Using Computer-Assisted Argumentation Mapping to develop effective argumentation skills in high school advanced placement physics

Science.gov (United States)

Heglund, Brian

evaluation and low perceived value of the learning task, respectively. The discussion presents implications for practice and research, such as introducing motivation scaffolds to support appreciation of task value, and addressing major differences between the design of this study and similar published studies, respectively. This work provides contributions in that it tested the effect of Computer-Assisted Argumentation Mapping on the critical thinking skills of twelfth-grade students within the context of evaluating physics arguments, a previously unexplored age group and domain.

14 CFR 382.101 - What other boarding and deplaning assistance must carriers provide?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What other boarding and deplaning... DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL Boarding, Deplaning, and Connecting Assistance § 382.101 What other boarding and deplaning assistance must carriers provide? When level-entry boarding and deplaning assistance is not...

Becoming physics people: Development of integrated physics identity through the Learning Assistant experience

Science.gov (United States)

Close, Eleanor W.; Conn, Jessica; Close, Hunter G.

2016-06-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Preparing and Supporting University Physics Educators.] In this study, we analyze the experience of students in the Physics Learning Assistant (LA) program at Texas State University in terms of the existing theoretical frameworks of community of practice and physics identity, and explore the implications suggested by these theories for LA program adoption and adaptation. Regression models from physics identity studies show that the physics identity construct strongly predicts intended choice of a career in physics. The goal of our current project is to understand the details of the impacts of participation in the LA experience on participants' practice and self-concept, in order to identify critical elements of LA program structure that positively influence physics identity and physics career intentions for students. Our analysis suggests that participation in the LA program impacts LAs in ways that support both stronger "physics student" identity and stronger "physics instructor" identity, and that these identities are reconciled into a coherent integrated physics identity. Increased comfort in interactions with peers, near peers, and faculty seems to be an important component of this identity development and reconciliation, suggesting that a focus on supporting community membership is useful for effective program design.

Assistance to high schools: A mobile Nuclear Physics Laboratory. Final report, 1991--1992 activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerlin, T.W.; Dean, C.H.

1992-01-01

The Nuclear Engineering Department of the University of Tennessee was awarded a grant from DOE to expand and improve a program of assisting high school physics teachers in their coverage of nuclear physics. Nuclear physics has routinely been handled poorly in high school classes. There are several reasons for this: nuclear physics is usually near the end of high school physics texts and teachers often fail to get to it, many teachers are unfamiliar with nuclear physics and are reluctant to cover it, and laboratories are a problem because equipment is expensive, teachers often do not know how to use the equipment and schools often do not want to store radioactive sources. The assistance program encourages teachers to cover nuclear physics and overcomes the problems associated with laboratories

Continuing education for Physical Education teachers: Assistive Technology in inclusive education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Luiza Salzani Fiorini

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at describing the development of continuing education for physical education teachers towards the incorporation of Assistive Technology and the creation of favorable conditions to an inclusive school. The methodology employed was reflective and collaborative research. Two teachers who were facing difficulties to include a physically disabled student and one student with global developmental delay took part in the study. The continuing education plan comprised three steps: 1 reflecting on their own practice after watching a video and planning one lesson, together with the researcher, seeking to incorporate Assistive Technology and favor inclusion; 2 videoing the lesson; 3 evaluating and reflecting on what was planned and what was executed and planning a new lesson. Some factors were seen to be essential to the development of continuing education: considering the teacher’s demand, developing collaborative work, promoting reflection on the practices and having Assistive Technology as a support to the human element.

Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Listrik Dinamik menggunakan Strategi Pembelajaran Team Assisted Individualization melalui Simulasi Crocodile Physics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Gumrowi

2016-04-01

through physics crocodile simulation. This study was conducted in three cycles. The results of analysis show that cooperative learning strategies type Team Assisted Individualization through crocodile physics simulations can improve learning outcomes on dynamic electricity. The average of students’ learning outcomes increased as follows: the first cycle is 61.23, and 68.13 in the second cycle, an increase of 11.27%, and the third cycle result is 72.63, or an increase of 6.6%. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan hasil belajar listrik dinamik siswa MAN 1 Bandar Lampung dengan menggunakan model pembelajaran kooperatif tipe Team Assisted Individualization (TAI. melalui simulasi Crocodile physics. Objek penelitian ini adalah hasil belajar siswa pada pokok bahasan listrik dinamik dengan model pembelajaran kooperatif Tipe TAI (team assisted individualization melalui simulasi Crocodile physics. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan selama tiga siklus, dari hasil analisis diperoleh bahwa strategi pembelajaran kooperatif tipe Team Assisted Individualization melalui simulasi crocodile physics dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar listrik dinamik. Rata-rata hasil belajar siswa meningkat pada siklus I dari 61,23 menjadi 68,13 pada siklus II atau meningkat 11,27%, pada siklus III 72,63 atau meningkat 6,6% Kata Kunci: cooperatif tipe TAI, listrik dinamik, simulasi crocodile physics

eTeacher: Providing Personalized Assistance to E-Learning Students

Science.gov (United States)

Schiaffino, Silvia; Garcia, Patricio; Amandi, Analia

2008-01-01

In this paper we present eTeacher, an intelligent agent that provides personalized assistance to e-learning students. eTeacher observes a student's behavior while he/she is taking online courses and automatically builds the student's profile. This profile comprises the student's learning style and information about the student's performance, such…

13 CFR 120.714 - How are grants made to non-lending technical assistance providers (NTAP)?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... entity that is not an Intermediary may apply to SBA for a grant to provide marketing, management and... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How are grants made to non-lending technical assistance providers (NTAP)? 120.714 Section 120.714 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS...

The future of the provision process for mobility assistive technology: a survey of providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dicianno, Brad E; Joseph, James; Eckstein, Stacy; Zigler, Christina K; Quinby, Eleanor J; Schmeler, Mark R; Schein, Richard M; Pearlman, Jon; Cooper, Rory A

2018-03-20

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the opinions of providers of mobility assistive technologies to help inform a research agenda and set priorities. This survey study was anonymous and gathered opinions of individuals who participate in the process to provide wheelchairs and other assistive technologies to clients. Participants were asked to rank the importance of developing various technologies and rank items against each other in terms of order of importance. Participants were also asked to respond to several open-ended questions or statements. A total of 161 providers from 35 states within the USA consented to participation and completed the survey. This survey revealed themes of advanced wheelchair design, assistive robotics and intelligent systems, human machine interfaces and smart device applications. It also outlined priorities for researchers to provide continuing education to clients and providers. These themes will be used to develop research and development priorities. Implications for Rehabilitation • Research in advanced wheelchair design is needed to facilitate travel and environmental access with wheelchairs and to develop alternative power sources for wheelchairs.• New assistive robotics and intelligent systems are needed to help wheelchairs overcome obstacles or self-adjust, assist wheelchair navigation in the community, assist caregivers and transfers, and aid ambulation.• Innovations in human machine interfaces may help advance the control of mobility devices and robots with the brain, eye movements, facial gesture recognition or other systems.• Development of new smart devices is needed for better control of the environment, monitoring activity and promoting healthy behaviours.

Gender differences in the predictors of physical activity among assisted living residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yuh-Min; Li, Yueh-Ping; Yen, Min-Ling

2015-05-01

To explore gender differences in the predictors of physical activity (PA) among assisted living residents. A cross-sectional design was adopted. A convenience sample of 304 older adults was recruited from four assisted living facilities in Taiwan. Two separate simultaneous multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify the predictors of PA for older men and women. Independent variables entered into the regression models were age, marital status, educational level, past regular exercise participation, number of chronic diseases, functional status, self-rated health, depression, and self-efficacy expectations. In older men, a junior high school or higher educational level, past regular exercise participation, better functional status, better self-rated health, and higher self-efficacy expectations predicted more PA, accounting for 61.3% of the total variance in PA. In older women, better self-rated health, lower depression, and higher self-efficacy expectations predicted more PA, accounting for 50% of the total variance in PA. Predictors of PA differed between the two genders. The results have crucial implications for developing gender-specific PA interventions. Through a clearer understanding of gender-specific predictors, healthcare providers can implement gender-sensitive PA-enhancing interventions to assist older residents in performing sufficient PA. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Improved ERO modelling for spectroscopy of physically and chemically assisted eroded beryllium from the JET-ILW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Borodin

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Physical and chemical assisted physical sputtering were characterised by the BeI and BeII line and BeD band emission in the observation chord measuring the sightline integrated emission in front of the inner beryllium limiter at the torus midplane. The 3D local transport and plasma-surface interaction Monte-Carlo modelling (ERO code [18] is a key for the interpretation of the observations in the vicinity of the shaped solid Be limiter. The plasma parameter variation (density scan in limiter regime has provided a useful material for the simulation benchmark. The improved background plasma parameters input, the new analytical expression for particle tracking in the sheath region and implementation of the BeD release into ERO has helped to clarify some deviations between modelling and experiments encountered in the previous studies [4,5]. Reproducing the observations provides additional confidence in our ‘ERO-min’ fit for the physical sputtering yields for the plasma-wetted areas based on simulated data.

Contrasting Grading Approaches in Introductory Physics and Quantum Mechanics: The Case of Graduate Teaching Assistants

Science.gov (United States)

Marshman, Emily; Sayer, Ryan; Henderson, Charles; Singh, Chandralekha

2017-01-01

At large research universities, physics graduate teaching assistants (TAs) are often responsible for grading in courses at all levels. However, few studies have focused on TAs' grading practices in introductory and advanced physics courses. This study was designed to investigate whether physics graduate TAs grade students in introductory physics…

The Activities of Community Organizations in Providing Assistance to Prisoners of World War I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gulzhaukhar K. Kokebayeva

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this article is to examine the activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross and other community organizations in providing assistance to prisoners of the World War I. According to Article 15 of the Hague Convention of 1907, organizations that assist the prisoners of war, as well as their representatives can use all the benefits from the authorities of the warring countries. Representatives of these organizations are allowed to distribute benefits to places of detention of POWs, provided that a nominal permit is issued by the military authorities. During the World War I, the community organizations played a significant role in providing material and moral support to prisoners of war of belligerent countries. The role of the Red Cross in the protection of war victims and providing assistance to the POWs during the World War I is undeniable, international and national organizations interacted as natural mediators and influenced their own governments, in order to further alleviate the plight of the prisoners of war.

Assistance dogs provide a useful behavioral model to enrich communicative skills of assistance robots.

Science.gov (United States)

Gácsi, Márta; Szakadát, Sára; Miklósi, Adám

2013-01-01

These studies are part of a project aiming to reveal relevant aspects of human-dog interactions, which could serve as a model to design successful human-robot interactions. Presently there are no successfully commercialized assistance robots, however, assistance dogs work efficiently as partners for persons with disabilities. In Study 1, we analyzed the cooperation of 32 assistance dog-owner dyads performing a carrying task. We revealed typical behavior sequences and also differences depending on the dyads' experiences and on whether the owner was a wheelchair user. In Study 2, we investigated dogs' responses to unforeseen difficulties during a retrieving task in two contexts. Dogs displayed specific communicative and displacement behaviors, and a strong commitment to execute the insoluble task. Questionnaire data from Study 3 confirmed that these behaviors could successfully attenuate owners' disappointment. Although owners anticipated the technical competence of future assistance robots to be moderate/high, they could not imagine robots as emotional companions, which negatively affected their acceptance ratings of future robotic assistants. We propose that assistance dogs' cooperative behaviors and problem solving strategies should inspire the development of the relevant functions and social behaviors of assistance robots with limited manual and verbal skills.

Descriptive study of external employee assistance program providers (EAP) in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Muto, Takashi; Haruyama, Yasuo; Higashi, Toshiaki

2012-01-01

The mental health problems of employees have become a major occupational health issue in Japan. External employee assistance program providers (EAP) have become important in mental health care for workers, but their activities are poorly documented. This descriptive study was undertaken to clarify the status and future tasks of EAP in Japan. The subjects were all EAP (n=27) registered in the Japanese Chapter of Employee Assistance Professionals Association. The questionnaire survey was conducted in January 2007. We received 13 replies, a response rate of 54.2%. Most EAP provided seminars, stress checks, stress management, counseling, and support for a return to work. The number of EAP contracted with small-scale enterprises was small. EAP communicated infrequently with companies. To promote the use of EAP, their advertising, education and training of staff, accumulation of scientific evidence, development of an official certification system for staff, and improvement of contents of EAP services were cited.

Effects of Computer-Assisted Jigsaw II Cooperative Learning Strategy on Physics Achievement and Retention

Science.gov (United States)

Gambari, Isiaka Amosa; Yusuf, Mudasiru Olalere

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effects of computer-assisted Jigsaw II cooperative strategy on physics achievement and retention. The study also determined how moderating variables of achievement levels as it affects students' performance in physics when Jigsaw II cooperative learning is used as an instructional strategy. Purposive sampling technique…

14 CFR 382.97 - To which aircraft does the requirement to provide boarding and deplaning assistance through the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... provide boarding and deplaning assistance through the use of lifts apply? 382.97 Section 382.97... REGULATIONS NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL Boarding, Deplaning, and Connecting Assistance § 382.97 To which aircraft does the requirement to provide boarding and deplaning assistance...

34 CFR 86.302 - What are the procedures used by the Secretary for providing information or technical assistance?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... providing information or technical assistance? 86.302 Section 86.302 Education Office of the Secretary... information or technical assistance? (a) The Secretary provides information or technical assistance to an IHE in writing, through site visits, or by other means. (b) The IHE shall inform the Secretary of any...

Health physics assistant. A special training in health physics in the Federal Republic of Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiefer, H.; Koelzer, W.

1977-01-01

In the Federal Republic of Germany knowledge in health physics is imparted mainly as a supplement training in courses of some days up to a few weeks duration. This may be adequate for strictly defined sectors, although it is not sufficient as to the education of a true health physicist. Already in the early sixties the necessity of such special training was recognized at the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center and training was started of 'health physics assistants' as this profession is called. Significant details are given about training, the contributions of the individual training institutions (Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center, nuclear medical hospital, Euratom institute, S.C.P.R.I.) examinations and subjects examined, experience regarding future employments and activities

Chaotic behavior of light-assisted physical aging in arsenoselenide glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shpotyuk, O., E-mail: shpotyuk@novas.lviv.ua [Lviv Scientific Research Institute of Materials of SRC “Carat,” 202, Stryjska Str., Lviv 79031 (Ukraine); Institute of Physics of Jan Dlugosz University, 13/15, al. Armii Krajowej, Czestochowa 42201 (Poland); Balitska, V. [Lviv Scientific Research Institute of Materials of SRC “Carat,” 202, Stryjska Str., Lviv 79031 (Ukraine); Lviv State University of Vital Activity Safety, 35, Kleparivska str., Lviv 79007 (Ukraine); Kozdras, A. [Opole University of Technology, 75, Ozimska str., Opole 45370 (Poland); Hacinliyan, A. S. [Department of Physics, Yeditepe University, Atasehir 34755, Istanbul (Turkey); Department of Physics, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul (Turkey); Department of Information Systems and Technologies, Yeditepe University, Atasehir 34755, Istanbul (Turkey); Skarlatos, Y. [Department of Physics, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul (Turkey); Kusbeyzi Aybar, I. [Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology, Yeditepe University, Atasehir 34755, Istanbul (Turkey); Aybar, O. O. [Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Letters, Piri Reis University, Tuzla 34940, Istanbul (Turkey)

2014-12-15

The theory of strange attractors is shown to be adequately applicable for analyzing the kinetics of light-assisted physical aging revealed in structural relaxation of Se-rich As-Se glasses below glass transition. Kinetics of enthalpy losses is used to determine the phase space reconstruction parameters. Observed chaotic behaviour (involving chaos and fractal consideration such as detrended fluctuation analysis, attractor identification using phase space representation, delay coordinates, mutual information, false nearest neighbours, etc.) reconstructed via the TISEAN program package is treated within a microstructure model describing multistage aging behaviour in arsenoselenide glasses. This simulation testifies that photoexposure acts as an initiating factor only at the beginning stage of physical aging, thus facilitating further atomic shrinkage of a glassy backbone.

Chaotic behavior of light-assisted physical aging in arsenoselenide glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shpotyuk, O.; Balitska, V.; Kozdras, A.; Hacinliyan, A. S.; Skarlatos, Y.; Kusbeyzi Aybar, I.; Aybar, O. O.

2014-01-01

The theory of strange attractors is shown to be adequately applicable for analyzing the kinetics of light-assisted physical aging revealed in structural relaxation of Se-rich As-Se glasses below glass transition. Kinetics of enthalpy losses is used to determine the phase space reconstruction parameters. Observed chaotic behaviour (involving chaos and fractal consideration such as detrended fluctuation analysis, attractor identification using phase space representation, delay coordinates, mutual information, false nearest neighbours, etc.) reconstructed via the TISEAN program package is treated within a microstructure model describing multistage aging behaviour in arsenoselenide glasses. This simulation testifies that photoexposure acts as an initiating factor only at the beginning stage of physical aging, thus facilitating further atomic shrinkage of a glassy backbone

Physical Profiling Performance of Air Force Primary Care Providers

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-09

AFRL-SA-WP-TR-2017-0014 Physical Profiling Performance of Air Force Primary Care Providers Anthony P. Tvaryanas1; William P...COVERED (From – To) September 2016 – January 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Physical Profiling Performance of Air Force Primary Care Providers...encounter with their primary care team. An independent medical standards subject matter expert (SME) reviewed encounters in the electronic health record

The medical physics of ventricular assist devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, Houston G; Throckmorton, Amy L; Untaroiu, Alexandrina; Song Xinwei

2005-01-01

Millions of patients, from infants to adults, are diagnosed with congestive heart failure each year all over the world. A limited number of donor hearts available for these patients results in a tremendous demand for alternative, supplemental circulatory support in the form of artificial heart pumps or ventricular assist devices (VADs). The development procedure for such a device requires careful consideration of biophysical factors, such as biocompatibility, haemolysis, thrombosis, implantability, physiologic control feasibility and pump performance. Conventional pump design equations based on Newton's law and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are readily used for the initial design of VADs. In particular, CFD can be employed to predict the pressure-flow performance, hydraulic efficiencies, flow profile through the pump, stress levels and biophysical factors, such as possible blood cell damage. These computational flow simulations may involve comprehensive steady and transient flow analyses. The transient simulations involve time-varying boundary conditions and virtual modelling of the impeller rotation in the blood pumps. After prototype manufacture, laser flow measurements with sophisticated optics and mock circulatory flow loop testing assist with validation of pump design and identification of irregular flow patterns for optimization. Additionally, acute and chronic animal implants illustrate the blood pump's ability to support life physiologically. These extensive design techniques, coupled with fundamental principles of physics, ensure a reliable and effective VAD for thousands of heart failure patients each year

Scientific Assistant Virtual Laboratory (SAVL)

Science.gov (United States)

Alaghband, Gita; Fardi, Hamid; Gnabasik, David

2007-03-01

The Scientific Assistant Virtual Laboratory (SAVL) is a scientific discovery environment, an interactive simulated virtual laboratory, for learning physics and mathematics. The purpose of this computer-assisted intervention is to improve middle and high school student interest, insight and scores in physics and mathematics. SAVL develops scientific and mathematical imagination in a visual, symbolic, and experimental simulation environment. It directly addresses the issues of scientific and technological competency by providing critical thinking training through integrated modules. This on-going research provides a virtual laboratory environment in which the student directs the building of the experiment rather than observing a packaged simulation. SAVL: * Engages the persistent interest of young minds in physics and math by visually linking simulation objects and events with mathematical relations. * Teaches integrated concepts by the hands-on exploration and focused visualization of classic physics experiments within software. * Systematically and uniformly assesses and scores students by their ability to answer their own questions within the context of a Master Question Network. We will demonstrate how the Master Question Network uses polymorphic interfaces and C# lambda expressions to manage simulation objects.

Physical principles of microwave assisted magnetic recording

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivkin, Kirill; Benakli, Mourad; Yin, Huaqing; Tabat, Ned

2014-01-01

While the basic physics of Microwave Assisted Magnetization Reversal (MAMR) phenomenon is well established both theoretically and experimentally, its application in a practical magnetic recording environment was so far studied primarily with the help of micromagnetic recording models. In this work, we instead attempt to use analytical formulation and simple numerical models to understand the main challenges as well as benefits that are associated with such a system. It appears that the main difference between the previously introduced theory [G. Bertotti et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 724 (2001); K. Rivkin et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 153104 (2008); S. Okamoto et al., J. Appl. Phys. 107, 123914 (2010).] and recording environment is that both the RF and DC magnetic fields are applied at a substantial angle to the anisotropy axis. While the associated symmetry breaking prevents one from describing the reversal process explicitly, it is possible to approximate the solutions well enough to satisfactorily match numerical models both in the case of wire and Spin Torque Oscillator generated RF fields. This approach allows for physical explanation of various effects associated with MAMR such as high gradient of writeable anisotropy and reduction of track width, and offers a clear guidance regarding future optimization of MAMR recording.

Physical principles of microwave assisted magnetic recording

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rivkin, Kirill; Benakli, Mourad; Yin, Huaqing [Seagate Technology, Edina, Minnesota 55435 (United States); Tabat, Ned [Semaphore Scientific Inc., Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 (United States)

2014-06-07

While the basic physics of Microwave Assisted Magnetization Reversal (MAMR) phenomenon is well established both theoretically and experimentally, its application in a practical magnetic recording environment was so far studied primarily with the help of micromagnetic recording models. In this work, we instead attempt to use analytical formulation and simple numerical models to understand the main challenges as well as benefits that are associated with such a system. It appears that the main difference between the previously introduced theory [G. Bertotti et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 724 (2001); K. Rivkin et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 153104 (2008); S. Okamoto et al., J. Appl. Phys. 107, 123914 (2010).] and recording environment is that both the RF and DC magnetic fields are applied at a substantial angle to the anisotropy axis. While the associated symmetry breaking prevents one from describing the reversal process explicitly, it is possible to approximate the solutions well enough to satisfactorily match numerical models both in the case of wire and Spin Torque Oscillator generated RF fields. This approach allows for physical explanation of various effects associated with MAMR such as high gradient of writeable anisotropy and reduction of track width, and offers a clear guidance regarding future optimization of MAMR recording.

The role and effectiveness of computer-assisted learning in physical therapy education: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Veneri, Diana

2011-05-01

Physical therapy educators seek teaching methodologies to efficiently educate students. The purpose of this article was to perform a systematic review of the literature pertaining to the use and effectiveness of computer-assisted learning (CAL) in physical therapy education. Criteria were established for article selection. Articles related to use included those reporting at least a 30% survey response return and a sample of at least 50. Articles regarding effectiveness included only randomized control studies related to use in physical therapy and physical therapy assistant education. Six articles related to the use and 17 articles related to the effectiveness were identified. Early published investigations were focused in the area of anatomy. The survey studies related to use indicated that educators highly valued CAL, but they reported initial use to be low due to cost. Expanding software development has resulted in higher contemporary use. CAL can effectively convey content material compared to traditional methods of instruction. CAL is largely underresearched in the field of physical therapy compared to other health professions. Recommendations for future research include larger studies, broader representation of the practice field, and development of interactive programming.

Examining the Highs and Lows of the Collaborative Relationship Between Technical Assistance Providers and Prevention Implementers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chilenski, Sarah M; Welsh, Janet; Olson, Jonathan; Hoffman, Lesa; Perkins, Daniel F; Feinberg, Mark E

2018-02-01

The PROSPER model uses a three-tiered community partnership, university researcher, and Cooperative Extension-based technical assistance system to support the delivery of evidence-based interventions in communities. This study examines the trajectory and predictors of the collaborative relationship between technical assistance providers and community teams across the three phases of organization, implementation, and sustainability. Members of 14 PROmoting School-university-community Partnerships to Enhance Resilience (PROSPER) community teams and directors of local agencies rated communities' levels of readiness and adolescent substance use norms. Technical assistance providers rated their collaborative relationship with their teams at 14 occasions across 4.5 years. Results from mixed models show that levels of collaboration were stable until the sustainability phase, when they increased significantly. Team differences in change were significant during the implementation phase. Community readiness predicted levels of the collaborative relationship over time: high community readiness was associated with a high level of collaboration during organization, but a decline in collaboration during implementation. These results provide a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between technical assistance provision and community prevention teams and lead to recommendations to improve dissemination models to achieve a greater public health impact.

The Activities of Community Organizations in Providing Assistance to Prisoners of World War I

OpenAIRE

Gulzhaukhar K. Kokebayeva; Ryskeldy S. Myrzabekova; Moldakhmet S. Myrzabekov

2016-01-01

The main purpose of this article is to examine the activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross and other community organizations in providing assistance to prisoners of the World War I. According to Article 15 of the Hague Convention of 1907, organizations that assist the prisoners of war, as well as their representatives can use all the benefits from the authorities of the warring countries. Representatives of these organizations are allowed to distribute benefits to places of...

Virtual patient care: an interprofessional education approach for physician assistant, physical therapy and occupational therapy students.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoemaker, Michael J; Platko, Christina M; Cleghorn, Susan M; Booth, Andrew

2014-07-01

The purpose of this retrospective qualitative case report is to describe how a case-based, virtual patient interprofessional education (IPE) simulation activity was utilized to achieve physician assistant (PA), physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) student IPE learning outcomes. Following completion of a virtual patient case, 30 PA, 46 PT and 24 OT students were required to develop a comprehensive, written treatment plan and respond to reflective questions. A qualitative analysis of the submitted written assignment was used to determine whether IPE learning objectives were met. Student responses revealed three themes that supported the learning objectives of the IPE experience: benefits of collaborative care, role clarification and relevance of the IPE experience for future practice. A case-based, IPE simulation activity for physician assistant and rehabilitation students using a computerized virtual patient software program effectively facilitated achievement of the IPE learning objectives, including development of greater student awareness of other professions and ways in which collaborative patient care can be provided.

43 CFR 404.12 - Can Reclamation provide assistance with the construction of a rural water supply project under...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... the construction of a rural water supply project under this program? 404.12 Section 404.12 Public... RECLAMATION RURAL WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM Overview § 404.12 Can Reclamation provide assistance with the construction of a rural water supply project under this program? Reclamation may provide assistance with the...

Best Practices in Physics Program Assessment: Should APS Provide Accreditation Standards for Physics?

Science.gov (United States)

Hodapp, Theodore

The Phys21 report, ``Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careers,'' provides guidance for physics programs to improve their degree programs to make them more relevant for student career choices. Undertaking such changes and assessing impact varies widely by institution, with many departments inventing assessments with each periodic departmental or programmatic review. American Physical Society has embarked on a process to integrate information from Phys21, the results of other national studies, and educational research outcomes to generate a best-practices guide to help physics departments conduct program review, assessment, and improvement. It is anticipated that departments will be able to use this document to help with their role in university-level accreditation, and in making the case for improvements to departmental programs. Accreditation of physics programs could stem from such a document, and I will discuss some of the thinking of the APS Committee on Education in creating this guide, and how they are advising APS to move forward in the higher education landscape that is increasingly subject to standards-based evaluations. I will describe plans for the design, review, and dissemination of this guide, and how faculty can provide input into its development. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1540570. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the NSF.

Development of a Computer-Assisted Instrumentation Curriculum for Physics Students: Using LabVIEW and Arduino Platform

Science.gov (United States)

Kuan, Wen-Hsuan; Tseng, Chi-Hung; Chen, Sufen; Wong, Ching-Chang

2016-01-01

We propose an integrated curriculum to establish essential abilities of computer programming for the freshmen of a physics department. The implementation of the graphical-based interfaces from Scratch to LabVIEW then to LabVIEW for Arduino in the curriculum "Computer-Assisted Instrumentation in the Design of Physics Laboratories" brings…

The power of a collaborative relationship between technical assistance providers and community prevention teams: A correlational and longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chilenski, Sarah M; Perkins, Daniel F; Olson, Jonathan; Hoffman, Lesa; Feinberg, Mark E; Greenberg, Mark; Welsh, Janet; Crowley, D Max; Spoth, Richard

2016-02-01

Historically, effectiveness of community collaborative prevention efforts has been mixed. Consequently, research has been undertaken to better understand the factors that support their effectiveness; theory and some related empirical research suggests that the provision of technical assistance is one important supporting factor. The current study examines one aspect of technical assistance that may be important in supporting coalition effectiveness, the collaborative relationship between the technical assistance provider and site lead implementer. Four and one-half years of data were collected from technical assistance providers and prevention team members from the 14 community prevention teams involved in the PROSPER project. Spearman correlation analyses with longitudinal data show that the levels of the collaborative relationship during one phase of collaborative team functioning associated with characteristics of internal team functioning in future phases. Results suggest that community collaborative prevention work should consider the collaborative nature of the technical assistance provider - prevention community team relationship when designing and conducting technical assistance activities, and it may be important to continually assess these dynamics to support high quality implementation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants of physical activity frequency and provider advice during pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Santo, Eilann C; Forbes, Peter W; Oken, Emily; Belfort, Mandy B

2017-09-05

Our aims were to (1) describe the frequency of physical activity and prenatal healthcare provider advice about physical activity during pregnancy and (2) examine determinants and correlates of 3rd trimester physical activity and receipt of physical activity advice. We analyzed data from the 2008 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. We studied 2669 women from North Carolina and Colorado with data on physical activity frequency in the 3 months prior to pregnancy and during the 3rd trimester and 1584 women from Oklahoma with data on provider advice regarding physical activity during pregnancy. Respondents reported physical activity, defined as 30 min or more of exercise/physical activity (excluding vocationally related activity), in in these categories: pregnancy was strongly associated with low likelihood of ACOG guideline adherence in the 3rd trimester (aOR 0.10, 95% CU 0.04, 0.30 vs. 1-4 days/week). Underweight women were more likely to adhere to ACOG guidelines than normal weight women (aOR 2.27, 95% CI 1.36, 3.79). Overweight women were more likely to receive physical activity advice (aOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.3, 6.3 vs. normal weight), but obese women were not (aOR 0.65, 95% CI 0.4, 1.2). Few women meet ACOG guideline criteria for physical activity during pregnancy. Improving physical activity and weight status prior to pregnancy may improve activity levels during pregnancy. Nearly one third did not receive advice about physical activity during prenatal care. Obese women were no more likely to receive advice than their normal weight counterparts, indicating the need for targeted physical activity counseling in this population.

Gaze-based assistive technology used in daily life by children with severe physical impairments - parents' experiences

OpenAIRE

Borgestig, Maria; Rytterstrom, Patrik; Hemmingsson, Helena

2017-01-01

Objective: To describe and explore parents' experiences when their children with severe physical impairments receive gaze-based assistive technology (gaze-based assistive technology (AT)) for use in daily life. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted twice, with one year in between, with parents of eight children with cerebral palsy that used gaze-based AT in their daily activities. To understand the parents' experiences, hermeneutical interpretations were used during data analysis...

The Volunteering-in-Place (VIP) Program: Providing meaningful volunteer activity to residents in assisted living with mild cognitive impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Klinedinst, N Jennifer; Resnick, Barbara

2016-01-01

The Volunteering-in-Place (VIP) Program was developed to provide individualized meaningful volunteer activities matched to interests and capabilities for older adults with MCI in assisted living. The purposes of this single-site pre-test/post-test pilot study were to (1) establish feasibility of the VIP Program based on treatment fidelity (design, treatment, delivery, enactment); and (2) evaluate preliminary efficacy via improvement in psychological health (depressive symptoms, usefulness, purpose, resilience, and life satisfaction) and decreased sedentary activity (survey and Fitbit) at 3 and 6 months. Ten residents participated. The majority was white, female and educated, and on average 88 years old. The VIP Program was feasible and most participants continued to volunteer at 6 months. There were non-significant improvements in depressive symptoms, usefulness, purpose, resilience and recreational physical activity. The results of this study provide support for the feasibility of the VIP Program. Further study is necessary to examine efficacy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

38 CFR 21.382 - Training and staff development for personnel providing assistance under Chapter 31.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Training and staff....382 Training and staff development for personnel providing assistance under Chapter 31. (a) General. VA shall provide a program of ongoing professional training and development for staff of the VR&E...

Becoming physics people: Development of physics identity in self-concept and practice through the Learning Assistant experience

Science.gov (United States)

Close, Eleanor

2016-03-01

The physics department at Texas State University has implemented a Learning Assistant (LA) program with reform-based instructional changes in our introductory course sequences. We are interested in how participation in the LA program influences LAs' identity both as physics students and as physics teachers; in particular, how being part of the LA community changes participants' self-concepts and their day-to-day practice. We analyze video of weekly LA preparation sessions and interviews with LAs as well as written artifacts from program applications, pedagogy course reflections, and evaluations. Our analysis of self-concepts is informed by the identity framework developed by Hazari et al., and our analysis of practice is informed by Lave and Wenger's theory of Communities of Practice. Regression models from quantitative studies show that the physics identity construct strongly predicts intended choice of a career in physics; the goal of our current project is to understand the details of the impacts of participation in the LA experience on participants' practice and self-concept, in order to identify critical elements of LA program structure that positively influence physics identity and physics career intentions for students. Our analysis suggests that participation in the LA program impacts LAs in ways that support both stronger ``physics student'' identity and stronger ``physics instructor'' identity, and that these identities are reconciled into a coherent integrated physics identity. In addition to becoming more confident and competent in physics, LAs perceive themselves to have increased competence in communication and a stronger sense of belonging to a supportive and collaborative community; participation in the LA program also changes their ways of learning and of being students, both within and beyond physics. This research and the TXST LA program are supported by NSF DUE-1240036, NSF DUE-1431578, and the Halliburton Foundation.

Providing a computing environment for a high energy physics workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicholls, J.

1991-03-01

Although computing facilities have been provided at conferences and workshops remote from the hose institution for some years, the equipment provided has rarely been capable of providing for much more than simple editing and electronic mail over leased lines. This presentation describes the pioneering effort involved by the Computing Department/Division at Fermilab in providing a local computing facility with world-wide networking capability for the Physics at Fermilab in the 1990's workshop held in Breckenridge, Colorado, in August 1989, as well as the enhanced facilities provided for the 1990 Summer Study on High Energy Physics at Snowmass, Colorado, in June/July 1990. Issues discussed include type and sizing of the facilities, advance preparations, shipping, on-site support, as well as an evaluation of the value of the facility to the workshop participants

Comparison of three-dimensional, assist-as-needed robotic arm/hand movement training provided with Pneu-WREX to conventional tabletop therapy after chronic stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Reinkensmeyer, David J; Wolbrecht, Eric T; Chan, Vicky; Chou, Cathy; Cramer, Steven C; Bobrow, James E

2012-11-01

Robot-assisted movement training can help individuals with stroke reduce arm and hand impairment, but robot therapy is typically only about as effective as conventional therapy. Refining the way that robots assist during training may make them more effective than conventional therapy. Here, the authors measured the therapeutic effect of a robot that required individuals with a stroke to achieve virtual tasks in three dimensions against gravity. The robot continuously estimated how much assistance patients needed to perform the tasks and provided slightly less assistance than needed to reduce patient slacking. Individuals with a chronic stroke (n = 26; baseline upper limb Fugl-Meyer score, 23 ± 8) were randomized into two groups and underwent 24 one-hour training sessions over 2 mos. One group received the assist-as-needed robot training and the other received conventional tabletop therapy with the supervision of a physical therapist. Training helped both groups significantly reduce their motor impairment, as measured by the primary outcome measure, the Fugl-Meyer score, but the improvement was small (3.0 ± 4.9 points for robot therapy vs. 0.9 ± 1.7 for conventional therapy). There was a trend for greater reduction for the robot-trained group (P = 0.07). The robot group largely sustained this gain at the 3-mo follow-up. The robot-trained group also experienced significant improvements in Box and Blocks score and hand grip strength, whereas the control group did not, but these improvements were not sustained at follow-up. In addition, the robot-trained group showed a trend toward greater improvement in sensory function, as measured by the Nottingham Sensory Test (P = 0.06). These results suggest that in patients with chronic stroke and moderate-severe deficits, assisting in three-dimensional virtual tasks with an assist-as-needed controller may make robotic training more effective than conventional tabletop training.

Atomic molecular and optical physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1986-01-01

Laser-assisted manufacturing and fiber-optics communications are but two of the products of atomic, molecular, and optical physics, (AMO) research. AMO physics provides theoretical and experimental methods and essential data to neighboring areas of science such as chemistry, astrophysics, condensed-matter physics, plasma physics, surface science, biology, and medicine. This book addresses advances in atomic, molecular, and optical fields and provides recommendations for further research. It also looks at scientific applications in national security, manufacturing, medicine, and other fields

Perceptions and Attitudes of Primary Healthcare Providers in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia, towards the Promotion of Physical Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sameer Al-Ghamdi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Physical inactivity increases the risk of several chronic, non-communicable diseases which ultimately reduces life expectancy. Recently, major lifestyle changes in Saudi Arabia due to economic growth, globalization, and modernization resulted in physical inactivity and low level of physical fitness. Health care professionals can play an important role in developing awareness about physical fitness among people. However, little is known about the impact of current health promotion practices of Saudi healthcare providers. This cross-sectional study evaluates Saudi primary healthcare providers’ attitudes, knowledge, and awareness associated with advising patients about physical activity during routine consultations. Methods: A quantitative survey on 803 respondents who comprised of general physicians, nurses, nurse assistants, dieticians and health educators in five districts of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia was conducted using convenience sampling method. Results: The data showed that most of the primary care staffs are quite enthusiastic in promoting physical activity among the patients and revealed that they routinely discussed and advised about the benefits of physical fitness. However, there are some factors acting as barriers for promoting physical activity, such as i lack of time, ii lack of educational materials for patients, iii lack of proper training and protocols for health care professionals, iv lack of patient cooperation, and v lack of financial incentive. Conclusion: Proper strategies should be developed to motivate primary health care professionals, so that they can effectively encourage the general population to be more active physically. Hence, there is an urgent need to integrate physical activity promotion in to practice consultation in Saudi Arabia. In addition, more efforts are required from the policy makers and health professionals to gather sufficient knowledge about current physical activity recommendations.

Technical Assistance and Changes in Nutrition and Physical Activity Practices in the National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project, 2015-2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiappone, Alethea; Smith, Teresa M; Estabrooks, Paul A; Rasmussen, Cristy Geno; Blaser, Casey; Yaroch, Amy L

2018-04-26

The National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) aims to improve best practices in early care and education (ECE) programs in topic areas of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment in Child Care (NAP SACC). Technical assistance is a component of the ECELC, yet its effect on outcomes is unclear. Beyond dose and duration of technical assistance, limited research exists on characteristics of technical assistance that contribute to outcomes. The objective of this study was to identify and describe technical assistance characteristics and explore associations with NAP SACC outcomes. We collected data from 10 collaboratives comprising 84 ECE programs in 2 states in 2015-2016. The objective of technical assistance was to support programs in improving best practices. Technical assistance was provided to programs via on-site, telephone, or email and was tailored to program needs. We used a mixed-methods design to examine associations between technical assistance and NAP SACC outcomes. We used multiple regression analysis to assess quantitative data and qualitative comparative analysis to determine necessary and sufficient technical assistance conditions supporting NAP SACC outcomes. We also conducted a document review to describe technical assistance that referred conditions identified by the qualitative comparative analysis. Regression analyses detected an inverse relationship between changes in NAP SACC scores and hours of technical assistance. No clear pattern emerged in the qualitative comparative analysis, leaving no necessary and sufficient conditions. However, the qualitative comparative analysis identified feedback as a potentially important component of technical assistance, whereas resource sharing and frequent email were characteristics that seemed to reduce the likelihood of improved outcomes. Email and resource sharing were considered primarily general information rather than tailored technical assistance. Technical

Providing Language Instructor with Artificial Intelligence Assistant

OpenAIRE

K. Pietroszek

2007-01-01

Abstract—This paper presents the preliminary results ofdeveloping HAL for CALL, an artificial intelligenceassistant for language instructor. The assistant consists of achatbot, an avatar (a three-dimensional visualization of thechatbot), a voice (text-to-speech engine interface) andinterfaces to external sources of language knowledge. Sometechniques used in adapting freely available chatbot for theneed of a language learning system are presented.Integration of HAL with Second Life virtual wor...

Development of a Smartphone Application to Measure Physical Activity Using Sensor-Assisted Self-Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Genevieve Fridlund Dunton

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Despite the known advantages of objective physical activity monitors (e.g., accelerometers, these devices have high rates of non-wear, which leads to missing data. Objective activity monitors are also unable to capture valuable contextual information about behavior. Adolescents recruited into physical activity surveillance and intervention studies will increasingly have smartphones, which are miniature computers with built-in motion sensors. Methods: This paper describes the design and development of a smartphone application (app called Mobile Teen that combines objective and self-report assessment strategies through (1 sensor-informed context-sensitive ecological momentary assessment (CS-EMA and (2 sensor-assisted end-of-day recall.Results: The Mobile Teen app uses the mobile phone’s built-in motion sensor to automatically detect likely bouts of phone non-wear, sedentary behavior, and physical activity. The app then uses transitions between these inferred states to trigger CS-EMA self-report surveys measuring the type, purpose, and context of activity in real time. The end of the day recall component of the Mobile Teen app allows users to interactively review and label their own physical activity data each evening using visual cues from automatically-detected major activity transitions from the phone’s built-in motions sensors. Major activity transitions are identified by the app, which cues the user to label that chunk, or period, of time using activity categories.Conclusions: Sensor-driven CS-EMA and end-of-day recall smartphone apps can be used to augment physical activity data collected by objective activity monitors, filling in gaps during non-wear bouts and providing additional real-time data on environmental, social, and emotional correlates of behavior. Smartphone apps such as these have potential for affordable deployment in large scale epidemiological and intervention studies.

Estimating the development assistance for health provided to faith-based organizations, 1990-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Haakenstad, Annie; Johnson, Elizabeth; Graves, Casey; Olivier, Jill; Duff, Jean; Dieleman, Joseph L

2015-01-01

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have been active in the health sector for decades. Recently, the role of FBOs in global health has been of increased interest. However, little is known about the magnitude and trends in development assistance for health (DAH) channeled through these organizations. Data were collected from the 21 most recent editions of the Report of Voluntary Agencies. These reports provide information on the revenue and expenditure of organizations. Project-level data were also collected and reviewed from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. More than 1,900 non-governmental organizations received funds from at least one of these three organizations. Background information on these organizations was examined by two independent reviewers to identify the amount of funding channeled through FBOs. In 2013, total spending by the FBOs identified in the VolAg amounted to US$1.53 billion. In 1990, FB0s spent 34.1% of total DAH provided by private voluntary organizations reported in the VolAg. In 2013, FBOs expended 31.0%. Funds provided by the Global Fund to FBOs have grown since 2002, amounting to $80.9 million in 2011, or 16.7% of the Global Fund's contributions to NGOs. In 2011, the Gates Foundation's contributions to FBOs amounted to $7.1 million, or 1.1% of the total provided to NGOs. Development assistance partners exhibit a range of preferences with respect to the amount of funds provided to FBOs. Overall, estimates show that FBOS have maintained a substantial and consistent share over time, in line with overall spending in global health on NGOs. These estimates provide the foundation for further research on the spending trends and effectiveness of FBOs in global health.

Estimating the development assistance for health provided to faith-based organizations, 1990-2013.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annie Haakenstad

Full Text Available Faith-based organizations (FBOs have been active in the health sector for decades. Recently, the role of FBOs in global health has been of increased interest. However, little is known about the magnitude and trends in development assistance for health (DAH channeled through these organizations.Data were collected from the 21 most recent editions of the Report of Voluntary Agencies. These reports provide information on the revenue and expenditure of organizations. Project-level data were also collected and reviewed from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. More than 1,900 non-governmental organizations received funds from at least one of these three organizations. Background information on these organizations was examined by two independent reviewers to identify the amount of funding channeled through FBOs.In 2013, total spending by the FBOs identified in the VolAg amounted to US$1.53 billion. In 1990, FB0s spent 34.1% of total DAH provided by private voluntary organizations reported in the VolAg. In 2013, FBOs expended 31.0%. Funds provided by the Global Fund to FBOs have grown since 2002, amounting to $80.9 million in 2011, or 16.7% of the Global Fund's contributions to NGOs. In 2011, the Gates Foundation's contributions to FBOs amounted to $7.1 million, or 1.1% of the total provided to NGOs.Development assistance partners exhibit a range of preferences with respect to the amount of funds provided to FBOs. Overall, estimates show that FBOS have maintained a substantial and consistent share over time, in line with overall spending in global health on NGOs. These estimates provide the foundation for further research on the spending trends and effectiveness of FBOs in global health.

