackmuhs, Eric; Farmer, James; Reynolds, Heather L.

2017-01-01

Service learning with ecological restoration projects can positively affect participants' attitudes, behaviors, and learning, but little is known about the longevity of these effects. Furthermore, urban green spaces are an understudied, yet increasingly important, context for eco-restoration service learning. This study examined the persistence of…

A case for increased private sector involvement in Ireland's national animal health services.

Science.gov (United States)

More, Simon J

2008-02-01

Non-regulatory animal health issues, such as Johne's disease, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and mastitis will become increasing important, with ongoing globalisation of markets in animals and animal products. In response, Ireland may need to broaden the scope of its national animal health services. However, there have been concerns about the respective roles and responsibilities (both financial and otherwise) of government and industry in any such moves. This paper argues the case for increased private sector involvement in Ireland's national animal health services, based both on theoretical considerations and country case studies (the Netherlands and Australia). The Dutch and Australian case studies present examples of successful partnerships between government and industry, including systems and processes to address non-regulatory animal health issues. In each case, the roles and responsibilities of government are clear, as are the principles underpinning government involvement. Furthermore, the roles and responsibilities (financial and otherwise) of the Dutch and Australian industry are determined through enabling legislation, providing both legitimacy and accountability. There are constraints on the use of EU and national government funds to support non-regulatory animal health services in EU member states (such as Ireland and the Netherlands).

A case for increased private sector involvement in ireland's national animal health services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

More Simon J

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Non-regulatory animal health issues, such as Johne's disease, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR and mastitis will become increasing important, with ongoing globalisation of markets in animals and animal products. In response, Ireland may need to broaden the scope of its national animal health services. However, there have been concerns about the respective roles and responsibilities (both financial and otherwise of government and industry in any such moves. This paper argues the case for increased private sector involvement in Ireland's national animal health services, based both on theoretical considerations and country case studies (the Netherlands and Australia. The Dutch and Australian case studies present examples of successful partnerships between government and industry, including systems and processes to address non-regulatory animal health issues. In each case, the roles and responsibilities of government are clear, as are the principles underpinning government involvement. Furthermore, the roles and responsibilities (financial and otherwise of the Dutch and Australian industry are determined through enabling legislation, providing both legitimacy and accountability. There are constraints on the use of EU and national government funds to support non-regulatory animal health services in EU member states (such as Ireland and the Netherlands.

Field Studies in Science Teacher Preparation Programs: Examples of Research-Oriented Earth and Environmental Science Field Projects for Pre-service and In-service Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neal, M. L.

2005-12-01

Science teaching reforms of the past 10 to 20 years have focused on a pedagogical shift from verification-style laboratory exercises, toward hands-on and inquiry-based constructivist teaching methods. Such methods, however, require teachers to be proficient in more than just basic content and teaching strategies. To be effective teachers, these professionals must also be skilled in the design and implementation of research-style investigations. At Loyola College in Maryland, topics in the earth and environmental sciences are used as the basis for field research projects that teach our students science content, along with how to design age-appropriate investigative activities and how to implement them in a stimulating, inquiry-based learning environment. Presented here are examples of three projects, demonstrating how these themes are woven throughout our pre- and in-service teacher preparation programs, at both undergraduate and graduate levels. 1. Watershed Studies - In our undergraduate, pre-service, elementary education teacher preparation program, students design and implement a water quality study in a local watershed. In the classroom, students use topographic maps and aerial photographs to delineate the watersheds' boundaries, to identify current land use patterns, and to select appropriate locations on the trunk stream for testing. Water testing at these sites is conducted during field trips, with data analysis and interpretation performed on-site. On-site work allows students to make connections between stream water quality and adjacent land use practices. Students then relate the content and research results to science teaching standards, in order to develop a unit-plan for use in their future classrooms. 2. Land Use Assessment - In our graduate, in-service, elementary and middle school science program, a local stream valley is used as the basis for an analysis of potential land use changes. Students first construct a topographic base map of the area, and

Project Amistad (Friendship), a Joint Venture between DHS and Family Outreach. Final Report: Innovations in Protective Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Dennis-Small, Lucretia

Conducted by the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS), Project Amistad (Friendship) originally set out to recruit and train Black and Hispanic volunteers to conduct lay therapy sessions with Black and Hispanic families in which abuse and neglect of children had occurred. Start-up was significantly delayed due to personnel changes; as a result,…

Multi-Agent Modeling in Managing Six Sigma Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Y. Chau

2009-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a multi-agent model is proposed for considering the human resources factor in decision making in relation to the six sigma project. The proposed multi-agent system is expected to increase the acccuracy of project prioritization and to stabilize the human resources service level. A simulation of the proposed multiagent model is conducted. The results show that a multi-agent model which takes into consideration human resources when making decisions about project selection and project team formation is important in enabling efficient and effective project management. The multi-agent modeling approach provides an alternative approach for improving communication and the autonomy of six sigma projects in business organizations.

Service models and realization of differentiated services networks

Science.gov (United States)

Elizondo, Antonio J.; Garcia Osma, Maria L.; Einsiedler, Hans J.; Roth, Rudolf; Smirnov, Michael I.; Bartoli, Maurizio; Castelli, Paolo; Varga, Balazs; Krampell, Magnus

2001-07-01

Internet Service Providers need to offer Quality of Service (QoS) to fulfil the requirements of applications of their customers. Moreover, in a competitive market environment costs must be low. The selected service model must be effective and low in complexity, but it should still provide high quality and service differentiation, that the current Internet is not yet capable to support. The Differentiated Services (DiffServ) Architecture has been proposed for enabling a range of different Classes of Service (CoS). In the EURESCOM project P1006 several European service providers co-operated to examine various aspects involved in the introduction of service differentiation using the DiffServ approach. The project explored a set of service models for Expedited Forwarding (EF) and Assured Forwarding (AF) and identified requirements for network nodes. Besides, we addressed also measurement issues, charging and accounting issues. Special attention has been devoted to requirements of elastic traffic that adapts its sending rate to congestion state and available bandwidth. QoS mechanisms must prove Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) friendliness. TCP performance degrades under multiple losses. Since RED based queue management may still cause multiple discards, a modified marking scheme called Capped Leaky Bucket is proposed to improve the performance of elastic applications.

The net effects of the Project NetWork return-to-work case management experiment on participant earnings, benefit receipt, and other outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kornfeld, R; Rupp, K

2000-01-01

The Social Security Administration (SSA) initiated Project NetWork in 1991 to test case management as a means of promoting employment among persons with disabilities. The demonstration, which targeted Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) applicants and recipients, offered intensive outreach, work-incentive waivers, and case management/referral services. Participation in Project NetWork was voluntary. Volunteers were randomly assigned to the "treatment" group or the "control" group. Those assigned to the treatment group met individually with a case or referral manager who arranged for rehabilitation and employment services, helped clients develop an individual employment plan, and provided direct employment counseling services. Volunteers assigned to the control group could not receive services from Project NetWork but remained eligible for any employment assistance already available in their communities. For both treatment and control groups, the demonstration waived specific DI and SSI program rules considered to be work disincentives. The experimental impact study thus measures the incremental effects of case and referral management services. The eight demonstration sites were successful in implementing the experimental design roughly as planned. Project NetWork staff were able to recruit large numbers of participants and to provide rehabilitation and employment services on a substantial scale. Most of the sites easily reached their enrollment targets and were able to attract volunteers with demographic characteristics similar to those of the entire SSI and DI caseload and a broad range of moderate and severe disabilities. However, by many measures, volunteers were generally more "work-ready" than project eligible in the demonstration areas who did not volunteer to receive NetWork services. Project NetWork case management increased average annual earnings by $220 per year over the first 2 years following

Increasing your HCAHPS scores with Extreme Customer Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Clouarte, Joe

2016-10-01

Providing great customer service is extremely critical in the healthcare setting, especially when it comes to HCAHBPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health care Providers and Systems) scores, the author says. While there are several service training programs within healthcare, they often require six to eight minutes of interaction with patients or guests. This works well for clinical staff, he says, but when it comes to non-clinical staff, including security officers, many times they only have fifteen or thirty seconds to create positive patient or guest experience. In this article he describes Extreme Customer Service © a program he has developed to fill that customer gap for non-clinical staff.

Room Service Improves Nutritional Intake and Increases Patient Satisfaction While Decreasing Food Waste and Cost.

Science.gov (United States)

McCray, Sally; Maunder, Kirsty; Krikowa, Renee; MacKenzie-Shalders, Kristen

2018-02-01

Room service is a foodservice model that has been increasingly implemented across health care facilities in an effort to improve patient satisfaction and reduce food waste. In 2013, Mater Private Hospital Brisbane, Australia, was the first hospital in Australia to implement room service, with the aim of improving patient nutrition care and reducing costs. The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the nutritional intake, plate waste, patient satisfaction, and patient meal costs of room service compared to a traditional foodservice model. A retrospective analysis of quality-assurance data audits was undertaken to assess patient nutritional intake between a facility utilizing a traditional foodservice model and a facility utilizing room service and in a pre-post study design to assess plate waste, patient satisfaction, and patient meal costs before and after the room service implementation. Audit data were collected for eligible adult inpatients in Mater Private Hospital Brisbane and Mater Hospital Brisbane, Australia, between July 2012 and May 2015. The primary outcome measures were nutritional intake, plate waste, patient satisfaction, and patient meal costs. Independent samples t-tests and χ 2 analyses were conducted between pre and post data for continuous data and categorical data, respectively. Pearson χ 2 analysis of count data for sex and reasons for plate waste for data with counts more than five was used to determine asymptotic (two-sided) significance and n-1 χ 2 used for the plate waste analysis. Significance was assessed at P<0.05. This study reported an increased nutritional intake, improved patient satisfaction, and reduced plate waste and patient meal costs with room service compared to a traditional foodservice model. Comparison of nutritional intake between a traditional foodservice model (n=85) and room service (n=63) showed statistically significant increases with room service in both energy (1,306 kcal/day vs 1,588 kcal/day; P=0

Implementing CBT for Traumatized Children and Adolescents after September 11: Lessons Learned from the Child and Adolescent Trauma Treatments and Services (CATS) Project

Science.gov (United States)

Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 2007

2007-01-01

The Child and Adolescent Trauma Treatments and Services Consortium (CATS) was the largest youth trauma project associated with the September 11 World Trade Center disaster. CATS was created as a collaborative project involving New York State policymakers; academic scientists; clinical treatment developers; and routine practicing clinicians,…

The Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dautovich, D.P.; Gierszewski, P.J.; Wong, K.Y.; Stasko, R.R.; Burnham, C.D.