An Ethical Analysis of Assisted Reproduction Providers' Websites in Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Irshad, Ayesha; Werner-Felmayer, Gabriele

2016-07-01

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) and reproductive genetic technologies (RGTs) are intertwined and coevolving. These technologies are increasingly used to fulfill socially and culturally framed requests, for example, "family balancing," or to enable postmenopausal women or homosexual couples to have genetically linked children. The areas of ART and RGT are replete with ethical issues, because different social practices and legal regulations, as well as economic inequalities within and among countries, create vulnerable groups and, therefore, the potential for exploitation. This article provides an overview of the ART and RGT landscape in Pakistan and analyzes the available online content addressing Pakistani citizens and international clients. We explored the topic in view of socioeconomic challenges in Pakistan, particularly deeply rooted poverty, lack of education, gender discrimination, and absence of regulation. As online information given by ART and RGT providers is readily available and could easily raise false hopes, make use of discriminatory statements with regard to women, and promote gender selection to meet sociocultural expectations, it should be subjected to quality control.

Assistive Technology: What Physical Educators Need to Know

Science.gov (United States)

Laughlin, Michael K.; Murata, Nathan M.; Gonnelli, Michele; Larranaga, John

2018-01-01

Assistive technology supplements and supports the learning of students with disabilities in school and at home. Thanks to federal mandates, students with disabilities receive consideration for assistive technology devices and services--the tools and supports needed to achieve determined learning outcomes. Assistive technology devices and services…

Pilot Survey of Physician Assistants Regarding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Providers Suggests Role for Workplace Nondiscrimination Policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewton, Tiffany A; Lingas, Elena O

2015-12-01

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) medical providers in the United States have historically faced discrimination from their peers. To assess current workplace culture and attitudes, and to evaluate awareness of workplace and professional policies regarding LGBT discrimination, we sent a cross-sectional survey to 163 PAs (Physician Assistants). Respondents had an overall positive attitude towards LGBT providers, yet the majority was not aware of relevant policy statements (>60%). A significant association existed between policy awareness and LGBT inclusivity (Pharassment (P=.017). Despite improved societal attitudes toward LGBT providers, non-discriminatory work environments for LGBT physician assistants may relate to greater awareness of specific workplace policy standards.

Educational assistance to students with physical handicaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anselmo Vázquez Vázquez

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The present study was developed with the aim of determining the state of educational attention to students with handicaps. The Methods used are: General dialectical, Historic and logical and Systemic, Observation, Interview and Survey. As sample were taken 20 teachers and 100% of the students with handicaps from the faculty. Results: The educational assistance to students with ha ndi caps is being given empirically , regulations and guidelines from the Higher Ministry of Education related to handicaps are not known; There is scarce knowledge about the characteristics of handicaps and needs of guidance for effective learning. It recog nizes the importance of providing necessary resources for inclusion in the Higher Education.

Plasma physics

CERN Document Server

Drummond, James E

1961-01-01

A historic snapshot of the field of plasma physics, this fifty-year-old volume offers an edited collection of papers by pioneering experts in the field. In addition to assisting students in their understanding of the foundations of classical plasma physics, it provides a source of historic context for modern physicists. Highly successful upon its initial publication, this book was the standard text on plasma physics throughout the 1960s and 70s.Hailed by Science magazine as a ""well executed venture,"" the three-part treatment ranges from basic plasma theory to magnetohydrodynamics and microwa

MC and A software assistance to Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, T.; McWilliams, C.; Olson, A.

1999-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy is assisting nuclear facilities in Ukraine to improve their ability to protect, control, and account for the nuclear material under their authority. Early in the assistance program the Ukrainian representatives requested assistance in automating the material accounting at their facilities. A Pc-based application, AIMAS (Automated Inventory/Material Accounting System), was designed to provide a starting point for joint U.S./Ukraine system development. Computers with AIMAS prototypes have been installed at Kiev Institute of Nuclear Research (KINR), South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (SUNPP), Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT), Sevastopol Institute of Nuclear Energy and Industry (SINEI), and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety (MEPNS). Microsoft Access 2.0, a windows-based relational database management system, is the application development environment. Since it is necessary to support a wide range of computing infrastructure needs and facility requirements, AIMAS has been designed to be highly flexible and user configurable. AIMAS functions include basic physical inventory tracking, transaction histories, reporting, and system administration functions (system configuration and security). Security measures include multilevel password access controls. all transactions logged with the user ID, and system administration controls. Interfaces to external modules are being designed to provide nuclear fuel burnup adjustment and bar code scanning capabilities for physical inventory taking. (author)

MC and A software assistance to Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, T.; McWilliams, C.; Olson, A.

1997-09-01

The US Department of Energy is assisting nuclear facilities in Ukraine to improve their ability to protect, control, and account for the nuclear material under their authority. Early in the assistance program the Ukrainian representatives requested assistance in automating the material accounting at their facilities. A PC-based application, AIMAS (Automated Inventory and Material Accounting System), was designed to provide a starting point for joint US and Ukraine system development. Computers with AIMAS prototypes have been installed at Kiev Institute of Nuclear Research (KINR), South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (SUNPP), Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT), Sevastopol Institute of Nuclear Energy and Industry (SINEI), and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety (MEPNS). Microsoft Access 2.0, a windows-based relational database management system, is the application development environment. Since it is necessary to support a wide range of computing infrastructure needs and facility requirements, AIMAS has been designed to be highly flexible and user configurable. AIMAS functions include basic physical inventory tracking, transaction histories, reporting, and system administration functions (system configuration and security). Security measures include multilevel password access controls, all transactions logged with the user ID, and system administration controls. Interfaces to external modules are being designed to provide nuclear fuel burnup adjustment and bar code scanning capabilities for physical inventory taking

Providing Language Instructor with Artificial Intelligence Assistant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Pietroszek

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract—This paper presents the preliminary results ofdeveloping HAL for CALL, an artificial intelligenceassistant for language instructor. The assistant consists of achatbot, an avatar (a three-dimensional visualization of thechatbot, a voice (text-to-speech engine interface andinterfaces to external sources of language knowledge. Sometechniques used in adapting freely available chatbot for theneed of a language learning system are presented.Integration of HAL with Second Life virtual world isproposed. We will discuss technical challenges and possiblefuture work directions.

25 CFR 20.102 - What is the Bureau's policy in providing financial assistance and social services under this part?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HUMAN SERVICES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS Definitions... this part to eligible Indians when comparable financial assistance or social services are either not... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What is the Bureau's policy in providing financial...

A Novel Physical Layer Assisted Authentication Scheme for Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiuhua Wang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Physical-layer authentication can address physical layer vulnerabilities and security threats in wireless sensor networks, and has been considered as an effective complementary enhancement to existing upper-layer authentication mechanisms. In this paper, to advance the existing research and improve the authentication performance, we propose a novel physical layer assisted authentication scheme for mobile wireless sensor networks. In our proposed scheme, we explore the reciprocity and spatial uncorrelation of the wireless channel to verify the identities of involved transmitting users and decide whether all data frames are from the same sender. In our proposed scheme, a new method is developed for the legitimate users to compare their received signal strength (RSS records, which avoids the information from being disclosed to the adversary. Our proposed scheme can detect the spoofing attack even in a high dynamic environment. We evaluate our scheme through experiments under indoor and outdoor environments. Experiment results show that our proposed scheme is more efficient and achieves a higher detection rate as well as keeping a lower false alarm rate.

A Novel Physical Layer Assisted Authentication Scheme for Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qiuhua

2017-02-04

Physical-layer authentication can address physical layer vulnerabilities and security threats in wireless sensor networks, and has been considered as an effective complementary enhancement to existing upper-layer authentication mechanisms. In this paper, to advance the existing research and improve the authentication performance, we propose a novel physical layer assisted authentication scheme for mobile wireless sensor networks. In our proposed scheme, we explore the reciprocity and spatial uncorrelation of the wireless channel to verify the identities of involved transmitting users and decide whether all data frames are from the same sender. In our proposed scheme, a new method is developed for the legitimate users to compare their received signal strength (RSS) records, which avoids the information from being disclosed to the adversary. Our proposed scheme can detect the spoofing attack even in a high dynamic environment. We evaluate our scheme through experiments under indoor and outdoor environments. Experiment results show that our proposed scheme is more efficient and achieves a higher detection rate as well as keeping a lower false alarm rate.

32 CFR 203.12 - Technical assistance for public participation provider qualifications.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... waste problems. (2) Experience in making technical presentations. (3) Demonstrated writing skills. (4... 32 National Defense 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Technical assistance for public participation... THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (TAPP...

Eye gaze performance for children with severe physical impairments using gaze-based assistive technology-A longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Borgestig, Maria; Sandqvist, Jan; Parsons, Richard; Falkmer, Torbjörn; Hemmingsson, Helena

2016-01-01

Gaze-based assistive technology (gaze-based AT) has the potential to provide children affected by severe physical impairments with opportunities for communication and activities. This study aimed to examine changes in eye gaze performance over time (time on task and accuracy) in children with severe physical impairments, without speaking ability, using gaze-based AT. A longitudinal study with a before and after design was conducted on 10 children (aged 1-15 years) with severe physical impairments, who were beginners to gaze-based AT at baseline. Thereafter, all children used the gaze-based AT in daily activities over the course of the study. Compass computer software was used to measure time on task and accuracy with eye selection of targets on screen, and tests were performed with the children at baseline, after 5 months, 9-11 months, and after 15-20 months. Findings showed that the children improved in time on task after 5 months and became more accurate in selecting targets after 15-20 months. This study indicates that these children with severe physical impairments, who were unable to speak, could improve in eye gaze performance. However, the children needed time to practice on a long-term basis to acquire skills needed to develop fast and accurate eye gaze performance.

Ion - beam assisted process in the physical deposition of organic thin layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dimov, D; Spassova, E; Assa, J; Danev, G [Acad. J .Malinowski Central Laboratory of Photoprocesses, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl.109, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Georgiev, A, E-mail: dean@clf.bas.b [University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 8 Kl. Ohridski Blvd., 1756 Sofia (Bulgaria)

2010-04-01

A novel method was developed for physical deposition of thin polyimide layers by applying an argon plasma assisted process. The influence was investigated of the plasma on the combined molecular flux of the two thermally evaporated precursors - oxydianiline and pyromellitic dianhydride. The effects observed on the properties of the deposited films are explained with the increased energy of the precursor molecules resulting from the ion-molecular collisions. As could be expected, molecules with higher energy possess higher mobility and thus determine the modification of the films structure and their electrical properties.

The Effect of Video-Assisted Inquiry Modified Learning Model on Student’s Achievement on 1st Fundamental Physics Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T W Maduretno

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of research are: (1 to know the effect of video-assisted inquiry modified learning model on student’s achievement; (2 to improve the student’s achievement in 1st Fundamental Physics Practice through video-assisted inquiry modified learning model. The student’s achievement as dependent variables includes the aspects of knowledge, skill, and attitude. The sampling technique did not choose at random. The Mathematics Education as the control group and the Science Education as the experimental group. The experimental group used video-assisted inquiry modified learning model and the control group used inquiry learning model. The collecting data technique used observation, questionnaire, and test. The researcher used the independent t-test that purposed to compare the average of achievement of control and experiment group. The results of research were: (1 there was an effect of video-assisted inquiry modified learning model on the knowledge and skill aspect but there was not on the attitude aspect; (2 The average of learning outcome of the experimental group higher than the control group’s; (3 The video-assisted inquiry modified learning model helped more skilled and trained student to discovery, inquiry the scientific principle, experiment and observation, and explain the experiment and observation’s result so that the students be able to understand the materials on the 1st Fundamental Physics Practice.

Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Inactivity during Leisure-Time and Commuting among Beneficiaries of Government Welfare Assistance in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorota Kaleta

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Physical activity (PA has well-documented health benefits helping to prevent development of non-communicable diseases. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence and factors associated with physical inactivity during leisure-time (LTPA and commuting (CPA among adult social assistance beneficiaries in Piotrkowski district. The studied sample consisted of 1817 respondents. Over 73% of the study population did not meet the recommended levels of LTPA. Fifty two % of the respondents had none leisure-time physical activity and 21.5% exercised occasionally. Main reasons for not taking up LTPA included: high general physical activity (36.4%, lack of time (28.1%, no willingness to exercise (25.4%. Close to 82% of the surveyed population did not practice commuting physical activity (CPA. The men had higher risk for inactivity during LTPA compared to the women (OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.11–1.65; p ≤ 0.05. Higher odds of CPA inactivity were associated with unemployment, moderate and heavy drinking and having a number of health problems. The prevalence of physical inactivity among the social assistance recipients is much higher than it is in the general population. Promotion of an active lifestyle should take into consideration substantial differences between the general population and disadvantaged individuals and their various needs.

Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Inactivity during Leisure-Time and Commuting among Beneficiaries of Government Welfare Assistance in Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaleta, Dorota; Kalucka, Sylwia; Szatko, Franciszek; Makowiec-Dąbrowska, Teresa

2017-09-26

Physical activity (PA) has well-documented health benefits helping to prevent development of non-communicable diseases. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence and factors associated with physical inactivity during leisure-time (LTPA) and commuting (CPA) among adult social assistance beneficiaries in Piotrkowski district. The studied sample consisted of 1817 respondents. Over 73% of the study population did not meet the recommended levels of LTPA. Fifty two % of the respondents had none leisure-time physical activity and 21.5% exercised occasionally. Main reasons for not taking up LTPA included: high general physical activity (36.4%), lack of time (28.1%), no willingness to exercise (25.4%). Close to 82% of the surveyed population did not practice commuting physical activity (CPA). The men had higher risk for inactivity during LTPA compared to the women (OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.11-1.65; p ≤ 0.05). Higher odds of CPA inactivity were associated with unemployment, moderate and heavy drinking and having a number of health problems. The prevalence of physical inactivity among the social assistance recipients is much higher than it is in the general population. Promotion of an active lifestyle should take into consideration substantial differences between the general population and disadvantaged individuals and their various needs.

Network Physics - the only company to provide physics-based network management - secures additional funding and new executives

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

"Network Physics, the only provider of physics-based network management products, today announced an additional venture round of $6 million in funding, as well as the addition of David Jones as president and CEO and Tom Dunn as vice president of sales and business development" (1 page).

Strategy for OCRWM to provide training assistance to state, tribal, and local governments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-11-01

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) has prepared this strategy to outline the process OCRWM will follow to provide funding and technical assistance to States and Indian Tribes as required by Section 180(c) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended (NWPA). A schedule for the various steps to be taken is included. The NWPA directs DOE to dispose of the spent nuclear fuel generated by commercial nuclear power facilities and high-level radioactive waste from defense facilities. OCRWM was established to carry out this mission. OCRWM is developing a transportation system to support shipping of spent nuclear fuel to a Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) facility, and spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste to a final disposal repository. A 1987 amendment to the NWPA added Section 180(c) which states that DOE:. . . shall provide technical assistance and funds to States for training for public safety officials of appropriate units of local government and Indian Tribes through whose jurisdiction the Secretary [of Energy] plans to transport spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste .... Training shall cover procedures required for safe routine transportation of these materials, as well as procedures for dealing with emergency response situations. This strategy represents a five-step process to meet the requirements of Section 180(c)

Estimating the Development Assistance for Health Provided to Faith-Based Organizations, 1990–2013

Science.gov (United States)

Haakenstad, Annie; Johnson, Elizabeth; Graves, Casey; Olivier, Jill; Duff, Jean; Dieleman, Joseph L.

2015-01-01

Background Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have been active in the health sector for decades. Recently, the role of FBOs in global health has been of increased interest. However, little is known about the magnitude and trends in development assistance for health (DAH) channeled through these organizations. Material and Methods Data were collected from the 21 most recent editions of the Report of Voluntary Agencies. These reports provide information on the revenue and expenditure of organizations. Project-level data were also collected and reviewed from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. More than 1,900 non-governmental organizations received funds from at least one of these three organizations. Background information on these organizations was examined by two independent reviewers to identify the amount of funding channeled through FBOs. Results In 2013, total spending by the FBOs identified in the VolAg amounted to US$1.53 billion. In 1990, FB0s spent 34.1% of total DAH provided by private voluntary organizations reported in the VolAg. In 2013, FBOs expended 31.0%. Funds provided by the Global Fund to FBOs have grown since 2002, amounting to $80.9 million in 2011, or 16.7% of the Global Fund’s contributions to NGOs. In 2011, the Gates Foundation’s contributions to FBOs amounted to $7.1 million, or 1.1% of the total provided to NGOs. Conclusion Development assistance partners exhibit a range of preferences with respect to the amount of funds provided to FBOs. Overall, estimates show that FBOS have maintained a substantial and consistent share over time, in line with overall spending in global health on NGOs. These estimates provide the foundation for further research on the spending trends and effectiveness of FBOs in global health. PMID:26042731

Technical Assistance and Changes in Nutrition and Physical Activity Practices in the National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project, 2015–2016

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Teresa M.; Estabrooks, Paul A.; Rasmussen, Cristy Geno; Blaser, Casey; Yaroch, Amy L

2018-01-01

Purpose and Objectives The National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives Project (ECELC) aims to improve best practices in early care and education (ECE) programs in topic areas of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment in Child Care (NAP SACC). Technical assistance is a component of the ECELC, yet its effect on outcomes is unclear. Beyond dose and duration of technical assistance, limited research exists on characteristics of technical assistance that contribute to outcomes. The objective of this study was to identify and describe technical assistance characteristics and explore associations with NAP SACC outcomes. Intervention Approach We collected data from 10 collaboratives comprising 84 ECE programs in 2 states in 2015–2016. The objective of technical assistance was to support programs in improving best practices. Technical assistance was provided to programs via on-site, telephone, or email and was tailored to program needs. Evaluation Methods We used a mixed-methods design to examine associations between technical assistance and NAP SACC outcomes. We used multiple regression analysis to assess quantitative data and qualitative comparative analysis to determine necessary and sufficient technical assistance conditions supporting NAP SACC outcomes. We also conducted a document review to describe technical assistance that referred conditions identified by the qualitative comparative analysis. Results Regression analyses detected an inverse relationship between changes in NAP SACC scores and hours of technical assistance. No clear pattern emerged in the qualitative comparative analysis, leaving no necessary and sufficient conditions. However, the qualitative comparative analysis identified feedback as a potentially important component of technical assistance, whereas resource sharing and frequent email were characteristics that seemed to reduce the likelihood of improved outcomes. Email and resource sharing were considered primarily

Assistance to Brazil, Pakistan and Thailand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1959-04-15

IAEA's technical assistance programme for the current year includes aid to atomic energy projects in Brazil, Pakistan and Thailand. It is proposed to establish a radiation measurement service in Brazil where radioactive isotopes are finding increasing use in medicine, industry and research. The assistance to be provided by IAEA will consist of equipment for the proposed service, and experts who would give courses in their respective specializations and co-operate in the testing of equipment, initiation of measurements and organization of working plans. The Agency is putting three specialists at the disposal of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission: one of them an expert on research reactors, another on radioisotopes and irradiation by gamma rays, and the third on health physics. The Pakistan Government has decided to set up an Institute of Nuclear Research and Reactor Technology, where it is planned to install a reactor with a power level of 1 MW to be increased later to 5 MW. The main purposes of the reactor project will be: training on reactor operation and reactor physics; training and research in neutron physics; research on radiation physics and nuclear chemistry; production of radioisotopes; biological research on the effects of radiation; radiation protection and shielding, and research in nuclear engineering and metallurgy. Under a third project, IAEA has sent an expert to Thailand to assist in the development of the medical applications of radioisotopes, particularly in diagnosis and clinical research

Assistance to Brazil, Pakistan and Thailand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1959-01-01

IAEA's technical assistance programme for the current year includes aid to atomic energy projects in Brazil, Pakistan and Thailand. It is proposed to establish a radiation measurement service in Brazil where radioactive isotopes are finding increasing use in medicine, industry and research. The assistance to be provided by IAEA will consist of equipment for the proposed service, and experts who would give courses in their respective specializations and co-operate in the testing of equipment, initiation of measurements and organization of working plans. The Agency is putting three specialists at the disposal of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission: one of them an expert on research reactors, another on radioisotopes and irradiation by gamma rays, and the third on health physics. The Pakistan Government has decided to set up an Institute of Nuclear Research and Reactor Technology, where it is planned to install a reactor with a power level of 1 MW to be increased later to 5 MW. The main purposes of the reactor project will be: training on reactor operation and reactor physics; training and research in neutron physics; research on radiation physics and nuclear chemistry; production of radioisotopes; biological research on the effects of radiation; radiation protection and shielding, and research in nuclear engineering and metallurgy. Under a third project, IAEA has sent an expert to Thailand to assist in the development of the medical applications of radioisotopes, particularly in diagnosis and clinical research

Physical interface dynamics alter how robotic exosuits augment human movement: implications for optimizing wearable assistive devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Yandell, Matthew B; Quinlivan, Brendan T; Popov, Dmitry; Walsh, Conor; Zelik, Karl E

2017-05-18

Wearable assistive devices have demonstrated the potential to improve mobility outcomes for individuals with disabilities, and to augment healthy human performance; however, these benefits depend on how effectively power is transmitted from the device to the human user. Quantifying and understanding this power transmission is challenging due to complex human-device interface dynamics that occur as biological tissues and physical interface materials deform and displace under load, absorbing and returning power. Here we introduce a new methodology for quickly estimating interface power dynamics during movement tasks using common motion capture and force measurements, and then apply this method to quantify how a soft robotic ankle exosuit interacts with and transfers power to the human body during walking. We partition exosuit end-effector power (i.e., power output from the device) into power that augments ankle plantarflexion (termed augmentation power) vs. power that goes into deformation and motion of interface materials and underlying soft tissues (termed interface power). We provide empirical evidence of how human-exosuit interfaces absorb and return energy, reshaping exosuit-to-human power flow and resulting in three key consequences: (i) During exosuit loading (as applied forces increased), about 55% of exosuit end-effector power was absorbed into the interfaces. (ii) However, during subsequent exosuit unloading (as applied forces decreased) most of the absorbed interface power was returned viscoelastically. Consequently, the majority (about 75%) of exosuit end-effector work over each stride contributed to augmenting ankle plantarflexion. (iii) Ankle augmentation power (and work) was delayed relative to exosuit end-effector power, due to these interface energy absorption and return dynamics. Our findings elucidate the complexities of human-exosuit interface dynamics during transmission of power from assistive devices to the human body, and provide insight into

The effect of morphological characteristics on the physical and physiological performance of Turkish soccer referees and assistant referees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bozdoğan Tuba Kızılet

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Physical fitness and physiological status play an important role in the referees’ performance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the body structure and morphological characteristics of Turkish Ssccer refereesand assistant referees and to determine the effect of these variables on physical performance. A sample of 158 male referees and 55 asisstant referees (mean age 31.8 ± 4.2 and 37.4 ± 3.3 yearswas evaluated. Physical assesment were conducted using the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIRTL1 and Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA for referees and Active Recovery Intermittent Endurance Test (ARIET and the RSA for assistant referees. We analyzed heart rate assesments. The measures used to assess morphological characteristics were age, weight, body mass index (BMI, body fat (BF, body mass, and fat free mass.The ANOVA test (Tukey testwas used to determine the result. Correlations between the referees’ fitness test performance and their morphological characteristics were examined using Pearson’s correlation (p<0.05. To result of this study, point to the existence of a strong correlation between morphological and physical and physiological characteristics. According to the literature, we found that greater BF and a higher BMI may negatively affect areferee’s running performance.

Exploring Canadian Physicians' Experiences Providing Medical Assistance in Dying: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoshnood, Narges; Hopwood, Marie-Clare; Lokuge, Bhadra; Kurahashi, Allison; Tobin, Anastasia; Isenberg, Sarina; Husain, Amna

2018-05-15

MAiD allows a practitioner to administer or prescribe medication for the purpose of ending a patient's life. In 2016, Canada was the latest country, following several European countries and American states, to legalize physician-assisted death. Although some studies report on physician attitudes towards MAiD or describe patient characteristics, there are few that explore the professional challenges faced by physicians who provide MAiD. To explore the professional challenges faced by Canadian physicians who provide MAiD. Sixteen physicians from across Canada who provide MAiD completed in-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews. An inductive thematic analysis approach guided data collection and the iterative, interpretive analysis of interview transcripts. Three members of the research team systematically co-coded interview transcripts and the emerging themes were developed with the broader research team. NVivo was used to manage the coded data. Participants described three challenges associated with providing MAiD: 1) their relationships with other MAiD providers were enhanced and relationships with objecting colleagues were sometimes strained, 2) they received inadequate financial compensation for time, and, 3) they experienced increased workload, resulting in sacrifices to personal time. Although these providers did not intend to stop providing MAiD at the time of the interview, they indicated their concerns about whether they would be able to sustain this service over time. Physicians described relationship, financial, and workload challenges to providing MAiD. We provide several recommendations to address these challenges and help ensure the sustainability of MAiD in countries that provide this service. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Extension of a Computer Assisted Decision Support (CADS) Study to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 DM Treated by Primary Care Providers. Addendum

Science.gov (United States)

2015-04-01

physicians’ assistants, who are not necessarily equipped with the latest information and tools to provide optimum care nor have the time required to...web-assisted DM management, most have used the web for patient education, performance monitoring, risk stratification , and case management by nurses...research staff to maintain CDMP and CADS and to assist with patient and provider problems that could not be solved by the research staff. Reportable

Effectiveness of computer-assisted interactive videodisc instruction in teaching rheumatology to physical and occupational therapy students.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanford, M K; Hazelwood, S E; Bridges, A J; Cutts, J H; Mitchell, J A; Reid, J C; Sharp, G

1996-01-01

A computer-assisted interactive videodisc instructional program, HP-RHEUM was designed to teach clinical findings in arthritis to occupational and physical therapy students. Using the Rheumatology Image Library videodisc produced by the National Library of Medicine, HP-RHEUM consists of instructional modules which employ advance organizers, examples/nonexamples, summaries, and immediate feedback. To see if HP-RHEUM would be as effective as traditional classroom instruction, control data were collected in 1991 from 52 OT and PT students. Treatment data were collected from 61 students in 1992 when HP-RHEUM entirely replaced lectures. Identical pre- and post-tests consisted of 70 multiple choice questions, with 24 matched to slides. On the slide questions the HP-RHEUM group had significantly higher scores. Otherwise, there was no significant difference in performance between groups. HP-RHEUM provided an independent learning method and enhanced visual comprehension of rheumatologic disease concepts.

Collaborative Assistive Robot for Mobility Enhancement (CARMEN) The bare necessities assisted wheelchair navigation and beyond

CERN Document Server

Urdiales, Cristina

2012-01-01

In nowadays aging society, many people require mobility assistance. Sometimes, assistive devices need a certain degree of autonomy when users' disabilities difficult manual control. However, clinicians report that excessive assistance may lead to loss of residual skills and frustration. Shared control focuses on deciding when users need help and providing it. Collaborative control aims at giving just the right amount of help in a transparent, seamless way. This book presents the collaborative control paradigm. User performance may be indicative of physical/cognitive condition, so it is used to decide how much help is needed. Besides, collaborative control integrates machine and user commands so that people contribute to self-motion at all times. Collaborative control was extensively tested for 3 years using a robotized wheelchair at a rehabilitation hospital in Rome with volunteer inpatients presenting different disabilities, ranging from mild to severe. We also present a taxonomy of common metrics for wheelc...

Comparison of the external physical damages between laser-assisted and mechanical immobilized human sperm using scanning electronic microscopy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Y L Chan

Full Text Available We aim to visualize the external physical damages and distinct external phenotypic effects between mechanical and laser-assisted immobilized human spermatozoa using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM. Human spermatozoa were immobilized mechanically or with laser assistance for SEM examination and the membrane integrities were checked on both types of immobilized spermatozoa. We found evidence of external damages at SEM level on mechanically kinked sperm, but not on laser-assisted immobilized sperm. Although no external damage was found on laser-assist immobilized sperm, there were two distinct types of morphological changes when spermatozoa were stricken by infra-red laser. Coiled tails were immediately formed when Laser pulse was applied to the sperm end piece area, whereas laser applied to the sperm principal piece area resulted in a sharp bend of sperm tails. Sperm immobilized by laser did not exhibit any morphological change if the laser did not hit within the on-screen central target zone or if the laser hit the sperm mid piece or head. Our modified membrane integrity assay revealed that the external membrane of more than half of the laser-assisted immobilized sperm remained intact. In conclusion, mechanical immobilization produced membrane damages whilst laser-assisted immobilization did not result in any external membrane damages besides morphological changes at SEM level.

Physics activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-09-01

As we move into the 21st Century, nuclear technology is on the verge of rejuvenation in advanced Member States and of expansion in developing Member States. The principal responsibilities of the IAEA are transferring technologies, co-ordinating scientific research, managing specialized projects and maintaining analytical quality control. The IAEA physics activities provide assistance with nuclear instrumentation, promote more effective utilization of research reactors and accelerators, and facilitate global co-operation in nuclear fusion research. These activities will help Member States improve their standards of living through the benefits of nuclear technology. This booklet presents a brief profile on the physics activities and involvement in these fields of the Physics Section, IAEA

Providing Assistive Technology Applications as a Service Through Cloud Computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulfari, Davide; Celesti, Antonio; Villari, Massimo; Puliafito, Antonio

2015-01-01

Users with disabilities interact with Personal Computers (PCs) using Assistive Technology (AT) software solutions. Such applications run on a PC that a person with a disability commonly uses. However the configuration of AT applications is not trivial at all, especially whenever the user needs to work on a PC that does not allow him/her to rely on his / her AT tools (e.g., at work, at university, in an Internet point). In this paper, we discuss how cloud computing provides a valid technological solution to enhance such a scenario.With the emergence of cloud computing, many applications are executed on top of virtual machines (VMs). Virtualization allows us to achieve a software implementation of a real computer able to execute a standard operating system and any kind of application. In this paper we propose to build personalized VMs running AT programs and settings. By using the remote desktop technology, our solution enables users to control their customized virtual desktop environment by means of an HTML5-based web interface running on any computer equipped with a browser, whenever they are.

Barriers to providing maternity care to women with physical disabilities: Perspectives from health care practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitra, Monika; Smith, Lauren D; Smeltzer, Suzanne C; Long-Bellil, Linda M; Sammet Moring, Nechama; Iezzoni, Lisa I

2017-07-01

Women with physical disabilities are known to experience disparities in maternity care access and quality, and communication gaps with maternity care providers, however there is little research exploring the maternity care experiences of women with physical disabilities from the perspective of their health care practitioners. This study explored health care practitioners' experiences and needs around providing perinatal care to women with physical disabilities in order to identify potential drivers of these disparities. We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 14 health care practitioners in the United States who provide maternity care to women with physical disabilities, as identified by affiliation with disability-related organizations, publications and snowball sampling. Descriptive coding and content analysis techniques were used to develop an iterative code book related to barriers to caring for this population. Public health theory regarding levels of barriers was applied to generate broad barrier categories, which were then analyzed using content analysis. Participant-reported barriers to providing optimal maternity care to women with physical disabilities were grouped into four levels: practitioner level (e.g., unwillingness to provide care), clinical practice level (e.g., accessible office equipment like adjustable exam tables), system level (e.g., time limits, reimbursement policies), and barriers relating to lack of scientific evidence (e.g., lack of disability-specific clinical data). Participants endorsed barriers to providing optimal maternity care to women with physical disabilities. Our findings highlight the needs for maternity care practice guidelines for women with physical disabilities, and for training and education regarding the maternity care needs of this population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Walker use, but not falls, is associated with lower physical functioning and health of residents in an assisted-living environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Daniel A; Roos, Bernard A; Stanziano, Damian C; Gonzalez, Natasha M; Signorile, Joseph F

2007-01-01

The relationship between perceived health and walker use has seldom been addressed. Concerns over falls and falls risk are precursors to walker use. We compared the SF-36 scores of 26 women and 14 men, mean age 86.8 +/- 6.0 years based on walker use and faller status. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with age as the covariate, compared groups for the SF-36 constructs and totals score. Significant differences were noted between walker users and nonusers in physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, general health, and the total SF-36 score. Pairwise comparisons favored nonusers, while no differences were seen due to faller status. Walker use is associated with lower self-perceptions of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, and general health in assisted-living residents. Faller status is not associated with self-perceived health status. Although walker use aids mobility and lowers the probability of falls, further research is needed to determine if the prescription of assistive devices has a more negative impact on self-perceived health than does falling. This possibility could be explained, in part, by the greater activity levels of those individuals who do not depend on walkers.

End-of-Life Education and Discussions With Assisted Living Certified Nursing Assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohlman, Wendy L; Dassel, Kara; Supiano, Katherine P; Caserta, Michael

2018-06-01

In previous work, the current researchers examined attitudes and experiences of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) providing end-of-life (EOL) care in an assisted living facility (ALF). Results showed that 70% of participating CNAs felt unprepared to provide EOL care, largely due to not having received prior EOL care education within their schools or workplaces. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to implement and evaluate EOL and postmortem education to ALF CNAs. A focus group of 14 CNAs within an ALF was provided EOL education pertaining to the physiological and psychological changes observed in patients nearing EOL and postmortem care. Immediately following training, CNAs participated in a 30-minute focus group in which they discussed their experiences and educational needs regarding EOL care. Responses were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for common themes using descriptive qualitative inquiry. All participants reported that CNA programs need to place greater emphasis on teaching EOL care, and 80% desired continuing education on EOL care through their employers. There is a need for CNAs to receive EOL care education to understand the psychological and physical signs and symptoms associated with the dying process to provide best practices in postmortem care. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44(6), 41-48.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Exoskeleton plantarflexion assistance for elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Galle, S; Derave, W; Bossuyt, F; Calders, P; Malcolm, P; De Clercq, D

2017-02-01

Elderly are confronted with reduced physical capabilities and increased metabolic energy cost of walking. Exoskeletons that assist walking have the potential to restore walking capacity by reducing the metabolic cost of walking. However, it is unclear if current exoskeletons can reduce energy cost in elderly. Our goal was to study the effect of an exoskeleton that assists plantarflexion during push-off on the metabolic energy cost of walking in physically active and healthy elderly. Seven elderly (age 69.3±3.5y) walked on treadmill (1.11ms 2 ) with normal shoes and with the exoskeleton both powered (with assistance) and powered-off (without assistance). After 20min of habituation on a prior day and 5min on the test day, subjects were able to walk with the exoskeleton and assistance of the exoskeleton resulted in a reduction in metabolic cost of 12% versus walking with the exoskeleton powered-off. Walking with the exoskeleton was perceived less fatiguing for the muscles compared to normal walking. Assistance resulted in a statistically nonsignificant reduction in metabolic cost of 4% versus walking with normal shoes, likely due to the penalty of wearing the exoskeleton powered-off. Also, exoskeleton mechanical power was relatively low compared to previously identified optimal assistance magnitude in young adults. Future exoskeleton research should focus on further optimizing exoskeleton assistance for specific populations and on considerate integration of exoskeletons in rehabilitation or in daily life. As such, exoskeletons should allow people to walk longer or faster than without assistance and could result in an increase in physical activity and resulting health benefits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Learning from avatars: Learning assistants practice physics pedagogy in a classroom simulator

Science.gov (United States)

Chini, Jacquelyn J.; Straub, Carrie L.; Thomas, Kevin H.

2016-06-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Preparing and Supporting University Physics Educators.] Undergraduate students are increasingly being used to support course transformations that incorporate research-based instructional strategies. While such students are typically selected based on strong content knowledge and possible interest in teaching, they often do not have previous pedagogical training. The current training models make use of real students or classmates role playing as students as the test subjects. We present a new environment for facilitating the practice of physics pedagogy skills, a highly immersive mixed-reality classroom simulator, and assess its effectiveness for undergraduate physics learning assistants (LAs). LAs prepared, taught, and reflected on a lesson about motion graphs for five highly interactive computer generated student avatars in the mixed-reality classroom simulator. To assess the effectiveness of the simulator for this population, we analyzed the pedagogical skills LAs intended to practice and exhibited during their lessons and explored LAs' descriptions of their experiences with the simulator. Our results indicate that the classroom simulator created a safe, effective environment for LAs to practice a variety of skills, such as questioning styles and wait time. Additionally, our analysis revealed areas for improvement in our preparation of LAs and use of the simulator. We conclude with a summary of research questions this environment could facilitate.

Investigating walking environments in and around assisted living facilities: a facility visit study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Zhipeng

2010-01-01

This study explores assisted living residents' walking behaviors, locations where residents prefer to walk, and walking environments in and around assisted living facilities. Regular walking is beneficial to older adults' physical and psychological health. Yet frail older residents in assisted living are usually too sedentary to achieve these benefits. The physical environment plays an important role in promoting physical activity. However, there is little research exploring this relationship in assisted living settings. The researcher visited 34 assisted living facilities in a major Texas city. Methods included walk-through observation with the Assisted Living Facility Walking Environment Checklist, and interviews with administrators by open- and close-ended questions. The data from 26 facilities were analyzed using descriptive statistics (for quantitative data) and content analysis (for qualitative data). The results indicate that (a) residents were walking both indoors and outdoors for exercise or other purposes (e.g., going to destinations); (b) assisted living facility planning and design details-such as neighborhood sidewalk conditions, facility site selection, availability of seating, walking path configuration (e.g., looped/nonlooped path), amount of shading along the path, presence of handrails, existence of signage, etc.-may influence residents' walking behaviors; and (c) current assisted living facilities need improvement in all aspects to make their environments more walkable for residents. Findings of the study provide recommendations for assisted living facilities to improve the walkability of environments and to create environmental interventions to promote regular walking among their residents. This study also implies several directions for future research.

DOE fundamentals handbook: Nuclear physics and reactor theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory Handbook was developed to assist nuclear facility operating contractors in providing operators, maintenance personnel, and the technical staff with the necessary fundamentals training to ensure a basic understanding of nuclear physics and reactor theory. The handbook includes information on atomic and nuclear physics; neutron characteristics; reactor theory and nuclear parameters; and the theory of reactor operation. This information will provide personnel with a foundation for understanding the scientific principles that are associated with various DOE nuclear facility operations and maintenance

Physical activity communication between oncology providers and patients with early-stage breast, colon, or prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyrop, Kirsten A; Deal, Allison M; Williams, Grant R; Guerard, Emily J; Pergolotti, Mackenzi; Muss, Hyman B

2016-02-01

National guidelines recommend that patients with a cancer diagnosis engage in regular physical activity to reduce cancer-related fatigue, maintain quality of life and physical function, and improve overall prognosis and survival. This study investigates oncology provider communications about physical activity during routine clinic visits with patients with early-stage breast, colon, or prostate cancer. This study used a retrospective chart review for documentation of inquiries or recommendations pertaining to physical activity in clinician notes and after-visit patient summaries. In a 1-month period, 55 oncology providers had 361 encounters (clinic visits) with early-stage cancer patients. Thirty-five percent of these encounters included a provider communication about "physical activity," "exercise," or "activity." Encounters with a medical oncologist resulted in a physical activity communication 55% of the time, whereas encounters with other clinician specialties did so 20% of the time (P communication increased with patient age (P communications was significantly higher (46%, 37%, and 58%, respectively) than the rate when the visit was during radiation treatment or surgery (6% and 19%, respectively; P communications during routine clinic visits; however, the frequency of physical activity communications varies among providers. Interventions are needed to remind and encourage all oncology providers to encourage their patients with early-stage cancer to be physically active. . © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Choice of Personal Assistance Services Providers by Medicare Beneficiaries Using a Consumer-Directed Benefit: Rural-Urban Differences

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Hongdao; Friedman, Bruce; Wamsley, Brenda R.; Van Nostrand, Joan F.; Eggert, Gerald M.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To examine the impact of an experimental consumer-choice voucher benefit on the selection of independent and agency personal assistance services (PAS) providers among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities. Methods: The Medicare Primary and Consumer-Directed Care Demonstration enrolled 1,605 Medicare beneficiaries in 19…

Dilemmas in providing resilience-enhancing social services to long-term social assistance clients. A qualitative study of Swedish social workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marttila Anneli

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Long-term recipients of social assistance face barriers to social and economic inclusion, and have poorer health and more limited opportunities for improving their health than many other groups in the population. During recent decades there have been changes in Swedish social policy, with cutbacks in public benefits and a re-emphasis on means-tested policies. In this context, it is important to investigate the necessary conditions for social workers to offer social assistance and services, as well as the mediating role of social workers between public policies and their clients. Swedish social services aim to promote social inclusion by strengthening the individual´s own resources. We investigated the issues that arise when providing social services to long-term social assistance clients within the framework of resilience, which focuses on the processes leading to positive functioning in adverse conditions. Methods Interviews were conducted with 23 social workers in Stockholm and analysed by qualitative content analysis. Results The main theme to emerge from the interviews concerned the constraints that the social workers faced in providing social services to social assistance clients. The first subtheme focused on dilemmas in the interaction between social workers and clients resulting from the dual role of exercising authority and supporting and building trust with clients. Working conditions of social workers also played a crucial role. The second subtheme addressed the impact of the societal context, such as labour market opportunities and coordination between authorities. Conclusions Overall, we found that social workers to a great extent tried to find individual solutions to structural problems. To provide resilience-enhancing social services to long-term social assistance clients with varying obstacles and needs requires a constructive working environment, supportive societal structures and inter-sectoral cooperation

Dilemmas in providing resilience-enhancing social services to long-term social assistance clients. A qualitative study of Swedish social workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Marttila, Anneli; Johansson, Eva; Whitehead, Margaret; Burström, Bo

2012-07-12

Long-term recipients of social assistance face barriers to social and economic inclusion, and have poorer health and more limited opportunities for improving their health than many other groups in the population. During recent decades there have been changes in Swedish social policy, with cutbacks in public benefits and a re-emphasis on means-tested policies. In this context, it is important to investigate the necessary conditions for social workers to offer social assistance and services, as well as the mediating role of social workers between public policies and their clients. Swedish social services aim to promote social inclusion by strengthening the individual's own resources. We investigated the issues that arise when providing social services to long-term social assistance clients within the framework of resilience, which focuses on the processes leading to positive functioning in adverse conditions. Interviews were conducted with 23 social workers in Stockholm and analysed by qualitative content analysis. The main theme to emerge from the interviews concerned the constraints that the social workers faced in providing social services to social assistance clients. The first subtheme focused on dilemmas in the interaction between social workers and clients resulting from the dual role of exercising authority and supporting and building trust with clients. Working conditions of social workers also played a crucial role. The second subtheme addressed the impact of the societal context, such as labour market opportunities and coordination between authorities. Overall, we found that social workers to a great extent tried to find individual solutions to structural problems. To provide resilience-enhancing social services to long-term social assistance clients with varying obstacles and needs requires a constructive working environment, supportive societal structures and inter-sectoral cooperation between different authorities.

Dutch Logistics Service Providers and Sustainable Physical Distribution: Searching for Focus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pieters, R.; Glöckner, H.H.; Omta, S.W.F.; Weijers, S.

2012-01-01

As environmental concerns becoming increasingly important to logistics service providers, the question arises as to how they can achieve sustainable physical distribution practices while surviving the severe competition in freight transport. This issue is further complicated by the pressures from

Dutch Logistics Service Providers and Sustainable Physical Distribution: Searching for Focus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pieters, R.; Glöckner, H.H.; Omta, S.W.F.; Weijers, S.

2013-01-01

As environmental concerns becoming increasingly important to logistics service providers, the question arises as to how they can achieve sustainable physical distribution practices while surviving the severe competition in freight transport. This issue is further complicated by the pressures from

Teaching Students to Request the Continuation of Routine Activities by Using Time Delay and Decreasing Physical Assistance in the Context of Chain Interruption.

Science.gov (United States)

Gee, Kathleen; And Others

1991-01-01

Three students (ages 5-10) with profound intellectual, sensory, and physical disabilities were taught to activate a communication device to request the continuation of activities in which they were involved. The intervention consisted of a consistent response interval and increasing time delay paired with decreasing physical assistance in…

Application requirements for Robotic Nursing Assistants in hospital environments

Science.gov (United States)

Cremer, Sven; Doelling, Kris; Lundberg, Cody L.; McNair, Mike; Shin, Jeongsik; Popa, Dan

2016-05-01

In this paper we report on analysis toward identifying design requirements for an Adaptive Robotic Nursing Assistant (ARNA). Specifically, the paper focuses on application requirements for ARNA, envisioned as a mobile assistive robot that can navigate hospital environments to perform chores in roles such as patient sitter and patient walker. The role of a sitter is primarily related to patient observation from a distance, and fetching objects at the patient's request, while a walker provides physical assistance for ambulation and rehabilitation. The robot will be expected to not only understand nurse and patient intent but also close the decision loop by automating several routine tasks. As a result, the robot will be equipped with sensors such as distributed pressure sensitive skins, 3D range sensors, and so on. Modular sensor and actuator hardware configured in the form of several multi-degree-of-freedom manipulators, and a mobile base are expected to be deployed in reconfigurable platforms for physical assistance tasks. Furthermore, adaptive human-machine interfaces are expected to play a key role, as they directly impact the ability of robots to assist nurses in a dynamic and unstructured environment. This paper discusses required tasks for the ARNA robot, as well as sensors and software infrastructure to carry out those tasks in the aspects of technical resource availability, gaps, and needed experimental studies.

An Assistive Technology System that Provides Personalized Dressing Support for People Living with Dementia: Capability Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Burleson, Winslow; Lozano, Cecil; Ravishankar, Vijay; Lee, Jisoo; Mahoney, Diane

2018-05-01

Individuals living with advancing stages of dementia (persons with dementia, PWDs) or other cognitive disorders do not have the luxury of remembering how to perform basic day-to-day activities, which in turn makes them increasingly dependent on the assistance of caregivers. Dressing is one of the most common and stressful activities provided by caregivers because of its complexity and privacy challenges posed during the process. In preparation for in-home trials with PWDs, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a prototype intelligent system, the DRESS prototype, to assess its ability to provide automated assistance with dressing that can afford independence and privacy to individual PWDs and potentially provide additional freedom to their caregivers (family members and professionals). This laboratory study evaluated the DRESS prototype's capacity to detect dressing events. These events were engaged in by 11 healthy participants simulating common correct and incorrect dressing scenarios. The events ranged from donning a shirt and pants inside out or backwards to partial dressing-typical issues that challenge a PWD and their caregivers. A set of expected detections for correct dressing was prepared via video analysis of all participants' dressing behaviors. In the initial phases of donning either shirts or pants, the DRESS prototype missed only 4 out of 388 expected detections. The prototype's ability to recognize other missing detections varied across conditions. There were also some unexpected detections such as detection of the inside of a shirt as it was being put on. Throughout the study, detection of dressing events was adversely affected by the relatively smaller effective size of the markers at greater distances. Although the DRESS prototype incorrectly identified 10 of 22 cases for shirts, the prototype preformed significantly better for pants, incorrectly identifying only 5 of 22 cases. Further analyses identified opportunities to improve the

Receiving Assistance and Local Food System Participation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca L. Som Castellano

2017-02-01

Full Text Available A body of literature has noted that local food systems (LFSs may not involve active participation by individuals with lower incomes. This is, in part, a function of racial and class hegemony, as well as physical and financial accessibility of LFSs. LFS institutions, such as farmers’ markets, have been working to facilitate receipt of food assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP. Charitable assistance programs, such as food banks, have also been actively working to engage in LFSs, for example, by making local foods available. However, little research has explored the role that receiving public or charitable assistance can play in influencing LFS participation. In this article, I utilize quantitative and qualitative data collected from across the state of Ohio to examine the relationship between receiving assistance and LFS participation for women, who remain predominately responsible for food provisioning in the U.S., including among those who participate in LFSs. Quantitative results suggest that receiving assistance can increase participation in LFSs. Qualitative data provides more nuanced information about the importance of food assistance for women who want to participate in LFSs, and suggest that it is essential that food cooperatives and farmers’ markets are equipped to receive food assistance programs, such as SNAP, in order for women with lower incomes to participate in LFSs.

Help at 3:00 AM! Providing 24/7 Timely Support to Online Students via a Virtual Assistant

Science.gov (United States)

Vu, Phu; Fredrickson, Scott; Meyer, Richard

2016-01-01

With a dearth of research on human-robot interaction in education and relatively high non-completion rates of online students, this study was conducted to determine the feasibility of using a virtual assistant (VA) to respond to questions and concerns of students and provide 24/7 online course content support. During a 16 week-long academic…

Non-Markovianity-assisted high-fidelity Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm in diamond

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Yang; Zheng, Yu; Li, Shen; Li, Cong-Cong; Chen, Xiang-Dong; Guo, Guang-Can; Sun, Fang-Wen

2018-01-01

The memory effects in non-Markovian quantum dynamics can induce the revival of quantum coherence, which is believed to provide important physical resources for quantum information processing (QIP). However, no real quantum algorithms have been demonstrated with the help of such memory effects. Here, we experimentally implemented a non-Markovianity-assisted high-fidelity refined Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm (RDJA) with a solid spin in diamond. The memory effects can induce pronounced non-monotonic variations in the RDJA results, which were confirmed to follow a non-Markovian quantum process by measuring the non-Markovianity of the spin system. By applying the memory effects as physical resources with the assistance of dynamical decoupling, the probability of success of RDJA was elevated above 97% in the open quantum system. This study not only demonstrates that the non-Markovianity is an important physical resource but also presents a feasible way to employ this physical resource. It will stimulate the application of the memory effects in non-Markovian quantum dynamics to improve the performance of practical QIP.

DOE Fundamentals Handbook: Classical Physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-06-01

The Classical Physics Fundamentals Handbook was developed to assist nuclear facility operating contractors provide operators, maintenance personnel, and the technical staff with the necessary fundamentals training to ensure a basic understanding of physical forces and their properties. The handbook includes information on the units used to measure physical properties; vectors, and how they are used to show the net effect of various forces; Newton's Laws of motion, and how to use these laws in force and motion applications; and the concepts of energy, work, and power, and how to measure and calculate the energy involved in various applications. This information will provide personnel with a foundation for understanding the basic operation of various types of DOE nuclear facility systems and equipment

IMPACT OF CANINE ASSISTED THERAPY ON EMOTIONS AND MOTIVATION LEVEL IN CHILDREN WITH REDUCED MOBILITY IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CLASSES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Niewiadomska

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Canine assisted therapy is increasingly used in the treatment of children with various diseases. The participation of a dog in classes evokes positive emotions in children, which are often an important factor in the success of a therapy. Purpose: The aim of this study was to present the influence of emotions on the level of motivation toward physical activity in children with reduced mobility. Material: The study involved six 5-year-old children, i.e. 5 boys and one girl, who had refused to participate in physical activity classes. They reacted with anxiety, anger and did not want to exercise. Assessment of feelings and emotions of the children was based on observations and interviews with parents. Results: After introducing a dog to the physical activity classes, the children changed their attitude not only to training, but also to themselves and their classmates. There was an observed increase in their motivation for the exercises. Such a significant impact of a dog on child’s emotions can be very important in the therapeutic process and is reported and recognized by many specialists. Conclusions: Canine assisted therapy sessions could be promoted in the treatment of children with locomotor impairment, as well as with other disabilities such as autism, obesity, cerebral palsy, learning difficulties and depression.

IMPACT OF CANINE ASSISTED THERAPY ON EMOTIONS AND MOTIVATION LEVEL IN CHILDREN WITH REDUCED MOBILITY IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CLASSES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niewiadomska Monika

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Canine assisted therapy is increasingly used in the treatment of children with various diseases. The participation of a dog in classes evokes positive emotions in children, which are often an important factor in the success of a therapy. Purpose: The aim of this study was to present the influence of emotions on the level of motivation toward physical activity in children with reduced mobility. Material: The study involved six 5-year-old children, i.e. 5 boys and one girl, who had refused to participate in physical activity classes. They reacted with anxiety, anger and did not want to exercise. Assessment of feelings and emotions of the children was based on observations and interviews with parents. Results: After introducing a dog to the physical activity classes, the children changed their attitude not only to training, but also to themselves and their classmates. There was an observed increase in their motivation for the exercises. Such a significant impact of a dog on child’s emotions can be very important in the therapeutic process and is reported and recognized by many specialists. Conclusions: Canine assisted therapy sessions could be promoted in the treatment of children with locomotor impairment, as well as with other disabilities such as autism, obesity, cerebral palsy, learning difficulties and depression.

Few adults with functional limitations advised to exercise more or lose weight in NHANES 2011-14 seek health professional assistance: An opportunity for physical therapists.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinslow, Brian; De Heer, Hendrik D; Warren, Meghan

2018-03-02

Functional limitations are associated with decreased physical activity and increased body mass index. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of functional limitations among adults who reported receiving health professional advice to exercise more or lose weight, and to assess involvement of health professionals, including physical therapists, in weight loss efforts with these individuals. A cross-sectional analysis of U.S. adults from the 2011 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n = 5,480). Participant demographics, health history, and functional limitations were assessed via self-report and examination. Frequency distributions were calculated using SAS® analytical software, accounting for the complex survey design. Population estimates were calculated using the American Community Survey. 31.0% of individuals (n = 1,696), representing a population estimate of 35 million adults, advised to exercise more or lose weight by a health professional reported one or more functional limitation. Of the 31%, 57.6% attempted weight loss, and 40.1% used exercise for weight loss. Few sought health professional assistance. Physical therapists were not mentioned. Few individuals with functional limitations advised to lose weight or increase exercise seek health professional assistance for weight loss. Physical therapists have an opportunity to assist those with functional limitations with exercise prescription.

Emotional Literacy Support Assistants' Views on Supervision Provided by Educational Psychologists: What EPs Can Learn from Group Supervision

Science.gov (United States)

Osborne, Cara; Burton, Sheila

2014-01-01

The Educational Psychology Service in this study has responsibility for providing group supervision to Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) working in schools. To date, little research has examined this type of inter-professional supervision arrangement. The current study used a questionnaire to examine ELSAs' views on the supervision…

Cyber-Physical Architecture Assisted by Programmable Networking

OpenAIRE

Rubio-Hernan, Jose; Sahay, Rishikesh; De Cicco, Luca; Garcia-Alfaro, Joaquin

2018-01-01

Cyber-physical technologies are prone to attacks, in addition to faults and failures. The issue of protecting cyber-physical systems should be tackled by jointly addressing security at both cyber and physical domains, in order to promptly detect and mitigate cyber-physical threats. Towards this end, this letter proposes a new architecture combining control-theoretic solutions together with programmable networking techniques to jointly handle crucial threats to cyber-physical systems. The arch...

Cyber-physical architecture assisted by programmable networking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rubio-Hernan, Jose; Sahay, Rishikesh; De Cicco, Luca

2018-01-01

Cyber‐physical technologies are prone to attacks in addition to faults and failures. The issue of protecting cyber‐physical systems should be tackled by jointly addressing security at both cyber and physical domains in order to promptly detect and mitigate cyber‐physical threats. Toward this end...

The Use of Computer-Assisted Home Exercises to Preserve Physical Function after a Vestibular Rehabilitation Program: A Randomized Controlled Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Michael Smærup; Læssøe, Uffe; Grönvall, Erik

2016-01-01

. Materials and Methods. Single-blind, randomized, controlled follow-up study. Fifty-seven elderly patients with chronic dizziness were randomly assigned to a computer-assisted home exercise program or to home exercises as described in printed instructions and followed for tree month after discharge from......, and quality of life three months following discharge from hospital. In this specific setup, no greater effect was found by introducing a computer-assisted training program, when compared to standard home training guided by printed instructions. This trial is registered with NCT01344408.......Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether elderly patients with vestibular dysfunction are able to preserve physical functional level, reduction in dizziness, and the patient's quality of life when assistive computer technology is used in comparison with printed instructions...

The physical environment influences neuropsychiatric symptoms and other outcomes in assisted living residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Bicket, Mark C; Samus, Quincy M; McNabney, Mathew; Onyike, Chiadi U; Mayer, Lawrence S; Brandt, Jason; Rabins, Peter; Lyketsos, Constantine; Rosenblatt, Adam

2010-10-01

Although the number of elderly residents living in assisted living (AL) facilities is rising, few studies have examined the AL physical environment and its impact on resident well-being. We sought to quantify the relationship of AL physical environment with resident outcomes including neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), quality of life (QOL), and fall risk, and to compare the effects for demented and non-demented residents. Prospective cohort study of a stratified random sample of 326 AL residents living in 21 AL facilities. Measures included the Therapeutic Environmental Screening Scale for Nursing Homes and Residential Care (TESS-NH/RC) to rate facilities and in-person assessment of residents for diagnosis (and assessment of treatment) of dementia, ratings on standardized clinical, cognitive, and QOL measures. Regression models compared environmental measures with outcomes. TESS-NH/RC is modified into a scale for rating the AL physical environment AL-EQS. The AL Environmental Quality Score (AL-EQS) was strongly negatively associated with Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) total score (p environment of AL facilities likely affects NPS and QOL in AL residents, and the effect may be stronger for residents without dementia than for residents with dementia. Environmental manipulations that increase resident privacy, as well as implementing call buttons and telephones, may improve resident well-being. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Radiological accident in Panama - IAEA to send assistance team

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

Full text: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is sending a team of six international experts to assist the authorities of Panama to deal with the aftermath of a radiological accident that occurred at Panama's National Oncology Institute. The Government of Panama informed the IAEA on 22 May about the accident, reported that 28 patients have been affected, and requested IAEA's assistance under the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency, to which Panama is a party. The assistance to be provided by the expert mission will include: ensuring that the radiation source(s) involved in the accident is (are) in a safe and secure condition; evaluating the doses incurred by the affected patients, inter alia, by analysing the treatment records and physical measurements; undertaking a medical evaluation of the affected patients' prognosis and treatment, taking into account, inter alia, the autopsy findings for those who died; and identifying issues on which the IAEA could offer to provide and/or co-ordinate assistance to minimize the consequences of the accident. The team, which includes senior experts in radiology, radiotherapy, radiopathology, radiation dosimetry and radiation protection from France, USA and Japan, and the IAEA itself, will leave for Panama tomorrow, 26 May

Operation of neat pine oil biofuel in a diesel engine by providing ignition assistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vallinayagam, R.; Vedharaj, S.; Yang, W.M.; Lee, P.S.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Operational feasibility of neat pine oil biofuel has been examined. • Pine oil suffers lower cetane number, which mandates for necessary ignition assistance. • Ignition support is provided by preheating the inlet air and incorporating a glow plug. • At an inlet air temperature of 60 °C, the BTE for pine oil was found to be in par with diesel. • CO and smoke emissions were reduced by 13.2% and 16.8%, respectively, for neat pine oil. - Abstract: The notion to provide ignition support for the effective operation of lower cetane fuels in a diesel engine has been ably adopted in the present study for the sole fuel operation of pine oil biofuel. Having noted that the lower cetane number and higher self-ignition temperature of pine oil biofuel would inhibit its direct use in a diesel engine, combined ignition support in the form of preheating the inlet air and installing a glow plug in the cylinder head has been provided to improve the auto-ignition of pine oil. While, an air preheater, installed in the inlet manifold of the engine, preheated the inlet air so as to provide ignition assistance partially, the incorporation of glow plug in the cylinder head imparted the further required ignition support appropriately. Subsequently, the operational feasibility of neat pine oil biofuel has been examined in a single cylinder diesel engine and the engine test results were analyzed. From the experimental investigation, though the engine performance and emissions such as CO (carbon monoxide) and smoke were noted to be better for pine oil with an inlet air temperature of 40 °C, the engine suffered the setback of knocking due to delayed SOC (start of combustion). However, with the ignition support through glow plug and preheating of inlet air, the engine knocking was prevented and the normal operation of the engine was ensured. Categorically, at an inlet air temperature of 60 °C, BTE (brake thermal efficiency) was found to be in par with diesel, while

International assistance. Licensing assistance project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleev, A.

1999-01-01

Description of licensing assistance project for VATESI is presented. In licensing of unit No.1 of INPP VATESI is supported by many western countries. Experts from regulatory bodies or scientific organizations of those countries assist VATESI staff in reviewing documentation presented by INPP. Among bilateral cooperation support is provided by European Commission through Phare programme

Barriers to Providing Physical Education and Physical Activity in Victorian State Secondary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkinson, Kate A.; Benson, Amanda C.

2010-01-01

An on-line questionnaire was completed by 115 physical education teachers to establish the barriers to their implementation of physical education in Victorian state secondary schools. In addition, the barriers perceived by teachers to impact on students' participation in school-based physical education and physical activity were examined. The…

Outsourcing Physical Education in Primary Schools: Evaluating the Impact of Externally Provided Programmes on Generalist Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Whipp, Peter R.; Hutton, Heidi; Grove, J. Robert; Jackson, Ben

2011-01-01

In place of generalist delivery, externally provided physical activity programmes (EPPAPs) are potentially an effective method for offering primary school students specialist physical education (PE) instruction, as well as providing training for generalist classroom teachers. In the present study, a group of generalist teachers were interviewed…

An evaluation of substance misuse treatment providers used by an employee assistance program.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, N A

1992-05-01

Structural measures of access, continuity, and quality of substance misuse treatment services were compared in 30 fee-for-service (FFS) facilities and nine health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Probit models related effects of the provider system (FFS or HMO) and the system's structural characteristics to 243 employees' access to and outcomes from treatment. Access was decreased in Independent Practice Association (IPA)/network HMOs and in all facilities which did not employ an addictionologist or provide coordinated treatment services. When bivariate correlations were examined, both use of copayments and imposing limits to the levels of treatment covered were negatively related to access, while a facility's provision of ongoing professional development was positively associated with access. These correlations did not remain significant in the multivariate probits. Receiving treatment in a staff model HMO and facing limits to the levels of treatment covered were negatively associated with attaining sufficient progress, while receiving treatment in a facility which provided ongoing professional development was positively related to progress: these effects did not remain significant in multivariate analyses. Implications for employee assistance program (EAP) staff in their role as case managers and for EAP staff and employers in their shared role as purchasers of treatment are discussed.

Experiences Providing Medical Assistance during the Sewol Ferry Disaster Using Traditional Korean Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyeong Han; Jang, Soobin; Lee, Ju Ah; Jang, Bo-Hyoung; Go, Ho-Yeon; Park, Sunju; Jo, Hee-Guen; Lee, Myeong Soo; Ko, Seong-Gyu

2017-01-01

This study aimed to investigate medical records using traditional Korean medicine (TKM) in Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014 and further explore the possible role of traditional medicine in disaster situation. After Sewol Ferry accident, 3 on-site tents for TKM assistance by the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM) in Jindo area were installed. The AKOM mobilized volunteer TKM doctors and assistants and dispatched each on-site tent in three shifts within 24 hours. Anyone could use on-site tent without restriction and TKM treatments including herb medicine were administered individually. The total of 1,860 patients were treated during the periods except for medical assistance on the barge. Most patients were diagnosed in musculoskeletal diseases (66.4%) and respiratory diseases (7.4%) and circulatory diseases (8.4%) followed. The most frequently used herbal medicines were Shuanghe decoction (80 days), Su He Xiang Wan (288 pills), and Wuji powder (73 days). TKM in medical assistance can be helpful to rescue worker or group life people in open shelter when national disasters occur. Therefore, it is important to construct a rapid respond system using TKM resources based on experience.

Experiences Providing Medical Assistance during the Sewol Ferry Disaster Using Traditional Korean Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyeong Han Kim

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. This study aimed to investigate medical records using traditional Korean medicine (TKM in Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014 and further explore the possible role of traditional medicine in disaster situation. Methods. After Sewol Ferry accident, 3 on-site tents for TKM assistance by the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM in Jindo area were installed. The AKOM mobilized volunteer TKM doctors and assistants and dispatched each on-site tent in three shifts within 24 hours. Anyone could use on-site tent without restriction and TKM treatments including herb medicine were administered individually. Results. The total of 1,860 patients were treated during the periods except for medical assistance on the barge. Most patients were diagnosed in musculoskeletal diseases (66.4% and respiratory diseases (7.4% and circulatory diseases (8.4% followed. The most frequently used herbal medicines were Shuanghe decoction (80 days, Su He Xiang Wan (288 pills, and Wuji powder (73 days. Conclusions. TKM in medical assistance can be helpful to rescue worker or group life people in open shelter when national disasters occur. Therefore, it is important to construct a rapid respond system using TKM resources based on experience.

24 CFR 1000.118 - What recourse does a recipient have if HUD disapproves a proposal to provide assistance to non...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... housing activity? 1000.118 Section 1000.118 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing... § 1000.118 What recourse does a recipient have if HUD disapproves a proposal to provide assistance to non...

Implementation and Results of a Learning Assistant Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bogue, Thomas B.; Seeley, L.; Vokos, S.

2006-12-01

The Physics Department at Seattle Pacific University has recently completed a three-year CCLI grant to integrate Tutorials in Introductory Physics , Activity Based Physics , and Real Time Physics into our one-year introductory curriculum. One of the difficulties encountered in doing this at a small undergraduate university was the need for additional instructors. This need is met through the use of undergraduate learning assistants. The development of recruitment and implementation methods will be discussed, along with the advantages to physics education, and the challenges encountered. We will also discuss several strategies we have identified as critical to a successful learning assistant program.

From the streets to assisted living: perceptions of a vulnerable population.

Science.gov (United States)

Decker, Susan; Cary, Patricia; Krautscheid, Lorretta

2006-06-01

The rapid growth of assisted-living facilities is paralleled by the necessity to understand the needs of the people living in them. A hallmark challenge for individuals who are poor and disabled, and often marginalized from mainstream society, is maintaining integrity and being a whole person, rather than a sum of broken parts. A key to maintaining this integrity is the ability to find stable housing and support systems. The inner-city assisted-living facility in this study is unique in that all of its residents are funded by Medicaid. The residents have complex needs related to histories of homelessness, mental illness, drug and/or alcohol addiction, and chronic illness. The purpose of this study was to explore the needs of this vulnerable population as they adapt to a new home and a new concept of assisted, yet independent, living. Structured interviews with key informants and oral survey questionnaires with residents provided quantitative and qualitative data about physical and mental health status, social support, perception of control, psychological wellbeing, and life satisfaction. This study provided valuable insights into the challenges inherent in providing a high quality of life in assisted living for a vulnerable population with diverse needs.

A Family Agency's Approach to Providing Employee Assistance Programs in Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Keohane, Raymond G.; Newman, Carrie E.

1984-01-01

Describes the Employee Services Network (ESN), an employee assistance program developed within the Family and Children's Service of Richmond, Virginia. Demonstrates how a not-for-profit agency can develop, structure, and implement a program of services for the corporate community. (LLL)

25 CFR 1000.68 - May non-BIA bureaus provide technical assistance to a Tribe/Consortium in drafting its planning...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Financial Assistance for Planning and Negotiation Grants for Non-BIA Programs Eligibility and Application... Tribe/Consortium in drafting its planning grant application? 1000.68 Section 1000.68 Indians OFFICE OF... planning grant application? Yes, upon request from the Tribe/Consortium, a non-BIA bureau may provide...

Physician assisted death in psychiatric practice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenewoud, J.H.; van der Maas, P.J.; van der Wal, G.; Hengeveld, M.W.; Tholen, A.J.; Schudel, W.J.; van der Heide, A.

1997-01-01

Background: In 1994 the Dutch Supreme Court ruled that in exceptional instances, physician-assisted suicide might be justifiable for patients with unbearable mental suffering but no physical illness. We studied physician- assisted suicide and euthanasia in psychiatric practice in the Netherlands.

Physical Therapy and Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD)

Science.gov (United States)

Physical Therapy & FSHD Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy A Guide for Patients & Physical Therapists Authors: Wendy M. King, P.T., Assistant ... Shree Pandya, P.T., M.S., Assistant Professor, Neurology & Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation A publication of the FSH ...

Experiences Providing Medical Assistance during the Sewol Ferry Disaster Using Traditional Korean Medicine

OpenAIRE

Kim, Kyeong Han; Jang, Soobin; Lee, Ju Ah; Jang, Bo-Hyoung; Go, Ho-Yeon; Park, Sunju; Jo, Hee-Guen; Lee, Myeong Soo; Ko, Seong-Gyu

2017-01-01

Background. This study aimed to investigate medical records using traditional Korean medicine (TKM) in Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014 and further explore the possible role of traditional medicine in disaster situation. Methods. After Sewol Ferry accident, 3 on-site tents for TKM assistance by the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM) in Jindo area were installed. The AKOM mobilized volunteer TKM doctors and assistants and dispatched each on-site tent in three shifts within 24 hours. Anyone coul...

Provider, father, and bro--Sedentary Māori men and their thoughts on physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Warbrick, Isaac; Wilson, Denise; Boulton, Amohia

2016-02-04

Māori (indigenous peoples of New Zealand) men have a disproportionate prevalence of lifestyle-related illnesses and are targeted for national physical activity initiatives. While physical activity impacts on physical and mental health and overall wellbeing, current approaches to health promotion often lack cultural relevance. Having better understanding and incorporating relevant cultural values and motivators into program designs could improve the success of health initiatives for indigenous and minority men. Nevertheless, little is known about Māori men's preferences, attitudes, or perspectives about physical activity, which are often interpreted through a colonized or dominant Western lens. Understanding perspectives of those groups whose values do not align with dominant cultural approaches will better equip health promoters and trainers to develop relevant community initiatives and private programs for indigenous and minority men. An indigenous research approach informed a qualitative study with 18 sedentary, 'overweight' Māori men aged 28 to 72 years. From 2014 to 2015 these men participated in three focus group discussions aimed at understanding their views about physical activity and exercise. Data were thematically analysed and interpeted using a Māori worldview. Four key themes were identified - Cameraderie and 'Bro-ship'; Adulthood Distractions and Priorities; Problems with Contemporary Gym Culture; and Provider Orientation. Key motivators for physical activity included a sense of 'brotherhood' in sport and physical activity and accountability to others. Participants reported the need to highlight the value of people and relationships, and having an orientation to the collective to enhance physical activity experiences for Māori men in general. Modern lifestyle distractions (such as being time deficient, and family responsibilities) along with other priorities contributed to difficulties incorporating physical activity into their daily lives. In

American Physical Therapy Association

Science.gov (United States)

... Do APTA represents more than 100,000 members: physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy. Other Popular Resources: - Member Directory - Annual Reports ...

Engendering a conducive environment for university students with physical disabilities: assessing availability of assistive facilities in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ijadunola, Macellina Y; Ojo, Temitope O; Akintan, Florence O; Adeyemo, Ayoade O; Afolayan, Ademola S; Akanji, Olakunle G

2018-03-12

This study assessed awareness and availability of assistive facilities in a Nigerian public university. Study was conducted in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife Nigeria using a mixed methods approach. Fifty two students with disability (SWD) were interviewed with a semistructured, self-administered questionnaire. A checklist was used to assess assistive facilities on campus while in-depth interviews (IDI) were conducted with university officials, to assess their perspectives about the availability and use of assistive facilities in the university. Almost three-thirds (57.7%) of SWD were male while more than two-thirds were aged between 21 and 30 years. About seven in 10 (71.1%) respondents, had mobility impairment, while two-fifth had visual impairment (40.8%) and a few had hearing impairment. Only the university's administrative building had a functioning elevator. Slightly more than half (54.5%) of the lecture theatres have public address systems, while only two have special entrances and exits with ramps for SWD. Almost all respondents were unaware of facilities that aid learning (96.2%) and facilities for library use (90.4%). University officials were aware of assistive facilities for SWD but do not know the actual number of SWD. Assistive facilities for SWD on campus are limited. More assistive facilities need to be provided alongside increased awareness about these facilities and a disability register should be open for students on campus. Assistive facilities to aid learning and make SWD more comfortable are required. Implications for Rehabilitation Universities should have an official policy on students with disabilities and implement it, such a policy should address special considerations for disabled students, such as having an updated register for students with disability, having examination questions in large fonts for students with visual disabilities, giving them extra time for examinations and providing special counselling services for

Enhanced neurorehabilitation techniques in the DVBIC Assisted Living Pilot Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Stuart W; Shesko, Kristina; Harrison, Catherine R

2010-01-01

Traumatic Brain Injury has been labeled the "silent epidemic" in our current wars. Both CBO and the RAND reports predict that the costs of these injuries will be both extensive and enduring. The projected costs are based not only upon the loss contribution of these warriors to our economy, but also the long-term medical and assistive care that will be needed to support these veterans for decades to come. Thus, the primary goal of the Assisted Living Pilot Project (ALPP) at the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center - Johnstown (DVBIC-J) is to promote the ability of the injured warrior to move from assisted living to living independently and to be self-supporting by providing a continuum of care. To accomplish this goal the DVBIC-J ALPP is providing full set of traditional services (physical, occupational, speech, psychological/cognitive, social/familial, vocational, and spiritual), along with "cutting-edge" rehabilitative treatment technologies. These cutting-edge therapies include transdisciplinary clinical consultations, interactive patient and family counseling, and telemedicine-teleconferencing for clinical evaluations and family/significant other care participation. These services will be available to those who require assisted living through their progression to community re-entry. The ALPP also serves as a vehicle for clinical trials to investigate the effects of an enriched environment (e.g., recreational therapies, massage, multisensory stimulation, etc.) on neurorehabilitation therapy, rural telemedicine for servicemembers with traumatic brain injury, and long-term outcome measures of those who have received neurorehabilitation services at the DVBIC-J site. DVBIC-J is also developing collaborative projects with universities and private industry to create an incubator for new rehabilitation technologies. The technologies that DVBIC-J will be focusing on will include assistive technologies (to assist cognitive, physical, and communicative impairments

Biomechanical effects of robot assisted walking on knee joint kinematics and muscle activation pattern.

Science.gov (United States)

Thangavel, Pavithra; Vidhya, S; Li, Junhua; Chew, Effie; Bezerianos, Anastasios; Yu, Haoyong

2017-07-01

Since manual rehabilitation therapy can be taxing for both the patient and the physiotherapist, a gait rehabilitation robot has been built to reduce the physical strain and increase the efficacy of the rehabilitation therapy. The prototype of the gait rehabilitation robot is designed to provide assistance while walking for patients with abnormal gait pattern and it can also be used for rehabilitation therapy to restore an individual's normal gait pattern by aiding motor recovery. The Gait Rehabilitation Robot uses gait event based synchronization, which enables the exoskeleton to provide synchronous assistance during walking that aims to reduce the lower-limb muscle activation. This study emphasizes on the biomechanical effects of assisted walking on the lower limb by analyzing the EMG signal, knee joint kinematics data that was collected from the right leg during the various experimental conditions. The analysis of the measured data shows an improved knee joint trajectory and reduction in muscle activity with assistance. The result of this study does not only assess the functionality of the exoskeleton but also provides a profound understanding of the human-robot interaction by studying the effects of assistance on the lower limb.

Demonstration of entanglement assisted invariance on IBM's quantum experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Deffner, Sebastian

2017-11-01

Quantum entanglement is among the most fundamental, yet from classical intuition also most surprising properties of the fully quantum nature of physical reality. We report several experiments performed on IBM's Quantum Experience demonstrating envariance - entanglement assisted invariance. Envariance is a recently discovered symmetry of composite quantum systems, which is at the foundational origin of physics and a quantum phenomenon of pure states. These very easily reproducible and freely accessible experiments on Quantum Experience provide simple tools to study the properties of envariance, and we illustrate this for several cases with "quantum universes" consisting of up to five qubits.

Perceptions of informal care givers: health and support services provided to people with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Buchanan, Robert; Radin, Dagmar; Chakravorty, Bonnie J; Tyry, Tuula

2010-01-01

About 30% of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) need some form of home care assistance, with 80% of that assistance provided by informal or unpaid care givers. This study focuses on the care givers to 530 more disabled people with MS, with the objective to learn more about informal care giving to people with greater dependency and need for assistance. The data presented in this study were collected in a national survey of 530 informal care givers to people with MS who have greater levels of physical dependency. About 70% of informal care givers responded that assisting the person with MS perform daily activities or personal care took up the largest amount of their care giving time. Care givers also reported a range of home and community-based services that would make care giving easier or improve the care provided. However, informal care givers generally reported low satisfaction with health insurance coverage of these services, especially coverage by health maintenance organizations and other managed care plans. Lack of health insurance coverage of needed home and community-based services can reduce the quality of informal care provided, as well as increase the burden of informal care giving.

24 CFR 1000.116 - What should HUD do before declining a proposal to provide assistance to non low-income Indian...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... a proposal to provide assistance to non low-income Indian families or a model housing activity? 1000.116 Section 1000.116 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban... URBAN DEVELOPMENT NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING ACTIVITIES Affordable Housing Activities § 1000.116 What...

Management of pain induced by exercise and mobilization during physical therapy programs: views of patients and care providers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rannou François

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The expectations of patients for managing pain induced by exercise and mobilization (PIEM have seldom been investigated. We identified the views of patients and care providers regarding pain management induced by exercise and mobilization during physical therapy programs. Methods We performed a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with a stratified sample of 12 patients (7 women and 14 care providers (6 women: 4 general practitioners [GPs], 1 rheumatologist, 1 physical medicine physician, 1 geriatrician, 2 orthopedic surgeons, and 5 physical therapists. Results Patients and care providers have differing views on PIEM in the overall management of the state of disease. Patients' descriptions of PIEM were polymorphic, and they experienced it as decreased health-related quality of life. The impact of PIEM was complex, and patient views were sometimes ambivalent, ranging from denial of symptoms to discontinuation of therapy. Care providers agreed that PIEM is generally not integrated in management strategies. Care providers more often emphasized the positive and less often the negative dimensions of PIEM than did patients. However, the consequences of PIEM cited included worsened patient clinical condition, fears about physical therapy, rejection of the physical therapist and refusal of care. PIEM follow-up is not optimal and is characterized by poor transmission of information. Patients expected education on how better to prevent stress and anxiety generated by pain, education on mobilization, and adaptations of physical therapy programs according to pain intensity. Conclusion PIEM management could be optimized by alerting care providers to the situation, improving communication among care providers, and providing education to patients and care providers.

Increasing children's physical activity levels during recess periods in elementary schools: the effects of providing game equipment.

Science.gov (United States)

Verstraete, Stefanie J M; Cardon, Greet M; De Clercq, Dirk L R; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse M M

2006-08-01

During recess, children can be active on a daily basis, making it an important school environmental factor for the promotion of health-related physical activity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of providing game equipment on children's physical activity levels during morning recess and lunch break in elementary schools. Seven elementary schools were randomly assigned to the intervention group (four schools), including 122 children (75 boys, 47 girls, mean age: 10.8 +/- 0.6 years), and to the control group (three schools), including 113 children (46 boys, 67 girls, mean age: 10.9 +/- 0.7 years). Children's activity levels were measured before and three months after providing game equipment, using MTI accelerometers. During lunch break, children's moderate and vigorous physical activity significantly increased in the intervention group (moderate: from 38 to 50%, vigorous: from 10 to 11%), while it decreased in the control group (moderate: from 44 to 39%, vigorous: from 11 to 5%). At morning recess, providing game equipment was effective in increasing children's moderate physical activity (from 41 to 45%), while it decreased in the control group (from 41 to 34%). Providing game equipment during recess periods was found to be effective in increasing children's physical activity levels. This finding suggests that promoting physical activity through game equipment provision during recess periods can contribute to reach the daily activity levels recommended for good health.

Physical protection upgrades in Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djakov, A.

1998-01-01

The U.S. DOE is providing nuclear material safeguards assistance in both material control and accountability and in physical protection to several facilities in Ukraine. This paper summarizes the types of physical protection upgrades that have been or are presently being implemented at these facilities. These facilities include the Kiev Institute for Nuclear Research, Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology, Sevastopol Institute of Nuclear Energy and Industry, and the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant. Typical upgrades include: hardening of storage areas; improvements in access control, intrusion detection, and CCTV assessment; central alarm station improvements; and implementation of new voice communication systems. Methods used to implement these upgrades and problems encountered are discussed. Training issues are also discussed

Walker use, but not falls, is associated with lower physical functioning and health of residents in an assisted-living environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel A Andersen

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Daniel A Andersen1,5, Bernard A Roos1–4, Damian C Stanziano1,3, Natasha M Gonzalez3, Joseph F Signorile1–31Stein Gerontological Institute, Miami, FL; 2Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL; 3Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL; 4Departments of Medicine and Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL; 5Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USAAbstract: The relationship between perceived health and walker use has seldom been addressed. Concerns over falls and falls risk are precursors to walker use. We compared the SF-36 scores of 26 women and 14 men, mean age 86.8 ± 6.0 years based on walker use and faller status. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA with age as the covariate, compared groups for the SF-36 constructs and totals score. Significant differences were noted between walker users and nonusers in physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, general health, and the total SF-36 score. Pairwise comparisons favored nonusers, while no differences were seen due to faller status. Walker use is associated with lower self-perceptions of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, and general health in assisted-living residents. Faller status is not associated with self-perceived health status. Although walker use aids mobility and lowers the probability of falls, further research is needed to determine if the prescription of assistive devices has a more negative impact on self-perceived health than does falling. This possibility could be explained, in part, by the greater activity levels of those individuals who do not depend on walkers.Keywords: physical function, threshold, walking aid, elderly, perceived health

Investigation of the physical properties of ion assisted ZrN thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Signore, M A; Valerini, D; Rizzo, A; Tapfer, L; Capodieci, L; Cappello, A

2010-01-01

Ion bombardment during thin film growth is known to cause structural and morphological changes in the deposited films, thus affecting their physical properties. In this work zirconium nitride films have been deposited by the ion assisted magnetron sputtering technique. The ion energy is controlled by varying the voltage applied to the substrate in the range 0-25 V. The deposited ZrN films are characterized for their structure, surface roughness, oxygen contamination, optical reflectance and electrical resistivity. With increasing substrate voltage crystallinity of the films is enhanced with a preferential orientation of the ZrN grains having the (1 1 1) axis perpendicular to the substrate surface. At the same time, a decrease in electrical resistivity and oxygen contamination content is observed up to 20 V. A higher substrate voltage (25 V) causes an inversion in the observed experimental trends. The role of oxygen contamination decrease and generation of nitrogen vacancies due to ionic assistance have been considered as a possible explanation for the experimental results.

Investigation of the physical properties of ion assisted ZrN thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Signore, M A; Valerini, D; Rizzo, A; Tapfer, L; Capodieci, L; Cappello, A [ENEA, Department of Physical Technologies and New Materials, SS7, Appia, km 706, 72100 Brindisi (Italy)

2010-06-09

Ion bombardment during thin film growth is known to cause structural and morphological changes in the deposited films, thus affecting their physical properties. In this work zirconium nitride films have been deposited by the ion assisted magnetron sputtering technique. The ion energy is controlled by varying the voltage applied to the substrate in the range 0-25 V. The deposited ZrN films are characterized for their structure, surface roughness, oxygen contamination, optical reflectance and electrical resistivity. With increasing substrate voltage crystallinity of the films is enhanced with a preferential orientation of the ZrN grains having the (1 1 1) axis perpendicular to the substrate surface. At the same time, a decrease in electrical resistivity and oxygen contamination content is observed up to 20 V. A higher substrate voltage (25 V) causes an inversion in the observed experimental trends. The role of oxygen contamination decrease and generation of nitrogen vacancies due to ionic assistance have been considered as a possible explanation for the experimental results.

Male nurses' experiences of providing intimate care for women clients.

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Madoka; Chapman, Rose; Wynaden, Dianne

2006-09-01

This paper reports a study of male nurses' experiences of providing intimate care for women clients. The number of men entering the nursing profession has increased worldwide. As a consequence of the move to a more gender-balanced profession, debate has ensued over how intimate care should be performed when this requires male nurses to be physically close to women clients. As there was little previous work on this topic, we wished to provide nurses, clients and other healthcare professionals with a better understanding of male nurses' experiences of working with women clients and within a healthcare system where they often feel excluded. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with male nurses working in various clinical settings in Western Australia. Latent content analysis was used to analyse the interviews, which were carried out between June and July 2004. Three themes were identified: the definition of intimate care, the emotional experience associated with providing intimate care and strategies used to assist in the delivery of intimate care for women clients. Providing intimate care for women clients was a challenging experience for male nurses. Participants described how it required them to invade these clients' personal space. Consequently, they often experienced various negative feelings and used several strategies to assist them during care delivery. Nurse educators should assist male nurses to be better prepared to interact with women clients in various settings. Furthermore, workplace environments need to provide additional support and guidance for male nurses to enable them to develop effective coping strategies to manage challenging situations.

Caregiver and social assistant robot for rehabilitation and coaching for the elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, P J; Garcia-Zapirain, B; Mendez-Zorrilla, A

2015-01-01

Socially assistive robotics (SAR) has been a major field of investigation during the last decade and, as it develops, the groups the technology can be applied to and all ways in which these can be assisted are rapidly increasing. The main objective is to design and develop a complete robotic agent, so that it performs physical and mental activities for elderly people to maintain their healthy life habits and, as a final result, improve their quality of life. LEGO Mindstorms NXT® robot's unique capacity for adaptability and engaging its users to develop coaching activities and assistive rehabilitation for the elderly. Such activities will aim to enhance healthy habits and provide training in physical and mental rehabilitation. The robot is attached to an iPod Touch that acts as its interface. The robot has been tested by a voluntary group of residents, also from that retirement home. Results in the variables of the questionnaire show scores above 4 points out of 5 for all the categories. Based on the tests, an easy to use Robot is prepared to deliver basic coaching for physical activities as proposed by the client, the staff of La Misericordia, who confirmed their satisfaction regarding this aspect.

Helping Children with Disabilities through Animal-Assisted Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Watts, Katie; Everly, Janet Stout

2009-01-01

The Delta Society defines animal-assisted therapy as "a goal-directed intervention in which an animal is incorporated as an integral part of the clinical healthcare treatment process." Unlike other animal-assisted activities, animal-assisted therapy, or AAT, is led by a professional such as a physical therapist, occupational therapist,…

Progress and cooperation. Y2K, safeguards and physical protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chitumbo, K.; Hilliard, J.; Smith, J.

1999-01-01

The Year 2000 problem poses major technical challenges to computer systems. For that reason it has drawn considerable attention over the past four years at the IAEA and within the international safeguards community of States and organisations. Actions of IAEA are very close to completion for the conversion of al related systems to make them Y2K compliant. As a result of IAEA past work and continuing liaison with Member States, the following needs were identified: organizing assistance and/or training to help states evaluate existing accounting software, and upgrade it or develop new Y2K compliant software; providing Y2K compliant software when needed; providing guidance and assistance on physical protection issues; organizing assistance missions visiting a state encountering problems; establishing contingency plans

Computational physics problem solving with Python

CERN Document Server

Landau, Rubin H; Bordeianu, Cristian C

2015-01-01

The use of computation and simulation has become an essential part of the scientific process. Being able to transform a theory into an algorithm requires significant theoretical insight, detailed physical and mathematical understanding, and a working level of competency in programming. This upper-division text provides an unusually broad survey of the topics of modern computational physics from a multidisciplinary, computational science point of view. Its philosophy is rooted in learning by doing (assisted by many model programs), with new scientific materials as well as with the Python progr

Assistive Technology for Individuals with Special Seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian Lupasc

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Disabled people face barriers in performing their various activities, including teaching. By using assistive technologies for different activities, people with disabilities may be able to perform a wider range of tasks independently. Fortunately, it helps to reduce many of these barriers, but, unfortunately, disabled people (learning, autism or ADHD face a variety of barriers when they want to use software tools or hardware devices. In this regard, assistive technologies are available to help persons with different types of disabilities, from cognitive problems to physical impairment. Hardware devices and software tools (known as adaptive or assistive technologies have been developed to provide functional alternatives for all individuals with disabilities, depending on the type of disability. In addition, the use of assistive technologies to support them is an effective approach for many persons with disabilities, regardless of the type of disability. Additionally, individuals with disabilities often experience greater success when they are allowed to use their abilities to work around their disabilities (the challenges they imply. Moreover, mobile devices are useful for their ability to weave Internet access and social networking into the daily life. To the people with disabilities, these devices have the potential to unlock unprecedented new possibilities for communication or navigation. In this context, some actual assistive technology and approaches to use them are described in this paper.