1987-04-01

The Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Project (CFFTP) is a national project whose aim is to develop capability in tritium and robotics technologies for application to international fusion development programs. Activities over the first five years have brought substantial interaction with the world's leading projects such as Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR), the Joint European Torus (JET), and the Next European Torus (NET), Canadian R and D and engineering services, and hardware are in demand as these major projects prepare for tritium operation leading to the demonstration of energy breakeven around 1990. Global planning is underway for the next generation ignition experiment. It is anticipated this will provide increased opportunity for CFFTP and its contractors among industry, universities and governmental laboratories

Creating Service Concepts for Finnish Elderly Care : Case: Virtual Interactive Care Service

OpenAIRE

Nwagu, Promise

2016-01-01

This thesis looks at creating service concept by evaluating the research project of Virtual Interactive Care Service. The research project was initiated and implemented by the author together with Hovi Group Oy and Suomen kotilääkäripalvelu Oy. The goal was to provide a virtual care service business that uses interactive and stimulating activities to improve the wellbeing of elderly people in Finland. The study employed qualitative research method by reviewing existing works particularly...

Nurturing social responsibility through community service-learning: Lessons learned from a pilot project.

Science.gov (United States)

Dharamsi, Shafik; Espinoza, Nancy; Cramer, Carl; Amin, Maryam; Bainbridge, Lesley; Poole, Gary

2010-01-01

Community service-learning (CSL) has been proposed as one way to enrich medical and dental students' sense of social responsibility toward people who are marginalized in society. We developed and implemented a new CSL option in the integrated medical/dental curriculum and assessed its educational impact. Focus groups, individual open-ended interviews, and a survey were used to assess dental students', faculty tutors' and community partners' experiences with CSL. CSL enabled a deeper appreciation for the vulnerabilities that people who are marginalized experience; students gained a greater insight into the social determinants of health and the related importance of community engagement; and they developed useful skills in health promotion project planning, implementation and evaluation. Community partners and faculty tutors indicated that equal partnership, greater collaboration, and a participatory approach to course development are essential to sustainability in CSL. CSL can play an important role in nurturing a purposeful sense of social responsibility among future practitioners. Our study enabled the implementation of an innovative longitudinal course (professionalism and community service) in all 4 years of the dental curriculum.

Increasing off-service resident productivity while on their emergency department rotation using shift cards.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakravarthy, Bharath; Posadas, Emerson; Ibrahim, Deena; McArthur, Kurt; Osborn, Megan; Hoonpongsimanont, Wirachin; Wong, Andrew; Lotfipour, Shahram

2015-04-01

Differences in productivity between off-service residents rotating in the emergency department (ED) and their emergency medicine (EM) resident counterparts have never been directly quantified. We sought to quantify the difference between off-service residents rotating in the ED and their EM resident counterparts. We also sought to find whether shift cards could be used to increase the productivity of off-service residents rotating in the ED. This is a prospective cohort study conducted at an urban, tertiary, Level I trauma center. We implemented the use of shift cards for off-service residents during their EM rotation. Completion of the shift card involved recording patients seen and their dispositions, procedures done, and documenting a learned bedside teaching point from their shift that day. Productivity was measured in terms of patients seen per hour (PPH) and relative value units per hour (RVU/h). Off-service residents showed a productivity of 0.529 PPH (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.493-0.566) and 1.40 RVU/h (95% CI 1.28-1.53) prior to implementation of shift cards. With the introduction of shift cards, productivity increased to 0.623 PPH (95% CI 0.584-0.663, p = 0.001) and 1.77 RVU/h (95% CI 1.64-1.91, p = 0.001). In comparison, first year EM resident productivity was 0.970 PPH (95% CI 0.918-1.02) and 3.01 RVU/h (95% CI 2.83-3.19). Shift cards can be used to foster motivation for off-service residents rotating in the ED, and is a simple and cost-effective method to improve system-based practices and utilization of resources. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Evaluation of ecosystem service value and strategies for ecological design in land consolidation: a case of land consolidation project in Da'an City, Jilin Province, China].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Yan, Shen-Chun; Yu, Li; Zhang, Ya-Nan

2014-04-01

Land consolidation, as one of the major driving forces for the changes of land use/cover, has significant impacts on landscape patterns, ecological functions, and ecosystem services. In this paper, a land consolidation project conducted in Da'an City, Jinlin Province, China, was selected to evaluate the ecosystem service values before and after land consolidation at three spatial scales, i. e., village, town, and county. The results indicated that the land consolidation with the goal to increase the area of cultivated land might cause the decrease of the saline and alkaline land, grassland, and wetland. In addition, land consolidation resulted in the reduction of the total ecosystem service values at varying degree at the three scales. Compared to the pre-consolidation status, the total post-consolidation ecosystem service values at the village, town and county scales were 7.96, 843.01 and 1205.86 million yuan, and reduced by 10.5%, 14.2% and 33.1%, respectively. Based on the evaluation of ecosystem service value, strategies of landscape ecological design were discussed to improve the ecological functions and to provide the guidance for the sustainable development of land consolidation.

The value of modern decision-making support services to fusion projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pascal, Claude; Blanchet, Christian; Ollivier, Jean-Marc

2007-01-01

Regardless of the power generation process, whether fission or fusion, a nuclear power plant (NPP) is a complex system of thousands of components and equipment. It is also subject to stringent requirements in terms of safety, environmental impacts, schedule and cost-competitiveness. Operating experience from test and propulsion reactors recently designed and built by AREVA TA - more than 10 reactors with 4 different designs in the past 12 years - and from NPPs recently built in Asia and the AREVA NP EPR under construction at the Okiluoto site in Finland highlight the added value of the latest engineering methods. These methods meet project management standards issued in the past five years and are based on a global approach and continuous improvement of the process. They significantly minimize risk for the customer, the public and the environment. The scientific and technical complexities are significantly higher in the case of a new fusion power plant project. There is very little operating experience from previous scientific machine projects, especially in the fields of nuclear facility integration, nuclear safety culture, human factors, integrated logistics support, nuclear operations and decommissioning requirements to be factored in at the design and construction stages. Examples are provided from AREVA group experience to show the versatility of the engineering approach and present some successful adaptations of these methods in a variety of technical fields with varying levels of engineering responsibility. This paper focus on decision-making support services in the following areas: performance management, interface management (including physical as well as functional interfaces) and integration management. The contribution of CAD and PDM (Product Data Management) is discussed. This paper describes how the fusion community can benefit from the best engineering practices of nuclear companies

New challenges for public services social dialogue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Nana Wesley; Mailand, Mikkel

2015-01-01

This is the national report on Denmark to the country comparative project New Challenges for Public Services: Integrating Service User and Workforce In-volvement to Support Responsive Public Services in Tough Times. The project examines service user involvement and how it is related to tradi-tion......-tional forms of social dialogue in five European countries. Furthermore, the project examines how employers and trade unions are responding to recent de-velopments in the countries....

Services in support of promoting territorial tourism and culture: the living lab project EPULIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Domenica Suma

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The project “Enjoy Puglia using Ubiquitous technology in Landscape Interactive Adventures” (EPULIA is aimed at the development of a platform populated by innovative and technological applications in which users can enjoy entertainment and educational contents in an interactive way, by means of multimedia and mobile technology. The platform, through the support of the skills of SMEs (LifeResult, Info.Sist and Cedimpresa and the Research Laboratory (Consortium CETMA in terms of research and experimentation, aims to provide services for supporting the promotion of the cultural tourism of Apulia, and provides information and contents of interest for tourists, including routes and itineraries, with the definition of real interactive and geo-referenced maps and information on available accommodation. The platform will provide tourists with added value in information retrieval: using modern devices, equipped with GPS, the multi-channel services will offer and unify contents that might otherwise be disseminated using Internet sites and portals.

A Customer’s Possibilities to Increase the Performance of a Service Provider by Adding Value and Deepening the Partnership in Facility Management Service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sillanpää Elina

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Reliable and good suppliers are an important competitive advantage for a customer and that is why the development of suppliers, improvement of performance and enhancement of customership are also in the interest of the customer. The purpose of this study is to clarify a customer’s possibilities to increase the performance of a service provider and to develop the service process in FM services and thus help to improve partnership development. This research is a qualitative research. The research complements the existing generic model of supplier development towards partnership development by customer and clarifies the special features that facility management services bring to this model. The data has been gathered from interviews of customers and service providers in the facility management service sector. The result is a model of customers’ possibilities to develop the performance of service providers from the viewpoint of value addition and relationship development and in that way ensure added value to the customer and the development of a long-term relationship. The results can be beneficial to customers when they develop the cooperation between the customer and the service provider toward being more strategic and more partnership focused.

Performance-based financing to increase utilization of maternal health services: Evidence from Burkina Faso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Steenland

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Performance-based financing (PBF programs are increasingly implemented in low and middle-income countries to improve health service quality and utilization. In April 2011, a PBF pilot program was launched in Boulsa, Leo and Titao districts in Burkina Faso with the objective of increasing the provision and quality of maternal health services. We evaluate the impact of this program using facility-level administrative data from the national health management information system (HMIS. Primary outcomes were the number of antenatal care visits, the proportion of antenatal care visits that occurred during the first trimester of pregnancy, the number of institutional deliveries and the number of postnatal care visits. To assess program impact we use a difference-in-differences approach, comparing changes in health service provision post-introduction with changes in matched comparison areas. All models were estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS regression models with standard errors clustered at the facility level. On average, PBF facilities had 2.3 more antenatal care visits (95% CI [0.446–4.225], 2.1 more deliveries (95% CI [0.034–4.069] and 9.5 more postnatal care visits (95% CI [6.099, 12.903] each month after the introduction of PBF. Compared to the service provision levels prior to the interventions, this implies a relative increase of 27.7 percent for ANC, of 9.2 percent for deliveries, and of 118.7 percent for postnatal care. Given the positive results observed during the pre-pilot period and the limited resources available in the health sector, the PBF program in Burkina Faso may be a low-cost, high impact intervention to improve maternal and child health.