Stay in the Box! Embedded Assistive Technology Improves Access for Students with Disabilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherine Koch

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Assistive technology is not only a required component of a student’s IEP; it can be an effective way to help students with (and without disabilities access their education and to provide them with required instructional accommodations. Teachers, however, are often not adequately prepared in their pre-service course work and ongoing professional development to address the technology needs of their special education students and have not had the opportunities to access technology due to limited availability and cost. While assistive technology can be purchased to augment an existing computer, it is often unnecessary to do that. Both Microsoft and Apple operating systems in “off-the-shelf” computers and handheld devices have embedded assistive technology that is easy to access and easy to use. This embedded technology can help teachers become familiar with technology and assist students with sensory, physical, learning, and attention disabilities, and it might have practical applications with Universal Design for Learning. This paper provides a discussion on how embedded technology can support students with disabilities in the school setting and provides examples for access and use.

Wheelchair users' perceptions of and experiences with power assist wheels.

Science.gov (United States)

Giacobbi, Peter R; Levy, Charles E; Dietrich, Frederick D; Winkler, Sandra Hubbard; Tillman, Mark D; Chow, John W

2010-03-01

To assess wheelchair users' perceptions of and experiences with power assist wheels using qualitative interview methods. Qualitative evaluations were conducted in a laboratory setting with a focus on users' experiences using power assist wheel in their naturalistic environments. Participants consisted of seven women and 13 men (M(age) = 42.75, SD = 14.68) that included one African American, one Hispanic, 17 whites, and one individual from Zambia. Qualitative interviews were conducted before, during, and after use of a power assist wheel. Main outcome measures included the wheelchair users' evaluations and experiences related to the use of power assist wheels. The primary evaluations included wheeling on challenging terrains, performance of novel activities, social/family aspects, fatigue, and pain. These descriptions indicated that most participants perceived positive experiences with the power assist wheels, including access to new and different activities. Secondary evaluations indicated that the unit was cumbersome and prohibitive for some participants because of difficulties with transport in and out of a vehicle and battery life. Most participants felt that power assist wheels provided more independence and social opportunities. The power assist wheel seems to offer physical and social benefits for most wheelers. Clinicians should consider users' home environment and overall life circumstances before prescribing.

Gaze-based assistive technology in daily activities in children with severe physical impairments-An intervention study.

Science.gov (United States)

Borgestig, Maria; Sandqvist, Jan; Ahlsten, Gunnar; Falkmer, Torbjörn; Hemmingsson, Helena

2017-04-01

To establish the impact of a gaze-based assistive technology (AT) intervention on activity repertoire, autonomous use, and goal attainment in children with severe physical impairments, and to examine parents' satisfaction with the gaze-based AT and with services related to the gaze-based AT intervention. Non-experimental multiple case study with before, after, and follow-up design. Ten children with severe physical impairments without speaking ability (aged 1-15 years) participated in gaze-based AT intervention for 9-10 months, during which period the gaze-based AT was implemented in daily activities. Repertoire of computer activities increased for seven children. All children had sustained usage of gaze-based AT in daily activities at follow-up, all had attained goals, and parents' satisfaction with the AT and with services was high. The gaze-based AT intervention was effective in guiding parents and teachers to continue supporting the children to perform activities with the AT after the intervention program.

Financial assistance for investments in wind power in Germany. Business incentives provided by the Deutsche Ausgleichsbank

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koch, M [Deutsche Ausgleichsbank, Bonn (Germany)

1996-12-31

Within a generous financial framework investments in wind energy power have rapidly increased in Germany since the late 1980`s. In addition to direct subsidies or incentive stipulated by statutory provisions the DtA has encouraged investments in wind energy projects by loans at preferential interest rates with tremendous success and it will continue to do so. At present especially new ways of supporting environmental investments are being seek which have a cross-border environmental impact. The goal is to provide financial assistance both to domestic and foreign companies willing to invest in transboundary projects which may be located in East European Countries

Financial assistance for investments in wind power in Germany. Business incentives provided by the Deutsche Ausgleichsbank

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koch, M. [Deutsche Ausgleichsbank, Bonn (Germany)

1995-12-31

Within a generous financial framework investments in wind energy power have rapidly increased in Germany since the late 1980`s. In addition to direct subsidies or incentive stipulated by statutory provisions the DtA has encouraged investments in wind energy projects by loans at preferential interest rates with tremendous success and it will continue to do so. At present especially new ways of supporting environmental investments are being seek which have a cross-border environmental impact. The goal is to provide financial assistance both to domestic and foreign companies willing to invest in transboundary projects which may be located in East European Countries

Financial assistance for investments in wind power in Germany. Business incentives provided by the Deutsche Ausgleichsbank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, M.

1995-01-01

Within a generous financial framework investments in wind energy power have rapidly increased in Germany since the late 1980's. In addition to direct subsidies or incentive stipulated by statutory provisions the DtA has encouraged investments in wind energy projects by loans at preferential interest rates with tremendous success and it will continue to do so. At present especially new ways of supporting environmental investments are being seek which have a cross-border environmental impact. The goal is to provide financial assistance both to domestic and foreign companies willing to invest in transboundary projects which may be located in East European Countries

From continuing education to personal digital assistants: what do physical therapists need to support evidence-based practice in stroke management?

Science.gov (United States)

Salbach, Nancy M; Veinot, Paula; Jaglal, Susan B; Bayley, Mark; Rolfe, Danielle

2011-08-01

Understanding how to structure educational interventions and resources to facilitate physical therapists' application of the research literature is required. The objective of this study was to explore physical therapists' preferences for strategies to facilitate their access to, evaluation and implementation of the stroke research literature in clinical practice. In-depth, qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with 23 physical therapists who treat people with stroke in Ontario, Canada and who had participated in a previous survey on evidence-based practice. Data were analysed using a constant comparative approach to identify emergent themes. Participants preferred online access to research summaries or systematic reviews to save time to filter and critique research articles. To enable access in the workplace, an acceptable computer-to-staff ratio, permission to access web sites and protected work time were suggested. Participants considered personal digital assistants as excellent tools for quick access to online resources but were unsure of their advantage over a desktop computer. Therapists favoured use of non-technical language, glossaries of research terms and quality ratings of studies to ease understanding and appraisal. Teleconferencing or videoconferencing overcame geographical but not scheduling barriers to accessing education. To achieve behaviour change in clinical practice, therapists preferred multiple interactive, face-to-face education sessions in a group format, with opportunities for case-based learning and practice of new skills. Physical therapists prefer technology-assisted access to resources and education and favour attending multiple interactive, expert-facilitated education sessions incorporating opportunities for case-based learning and practice of new skills to change behaviour related to evidence-based practice. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Wearable Assistive Devices for the Blind

OpenAIRE

Velazquez, Ramiro

2016-01-01

Assistive devices are a key aspect in wearable systems for biomedical applications, as they represent potential aids for people with physical and sensory disabilities that might lead to improvements in the quality of life. This chapter focuses on wearable assistive devices for the blind. It intends to review the most significant work done in this area, to present the latest approaches for assisting this population and to understand universal design concepts for the development of wearable ass...

75 FR 8391 - Assisted Living Conversion Program (ALCP) and Emergency Capital Repair Program (ECRP)

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-24

... Conversion Program (ALCP) provides funding for the physical costs of converting some or all the units of an... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5376-N-10] Assisted Living Conversion... rehabilitate, modernize, or retrofit aging structure, common areas, or individual dwelling units through the...

Grating-assisted surface acoustic wave directional couplers

Science.gov (United States)

Golan, G.; Griffel, G.; Seidman, A.; Croitoru, N.

1991-07-01

Physical properties of novel grating-assisted Y directional couplers are examined using the coupled-mode theory. A general formalism for the analysis of the lateral perturbed directional coupler properties is presented. Explicit expressions for waveguide key parameters such as coupling length, grating period, and other structural characterizations, are obtained. The influence of other physical properties such as time and frequency response or cutoff conditions are also analyzed. A plane grating-assisted directional coupler is presented and examined as a basic component in the integrated acoustic technology.

Attitudes toward Assisted Suicide: Does Family Context Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, Laura M; Hans, Jason D

2016-01-01

Little is known about how family-related contextual variables impact attitudes toward assisted suicide. A probability sample (N = 272) responded to a multiple-segment factorial vignette designed to examine the effects of 6 variables-patient sex, age, type of illness, relationship status, parenthood status, and family support-on attitudes toward physician- and family-assisted suicide. Respondents were more likely to support physician-assisted suicide if they heard about an older patient or a patient experiencing physical pain than a younger patient or one suffering from depression, respectively. For family-assisted suicide, respondent support was higher when the patient had physical pain than depression, and when the patient's spouse or friend was supportive of the wish to die than unsupportive. Attitudes about physician and family obligation to inform others were affected by type of illness, relationship status, family support, and respondent education and religiosity. The experience of pain, motivations for family involvement, confidentiality issues, and physicians' biases concerning assisted suicide are discussed.

Educating Healthcare Providers Regarding LGBT Patients and Health Issues: The Special Case of Physician Assistants

Science.gov (United States)

Compton, David A.; Whitehead, Michael B.

2015-01-01

Much is written about the availability of healthcare services among elements of the U.S. population, with a large proportion of the literature focusing on access. Although physical access is an overarching issue for many, educators must remember that a key factor in providing complete and competent healthcare is to understand the patient and any…

Radiation physics and shielding codes and analyses applied to design-assist and safety analyses of CANDUR and ACRTM reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aydogdu, K.; Boss, C. R.

2006-01-01

This paper discusses the radiation physics and shielding codes and analyses applied in the design of CANDU and ACR reactors. The focus is on the types of analyses undertaken rather than the inputs supplied to the engineering disciplines. Nevertheless, the discussion does show how these analyses contribute to the engineering design. Analyses in radiation physics and shielding can be categorized as either design-assist or safety and licensing (accident) analyses. Many of the analyses undertaken are designated 'design-assist' where the analyses are used to generate recommendations that directly influence plant design. These recommendations are directed at mitigating or reducing the radiation hazard of the nuclear power plant with engineered systems and components. Thus the analyses serve a primary safety function by ensuring the plant can be operated with acceptable radiation hazards to the workers and public. In addition to this role of design assist, radiation physics and shielding codes are also deployed in safety and licensing assessments of the consequences of radioactive releases of gaseous and liquid effluents during normal operation and gaseous effluents following accidents. In the latter category, the final consequences of accident sequences, expressed in terms of radiation dose to members of the public, and inputs to accident analysis, e.g., decay heat in fuel following a loss-of-coolant accident, are also calculated. Another role of the analyses is to demonstrate that the design of the plant satisfies the principle of ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) radiation doses. This principle is applied throughout the design process to minimize worker and public doses. The principle of ALARA is an inherent part of all design-assist recommendations and safety and licensing assessments. The main focus of an ALARA exercise at the design stage is to minimize the radiation hazards at the source. This exploits material selection and impurity specifications and relies

ForeignAssistance.gov

Data.gov (United States)

US Agency for International Development — ForeignAssistance.gov provides a view of U.S. Government foreign assistance funds across agencies and enables users to explore, analyze, and review aid investments...

Why not Commercial Assistance for Suicide? On the Question of Argumentative Coherence of Endorsing Assisted Suicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Kipke, Roland

2015-09-01

Most people who endorse physician-assisted suicide are against commercially assisted suicide - a suicide assisted by professional non-medical providers against payment. The article questions if this position - endorsement of physician-assisted suicide on the one hand and rejection of commercially assisted suicide on the other hand - is a coherent ethical position. To this end the article first discusses some obvious advantages of commercially assisted suicide and then scrutinizes six types of argument about whether they can justify the rejection of commercially assisted suicide while simultaneously endorsing physician-assisted suicide. The conclusion is that they cannot provide this justification and that the mentioned position is not coherent. People who endorse physician-assisted suicide have to endorse commercially assisted suicide as well, or they have to revise their endorsement of physician-assisted suicide. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Modern physics for scientists and engineers

CERN Document Server

Morrison, John C

2015-01-01

The second edition of Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers is intended for a first course in modern physics. Beginning with a brief and focused account of the historical events leading to the formulation of modern quantum theory, later chapters delve into the underlying physics. Streamlined content, chapters on semiconductors, Dirac equation and quantum field theory, as well as a robust pedagogy and ancillary package, including an accompanying website with computer applets, assist students in learning the essential material. The applets provide a realistic description of the energy levels and wave functions of electrons in atoms and crystals. The Hartree-Fock and ABINIT applets are valuable tools for studying the properties of atoms and semiconductors.

External Providers and Their Impact on Primary Physical Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Dyson, Ben; Gordon, Barrie; Cowan, Jackie; McKenzie, Allison

2016-01-01

Within Aotearoa/New Zealand primary schools, External Providers (EPs) have steadily increased their influence on physical education. The purpose of this study was to explore and interpret classroom teachers' perspectives of EPs in their primary school. The research team obtained questionnaire responses from 487 classroom teachers from 133…

My Virtual Assistant Saves the Day

Science.gov (United States)

Weldon, Lorette S. J.

2007-01-01

The author is a library director whose job is to develop, organize, manage, and operate a repository for research and scholarship in the area of higher education governance. She works on both the physical and online collections. It was a big job for her even when she had an assistant. But when her assistant left, it was nearly impossible for her…

Providing Interactive Access to Cave Geology for All Students, Regardless of Physical Ability

Science.gov (United States)

Atchison, C. `; Stredney, D.; Hittle, B.; Irving, K.; Toomey, R. S., III; Lemon, N. N.; Price, A.; Kerwin, T.

2013-12-01

Based on an identified need to accommodate students with mobility impairments in field-based instructional experiences, this presentation will discuss current efforts to promote participation, broaden diversity, and impart a historical perspective in the geosciences through the use of an interactive virtual environment. Developed through the integration of emerging simulation technologies, this prototypical virtual environment is created from LIDAR data of the Historic Tour route of Mammoth Cave National Park. The educational objectives of the simulation focus on four primary locations within the tour route that provide evidence of the hydrologic impact on the cave and karst formation. The overall objective is to provide a rich experience of a geological field-based learning for all students, regardless of their physical abilities. Employing a virtual environment that interchangeably uses two and three-dimensional representation of geoscience content, this synthetic field-based cave and karst module will provide an opportunity to assess the effectiveness in engaging the student community, and its efficacy in the curriculum when used as an alternative representation of a traditional field experience. The expected outcome is that based on the level of interactivity, the simulated environment will provide adequate pedagogical representation for content transfer without the need for physical experience in the uncontrolled field environment. Additionally, creating such an environment will impact all able-bodied students by providing supplemental resources that can both precede a traditional field experience and allow for students to re-examine a field site long after a the field experience, in both current formal and informal educational settings.

Acceptance and Attitudes Toward a Human-like Socially Assistive Robot by Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Louie, Wing-Yue Geoffrey; McColl, Derek; Nejat, Goldie

2014-01-01

Recent studies have shown that cognitive and social interventions are crucial to the overall health of older adults including their psychological, cognitive, and physical well-being. However, due to the rapidly growing elderly population of the world, the resources and people to provide these interventions is lacking. Our work focuses on the use of social robotic technologies to provide person-centered cognitive interventions. In this article, we investigate the acceptance and attitudes of older adults toward the human-like expressive socially assistive robot Brian 2.1 in order to determine if the robot's human-like assistive and social characteristics would promote the use of the robot as a cognitive and social interaction tool to aid with activities of daily living. The results of a robot acceptance questionnaire administered during a robot demonstration session with a group of 46 elderly adults showed that the majority of the individuals had positive attitudes toward the socially assistive robot and its intended applications.

Medical Applications of the PHITS Code (3): User Assistance Program for Medical Physics Computation.

Science.gov (United States)

Furuta, Takuya; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Sato, Tatsuhiko

2016-01-01

DICOM2PHITS and PSFC4PHITS are user assistance programs for medical physics PHITS applications. DICOM2PHITS is a program to construct the voxel PHITS simulation geometry from patient CT DICOM image data by using a conversion table from CT number to material composition. PSFC4PHITS is a program to convert the IAEA phase-space file data to PHITS format to be used as a simulation source of PHITS. Both of the programs are useful for users who want to apply PHITS simulation to verification of the treatment planning of radiation therapy. We are now developing a program to convert dose distribution obtained by PHITS to DICOM RT-dose format. We also want to develop a program which is able to implement treatment information included in other DICOM files (RT-plan and RT-structure) as a future plan.

TRIGA reactor health physics considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.G.

1970-01-01

The factors influencing the complexity of a TRIGA health physics program are discussed in details in order to serve as a basis for later consideration of various specific aspects of a typical TRIGA health physics program. The health physics program must be able to provide adequate assistance, control, and safety for individuals ranging from the inexperienced student to the experienced postgraduate researcher. Some of the major aspects discussed are: effluent release and control; reactor area air monitoring; area monitoring; adjacent facilities monitoring; portable instrumentation, personnel monitoring. TRIGA reactors have not been associated with many significant occurrences in the area of health physics, although some operational occurrences have had health physics implications. One specific occurrence at OSU is described involving the detection of non-fission-product radioactive particulates by the continuous air monitor on the reactor top. The studies of this particular situation indicate that most of the particulate activity is coming from the rotating rack and exhausting to the reactor top through the rotating rack loading tube

AssistMe robot, an assistance robotic platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Alexan

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the design and implementation of a full size assistance robot. Its main purpose it to assist a person and eventually avoid a life threatening situation. Its implementation revolves around a chipKIT Arduino board that interconnects a robotic base controller with a 7 inch TABLET PC and various sensors. Due to the Android and Arduino combination, the robot can interact with the person and provide an easy development platform for future improvement and feature adding. The TABLET PC is Webcam, WIFI and Bluetooth enabled, offering a versatile platform that is able to process data and in the same time provide the user a friendly interface.

Industrial applications of exoskeletons and their impact on physical loads

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Looze, M.P.; Bosch, T.; Krause, F.; Stadler, K.; O'Sullivan, L.

2015-01-01

The aim of this review was to provide an overview of assistive exoskeletons that have specifically been developed for industrial purposes and to assess the potential effect of these exoskeletons on reduction of physical loading on the body. The search resulted in 40 papers describing 26 different

Integrating Therapy Dog Teams in a Physical Activity Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Obrusnikova, Iva; Bibik, Janice M.; Cavalier, Albert R.; Manley, Kyle

2012-01-01

The use of therapy-dog teams in programs for children with disabilities is becoming increasingly popular in school and therapeutic settings and has been shown to provide physical, social, and emotional benefits for the children. This article describes the basic steps for implementing therapy dog-assisted activities in physical activity programs…

Integrated Context-Aware Driver Assistance System Architecture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elhadi M. Shakshuki

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, significant improvements have been made in the area of vehicular communication systems. Furthermore, vehicle-to-vehicle communication is considered a key concept for keeping roads safe. An efficient implementation of these systems is necessary to ensure the safety of driving situations and to reduce the collision rates. This paper proposes a Context-Aware Driver Assistance System that links drivers with the physical environment surrounding them using multiple types of sensors and traffic systems as well as considering the senior driver's difficulties and the system processing time. This is achieved by developing a warning system that assists drivers to avoid collisions and improve their response times. The proposed system architecture consists of a set of components to process the user's request such as parking assistance, and to provide responses and advices when needed. These components include communication, knowledge exchange, knowledge update, and context-history. Also, it includes other processes such as context-history manipulation, hazard detection, and hazard detection control. The main goal of the proposed system is to reduce the number of car accidents and improve driver's decisions. The NXT Robotic environment is used to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system.

Impact of a computer-assisted, provider-delivered intervention on sexual risk behaviors in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in a primary care setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachmann, Laura H; Grimley, Diane M; Gao, Hongjiang; Aban, Inmaculada; Chen, Huey; Raper, James L; Saag, Michael S; Rhodes, Scott D; Hook, Edward W

2013-04-01

Innovative strategies are needed to assist providers with delivering secondary HIV prevention in the primary care setting. This longitudinal HIV clinic-based study conducted from 2004-2007 in a Birmingham, Alabama HIV primary care clinic tested a computer-assisted, provider-delivered intervention designed to increase condom use with oral, anal and vaginal sex, decrease numbers of sexual partners and increase HIV disclosure among HIV-positive men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM). Significant declines were found for the number of unprotected insertive anal intercourse acts with HIV+ male partners during the intervention period (p = 0.0003) and with HIV-/UK male partners (p = 0.0007), as well as a 47% reduction in the number of male sexual partners within the preceding 6 months compared with baseline (p = 0.0008). These findings confirm and extend prior reports by demonstrating the effectiveness of computer-assisted, provider-delivered messaging to accomplish risk reduction in patients in the HIV primary care setting.

Physician-assisted death in psychiatric practice in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.H. Groenewoud (Hanny); P.J. van der Maas (Paul); G. van der Wal (Gerrit); M.W. Hengeveld (Michiel); A.J. Tholen; W.J. Schudel (Willem); A. van der Heide (Agnes)

1997-01-01

textabstractBACKGROUND: In 1994 the Dutch Supreme Court ruled that in exceptional instances, physician-assisted suicide might be justifiable for patients with unbearable mental suffering but no physical illness. We studied physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in

Intelligent assistive robots recent advances in assistive robotics for everyday activities

CERN Document Server

Moreno, Juan; Kong, Kyoungchul; Amirat, Yacine

2015-01-01

This book deals with the growing challenges of using assistive robots in our everyday activities along with providing intelligent assistive services. The presented applications concern mainly healthcare and wellness such as helping elderly people, assisting dependent persons, habitat monitoring in smart environments, well-being, security, etc. These applications reveal also new challenges regarding control theory, mechanical design, mechatronics, portability, acceptability, scalability, security, etc.  

A smart kitchen for ambient assisted living.

Science.gov (United States)

Blasco, Rubén; Marco, Álvaro; Casas, Roberto; Cirujano, Diego; Picking, Richard

2014-01-17

The kitchen environment is one of the scenarios in the home where users can benefit from Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) applications. Moreover, it is the place where old people suffer from most domestic injuries. This paper presents a novel design, implementation and assessment of a Smart Kitchen which provides Ambient Assisted Living services; a smart environment that increases elderly and disabled people's autonomy in their kitchen-related activities through context and user awareness, appropriate user interaction and artificial intelligence. It is based on a modular architecture which integrates a wide variety of home technology (household appliances, sensors, user interfaces, etc.) and associated communication standards and media (power line, radio frequency, infrared and cabled). Its software architecture is based on the Open Services Gateway initiative (OSGi), which allows building a complex system composed of small modules, each one providing the specific functionalities required, and can be easily scaled to meet our needs. The system has been evaluated by a large number of real users (63) and carers (31) in two living labs in Spain and UK. Results show a large potential of system functionalities combined with good usability and physical, sensory and cognitive accessibility.

A Smart Kitchen for Ambient Assisted Living

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rubén Blasco

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The kitchen environment is one of the scenarios in the home where users can benefit from Ambient Assisted Living (AAL applications. Moreover, it is the place where old people suffer from most domestic injuries. This paper presents a novel design, implementation and assessment of a Smart Kitchen which provides Ambient Assisted Living services; a smart environment that increases elderly and disabled people’s autonomy in their kitchen-related activities through context and user awareness, appropriate user interaction and artificial intelligence. It is based on a modular architecture which integrates a wide variety of home technology (household appliances, sensors, user interfaces, etc. and associated communication standards and media (power line, radio frequency, infrared and cabled. Its software architecture is based on the Open Services Gateway initiative (OSGi, which allows building a complex system composed of small modules, each one providing the specific functionalities required, and can be easily scaled to meet our needs. The system has been evaluated by a large number of real users (63 and carers (31 in two living labs in Spain and UK. Results show a large potential of system functionalities combined with good usability and physical, sensory and cognitive accessibility.

A Smart Kitchen for Ambient Assisted Living

Science.gov (United States)

Blasco, Rubén; Marco, Álvaro; Casas, Roberto; Cirujano, Diego; Picking, Richard

2014-01-01

The kitchen environment is one of the scenarios in the home where users can benefit from Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) applications. Moreover, it is the place where old people suffer from most domestic injuries. This paper presents a novel design, implementation and assessment of a Smart Kitchen which provides Ambient Assisted Living services; a smart environment that increases elderly and disabled people's autonomy in their kitchen-related activities through context and user awareness, appropriate user interaction and artificial intelligence. It is based on a modular architecture which integrates a wide variety of home technology (household appliances, sensors, user interfaces, etc.) and associated communication standards and media (power line, radio frequency, infrared and cabled). Its software architecture is based on the Open Services Gateway initiative (OSGi), which allows building a complex system composed of small modules, each one providing the specific functionalities required, and can be easily scaled to meet our needs. The system has been evaluated by a large number of real users (63) and carers (31) in two living labs in Spain and UK. Results show a large potential of system functionalities combined with good usability and physical, sensory and cognitive accessibility. PMID:24445412

Behavioral Biometrics in Assisted Living: A Methodology for Emotion Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Xefteris

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Behavioral biometrics aim at providing algorithms for the automatic recognition of individual behavioral traits, stemming from a person’s actions, attitude, expressions and conduct. In the field of ambient assisted living, behavioral biometrics find an important niche. Individuals suffering from the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases (MCI, Alzheimer’s, dementia need supervision in their daily activities. In this context, an unobtrusive system to monitor subjects and alert formal and informal carers providing information on both physical and emotional status is of great importance and positively affects multiple stakeholders. The primary aim of this paper is to describe a methodology for recognizing the emotional status of a subject using facial expressions and to identify its uses, in conjunction with pre-existing risk-assessment methodologies, for its integration into the context of a smart monitoring system for subjects suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. Paul Ekman’s research provided the background on the universality of facial expressions as indicators of underlying emotions. The methodology then makes use of computational geometry, image processing and graph theory algorithms for the detection of regions of interest and then a neural network is used for the final classification. Findings are coupled with previous published work for risk assessment and alert generation in the context of an ambient assisted living environment based on Service oriented architecture principles, aimed at remote web-based estimation of the cognitive and physical status of MCI and dementia patients.

MC and A software assistance to Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, T.; McWilliams, C.; Olson, A.

1997-01-01

AIMAS (Automated Inventory/Material Accounting System) is a PC-based application that is being developed as part of the U.S. assistance program to Ukraine in Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC ampersand A). The AIMAS software prototype was designed to provide a starting point for joint U.S./Ukraine system development. Computer systems with AIMAS prototypes have been installed at Kiev Institute of Nuclear Research (KINR), Sevastopol Institute of Nuclear Energy ampersand Industry (SINEI) and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety database management system (RDBMS) and application development environment. It has been designed to be highly flexible and configurable, and to support a wide range of computing infrastructure needs and facility requirements. AIMAS functions include basic physical inventory tracking, transaction histories, reporting, and system administration functions (system configuration and security). Security measures include multilevel password access controls, all transactions logged with the user ID, and system administration controls. Interfaces to external modules are being designed to provide nuclear fuel burn-up adjustment and barcode scanning capabilities for physical inventory taking. 1 ref

Consumers' and providers' perceptions of utilizing a computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy for childhood anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Salloum, Alison; Crawford, Erika A; Lewin, Adam B; Storch, Eric A

2015-01-01

Computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) programs for childhood anxiety are being developed, although research about factors that contribute to implementation of CCBT in community mental health centers (CMHC) is limited. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore consumers' and providers' perceptions of utilizing a CCBT for childhood anxiety in CMHC in an effort to identify factors that may impact implementation of CCBT in CMHC. Focus groups and interviews occurred with 7 parents, 6 children, 3 therapists, 3 project coordinators and 3 administrators who had participated in CCBT for childhood anxiety. Surveys of treatment satisfaction and treatment barriers were administered to consumers. RESULTS suggest that both consumers and providers were highly receptive to participation in and implementation of CCBT in CMHC. Implementation themes included positive receptiveness, factors related to therapists, treatment components, applicability of treatment, treatment content, initial implementation challenges, resources, dedicated staff, support, outreach, opportunities with the CMHC, payment, and treatment availability. As studies continue to demonstrate the effectiveness of CCBT for childhood anxiety, research needs to continue to examine factors that contribute to the successful implementation of such treatments in CMHC.

Patient-provider relationship predicts mental and physical health indicators for HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

Science.gov (United States)

Bankoff, Sarah M; McCullough, Mary B; Pantalone, David W

2013-06-01

We used secondary data analysis to examine associations among aspects of patient-provider relationships and mental and physical health indicators. Positive patient perceptions of patient-provider relationships were associated with fewer mental health symptoms in this outpatient sample of HIV-positive men who have sex with men (N = 171). Regression analyses revealed the role of anxiety and depression in explaining associations between two aspects of patient-provider relationships (i.e. quality of information offered and provider interactional style) and health-related quality of life. The findings demonstrated the importance of patient-provider relationships to improving physical health and functioning and maintaining engagement in care, among HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

Designing an Elderly Assistance Program Based-on Home Care

Science.gov (United States)

Umusya'adah, L.; Juwaedah, A.; Jubaedah, Y.; Ratnasusanti, H.; Puspita, R. H.

2018-02-01

PKH (Program Keluarga Harapan) is a program of Indonesia’s Government through the ministry of social directorate to accelerate the poverty reduction and the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target as well as the policies development in social protection and social welfare domain or commonly referred to as Indonesian Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program. This research is motivated that existing participants of the family expectation program (PKH) that already exist in Sumedang, Indoensia, especially in the South Sumedang on the social welfare components is only limited to the health checking, while for assisting the elderly based Home Care program there has been no structured and systematic, where as the elderly still need assistance, especially from the family and community environment. This study uses a method of Research and Development with Model Addie which include analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. Participants in this study using purposive sampling, where selected families of PKH who provide active assistance to the elderly with 82 participants. The program is designed consists of program components: objectives, goals, forms of assistance, organizing institutions and implementing the program, besides, program modules include assisting the elderly. Form of assistance the elderly cover physical, social, mental and spiritual. Recommended for families and companions PKH, the program can be implemented to meet the various needs of the elderly. For the elderly should introspect, especially in the health and follow the advice recommended by related parties

Medicaid Personal Care Services for Children with Intellectual Disabilities: What Assistance Is Provided? When Is Assistance Provided?

Science.gov (United States)

Elliot, Timothy R.; Patnaik, Ashweeta; Naiser, Emily; Fournier, Constance J.; McMaughan, Darcy K.; Dyer, James A.; Phillips, Charles D.

2014-01-01

We report on the nature and timing of services provided to children with an intellectual disability (ID) identified by a new comprehensive assessment and care planning tool used to evaluate children's needs for Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) in Texas. The new assessment procedure resulted from a legal settlement with the advocacy community.…

On the constitutive law of environment assisted fatigue: The physical meaning of the Paris type equations. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krausz, K.; Wu Xijia; Krausz, A.S.; Lian Zhiwen

1992-01-01

Environment assisted fatigue crack growth is a complex of thermally activated processes. Accordingly, the framework for the expression of rational constitutive law is developed from fracture kinetics theory. The correlation of the constitutive law with the Paris equation is discussed and the empirical parameters in the Paris equation are expressed explicitly in terms of activation energy, stress intensity factor range, temperature, stress ratio, and other physically rigorous engineering quantities. The theory assures and facilitates, the rigorous quantitative evaluation of the effects of the microstructure: the constitutive law gives guidance to its measurement and expresses it in terms of energy-related quantities. (orig.) [de

The Relationship between Stress, Job Performance, and Burnout in College Student Resident Assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowak, Kenneth M.; Hanson, Alan L.

1983-01-01

Examined the relationship of stress, personality characteristics, and cognitive hardiness to job performance, burnout, and physical illness in resident assistants (N=37). Results indicated cognitive hardiness acts as a buffer against burnout and physical illness. Resident assistants rating themselves as Type A received poorer job performance…

Physician-assisted death in psychiatric practice in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenewoud, JH; van der Maas, PJ; vanderWal, G; Hengeveld, MW; Tholen, AJ; Schudel, WJ; vanderHeide, A

1997-01-01

Background In 1994 the Dutch Supreme Court ruled that in exceptional instances, physician-assist ed suicide might be justifiable for patients with unbearable mental suffering but no physical illness. We studied physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in psychiatric practice in the Netherlands.

Reflections on International Certified Nursing Assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Penelope Ann

2017-01-01

The author, a former university faculty member who taught English to speakers of other languages and now a nursing home resident, shares her observations about how English language proficiency, culture, and religious differences affect her care. She provides examples of communication challenges that can be annoying or cause harm, her coping strategies, and reasons many certified nursing assistants might never be fully fluent in English. She explains how international certified nursing assistants can benefit residents because of skills developed by family-centered care in their countries of origin. She also discusses related issues-the importance of being culturally competent about U.S. culture. She points out how religiousness not only affects residents but is a buffer for staff against the stress of physically and emotionally demanding low-wage work. Overall, the author likes receiving care from individuals from other countries, finding reward in comparing how her personal struggle with illness and paralysis resonates with the trauma of migration and how learning firsthand about varying beliefs and attitudes clarifies her identity and place in world history.

Nurses' experiences providing palliative care to individuals living in rural communities: aspects of the physical residential setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaasalainen, S; Brazil, K; Williams, A; Wilson, D; Willison, K; Marshall, D; Taniguchi, A; Phillips, C

2014-01-01

Efforts are needed to improve palliative care in rural communities, given the unique characteristics and inherent challenges with respect to working within the physical aspects of residential settings. Nurses who work in rural communities play a key role in the delivery of palliative care services. Hence, the purpose of this study was to explore nurses' experiences of providing palliative care in rural communities, with a particular focus on the impact of the physical residential setting. This study was grounded in a qualitative approach utilizing an exploratory descriptive design. Individual telephone interviews were conducted with 21 community nurses. Data were analyzed by thematic content analysis. Nurses described the characteristics of working in a rural community and how it influences their perception of their role, highlighting the strong sense of community that exists but how system changes over the past decade have changed the way they provide care. They also described the key role that they play, which was often termed a 'jack of all trades', but focused on providing emotional, physical, and spiritual care while trying to manage many challenges related to transitioning and working with other healthcare providers. Finally, nurses described how the challenges of working within the physical constraints of a rural residential setting impeded their care provision to clients who are dying in the community, specifically related to the long distances that they travel while dealing with bad weather. These study findings contribute to our understanding of the experiences of nurses working in rural communities in terms of the provision of palliative care and the influence of the physical residential setting that surrounds them. These findings are important since nurses play a major role in caring for community-dwelling clients who are dying, but they are confronted with many obstacles. As such, these results may help inform future decisions about how to best improve

Providing assistive technology in Italy : The perceived delivery process quality as affecting abandonment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Federici, Stefano; Borsci, Simone

2016-01-01

Purpose: The study brings together three aspects rarely observed at once in assistive technology (AT) surveys: (i) the assessment of user interaction/satisfaction with AT and service delivery, (ii) the motivational analysis of AT abandonment, and (iii) the management/design evaluation of AT delivery

US DOE Radiological Assistance Program: personnel, equipment and resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hull, A.P.; Kuehner, A.V.; Phillips, L.F.

1982-01-01

The Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) of the US Department of Energy (DOE) is intended to provide emergency advice and assistance in the event of radiological incidents. Each of DOE's eight Regional Coordinating Offices in the US provide a 24-hour reporting and response capability. Specifically, the Brookhaven Area Office (BHO) is responsible for DOE's Region I, which includes the 11 northeastern states of the US. Although an inventory of dedicated equipment is assigned to BHO-RAP, it draws upon the resources of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) for trained personnel in health physics and for other specialized personnel in both the day to day operation of the program and in the on-the-scene response to an incident. The organization of the BHO-RAP program and its response procedures are described in detail. An inventory and brief description of the contents of a variety of emergency equipment kits and of additional state-of-the-art instruments is included. The BHO-RAP guidelines and requirements for field operations are also indicated, as are other DOE resources upon which it can draw

Network Physics anounces first product to provide business-level management of the most complex and dynamic networks

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

Network Physics, provider of business-level, traffic flow-based network management solutions, today announced the introduction of the Network Physics NP/BizFlow-1000. With the NP/BizFlow-1000, Fortune 1000 companies with complex and dynamic networks can analyze the flows that link business groups, critical applications, and network software and hardware (1 page).

25 CFR 20.210 - Can eligibility criteria or payments for Burial Assistance, Child Assistance, and Disaster...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... provided by law, the Bureau nor a tribe may change eligibility criteria or levels of payment for Burial Assistance, Child Assistance, Disaster Assistance, and Emergency Assistance awarded in Public Law 93-638 contracts, Public Law 102-477 grants, or Public Law 103-413 self-governance annual funding agreements. ...

Providing Technical assistance on corruption control

OpenAIRE

Serge, Lortie

2012-01-01

The phenomenon referred to as corruption has now been generating a high degree of interest for over twenty years. It has in fact spawned not only an abundant literature but also a monitoring and advisory industry whose specific outlook heavily shapes the debate on integrity issues. This industry is widely supported by aid providers, be it the international financing institutions or national development agencies. At this juncture, it therefore seemed worthwhile to examine more critically an ar...

Assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Heide, Agnes

2013-01-01

Several countries have adopted laws that regulate physician assistance in dying. Such assistance may consist of providing a patient with a prescription of lethal medication that is self-administered by the patient, which is usually referred to as (physician) assistance in suicide, or of administering lethal medication to a patient, which is referred to as euthanasia. The main aim of regulating physician assistance in dying is to bring these practices into the open and to provide physicians with legal certainty. A key condition in all jurisdictions that have regulated either assistance in suicide or euthanasia is that physicians are only allowed to engage in these acts upon the explicit and voluntary request of the patient. All systems that allow physician assistance in dying have also in some way included the notion that physician assistance in dying is only accepted when it is the only means to address severe suffering from an incurable medical condition. Arguments against the legal regulation of physician assistance in dying include principled arguments, such as the wrongness of hastening death, and arguments that emphasize the negative consequences of allowing physician assistance in dying, such as a devaluation of the lives of older people, or people with chronic disease or disabilities. Opinion polls show that some form of accepting and regulating euthanasia and physician assistance in suicide is increasingly supported by the general population in most western countries. Studies in countries where physician assistance in dying is regulated suggest that practices have remained rather stable in most jurisdictions and that physicians adhere to the legal criteria in the vast majority of cases. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A wearable exoskeleton suit for motion assistance to paralysed patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bing; Zhong, Chun-Hao; Zhao, Xuan; Ma, Hao; Guan, Xiao; Li, Xi; Liang, Feng-Yan; Cheng, Jack Chun Yiu; Qin, Ling; Law, Sheung-Wai; Liao, Wei-Hsin

2017-10-01

The number of patients paralysed due to stroke, spinal cord injury, or other related diseases is increasing. In order to improve the physical and mental health of these patients, robotic devices that can help them to regain the mobility to stand and walk are highly desirable. The aim of this study is to develop a wearable exoskeleton suit to help paralysed patients regain the ability to stand up/sit down (STS) and walk. A lower extremity exoskeleton named CUHK-EXO was developed with considerations of ergonomics, user-friendly interface, safety, and comfort. The mechanical structure, human-machine interface, reference trajectories of the exoskeleton hip and knee joints, and control architecture of CUHK-EXO were designed. Clinical trials with a paralysed patient were performed to validate the effectiveness of the whole system design. With the assistance provided by CUHK-EXO, the paralysed patient was able to STS and walk. As designed, the actual joint angles of the exoskeleton well followed the designed reference trajectories, and assistive torques generated from the exoskeleton actuators were able to support the patient's STS and walking motions. The whole system design of CUHK-EXO is effective and can be optimised for clinical application. The exoskeleton can provide proper assistance in enabling paralysed patients to STS and walk.

Association between food, physical activity, and social assistance environments and the body mass index of schoolchildren from different socioeconomic strata.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Camila Elizandra; Patrícia de Fragas, Hinnig; Corrêa, Elizabeth Nappi; das Neves, Janaina; de Vasconcelos, Francisco de Assis Guedes

2018-05-29

The aim of this article was to evaluate associations between body mass index (BMI) and use of and distance from subjects homes of elements of the food and physical activity environments and use of social assistance environment, in schoolchildren from 7 to 14 years living in Florianópolis (South Brazil), stratified by monthly family income. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a probabilistic sample of 2152 schoolchildren. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to test for associations between BMI and the use of and distance from supermarkets, bakeries and farmers' markets; use of and distance from parks/playgrounds and football pitches; and use of health centers, Reference Centers for Social Assistance, instructional facilities, residents associations, religious groups and a Brazilian program for cash transfer. Overweight and obesity rates were 21.5 and 12.7%, respectively. Among schoolchildren from low-income families, living more than 11 min' walk from parks/playgrounds was associated with higher BMI (β = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.33-0.73). In the high-income strata, a longer distance from home to football pitches was associated with lower BMI (β = -0.49; 95% CI = -0.69; -0.29). Neither food nor social assistance environments were associated with BMI of schoolchildren, even when analyzed by income strata.

The Strategic Thinking and Learning Community: An Innovative Model for Providing Academic Assistance

Science.gov (United States)

Commander, Nannette Evans; Valeri-Gold, Maria; Darnell, Kim

2004-01-01

Today, academic assistance efforts are frequently geared to all students, not just the underprepared, with study skills offered in various formats. In this article, the authors describe a learning community model with the theme, "Strategic Thinking and Learning" (STL). Results of data analysis indicate that participants of the STL…

Intelligence for Human-Assistant Planetary Surface Robots

Science.gov (United States)

Hirsh, Robert; Graham, Jeffrey; Tyree, Kimberly; Sierhuis, Maarten; Clancey, William J.

2006-01-01

The central premise in developing effective human-assistant planetary surface robots is that robotic intelligence is needed. The exact type, method, forms and/or quantity of intelligence is an open issue being explored on the ERA project, as well as others. In addition to field testing, theoretical research into this area can help provide answers on how to design future planetary robots. Many fundamental intelligence issues are discussed by Murphy [2], including (a) learning, (b) planning, (c) reasoning, (d) problem solving, (e) knowledge representation, and (f) computer vision (stereo tracking, gestures). The new "social interaction/emotional" form of intelligence that some consider critical to Human Robot Interaction (HRI) can also be addressed by human assistant planetary surface robots, as human operators feel more comfortable working with a robot when the robot is verbally (or even physically) interacting with them. Arkin [3] and Murphy are both proponents of the hybrid deliberative-reasoning/reactive-execution architecture as the best general architecture for fully realizing robot potential, and the robots discussed herein implement a design continuously progressing toward this hybrid philosophy. The remainder of this chapter will describe the challenges associated with robotic assistance to astronauts, our general research approach, the intelligence incorporated into our robots, and the results and lessons learned from over six years of testing human-assistant mobile robots in field settings relevant to planetary exploration. The chapter concludes with some key considerations for future work in this area.

English/Russian and Russian/English glossary of physical protection terms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soo Hoo, M.S.

1995-07-01

This glossary was prepared in fulfillment of the Glossary Preparation Task identified in the Program Plan for providing Assistance to the Russian Federation in Nuclear Material Control and Accounting and Physical Protection. The Program Plan is part of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program as provided for under House Resolution (H.R.) 3807 (Title II, as referenced under Public Law (P.L.) 102-229. The terms in this glossary were derived from physical protection training material prepared at Sandia. The training material, and thus refinements to the glossary, has undergone years of development in presentation to both domestic and international audiences. Also, Russian Colleagues and interpreters have reviewed the translations for accuracy

English/Russian and Russian/English glossary of physical protection terms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soo Hoo, M.S. [ed.

1995-07-01

This glossary was prepared in fulfillment of the Glossary Preparation Task identified in the Program Plan for providing Assistance to the Russian Federation in Nuclear Material Control and Accounting and Physical Protection. The Program Plan is part of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program as provided for under House Resolution (H.R.) 3807 (Title II, as referenced under Public Law (P.L.) 102-229. The terms in this glossary were derived from physical protection training material prepared at Sandia. The training material, and thus refinements to the glossary, has undergone years of development in presentation to both domestic and international audiences. Also, Russian Colleagues and interpreters have reviewed the translations for accuracy.

Animal-Assisted Therapy for Improving Human Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sibel Cevizci

2009-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT or Pet Therapy is an adjunctive therapy by taking advantage of human and animal interaction, activate the physiological and psychological mechanisms, initiate positive changes improving health in metabolism. In recent years, this interaction are in use to treat psychological and psychiatric disorders such as stress, depression, loneliness, pervasive developmental disorders affect negatively to human health. Furthermore, AAT has been increasingly used to improve quality of life, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, chronic illnesses such as cancer and AIDS. The aim of this paper is to identify AAT by reviewing human and animal interaction, evaluate how AAT has a scientific background from past to now. Also, we aim to give some information about the risks, institutional applications, some factors referring AAT’s mechanism of action and chronic diseases, psychological and physical improvements provided with animal assisted therapies. The therapy results will be evaluated more advisable providing AAT is being applied with public health specialist, veterinarian, physician, psychologist, psychiatrist and veterinary public health experts who are monitor applications. Especially, the psychosomatic effects result from physical, emotional and play mechanism of action of HDT can be used for improving quality of life in individuals with chronic diseases. In Turkey, there is no any investigation which have been performed in this scientific field. It is quitely important to evaluate the benefits of this therapy accurately and to select various methods proper to diseases. Consequently, it is obvious that AAT will be considered by the healthcare services as a supportive therapy process for improving human health in Turkey and needs further studies. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2009; 8(3.000: 263-272

In Light of the 2012 NASPE Symposium, to What Extent Should Physical Educators Incorporate Pop Culture in Their Classes?

Science.gov (United States)

Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 2013

2013-01-01

In this "Issues" column, "The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance" provides responses to the question: "In Light of the 2012 NASPE Symposium, to What Extent Should Physical Educators Incorporate Pop Culture in Their Classes?" Responses this month come from an assistant professor who says that:…

Lending a helping hand: toward novel assistive robotic arms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groothuis, Stefan; Stramigioli, Stefano; Carloni, Raffaella

Assistive robotics is an increasingly popular research field, which has led to a large number of commercial and noncommercial systems aimed at assisting physically impaired or elderly users in the activities of daily living. In this article, we propose five criteria based on robotic arm usage

Exoskeletons for industrial application and their potential effects on physical work load

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Looze, M.P. de; Bosch, T.; Krause, F.; Stadler, K.S.; O'Sullivan, L.W.

2016-01-01

The aim of this review was to provide an overview of assistive exoskeletons that have specifically been developed for industrial purposes and to assess the potential effect of these exoskeletons on reduction of physical loading on the body. The search resulted in 40 papers describing 26 different

F-Canyon Sludge Physical Properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poirier, M. R.; Hansen, P. R.; Fink, S. D.

2005-01-01

The Site Deactivation and Decommissioning (SDD) Organization is evaluating options to disposition the 800 underground tanks (including removal of the sludge heels from these tanks). To support this effort, DandD requested assistance from Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) personnel to determine the pertinent physical properties to effectively mobilize the sludge from these tanks (Tanks 804, 808, and 809). SDD provided SRNL with samples of the sludge from Tanks 804, 808, and 809. The authors measured the following physical properties for each tank: particle settling rate, shear strength (i.e., settled solids yield stress), slurry rheology (i.e., yield stress and consistency), total solids concentration in the sludge, soluble solids concentration of the sludge, sludge density, and particle size distribution

Knowledge assistant for robotic environmental characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feddema, J.; Rivera, J.; Tucker, S.; Matek, J.

1996-08-01

A prototype sensor fusion framework called the open-quotes Knowledge Assistantclose quotes has been developed and tested on a gantry robot at Sandia National Laboratories. This Knowledge Assistant guides the robot operator during the planning, execution, and post analysis stages of the characterization process. During the planning stage, the Knowledge Assistant suggests robot paths and speeds based on knowledge of sensors available and their physical characteristics. During execution, the Knowledge Assistant coordinates the collection of data through a data acquisition open-quotes specialist.close quotes During execution and postanalysis, the Knowledge Assistant sends raw data to other open-quotes specialists,close quotes which include statistical pattern recognition software, a neural network, and model-based search software. After the specialists return their results, the Knowledge Assistant consolidates the information and returns a report to the robot control system where the sensed objects and their attributes (e.g., estimated dimensions, weight, material composition, etc.) are displayed in the world model. This report highlights the major components of this system

Qualitative Evaluation of a Physical Activity Health Promotion Programme for People with Intellectual Disabilities in a Group Home Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon-Ibarra, A.; Driver, S.; Nery-Hurwit, M.; VanVolkenburg, H.

2018-01-01

Background: There is a lack of health promotion programming designed to change the physical activity environment of the group home setting. The Menu-Choice programme assists staff in creating physical activity goals alongside residents with intellectual disabilities and provides strategies to incorporate activity into the group home schedule. The…

Computational models in physics teaching: a framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Antonio Moreira

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the present paper is to present a theoretical framework to promote and assist meaningful physics learning through computational models. Our proposal is based on the use of a tool, the AVM diagram, to design educational activities involving modeling and computer simulations. The idea is to provide a starting point for the construction and implementation of didactical approaches grounded in a coherent epistemological view about scientific modeling.

Assistance tools for generic definition of ITER maintenance tasks and scenarios in advanced supervisory control systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zieba, Stéphane; Russotto, François-Xavier; Da Silva Simoes, Max; Measson, Yvan

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Improve supervisory control systems for ITER in-vessel and hot cell maintenance. ► Optimize remote handling operations effectiveness, reliability and safety. ► Provide a generic description of the maintenance tasks and scenarios. ► Development of context-based assistances for operators and supervisor. ► Improvement of operator's situation awareness. -- Abstract: This paper concerns the improvement of supervisory control systems in the context of remote handling for the maintenance tasks in ITER. This work aims at providing a single formalism and tools to define in a generic way the ITER maintenance tasks and scenarios for in-vessel and hot cell operations. A three-layered approach is proposed to model these tasks and scenarios. Physical actions are defined for the scene elements. From these physical actions, behaviours are defined to represent high-level functionalities. Finally, interaction modes define the way that behaviours are achieved in terms of human–machine interactions. Case study concerning the blanket maintenance procedure is discussed concerning the contributions of the descriptive model and the context-based assistances to the activities of supervisory control

Patients in assisted automated peritoneal dialysis develop strategies for selfcare

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holch, Kirsten

  Patients in Assisted Automated Peritoneal Dialysis develop strategies for self-care Background: Since 2000 a model for Assisted Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (AAPD) in the patients own home has been developed at Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby. The patient group consists of physically...

A Peer Mentor Tutor Program in Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Nossal, S. M.; Jacob, A. T.; Buehlman, J. D.; Middlecamp, C. H.

2001-05-01

The Peer Mentor Tutor (PMT) program in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Physics Department matches upper level undergraduate physics majors in small groups with students potentially at-risk for having academic trouble with their gateway introductory non-calculus physics course or for feeling isolated at the University. The program enhances students'learning and confidence by providing an emphasis on problem solving, a supportive environment for asking questions, and opportunities for acquiring missing math skills. The students assisted include, among others, returning adults, students of color,students with English as a second language, and students who have never taken physics in high school. The tutors acquire teaching and leadership experience with ongoing training throughout the year. The Physics PMT program is run in collaboration with a similar program in Chemistry. The peer model is also being applied to other science courses at the University of Wisconsin. We will describe the structure of the Physics PMT program and our current efforts to expand the program into a broader Physics Learning Center that may serve multiple purposes and courses.

Assistance Focus: Latin America/Caribbean (Brochure)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2015-01-01

The Clean Energy Solutions Center Ask an Expert service connects governments seeking policy information and advice with one of more than 30 global policy experts who can provide reliable and unbiased quick-response advice and information. The service is available at no cost to government agency representatives from any country and the technical institutes assisting them. This publication presents summaries of assistance provided to African governments, including the benefits of that assistance.

The Use of Computer-Assisted Home Exercises to Preserve Physical Function after a Vestibular Rehabilitation Program: A Randomized Controlled Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Smaerup

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether elderly patients with vestibular dysfunction are able to preserve physical functional level, reduction in dizziness, and the patient’s quality of life when assistive computer technology is used in comparison with printed instructions. Materials and Methods. Single-blind, randomized, controlled follow-up study. Fifty-seven elderly patients with chronic dizziness were randomly assigned to a computer-assisted home exercise program or to home exercises as described in printed instructions and followed for tree month after discharge from an outpatient clinic. Results. Both groups had maintained their high functional levels three months after finishing the outpatient rehabilitation. No statistically significant difference was found in outcome scores between the two groups. In spite of moderate compliance levels, the patients maintained their high functional level indicating that the elderly should not necessarily exercise for the first three months after termination of the training in the outpatient clinic. Conclusion. Elderly vestibular dysfunction patients exercising at home seem to maintain their functional level, level of dizziness, and quality of life three months following discharge from hospital. In this specific setup, no greater effect was found by introducing a computer-assisted training program, when compared to standard home training guided by printed instructions. This trial is registered with NCT01344408.

Recognizing the value of assistance dogs in society.

Science.gov (United States)

Audrestch, Hilary M; Whelan, Chantelle T; Grice, David; Asher, Lucy; England, Gary C W; Freeman, Sarah L

2015-10-01

Assistance dogs are specially trained to undertake a variety of tasks to help individuals with disabilities. This review gives an overview of the different types of assistance dogs in the UK, including guide dogs, hearing dogs, mobility assistance dogs, service dogs and dual-purpose dogs. The literature describes many benefits of assistance dogs, including their impact on physical wellbeing and safety of their 'owners,' as well as on psychological wellbeing and social inclusion. The role of assistance dogs in society is widely recognized by the public, but is not currently acknowledged in government social policy. The current evidence on the benefits of assistance dogs is limited by the type and scale of current research. This article highlights the need for independent funding for high quality research to enable social care and policy makers to make evidence-based decisions on the value of assistance dogs to people with disabilities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Augmented Reality Based Navigation for Computer Assisted Hip Resurfacing: A Proof of Concept Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, He; Auvinet, Edouard; Giles, Joshua; Rodriguez Y Baena, Ferdinando

2018-05-23

Implantation accuracy has a great impact on the outcomes of hip resurfacing such as recovery of hip function. Computer assisted orthopedic surgery has demonstrated clear advantages for the patients, with improved placement accuracy and fewer outliers, but the intrusiveness, cost, and added complexity have limited its widespread adoption. To provide seamless computer assistance with improved immersion and a more natural surgical workflow, we propose an augmented-reality (AR) based navigation system for hip resurfacing. The operative femur is registered by processing depth information from the surgical site with a commercial depth camera. By coupling depth data with robotic assistance, obstacles that may obstruct the femur can be tracked and avoided automatically to reduce the chance of disruption to the surgical workflow. Using the registration result and the pre-operative plan, intra-operative surgical guidance is provided through a commercial AR headset so that the user can perform the operation without additional physical guides. To assess the accuracy of the navigation system, experiments of guide hole drilling were performed on femur phantoms. The position and orientation of the drilled holes were compared with the pre-operative plan, and the mean errors were found to be approximately 2 mm and 2°, results which are in line with commercial computer assisted orthopedic systems today.

Prescribing Outdoor Physical Activity to Children: Health Care Providers' Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Christiana, Richard W; James, J Joy; Battista, Rebecca A

2017-01-01

Little evidence exists on health care provider (HCP) prescriptions for children's outdoor physical activity (PA). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 children's HCPs to explore perspectives on outdoor PA prescription programs for children and barriers to implementation. Thematic analytic techniques were used to analyze the data. Most participants reported an awareness of health benefits to children being in the outdoors. Ten themes emerged from the data related to 3 thematic categories: (1) current strategies that HCPs are using to promote PA among children, (2) barriers that HCPs see to prescribing outdoor PA, and (3) potential strategies for promoting outdoor PA among children. Assessment of the local outdoor PA environment and resource development must be done prior to a prescription program. HCPs should be skilled in conducting conversations and setting goals related to outdoor PA tailored to the patient. Developing a system for follow-up with patients on established goals should also be included.

High temperature dielectric properties of (BxNyOz thin films deposited using ion source assisted physical vapor deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Badi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The dielectric integrity has been one of the major obstacle in bringing out capacitor devices with suitable performance characteristics at high temperatures. In this paper, BxNyOz dielectric films for high temperature capacitors solutions are investigated. The films were grown on silicon substrate by using ion source assisted physical vapor deposition technique. The as-grown films were characterized by SEM, XRD, and XPS. The capacitor structures were fabricated using BxNyOz as a dielectric and titanium as metal electrodes. The elaborated devices were subjected to electrical and thermal characterization. They exhibited low electrical loss and very good stability when subjected to high temperature for a prolonged period of time.

30 CFR 795.11 - Assistance funding.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SMALL OPERATOR ASSISTANCE PERMANENT REGULATORY PROGRAM-SMALL OPERATOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM § 795.11 Assistance... eligible small operators if available funds are less than those required to provide the services pursuant...

Integrated ICT System for Teaching Physical Sciences in a Robotic Laboratory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spyros Kopsidas

2009-11-01

Full Text Available The Information and Communication Technologies provide economically feasible and effective means to assist individuals with kinetic disabilities in numerous activities concerning educational purposes. As the technology is increasingly used in everyday environments, an early response of the existing methods to teach the Physical Sciences to individuals with kinetic disabilities is our innovative system. The work presented in this article is part of the “Smart and Adaptable Information System for Supporting Physics Experiments in a Robotic Laboratory” (SAIS-PEaRL research project.

National emergency medical assistance program for commercial nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linnemann, R.E.; Berger, M.E.

1987-01-01

Radiation Management Consultant's Emergency Medical Assistance Program (EMAP) for nuclear facilities provides a twenty-four hour emergency medical and health physics response capability, training of site and off-site personnel, and three levels of care for radiation accident victims: first air and rescue at an accident site, hospital emergency assessment and treatment, and definitive evaluation and treatment at a specialized medical center. These aspects of emergency preparedness and fifteen years of experience in dealing with medical personnel and patients with real or suspected radiation injury will be reviewed

Ultrasound-assisted liposuction provides a source for functional adipose-derived stromal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Duscher, Dominik; Maan, Zeshaan N; Luan, Anna; Aitzetmüller, Matthias M; Brett, Elizabeth A; Atashroo, David; Whittam, Alexander J; Hu, Michael S; Walmsley, Graham G; Houschyar, Khosrow S; Schilling, Arndt F; Machens, Hans-Guenther; Gurtner, Geoffrey C; Longaker, Michael T; Wan, Derrick C

2017-12-01

Regenerative medicine employs human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for their multi-lineage plasticity and their pro-regenerative cytokine secretome. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) are concentrated in fat tissue, and the ease of harvest via liposuction makes them a particularly interesting cell source. However, there are various liposuction methods, and few have been assessed regarding their impact on ASC functionality. Here we study the impact of the two most popular ultrasound-assisted liposuction (UAL) devices currently in clinical use, VASER (Solta Medical) and Lysonix 3000 (Mentor) on ASCs. After lipoaspirate harvest and processing, we sorted for ASCs using fluorescent-assisted cell sorting based on an established surface marker profile (CD34 + CD31 - CD45 - ). ASC yield, viability, osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacity and in vivo regenerative performance were assessed. Both UAL samples demonstrated equivalent ASC yield and viability. VASER UAL ASCs showed higher osteogenic and adipogenic marker expression, but a comparable differentiation capacity was observed. Soft tissue healing and neovascularization were significantly enhanced via both UAL-derived ASCs in vivo, and there was no significant difference between the cell therapy groups. Taken together, our data suggest that UAL allows safe and efficient harvesting of the mesenchymal stromal cellular fraction of adipose tissue and that cells harvested via this approach are suitable for cell therapy and tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New developments in employee assistance programs.

Science.gov (United States)

White, R K; McDuff, D R; Schwartz, R P; Tiegel, S A; Judge, C P

1996-04-01

Employee assistance programs have developed from alcoholism assessment and referral centers to specialized behavioral health programs. Comprehensive employee assistance programs are defined by six major components: identification of problems based on job performance, consultation with supervisors, constructive confrontation, evaluation and referral, liaison with treatment providers, and substance abuse expertise. Other services have been added as enhancements to the basic model and include managed behavioral health activities and professional assistance committees, which provide services for impaired professionals and executives. Recent developments in the field are illustrated through examples from the experience of the employee assistance program at the University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore.

Increasing the Intensity over Time of an Electric-Assist Bike Based on the User and Route: The Bike Becomes the Gym

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel H. De La Iglesia

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, many citizens have busy days that make finding time for physical activity difficult. Thus, it is important to provide citizens with tools that allow them to introduce physical activity into their lives as part of the day’s routine. This article proposes an app for an electric pedal-assist-system (PAS bicycle that increases the pedaling intensity so the bicyclist can achieve higher and higher levels of physical activity. The app includes personalized assist levels that have been adapted to the user’s strength/ability and a profile of the route, segmented according to its slopes. Additionally, a social component motivates interaction and competition between users based on a scoring system that shows the level of their performances. To test the training module, a case study in three different European countries lasted four months and included nine people who traveled 551 routes. The electric PAS bicycle with the app that increases intensity of physical activity shows promise for increasing levels of physical activity as a regular part of the day.

Foreign assistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-07-01

This paper reports that providing energy assistance to developing countries remains a relatively low priority of the Agency for International Development. AID is helping some developing countries meet their energy needs, but this assistance varies substantially because of the agency's decentralized structure. Most AID energy funding has gone to a handful of countries-primarily Egypt and Pakistan. With limited funding in most other countries, AID concentrates on providing technical expertise and promoting energy policy reforms that will encourage both energy efficiency and leverage investment by the private sector and other donors. Although a 1989 congressional directive to pursue a global warming initiative has had a marginal impact on the agency's energy programming, many AID energy programs, including those directed at energy conservation, help address global warming concerns

PREDICTION OF ENJOYMENT IN SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arto Gråstén

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The specific aim of this study was to examine whether motivational climate, perceived physical competence, and exercise motivation predict enjoyment in school physical education within the same sample of adolescents across three years of secondary school. A sample of 639 students (girls = 296, boys = 343 aged between 13- to 15-years at the commencement of the study completed the Intrinsic Motivation Climate in Physical Education Questionnaire, Physical Self-Perception Profile, Physical Education Motivation Scale, and Physical Education Enjoyment Scale. Results derived from path analyses indicated that task-involving motivational climate predicted enjoyment in physical education via perceived physical competence and intrinsic motivation in both girls and boys. In particular, these results supported previous findings of Vallerand et. al (1997 with the self-determination theory and the achievement goal theory. Ego-involving climate was not a significant predictor either in girls or boys. The current results provide continuing support for the investigation of Vallerand's model in the physical education setting, and highlight that motivational climate is an area that requires further evaluation as a contributing factor in the improvement of physical education teaching. A better understanding of the role of motivational climate may assist efforts to promote children's and adolescents' perceived physical competence, intrinsic motivation, and enjoyment in the school physical education setting

Executive Assistant - Technology and Innovation | IDRC ...

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

Job Summary Under the direction of the Director, the Director's Assistant provides operational and administrative assistance to the Director, performs a variety of administrative, research, coordinating and logistical services in support of the operations of the Director's office and assists with information management functions ...

Dr Kathryn Beers, Assistant Director Physical Sciences and Engineering, Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President United States of America visit the CMS experiment at point 5.

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2007-01-01

Dr Kathryn Beers, Assistant Director Physical Sciences and Engineering, Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President United States of America visit the CMS experiment at point 5.

Designing Real Time Assistive Technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Tobias; Obel, Carsten; Grønbæk, Kaj

2015-01-01

activities and assists the child in maintaining attention. From a preliminary evaluation of CASTT with 20 children in several schools, we and found that: 1) it is possible to create a wearable sensor system for children with ADHD that monitors physical and physiological activities in real time; and that 2...

Client Perceptions of Occupational Health and Safety Management System Assistance Provided by OSHA On-Site Consultation: Results of a Survey of Colorado Small Business Consultation Clients.

Science.gov (United States)

Autenrieth, Daniel A; Brazile, William J; Gilkey, David P; Reynolds, Stephen J; June, Cathy; Sandfort, Del

2015-01-01

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) On-Site Consultation Service provides assistance establishing occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) to small businesses. The Safety and Health Program Assessment Worksheet (Revised OSHA Form 33) is the instrument used by consultants to assess an organization's OHSMS and provide feedback on how to improve a system. A survey was developed to determine the usefulness of the Revised OSHA Form 33 from the perspective of Colorado OSHA consultation clients. One hundred and seven clients who had received consultation services within a six-year period responded to the survey. The vast majority of respondents indicated that the Revised OSHA Form 33 accurately reflected their OHSMS and that information provided on the Revised OSHA Form 33 was helpful for improving their systems. Specific outcomes reported by the respondents included increased safety awareness, reduced injuries, and improved morale. The results indicate that the OHSMS assistance provided by OSHA consultation is beneficial for clients and that the Revised OSHA Form 33 can be an effective tool for assessing and communicating OHSMS results to business management. Detailed comments and suggestions provided on the Revised OSHA Form 33 are helpful for clients to improve their OHSMS.

The Benefit of Pets and Animal-Assisted Therapy to the Health of Older Individuals

Science.gov (United States)

Cherniack, E. Paul; Cherniack, Ariella R.

2014-01-01

Many studies utilizing dogs, cats, birds, fish, and robotic simulations of animals have tried to ascertain the health benefits of pet ownership or animal-assisted therapy in the elderly. Several small unblinded investigations outlined improvements in behavior in demented persons given treatment in the presence of animals. Studies piloting the use of animals in the treatment of depression and schizophrenia have yielded mixed results. Animals may provide intangible benefits to the mental health of older persons, such as relief social isolation and boredom, but these have not been formally studied. Several investigations of the effect of pets on physical health suggest animals can lower blood pressure, and dog walkers partake in more physical activity. Dog walking, in epidemiological studies and few preliminary trials, is associated with lower complication risk among patients with cardiovascular disease. Pets may also have harms: they may be expensive to care for, and their owners are more likely to fall. Theoretically, zoonotic infections and bites can occur, but how often this occurs in the context of pet ownership or animal-assisted therapy is unknown. Despite the poor methodological quality of pet research after decades of study, pet ownership and animal-assisted therapy are likely to continue due to positive subjective feelings many people have toward animals. PMID:25477957

The benefit of pets and animal-assisted therapy to the health of older individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherniack, E Paul; Cherniack, Ariella R

2014-01-01

Many studies utilizing dogs, cats, birds, fish, and robotic simulations of animals have tried to ascertain the health benefits of pet ownership or animal-assisted therapy in the elderly. Several small unblinded investigations outlined improvements in behavior in demented persons given treatment in the presence of animals. Studies piloting the use of animals in the treatment of depression and schizophrenia have yielded mixed results. Animals may provide intangible benefits to the mental health of older persons, such as relief social isolation and boredom, but these have not been formally studied. Several investigations of the effect of pets on physical health suggest animals can lower blood pressure, and dog walkers partake in more physical activity. Dog walking, in epidemiological studies and few preliminary trials, is associated with lower complication risk among patients with cardiovascular disease. Pets may also have harms: they may be expensive to care for, and their owners are more likely to fall. Theoretically, zoonotic infections and bites can occur, but how often this occurs in the context of pet ownership or animal-assisted therapy is unknown. Despite the poor methodological quality of pet research after decades of study, pet ownership and animal-assisted therapy are likely to continue due to positive subjective feelings many people have toward animals.

The Benefit of Pets and Animal-Assisted Therapy to the Health of Older Individuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Paul Cherniack

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Many studies utilizing dogs, cats, birds, fish, and robotic simulations of animals have tried to ascertain the health benefits of pet ownership or animal-assisted therapy in the elderly. Several small unblinded investigations outlined improvements in behavior in demented persons given treatment in the presence of animals. Studies piloting the use of animals in the treatment of depression and schizophrenia have yielded mixed results. Animals may provide intangible benefits to the mental health of older persons, such as relief social isolation and boredom, but these have not been formally studied. Several investigations of the effect of pets on physical health suggest animals can lower blood pressure, and dog walkers partake in more physical activity. Dog walking, in epidemiological studies and few preliminary trials, is associated with lower complication risk among patients with cardiovascular disease. Pets may also have harms: they may be expensive to care for, and their owners are more likely to fall. Theoretically, zoonotic infections and bites can occur, but how often this occurs in the context of pet ownership or animal-assisted therapy is unknown. Despite the poor methodological quality of pet research after decades of study, pet ownership and animal-assisted therapy are likely to continue due to positive subjective feelings many people have toward animals.

Recent trends in assistive technology for mobility

OpenAIRE

Cowan, RE; Fregly, BJ; Boninger, ML; Chan, L; Rodgers, MM; Reinkensmeyer, DJ

2012-01-01

Loss of physical mobility makes maximal participation in desired activities more difficult and in the worst case fully prevents participation. This paper surveys recent work in assistive technology to improve mobility for persons with a disability, drawing on examples observ ed during a tour of academic and industrial research sites in Europe. The underlying theme of this recent work is a more seamless integration of the capabilities of the user and the assistive technology. This improved int...

Assistive/Socially Assistive Robotic Platform for Therapy and Recovery: Patient Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew White

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Improving adherence to therapy is a critical component of advancing outcomes and reducing the cost of rehabilitation. A robotic platform was previously developed to explore how robotics could be applied to the social dimension of rehabilitation to improve adherence. This paper aims to report on feedback given by end users of the robotic platform as well as the practical applications that socially assistive robotics could have in the daily life activities of a patient. A group of 10 former and current patients interacted with the developed robotic platform during a simulated exercise session before taking an experience-based survey. A portion of these participants later provided verbal feedback as part of a focus group on the potential utility of such a platform. Identified applications included assistance with reaching exercise goals, managing to-do lists, and supporting participation in social and recreational activities. The study participants expressed that the personality characteristics of the robotic system should be adapted to individual preferences and that the assistance provided over time should align with the progress of their recovery. The results from this study are encouraging and will be useful for further development of socially assistive robotics.

United States assistance to Kazakstan in the area of nuclear material security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tittemore, G.; Mitchell, W.

1996-01-01

The US has agreed to pursue cooperative nuclear Material Protection, Control and Accounting (MPC and A) programs with the Republic of Kazakstan. As part of this cooperation, a state system of control accounting and physical protection for nuclear materials is being developed. The US Department of Energy is providing assistance at the four nuclear sites in the Republic to enhance MPC and A systems, techniques, hardware, software, procedures, and training. US survey teams, which include both material control and accounting (MC and A) and physical protection experts, have visited four nuclear sites in Kazakstan. MPC and A assistance is being provided to the Ulba State Holding Company, the Institute of Atomic Energy at Kurchatov City and Ala Tau, and the Mangyshlak Atomic Energy Complex (MAEC) BN-350 nuclear power plant in Aktau. At these sites, the facility staffs and DOE technical teams are working together to identify conditions not completely conforming with accepted international standards, as well as potential enhancements to correct such conditions. Design packages for enhancements at each of these facilities are prepared in collaboration with Kazakstani specialists. After agreement is reached on the specifications by the US and Kazakstan, MPC and A equipment is procured and installed. This paper summarizes the approach to the cooperative programs at these facilities, program status, and future plans

PREFACE: Second Meeting of the APS Topical Group on Hadronic Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Ernst, David; de Jager, Kees; Roberts, Craig; Sheldon, Paul; Swanson, Eric

2007-06-01

The Second Meeting of the APS Topical Group on Hadronic Physics was held on 22-24 October 2006 at the Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee. Keeping with tradition, the meeting was held in conjunction with the Fall meeting of the APS Division of Nuclear Physics. Approximately 90 physicists participated in the meeting, presenting 25 talks in seven plenary sessions and 48 talks in 11 parallel sessions. These sessions covered a wide range of topics related to strongly interacting matter. Among these were charm spectroscopy, gluonic exotics, nucleon resonance physics, RHIC physics, electroweak and spin physics, lattice QCD initiatives, and new facilities. Brad Tippens and Brad Keister provided perspective from the funding agencies. The organisers are extremely grateful to the following institutions for financial and logistical support: the American Physical Society, Jefferson Lab, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Vanderbilt University. We thank the following persons for assisting in organising the parallel sessions: Ted Barnes, Jian-Ping Chen, Ed Kinney, Krishna Kumar, Harry Lee, Mike Leitch, Kam Seth, and Dennis Weygand. We also thank Gerald Ragghianti for designing the conference poster, Will Johns for managing the audio-visual equipment and for placing the talks on the web, Sandy Childress for administrative expertise, and Vanderbilt graduate students Eduardo Luiggi and Jesus Escamillad for their assistance. David Ernst, Kees de Jager, Craig Roberts (Chair), Paul Sheldon and Eric Swanson Editors

Self Assistive Technology for Disabled People – Voice Controlled Wheel Chair and Home Automation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Puviarasi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the design of an innovative and low cost self-assistive technology that is used to facilitate the control of a wheelchair and home appliances by using advanced voice commands of the disabled people. This proposed system will provide an alternative to the physically challenged people with quadriplegics who is permanently unable to move their limbs (but who is able to speak and hear and elderly people in controlling the motion of the wheelchair and home appliances using their voices to lead an independent, confident and enjoyable life. The performance of this microcontroller based and voice integrated design is evaluated in terms of accuracy and velocity in various environments. The results show that it could be part of an assistive technology for the disabled persons without any third person’s assistance.

Attitudes towards assisted suicide and euthanasia among care-dependent older adults (50+) in Austria: the role of socio-demographics, religiosity, physical illness, psychological distress, and social isolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stolz, Erwin; Mayerl, Hannes; Gasser-Steiner, Peter; Freidl, Wolfgang

2017-12-07

Care-dependency constitutes an important issue with regard to the approval of end-of-life decisions, yet attitudes towards assisted suicide and euthanasia are understudied among care-dependent older adults. We assessed attitudes towards assisted suicide and euthanasia and tested empirical correlates, including socio-demographics, religiosity, physical illness, psychological distress and social isolation. A nationwide cross-sectional survey among older care allowance recipients (50+) in private households in Austria was conducted in 2016. In computer-assisted personal interviews, 493 respondents were asked whether or not they approved of the availability of assisted suicide and euthanasia in case of long-term care dependency and whether or not they would consider using assisted suicide or euthanasia for themselves. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the impact of potential determinants of attitudes towards assisted suicide and euthanasia. About a quarter (24.8-26.0%) of the sampled care-dependent older adults approved of the availability of assisted suicide and euthanasia respectively indicated the will to (hypothetically) make use of assisted suicide or euthanasia. Attitudes towards assisted suicide were most favourable among care-dependent older adults living in urban areas, those who did not trust physicians, those who reported active suicide ideation, and individuals with a strong fear of dying. With regard to euthanasia, living alone, religiosity and fear of dying were the central determinants of acceptance. Positive attitudes towards and will to (hypothetically) use assisted suicide and euthanasia were expressed by a substantial minority of care-dependent older adults in Austria and are driven by current psychological suffering and fear of the process of dying in the (near) future. Community-based psychosocial care should be expanded to address psychological distress and fears about end-of-life issues among care-dependent older adults.

The Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction Designed According to 7E Model of Constructivist Learning on Physics Student Teachers' Achievement, Concept Learning, Self-Efficacy Perceptions and Attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Kocakaya, Serhat; Gonen, Selahattin

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a Computer-Assisted Instruction designed according to 7E model of constructivist learning(CAI7E) related to "electrostatic'' topic on physics student teachers' cognitive development, misconceptions, self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes. The study was conducted in 2006-2007…

IPPAS guidelines. Reference document for the IAEA International Physical Protection Advisory Service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The IAEA International Physical protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) provides advice to Member States to assist them in strengthening the effectiveness of their national physical protection system whilst recognizing the ultimate responsibility for physical protection is that of the Member State. The IPPAS is available to all countries with nuclear materials and facilities. The basic concepts, purposes and functions of physical protection are provided in INFCIR/225, 'The Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities' as amended from time to time and 'the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (INFCIR/247/Rev.1). The guidance given in INFCIR/225 recognizes that implementation of these requirements vary from country to country depending on their existing constitutional, legal and administrative systems; the assessment of the threat for the potential theft of nuclear material or sabotage of nuclear facilities; the technical skills and professional and financial resources available to the competent authority; and social customs and cultural traditions. IPPAS missions are performance oriented in that they accept different approaches to the implementation of national physical protection system

10 CFR 707.6 - Employee assistance, education, and training.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

....6 Employee assistance, education, and training. Contractor programs shall include the following or appropriate alternatives: (a) Employee assistance programs emphasizing preventive services, education, short... provided by the contractor's employee assistance program, except as provided for in the contractor's...

Dental health care providers' views on child physical abuse in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussein, A S; Ahmad, R; Ibrahim, N; Yusoff, A; Ahmad, D

2016-10-01

To assess the knowledge, attitudes and experience of a group of Malaysian dental health care providers regarding child physical abuse (CPA) cases in terms of frequency of occurrence, diagnosis, risk factors and reporting. A questionnaire was distributed to all dental health care providers attending a national paediatric dentistry conference in Kuantan, Malaysia, and demographical variables, knowledge, attitudes and experience about CPA, risk factors and the reasons for not reporting abuse cases were collected. Descriptive statistics and bivariance analysis were performed. A 5 % level of statistical significance was applied for the analyses (p ≤ 0.05). The response rate was 74.7 %. Half of the respondents (52.8 %) stated that the frequency of occurrence of CPA is common in Malaysia. Full agreement between dental health care providers was not determined concerning the identification of signs of CPA and its risk factors. Although 83.3 % were aware that reporting CPA is a legal requirement in Malaysia, only 14.8 % have reported such cases. Lack of adequate history was the main reason for not reporting. Virtually two-thirds of the respondents (62 %) indicated that they had not received sufficient information about CPA and were willing to be educated on how to diagnose and report child abuse cases (81.5, 78.7 %, respectively). There were considerable disparities in respondents' knowledge and attitudes regarding the occurrence, signs of suspected cases, risk factors and reporting of CPA. Despite being aware of such cases, only a handful was reported. Enhancement in the education of Malaysian dental health care providers on recognising and reporting CPA is recommended.

Modelling hydrodynamic parameters to predict flow assisted corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poulson, B.; Greenwell, B.; Chexal, B.; Horowitz, J.

1992-01-01

During the past 15 years, flow assisted corrosion has been a worldwide problem in the power generating industry. The phenomena is complex and depends on environment, material composition, and hydrodynamic factors. Recently, modeling of flow assisted corrosion has become a subject of great importance. A key part of this effort is modeling the hydrodynamic aspects of this issue. This paper examines which hydrodynamic parameter should be used to correlate the occurrence and rate of flow assisted corrosion with physically meaningful parameters, discusses ways of measuring the relevant hydrodynamic parameter, and describes how the hydrodynamic data is incorporated into the predictive model

Not Just "Gym" Anymore: The Role of Journaling in Physical Education Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Rowland, Amy

2007-01-01

In this article, the author explores the use of journaling in high school physical education classes. An assistant professor of health and physical education, the author seeks to assist high school instructors with preparing students for the demands of college, both physical and intellectual. The author gives specific instructions on how best to…

Methods of the professional-applied physical preparation of students of higher educational establishments of economic type

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maliar E.I.

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Is considered the directions of professionally-applied physical preparation of students with the prevailing use of facilities of football. Are presented the methods of professionally-applied physical preparation of students. It is indicated that application of method of the circular training is rendered by an assistance development of discipline, honesty, honesty, rational use of time. Underline, that in teaching it is necessary to provide a short cut to mastering of the planned knowledge, abilities and skills, improvement of physical qualities.

Assistive Devices for Students with Disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisniewski, Lech; Sedlak, Robert

1992-01-01

Describes a variety of devices that can assist students with disabilities. Highlights recently developed devices for students with specific learning disabilities, and with vision, hearing, health, physical, and speech and language impairments. The devices can help rehabilitate, reeducate, facilitate normalcy, or augment current functioning. (GLR)

A study: Effect of Students Peer Assisted Learning on Magnetic Field Achievement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueanploy, Wannapa

2016-01-01

This study is the case study of Physic II Course for students of Pathumwan Institute of Technology. The purpose of this study is: 1) to develop cooperative learning method of peer assisted learning (PAL), 2) to compare the learning achievement before and after studied magnetic field lesson by cooperative learning method of peer assisted learning. The population was engineering students of Pathumwan Institute of Technology (PIT’s students) who registered Physic II Course during year 2014. The sample used in this study was selected from the 72 students who passed in Physic I Course. The control groups learning magnetic fields by Traditional Method (TM) and experimental groups learning magnetic field by method of peers assisted learning. The students do pretest before the lesson and do post-test after the lesson by 20 items achievement tests of magnetic field. The post-test higher than pretest achievement significantly at 0.01 level. (paper)

Adapting Animal-Assisted Therapy Trials to Prison-Based Animal Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Allison, Molly; Ramaswamy, Megha

2016-09-01

Prison-based animal programs have shown promise when it comes to increased sociability, responsibility, and levels of patience for inmates who participate in these programs. Yet there remains a dearth of scientific research that demonstrates the impact of prison-based animal programs on inmates' physical and mental health. Trials of animal-assisted therapy interventions, a form of human-animal interaction therapy most often used with populations affected by depression/anxiety, mental illness, and trauma, may provide models of how prison-based animal program research can have widespread implementation in jail and prison settings, whose populations have high rates of mental health problems. This paper reviews the components of prison-based animal programs most commonly practiced in prisons today, presents five animal-assisted therapy case studies, evaluates them based on their adaptability to prison-based animal programs, and discusses the institutional constraints that act as barriers for rigorous prison-based animal program research implementation. This paper can serve to inform the development of a research approach to animal-assisted therapy that nurses and other public health researchers can use in working with correctional populations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Assistive products and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Science.gov (United States)

Tebbutt, Emma; Brodmann, Rebecca; Borg, Johan; MacLachlan, Malcolm; Khasnabis, Chapal; Horvath, Robert

2016-11-29

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have placed great emphasis on the need for much greater social inclusion, and on making deliberate efforts to reach marginalized groups. People with disabilities are often marginalized through their lack of access to a range of services and opportunities. Assistive products can help people overcome impairments and barriers enabling them to be active, participating and productive members of society. Assistive products are vital for people with disabilities, frailty and chronic illnesses; and for those with mental health problems, and gradual cognitive and physical decline characteristic of aging populations. This paper illustrates how the achievement of each of the 17 SDGs can be facilitated by the use of assistive products. Without promoting the availability of assistive products the SDGs cannot be achieved equitably. We highlight how assistive products can be considered as both a mediator and a moderator of SDG achievement. We also briefly describe how the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE) is working to promote greater access to assistive products on a global scale.

Human trafficking: Role of oral health care providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Nuzzolese, E

2014-11-30

Trafficking in human beings is a modern form of slavery and is a well-known phenomenon throughout the European Union and beyond. After drug dealing and the weapons industry, human trafficking is the second largest criminal activity in the world today and it is a growing crime. The aim of governmental and non-governmental agencies, which are either directly or indirectly involved in combating trafficking in human beings, is the identification and referral of victims of trafficking and also to encourage self-referrals. Identification is the most important step to provide protection and assistance to victims of trafficking. Victims often have a variety of physical and mental health needs, including psychological trauma, injuries from violence, head and neck trauma, sexually transmitted infections and other gynaecological problems, dental/oral problems and have poor nutrition. The author's experience in the field of community dentistry in presented within. Volunteer dental services are offered to non-European Union patients held in a centre for asylum seekers in Bari (Italy). Dental professionals can, in fact, contribute to the identification, assistance and protection of trafficked persons, as well as offering forensic services to assist the police investigation in order to identify crimes and find the criminal organizations behind them. As for domestic violence and child abuse cases, there are ethical concerns involved in the identification and protection of the trafficked persons, as well as the need for interdisciplinary work and awareness. Adequate training in behavioural science and intercultural learning is paramount in order to avoid misunderstandings and increase sensitivity.

Experiences in automatic keywording of particle physics literature

CERN Document Server

Montejo Ráez, Arturo

2001-01-01

Attributing keywords can assist in the classification and retrieval of documents in the particle physics literature. As information services face a future with less available manpower and more and more documents being written, the possibility of keyword attribution being assisted by automatic classification software is explored. A project being carried out at CERN (the European Laboratory for Particle Physics) for the development and integration of automatic keywording is described.

Report: EPA Needs an Agency-Wide Plan to Provide Tribal Solid Waste Management Capacity Assistance

Science.gov (United States)

Report #11-P-0171, March 21, 2011. EPA cannot determine whether its efforts are assisting tribal governments in developing the capacity to manage solid waste or reduce the risks of open dumps in Indian country.

Robotic assisted andrological surgery

Science.gov (United States)

Parekattil, Sijo J; Gudeloglu, Ahmet

2013-01-01

The introduction of the operative microscope for andrological surgery in the 1970s provided enhanced magnification and accuracy, unparalleled to any previous visual loop or magnification techniques. This technology revolutionized techniques for microsurgery in andrology. Today, we may be on the verge of a second such revolution by the incorporation of robotic assisted platforms for microsurgery in andrology. Robotic assisted microsurgery is being utilized to a greater degree in andrology and a number of other microsurgical fields, such as ophthalmology, hand surgery, plastics and reconstructive surgery. The potential advantages of robotic assisted platforms include elimination of tremor, improved stability, surgeon ergonomics, scalability of motion, multi-input visual interphases with up to three simultaneous visual views, enhanced magnification, and the ability to manipulate three surgical instruments and cameras simultaneously. This review paper begins with the historical development of robotic microsurgery. It then provides an in-depth presentation of the technique and outcomes of common robotic microsurgical andrological procedures, such as vasectomy reversal, subinguinal varicocelectomy, targeted spermatic cord denervation (for chronic orchialgia) and robotic assisted microsurgical testicular sperm extraction (microTESE). PMID:23241637

Nutrition and Physical Activity Environments of Home-Based Child Care: What Hispanic Providers Have to Say.

Science.gov (United States)

Tovar, Alison; Mena, Noereem Z; Risica, Patricia; Gorham, Gemma; Gans, Kim M

2015-10-01

It is important to understand the perceptions and beliefs of family child care providers (FCCPs) regarding which factors influence children's physical activity (PA), screen-time (ST), and dietary behaviors in order to develop and implement appropriate obesity prevention interventions. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the aforementioned perceptions and beliefs of FCCPs in Rhode Island. Four focus groups (n = 30) were held with FCCPs. Providers were female, Hispanic, and Spanish speaking. Providers were asked about different aspects of feeding, PA, and ST behaviors. Themes were coded using NVivo10 (QSR International Pty Ltd, Doncaster, Victoria, Australia). Content analysis was used to analyze final themes. Providers understood the importance of providing opportunities for healthy eating and PA for the children they cared for, but there was room for improvement, especially with regard to certain feeding and ST practices. Several barriers were evident, including the lack of physical infrastructure for PA, cultural beliefs and practices related to child feeding, and difficulties working with parents to provide consistent messages across environments. Given that FCCPs are aware of the importance of healthy eating and PA, there is a need to address the specific barriers they face, and operationalize some of their knowledge into practical everyday actions. This formative work will inform the development of a culturally relevant, multicomponent intervention for ethnically diverse FCCPs to improve the food and PA environments of their homes, which should, in turn, improve the dietary, PA, and ST behaviors of the 2- to 5-year-old children they care for.

An Investigation of the Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices of Physics Teaching Assistants, with Implications for TA Preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Spike, Benjamin T.

Physics Teaching Assistants (TAs) serve a critical role in supporting student learning in various classroom environments, including discussions and laboratories. As research-based instructional strategies become more widespread in these settings, the TA's role is expanding beyond simply presenting physics content to encompass facilitating student discussion and attending to student reasoning. At the same time, we recognize that these TAs are physics professionals and future faculty, and their teaching experiences in graduate school have the potential for long-term impact on their professional identities. Consequently, there is a need to enhance traditional forms of preparation to support TAs in this expanded role in ways that complement broader professional development opportunities. Enhancing TA preparation requires understanding how TAs make sense of their roles as instructors so that we may identify potential avenues for intervention that support the development of practices that are (1) supportive of curricular goals and (2) consistent with the TAs' overall pedagogical model. The intent of this thesis is to develop a single overarching framework for analyzing how TAs talk about and carry out their roles as instructors. We then apply this framework to a set of interview and video data from multiple semesters, and make claims regarding instances of coordination and dis-coordination between TAs' beliefs and practices. Furthermore, we are able to track changes in beliefs and practices along various time scales. Finally, we return to the issue of TA preparation by identifying features of enhanced professional and pedagogical development, drawn from results of these studies, that could operate within existing institutional structures.