Context-specific, evidence-based planning for scale-up of family planning services to increase progress to MDG 5: health systems research.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, Abbey; Morgan, Alison; Soto, Eliana Jimenez; Dettrick, Zoe

2012-11-12

Unmet need for family planning is responsible for 7.4 million disability-adjusted life years and 30% of the maternity-related disease burden. An estimated 35% of births are unintended and some 200 million couples state a desire to delay pregnancy or cease fertility but are not using contraception. Unmet need is higher among the poorest, lesser educated, rural residents and women under 19 years. The barriers to, and successful strategies for, satisfying all demand for modern contraceptives are heavily influenced by context. Successfully overcoming this to increase the uptake of family planning is estimated to reduce the risk of maternal death by up to 58% as well as contribute to poverty reduction, women's empowerment and educational, social and economic participation, national development and environmental protection. To strengthen health systems for delivery of context-specific, equity-focused reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services (RMNCH), the Investment Case study was applied in the Asia-Pacific region. Staff of local and central government and non-government organisations analysed data indicative of health service delivery through a supply-demand oriented framework to identify constraints to RMNCH scale-up. Planners developed contextualised strategies and the projected coverage increases were modelled for estimates of marginal impact on maternal mortality and costs over a five year period. In Indonesia, Philippines and Nepal the constraints behind incomplete coverage of family planning services included: weaknesses in commodities logistic management; geographical inaccessibility; limitations in health worker skills and numbers; legislation; and religious and cultural ideologies. Planned activities included: streamlining supply systems; establishment of Community Health Teams for integrated RMNCH services; local recruitment of staff and refresher training; task-shifting; and follow-up cards. Modelling showed varying marginal impact and costs

Context-specific, evidence-based planning for scale-up of family planning services to increase progress to MDG 5: health systems research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byrne Abbey

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Unmet need for family planning is responsible for 7.4 million disability-adjusted life years and 30% of the maternity-related disease burden. An estimated 35% of births are unintended and some 200 million couples state a desire to delay pregnancy or cease fertility but are not using contraception. Unmet need is higher among the poorest, lesser educated, rural residents and women under 19 years. The barriers to, and successful strategies for, satisfying all demand for modern contraceptives are heavily influenced by context. Successfully overcoming this to increase the uptake of family planning is estimated to reduce the risk of maternal death by up to 58% as well as contribute to poverty reduction, women’s empowerment and educational, social and economic participation, national development and environmental protection. Methods To strengthen health systems for delivery of context-specific, equity-focused reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services (RMNCH, the Investment Case study was applied in the Asia-Pacific region. Staff of local and central government and non-government organisations analysed data indicative of health service delivery through a supply–demand oriented framework to identify constraints to RMNCH scale-up. Planners developed contextualised strategies and the projected coverage increases were modelled for estimates of marginal impact on maternal mortality and costs over a five year period. Results In Indonesia, Philippines and Nepal the constraints behind incomplete coverage of family planning services included: weaknesses in commodities logistic management; geographical inaccessibility; limitations in health worker skills and numbers; legislation; and religious and cultural ideologies. Planned activities included: streamlining supply systems; establishment of Community Health Teams for integrated RMNCH services; local recruitment of staff and refresher training; task-shifting; and follow

Increasing Access to Tuberculosis Services in Ethiopia: Findings From a Patient-Pathway Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fekadu, Lelisa; Hanson, Christy; Osberg, Mike; Makayova, Julia; Mingkwan, Pia; Chin, Daniel

2017-11-06

In Ethiopia, extensive scale-up of the availability of health extension workers (HEWs) at the community level has been credited with increased identification and referral of patients with presumptive tuberculosis, which has contributed to increased tuberculosis case notification and better treatment outcomes. However, nearly 30% of Ethiopia's estimated 191000 patients with tuberculosis remained unnotified in 2015. A better understanding of patient care-seeking practices may inform future government action to reach all patients with tuberculosis. A patient-pathway analysis was completed to assess the alignment between patient care initiation and the availability of diagnostic and treatment services at the national level. More than one third of patients initiated care with HEWs, who refer patients to health centers for diagnosis. An additional one third of patients initiated care at health centers. Of those health centers, >80% had microscopy services, but few had access to Xpert. Despite an extensive microscopy and radiography network at middle levels of the health system, a quarter of all notified patients with tuberculosis had no bacteriological confirmation of disease. While 30% of patients reported receiving some form of care from the private sector, private-sector facilities, especially pharmacies, were not widely accessed for tuberculosis diagnosis. The availability of HEWs can increase access to tuberculosis diagnostic and treatment support services, particularly for rural populations. Continued strengthening of referral systems from HEWs and health posts are needed to enable consistent and timely access to Xpert as an initial diagnostic test and to drug resistance screening. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Project Ta-kos Outreach. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Askew, Linda; And Others

The Project Ta-kos Outreach program is an inservice training model designed to increase the probability that children (ages birth to 8) at risk for or with special needs and their families can access and receive appropriate services in order to remain an integral part of the community in which they reside. The program reflects an ecological…

'Sapphire' project. Objectives and outcomes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shkolnik, V.S.

1997-01-01

'Sapphire' Project contains the US assistance in purchasing/exporting 600 kg of highly enriched uranium from the State Holding Association 'Ulba' Uranium Plant, and compensatory equipment and service deliveries under the mutually concerted list. The compensatory payments were as separate projects in conformity with Kazakhstan enterprises needs, participation quota of which was determined by the Kazakhstan Government. Realization Milestones. Activity on Separate Projects: - basic 'Sapphire' part includes medical projects; - Kazakhstan Services were equipped with computers by the American International Development Agency for Taxation Services of Kazakhstan and by US Department of Energy for Monitoring preparation of Kazakhstan Atomic energy Agency. - 7 Research projects are being realized via the International Science and Technological Center; - export control. It has been realized as the equipment delivery under the concerted list; - equipping of nuclear materials accounting and control system at 'Ulba' Association enterprises

Pre-service proof pressure and leak rate tests for the Qinshan CANDU project reactor buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrunik, K.J.; Khan, A.; Ricciuti, R.; Ivanov, A.; Chen, S.

2003-01-01

The Qinshan CANDU Project Reactor Buildings (Units 1 and 2) have been successfully tested for the Pre-Service Proof Pressure and Integrated Leak Rate Tests. The Unit 1 tests took place from May 3 to May 9, 2002 and from May 22 to May 25, 2002, and the Unit 2 tests took place from January 21 to January 27, 2003. This paper discusses the significant steps taken at minimum cost on the Qinshan CANDU Project, which has resulted in a) very good leak rate (0.21%) for Unit 1 and excellent leak rate (0.130%) for Unit 2; b) continuous monitoring of the structural behaviour during the Proof Pressure Test, thus eliminating any repeat of the structural test due to lack of data; and c) significant schedule reduction achieved for these tests in Unit 2. (author)

Innovative approach for increasing physical activity among breast cancer survivors: protocol for Project MOVE, a quasi-experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Caperchione, Cristina M; Sabiston, Catherine M; Clark, Marianne I; Bottorff, Joan L; Toxopeus, Renee; Campbell, Kristin L; Eves, Neil D; Ellard, Susan L; Gotay, Carolyn

2016-08-16

Physical activity is a cost-effective and non-pharmaceutical strategy that can help mitigate the physical and psychological health challenges associated with breast cancer survivorship. However, up to 70% of women breast cancer survivors are not meeting minimum recommended physical activity guidelines. Project MOVE is an innovative approach to increase physical activity among breast cancer survivors through the use of Action Grants, a combination of microgrants (small amounts of money awarded to groups of individuals to support a physical activity initiative) and financial incentives. The purpose of this paper is to describe the rationale and protocol of Project MOVE. A quasi-experimental pre-post design will be used. Twelve groups of 8-12 adult women who are breast cancer survivors (N=132) were recruited for the study via face-to-face meetings with breast cancer-related stakeholders, local print and radio media, social media, and pamphlets and posters at community organisations and medical clinics. Each group submitted a microgrant application outlining their proposed physical activity initiative. Successful applicants were determined by a grant review panel and informed of a financial incentive on meeting their physical activity goals. An evaluation of feasibility will be guided by the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance (RE-AIM) framework and assessed through focus groups, interviews and project-related reports. Physical activity will be assessed through accelerometry and by self-report. Quality of life, motivation to exercise and social connection will also be assessed through self-report. Assessments will occur at baseline, 6 months and 1 year. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of British Columbia's Behavioural Research Ethics Board (#H14-02502) and has been funded by the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (project number #702913). Study findings will be disseminated widely through peer-reviewed publications

DIRAC distributed computing services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsaregorodtsev, A

2014-01-01

DIRAC Project provides a general-purpose framework for building distributed computing systems. It is used now in several HEP and astrophysics experiments as well as for user communities in other scientific domains. There is a large interest from smaller user communities to have a simple tool like DIRAC for accessing grid and other types of distributed computing resources. However, small experiments cannot afford to install and maintain dedicated services. Therefore, several grid infrastructure projects are providing DIRAC services for their respective user communities. These services are used for user tutorials as well as to help porting the applications to the grid for a practical day-to-day work. The services are giving access typically to several grid infrastructures as well as to standalone computing clusters accessible by the target user communities. In the paper we will present the experience of running DIRAC services provided by the France-Grilles NGI and other national grid infrastructure projects.

Influence of gap length on the field increase factor β of an electrode projection (whisker)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, H.C.

1984-01-01

β, the increase of the macroscopic electric field at the tip of a projection, varies with the gap length. The sign and magnitude of this variation depends upon how the gap length is defined. If gap length is defined as x, the distance from the projection tip to the opposing electrode, then β is a strong function of x and may be approximated by β(x) = β/sub infinity/x/(x+h) [h = projection height] in the region where x/h>10/β/sub infinity/. If gap length is defined as d, the interelectrode distance ignoring the projection, then β is a weak function of d and may be set equal to β/sub infinity/ in the region d/h>2

Nitrogen Cycling from Increased Soil Organic Carbon Contributes Both Positively and Negatively to Ecosystem Services in Wheat Agro-Ecosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeda Palmer

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Soil organic carbon (SOC is an important and manageable property of soils that impacts on multiple ecosystem services through its effect on soil processes such as nitrogen (N cycling and soil physical properties. There is considerable interest in increasing SOC concentration in agro-ecosystems worldwide. In some agro-ecosystems, increased SOC has been found to enhance the provision of ecosystem services such as the provision of food. However, increased SOC may increase the environmental footprint of some agro-ecosystems, for example by increasing nitrous oxide emissions. Given this uncertainty, progress is needed in quantifying the impact of increased SOC concentration on agro-ecosystems. Increased SOC concentration affects both N cycling and soil physical properties (i.e., water holding capacity. Thus, the aim of this study was to quantify the contribution, both positive and negative, of increased SOC concentration on ecosystem services provided by wheat agro-ecosystems. We used the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM to represent the effect of increased SOC concentration on N cycling and soil physical properties, and used model outputs as proxies for multiple ecosystem services from wheat production agro-ecosystems at seven locations around the world. Under increased SOC, we found that N cycling had a larger effect on a range of ecosystem services (food provision, filtering of N, and nitrous oxide regulation than soil physical properties. We predicted that food provision in these agro-ecosystems could be significantly increased by increased SOC concentration when N supply is limiting. Conversely, we predicted no significant benefit to food production from increasing SOC when soil N supply (from fertiliser and soil N stocks is not limiting. The effect of increasing SOC on N cycling also led to significantly higher nitrous oxide emissions, although the relative increase was small. We also found that N losses via deep drainage were