Design of a Code-Maker Translator Assistive Input Device with a Contest Fuzzy Recognition Algorithm for the Severely Disabled

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chung-Min Wu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study developed an assistive system for the severe physical disabilities, named “code-maker translator assistive input device” which utilizes a contest fuzzy recognition algorithm and Morse codes encoding to provide the keyboard and mouse functions for users to access a standard personal computer, smartphone, and tablet PC. This assistive input device has seven features that are small size, easy installing, modular design, simple maintenance, functionality, very flexible input interface selection, and scalability of system functions, when this device combined with the computer applications software or APP programs. The users with severe physical disabilities can use this device to operate the various functions of computer, smartphone, and tablet PCs, such as sending e-mail, Internet browsing, playing games, and controlling home appliances. A patient with a brain artery malformation participated in this study. The analysis result showed that the subject could make himself familiar with operating of the long/short tone of Morse code in one month. In the future, we hope this system can help more people in need.

Sources of population and family planning assistance.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-01-01

This document assesses the current status of population and family planning assistance throughout the world and provides brief sketches of the available sources including national governments, intergovernmental agencies such as the UNFPA and other UN entities, and nongovernmental funding, technical assistance, or funding and technical assistance organizations. The descriptions of aid-granting organizations describe their purposes, sources of funding, and activities, and give addresses where further information may be sought. At present about $100 million of the US $1 billion spent for family planning in developing countries each year comes from individuals paying for their own supplies and services, over $400 million is spent by national governments on their own programs, and about $450 million comes from developed country governments and private agencies. Over half of external assistance appears to be channeled through international agencies, and only a few countries provide a substantial proportion of aid bilaterally. In the past decade several governments, particularly in Asia, significantly increased the share of program costs they assumed themselves, and the most populous developing countries, China, India, and Indonesia, now contribute most of the funding for their own programs. Although at least 130 countries have provided population aid at some time, most is given by 12 industrialized countries. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is the largest single donor, but the US share of population assistance has declined to 50% of all assistance in 1981 from 60% in the early 1970s. Governments of Communist bloc countries have made only small contributions to international population assistance. Most governmental asistance is in cash grant form, but loans, grants in kind, and technical assistance are also provided. Private organizations give assistance primarily to other private organizations in developing countries, and have been major innovators in

7 CFR 610.4 - Technical assistance furnished.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... consultants who provide services such as engineering, planning, environmental assessment, tax assessment, and... of program assistance, planning assistance, application of conservation practices, and assistance in...) County and other local government units such as park authorities, departments of public works, planning...

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants: preparing new providers for hospital medicine at the mayo clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Spychalla, Megan T; Heathman, Joanne H; Pearson, Katherine A; Herber, Andrew J; Newman, James S

2014-01-01

Hospital medicine is a growing field with an increasing demand for additional healthcare providers, especially in the face of an aging population. Reductions in resident duty hours, coupled with a continued deficit of medical school graduates to appropriately meet the demand, require an additional workforce to counter the shortage. A major dilemma of incorporating nonphysician providers such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants (NPPAs) into a hospital medicine practice is their varying academic backgrounds and inpatient care experiences. Medical institutions seeking to add NPPAs to their hospital medicine practice need a structured orientation program and ongoing NPPA educational support. This article outlines an NPPA orientation and training program within the Division of Hospital Internal Medicine (HIM) at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. In addition to a practical orientation program that other institutions can model and implement, the division of HIM also developed supplemental learning modalities to maintain ongoing NPPA competencies and fill learning gaps, including a formal NPPA hospital medicine continuing medical education (CME) course, an NPPA simulation-based boot camp, and the first hospital-based NPPA grand rounds offering CME credit. Since the NPPA orientation and training program was implemented, NPPAs within the division of HIM have gained a reputation for possessing a strong clinical skill set coupled with a depth of knowledge in hospital medicine. The NPPA-physician model serves as an alternative care practice, and we believe that with the institution of modalities, including a structured orientation program, didactic support, hands-on learning, and professional growth opportunities, NPPAs are capable of fulfilling the gap created by provider shortages and resident duty hour restrictions. Additionally, the use of NPPAs in hospital medicine allows for patient care continuity that is otherwise missing with resident practice models.

Prevalence and Risk of Inappropriate Sexual Behavior of Patients Toward Physical Therapist Clinicians and Students in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Boissonnault, Jill S; Cambier, Ziádee; Hetzel, Scott J; Plack, Margaret M

2017-11-01

For health care providers in the United States, the risk for nonfatal violence in the workplace is 16 times greater than that for other workers. Inappropriate patient sexual behavior (IPSB) is directed at clinicians, staff, or other patients and may include leering, sexual remarks, deliberate touching, indecent exposure, and sexual assault. Inappropriate patient sexual behavior may adversely affect clinicians, the organization, or patients themselves. Few IPSB risk factors for physical therapists have been confirmed. The US prevalence was last assessed in the 1990s. The objectives of this study were to determine career and 12-month exposure to IPSB among US physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, physical therapist students, and physical therapist assistant students and to identify IPSB risk factors. This was a retrospective and observational study. An electronic survey was developed; content validity and test-retest reliability were established. Participants were recruited through physical therapist and physical therapist assistant academic programs and sections of the American Physical Therapy Association. Inappropriate patient sexual behavior risk models were constructed individually for any, mild, moderate, and severe IPSB events reported over the past 12 months. Open-ended comments were analyzed using qualitative methods. Eight hundred ninety-two physical therapist professionals and students completed the survey. The career prevalence among respondents was 84%, and the 12-month prevalence was 47%. Statistical risk modeling for any IPSB over the past 12 months indicated the following risks: having fewer years of direct patient care, routinely working with patients with cognitive impairments, being a female practitioner, and treating male patients. Qualitative analysis of 187 open-ended comments revealed patient-related characteristics, provider-related characteristics, and abusive actions. Self-report, clinician memory, and convenience sampling are

Cognitive assisted living ambient system: a survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruijiao Li

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The demographic change towards an aging population is creating a significant impact and introducing drastic challenges to our society. We therefore need to find ways to assist older people to stay independently and prevent social isolation of these population. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT provide various solutions to help older adults to improve their quality of life, stay healthier, and live independently for a time. Ambient Assisted Living (AAL is a field to investigate innovative technologies to provide assistance as well as healthcare and rehabilitation to impaired seniors. The paper provides a review of research background and technologies of AAL.

From Resource-Adaptive Navigation Assistance to Augmented Cognition

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmer, Hubert D.; Münzer, Stefan; Baus, Jörg

In an assistance scenario, a computer provides purposive information supporting a human user in an everyday situation. Wayfinding with navigation assistance is a prototypical assistance scenario. The present chapter analyzes the interplay of the resources of the assistance system and the resources of the user. The navigation assistance system provides geographic knowledge, positioning information, route planning, spatial overview information, and route commands at decision points. The user's resources encompass spatial knowledge, spatial abilities and visuo-spatial working memory, orientation strategies, and cultural habit. Flexible adaptations of the assistance system to available resources of the user are described, taking different wayfinding goals, situational constraints, and individual differences into account. Throughout the chapter, the idea is pursued that the available resources of the user should be kept active.

[Assisted suicide in Germany: medical diagnoses and personal reasons of 117 decedents].

Science.gov (United States)

Bruns, F; Blumenthal, S; Hohendorf, G

2016-02-01

In Germany both scientific and public debates on physician assisted suicide often focus on patients with unbearable suffering in terminal condition. Proponents of physician assisted suicide bring forward the argument that there are end-of-life situations where only assisted suicide can bring relief from intolerable pain, dyspnea or other symptoms. But does focusing on unbearable symptoms in terminal condition reflect the reality of assisted suicide? Our data from 117 assisted suicides in Germany indicates that the reasons for assisted suicide are more complex than the current debate in Germany suggests. We analyzed diagnoses and reasons that prompted patients to suicide with the help of the German right-to-die organization "Sterbehilfe Deutschland" (StHD) between 2010 and 2013. 118 case reports of assisted suicide published by StHD were evaluated retrospectively. Between 2010 and 2013 StHD provided assistance in 118 suicides. 71 % of the deceased were women. 67 % were aged 70 years or older. 25,6 % suffered from metastasized cancer, 20,5 % had a severe neurological disease. 23 % suffered from age-associated diseases or disability. 14,5 % of the decedents had a predominant psychiatric diagnose, 7,7 % were physically and mentally healthy. The main reasons for suicide were loss of life perspective in the face of a severe disease (29 %), fear of care dependency (23,9 %), weariness of life without any severe disease (20,5 %). Only 12,8 % named non-treatable symptoms as a reason. Loss of life perspective in the face of a severe disease, fear of long-term care and weariness of life without any severe disease rather than unbearable suffering of non-treatable symptoms seem to be the most common reasons for members of StHD to commit suicide. These empirical findings should be mentioned in future debates on assisted suicide in Germany. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Assistive Technologies for Aged Care: Supportive or Empowering?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suchada Vichitvanichphong

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this paper is to explore the potentials of assistive technologies to support seniors’ independent living. The work looks at two salient aspects of utilizing technologies for elderly, namely direct support and empowering technologies. The research undertakes a comprehensive analysis of attempts that have been made through investigation of the literature. For this purpose, a realist review of relevant papers published since 2000 has been conducted. The paper concludes that although much research in this area targets the direct support for older adults, the effective use of technologies to maintain seniors’ physical and cognitive abilities requires further investigations. This can provide avenues of opportunities that would empower seniors for their independent living.

International Physical Protection Advisory Service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soo Hoo, M.S.; Ek, D.; Hageman, A.; Jenkin, T.; Price, C.; Weiss, B.

1998-01-01

Since its inception in 1996, the purpose of the International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) has been to provide advice and assistance to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Member States on strengthening and enhancing the effectiveness of their state system of physical protection of nuclear materials and facilities. Since the protection of nuclear materials and facilities is a Member State's responsibility, participation within the IPPAS program is voluntary. At the request of a Member State, the IAEA forms a multinational IPPAS team consisting of physical protection specialists. These specialists have broad experience in physical protection system design, implementation, and regulatory oversight. The exact make-up of the team depends upon the needs of the requesting state. IPPAS missions to participating states strive to compare the domestic procedures and practices of the state against international physical protection guidelines (IAEA Information Circular 225) and internationally accepted practice. The missions utilize a top to bottom approach and begin by reviewing the legal and regulatory structure and conclude with reviews of the implementation of the state regulations and international guidelines at individual facilities. IPPAS findings are treated as IAEA Safeguards Confidential Information. To date, IPPAS missions have been concluded in Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Poland

Development of a Mantle Convection Physical Model to Assist with Teaching about Earth's Interior Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Glesener, G. B.; Aurnou, J. M.

2010-12-01

The Modeling and Educational Demonstrations Laboratory (MEDL) at UCLA is developing a mantle convection physical model to assist educators with the pedagogy of Earth’s interior processes. Our design goal consists of two components to help the learner gain conceptual understanding by means of visual interactions without the burden of distracters, which may promote alternative conceptions. Distracters may be any feature of the conceptual model that causes the learner to use inadequate mental artifact to help him or her understand what the conceptual model is intended to convey. The first component, and most important, is a psychological component that links properties of “everyday things” (Norman, 1988) to the natural phenomenon, mantle convection. Some examples of everyday things may be heat rising out from a freshly popped bag of popcorn, or cold humid air falling from an open freezer. The second component is the scientific accuracy of the conceptual model. We would like to simplify the concepts for the learner without sacrificing key information that is linked to other natural phenomena the learner will come across in future science lessons. By taking into account the learner’s mental artifacts in combination with a simplified, but accurate, representation of what scientists know of the Earth’s interior, we expect the learner to have the ability to create an adequate qualitative mental simulation of mantle convection. We will be presenting some of our prototypes of this mantle convection physical model at this year’s poster session and invite constructive input from our colleagues.

Renewable Energy Project Development Assistance (Fact Sheet)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2013-07-01

This fact sheet provides information on the Tribes selected to receive assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy 2013 Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program, which provides technical expertise to support the development of next-generation energy projects on tribal lands.

Evaluation of a Prototype Hybrid Vacuum Pump to Provide Vacuum-Assisted Suspension for Above-Knee Prostheses.

Science.gov (United States)

Major, Matthew J; Caldwell, Ryan; Fatone, Stefania

2015-12-01

Vacuum-assisted suspension (VAS) of prosthetic sockets utilizes a pump to evacuate air from between the prosthetic liner and socket, and are available as mechanical or electric systems. This technical note describes a hybrid pump that benefits from the advantages of mechanical and electric systems, and evaluates a prototype as proof-of-concept. Cyclical bench testing of the hybrid pump mechanical system was performed using a materials testing system to assess the relationship between compression cycles and vacuum pressure. Phase 1 in vivo testing of the hybrid pump was performed by an able-bodied individual using prosthesis simulator boots walking on a treadmill, and phase 2 involved an above-knee prosthesis user walking with the hybrid pump and a commercial electric pump for comparison. Bench testing of 300 compression cycles produced a maximum vacuum of 24 in-Hg. In vivo testing demonstrated that the hybrid pump continued to pull vacuum during walking, and as opposed to the commercial electric pump, did not require reactivation of the electric system during phase 2 testing. The novelty of the hybrid pump is that while the electric system provides rapid, initial vacuum suspension, the mechanical system provides continuous air evacuation while walking to maintain suspension without reactivation of the electric system, thereby allowing battery power to be reserved for monitoring vacuum levels.

Physics analysis workstation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnstad, H.

1989-06-01

The Physics Analysis Workstation (PAW) is a high-level program providing data presentation and statistical or mathematical analysis. PAW has been developed at CERN as an instrument to assist physicists in the analysis and presentation of their data. The program is interfaced to a high level graphics package, based on basic underlying graphics. 3-D graphics capabilities are being implemented. The major objects in PAW are 1 or 2 dimensional binned event data with fixed number of entries per event, vectors, functions, graphics pictures, and macros. Command input is handled by an integrated user interface package, which allows for a variety of choices for input, either with typed commands, or in a tree structure menu driven mode. 6 refs., 1 fig

Physical mapping and BAC-end sequence analysis provide initial insights into the flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Ragupathy, Raja; Rathinavelu, Rajkumar; Cloutier, Sylvie

2011-05-09

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an important source of oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have proven health benefits and utility as an industrial raw material. Flax seeds also contain lignans which are associated with reducing the risk of certain types of cancer. Its bast fibres have broad industrial applications. However, genomic tools needed for molecular breeding were non existent. Hence a project, Total Utilization Flax GENomics (TUFGEN) was initiated. We report here the first genome-wide physical map of flax and the generation and analysis of BAC-end sequences (BES) from 43,776 clones, providing initial insights into the genome. The physical map consists of 416 contigs spanning ~368 Mb, assembled from 32,025 fingerprints, representing roughly 54.5% to 99.4% of the estimated haploid genome (370-675 Mb). The N50 size of the contigs was estimated to be ~1,494 kb. The longest contig was ~5,562 kb comprising 437 clones. There were 96 contigs containing more than 100 clones. Approximately 54.6 Mb representing 8-14.8% of the genome was obtained from 80,337 BES. Annotation revealed that a large part of the genome consists of ribosomal DNA (~13.8%), followed by known transposable elements at 6.1%. Furthermore, ~7.4% of sequence was identified to harbour novel repeat elements. Homology searches against flax-ESTs and NCBI-ESTs suggested that ~5.6% of the transcriptome is unique to flax. A total of 4064 putative genomic SSRs were identified and are being developed as novel markers for their use in molecular breeding. The first genome-wide physical map of flax constructed with BAC clones provides a framework for accessing target loci with economic importance for marker development and positional cloning. Analysis of the BES has provided insights into the uniqueness of the flax genome. Compared to other plant genomes, the proportion of rDNA was found to be very high whereas the proportion of known transposable elements was low. The SSRs identified from BES will be

Acceptance criteria for the physical protection upgrade rule requirements for fixed sites. Information guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwyer, P.

1980-09-01

This document has been developed as a tool to assist in providing consistent evaluation of upgraded physical security plans submitted in response to the Physical Protection Upgrade Rule, effective March 25, 1980. It presents a means for assuring licensee compliance with every regulatory requirement of particular significance to the protection of the public health and safety. Acceptance criteria are included to determine the extent to which each licensee meets the regulatory requirements. The format parallels Regulatory Guide 5.52, Standard Format and Content of a Licensee Physical Protection Plan for Strategic Special Nuclear Material at Fixed Sites

Plant Outage Time Savings Provided by Subcritical Physics Testing at Vogtle Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cupp, Philip; Heibel, M.D.

2006-01-01

The most recent core reload design verification physics testing done at Southern Nuclear Company's (SNC) Vogtle Unit 2, performed prior to initial power operations in operating cycle 12, was successfully completed while the reactor was at least 1% ΔK/K subcritical. The testing program used was the first application of the Subcritical Physics Testing (SPT) program developed by the Westinghouse Electric Company LLC. The SPT program centers on the application of the Westinghouse Subcritical Rod Worth Measurement (SRWM) methodology that was developed in cooperation with the Vogtle Reactor Engineering staff. The SRWM methodology received U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval in August of 2005. The first application of the SPT program occurred at Vogtle Unit 2 in October of 2005. The results of the core design verification measurements obtained during the SPT program demonstrated excellent agreement with prediction, demonstrating that the predicted core characteristics were in excellent agreement with the actual operating characteristics of the core. This paper presents an overview of the SPT Program used at Vogtle Unit 2 during operating cycle 12, and a discussion of the critical path outage time savings the SPT program is capable of providing. (authors)

Computer Assisted Programmed Instruction and Cognitive ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study probes into the effect of Computer Assisted Instruction and Cognitive preference style on achievement of secondary school Physics Students in Ogun State of Nigeria. The population of the study comprises the SS II students in Abeokuta Educational Zone. 186 students sample were drawn from the population for ...

43 Computer Assisted Programmed Instruction and Cognitive ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

cce

between Cognitive Preference Style and Computer Assisted Programmed ... teaching the subjects makes a wide range of students who have moderate numerical ability and ... on achievement of physics students, more so when such strategy has .... explaining prompting, thinking, discussing, clarifying concepts, asking ...

Providing assistive technology in Italy: the perceived delivery process quality as affecting abandonment.

Science.gov (United States)

Federici, Stefano; Borsci, Simone

2016-01-01

The study brings together three aspects rarely observed at once in assistive technology (AT) surveys: (i) the assessment of user interaction/satisfaction with AT and service delivery, (ii) the motivational analysis of AT abandonment, and (iii) the management/design evaluation of AT delivery services. 15 health professionals and 4 AT experts were involved in modelling and assessing four AT Local Health Delivery Service (Centres) in Italy through a SWOT analysis and a Cognitive Walkthrough. In addition 558 users of the same Centres were interviewed in a telephone survey to rate their satisfaction and AT use. The overall AT abandonment was equal to 19.09%. Different Centres' management strategies resulted in different percentages of AT disuse, with a range from 12.61% to 24.26%. A significant difference between the declared abandonment and the Centres' management strategies (p = 0.012) was identified. A strong effect on abandonment was also found due to professionals' procedures (p = 0.005) and follow-up systems (p = 0.002). The user experience of an AT is affected not only by the quality of the interaction with the AT, but also by the perceived quality of the Centres in support and follow-up. Implications for Rehabilitation AT abandonment surveys provide useful information for modelling AT assessment and delivery process. SWOT and Cognitive Walkthrough analyses have shown suitable methods for exploring limits and advantages in AT service delivery systems. The study confirms the relevance of person centredness for a successful AT assessment and delivery process.

49 CFR 199.113 - Employee assistance program.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... TESTING Drug Testing § 199.113 Employee assistance program. (a) Each operator shall provide an employee assistance program (EAP) for its employees and supervisory personnel who will determine whether an employee... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Employee assistance program. 199.113 Section 199...

Professor Tony F. Chan Assistant Director for Mathematics and Physical Sciences National Science Foundation United States of America on 23rd May 2007. Here visiting ATLAS experiment with P. Jenni and M. Tuts.

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2007-01-01

Professor Tony F. Chan Assistant Director for Mathematics and Physical Sciences National Science Foundation United States of America on 23rd May 2007. Here visiting ATLAS experiment with P. Jenni and M. Tuts.

Egyptian women in physics: Progress and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Mohsen, M.; Hosni, Hala; Mohamed, Hadeer; Gadalla, Afaf; Kahil, Heba; Hashem, Hassan

2015-12-01

The present study shows a progressive increase in the number of female physicists as undergraduates and postgraduates in several governmental universities. For instance, in Ain Shams University, the percentage of women who selected physics as a major course of study increased from 7.2% in 2012 to 10.8% in 2013 and 15.7% in 2014. The study also provides the current gender distribution in the various positions among the teaching staff in seven governmental universities. The data supports the fact that female teaching assistants are increasing in these universities.

Assist-as-needed robotic trainer based on reinforcement learning and its application to dart-throwing.

Science.gov (United States)

Obayashi, Chihiro; Tamei, Tomoya; Shibata, Tomohiro

2014-05-01

This paper proposes a novel robotic trainer for motor skill learning. It is user-adaptive inspired by the assist-as-needed principle well known in the field of physical therapy. Most previous studies in the field of the robotic assistance of motor skill learning have used predetermined desired trajectories, and it has not been examined intensively whether these trajectories were optimal for each user. Furthermore, the guidance hypothesis states that humans tend to rely too much on external assistive feedback, resulting in interference with the internal feedback necessary for motor skill learning. A few studies have proposed a system that adjusts its assistive strength according to the user's performance in order to prevent the user from relying too much on the robotic assistance. There are, however, problems in these studies, in that a physical model of the user's motor system is required, which is inherently difficult to construct. In this paper, we propose a framework for a robotic trainer that is user-adaptive and that neither requires a specific desired trajectory nor a physical model of the user's motor system, and we achieve this using model-free reinforcement learning. We chose dart-throwing as an example motor-learning task as it is one of the simplest throwing tasks, and its performance can easily be and quantitatively measured. Training experiments with novices, aiming at maximizing the score with the darts and minimizing the physical robotic assistance, demonstrate the feasibility and plausibility of the proposed framework. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validity and reliability of a home environment inventory for physical activity and media equipment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pereira Mark A

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about how the home environmental supports physical activity and screen media usage. The purpose of this study was to develop and test the reliability and validity of a self-report instrument to comprehensively reflect the availability and accessibility of physical activity and screen media equipment in the home environment. Methods Ten families participated in the initial field testing to provide feedback for instrument development. Thirty one adult participants, each of whom had at least one child 10–17 years old, completed two Physical Activity and Media Inventory (PAMI instruments. The first PAMI was completed simultaneously, but independently, with a research assistant to assess validity. A second PAMI was completed by the participant one week later to assess reliability. Results The adult participants were mostly mothers/female guardians, mean age 38 ± 7.2 years, mostly Caucasian (52%, college educated (65%, living in single family homes (74%. Test-retest reliability was acceptable to strong for all summary variables (physical activity equipment, ICC = 0.76 to 0.99; media equipment, ICC = 0.72 to 0.96. For validation, reports from participants and research assistants were strongly correlated (physical activity, 0.67 – 0.98; media, 0.79 – 0.96. Compared to participants, research assistants reported a greater percentage of physical activity equipment as "in plain view and easy to get to" and a smaller percentage of items as "put away and difficult to get to". Conclusion Our results indicate strong evidence for the reliability and validity of the variables calculated from the PAMI. This self report inventory may be useful in assessing the availability of physical activity and screen media equipment in the home environment and could be used in conjunction with other home assessment tools (food availability, parenting styles and feeding practices to identify obesogenic home environments.

Physical Protection of Nuclear Safeguards Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoskins, Richard

2004-01-01

IAEA's Nuclear Security Plan is established to assist Member States in implementing effective measures against nuclear terrorism. Four potential threats were identified: theft of nuclear weapon, nuclear explosive device, radiological dispersal device and an attack on radiation facility. In order to achieve effective protection of nuclear materials and facilities, the IAEA sponsored the Convention of the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials which focuses on the protection of nuclear materials 'in international transport. The IAEA also promoted INFCIRC/255 entitled the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials and Nuclear Facilities and published TECDOC/967 for the protection of nuclear materials and facilities against theft and sabotage and during transport. Assistance is available for the Member States through the International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) and the International Nuclear Security Advisory Service (INSServ). (author)

24 CFR 200.857 - Administrative process for scoring and ranking the physical condition of multifamily housing...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO FHA PROGRAMS Physical Condition of Multifamily Properties § 200.857 Administrative... Assistance Payment (HAP) Contract. Good management principles require an owner to conduct routine inspections... business days of the date of the inspection, which is the date the owner was provided with the EHS notice...

46 CFR 16.401 - Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Employee Assistance Program (EAP). 16.401 Section 16.401... Employee Assistance Programs § 16.401 Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The employer shall provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all crewmembers. The employer may establish the EAP as a part of its...

Dispatcher-assisted compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation provides best quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation by laypersons: A randomised controlled single-blinded manikin trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Spelten, Oliver; Warnecke, Tobias; Wetsch, Wolfgang A; Schier, Robert; Böttiger, Bernd W; Hinkelbein, Jochen

2016-08-01

High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by laypersons is a key determinant of both outcome and survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Dispatcher-assisted CPR (telephone-CPR, T-CPR) increases the frequency and correctness of bystander-CPR but results in prolonged time to first chest compressions. However, it remains unclear whether instructions for rescue ventilation and/or chest compressions should be recommended for dispatcher-assisted CPR. The aim of this study was to evaluate both principles of T-CPR with respect to CPR quality. Randomised controlled single-blinded manikin trial. University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, 1 July 2012 to 30 September 2012. Sixty laypersons between 18 and 65 years. Medically educated individuals, medical professionals and pregnant women were excluded. Participants were asked to resuscitate a manikin and were randomised into three groups: not dispatcher-assisted (uninstructed) CPR (group 1; U-CPR; n = 20), dispatcher-assisted compression-only CPR (group 2; DACO-CPR; n = 19) and full dispatcher-assisted CPR with rescue ventilation (group 3; DAF-CPR; n = 19). Specific parameters of CPR quality [i.e. no-flow-time (NFT) as well as compression and ventilation parameters] were analysed. To compare different groups we used Student's t test and P less than 0.05 was considered significant. Initial NFT was lowest in the DACO-CPR group (mean 21.3 ± 14.4%), followed by dispatcher-assisted full CPR (mean 49.1 ± 8.5%) and by unassisted CPR (mean 55.0 ± 12.9%). Initial NFT covering the time of instruction was lower in DACO-CPR (12.1 ± 5.4%) as compared to dispatcher-assisted full CPR (20.7 ± 8.1%). Compression depth was similar in all three groups: 40.6 ± 13.0 mm (unassisted CPR), 41.0 ± 12.2 mm (DACO-CPR) and 38.8 ± 15.8 mm (dispatcher-assisted full CPR). Average compression frequency was highest in the DACO-CPR group (65.2 ± 22.4 min) compared with the unassisted CPR

Three Paradigms of Social Assistance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pierre-Marc Daigneault

2014-11-01

Full Text Available “Ideas,” which are defined as the normative and cognitive beliefs of actors, are fundamental to a full understanding of the welfare state and, in particular, of social assistance. However, policy ideas have been neglected in most typologies of social assistance regimes. Based on a selective review of the literature, this article proposes a brief but systematic analysis of policy paradigms in the field of social assistance. Three ideal types that emphasize the ideational dimension of social assistance are analyzed, namely, the entitlement, workfare, and activation paradigms. The value of the typology lies in its utility for characterizing the ideational orientation of social assistance regimes. Specifically, the typology provides a yardstick for measuring the ideas of policy actors with respect to social assistance and can facilitate the conduct of case studies, comparative research, and causal analyses on this policy sector.

Status of U.S. programs for material protection, control ampersand accounting assistance to Ukraine and Kazakstan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roche, C.T.; Zinneman, T.E.; Rudolph, R.R.

1995-01-01

The United States is one of several donor states providing technical assistance to the Newly Independent States (NIS) of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) for improving their systems for control of nuclear materials. Ukraine and Kazakstan have significant nuclear energy programs. Both countries have committed to nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. They have signed the NPT and have safeguards agreements with the U.S. concerning development of state systems of control, accounting and physical protection of nuclear materials. As directed by the DOE - International Safeguards Division (now the DOE - Russia/NIS Nuclear Materials Security Task Force), technical specialists from several national laboratories, including Argonne, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, Pacific Northwest and Sandia, as well as representatives of other U.S. Government organizations, such as the NRC, DOD/DNA and the New Brunswick Laboratory, are interacting with government regulatory and facility personnel of Ukraine and Kazakstan. Argonne has program coordination responsibilities for both countries. In support of agreements between the U.S. and Ukraine and the U.S. and Kazakstan, the DOE is responsible for providing technical assistance and training to aid in the evaluation, design, development, and implementation of nuclear material safeguards. This assistance includes: (1) information systems for tracking and reporting the location of nuclear materials, (2) application of nuclear measurement techniques for verifying inventories, (3) material control and accounting (MC ampersand A) systems, and (4) physical protection (PP) systems. Site survey teams, including both MC ampersand A and PP experts from several national labs, have visited Ukraine and Kazakstan. This paper summarizes activities to date and future plans

Health/Service Providers' Perspectives on Barriers to Healthy Weight Gain and Physical Activity in Pregnant, Urban First Nations Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Darroch, Francine E; Giles, Audrey R

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to examine health/service providers' perspectives of barriers to healthy weight gain and physical activity for urban, pregnant First Nations women in Ottawa, Canada. Through the use of semi-structured interviews, we explored 15 health/service providers' perspectives on the complex barriers their clients face. By using a postcolonial feminist lens and a social determinants of health framework, we identified three social determinants of health that the health/service providers believed to have the greatest influence on their clients' weight gain and physical activity during pregnancy: poverty, education, and colonialism. Our findings are then contextualized within existing Statistics Canada and the Ottawa Neighbourhood Study data. We found that health/service providers are in a position to challenge colonial relations of power. We conclude by urging health/service providers, researchers, and policymakers alike to take into consideration the ways in which these social determinants of health and their often synergistic effects affect urban First Nations women during pregnancy. © The Author(s) 2015.

Logistic service providers and sustainable physical distribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stef Weijers

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Logistic Service Providers main concern was to ensure reliability for a low price (Christopher, 2005. Dutch Logistic Service Providers still have these two aspects at the top of their list, but also have to take in a new aspect: sustainability. 88% Of the investigated Logistic Service Providers have included sustainability in the company's goals. These Logistic Service Providers have developed different strategies to achieve a higher level of sustainability. This paper presents the results of a study into what Logistic Service Providers say what they are doing, or intend to do, to improve sustainability for their transport services. In this way insight is given in the attitude of Dutch Logistic Service Providers towards sustainability and how they intend to translate this into business practise: internal solutions or new methods incorporating external partners. Methods: Various methods of the investigations were used, among which the analysis of the statements about the sustainabilityon the websites of various companies as well as the questionnaire per Internet. The research covered 50 largest logistics companies operating in the Netherlands and 60 companies that competed for the award "Lean and Green" advertised in the Netherlands. In addition, the Internet survey was answered by 41 companies that belong to the network of our university. Results: The investigation has shown that sustainability is handled by the logistics company as an integral part of the corporate strategy. In contrast, shippers depend in the choice of logistics services primarily on such classical aspects as the reliability or the price and the sustainability play a minor role. Conclusions: Trying to find methods to improve the sustainability, Dutch logistics service providers, in the first place, look for solutions that increase the efficiency and therefore the cost reduction potential. Solutions, which require the involvement of clients, were less often

Assisted suicide for prisoners? Stakeholder and prisoner perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, David M; Elger, Bernice S

2016-09-01

For a wider project on aging in prison, the authors interviewed 35 older prisoners and 24 stakeholders (prison staff, prison healthcare professionals, and policy makers) about healthcare for prisoners. In all, 6 prisoners and 3 stakeholders spontaneously expressed their attitudes concerning assisted suicide. Some prisoners seek assisted suicide for medical reasons and others because they regard spending the rest of their lives in prison as undignified. However, stakeholders identified several ethical and practical challenges in providing assisted suicide to prisoners. This article presents these perspectives on assisted suicide in prison and provides an ethical analysis of the issues raised.

A Scenario to Provide Atomic Data for Fusion Research in the Stage of Precision Physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jiaming; Gao Xiang; Cheng Cheng; Zhang Xiaole; Qing Bo

2010-01-01

In order to provide abundant atomic data for fusion research in the stage of precision physics, a scenario, being a combination of indispensable theoretical calculations and bench-mark experimental measurements, is proposed. Such abundant atomic data are compiled mainly by theoretical calculations. Accuracies of such abundant data (i.e., atomic energy levels and corresponding cross sections) are ascertained only by a finite number of bench-mark experimental measurements based on analytical calculation of scattering matrices.

An educational strategy for using physician assistant students to provide health promotion education to community adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruff, Cathy C

2012-01-01

The "Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession" identify core competencies that physician assistants (PAs) are expected to acquire and maintain throughout their career (see http://www.nccpa.net/pdfs/Definition%20of%20PA%20Competencies% 203.5%20for%20Publication.pdf). Two categories of competencies relate to patient care and interpersonal and communication skills and articulate the need for PAs to be effective communicators and patient educators. The value of a health education curriculum for the adolescent population has been recognized since the early 1900s. PA student-designed health promotion presentations aimed at the adolescent population are an innovative educational strategy involving students in community education. PA student-designed presentations based upon previously identified topics were presented in the community. Students presented topics including Smoking Cessation, The Effects of Drugs and Alcohol, Self-Esteem, and others to adolescents. Community audiences were varied and included alternative high schools and teens within the Department of Youth Corrections facilities. PA students created 17 portable presentations for community adolescents. Two hundred sixty-eight students gave presentations to more than 700 adolescents ranging from 11-22 years of age between the years 2005-2010. Eighty-two percent (646/791) of adolescent participants either strongly agreed or agreed that they learned at least one new piece of information from the presentations. Sixty percent (12/20) of community leaders requested that the PA students return to give additional health promotion presentations. Analysis of comments by PA students revealed that 98% of students found the experience beneficial. Students identified the experience as helping them better understand how to design presentations to meet the needs of their audience, feel more comfortable with adolescents, and gain confidence in communicating. Seventy-five percent stated they would continue to be

Assistive Technologies to Empower Children with ADHD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Tobias

HCI researchers have for several years explored the potentials of using technology to empower people with various disabilities and deficits in dealing with the challenges of their condition. The exploration initially focused on designing technologies for people with outwardly visible physical...... impairments and disabilities, however, in recent years HCI researchers have begun to focus on assistive technologies for other patient groups and less visible impairments, e.g., people with cognitive or mental disorders. This movement has led to the design and development of several successful assistive...... technologies for a broad range of patient groups struggling with e.g., Bipolar Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and anxiety. However, only very limited research within HCI has focused on assistive technologies for the most common diagnosis for children and teens worldwide – Attention Deficit...

Decree bringing into force Act n0 996 of 8 December 1970 providing regulations for aid and assistance to populations struck by catastrophes - Public welfare

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The purpose of this Decree is to provide a framework for aid and assistance at a local level, taking into account the decentralization following the creation in 1972 of autonomous administration in the regions. The provisions of thid Decree are of general application, and therefore cover nuclear emergencies, although they are not explicitly mentioned (NEA) [fr

Recruiter Perceptions of Information that Employment References Should Provide to Assist in Making Selection Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Evuleocha, Stevina U.; Ugbah, Steve D.; Law, Sweety

2009-01-01

Authors investigated perceptions of campus recruiters (N = 168) in the San Francisco Bay Area regarding the importance of 15 types of information they solicit from job applicants' references in making selection decisions. Results suggest campus recruiters should consider 10 types of information to assist them in making selection decisions. Results…

Physical factors affecting the electrically assisted thermal bitumen recovery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bogdanov, I.I.; Torres, J.-A.; Kamp, A.M. [CHLOE, University of Pau (France); Corre, B. [CSTJF, Total (France)

2011-07-01

In the heavy oil industry, thermal processes are used to enhance oil recovery by increasing the reservoir temperature which results in better oil mobility. Low frequency heating (LFH) is a technology using electrical conductivity of connate water to propagate current between electrodes, thus generating heat in the reservoir through the Joule effect. During the preheating and production periods, many physical factors may affect the LFH process and the aim of this study was to determine which factors affect the process and how, using a particular pattern of electrodes. Simulations were conducted using the CMG Stars reservoir simulator under different configurations, conditions and parameters. Important physical properties and operational conditions affecting the LFH process were determined and results showed that convection heat, bulk electrical conductivity and power distribution can be improved by salt water circulation. This paper highlighted the physical factors affecting LFH efficiency and these findings will be useful for future process design.

Successes and Challenges in Transitioning to Large Enrollment NEXUS/Physics IPLS Labs

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Kimberly

2017-01-01

UMd-PERG's NEXUS/Physics for Life Sciences laboratory curriculum, piloted in 2012-2013 in small test classes, has been implemented in large-enrollment environments at UMD from 2013-present. These labs address physical issues at biological scales using microscopy, image and video analysis, electrophoresis, and spectroscopy in an open, non-protocol-driven environment. We have collected a wealth of data (surveys, video analysis, etc.) that enables us to get a sense of the students' responses to this curriculum in a large-enrollment environment and with teaching assistants both `new to' and `experienced in' the labs. In this talk, we will provide a brief overview of what we have learned, including the challenges of transitioning to large N, student perception then and now, and comparisons of our large-enrollment results to the results from our pilot study. We will close with a discussion of the acculturation of teaching assistants to this novel environment and suggestions for sustainability.

User-centered development and testing of a monitoring system that provides feedback regarding physical functioning to elderly people

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeulen, Joan; Neyens, Jacques CL; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; van Rossum, Erik; Sipers, Walther; Habets, Herbert; Hewson, David J; de Witte, Luc P

2013-01-01

Purpose To involve elderly people during the development of a mobile interface of a monitoring system that provides feedback to them regarding changes in physical functioning and to test the system in a pilot study. Methods and participants The iterative user-centered development process consisted of the following phases: (1) selection of user representatives; (2) analysis of users and their context; (3) identification of user requirements; (4) development of the interface; and (5) evaluation of the interface in the lab. Subsequently, the monitoring and feedback system was tested in a pilot study by five patients who were recruited via a geriatric outpatient clinic. Participants used a bathroom scale to monitor weight and balance, and a mobile phone to monitor physical activity on a daily basis for six weeks. Personalized feedback was provided via the interface of the mobile phone. Usability was evaluated on a scale from 1 to 7 using a modified version of the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ); higher scores indicated better usability. Interviews were conducted to gain insight into the experiences of the participants with the system. Results The developed interface uses colors, emoticons, and written and/or spoken text messages to provide daily feedback regarding (changes in) weight, balance, and physical activity. The participants rated the usability of the monitoring and feedback system with a mean score of 5.2 (standard deviation 0.90) on the modified PSSUQ. The interviews revealed that most participants liked using the system and appreciated that it signaled changes in their physical functioning. However, usability was negatively influenced by a few technical errors. Conclusion Involvement of elderly users during the development process resulted in an interface with good usability. However, the technical functioning of the monitoring system needs to be optimized before it can be used to support elderly people in their self-management. PMID

7 CFR 1580.302 - Technical assistance and services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... producers written confirmation of all technical assistance meetings. Producers shall also have access to technical information provided in writing and electronically. (d) Producers shall also be provided... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Technical assistance and services. 1580.302 Section...

Atendimento de puérperas pela fisioterapia em uma maternidade pública humanizada Postpartum women assisted by physical therapy at a humanized public maternity house

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Tirolli Rett

2008-12-01

been observed; 62,3% of the women presented normal diaphragm kinetics, 85,1% had tympanic sound at abdominal percussion, and normal uterine involution; 87,9% presented pelvic floor muscle contraction, and 30,3% lower limb edema; abdominal muscle diastases measured supra and infra umbilical 2±1 and 1±1 fingers, respectively. As to physical therapy, the women were treated with diaphragm respiratory exercises, abdominal isometric exercises, pelvic floor muscle contractions, lower limb circulatory exercises, flatus elimination maneuvers, deambulation, and guiding. The women's profile was found to be as expected for post-partum physiological recovery. Most had accomplished the physical therapy protocols offered. This study provides useful information on obstetric physical therapy assistance.

Radiological assistance program: Region I. Part I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musolino, S.V.; Kuehner, A.V.; Hull, A.P.

1985-01-01

The purpose of the Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) is to make DOE resources available and provide emergency assistance to state and local agencies in order to control radiological hazards, protect the public health and safety, and minimize the loss of property. This plan is an integral part of a nationwide program of radiological assistance established by the US DOE, and is implemented on a regional basis. The Brookhaven Area Office (BHO) Radiological Assistance Program is applicable to DOE Region I, which consists of the New England States, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The BHO RAP-1 has been developed to: (a) ensure the availability of an effective radiological assistance capability to ensure the protection of persons and property; (b) provide guidelines to RAP-1 Team personnel for the evaluation of radiological incidents and implementation of corrective actions; (c) maintain liaison with other DOE installations, Federal, State and local organizations which may become involved in radiological assistance operations in Region I; and (d) encourage development of a local capability to cope with radiological incidents

Physical mapping and BAC-end sequence analysis provide initial insights into the flax (Linum usitatissimum L. genome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cloutier Sylvie

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Flax (Linum usitatissimum L. is an important source of oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have proven health benefits and utility as an industrial raw material. Flax seeds also contain lignans which are associated with reducing the risk of certain types of cancer. Its bast fibres have broad industrial applications. However, genomic tools needed for molecular breeding were non existent. Hence a project, Total Utilization Flax GENomics (TUFGEN was initiated. We report here the first genome-wide physical map of flax and the generation and analysis of BAC-end sequences (BES from 43,776 clones, providing initial insights into the genome. Results The physical map consists of 416 contigs spanning ~368 Mb, assembled from 32,025 fingerprints, representing roughly 54.5% to 99.4% of the estimated haploid genome (370-675 Mb. The N50 size of the contigs was estimated to be ~1,494 kb. The longest contig was ~5,562 kb comprising 437 clones. There were 96 contigs containing more than 100 clones. Approximately 54.6 Mb representing 8-14.8% of the genome was obtained from 80,337 BES. Annotation revealed that a large part of the genome consists of ribosomal DNA (~13.8%, followed by known transposable elements at 6.1%. Furthermore, ~7.4% of sequence was identified to harbour novel repeat elements. Homology searches against flax-ESTs and NCBI-ESTs suggested that ~5.6% of the transcriptome is unique to flax. A total of 4064 putative genomic SSRs were identified and are being developed as novel markers for their use in molecular breeding. Conclusion The first genome-wide physical map of flax constructed with BAC clones provides a framework for accessing target loci with economic importance for marker development and positional cloning. Analysis of the BES has provided insights into the uniqueness of the flax genome. Compared to other plant genomes, the proportion of rDNA was found to be very high whereas the proportion of known transposable

Reduction of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease by repetitive robot-assisted treadmill training: a pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Friedman Joseph H

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Parkinson's disease is a chronic, neurodegenerative disease characterized by gait abnormalities. Freezing of gait (FOG, an episodic inability to generate effective stepping, is reported as one of the most disabling and distressing parkinsonian symptoms. While there are no specific therapies to treat FOG, some external physical cues may alleviate these types of motor disruptions. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential effect of continuous physical cueing using robot-assisted sensorimotor gait training on reducing FOG episodes and improving gait. Methods Four individuals with Parkinson's disease and FOG symptoms received ten 30-minute sessions of robot-assisted gait training (Lokomat to facilitate repetitive, rhythmic, and alternating bilateral lower extremity movements. Outcomes included the FOG-Questionnaire, a clinician-rated video FOG score, spatiotemporal measures of gait, and the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 quality of life measure. Results All participants showed a reduction in FOG both by self-report and clinician-rated scoring upon completion of training. Improvements were also observed in gait velocity, stride length, rhythmicity, and coordination. Conclusions This pilot study suggests that robot-assisted gait training may be a feasible and effective method of reducing FOG and improving gait. Videotaped scoring of FOG has the potential advantage of providing additional data to complement FOG self-report.

An Introduction to Export Assistance in the Internet Age

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramanathan, Somasundaram; Rask, Morten

2003-01-01

's (2002) model about web marketing strategies for conceptualizing the Internet related developments associated with export assistance. Finally, we highlight the implications of providing export assistance over the Internet. Those interested in export assistance research and those providing export......Governments and other non-profit organizations have been providing information-oriented services for long to encourage exports. The primary targeted recipient of such services is Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SME's). The effectiveness of such activities has been researched extensively until...

An Introduction to Export Assistance in the Internet Age

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramanathan, Somasundaram; Rask, Morten

2004-01-01

's (2002) model about web marketing strategies for conceptualizing the Internet related developments associated with export assistance. Finally, we highlight the implications of providing export assistance over the Internet. Those interested in export assistance research and those providing export......Governments and other non-profit organizations have been providing information-oriented services for long to encourage exports. The primary targeted recipient of such services is Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SME's). The effectiveness of such activities has been researched extensively until...

Development of a teaching tool for women with a gynecologic malignancy undergoing minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Castiglia, Luisa Luciani; Drummond, Nancy; Purden, Margaret A

2011-08-01

Women undergoing minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery for a gynecologic malignancy have many questions and concerns related to the cancer diagnosis and surgery. The provision of information enhances coping with such illness-related challenges. A lack of print materials for these patients prompted the creation of a written teaching tool to improve informational support. A booklet was developed using guidelines for the design of effective patient education materials, including an iterative process of collaboration with healthcare providers and women who had undergone robotic-assisted surgery, as well as attention to readability. The 52-page booklet covers the trajectory of the woman's experience and includes the physical, psychosocial, and sexual aspects of recovery.

Nuclear physics and medical work in Burma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1967-02-15

Useful information connected with environmental radioactivity has already been obtained by the Rangoon Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Burma, the setting up of which was helped by the Agency's Technical Assistance Programme. Other assistance has helped the Rangoon General Hospital to install a scanning unit with which medical diagnosis and treatment can be aided

The informative providing of trade education is in industry of physical culture and sport of countries of former soviet spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iryna Svistel’nik

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to investigate the innovative forms of the informative providing of educational process in institutions of higher learning of physical culture and sport of countries: Ukraine, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Uzbekistan, Russian Federation. Material & Methods: content-analysis of web sites and web pages of sporting institutions of higher learning of these countries. Results: the informative providing of institutions of higher learning of physical culture and sport of Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and RF differs substantially, in spite of the fact that the specific of educating in these educational establishments is identical. Institutions of higher learning of physical culture and sport of Ukraine actively offer the innovative forms of the informative providing − give possibility to the students and teachers to take advantage of e-catalog, electronic repository, virtual bibliographic certificate, electronic delivery of document. Sporting institutions of higher learning of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russian Federation carry out the informative providing by means of the electronic-library systems, in particular "Znanium.com" and "Rukont". The system "Rukont" is erected in the grade of the national inter-branch digital resource created on the base of state educational standard and contains the informative resource of different family: books, magazines, separate articles, and also audio, video data, multimedia. Collection of electronic versions of editions of electronic-library systems "Znanium.com" unites books, magazines, articles grouped on thematic and having a special purpose signs. The unique institute of higher of Republic of Moldova does not give electronic informative services, but uses the traditional forms of the informative providing by means of catalogues and card library indexes. Conclusions: higher educational establishments of physical culture and

How Games are Designed to Increase Students’ Motivation in Learning Physics? A Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Tinedi, V.; Yohandri, Y.; Djamas, D.

2018-04-01

Game is a promising tool to help students in understanding physics concept. It can motivate and provide the opportunities for students to become independent in learning. In order to fulfil these functions, games should be carefully designed. Thus, the objective of this paper is to present how games are designed to increase students’ motivation in learning physics based on several literature reviews. The results showed that there are several ways to increase students’ motivation in learning physics and to achieve that, game dimensions are needed to be considered when designing a game. This literature review may have useful to assist teachers and contribute in improving the design of games.

Rationale, Implementation and Evaluation of Assistive Strategies for an Active Back-Support Exoskeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Toxiri

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Active exoskeletons are potentially more effective and versatile than passive ones, but designing them poses a number of additional challenges. An important open challenge in the field is associated to the assistive strategy, by which the actuation forces are modulated to the user’s needs during the physical activity. This paper addresses this challenge on an active exoskeleton prototype aimed at reducing compressive low-back loads, associated to risk of musculoskeletal injury during manual material handling (i.e., repeatedly lifting objects. An analysis of the biomechanics of the physical task reveals two key factors that determine low-back loads. For each factor, a suitable control strategy for the exoskeleton is implemented. The first strategy is based on user posture and modulates the assistance to support the wearer’s own upper body. The second one adapts to the mass of the lifted object and is a practical implementation of electromyographic control. A third strategy is devised as a generalized combination of the first two. With these strategies, the proposed exoskeleton can quickly adjust to different task conditions (which makes it versatile compared to using multiple, task-specific, devices as well as to individual preference (which promotes user acceptance. Additionally, the presented implementation is potentially applicable to more powerful exoskeletons, capable of generating larger forces. The different strategies are implemented on the exoskeleton and tested on 11 participants in an experiment reproducing the lifting task. The resulting data highlights that the strategies modulate the assistance as intended by design, i.e., they effectively adjust the commanded assistive torque during operation based on user posture and external mass. The experiment also provides evidence of significant reduction in muscular activity at the lumbar spine (around 30% associated to using the exoskeleton. The reduction is well in line with previous

Reexamining the Impact of Employee Relocation Assistance on Housing Prices

OpenAIRE

Marcus T. Allen; Ronald C. Rutherford; Thomas M. Springer

1997-01-01

In this paper, we reexamine the issue of whether corporate relocation assistance programs for transferred employees significantly affect sale prices of single-family homes. We estimate a hedonic price equation that includes physical housing characteristics, location factors, occupancy status, and type of seller for a sample of 2,441 transactions. Seller types include (a) transferred employees who were given direct relocation assistance, (b) transferred employees who were not given direct relo...

34 CFR 300.119 - Technical assistance and training activities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Technical assistance and training activities. 300.119... Technical assistance and training activities. Each SEA must carry out activities to ensure that teachers and....114; and (b) Are provided with technical assistance and training necessary to assist them in this...

Mutual emergency assistance for radiation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-11-01

In 1963 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a document, WP.35, dated 23 November 1963, based on information provided by a number of its Member States on the type of radiological assistance that they might be able to make available in the event of a radiation emergency in another country at the request of that country. The document was subsequently revised in 1968 and 1971 with the participation of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). In 1979, an expanded questionnaire to ascertain what could be required by the State in the event of a major radiation accident, was sent jointly by these organizations with the participation of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator (UNDRO), to all their Member States. The text of the expanded questionnaire is reproduced. The present document lists all the information, received up to mid 1980, that contains offers of assistance made by a State. It also lists information on the assistance that might be required by the State. In general, the replies have been reproduced in the form in which they were received, although a few changes in presentation have been introduced in the interest of brevity and clarity. Some countries have pointed out that their replies are necessarily of a general character and that the full extent of the assistance they would be capable of providing could be determined only after a specific request had been received. The information given in this document should therefore be regarded only as a guide to the type of radiological assistance that might be available and/or needed. Other available international assistance includes that provided by the Agency through the IAEA Radiation (Emergency) Assistance Procedures, by WHO through its system of Collaborating Centres on human radiation pathology, and by various States via regional or inter-countries' agreements on

28 CFR 540.49 - Transportation assistance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Transportation assistance. 540.49 Section... CONTACT WITH PERSONS IN THE COMMUNITY Visiting Regulations § 540.49 Transportation assistance. The Warden shall ensure that directions for transportation to and from the institution are provided for the...

Subsurface Contaminants Focus Area (SCFA) Lead Laboratory Providing Technical Assistance to the DOE Weapons Complex in Subsurface Contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, J. A. Jr.; Corey, J. C.

2002-01-01

The Subsurface Contaminants Focus Area (SCFA), a DOE-HQ EM-50 organization, is hosted and managed at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina. SCFA is an integrated program chartered to find technology and scientific solutions to address DOE subsurface environmental restoration problems throughout the DOE Weapons Complex. Since its inception in 1989, the SCFA program has resulted in a total of 269 deployments of 83 innovative technologies. Until recently, the primary thrust of the program has been to develop, demonstrate, and deploy those remediation technology alternatives that are solutions to technology needs identified by the DOE Sites. Over the last several years, the DOE Sites began to express a need not only for innovative technologies, but also for technical assistance. In response to this need, DOE-HQ EM-50, in collaboration with and in support of a Strategic Lab Council recommendation directed each of its Focus Areas to implement a Lead Laboratory Concept to enhance their technical capabilities. Because each Focus Area is unique as defined by the contrast in either the type of contaminants involved or the environments in which they are found, the Focus Areas were given latitude in how they set up and implemented the Lead Lab Concept. The configuration of choice for the SCFA was a Lead-Partner Lab arrangement. Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) teamed with the SCFA as the Focus Area's Lead Laboratory. SRTC then partnered with the DOE National Laboratories to create a virtual consulting function within DOE. The National Laboratories were established to help solve the Nation's most difficult problems, drawing from a resource pool of the most talented and gifted scientists and engineers. Following that logic, SRTC, through the Lead-Partner Lab arrangement, has that same resource base to draw from to provide assistance to any SCFA DOE customer throughout the Complex. This paper briefly describes how this particular arrangement is organized and

Assistant Personal Robot (APR: Conception and Application of a Tele-Operated Assisted Living Robot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduard Clotet

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the technical description, mechanical design, electronic components, software implementation and possible applications of a tele-operated mobile robot designed as an assisted living tool. This robotic concept has been named Assistant Personal Robot (or APR for short and has been designed as a remotely telecontrolled robotic platform built to provide social and assistive services to elderly people and those with impaired mobility. The APR features a fast high-mobility motion system adapted for tele-operation in plain indoor areas, which incorporates a high-priority collision avoidance procedure. This paper presents the mechanical architecture, electrical fundaments and software implementation required in order to develop the main functionalities of an assistive robot. The APR uses a tablet in order to implement the basic peer-to-peer videoconference and tele-operation control combined with a tactile graphic user interface. The paper also presents the development of some applications proposed in the framework of an assisted living robot.

Modern physics for scientists and engineers

CERN Document Server

Morrison, John C

2010-01-01

Intended for a first course in modern physics, following an introductory course in physics with calculus, Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers begins with a brief and focused account of the historical events leading to the formulation of modern quantum theory, while later chapters delve into the underlying physics. Streamlined content, chapters on semiconductors, Dirac Equation and Quantum Field Theory, and a robust pedagogy and ancillary package including an accompanying website with computer applets assists students in learning the essential material.

The provision of technical assistance by the Agency with special reference to 1971. Report by the Director General

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1972-07-01

number of qualified staff. 4. In 1971, 73 countries received technical assistance in one form or another from the Agency, as shown, Approximately two thirds of all assistance provided related to the application of isotopes and radiation in agriculture, nuclear engineering and technology, nuclear physics and the subjects covered by the classification heading 'Prospecting, mining and processing of nuclear materials'. 5. The assistance, including assistance in kind, was provided through the services of 345 experts, lecturers and visiting professors, the supply of equipment to a value of about $1 489 000, and 739 fellowship awards for individual study, scientific visits, two study tours and other short-term training projects. 6. The resources allocated for carrying out the Agency's 1971 technical assistance programme amounted to $5 630 000, whereas the total value of the technical assistance actually provided in 1971 was about $4 895 000. This includes payments against 1971 and prior years' obligations, as well as assistance in kind, and represents an increase of $900 000 or 23% over the sum of $3 486 000 provided in 1970, but does not include the unliquidated obligations and assistance in kind outstanding at the end of the year. As in earlier reports on the provision of technical assistance by the Agency, details are given below regarding activities in which developing countries have shown special interest in 1971, followed by information concerning other developments relating to technical assistance

The provision of technical assistance by the Agency with special reference to 1971. Report by the Director General

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1972-07-15

number of qualified staff. 4. In 1971, 73 countries received technical assistance in one form or another from the Agency, as shown, Approximately two thirds of all assistance provided related to the application of isotopes and radiation in agriculture, nuclear engineering and technology, nuclear physics and the subjects covered by the classification heading 'Prospecting, mining and processing of nuclear materials'. 5. The assistance, including assistance in kind, was provided through the services of 345 experts, lecturers and visiting professors, the supply of equipment to a value of about $1 489 000, and 739 fellowship awards for individual study, scientific visits, two study tours and other short-term training projects. 6. The resources allocated for carrying out the Agency's 1971 technical assistance programme amounted to $5 630 000, whereas the total value of the technical assistance actually provided in 1971 was about $4 895 000. This includes payments against 1971 and prior years' obligations, as well as assistance in kind, and represents an increase of $900 000 or 23% over the sum of $3 486 000 provided in 1970, but does not include the unliquidated obligations and assistance in kind outstanding at the end of the year. As in earlier reports on the provision of technical assistance by the Agency, details are given below regarding activities in which developing countries have shown special interest in 1971, followed by information concerning other developments relating to technical assistance.

Teamwork, communication, and anaesthetic assistance in Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Rutherford, J S; Flin, R; Mitchell, L

2012-07-01

Teamwork involves supporting others, solving conflicts, exchanging information, and co-ordinating activities. This article describes the results of interviews with anaesthetic assistants (n=22) and consultant anaesthetists (n=11), investigating the non-technical skills involved in the effective teamwork of the anaesthetic assistants in the operating theatre. Anaesthetic assistants most commonly saw themselves as either being part of a theatre team or an anaesthetic subgroup and most commonly described the senior theatre nurse as their team leader. Examples of supporting others included the following: checking equipment, providing equipment, being a second pair of eyes, providing emotional and decision support, and supporting trainee anaesthetists. Of the 19 anaesthetic assistants who were asked if they would speak up if they disagreed with a decision in theatre, only 14 said that they would voice their concerns, and the most common approach was to ask for the logic behind the decision. The WHO checklist was described as prompting some anaesthetists to describe their anaesthetic plan to the anaesthetic assistant, when previously the anaesthetist would have failed to communicate their intentions in time for equipment to be prepared. The prioritization of activities to achieve co-ordination and the anaesthetic assistants becoming familiar with the idiosyncrasies of their regular anaesthetists were also described by anaesthetic assistants.

An Assistive Technology Design Framework for ADHD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Tobias; Marshall, Paul; Obel, Carsten

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a design framework for ADHD assistive technologies that aims to give researchers grounding in the background research on the condition, to provide a lingua franca, and to highlight potential research directions for HCI researchers within assistive technology. The design ...... map existing assistive technologies and potential new research efforts to the framework concepts. This way we show how it is used to support and advance the research and development of novel assistive technologies for the ADHD domain....

eHealth technologies to support nutrition and physical activity behaviors in diabetes self-management.

Science.gov (United States)

Rollo, Megan E; Aguiar, Elroy J; Williams, Rebecca L; Wynne, Katie; Kriss, Michelle; Callister, Robin; Collins, Clare E

2016-01-01

Diabetes is a chronic, complex condition requiring sound knowledge and self-management skills to optimize glycemic control and health outcomes. Dietary intake and physical activity are key diabetes self-management (DSM) behaviors that require tailored education and support. Electronic health (eHealth) technologies have a demonstrated potential for assisting individuals with DSM behaviors. This review provides examples of technologies used to support nutrition and physical activity behaviors in the context of DSM. Technologies covered include those widely used for DSM, such as web-based programs and mobile phone and smartphone applications. In addition, examples of novel tools such as virtual and augmented reality, video games, computer vision for dietary carbohydrate monitoring, and wearable devices are provided. The challenges to, and facilitators for, the use of eHealth technologies in DSM are discussed. Strategies to support the implementation of eHealth technologies within practice and suggestions for future research to enhance nutrition and physical activity behaviors as a part of broader DSM are provided.

Fast-track video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holbek, Bo Laksafoss; Petersen, René Horsleben; Kehlet, Henrik

2016-01-01

Objectives To provide a short overview of fast-track video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and to identify areas requiring further research. Design A literature search was made using key words including: fast-track, enhanced recovery, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, robot......-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS), robotic, thoracotomy, single-incision, uniportal, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), chest tube, air-leak, digital drainage, pain management, analgesia, perioperative management, anaesthesia and non-intubated. References from articles were screened for further...

Tech-X Corporation releases simulation code for solving complex problems in plasma physics : VORPAL code provides a robust environment for simulating plasma processes in high-energy physics, IC fabrications and material processing applications

CERN Multimedia

2005-01-01

Tech-X Corporation releases simulation code for solving complex problems in plasma physics : VORPAL code provides a robust environment for simulating plasma processes in high-energy physics, IC fabrications and material processing applications

Experimental analysis on physical and mechanical properties of thermal shock damage of granite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

He Xiao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to explore the changes of mechanical and physical properties of granite under different thermal loading effects. Uniaxial compression experiments studying the rules of the influence of temperature load on mechanical properties of granite were carried out. After high-temperature heating at above 600 °C, granite tended to have stronger ductility and plasticity as well as declined peak stress and compressive strength. Thermogravimetry - differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC analysis results showed that, thermal load at different temperatures induced reactions such as water loss, oxidation and crystallization in the microstructure of granite, which led to physical changes of granite. Hence it is concluded that, heating can significantly weaken the mechanical performance of granite, which provides an important support for the optimization of heating assisted processing of granite. It also reveals that, heating assisted cutting technique can effectively lower energy consumption and improve processing efficiency.

Using assistive technology outcomes research to inform policy related to the employment of individuals with disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendelsohn, Steven; Edyburn, Dave L; Rust, Kathy L; Schwanke, Todd D; Smith, Roger O

2008-01-01

We know that work is recognized as a central component of life for individuals with and without disabilities. It yields many physical and psychological benefits to the individual while simultaneously contributing numerous benefits to society. Lawmakers have enacted a plethora of laws designed to prevent discrimination, provide incentives for employers to hire individuals with disabilities, and facilitate job training/career preparation. Assistive technology figures prominently in disability employment law as a critical strategy for gaining access and supporting employment and upward mobility in the workplace. However, little systematic effort has been devoted to examining assistive technology use and outcomes as they relate to the employment of individuals with disabilities. The purpose of this article is to articulate a series of issues that permeate assistive technology outcome measurement in employment settings and subsequently affect the use of research knowledge for federal and state policy makers. For each issue, the authors pose three questions for critical analysis: Does the law compel the provision of assistive technology? Does outcome data play any part in the operation of the law? When it does, what kind of data would be useful to collect and where could it be found? Finally, the authors provide a brief glimpse of the current and future research efforts concerning the RSA-911 database. The recent database summaries exemplify the importance of such a national data collection system for informing federal policy, particularly concerning the contributions of assistive technology device use and services on improving the employment of individuals with disabilities.

Animal-assisted interventions as innovative tools for mental health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Cirulli

2011-12-01

Full Text Available There is a growing interest for the potential health benefits of human-animal interactions. Although scientific evidence on the effects is far from being consistent, companion animals are used with a large number of human subjects, ranging from children to elderly people, who benefit most from emotional support. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, this paper examines the potential for domesticated animals, such as dogs, for providing emotional and physical opportunities to enrich the lives of many frail subjects. In particular, we focus on innovative interventions, including the potential use of dogs to improve the life of emotionally-impaired children, such as those affected by autism spectrum disorders. Overall an ever increasing research effort is needed to search for the mechanism that lie behind the human-animal bond as well as to provide standardized methodologies for a cautious and effective use of animal-assisted interventions.

Management of falls in community-dwelling older adults: clinical guidance statement from the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Science.gov (United States)

Avin, Keith G; Hanke, Timothy A; Kirk-Sanchez, Neva; McDonough, Christine M; Shubert, Tiffany E; Hardage, Jason; Hartley, Greg

2015-06-01

Falls in older adults are a major public health concern due to high prevalence, impact on health outcomes and quality of life, and treatment costs. Physical therapists can play a major role in reducing fall risk for older adults; however, existing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) related to fall prevention and management are not targeted to physical therapists. The purpose of this clinical guidance statement (CGS) is to provide recommendations to physical therapists to help improve outcomes in the identification and management of fall risk in community-dwelling older adults. The Subcommittee on Evidence-Based Documents of the Practice Committee of the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy developed this CGS. Existing CPGs were identified by systematic search and critically appraised using the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research, and Evaluation in Europe II (AGREE II) tool. Through this process, 3 CPGs were recommended for inclusion in the CGS and were synthesized and summarized. Screening recommendations include asking all older adults in contact with a health care provider whether they have fallen in the previous year or have concerns about balance or walking. Follow-up should include screening for balance and mobility impairments. Older adults who screen positive should have a targeted multifactorial assessment and targeted intervention. The components of this assessment and intervention are reviewed in this CGS, and barriers and issues related to implementation are discussed. A gap analysis supports the need for the development of a physical therapy-specific CPG to provide more precise recommendations for screening and assessment measures, exercise parameters, and delivery models. This CGS provides recommendations to assist physical therapists in the identification and management of fall risk in older community-dwelling adults. © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association.

Locomotor Sub-functions for Control of Assistive Wearable Robots

OpenAIRE

Sharbafi, Maziar A.; Seyfarth, Andre; Zhao, Guoping

2017-01-01

A primary goal of comparative biomechanics is to understand the fundamental physics of locomotion within an evolutionary context. Such an understanding of legged locomotion results in a transition from copying nature to borrowing strategies for interacting with the physical world regarding design and control of bio-inspired legged robots or robotic assistive devices. Inspired from nature, legged locomotion can be composed of three locomotor sub-functions, which are intrinsically interrelated:...

Validation of ergonomic instructions in robot-assisted surgery simulator training.

Science.gov (United States)

Van't Hullenaar, C D P; Mertens, A C; Ruurda, J P; Broeders, I A M J

2018-05-01

Training in robot-assisted surgery focusses mainly on technical skills and instrument use. Training in optimal ergonomics during robotic surgery is often lacking, while improved ergonomics can be one of the key advantages of robot-assisted surgery. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether a brief explanation on ergonomics of the console can improve body posture and performance. A comparative study was performed with 26 surgical interns and residents using the da Vinci skills simulator (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA). The intervention group received a compact instruction on ergonomic settings and coaching on clutch usage, while the control group received standard instructions for usage of the system. Participants performed two sets of five exercises. Analysis was performed on ergonomic score (RULA) and performance scores provided by the simulator. Mental and physical load scores (NASA-TLX and LED score) were also registered. The intervention group performed better in the clutch-oriented exercises, displaying less unnecessary movement and smaller deviation from the neutral position of the hands. The intervention group also scored significantly better on the RULA ergonomic score in both the exercises. No differences in overall performance scores and subjective scores were detected. The benefits of a brief instruction on ergonomics for novices are clear in this study. A single session of coaching and instruction leads to better ergonomic scores. The control group showed often inadequate ergonomic scores. No significant differences were found regarding physical discomfort, mental task load and overall performance scores.

Yucca Mountain licensing support network archive assistant.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dunlavy, Daniel M.; Bauer, Travis L.; Verzi, Stephen J.; Basilico, Justin Derrick; Shaneyfelt, Wendy

2008-03-01

This report describes the Licensing Support Network (LSN) Assistant--a set of tools for categorizing e-mail messages and documents, and investigating and correcting existing archives of categorized e-mail messages and documents. The two main tools in the LSN Assistant are the LSN Archive Assistant (LSNAA) tool for recategorizing manually labeled e-mail messages and documents and the LSN Realtime Assistant (LSNRA) tool for categorizing new e-mail messages and documents. This report focuses on the LSNAA tool. There are two main components of the LSNAA tool. The first is the Sandia Categorization Framework, which is responsible for providing categorizations for documents in an archive and storing them in an appropriate Categorization Database. The second is the actual user interface, which primarily interacts with the Categorization Database, providing a way for finding and correcting categorizations errors in the database. A procedure for applying the LSNAA tool and an example use case of the LSNAA tool applied to a set of e-mail messages are provided. Performance results of the categorization model designed for this example use case are presented.

Physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia and palliative sedation: attitudes and knowledge of medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Anneser, Johanna; Jox, Ralf J; Thurn, Tamara; Borasio, Gian Domenico

2016-01-01

In November 2015, the German Federal Parliament voted on a new legal regulation regarding assisted suicide. It was decided to amend the German Criminal Code so that any "regular, repetitive offer" (even on a non-profit basis) of assistance in suicide would now be considered a punishable offense. On July 2, 2015, a date which happened to be accompanied by great media interest in that it was the day that the first draft of said law was presented to Parliament, we surveyed 4th year medical students at the Technical University Munich on "physician-assisted suicide," "euthanasia" and "palliative sedation," based on a fictitious case vignette study. The vignette study described two versions of a case in which a patient suffered from a nasopharyngeal carcinoma (physical suffering subjectively perceived as being unbearable vs. emotional suffering). The students were asked about the current legal norms for each respective course of action as well as their attitudes towards the ethical acceptability of these measures. Out of 301 students in total, 241 (80%) participated in the survey; 109 answered the version 1 questionnaire (physical suffering) and 132 answered the version 2 questionnaire (emotional suffering). The majority of students were able to assess the currently prevailing legal norms on palliative sedation (legal) and euthanasia (illegal) correctly (81.2% and 93.7%, respectively), while only a few students knew that physician-assisted suicide, at that point in time, did not constitute a criminal offense. In the case study that was presented, 83.3% of the participants considered palliative sedation and the simultaneous withholding of artificial nutrition and hydration as ethically acceptable, 51.2% considered physician-assisted suicide ethically legitimate, and 19.2% considered euthanasia ethically permissible. When comparing the results of versions 1 and 2, a significant difference could only be seen in the assessment of the legality of palliative sedation: it was

The Learning Assistant Model for Science Teacher Recruitment and Preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Otero, Valerie

2006-04-01

There is a shortage of high quality physical science teachers in the United States. In 2001, less than 50% of teachers who taught physics held a major or minor in physics or physics education (Neuschatz & McFarling, 2003). Studies point to content knowledge as one of the two factors that is positively correlated with teacher quality. However, those directly responsible for the science content preparation of teachers, specifically science research faculty, are rarely involved in focused efforts to improve teacher quality or to create alternative paths for becoming a teacher. What role should science research faculty play in the recruitment and preparation of science teachers? How might teacher recruitment and preparation be conceived so that science research faculty members' participation in these efforts is not at odds with the traditional scientific research foci of science research departments? To address this issue, we have coupled our teacher recruitment and preparation efforts with our efforts for transforming our large-enrollment, undergraduate science courses. This is achieved through the undergraduate Learning Assistant (LA) program, where talented mathematics and science majors are hired to assist in transforming large enrollment courses to student-centered, collaborative environments. These LAs are the target of our teacher recruitment efforts. Science research faculty, in collaboration with faculty from the school of education have established a community that supports LAs in making decisions to explore K12 teaching as a career option. Fifteen percent of the LAs who have participated in this program have entered teaching credential programs and now plan to become K12 teachers. An added effect of this program is that research faculty have developed skills and knowledge regarding inquiry-based and student-centered pedagogy and theories of student learning. The Learning Assistant program has led to increased subject matter knowledge among learning

Promoting exercise behaviour in a secure mental health setting: Healthcare assistant perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinnafick, Florence-Emilie; Papathomas, Anthony; Regoczi, Dora

2018-05-30

Individuals with severe mental illness engage in significantly less amounts of physical activity than the general population. A secure mental health setting can exacerbate barriers to exercise, and facilitate physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour. Healthcare assistants are intimately involved in the daily lives of patients and, therefore, should be considered integral to exercise promotion in secure mental health settings. Our aim was to explore healthcare assistants' perceptions of exercise and their attitudes to exercise promotion for adult patients in a secure mental health hospital. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 healthcare assistants from a large UK-based secure mental health hospital. Topics included healthcare assistants' personal experiences of exercise within a secure facility, their perceptions of exercise as an effective treatment tool for mental health, and their perceived roles and responsibilities for exercise promotion. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Three main themes were identified: (i) exercise is multi-beneficial to patients, (ii) perceived barriers to effective exercise promotion, and (iii) strategies for effectives exercise promotion. Healthcare assistants considered exercise to hold patient benefits. However, core organizational and individual barriers limited healthcare assistants' exercise promotion efforts. An informal approach to exercise promotion was deemed most effective to some, whereas others committed to more formal strategies including compulsory sessions. With education and organizational support, we propose healthcare assistants are well placed to identify individual needs for exercise promotion. Their consultation could lead to more efficacious, person-sensitive interventions. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Development of an orthosis for walking assistance using pneumatic artificial muscle: a quantitative assessment of the effect of assistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawamura, T; Takanaka, K; Nakamura, T; Osumi, H

2013-06-01

In recent years, there is an increase in the number of people that require support during walking as a result of a decrease in the leg muscle strength accompanying aging. An important index for evaluating walking ability is step length. A key cause for a decrease in step length is the loss of muscle strength in the legs. Many researchers have designed and developed orthoses for walking assistance. In this study, we advanced the design of an orthosis for walking assistance that assists the forward swing of the leg to increase step length. We employed a pneumatic artificial muscle as the actuator so that flexible assistance with low rigidity can be achieved. To evaluate the performance of the system, we measured the effect of assistance quantitatively. In this study, we constructed a prototype of the orthosis and measure EMG and step length on fitting it to a healthy subject so as to determine the effect of assistance, noting the increase in the obtained step length. Although there was an increase in EMG stemming from the need to maintain body balance during the stance phase, we observed that the EMG of the sartorius muscle, which helps swing the leg forward, decreased, and the strength of the semitendinosus muscle, which restrains the leg against over-assistance, did not increase but decreased. Our experiments showed that the assistance force provided by the developed orthosis is not adequate for the intended task, and the development of a mechanism that provides appropriate assistance is required in the future.

Physical activity and mental health in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Physical activity is prescribed as a component of primary management for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). This study investigates the association between physical activity and mental health as well as the exercise barriers, motivators and support providers for younger women with and without PCOS to assist in physical activity uptake and prescription for these women. Methods Women aged 18-50 years with (n = 153) and without PCOS (n = 64) completed a questionnaire at one time point. The questionnaire included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and a survey regarding levels of physical activity, physical activity barriers, motivators and supports. A MANCOVA assessed associations between physical activity, PCOS and mental health (specifically depression and anxiety). Descriptive and Chi square goodness of fit statistics assessed the differences in perceived barriers, motivators and support providers amongst women with and without PCOS. Results Women with PCOS displayed higher severity of depression (F(1,210) = 8.32, p = 0.004) and anxiety (F(1,210) = 17.37, p motivated to be active to control a medical condition (Χ 2  = 7.48; p = 0.006). Women with PCOS identified more sources of support compared to women without PCOS. Conclusions Physical activity is associated with lower depression in women with PCOS and differences exist in the self-reported physical activity barriers, motivators and support providers, compared to controls. Being more active may offer mental health benefits in managing PCOS. Prescribing physical activity to women with PCOS should be individualized and consider both common and PCOS-specific barriers and motivators for successful engagement. PMID:24674140

Usefulness of MRI-assisted metabolic volumetric parameters provided by simultaneous {sup 18}F-fluorocholine PET/MRI for primary prostate cancer characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yong-il [Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University, Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cheon, Gi Jeong [Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Radiological Science Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Chongno-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Paeng, Jin Chul [Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Jeong Yeon [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Radiological Science Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, 101 Daehak-ro, Chongno-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kwak, Cheol [Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Urology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Keon Wook; Chung, June-Key [Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Radiological Science Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Euishin Edmund [Seoul National University, Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); University of California, Department of Radiological Sciences, Irvine, CA (United States); Lee, Dong Soo [Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University, Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-07-15

The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of MRI-assisted positron emission tomography (PET) parameters provided by simultaneous {sup 18}F-fluorocholine (FCH) PET/MRI for characterization of primary prostate cancer. Thirty patients with localized prostate cancer (mean age 69.4 ± 6.7 years) confirmed by biopsy were prospectively enrolled for simultaneous PET/MRI imaging. The patients underwent {sup 18}F-FCH PET/MRI 1 week before undergoing total prostatectomy. Multiple parameters of diffusion-weighted MRI [minimum and mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC{sub min} and ADC{sub mean})], metabolic PET [maximum and mean standardized uptake value (SUV{sub max} and SUV{sub mean})], and metabolic volumetric PET [metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and uptake volume product (UVP)] were compared with laboratory, pathologic, and immunohistochemical (IHC) features of the prostate cancer specimen. PET parameters were divided into two categories as follows: volume of interest (VOI) of prostate by SUV cutoff 2.5 (SUV{sub max}, SUV{sub mean}, MTV{sub SUV}, and UVP{sub SUV}) and MRI-assisted VOI of prostate cancer (SUV{sub maxMRI}, SUV{sub meanMRI}, MTV{sub MRI}, and UVP{sub MRI}). The rates of prostate cancer-positive cases identified by MRI alone, {sup 18}F-FCH PET alone, and {sup 18}F-FCH PET/MRI were 83.3, 80.0, and 93.3 %, respectively. Among the multiple PET/MRI parameters, MTV{sub MRI} showed fair correlation with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA; r = 0.442, p = 0.014) and highest correlation with tumor volume (r = 0.953, p < 0.001). UVP{sub MRI} showed highest correlation with serum PSA (r = 0.531, p = 0.003), good correlation with tumor volume (r = 0.908, p < 0.001), and it was significantly associated with Gleason score (p = 0.041). High MTV{sub MRI} and UVP{sub MRI} values were significant for perineural invasion, lymphatic invasion, extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, and positive B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expression (all p < 0

Radiation emergency medical preparedness and assistance network in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Xu

2008-01-01

Full text: Rapid economic growth in demand has given rise to power shortage in China. The installed capacity of nuclear power has been scheduled to reach 36-40 GW in preliminary plans, which is about 4% of China's energy supply by 2020. On the other hand, the number of radiation facilities rises 7% annually, while this figure for medical accelerators and CT is 15%. With the application of radiation sources increasing, the possibility of accidents exposure is growing. The radiation emergency medical preparedness is increasingly practically challenging. CCMRRE (Chinese Center for Medical Response to Radiation Emergency), which functions as a national and professional institute with departments for clinic, monitoring and evaluating and technical supporting, was established in 1992. Clinic departments of haematological and surgical centres, and specialists in the radiation diagnosis and therapy, is responsible for the medical assistance in radiation accidents. The monitoring and evaluating department with bio-dosimetry, physical dosimetry and radiation monitoring laboratory, concentrates in radiation monitoring, dose estimating of accident exposure. Technical support department with advisors and experts in exposure dose estimating, radiation protecting and injury treating, provides technical instruction in case of nuclear and radiological accidents. In addition, around whole country, local organization providing first assistance, regional clinic treatment and radiation protection in nuclear accidents has been established. To strengthen the capability of radiation emergency medical response and to improve the cooperation with local organization, the managers and involved staffs were trained in skill frequently. The medical preparedness exercise, which mimics the nuclear accidents condition, was organized by CCMRRE and performed in 2007. The performances demonstrated that the radiation emergency medical preparedness and assistance system is prompt, functional and

Physics and radiology for nursing professions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goretzki, G.

1977-01-01

Since mechanization is progressing more and more in the health service, especially in the hospitals, persons working in medical assisting professions must increase their knowledge and understanding of technical and physical matters. This book aims at showing the physical connections important for the medical sphere and to describe their application in medicine. The topics of the book were selected according to the 'physical profile' of a modern large hospital and to the legally assigned subjects for physics in nursing training. Contents and presentation of the subjects have been proving good for several years in physics taught in nursing schools. (orig./RW) [de

Physical security technologies for weapons complex reconfiguration facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaeger, C.D.

1994-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories was a member of the Weapons Complex Reconfiguration (WCR) Safeguards and Security (S ampersand S) team providing assistance to the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Weapons Complex Reconfiguration. The physical security systems in the new and upgraded facilities being considered for the WCR had to meet DOE orders and other requirements set forth in the WCR Programmatic Design Criteria (PDC), incorporate the latest physical security technologies using proven state-of-the-art systems and meet fundamental security principles. The outcome was to avoid costly retrofits and provide effective and comprehensive protection against current and projected threats with minimal impact on operations, costs and schedule. Physical security requirements for WCR facilities include: (1) reducing S ampersand S life-cycle costs, (2) where feasible automating S ampersand S functions to minimize operational costs, access to critical assets and exposure of people to hazardous environments, (3) increasing the amount of delay to outsider adversary attack, (4) compartmentalizing the facility to minimize the number of personnel requiring access to critical areas and (5) having reliable and maintainable systems. To be most effective against threats physical security must be integrated with facility operations, safety and other S ampersand S activities, such as material control and accountability, nuclear measurements and computer and information security. This paper will discuss the S ampersand S issues, requirements, technology opportunities and needs. Physical security technologies and systems considered in the design effort of the Weapons Complex Reconfiguration facilities will be reviewed

Predicting substance-abuse treatment providers' communication with clients about medication assisted treatment: a test of the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberto, Anthony J; Shafer, Michael S; Marmo, Jennifer

2014-01-01

The purpose of this investigation is to determine if the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and theory of planned behavior (TPB) can retrospectively predict whether substance-abuse treatment providers encourage their clients to use medicated-assisted treatment (MAT) as part of their treatment plan. Two-hundred and ten substance-abuse treatment providers completed a survey measuring attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and behavior. Results indicate that substance-abuse treatment providers have very positive attitudes, neutral subjective norms, somewhat positive perceived behavioral control, somewhat positive intentions toward recommending MAT as part of their clients' treatment plan, and were somewhat likely to engage in the actual behavior. Further, the data fit both the TRA and TPB, but with the TPB model having better fit and predictive power for this target audience and behavior. The theoretical and practical implications for the developing messages for substance-abuse treatment providers and other health-care professionals who provide treatment to patients with substance use disorders are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

User modeling and adaptation for daily routines providing assistance to people with special needs

CERN Document Server

Martín, Estefanía; Carro, Rosa M

2013-01-01

User Modeling and Adaptation for Daily Routines is motivated by the need to bring attention to how people with special needs can benefit from adaptive methods and techniques in their everyday lives. Assistive technologies, adaptive systems and context-aware applications are three well-established research fields. There is, in fact, a vast amount of literature that covers HCI-related issues in each area separately. However, the contributions in the intersection of these areas have been less visible, despite the fact that such synergies may have a great impact on improving daily living.Presentin

International Conference on Recent Trends in Physics 2016 (ICRTP2016)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

The ICRTP conference series, a bi-annual affair, has been hosted by School of Physics, Devi Ahilya University, Indore - 452001 (India), since 2012. The third such conference in this series ICRTP2016 was held during 13 - 14 February 2016. The purpose of the conference was to provide a platform that would enable scientists, teachers, researchers and students to interact and share ideas, thoughts and scientific findings in all areas of Physics, including Condensed matter and Materials Physics, Laser and Plasma Physics, Nuclear Physics, Computational Physics, High Energy Physics. Over 160 participants from India, Italy, Portugal and, Spain attended the conference that included an inaugural talk, a special talk, 16 invited talks, 3 oral presentations and, a poster session. Presented posters were judged by a panel of experts and, 3 best posters were awarded cash prize. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the conference committee members and, reviewers for their valuable time in making this conference a great success. We thank all the participants for making ICRTP 2016 an unforgettable event. Special thanks to Ms. Madhuri Shah for providing editorial assistance. Financial support from University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India is gratefully acknowledged. Sincere thanks to university administration, faculty members, administrative staff volunteers and, students of the School of Physics for their support in organizing ICRTP 2016. Thanks are due to Ms Sarah Toms, Conference Publishing Coordinator, Journal of Physics Conference Series (JPCS), IOP Publishing Ltd, UK, for all help in bringing out ICRTP 2016 proceedings in JPCS. (paper)

Evaluation of a Voluntary Tutoring Program in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics for First-Year Undergraduates at Universidad Andres Bello, Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez, Verónica A.; Acuña, Fabiola C.; Quiero, Felipe J.; López, Margarita; Zahn, Carmen I.

2015-01-01

This work describes the preliminary results of a tutoring program that provides personalized academic assistance to first-year undergraduates enrolled in introductory chemistry, physics and mathematics courses at Universidad Andres Bello (UNAB), in Concepción, Chile. Intervened courses have historically large enrolments, diverse student population…

User-centered development and testing of a monitoring system that provides feedback regarding physical functioning to elderly people

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vermeulen J

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Joan Vermeulen,1 Jacques CL Neyens,1 Marieke D Spreeuwenberg,1 Erik van Rossum,1,2 Walther Sipers,3 Herbert Habets,3 David J Hewson,4 Luc P de Witte1,2 1School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; 2Research Center for Technology in Care, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen, The Netherlands; 3Expertise Center for Elderly Care, Orbis Medical Center, Sittard, The Netherlands; 4Institute Charles Delaunay, Université de Technologie de Troyes, Troyes, France Purpose: To involve elderly people during the development of a mobile interface of a monitoring system that provides feedback to them regarding changes in physical functioning and to test the system in a pilot study. Methods and participants: The iterative user-centered development process consisted of the following phases: (1 selection of user representatives; (2 analysis of users and their context; (3 identification of user requirements; (4 development of the interface; and (5 evaluation of the interface in the lab. Subsequently, the monitoring and feedback system was tested in a pilot study by five patients who were recruited via a geriatric outpatient clinic. Participants used a bathroom scale to monitor weight and balance, and a mobile phone to monitor physical activity on a daily basis for six weeks. Personalized feedback was provided via the interface of the mobile phone. Usability was evaluated on a scale from 1 to 7 using a modified version of the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ; higher scores indicated better usability. Interviews were conducted to gain insight into the experiences of the participants with the system. Results: The developed interface uses colors, emoticons, and written and/or spoken text messages to provide daily feedback regarding (changes in weight, balance, and physical activity. The participants rated the usability of the monitoring and feedback system with a mean score of 5

Radiological, physical, and chemical characterization of transuranic wastes stored at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apel, M.L.; Becker, G.K.; Ragan, Z.K.; Frasure, J.; Raivo, B.D.; Gale, L.G.; Pace, D.P.

1994-03-01

This document provides radiological, physical and chemical characterization data for transuranic radioactive wastes and transuranic radioactive and hazardous (i.e., mixed) wastes stored at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and considered for treatment under the Private Sector Participation Initiative Program (PSPI). Waste characterization data are provided in the form of INEL Waste Profile Sheets. These documents provide, for each content code, information on waste identification, waste description, waste storage configuration, physical/chemical waste composition, radionuclide and associated alpha activity waste characterization data, and hazardous constituents present in the waste. Information is provided for 139 waste streams which represent an estimated total volume of 39,380 3 corresponding to a total mass of approximately 19,000,000 kg. In addition, considerable information concerning alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron source term data specific to Rocky Flats Plant generated waste forms stored at the INEL are provided to assist in facility design specification

Employee Assistance Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Hermine Zagat

1985-01-01

The author reports company responses to a questionnaire concerning employee assistance programs (EAP). Answers concern EAP structure, staff training, use of outside consultant, services provided by EAPs, program administration, employee confidence in EAPs, advertising the program, program philosophy, problems encountered by EAP users, coverage and…

Computer-Vision-Assisted Palm Rehabilitation With Supervised Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Vamsikrishna, K M; Dogra, Debi Prosad; Desarkar, Maunendra Sankar

2016-05-01

Physical rehabilitation supported by the computer-assisted-interface is gaining popularity among health-care fraternity. In this paper, we have proposed a computer-vision-assisted contactless methodology to facilitate palm and finger rehabilitation. Leap motion controller has been interfaced with a computing device to record parameters describing 3-D movements of the palm of a user undergoing rehabilitation. We have proposed an interface using Unity3D development platform. Our interface is capable of analyzing intermediate steps of rehabilitation without the help of an expert, and it can provide online feedback to the user. Isolated gestures are classified using linear discriminant analysis (DA) and support vector machines (SVM). Finally, a set of discrete hidden Markov models (HMM) have been used to classify gesture sequence performed during rehabilitation. Experimental validation using a large number of samples collected from healthy volunteers reveals that DA and SVM perform similarly while applied on isolated gesture recognition. We have compared the results of HMM-based sequence classification with CRF-based techniques. Our results confirm that both HMM and CRF perform quite similarly when tested on gesture sequences. The proposed system can be used for home-based palm or finger rehabilitation in the absence of experts.