Nitrogen Cycling from Increased Soil Organic Carbon Contributes Both Positively and Negatively to Ecosystem Services in Wheat Agro-Ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Jeda; Thorburn, Peter J; Biggs, Jody S; Dominati, Estelle J; Probert, Merv E; Meier, Elizabeth A; Huth, Neil I; Dodd, Mike; Snow, Val; Larsen, Joshua R; Parton, William J

2017-01-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important and manageable property of soils that impacts on multiple ecosystem services through its effect on soil processes such as nitrogen (N) cycling and soil physical properties. There is considerable interest in increasing SOC concentration in agro-ecosystems worldwide. In some agro-ecosystems, increased SOC has been found to enhance the provision of ecosystem services such as the provision of food. However, increased SOC may increase the environmental footprint of some agro-ecosystems, for example by increasing nitrous oxide emissions. Given this uncertainty, progress is needed in quantifying the impact of increased SOC concentration on agro-ecosystems. Increased SOC concentration affects both N cycling and soil physical properties (i.e., water holding capacity). Thus, the aim of this study was to quantify the contribution, both positive and negative, of increased SOC concentration on ecosystem services provided by wheat agro-ecosystems. We used the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) to represent the effect of increased SOC concentration on N cycling and soil physical properties, and used model outputs as proxies for multiple ecosystem services from wheat production agro-ecosystems at seven locations around the world. Under increased SOC, we found that N cycling had a larger effect on a range of ecosystem services (food provision, filtering of N, and nitrous oxide regulation) than soil physical properties. We predicted that food provision in these agro-ecosystems could be significantly increased by increased SOC concentration when N supply is limiting. Conversely, we predicted no significant benefit to food production from increasing SOC when soil N supply (from fertiliser and soil N stocks) is not limiting. The effect of increasing SOC on N cycling also led to significantly higher nitrous oxide emissions, although the relative increase was small. We also found that N losses via deep drainage were minimally

Service Innovations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lene Tolstrup; Nicolajsen, Hanne Westh

2010-01-01

This article discusses the challenges in relation to an ongoing project named converged advanced mobile media platform (CAMMP), where all the different stakeholders need to have a saying in the service development for the upcoming rich, mobile broadcasting services....

Project BudBurst - Meeting the Needs of Climate Change Educators and Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, S.

2015-12-01

It is challenging for many to get a sense of what climate change means as long periods of time are involved - like decades - which can be difficult to grasp. However, there are a number of citizen science based projects, including NEON's Project BudBurst, that provide the opportunity for both learning about climate change and advancing scientific knowledge. In this presentation, we will share lessons learned from Project BudBurst. Project BudBurst is a national citizen science initiative designed to engage the public in observations of phenological (plant life cycle) events and to increase climate literacy. Project BudBurst is important from an educational perspective, but also because it enables scientists to broaden the geographic and temporal scale of their observations. The goals of Project BudBurst are to 1) increase awareness of phenology as an area of scientific study; 2) Increase awareness of the impacts of changing climates on plants at a continental-scale; and 3) increase science literacy by engaging participants in the scientific process. It was important to better understand if and how Project BudBurst is meeting its goals. Specifically, does participation by non-experts advance scientific knowledge? Does participation advance educational goals and outcomes? Is participation an effective approach to advance/enhance science education in both formal and informal settings? Critical examination of Project BudBurst supports advancement of scientific knowledge and realization of educational objectives. Citizen science collected observations and measurements are being used by scientists as evidenced by the increase of such data in scientific publication. In addition, we found that there is a significant increase in educators utilizing citizen science as part of their instruction. Part of this increase is due to the resources and professional development materials available to educators. Working with partners also demonstrated that the needs of both science and

Using Service-Learning to Educate Students about Stakeholder Involvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beth Walter Honadle

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Using Lee’s definition of service-learning as “an instructional method in which students learn course content by actively participating in thoughtfully organized service experiences related to that content”, this article offers a case of action-oriented service- learning. It shows one way to combine traditional teaching methods with an action-oriented approach to service-learning that benefits both the community and imparts critical know-how into the education of planning students. Through service-learning students acquire valuable skills and also increase their competence as practitioners and increase their confidence in their field in a way that nurtures their abilities and provides minimal risk to the clientele because the students are working under the guidance of faculty. As previous research from diverse fields have shown, service-learning benefits the students and the groups they encounter through their projects. KEYWORDSservice-learning, civic engagement, community development

System Safety in an IT Service Organization

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, Mike; Scutt, Simon

Within Logica UK, over 30 IT service projects are considered safetyrelated. These include operational IT services for airports, railway infrastructure asset management, nationwide radiation monitoring and hospital medical records services. A recent internal audit examined the processes and documents used to manage system safety on these services and made a series of recommendations for improvement. This paper looks at the changes and the challenges to introducing them, especially where the service is provided by multiple units supporting both safety and non-safety related services from multiple locations around the world. The recommendations include improvements to service agreements, improved process definitions, routine safety assessment of changes, enhanced call logging, improved staff competency and training, and increased safety awareness. Progress is reported as of today, together with a road map for implementation of the improvements to the service safety management system. A proposal for service assurance levels (SALs) is discussed as a way forward to cover the wide variety of services and associated safety risks.

Successful contracting of prevention services: fighting malnutrition in Senegal and Madagascar.

Science.gov (United States)

Marek, T; Diallo, I; Ndiaye, B; Rakotosalama, J

1999-12-01

There are very few documented large-scale successes in nutrition in Africa, and virtually no consideration of contracting for preventive services. This paper describes two successful large-scale community nutrition projects in Africa as examples of what can be done in prevention using the contracting approach in rural as well as urban areas. The two case-studies are the Secaline project in Madagascar, and the Community Nutrition Project in Senegal. The article explains what is meant by 'success' in the context of these two projects, how these results were achieved, and how certain bottlenecks were avoided. Both projects are very similar in the type of service they provide, and in combining private administration with public finance. The article illustrates that contracting out is a feasible option to be seriously considered for organizing certain prevention programmes on a large scale. There are strong indications from these projects of success in terms of reducing malnutrition, replicability and scale, and community involvement. When choosing that option, a government can tap available private local human resources through contracting out, rather than delivering those services by the public sector. However, as was done in both projects studied, consideration needs to be given to using a contract management unit for execution and monitoring, which costs 13-17% of the total project's budget. Rigorous assessments of the cost-effectiveness of contracted services are not available, but improved health outcomes, targeting of the poor, and basic cost data suggest that the programmes may well be relatively cost-effective. Although the contracting approach is not presented as the panacea to solve the malnutrition problem faced by Africa, it can certainly provide an alternative in many countries to increase coverage and quality of services.

The Call to Service

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, B. Allison

2009-01-01

On January 19, 2009, the day before his historic inauguration, President Obama and his wife, Michelle, commemorated Martin Luther King Day by volunteering for various community service projects around the Washington, DC, area. A record number of Americans also participated in the King Day of Service, joining in over 13,000 projects, more than…

Wind power plant system services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Basit, Abdul; Altin, Müfit

Traditionally, conventional power plants have the task to support the power system, by supplying power balancing services. These services are required by the power system operators in order to secure a safe and reliable operation of the power system. However, as in the future the wind power...... is going more and more to replace conventional power plants, the sources of conventional reserve available to the system will be reduced and fewer conventional plants will be available on-line to share the regulation burden. The reliable operation of highly wind power integrated power system might...... then beat risk unless the wind power plants (WPPs) are able to support and participate in power balancing services. The objective of this PhD project is to develop and analyse control strategies which can increase the WPPs capability to provide system services, such as active power balancing control...

Increase of Investment Appeal of Projects for Noise Control Measures in Urban Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Kolmakov, A. V.; Ignatyeva, V. O.

2017-11-01

The authors analyzed the contemporary noise pollution level in the large cities of the Russian Federation. The article identifies the factors causing the reduction of acoustically comfortable urban territories. It states the task for the increase of investment appeal of the projects aimed at noise control measures adoption.

Plant Responses to Increased UV-B Radiation: A Research Project

Science.gov (United States)

DAntoni, H. L.; Skiles, J. W.; Armstrong, R.; Coughlan, J.; Daleo, G.; Mayoral, A.; Lawless, James G. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Ozone decrease implies more ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation reaching the surface of the Earth. Increased UV-B radiation triggers responses by living organisms. Despite the large potential impacts on vegetation, little is known about UV-B effects on terrestrial ecosystems. Long-term ecological studies are needed to quantify the effects of increased UV radiation on terrestrial ecosystems, asses the risks, and produce reliable data for prediction. Screening pigments are part of one of the protective mechanism in plants. Higher concentrations of screening pigments in leaves may be interpreted as a response to increased UV radiation. If the screening effect is not sufficient, important molecules will be disturbed by incoming radiation. Thus, genetics, photosynthesis, growth, plant and leaf shape and size, and pollen grains may be affected. This will have an impact on ecosystem dynamics, structure and productivity. It is necessary to monitor selected terrestrial ecosystems to permit detection and interpretation of changes attributable to global climate change and depleted ozone shield. The objectives of this project are: (1) To identify and measure indicators of the effects of increased solar UV-B radiation on terrestrial plants; (2) to select indicators with the greatest responses to UV-B exposure; (3) to test, adapt or create ecosystem models that use the information gathered by this project for prediction and to enhance our understanding of the effects of increased UV-B radiation on terrestrial ecosystems. As a first step to achieve these objectives we propose a three-year study of forest and steppe vegetation on the North slope of the Brooks Range (within the Arctic circle, in Alaska), in the Saguaro National Monument (near Tucson, Arizona) and in the forests and steppes of Patagonia (Argentina). We selected (1) vegetation north of the Polar Circle because at 70N there is 8% risk of plant damage due to increased UV-B radiation; (2) the foothills of Catalina Mountains

An evaluation of an employment pilot to support forensic mental health service users into work and vocational activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Samele, Chiara; Forrester, Andrew; Bertram, Mark

2018-02-01

Few employment programmes exist to support forensic service users with severe mental health problems and a criminal history. Little is known about how best to achieve this. The Employment and Social Inclusion Project (ESIP) was developed and piloted to support forensic service users into employment and vocational activities. This pilot service evaluation aimed to assess the number of service users who secured employment/vocational activities and explored services users' and staff experiences. Quantitative data were collected to record the characteristics of participating service users and how many secured employment and engaged in vocational activities. Eighteen qualitative interviews were conducted with service users and staff. Fifty-seven service users engaged with the project, most were men (93.0%) and previously employed (82.5%). Four service users (7.0%) secured paid competitive employment. Eight (14.0%) gained other paid employment. Tailored one-to-one support to increase skills and build confidence was an important feature of the project. Creation of a painting and decorating programme offered training and paid/flexible work. This exploratory project achieved some success in assisting forensic service users into paid employment. Further research to identify what works well for this important group will be of great value.

Ultra Low Sulfur Home Heating Oil Demonstration Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Batey, John E. [Energy Research Center, Inc., Easton, CT (United States); McDonald, Roger [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2015-09-30

This Ultra Low Sulfur (ULS) Home Heating Oil Demonstration Project was funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and has successfully quantified the environmental and economic benefits of switching to ULS (15 PPM sulfur) heating oil. It advances a prior field study of Low Sulfur (500 ppm sulfur) heating oil funded by NYSERDA and laboratory research conducted by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Canadian researchers. The sulfur oxide and particulate matter (PM) emissions are greatly reduced as are boiler cleaning costs through extending cleaning intervals. Both the sulfur oxide and PM emission rates are directly related to the fuel oil sulfur content. The sulfur oxide and PM emission rates approach near-zero levels by switching heating equipment to ULS fuel oil, and these emissions become comparable to heating equipment fired by natural gas. This demonstration project included an in-depth review and analysis of service records for both the ULS and control groups to determine any difference in the service needs for the two groups. The detailed service records for both groups were collected and analyzed and the results were entered into two spreadsheets that enabled a quantitative side-by-side comparison of equipment service for the entire duration of the ULS test project. The service frequency for the ULS and control group were very similar and did indicate increased service frequency for the ULS group. In fact, the service frequency with the ULS group was slightly less (7.5 percent) than the control group. The only exception was that three burner fuel pump required replacement for the ULS group and none were required for the control group.

The impact of innovation funding on a rural health nursing service: the Reporoa experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Connor, Margaret; Nelson, Katherine; Maisey, Jane

2009-07-01

Health Reporoa Inc. offers a first contact rural nursing service to the village of Reporoa and surrounding districts. From 2003 to 2006 it became a project site through selection for the Ministry of Health (MoH) primary health care nursing innovation funding. Health Reporoa Inc. successfully achieved its project goals and gained an ongoing contract from Lakes District Health Board to consolidate and further expand its services at the close of the funding period. This paper examines the impact of the innovation funding during the project period and in the two years that followed. The major impact came through an expansion of the accessible free health service to the local population; advancing nursing practice; increased connection to the nursing profession and wider health community, and enhanced affirmation of the nursing contribution. The rural nursing service model developed at Health Reporoa, through the benefit of innovation funding, can now act as a blueprint for other rural health services, particularly those in high deprivation areas.

Canby Area Service Project substation and associated transmission line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-02-01

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) provides power to Surprise Valley Electrification Corporation (SVEC) in Modoc County, California. BPA uses PacificCorp's substation and transmission facilities between Alturas and Canby, California to transfer power to SVEC's Canby Substation. In the next year, SVEC expects increased industrial, agricultural, and residential electric loads on their 69-kV transmission system south of Canby. SVEC's substation can accommodate only about 10 percent of the expected additional electric load. BPA's proposed action is intended to meet SVEC's increasing electric load. BPA proposes to meet SVEC's increasing energy load by tapping into BPA's existing BPA Malin-Warner 230-kV transmission line, and building an 7.9-mile transmission line to a new BPA substation. BPA proposes to build the new substation next to the west side of SVEC's Canby Substation (Figure 1). This new substation will allow SVEC to move the additional power over their existing transmission or distribution lines. This report is the environmental assessment of the potential impact of the proposed project. The assessment determined that no ''environmental impact statement'' is not required

The Strategic Use of Service Design for Leaders in Service Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judith Gloppen

2011-12-01

Full Text Available There is a growing interest among scholars, practitioners and organizations as to how design may benefit management, particularly when this happens in a service context. In this exploratory qualitative study, I investigate such a multi-disciplinary intersection with the aim of better understanding how service design may be of value for leaders in service organizations on a strategic level. The research draws on a service design approach called AT-ONE. Addressed are ways that the strategic use of service design may influence attitudes and transformation in service organizations. The study presents views from the designers, implementers and users of this approach, supported by participant observation and interviews. This was done through in-depth qualitative interviews with the AT-ONE project members and designer, with the service design professional company involved, and leaders from the businesses participating in the project and workshop sessions. These were observed by the researcher. Drawing on the findings of this exploratory study, some implications for the field of service design management at the corporate level are offered.

Anesthesia Service Use During Outpatient Gastroenterology Procedures Continued to Increase From 2010 to 2013 and Potentially Discretionary Spending Remained High.

Science.gov (United States)

Predmore, Zachary; Nie, Xiaoyu; Main, Regan; Mattke, Soeren; Liu, Hangsheng

2017-02-01

Previous studies have identified an increasing number of gastroenterology (GI) procedures using anesthesia services to provide sedation, with a majority of these services delivered to low-risk patients. The aim of this study was to update these trends with the most recent years of data. We used Medicare and commercial claims data from 2010 to 2013 to identify GI procedures and anesthesia services based on CPT codes, which were linked together using patient identifiers and dates of service. We defined low-risk patients as those who were classified as ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) physical status class I or II. For those patients without an ASA class listed on the claim, we used a prediction algorithm to impute an ASA physical status. Over 6.6 million patients in our sample had a GI procedure between 2010 and 2013. GI procedures involving anesthesia service accounted for 33.7% in 2010 and 47.6% in 2013 in Medicare patients, and 38.3% in 2010 and 53.0% in 2013 in commercially insured patients. Overall, as more patients used anesthesia services, total anesthesia service use in low-risk patients increased 14%, from 27,191 to 33,181 per million Medicare enrollees. Similarly, we observed a nearly identical uptick in commercially insured patients from 15,871 to 22,247 per million, an increase of almost 15%. During 2010-2013, spending associated with anesthesia services in low-risk patients increased from US$3.14 million to US$3.45 million per million Medicare enrollees and from US$7.69 million to US$10.66 million per million commercially insured patients. During 2010 to 2013, anesthesia service use in GI procedures continued to increase and the proportion of these services rendered for low-risk patients remained high.

Increased Use of Dental Services by Children in Medicaid

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — This report analyzes the use of dental services by children enrolled in Medicaid from federal fiscal years (FFY) 2000 to 2010. The number and percent of children...

Focused Campaign Increases Activity among Participants in "Nature's Notebook," a Citizen Science Project

Science.gov (United States)

Crimmins, Theresa M.; Weltzin, Jake F.; Rosemartin, Alyssa H.; Surina, Echo M.; Marsh, Lee; Denny, Ellen G.

2014-01-01

Science projects, which engage non-professional scientists in one or more stages of scientific research, have been gaining popularity; yet maintaining participants' activity level over time remains a challenge. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential for a short-term, focused campaign to increase participant activity in a…

EDF, the 2003-2007 project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

This brochure presents the 2003-2007 project of Electricite de France (EdF) in the framework of the opening of European energy markets. The aim of this project is to take over the present day contract of EdF with the French government in order to become an anonymous company. The wish of F. Roussely, president of EdF, is to open and increase the capital of the company but also to fulfill its public utility missions. The stake of EdF is to stay competitive, to become a European energy leader, to stay an integrated company combining production, transport, distribution and commercialization, and finally to maintain its historical public utility standards: specific tariff conditions and services for low income people, financing of renewable energy projects. (J.S.)

The EMBRACE web service collection.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pettifer, S.; Ison, J.; Kalas, M.; Thorne, D.; McDermott, P.; Jonassen, I.; Liaquat, A.; Fernandez, J.M.; Rodriguez, J.M.; Pisano, D.G.; Blanchet, C; Uludag, M.; Rice, P.; Bartaseviciute, E.; Rapacki, K.; Hekkelman, M.L.; Sand, O.; Stockinger, H.; Clegg, A.B.; Bongcam-Rudloff, E.; Salzemann, J.; Breton, V.; Attwood, T.K.; Cameron, G.; Vriend, G.

2010-01-01

The EMBRACE (European Model for Bioinformatics Research and Community Education) web service collection is the culmination of a 5-year project that set out to investigate issues involved in developing and deploying web services for use in the life sciences. The project concluded that in order for

FEE-SCHEDULE INCREASES IN CANADA: IMPLICATION FOR SERVICE VOLUMES AMONG FAMILY AND SPECIALIST PHYSICIANS.

Science.gov (United States)

Ariste, Ruolz

2015-01-01

Physician spending has substantially increased over the last few years in Canada to reach $27.4 billion in 2010. Total clinical payment to physicians has grown at an average annual rate of 7.6% from 2004 to 2010. The key policy question is whether or not this additional money has bought more physician services. So, the purpose of this study is to understand if we are paying more for the same amount of medical services in Canada or we are getting more bangs for our buck. At the same time, the paper attempts to find out whether or not there is a productivity difference between family physician services and surgical procedures. Using the Baumol theory and data from the National Physician Database for the period 2004-2010, the paper breaks down growth in physician remuneration into growth in unit cost and number of services, both from the physician and the payer perspectives. After removing general inflation and population growth from the 7.6% growth in total clinical payment, we found that real payment per service and volume of services per capita grew at an average annual rate of 3.2% and 1.4% respectively, suggesting that payment per service was the main cost driver of physician remuneration at the national level. Taking the payer perspective, it was found that, for the fee-for-service (FFS) scheme, volume of services per physician decreased at an average annual rate of -0.6%, which is a crude indicator that labour productivity of physicians on FFS has fallen during the period. However, the situation differs for the surgical procedures. Results also vary by province. Overall, our finding is consistent with the Baumol theory, which hypothesizes higher productivity growth in technology-driven sectors.

International Space Station Medical Projects - Full Services to Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Pietrzyk, R. A.; Primeaux, L. L.; Wood, S. J.; Vessay, W. B.; Platts, S. H.

2018-01-01

The International Space Station Medical Projects (ISSMP) Element provides planning, integration, and implementation services for HRP research studies for both spaceflight and flight analog research. Through the implementation of these two efforts, ISSMP offers an innovative way of guiding research decisions to meet the unique challenges of understanding the human risks to space exploration. Flight services provided by ISSMP include leading informed consent briefings, developing and validating in-flight crew procedures, providing ISS crew and ground-controller training, real-time experiment monitoring, on-orbit experiment and hardware operations and facilitating data transfer to investigators. For analog studies at the NASA Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), the ISSMP team provides subject recruitment and screening, science requirements integration, data collection schedules, data sharing agreements, mission scenarios and facilities to support investigators. The ISSMP also serves as the HRP interface to external analog providers including the :envihab bed rest facility (Cologne, Germany), NEK isolation chamber (Moscow, Russia) and the Antarctica research stations. Investigators working in either spaceflight or analog environments requires a coordinated effort between NASA and the investigators. The interdisciplinary nature of both flight and analog research requires investigators to be aware of concurrent research studies and take into account potential confounding factors that may impact their research objectives. Investigators must define clear research requirements, participate in Investigator Working Group meetings, obtain human use approvals, and provide study-specific training, sample and data collection and procedures all while adhering to schedule deadlines. These science requirements define the technical, functional and performance operations to meet the research objectives. The ISSMP maintains an expert team of professionals with the knowledge and

Divergence of ecosystem services in U.S. National Forests and Grasslands under a changing climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Kai; Sun, Ge; Sun, Shanlei; Caldwell, Peter V; Cohen, Erika C; McNulty, Steven G; Aldridge, Heather D; Zhang, Yang

2016-04-21

The 170 National Forests and Grasslands (NFs) in the conterminous United States are public lands that provide important ecosystem services such as clean water and timber supply to the American people. This study investigates the potential impacts of climate change on two key ecosystem functions (i.e., water yield and ecosystem productivity) using the most recent climate projections derived from 20 Global Climate Models (GCMs) of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5). We find that future climate change may result in a significant reduction in water yield but an increase in ecosystem productivity in NFs. On average, gross ecosystem productivity is projected to increase by 76 ~ 229 g C m(-2) yr(-1) (8% ~ 24%) while water yield is projected to decrease by 18 ~ 31 mm yr(-1) (4% ~ 7%) by 2100 as a result of the combination of increased air temperature (+1.8 ~ +5.2 °C) and precipitation (+17 ~ +51 mm yr(-1)). The notable divergence in ecosystem services of water supply and carbon sequestration is expected to intensify under higher greenhouse gas emission and associated climate change in the future, posing greater challenges to managing NFs for both ecosystem services.

A Road Map for Empowering Undergraduates to Practice Service Leadership through Service-Learning in Teams

Science.gov (United States)

Snell, Robin Stanley; Chan, Maureen Yin Lee; Ma, Carol Hok Ka; Chan, Carman Ka Man

2015-01-01

We present a road map for providing course-embedded service-learning team projects as opportunities for undergraduates to practice as service leaders in Asia and beyond. Basic foundations are that projects address authentic problems or needs, partner organization representatives (PORs) indicate availability for ongoing consultation, students…

Integrated project for increasing the capacity of spent fuel pools at Cofrentes NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebollo Garcia, C.; Arana, S.

1996-01-01

The current storage capacity of the Cofrentes NPP will have reached its limit by the end of its 15th cycle, in the year 2005. The works performed by Empresarios Agrupados for IBERDROLA show that it is possible to increase this capacity in successive phases, so as to make the Power Plant self-sufficient for 16 more years (up to 2021) in the case of compact storage, or for 50 more years (2055) in the case of consolidated storage or second level storage. Optimisation of the management of high-activity wastes goes with a series of tasks which come under the group referred to as Integrated Project for Increasing the Capacity of Spent Fuel Pools. The main activities of the project can be summarised under the following three items: increase of storage capacity (feasibility study, specification for the purchase of racks, manufacture, assembly and tests), improvement of the capacity of the pool cooling system and modification of the components and accessories located inside the pools which interfere with the new racks. Another series of activities with less technical and economic impact are: modification of fuel handling machines, management of generated radwaste, licensing and modification of plant documentation (seismic analysis, radiation areas, as-built drawings and verification of the validation of purification and HVAC systems). (Author)

Large projected increases in rain-on-snow flood potential over western North America

Science.gov (United States)

Musselman, K. N.; Ikeda, K.; Barlage, M. J.; Lehner, F.; Liu, C.; Newman, A. J.; Prein, A. F.; Mizukami, N.; Gutmann, E. D.; Clark, M. P.; Rasmussen, R.

2017-12-01

In the western US and Canada, some of the largest annual flood events occur when warm storm systems drop substantial rainfall on extensive snow-cover. For example, last winter's Oroville dam crisis in California was exacerbated by rapid snowmelt during a rain-on-snow (ROS) event. We present an analysis of ROS events with flood-generating potential over western North America simulated at high-resolution by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model run for both a 13-year control time period and re-run with a `business-as-usual' future (2071-2100) climate scenario. Daily ROS with flood-generating potential is defined as rainfall of at least 10 mm per day falling on snowpack of at least 10 mm water equivalent, where the sum of rainfall and snowmelt contains at least 20% snowmelt. In a warmer climate, ROS is less frequent in regions where it is historically common, and more frequent elsewhere. This is evidenced by large simulated reductions in snow-cover and ROS frequency at lower elevations, particularly in warmer, coastal regions, and greater ROS frequency at middle elevations and in inland regions. The same trend is reflected in the annual-average ROS runoff volume (rainfall + snowmelt) aggregated to major watersheds; large reductions of 25-75% are projected for much of the U.S. Pacific Northwest, while large increases are simulated for the Colorado River basin, western Canada, and the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada. In the warmer climate, snowmelt contributes substantially less to ROS runoff per unit rainfall, particularly in inland regions. The reduction in snowmelt contribution is due to a shift in ROS timing from warm spring events to cooler winter conditions and/or from warm, lower elevations to cool, higher elevations. However, the slower snowmelt is offset by an increase in rainfall intensity, maintaining the flood potential of ROS at or above historical levels. In fact, we report large projected increases in the intensity of extreme ROS events

Integrating mental health services: the Finnish experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ville Lehtinen

2001-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to give a short description of the most important developments of mental health services in Finland during the 1990s, examine their influences on the organisation and provision of services, and describe shortly some national efforts to handle the new situation. The Finnish mental health service system experienced profound changes in the beginning of the 1990s. These included the integration of mental health services, being earlier under own separate administration, with other specialised health services, decentralisation of the financing of health services, and de-institutionalisation of the services. The same time Finland underwent the deepest economic recession in Western Europe, which resulted in cut-offs especially in the mental health budgets. Conducting extensive national research and development programmes in the field of mental health has been one typically Finnish way of supporting the mental health service development. The first of these national programmes was the Schizophrenia Project 1981–97, whose main aims were to decrease the incidence of new long-term patients and the prevalence of old long-stay patients by developing an integrated treatment model. The Suicide Prevention Project 1986–96 aimed at raising awareness of this special problem and decreasing by 20% the proportionally high suicide rate in Finland. The National Depression Programme 1994–98 focused at this clearly increasing public health concern by several research and development project targeted both to the general population and specifically to children, primary care and specialised services. The latest, still on-going Meaningful Life Programme 1998–2003 which main aim is, by multi-sectoral co-operation, to improve the quality of life for people suffering from or living with the threat of mental disorders. Furthermore, the government launched in 1999 a new Goal and Action Programme for Social Welfare and Health Care 2000–2003, in

FACTORS AND REASONS THAT CAN MAKE USERS TO INCREASE THE USAGE OF SMARTPHONE SERVICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roman Cristina Teodora

2013-07-01

In this paper the conclusions related to the reasons and direction that can make users to increase the usage of smartphone services are coming both, from multiple factor regression analysis, as well as from the analysis of the sample research profile.

Increase in Total Joint Arthroplasty Projected from 2014 to 2046 in Australia: A Conservative Local Model With International Implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Inacio, Maria C S; Graves, Stephen E; Pratt, Nicole L; Roughead, Elizabeth E; Nemes, Szilard

2017-08-01

The incidence of joint arthroplasty is increasing worldwide. International estimates of future demand for joint arthroplasty have used models that propose either an exponential future increase, despite obvious system constraints, or static increases, which do not account for past trends. Country-specific projection estimates that address limitations of past projections are necessary. In Australia, a high-income country with the 7th highest incidence of TKA and 15th highest incidence of THA of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, the volume of TKAs and THAs increased 198% between 1994 and 2014. To determine the projected incidence and volume of primary TKAs and THAs from 2014 to 2046 in the Australian population older than 40 years. Australian State and Territory Health Department data were used to identify TKAs and THAs performed between 1994 and 1995 and 2013 and 2014. The Australian Bureau of Statistics was the source of the population estimates for the same periods and population-projected estimates until 2046. The incidence rate (IR), 95% CI, and prediction interval (PI) of TKAs and THAs per 100,000 Australian citizens older than 40 years were calculated. Future IRs were estimated using a logistic model, and volume was calculated from projected IR and population. The logistic growth model assumes the existence of an upper limit of the TKA and THA incidences and a growth rate directly related to this incidence. At the beginning, when the observed incidence is much lower than the asymptote, the increase is exponential, but it decreases as it approaches the upper limit. A 66% increase in the IR of primary THAs between 2013 and 2046 is projected for Australia (2013: IR = 307 per 100,000, [95% CI, 262-329 per 100,000] compared with 2046: IR= 510 per 100,000, [95% PI, 98-567 per 100,000]), which translates to a 219% increase in the volume during this period. For TKAs the IR is expected to increase by 26% by 2046 (IR = 575 per

Increasing demand for service: WTS create new jobs and extend their services; Immer mehr Service ist notwendig: WTS schafft neue Arbeitsplaetze und erweitert das Angebot

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

2001-07-01

There is increasing demand for fast, reliable servicing of wind power systems. WTS, an Ibbenbueren-based organisation, offer retrofitting of secondary flow filter systems for lubricating oils, alarm signals for aircraft traffic, the SOBO soft braking system for medium-sized plants, and complete assembly both nationally and internationally (rotors, gearing, offshore systems). [German] Die Nachfrage nach einem schnellen, zuverlaessigen Service rund um die Wind Kraft Anlagen steigt. WTS aus Ibbenbuehren, bisher sehr erfolgreich in der Nachruestung von Nebenstromfilteranlagen fuer Getriebeoele, in der Ausruestung mit Gefahrfeuern fuer die Flugsicherung, in der Nachruestung mittelgrosser Anlagen mit dem SOBO Softbremssystem zur Schonung der wertvollen Bauteile, sowie in der kompletten Anlagenmontage national und international, erweitert das Angebot (fuer den Rotor; das Getriebe und die Planung im Offshore Markt). (orig./AKF)

Increasing reach by offering choices: Results from an innovative model for statewide services for smoking cessation.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Paula A; Schillo, Barbara A; Kerr, Amy N; Lien, Rebecca K; Saul, Jessie; Dreher, Marietta; Lachter, Randi B

2016-10-01

Although state quitlines provide free telephone counseling and often include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), reach remains limited (1-2% in most states). More needs to be done to engage all smokers in the quitting process. A possible strategy is to offer choices of cessation services through quitlines and to reduce registration barriers. In March 2014, ClearWay Minnesota SM implemented a new model for QUITPLAN® Services, the state's population-wide cessation services. Tobacco users could choose the QUITPLAN® Helpline or one or more Individual QUITPLAN® Services (NRT starter kit, text messaging, email program, or quit guide). The program website was redesigned, online enrollment was added, and a new advertising campaign was created and launched. In 2014-2015, we evaluated whether these changes increased reach. We also assessed quit attempts, quit outcomes, predictors of 30-day abstinence, and average cost per quit via a seven-month follow-up survey. Between March 2014-February 2015, 15,861 unique tobacco users registered, which was a 169% increase over calendar year 2013. The majority of participants made a quit attempt (83.7%). Thirty-day point prevalence abstinence rates (responder rates) were 26.1% for QUITPLAN Services overall, 29.6% for the QUITPLAN Helpline, and 25.5% for Individual QUITPLAN Services. Several variables predicted quit outcomes, including receiving only one call from the Helpline and using both the Helpline and the NRT starter kit. Providing greater choice of cessation services and reducing registration barriers have the potential to engage more tobacco users, foster more quit attempts, and ultimately lead to long-term cessation and reductions in prevalence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Projections of specialist physicians in Mexico: a key element in planning human resources for health.

Science.gov (United States)

Nigenda, Gustavo; Muños, José Alberto

2015-09-22

Projections are considered a useful tool in the planning of human resources for health. In Mexico, the supply and demand of specialist doctors are clearly disconnected, and decisions must be made to reduce labour market imbalances. Thus, it is critical to produce reliable projections to assess future interactions between supply and demand. Using a service demand approach, projections of the number of specialist physicians required by the three main public institutions were calculated using the following variables: a) recent recruitment of specialists, b) physician productivity and c) retirement rates. Two types of scenarios were produced: an inertial one with no changes made to current production levels and an alternative scenario adjusted by recommended productivity levels. Results show that institutions must address productivity as a major policy element to act upon in future contracting of specialist physicians. The projections that adjusted for productivity suggest that the hiring trends for surgeons and internists should be maintained or increased to compensate for the increase in demand for services. In contrast, due to the decline in demand for obstetric and paediatric services, the hiring of new obstetrician-gynaecologists and paediatricians should be reduced to align with future demand.

Projected wood energy impact on US forest wood resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skog, K.E. [USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI (United States)

1993-12-31

The USDA Forest Service has developed long-term projections of wood energy use as part of a 1993 assessment of demand for and supply of resources from forest and range lands in the United States. To assess the impact of wood energy demand on timber resources, a market equilibrium model based on linear programming was developed to project residential, industrial, commercial, and utility wood energy use from various wood energy sources: roundwood from various land sources, primary wood products mill residue, other wood residue, and black liquor. Baseline projections are driven by projected price of fossil fuels compared to price of wood fuels and the projected increase in total energy use in various end uses. Wood energy use is projected to increase from 2.67 quad in 1986 to 3.5 quad in 2030 and 3.7 quad in 2040. This is less than the DOE National Energy Strategy projection of 5.5 quad in 2030. Wood energy from forest sources (roundwood) is projected to increase from 3.1 billion (10{sup 9}) ft{sup 3} in 1986 to 4.4. billion ft{sup 3} in 2030 and 4.8 billion ft{sup 3} in 2040 (88, 124 and 136 million m{sup 3}, respectively). This rate of increase of roundwood use for fuel -- 0.8 percent per year -- is virtually the same as the projected increase rate for roundwood for pulpwood. Pulpwood roundwood is projected to increase from 4.2 billion ft{sup 3} in 1986 to 6.0 billion ft{sup 3} in 2030 and 6.4 billion ft{sup 3} in 2040 (119, 170 and 183 million m{sup 3}, respectively).

Identifying pollination service hotspots and coldspots using citizen science data from the Great Sunflower Project

Science.gov (United States)

LeBuhn, G.; Schmucki, R.

2016-12-01

Identifying the spatial patterns of pollinator visitation rates is key to identifying the drivers of differences in pollination service and the areas where pollinator conservation will provide the highest return on investment. However, gathering pollinator abundance data at the appropriate regional and national scales is untenable. As a surrogate, habitat models have been developed to identify areas of pollinator losses but these models have been developed using expert opinion based on foraging and nesting requirements. Thousands of citizen scientists across the United States participating in The Great Sunflower Project (www.GreatSunflower.org) contribute timed counts of pollinator visits to a focal sunflower variety planted in local gardens and green spaces. While these data provide a more direct measure of pollination service to a standardized plant and include a measure of effort, the data are complicated. Each location is sampled at different dates, times and frequencies as well as different points across the local flight season. To overcome this complication, we have used a generalized additive model to generate regional flight curves to calibrate each individual data point and to attain better estimates of pollination service at each site. Using these flight season corrected data, we identify hotspots and cold spots in pollinator service across the United States, evaluate the drivers shaping the spatial patterns and observe how these data align with the results obtained from predictive models that are based on expert knowledge on foraging and nesting habitats.

Operational challenges in conducting a community-based technology-enabled mental health services delivery model for rural India: Experiences from the SMART Mental Health Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Maulik, Pallab K; Kallakuri, Sudha; Devarapalli, Siddhardha

2018-01-01

Background: There are large gaps in the delivery of mental health care in low- and middle-income countries such as India, and the problems are even more acute in rural settings due to lack of resources, remoteness, and lack of infrastructure, amongst other factors. The Systematic Medical Appraisal Referral and Treatment (SMART) Mental Health Project was conceived as a mental health services delivery model using technology-based solutions for rural India. This paper reports on the operational strategies used to facilitate the implementation of the intervention. Method: Key components of the SMART Mental Health Project included delivering an anti-stigma campaign, training of primary health workers in screening, diagnosing and managing stress, depression and increased suicide risk and task sharing of responsibilities in delivering care; and using mobile technology based electronic decision support systems to support delivery of algorithm based care for such disorders. The intervention was conducted in 42 villages across two sites in the state of Andhra Pradesh in south India. A pre-post mixed methods evaluation was done, and in this paper operational challenges are reported. Results: Both quantitative and qualitative results from the evaluation from one site covering about 5000 adults showed that the intervention was feasible and acceptable, and initial results indicated that it was beneficial in increasing access to mental health care and reducing depression and anxiety symptoms. A number of strategies were initiated in response to operational challenges to ensure smoother conduct of the project and facilitated the project to be delivered as envisaged. Conclusions: The operational strategies initiated for this project were successful in ensuring the delivery of the intervention. Those, coupled with other more systematic processes have informed the researchers to understand key processes that need to be in place to develop a more robust study, that could eventually be

Redefining Project Management Information Systems with New IT Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luminita Hurbean

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Achieving successful adoption of an innovative project management information system should involve influencing the project management environment by providing useful tools, training, reusable templates, techniques, and methods that improve the project manager's ability to successfully execute. This paper suggests that project management practice, enabled by emerging IT, could more explicitly recognize, represent, and manage the interdependencies that are pervasive throughout projects, thereby fully exploiting the potential of the IT to improve overall project performance. The last few years IT&C evolution led to new approaches to application and infrastructure architecture. Breaking from the traditional procedures used by organizations, they propose a cloud operating platform that reduces complexity and improves agility and scalability by altering the approach to the way data centres are built, applications are developed, infrastructure is managed, and organizations align and collaborate. Further, the paper explores the growing impact of mobile computing, cloud delivery and social business collaboration project management information systems and proposes a shift of a Five C’s for information systems in a cloud based operating platform, driven by cooperation, teamwork and continuous improvement.The proposed shift in the cloud indicates actual tools that may be adopted for better collaboration and higher business value of the project information management.

Management of Globally Distributed Software Development Projects in Multiple-Vendor Constellations

Science.gov (United States)

Schott, Katharina; Beck, Roman; Gregory, Robert Wayne

Global information systems development outsourcing is an apparent trend that is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. Thereby, IS-related services are not only increasingly provided from different geographical sites simultaneously but beyond that from multiple service providers based in different countries. The purpose of this paper is to understand how the involvement of multiple service providers affects the management of the globally distributed information systems development projects. As research on this topic is scarce, we applied an exploratory in-depth single-case study design as research approach. The case we analyzed comprises a global software development outsourcing project initiated by a German bank together with several globally distributed vendors. For data collection and data analysis we have adopted techniques suggested by the grounded theory method. Whereas the extant literature points out the increased management overhead associated with multi-sourcing, the analysis of our case suggests that the required effort for managing global outsourcing projects with multiple vendors depends among other things on the maturation level of the cooperation within the vendor portfolio. Furthermore, our data indicate that this interplay maturity is positively impacted through knowledge about the client that has been derived based on already existing client-vendor relationships. The paper concludes by offering theoretical and practical implications.

Family welfare and health practices increase after exposure to population education.

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

Since 1987, the State Resource Center of Jamia Millia Islamia of New Delhi has been implementing a program which integrates population education contents into its literacy education classes for adult learners. Using the core messages on family size, spacing of children, responsible parenthood, right age of marriage, population-related beliefs and customs and population and development, the Center undertook many activities such as: i) integrating population contents in literacy primers, readers and supplementary reading books; ii) development of teaching aids and instructor's resource materials; iii) organization of training for instructors and iv) holding outreach activities such as street corner plays, fairs, etc. To evaluate the impact of the program, the Center undertook an impact survey to measure the level of knowledge, attitude and practices of randomly selected beneficiaries of the project, i.e. 934 learners from 85 literacy learning centers, 5 years after the introduction of the population education program. The study used pre-test and post-test method for collecting data and to compare results. In terms of practice, the study has shown that the respondents having knowledge about family planning methods increased from 67 to 87%, after being exposed to the project's activities. There was also an increase of 61% in cases adopting family planning methods over the pre-measurement level. More importantly, there was not only an increase in awareness of public health and family welfare services but a 137% increase was registered in the use of public health and family welfare facilities for family planning counseling and services. With regard to knowledge and attitude on the various population education messages promoted by the project, the study has shown a 40% increase in "high" knowledge category and 25% increase in favorable attitude after the exposure to the project. full text

IDENTIFICATION OF EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE IN ABSORPTION OF STRUCTURAL FUNDS, CASE STUDY PROJECT "CHRISTIAN DAY CENTER"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CEAUSESCU IONUT

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this study is to capture the practical point of view, the main issues in examples of best practices in the application for funding for the project "Christian Day Center- Support for young people and adults with disabilities" project benefited the City Council Târgu Jiu, is a project which was realized in the Regional Operational Programme, Priority Axis 3 DMI 3.2 - "Rehabilitation / modernization / development and equipping of social services", the total value of the project was 3,373,722.72 lei, of which non-repayable funding over was worth 2,592,251.08 lei. Through its general objective, the project "Day Center Christian - Support for young people and adults with disabilities" aims to contribute to improving the quality of infrastructure for social services by ensuring equal access of citizens of Tg-Jiu such services. Christian Day Center- support for young people and adults with physical disabilities, musculoskeletal, neuro, somatic and visual has already proposed to the idea of the project, to be a center which will ensure the social inclusion of these vulnerable and contribute to increasing the quality of life, improve communication and information on the rights and benefits of social services to improve the management and organization of the system of providing social services and facilitating the participation of all stakeholders in the development of social services.

Nuclear carrier business volume projections, 1980-2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebo, R.G.; McKeown, M.S.; Rhyne, W.R.

1980-05-01

The expected number of shipments of commodities in the nuclear fuel cycle are projected for the years 1980 thru 2000. Projections are made for: yellowcake (U 3 O 8 ); natural, enriched and reprocessed uranium hexafluoride (UF 6 ); uranium dioxide powder (UO 2 ); plutonium dioxide powder (PuO 2 ); fresh UO 2 and mixed oxide (MOX) fuel; spent UO 2 fuel; low-level waste (LLW); transuranic (TRU) waste; high-activity TRU waste; high-level waste (HLW), and cladding hulls. Projections are also made for non-fuel cycle commodities such as defense TRU wastes and institutional wastes, since they also are shipped by the commercial transportation industry. Projections of waste shipments from LWRs are based on the continuation of current volume reduction and solidification techniques now used by the utility industry. Projections are also made based on a 5% per year reduction in LWR waste volume shipped which is assumed to occur as a result of increased implementation of currently available volume reduction systems. This assumption results in a net 64% decrease in the total waste shipped by the year 2000. LWR waste shipment projections, and essentially all other projections for fuel cycle commodities covered in this report, are normalized to BWR and PWR generating capacity projections set forth by the Department of Energy (DOE) in their low-growth projection of April, 1979. Therefore these commodity shipment projections may be altered to comply with future changes in generating capacity projections. Projected shipments of waste from the reprocessing of spent UO 2 fuel are based on waste generation rates proposed by Nuclear Fuels Services, Allied-General Nuclear Services, Exxon Nuclear, and the DOE. Reprocessing is assumed to begin again in 1990, with mixed oxide fresh fuel available for shipment by 1991

77 FR 41980 - Uniontown Hydro, LLC, Project No. 12958-001-Kentucky and Indiana, Uniontown Hydroelectric Project...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-17

...-001-Kentucky and Indiana, Uniontown Hydroelectric Project; Newburgh Hydro, LLC, Project No. 12962-001-Kentucky and Indiana, Newburgh Hydroelectric Project; Notice of Revised Restricted Service List for a... licenses for the proposed Uniontown Hydroelectric Project and Newburgh Hydroelectric Project. The...

Developing European conservation and mitigation tools for pollination services: approaches of the STEP (Status and Trends of European Pollinators) project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Potts, S.G.; Biesmeijer, J.C.; Bommarco, R.; Felicioli, A.; Fischer, M.; Jokinen, P.; Kleijn, D.; Klein, A.M.; Kunin, W.E.; Neumann, P.; Penev, L.D.; Petanidou, T.; Rasmont, P.; Roberts, S.P.M.; Smith, H.G.; Sorensen, P.B.; Steffan-Dewenter, I.; Vaissiere, B.E.; Vila, M.; Vujic, A.; Woyciechowski, M.; Zobel, M.; Settele, J.; Schweiger, O.

2011-01-01

Pollinating insects form a key component of European biodiversity, and provide a vital ecosystem service to crops and wild plants. There is growing evidence of declines in both wild and domesticated pollinators, and parallel declines in plants relying upon them. The STEP project (Status and Trends

European Wind Farm Project Costs History and Projections 2008 Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2008-10-15

At the request of Enova (the 'Client'), Garrad Hassan and Partners Limited ('GH') has provided technical advice on capital cost expectations for wind farm developments. In summary, the work provides a survey of the present and future 5-year prognosis for costs and conditions facing developers and suppliers in the European wind power market. The report will be used as a benchmark to support tendering for future Norwegian projects. As such, it will also provide discussion of how project characteristics can influence project cost. Data Used in the Analysis GH has obtained data on the investment costs for 35 projects developed or in development in Europe. The projects represent to the extent possible the characteristics representative of potential Norwegian projects. The data used in this analysis are from actual projects in: France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Wales. The turbine capacities represented in the data are typically 2 MW or above, except in one case where a mix of turbines sizes was used at the project. GH highlights that because of high demand for turbines, the main manufacturers have recently been offering to meet delivery schedules for new orders from late 2010. For new tenders it is likely that delivery time frames offered will now be for 2011 deliveries. As a result of the current 'Seller's Market', production capacity typically relates directly to the number of turbines sold in the year; therefore for 2007 the annual production capacity was approximately 22 GW. GH is aware that turbine suppliers across the market are working to increase their production capacity in order to ease the pressure on the market, however, there are bottlenecks through the supply chain at the sub component level. As a result, increases in production capacity will likely remain at a relatively steady state in the short term. Energy Assessment The energy assessment of a project is the area

Applying a Total Market Lens: Increased IUD Service Delivery Through Complementary Public- and Private-Sector Interventions in 4 Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Julia N; Corker, Jamaica

2016-08-11

Increasing access to the intrauterine device (IUD), as part of a comprehensive method mix, is a key strategy for reducing unintended pregnancy and maternal mortality in low-income countries. To expand access to IUDs within the framework of informed choice, Population Services International (PSI) has historically supported increased IUD service delivery through private providers. In applying a total market lens to better understand the family planning market and address major market gaps, PSI identified a lack of high-quality public provision of IUDs. In 2013, PSI started a pilot in 4 countries (Guatemala, Laos, Mali, and Uganda) to grow public-provider IUD service delivery through increased public-sector engagement while maintaining its ongoing focus on private providers. In collaboration with country governments, PSI affiliates carried out family planning market analyses in the 4 pilot countries to identify gaps in IUD service delivery and create sustainable strategies for scaling up IUD services in the public sector. Country-specific interventions to increase service delivery were implemented across all levels of the public health system, including targeted advocacy at the national level to promote government ownership and program sustainability. Mechanisms to ensure government ownership were built into the program design, including a proof-of-concept approach to convince governments of the feasibility and value of taking over and scaling up interventions. In the first 2 years of the pilot (2013-2014), 102,055 IUD services were provided to women at 417 targeted public-sector facilities. These preliminary results suggest that there is untapped demand for IUD service delivery in the public sector that can be met in part through greater participation of the public sector in family planning and IUD provision. © White et al.

Applying a Total Market Lens: Increased IUD Service Delivery Through Complementary Public- and Private-Sector Interventions in 4 Countries

Science.gov (United States)

White, Julia N; Corker, Jamaica

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Increasing access to the intrauterine device (IUD), as part of a comprehensive method mix, is a key strategy for reducing unintended pregnancy and maternal mortality in low-income countries. To expand access to IUDs within the framework of informed choice, Population Services International (PSI) has historically supported increased IUD service delivery through private providers. In applying a total market lens to better understand the family planning market and address major market gaps, PSI identified a lack of high-quality public provision of IUDs. In 2013, PSI started a pilot in 4 countries (Guatemala, Laos, Mali, and Uganda) to grow public-provider IUD service delivery through increased public-sector engagement while maintaining its ongoing focus on private providers. In collaboration with country governments, PSI affiliates carried out family planning market analyses in the 4 pilot countries to identify gaps in IUD service delivery and create sustainable strategies for scaling up IUD services in the public sector. Country-specific interventions to increase service delivery were implemented across all levels of the public health system, including targeted advocacy at the national level to promote government ownership and program sustainability. Mechanisms to ensure government ownership were built into the program design, including a proof-of-concept approach to convince governments of the feasibility and value of taking over and scaling up interventions. In the first 2 years of the pilot (2013–2014), 102,055 IUD services were provided to women at 417 targeted public-sector facilities. These preliminary results suggest that there is untapped demand for IUD service delivery in the public sector that can be met in part through greater participation of the public sector in family planning and IUD provision. PMID:27540122

Temporary services for patients in need of chronic care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hesse, Morten

2008-01-01

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

All projects related to | Page 314 | IDRC - International Development ...

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

2011-01-01

... located at the University of Pretoria, endeavors to increase capacity for research and policy analysis in environmental and resource economics in Africa through a program of research grants and related support services, including short courses, workshops and supervision of research projects. Start Date: January 1, 2011.

Comparison of SOAP and REST Based Web Services Using Software Evaluation Metrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tihomirovs Juris

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The usage of Web services has recently increased. Therefore, it is important to select right type of Web services at the project design stage. The most common implementations are based on SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol and REST (Representational State Transfer Protocol styles. Maintainability of REST and SOAP Web services has become an important issue as popularity of Web services is increasing. Choice of the right approach is not an easy decision since it is influenced by development requirements and maintenance considerations. In the present research, we present the comparison of SOAP and REST based Web services using software evaluation metrics. To achieve this aim, a systematic literature review will be made to compare REST and SOAP Web services in terms of the software evaluation metrics.

US service firms eye increased sales to Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on American service supply companies which hope the pending U.S.-Mexico free trade agreement will step up their sales of goods and service to Petroleos Mexicanos. They testified at a House foreign affairs subcommittee hearing on the oil aspects of the FTA and commented on a recent General Accounting Office report. Rep. Sam Gejdenson, (D-Conn.), subcommittee chairman, has been critical of FTA negotiations because it appears they will not open the Mexican oil sector to U.S. firms. Mexico's constitution bans foreign firms from owning Mexican reserves. It has been stated that the U.S. oil industry needs the business. The industry, particularly drillers, contractors, and manufacturers of oil equipment, has been hurting for more than 10 years now. They have lost more than 356,000 jobs in this sector in the last decade more than have been lost in the entire U.S. auto industry. Access to trade and investment in Mexico's oil sector could mean the difference between profit and bankruptcy for tens of thousands of small and medium size oil service contractors

Implementing an EU system of accounting for ecosystems and their services. Initial proposals for the implementation of ecosystem services accounts (Report under phase 2 of the knowledge innovation project on an integrated system of natural capital and ecosystem services accounting in the EU)

OpenAIRE