Metal-assisted etch combined with regularizing etch

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yim, Joanne; Miller, Jeff; Jura, Michael; Black, Marcie R.; Forziati, Joanne; Murphy, Brian; Magliozzi, Lauren

2018-03-06

In an aspect of the disclosure, a process for forming nanostructuring on a silicon-containing substrate is provided. The process comprises (a) performing metal-assisted chemical etching on the substrate, (b) performing a clean, including partial or total removal of the metal used to assist the chemical etch, and (c) performing an isotropic or substantially isotropic chemical etch subsequently to the metal-assisted chemical etch of step (a). In an alternative aspect of the disclosure, the process comprises (a) performing metal-assisted chemical etching on the substrate, (b) cleaning the substrate, including removal of some or all of the assisting metal, and (c) performing a chemical etch which results in regularized openings in the silicon substrate.

Land Acquisition and Relocation Assistance for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Assisted Projects

Science.gov (United States)

2017-07-10

This advisory circular (AC) provides guidance to sponsors of airport projects developed under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) to meet the requirements of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (Pl 9...

Region 8 radiological assistance program team response manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webb, D.E.

1997-01-01

The purpose of this manual is to provide guidance so that a request for radiological assistance is responded to in an effective and consistent manner. These procedures are specific to the trained and qualified members of the Region 8 Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) team. Procedures provide steps for responding to the request, notification and activation of the team members, position descriptions, and checklists

Mutual emergency assistance for radiation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1971-01-01

This document presents the result of a questionnaire survey conducted in order to assess what type of emergency assistance IAEA member states could provide in the event of radiation accidents. The survey covers resources like skilled personnel in collection, analysis and interpretation of data, surveying and radiation protection equipment, radiochemical analysis facilities, and medical assistance capacities

Management of Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Clinical Guidance Statement From the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association

Science.gov (United States)

Avin, Keith G.; Hanke, Timothy A.; Kirk-Sanchez, Neva; McDonough, Christine M.; Shubert, Tiffany E.; Hartley, Greg

2015-01-01

Background Falls in older adults are a major public health concern due to high prevalence, impact on health outcomes and quality of life, and treatment costs. Physical therapists can play a major role in reducing fall risk for older adults; however, existing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) related to fall prevention and management are not targeted to physical therapists. Objective The purpose of this clinical guidance statement (CGS) is to provide recommendations to physical therapists to help improve outcomes in the identification and management of fall risk in community-dwelling older adults. Design and Methods The Subcommittee on Evidence-Based Documents of the Practice Committee of the Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy developed this CGS. Existing CPGs were identified by systematic search and critically appraised using the Appraisal of Guidelines, Research, and Evaluation in Europe II (AGREE II) tool. Through this process, 3 CPGs were recommended for inclusion in the CGS and were synthesized and summarized. Results Screening recommendations include asking all older adults in contact with a health care provider whether they have fallen in the previous year or have concerns about balance or walking. Follow-up should include screening for balance and mobility impairments. Older adults who screen positive should have a targeted multifactorial assessment and targeted intervention. The components of this assessment and intervention are reviewed in this CGS, and barriers and issues related to implementation are discussed. Limitations A gap analysis supports the need for the development of a physical therapy–specific CPG to provide more precise recommendations for screening and assessment measures, exercise parameters, and delivery models. Conclusion This CGS provides recommendations to assist physical therapists in the identification and management of fall risk in older community-dwelling adults. PMID:25573760

Physical Literacy: Getting Kids Active for Life

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens-Smith, Deborah A.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to explore the context of the physical literacy movement and how it can impact play and participation. The article is intended to assist play advocates (i.e., physical education, recreation, sport educators) in implementing quality programs linked to curricular outcomes designed to foster the development of…

Speech interaction strategies for a humanoid assistant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stüker Sebastian

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The goal of SecondHands, a H2020 project, is to design a robot that can offer help to a maintenance technician in a proactive manner. The robot is to act as a second pair of hands that can assist the technician when he is in need of help. In order for the robot to be of real help to the technician, it needs to understand his needs and follow his commands. Interaction via speech is a crucial part of this. Due to the nature of the situation in which the interactions take place, often the technician needs to speak to the robot when under stress performing strenuous physical labor, the classical turn based interaction schemes need to be transformed into dialogue systems that perform stream processing, anticipating user intentions, correcting itself as more information become available, in order to be able to respond in a rapid manner. In order to meet these demands, we are developing low-latency streaming based automatic speech recognition systems in combination with recurrent neural network based Natural Language Understanding systems that perform slot filling and intent recognition in order for the robot to provide assistance in a rapid manner, that can be partly based on speculative classifications that are then being refined as more speech becomes available.

Case of two electrostatics problems: Can providing a diagram adversely impact introductory physics students’ problem solving performance?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru Maries

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Drawing appropriate diagrams is a useful problem solving heuristic that can transform a problem into a representation that is easier to exploit for solving it. One major focus while helping introductory physics students learn effective problem solving is to help them understand that drawing diagrams can facilitate problem solution. We conducted an investigation in which two different interventions were implemented during recitation quizzes in a large enrollment algebra-based introductory physics course. Students were either (i asked to solve problems in which the diagrams were drawn for them or (ii explicitly told to draw a diagram. A comparison group was not given any instruction regarding diagrams. We developed rubrics to score the problem solving performance of students in different intervention groups and investigated ten problems. We found that students who were provided diagrams never performed better and actually performed worse than the other students on three problems, one involving standing sound waves in a tube (discussed elsewhere and two problems in electricity which we focus on here. These two problems were the only problems in electricity that involved considerations of initial and final conditions, which may partly account for why students provided with diagrams performed significantly worse than students who were not provided with diagrams. In order to explore potential reasons for this finding, we conducted interviews with students and found that some students provided with diagrams may have spent less time on the conceptual analysis and planning stage of the problem solving process. In particular, those provided with the diagram were more likely to jump into the implementation stage of problem solving early without fully analyzing and understanding the problem, which can increase the likelihood of mistakes in solutions.

Case of two electrostatics problems: Can providing a diagram adversely impact introductory physics students' problem solving performance?

Science.gov (United States)

Maries, Alexandru; Singh, Chandralekha

2018-06-01

Drawing appropriate diagrams is a useful problem solving heuristic that can transform a problem into a representation that is easier to exploit for solving it. One major focus while helping introductory physics students learn effective problem solving is to help them understand that drawing diagrams can facilitate problem solution. We conducted an investigation in which two different interventions were implemented during recitation quizzes in a large enrollment algebra-based introductory physics course. Students were either (i) asked to solve problems in which the diagrams were drawn for them or (ii) explicitly told to draw a diagram. A comparison group was not given any instruction regarding diagrams. We developed rubrics to score the problem solving performance of students in different intervention groups and investigated ten problems. We found that students who were provided diagrams never performed better and actually performed worse than the other students on three problems, one involving standing sound waves in a tube (discussed elsewhere) and two problems in electricity which we focus on here. These two problems were the only problems in electricity that involved considerations of initial and final conditions, which may partly account for why students provided with diagrams performed significantly worse than students who were not provided with diagrams. In order to explore potential reasons for this finding, we conducted interviews with students and found that some students provided with diagrams may have spent less time on the conceptual analysis and planning stage of the problem solving process. In particular, those provided with the diagram were more likely to jump into the implementation stage of problem solving early without fully analyzing and understanding the problem, which can increase the likelihood of mistakes in solutions.

Technical Assistance Plan (TAP)

Science.gov (United States)

A Technical Assistance Plan (TAP) enables community groups to retain the services of an independent technical advisor and to provide resources for a community group to help inform other community members about site decisions.

Assistance needed for the integration of orphaned and vulnerable ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

More distanced families, friends and strangers also showed a strong willingness to incorporate children – provided they receive sufficient help. For all categories, the greater the assistance the more likely they would be to take in children. While direct financial assistance was important, assistance with education-related ...

Increasing Physical Activity Amongst Overweight and Obese Cancer Survivors Using an Alexa-Based Intelligent Agent for Patient Coaching: Protocol for the Physical Activity by Technology Help (PATH) Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassoon, Ahmed; Schrack, Jennifer; Naiman, Daniel; Lansey, Dina; Baig, Yasmin; Stearns, Vered; Celentano, David; Martin, Seth; Appel, Lawrence

2018-02-12

Physical activity has established health benefits, but motivation and adherence remain challenging. We designed and launched a three-arm randomized trial to test artificial intelligence technology solutions to increase daily physical activity in cancer survivors. A single-center, three-arm randomized clinical trial with an allocation ration of 1:1:1: (A) control, in which participants are provided written materials about the benefits of physical activity; (B) text intervention, where participants receive daily motivation from a fully automated, data-driven algorithmic text message via mobile phone (Coachtext); and (C) Voice Assist intervention, where participants are provided with an in-home on demand autonomous Intelligent Agent using data driven Interactive Digital Voice Assist on the Amazon Alexa/Echo (MyCoach). The study runs for 5 weeks: a one-week run-in to establish baseline, followed by 4 weeks of intervention. Data for study outcomes is collected automatically through a wearable sensor, and data are transferred in real-time to the study server. The recruitment goal is 42 participants, 14 in each arm. Electronic health records are used to prescreen candidates, with 39 participants recruited to date. This study aims to investigate the effects of different types of intelligent technology solutions on promoting physical activity in cancer survivors. This innovative approach can easily be expanded and customized to other interventions. Early lessons from our initial participants are helping us develop additional advanced solutions to improve health outcomes. Retrospectively registered on July 10, 2017 at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03212079; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03212079 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wgvqjTji). ©Ahmed Hassoon, Jennifer Schrack, Daniel Naiman, Dina Lansey, Yasmin Baig, Vered Stearns, David Celentano, Seth Martin, Lawrence Appel. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http

Technical assistance in Latin America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oteiza-Quirno, A.

1976-01-01

As in the other regions, nuclear technology development in Latin America reflects mainly the degree of technological development already existing in each country. It is quite significant that in nearly all countries in Latin America the medical profession has been the first to show interest in using nuclear techniques. As a result, a country such as Uruguay has become a source of recruitment for technical assistance experts in nuclear medicine to other developing countries, while at the same time it continues to receive assistance for new sophisticated techniques from the IAEA. Part of this assistance, in turn, comes from the neighbouring countries, Argentina and Brazil. For example, an expert from Uruguay is currently assigned under an Agency programme to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala, and experts from Argentina and Brazil have been sent to Uruguay. This is an example of 'horizontal' development, meaning mutual assistance between developing countries under programmes supported by the United Nations Agencies, which is now being emphasized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Still in the field of nuclear medicine, another significant model is provided by Bolivia. With assistance from the IAEA, and thanks to the availability of a good professional infrastructure in that country, a net of nuclear medicine services has been started, consisting of a well-developed nuclear medicine centre in La Paz and regional centres in Cochabamba, Sucre and Santa Cruz. Because of its great variations in altitude, Bolivia is in the position of being able to conduct research on the adaptation of man to diverse environmental conditions. The Agency has contributed, and continues to do so, to these programmes by sending experts, providing for training abroad of Bolivian doctors under its fellowship programmes, and providing basic equipment for all four centres. Independently of the cases described above, the IAEA has implemented or is implementing a considerable

Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in dementia: A qualitative study of the views of former dementia carers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomlinson, Emily; Spector, Aimee; Nurock, Shirley; Stott, Joshua

2015-09-01

Despite media and academic interest on assisted dying in dementia, little is known of the views of those directly affected. This study explored the views of former carers on assisted dying in dementia. This was a qualitative study using thematic analysis. A total of 16 former carers of people with dementia were recruited through national dementia charities and participated in semi-structured interviews. While many supported the individual's right to die, the complexity of assisted dying in dementia was emphasized. Existential, physical, psychological and psychosocial aspects of suffering were identified as potential reasons to desire an assisted death. Most believed it would help to talk with a trained health professional if contemplating an assisted death. Health workers should be mindful of the holistic experience of dementia at the end of life. The psychological and existential aspects of suffering should be addressed, as well as relief of physical pain. Further research is required. © The Author(s) 2015.

Integrated physical map of bread wheat chromosome arm 7DS to facilitate gene cloning and comparative studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Tulpová, Zuzana; Luo, Ming-Cheng; Toegelová, Helena; Visendi, Paul; Hayashi, Satomi; Vojta, Petr; Paux, Etienne; Kilian, Andrzej; Abrouk, Michaël; Bartoš, Jan; Hajdúch, Marián; Batley, Jacqueline; Edwards, David; Doležel, Jaroslav; Šimková, Hana

2018-03-08

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a staple food for a significant part of the world's population. The growing demand on its production can be satisfied by improving yield and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. Knowledge of the genome sequence would aid in discovering genes and QTLs underlying these traits and provide a basis for genomics-assisted breeding. Physical maps and BAC clones associated with them have been valuable resources from which to generate a reference genome of bread wheat and to assist map-based gene cloning. As a part of a joint effort coordinated by the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium, we have constructed a BAC-based physical map of bread wheat chromosome arm 7DS consisting of 895 contigs and covering 94% of its estimated length. By anchoring BAC contigs to one radiation hybrid map and three high resolution genetic maps, we assigned 73% of the assembly to a distinct genomic position. This map integration, interconnecting a total of 1713 markers with ordered and sequenced BAC clones from a minimal tiling path, provides a tool to speed up gene cloning in wheat. The process of physical map assembly included the integration of the 7DS physical map with a whole-genome physical map of Aegilops tauschii and a 7DS Bionano genome map, which together enabled efficient scaffolding of physical-map contigs, even in the non-recombining region of the genetic centromere. Moreover, this approach facilitated a comparison of bread wheat and its ancestor at BAC-contig level and revealed a reconstructed region in the 7DS pericentromere. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Green Care: A Review of the Benefits and Potential of Animal-Assisted Care Farming Globally and in Rural America

OpenAIRE

Artz, Brianna; Bitler Davis, Doris

2017-01-01

Simple Summary The term Green Care encompasses a number of therapeutic strategies that can include farm-animal-assisted therapy, horticultural therapy, and general, farm-based therapy. This review article provides an overview of how Green Care has been used as part of the therapeutic plan for a variety of psychological disorders and related physical disabilities in children, adolescents and adults. While many countries have embraced Green Care, and research-based evidence supports its efficac...

A Quality Improvement System to Manage Feeding Assistance Care in Assisted-Living.

Science.gov (United States)

Simmons, Sandra F; Coelho, Chris S; Sandler, Andrew; Schnelle, John F

2018-03-01

To describe a feasible quality improvement system to manage feeding assistance care processes in an assisted living facility (ALF) that provides dementia care and the use of these data to maintain the quality of daily care provision and prevent unintentional weight loss. Supervisory ALF staff used a standardized observational protocol to assess feeding assistance care quality during and between meals for 12 consecutive months for 53 residents receiving dementia care. Direct care staff received feedback about the quality of assistance and consistency of between-meal snack delivery for residents with low meal intake and/or weight loss. On average, 78.4% of the ALF residents consumed more than one-half of each served meal and/or received staff assistance during meals to promote consumption over the 12 months. An average of 79.7% of the residents were offered snacks between meals twice per day. The prevalence of unintentional weight loss averaged 1.3% across 12 months. A quality improvement system resulted in sustained levels of mealtime feeding assistance and between-meal snack delivery and a low prevalence of weight loss among ALF residents receiving dementia care. Given that many ALF residents receiving dementia care are likely to be at risk for low oral intake and unintentional weight loss, ALFs should implement a quality improvement system similar to that described in this project, despite the absence of regulations to do so. Copyright © 2018 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Laser-assisted atom-atom collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roussel, F.

1984-01-01

The basic layer-assisted atom-atom collision processes are reviewed in order to get a simpler picture of the main physical facts. The processes can be separated into two groups: optical collisions where only one atom is changing state during the collision, the other acting as a spectator atom, and radiative collisions where the states of the two atoms are changing during the collision. All the processes can be interpreted in terms of photoexcitation of the quasimolecule formed during the collisional process. (author)

Our experience with implantation of VentrAssist left ventricular assist device

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiriyur Shivalingappa Jayanthkumar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Perioperative anaesthetic management of the VentrAssist TM left ventricular assist device (LVAD is a challenge for anaesthesiologists because patients presenting for this operation have long-standing cardiac failure and often have associated hepatic and renal impairment, which may significantly alter the pharmacokinetics of administered drugs and render the patients coagulopathic. The VentrAssist is implanted by midline sternotomy. A brief period of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB for apical cannulation of left ventricle is needed. The centrifugal pump, which produces non-pulsatile, continuous flow, is positioned in the left sub-diaphragmatic pocket. This LVAD is preload dependent and afterload sensitive. Transoesophageal echocardiography is an essential tool to rule out contraindications and to ensure proper inflow cannula position, and following the implantation of LVAD, to ensure right ventricular (RV function. The anaesthesiologist should be prepared to manage cardiac decompensation and acute desaturation before initiation of CPB, as well as RV failure and severe coagulopathic bleeding after CPB. Three patients had undergone implantation of VentrAssist in our hospital. This pump provides flow of 5 l/min depending on preload, afterload and pump speed. All the patients were discharged after an average of 30 days. There was no perioperative mortality.

Physical and Chemical Environmental Abstraction Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowak, E.

2000-01-01

As directed by a written development plan (CRWMS M and O 1999a), Task 1, an overall conceptualization of the physical and chemical environment (P/CE) in the emplacement drift is documented in this Analysis/Model Report (AMR). Included are the physical components of the engineered barrier system (EBS). The intended use of this descriptive conceptualization is to assist the Performance Assessment Department (PAD) in modeling the physical and chemical environment within a repository drift. It is also intended to assist PAD in providing a more integrated and complete in-drift geochemical model abstraction and to answer the key technical issues raised in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Issue Resolution Status Report (IRSR) for the Evolution of the Near-Field Environment (NFE) Revision 2 (NRC 1999). EBS-related features, events, and processes (FEPs) have been assembled and discussed in ''EBS FEPs/Degradation Modes Abstraction'' (CRWMS M and O 2000a). Reference AMRs listed in Section 6 address FEPs that have not been screened out. This conceptualization does not directly address those FEPs. Additional tasks described in the written development plan are recommended for future work in Section 7.3. To achieve the stated purpose, the scope of this document includes: (1) the role of in-drift physical and chemical environments in the Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA) (Section 6.1); (2) the configuration of engineered components (features) and critical locations in drifts (Sections 6.2.1 and 6.3, portions taken from EBS Radionuclide Transport Abstraction (CRWMS M and O 2000b)); (3) overview and critical locations of processes that can affect P/CE (Section 6.3); (4) couplings and relationships among features and processes in the drifts (Section 6.4); and (5) identities and uses of parameters transmitted to TSPA by some of the reference AMRs (Section 6.5). This AMR originally considered a design with backfill, and is now being updated (REV 00 ICN1) to address

Caregiver-Provided Physical Therapy Home Programs for Children with Motor Delay: A Scoping Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorgon, Edward James R

2018-06-01

Caregiver-provided physical therapy home programs (PTHP) play an important role in enhancing motor outcomes in pediatric patient populations. This scoping review systematically mapped clinical trials of caregiver-provided PTHP that were aimed at enhancing motor outcomes in children who have or who are at risk for motor delay, with the purpose of (1) describing trial characteristics; (2) assessing methodologic quality; and (3) examining the reporting of caregiver-related components. Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane CENTRAL, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, ProQuest Central, CINAHL, LILACS, and OTseeker were searched up to July 31, 2017. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility. Randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials on PTHP administered by parents, other family members, friends, or informal caregivers to children who had or who were at risk for motor delay were included. Two reviewers independently appraised trial quality on the PEDro scale and extracted data. Twenty-four articles representing 17 individual trials were identified. Populations and interventions investigated were heterogeneous. Most of the trials had important research design limitations and methodological issues that could limit usefulness in ascertaining the effectiveness of caregiver-provided PTHP. Few (4 of 17) trials indicated involvement of caregivers in the PTHP planning, assessed how the caregivers learned from the training or instructions provided, or carried out both. Included studies were heterogeneous, and unpublished data were excluded. Although caregiver-provided PTHP are important in addressing motor outcomes in this population, there is a lack of evidence at the level of clinical trials to guide practice. More research is urgently needed to determine the effectiveness of care-giver-provided PTHP. Future studies should address the many important issues identified in this scoping review to improve the usefulness of the trial results.

Hydrogen-Assisted IC Engine Combustion as a Route to Hydrogen Implementation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andre Boehman; Daniel Haworth

2008-09-30

The 'Freedom Car' Initiative announced by the Bush Administration has placed a significant emphasis on development of a hydrogen economy in the United States. While the hydrogen-fueled fuel-cell vehicle that is the focus of the 'Freedom Car' program would rely on electrochemical energy conversion, and despite the large amount of resources being devoted to its objectives, near-term implementation of hydrogen in the transportation sector is not likely to arise from fuel cell cars. Instead, fuel blending and ''hydrogen-assisted'' combustion are more realizable pathways for wide-scale hydrogen utilization within the next ten years. Thus, a large potential avenue for utilization of hydrogen in transportation applications is through blending with natural gas, since there is an existing market for natural-gas vehicles of various classes, and since hydrogen can provide a means of achieving even stricter emissions standards. Another potential avenue is through use of hydrogen to 'assist' diesel combustion to permit alternate combustion strategies that can achieve lower emissions and higher efficiency. This project focused on developing the underlying fundamental information to support technologies that will facilitate the introduction of coal-derived hydrogen into the market. Two paths were envisioned for hydrogen utilization in transportation applications. One is for hydrogen to be mixed with other fuels, specifically natural gas, to enhance performance in existing natural gas-fueled vehicles (e.g., transit buses) and provide a practical and marketable avenue to begin using hydrogen in the field. A second is to use hydrogen to enable alternative combustion modes in existing diesel engines, such as homogeneous charge compression ignition, to permit enhanced efficiency and reduced emissions. Thus, this project on hydrogen-assisted combustion encompassed two major objectives: (1) Optimization of hydrogen-natural gas mixture

Brain-controlled body movement assistance devices and methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leuthardt, Eric C.; Love, Lonnie J.; Coker, Rob; Moran, Daniel W.

2017-01-10

Methods, devices, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for brain-controlled body movement assistance devices. In one aspect, a device includes a brain-controlled body movement assistance device with a brain-computer interface (BCI) component adapted to be mounted to a user, a body movement assistance component operably connected to the BCI component and adapted to be worn by the user, and a feedback mechanism provided in connection with at least one of the BCI component and the body movement assistance component, the feedback mechanism being configured to output information relating to a usage session of the brain-controlled body movement assistance device.

ASSISTments Dataset from Multiple Randomized Controlled Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Selent, Douglas; Patikorn, Thanaporn; Heffernan, Neil

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a dataset consisting of data generated from 22 previously and currently running randomized controlled experiments inside the ASSISTments online learning platform. This dataset provides data mining opportunities for researchers to analyze ASSISTments data in a convenient format across multiple experiments at the same time.…

Ethics and the law: the law and assisted human conception.

Science.gov (United States)

Brahams, D

1990-07-01

This article aims to provide no more than a brief summary and overview of some of the principal legal questions which arise in connection with assisted human conception. There is no requirement of legal suitability for natural parenthood, though a child may be removed from parental care at birth if its welfare is considered to be at risk. Where medical or other assistance is required, however, the law and social judgments may impinge on the freedom of individuals to procreate. Commercial surrogacy has recently been criminalized, but private surrogacy arrangements without reward are not illegal--although any contract would probably be unenforceable through the courts. If medical intervention is required to achieve assisted conception, the availability of resources for NHS treatment, the physical and mental health of the prospective mother and father, and the welfare (or lack of it) of any prospective child, may be factors in deciding whether an infertility unit will offer treatment. Such practices must not operate unfairly and must not discriminate on racial grounds. If treatment is provided, and a woman becomes pregnant, the ordinary abortion laws will apply and, it is thought, will extend to the selective reduction of a multiple pregnancy--there is no claim in English law for 'wrongful birth'. AID does not constitute adultery, and the law has recently been reformed to recognize children born following AID as legitimate to their social parents. A child may be regarded as the legitimate child of a surrogate mother's marriage, but where the baby is genetically distinct from the surrogate mother, the law, and is uncertain and as yet could be conflicting claims of parenthood without legislation. The storage and disposal of human gametes and embryos may raise problems of 'ownership'.

A conceptual model of independence and dependence for adults with chronic physical illness and disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Gignac, M A; Cott, C

1998-09-01

This paper presents a conceptual model of physical independence and dependence as it relates to adult onset, chronic physical illness and disability. Physical independence and dependence are presented as two separate, continuous, and multiply determined constructs, and illustrations are provided of situations where people can be independent, dependent, not independent, or experience imposed dependence. The paper also discusses potential determinants of physical independence and dependence, including different domains of disability, the role of subjective perceptions, demographics, the physical and social/political environments, personal resources, attitudes and coping resources, illness and efficacy appraisals, and the nature of the assistive relationship. The paper extends work on physical independence and dependence by synthesizing the findings from previous studies and incorporating the findings from other relevant areas of research into the area. It also expands on the concepts of physical independence and dependence, as well as their determinants, and relates independence and dependence to other outcomes of interest such as service delivery.

Virtual assistant: Enhancing content acquisition by eliciting information from humans

OpenAIRE

Ozeki, Motoyuki; Maeda, Shunichi; Obata, Kanako; Nakamura, Yuichi

2009-01-01

In this paper, we propose the "Virtual Assistant, " a novel framework for supporting knowledge capturing in videos. The Virtual Assistant is an artificial agent that simulates a human assistant shown in TV programs and prompts users to provide feedback by asking questions. This framework ensures that sufficient information is provided in the captured content while users interact in a natural and enjoyable way with the agent. We developed a prototype agent based on a chatbot-like approach and ...

Assistance Focus: Asia/Pacific Region; Clean Energy Solutions Center (CESC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2015-05-11

The Clean Energy Solutions Center Ask an Expert service connects governments seeking policy information and advice with one of more than 30 global policy experts who can provide reliable and unbiased quick-response advice and information. The service is available at no cost to government agency representatives from any country and the technical institutes assisting them. This publication presents summaries of assistance provided to governments in the Asia/Pacific region, including the benefits of that assistance.

Same But Different: FIM Summary Scores May Mask Variability in Physical Functioning Profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Steve R; Middleton, Addie; Graham, James E; Ottenbacher, Kenneth J

2018-02-08

To examine how similar summary scores of physical functioning using the FIM can represent different patient clinical profiles. Retrospective cohort study. Inpatient rehabilitation facilities. Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries (N=765,441) discharged from inpatient rehabilitation. Not applicable. We used patients' scores on items of the FIM to quantify their level of independence on both self-care and mobility domains. We then identified patients as requiring "no physical assistance" at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation by using a rule and score-based approach. In those patients with FIM self-care and mobility summary scores suggesting no physical assistance needed, we found that physical assistance was in fact needed frequently in bathroom-related activities (eg, continence, toilet and tub transfers, hygiene, clothes management) and with stairs. It was not uncommon for actual performance to be lower than what may be suggested by a summary score of those domains. Further research is needed to create clinically meaningful descriptions of summary scores from combined performances on individual items of physical functioning. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Report of Employee Assistance Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Saint Louis Public Schools, MO.

The evaluation of employee assistance program (EAP) providers was designed to provide information necessary to the selection of an EAP provider for the Saint Louis Public Schools, Missouri. The most widely recognized functions of an EAP are to provide a confidential consultation to individuals with personal problems and to serve as a management…

Heat pump assisted drying of agricultural produce-an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Krishna Kumar; Kar, Abhijit

2012-04-01

This review paper included the recent progress made in heat pump assisted drying, its principle, mechanism and efficiency, type and its application for drying of agricultural produce. Heat pump assisted drying provides a controllable drying environment (temperature and humidity) for better products quality at low energy consumption. It has remarkable future prospects and revolutionaries ability. The heat pump system consists of an expansion valve, two heat exchangers (evaporator and condenser), and a compressor, which are connected by using copper tubes. In this paper we also provided a review discussion on different type of heat pump assisted drying system ready for remarkable and commercial use in different type of food industries. Here we also have given some major advantage and disadvantage of heat pump assisted drying.

Supporting aging in place & assisted living through home care.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorshe, N

2000-06-01

This article defines assisted living, discusses the pros and cons of limited regulation, scope of service, Aging-in-Place partnerships, and how home care agencies can work with assisted-living facilities to provide care. It also examines a study on assisted living in six states that is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Effect of Technical Assistance on Involvement and Use: The Case of a Research, Evaluation, and Technical Assistance Project

Science.gov (United States)

Roseland, Denise; Volkov, Boris B.; Callow-Heusser, Catherine

2011-01-01

In contrast to typical National Science Foundation program evaluations, the Utah State Math Science Partnership-Research, Evaluation and Technical Assistance Project (MSP-RETA) provided technical assistance (TA) in two forms: direct TA for up to 10 projects a year, and professional development sessions for a larger number of project staff. Not…

34 CFR 280.1 - What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program? 280.1... SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MAGNET SCHOOLS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM General § 280.1 What is the Magnet Schools Assistance Program? The Magnet Schools Assistance Program provides grants to eligible...

Increasing children's physical activity through a teaching-assistant led extracurricular intervention: process evaluation of the action 3:30 randomised feasibility trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Jago, Russell; Sebire, Simon J; Davies, Ben; Wood, Lesley; Banfield, Kathryn; Edwards, Mark J; Powell, Jane E; Montgomery, Alan A; Thompson, Janice L; Fox, Kenneth R

2015-02-18

Many children do not engage in recommended levels of physical activity (PA), highlighting the need to find ways to increase children's PA. Process evaluations play an important role in improving the science of randomised controlled trials. We recently reported the results of the Action 3:30 cluster randomised feasibility trial illustrating higher levels of moderate to vigorous intensity PA among boys but not girls. The aim of this paper is to report the process evaluation results including intervention fidelity, implementation, context and how intervention components and trial design could be improved before proceeding to a definitive RCT. Children's session enjoyment was assessed every two weeks. Reasons for non-attendance were provided by questionnaire at the end of the intervention. Post intervention interviews were held with participating teaching assistants (TAs) and school key contacts (KCs), and focus groups were conducted with children in all 10 intervention schools. Interviews and focus groups examined how recruitment and session attendance might be improved and established which elements of the programme that were and were not well received. Data indicated good intervention fidelity with TA's adopting enjoyment-focussed teaching styles and the sessions improving children's skills and self-esteem. Several positive aspects of implementation were identified, including high session variety, the opportunity to work in teams, the child-led sessions and the engaging leader style. In terms of context there was evidence that TA's faced difficulties managing challenging behaviour and that further training in this area was needed. TAs and KCs felt that recruitment could be improved by providing taster sessions during PE lessons and clarifying the days that the clubs would run at the point of recruitment. The programme could be improved to enhance interest for girls, by including training for managing disruptive behaviour and making some activities more age

National Science Foundation Assistant Director for Mathematics and Physical Sciences Tony Chan (USA) visiting LHCb experiment on 23rd May 2007 with Spokesperson T. Nakada, Advisor to CERN Director-General J. Ellis and I. Belyaev of Syracuse

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2007-01-01

National Science Foundation Assistant Director for Mathematics and Physical Sciences Tony Chan (USA) visiting LHCb experiment on 23rd May 2007 with Spokesperson T. Nakada, Advisor to CERN Director-General J. Ellis and I. Belyaev of Syracuse

Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities (Implementation of INFCIRC/225/Revision 5). Implementing Guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2018-01-01

This publication is the lead Implementing Guide in a suite of guidance on implementing the Nuclear Security Recommendations on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities (INFCIRC/225/Revision 5), IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 13. It provides guidance and suggestions to assist States and their competent authorities in establishing, strengthening and sustaining their national physical protection regime and implementing the associated systems and measures, including operators’ physical protection systems. The structure of this publication is as follows. After this introduction, Section 2 describes the objectives of physical protection and the overall approach to managing the risks of the unauthorized removal of nuclear material and the sabotage of nuclear facilities. Section 3 provides guidance for the State and its competent authorities on the physical protection elements of the nuclear security regime; this guidance is based on the fundamental principles set out in the Recommendations publication. Section 4 provides guidance on the operator’s physical protection system and describes a systematic, integrated approach. Appendix I gives an annotated outline of the typical contents of an operator’s security plan. Appendix II provides similar guidance for the contingency plan. Appendix III provides a description of nuclear material aggregation that can be used to categorize nuclear material and determine the appropriate level of protection against unauthorized removal. Appendix IV presents a table of paragraph cross-references between the Recommendations publication and this Implementing Guide.

Persistence of physics and engineering students via peer mentoring, active learning, and intentional advising

Science.gov (United States)

McCavit, K.; Zellner, N. E. B.

2016-11-01

Albion College, a private, undergraduate-only, liberal arts college in Michigan, USA, has developed and implemented a low-cost peer-mentoring programme that blends personal and academic support to help students achieve academic success in the introductory courses required for the Physics Major or the Dual-Degree Program in Engineering. This enhanced mentoring programme provides much-needed assistance for undergraduate students to master introductory physics and mathematics coursework, to normalise the struggle of learning hard material, and to accept their identity as physics or engineering students (among other goals). Importantly, this programme has increased retention among entering science, technology, engineering and mathematics students at Albion College as they move through the introductory classes, as shown by a 20% increase in retention from first-semester to third-semester physics courses compared to years when this programme was not in place.

Physical separations soil washing system cold test results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McGuire, J.P.

1993-07-28

This test summary describes the objectives, methodology, and results of a physical separations soil-washing system setup and shakedown test using uncontaminated soil. The test is being conducted in preparation for a treatability test to be conducted in the North Pond of the 300-FF-1 Operable Unit. It will be used to assess the feasibility of using a physical separations process to reduce the volume of contaminated soils in the 300-FF-1 Operable Unit. The test is described in DOE-RL (1993). The setup test was conducted at an uncontrolled area located approximately 3.2 km northwest of the 300-FF-1 Operable Unit. The material processed was free of contamination. The physical separation equipment to be used in the test was transferred to the US Department of Energy (DOE) by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory. On May 13, 1993, soil-washing equipment was moved to the cold test location. Design assistance and recommendation for operation was provided by the EPA.

Computer Assisted Language Learning. Routledge Studies in Computer Assisted Language Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Pennington, Martha

2011-01-01

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is an approach to language teaching and learning in which computer technology is used as an aid to the presentation, reinforcement and assessment of material to be learned, usually including a substantial interactive element. This books provides an up-to date and comprehensive overview of…

Robot-Assisted Training for People With Spinal Cord Injury: A Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Eddy Y Y; Ng, Thomas K W; Yu, Kevin K K; Kwan, Rachel L C; Cheing, Gladys L Y

2017-11-01

To investigate the effects of robot-assisted training on the recovery of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs involving people with SCI that compared robot-assisted upper limbs or lower limbs training with a control of other treatment approach or no treatment. We included studies involving people with complete or incomplete SCIs. We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane Library), and Embase to August 2016. Bibliographies of relevant articles on the effect of body-weight-supported treadmill training on subjects with SCI were screened to avoid missing relevant articles from the search of databases. All kinds of objective assessments concerning physical ability, mobility, and/or functional ability were included. Assessments could be clinical tests (ie, 6-minute walk test, FIM) or laboratory tests (ie, gait analysis). Subjective outcome measures were excluded from this review. Eleven RCT studies involving 443 subjects were included in the study. Meta-analysis was performed on the included studies. Walking independence (3.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], -4.92 to -2.53; P<.00001; I 2 =38%) and endurance (53.32m; 95% CI, -73.15 to -33.48; P<.00001; I 2 =0%) were found to have better improvement in robot-assisted training groups. Lower limb robot-assisted training was also found to be as effective as other types of body-weight-supported training. There is a lack of upper limb robot-assisted training studies; therefore, performing a meta-analysis was not possible. Robot-assisted training is an adjunct therapy for physical and functional recovery for patients with SCI. Future high-quality studies are warranted to investigate the effects of robot-assisted training on functional and cardiopulmonary recovery of patients with SCI. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

48 CFR 1019.202-70-13 - Developmental assistance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS Policies 1019.202-70-13 Developmental assistance. The forms of developmental assistance a mentor can provide to a protégé include: (a) Management guidance relating to financial management, organizational management, overall business management/planning, business development...

Physical layer network coding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fukui, Hironori; Popovski, Petar; Yomo, Hiroyuki

2014-01-01

Physical layer network coding (PLNC) has been proposed to improve throughput of the two-way relay channel, where two nodes communicate with each other, being assisted by a relay node. Most of the works related to PLNC are focused on a simple three-node model and they do not take into account...

The identification of the general practice registrar needing assistance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gladman G

2011-06-01

Full Text Available BackgroundDoctors undertaking vocational training in general practicein Australia may require assistance, in addition to thenormal training offered as part of their training programme.Issues requiring assistance may go undetected for a periodof time. Delay in the identification of issues leads to delay inthe provision of the assistance. The aim of this study is todetermine the most common reasons registrars requireextra assistance, and how these issues are identified. Thefindings of this study will provide direction for 21 regionallybased training providers (RTPs to develop improved toolsto ensure earlier detection of registrars requiring assistance.MethodThis study is based on qualitative research methods, usingsemi-structured interviews with senior medical educationstaff of four regional general practice training providers inVictoria, Australia.ResultsIssues identified included language and cultural issues,applied knowledge and skills, attitude and professionalism,and health and family issues.The principal method that training providers identifiedissues was via the GP supervisor. This was predominantly byinformal communication, rather than formal evaluationsheets. Other methods included the external clinicalteaching visit and other training formative assessments.These more formalised procedures were more likely toidentify issues later than desired. They were also used as away of clarifying suspected problems. The selection processwas not felt to be helpful, and the examinations providedinformation too late.ConclusionAn increased awareness of the potential issues leading to aregistrar to require assistance enables identification andsubsequent action to occur in a more timely and moreuseful fashion. Informal communication between practicesand training programme staff should be encouraged toenable these issues to be dealt with early in training.

Robotic gait assistive technology as means to aggressive mobilization strategy in acute rehabilitation following severe diffuse axonal injury: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Stam, Daniel; Fernandez, Jennifer

2017-07-01

Diffuse axonal injury is a prominent cause of disablement post-traumatic brain injury. Utilization of the rapid expansion of our current scientific knowledge base combined with greater access to neurological and assistive technology as adjuncts to providing sensorimotor experience may yield innovative new approaches to rehabilitation based upon a dynamic model of brain response following injury. A 24-year-old female who sustained a traumatic brain injury, bilateral subdural hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage and severe diffuse axonal injury secondary to a motor vehicle collision. Evidence-based appraisal of present literature suggests a link between graded intensity of aerobic activity to facilitation of neuro-plastic change and up-regulation of neurotrophins essential to functional recovery post-diffuse axonal injury. Following resolution of paroxysmal autonomic instability with dystonia, aggressive early mobilization techniques were progressed utilizing robotic assistive gait technology in combination with conventional therapy. This approach allowed for arguably greater repetition and cardiovascular demands across a six-month inpatient rehabilitation stay. Outcomes in this case suggest that the use of assistive technology to adjunct higher level and intensity rehabilitation strategies may be a safe and effective means towards reduction of disablement following severe traumatic brain and neurological injury. Implications for Rehabilitation Functional recovery and neuroplasticity following diffuse neurological injury involves a complex process determined by the sensorimotor experience provided by rehabilitation clinicians. This process is in part modulated by intrinsic brain biochemical processes correlated to cardiovascular intensity of the activity provided. It is important that rehabilitation professionals monitor physiological response to higher intensity activities to provide an adaptive versus maladaptive response of central nervous system plasticity with

Classification and management of gynecomastia: defining the role of ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

Science.gov (United States)

Rohrich, Rod J; Ha, Richard Y; Kenkel, Jeffrey M; Adams, William P

2003-02-01

Gynecomastia, or excessive male breast development, has an incidence of 32 to 65 percent in the male population. This condition has important physical and psychological impacts. Advances in elucidating the pathophysiology of gynecomastia have been made, though understanding remains limited. Recommendations for evaluation and workup have varied and are often arbitrary. A diagnostic algorithm is suggested, with emphasis on a comprehensive history, physical examination, and minimizing unnecessary diagnostic testing. Medical management has had limited success; surgical therapy, primarily through excisional techniques, has been the accepted standard. Although effective, excisional techniques subject patients to large, visible scars. Ultrasound-assisted liposuction has recently emerged as a safe and effective method for the treatment of gynecomastia. It is particularly efficient in the removal of the dense, fibrous male breast tissue while offering advantages in minimal external scarring. A new system of classification and graduated treatment is proposed, based on glandular versus fibrous hypertrophy and degree of breast ptosis (skin excess). The authors' series of 61 patients with gynecomastia from 1987 to 2000 at the University of Texas Southwestern Department of Plastic Surgery demonstrated an overall success rate of 86.9 percent using suction-assisted lipectomy (1987 to 1997) and ultrasound-assisted liposuction (1997 to 2000). The authors have found ultrasound-assisted liposuction to be effective in treating most grades of gynecomastia. Excisional techniques are reserved for severe gynecomastia with significant skin excess after attempted ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

75 FR 13521 - Centers for Independent Living Program-Training and Technical Assistance

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-22

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Centers for Independent Living Program--Training and Technical Assistance... for Independent Living Program--Training and Technical Assistance (CIL-TA program). The Assistant... appropriated for the CIL program to provide training and technical assistance to CILs, agencies eligible to...

IAEA assistance services in the case of emergency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ouvrard, R.

1991-01-01

This paper provides a general outline of the convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and of the convention on Assistance in the case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. The purpose of these 2 conventions is to support and improve international cooperation in case of a nuclear accident or a radiological emergency involving transfrontier contamination and to provide the necessary legal framework for cooperation and assistance (4 figs) [fr

Validation of an integral conceptual model of frailty in older residents of assisted living facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Gobbens, Robbert J J; Krans, Anita; van Assen, Marcel A L M

2015-01-01

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the validity of an integral model of the associations between life-course determinants, disease(s), frailty, and adverse outcomes in older persons who are resident in assisted living facilities. Between June 2013 and May 2014 seven assisted living facilities were contacted. A total of 221 persons completed the questionnaire on life-course determinants, frailty (using the Tilburg Frailty Indicator), self-reported chronic diseases, and adverse outcomes disability, quality of life, health care utilization, and falls. Adverse outcomes were analyzed with sequential (logistic) regression analyses. The integral model is partially validated. Life-course determinants and disease(s) affected only physical frailty. All three frailty domains (physical, psychological, social) together affected disability, quality of life, visits to a general practitioner, and falls. Contrary to the model, disease(s) had no effect on adverse outcomes after controlling for frailty. Life-course determinants affected adverse outcomes, with unhealthy lifestyle having consistent negative effects, and women had more disability, scored lower on physical health, and received more personal and informal care after controlling for all other predictors. The integral model of frailty is less useful for predicting adverse outcomes of residents of assisted living facilities than for community-dwelling older persons, because these residents are much frailer and already have access to healthcare facilities. The present study showed that a multidimensional assessment of frailty, distinguishing three domains of frailty (physical, psychological, social), is beneficial with respect to predicting adverse outcomes in residents of assisted living facilities. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Bioethics for clinicians: 11. Euthanasia and assisted suicide

Science.gov (United States)

Lavery, J V; Dickens, B M; Boyle, J M; Singer, P A

1997-01-01

Euthanasia and assisted suicide involve taking deliberate action to end or assist in ending the life of another person on compassionate grounds. There is considerable disagreement about the acceptability of these acts and about whether they are ethically distinct from decisions to forgo life-sustaining treatment. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are punishable offences under Canadian criminal law, despite increasing public pressure for a more permissive policy. Some Canadian physicians would be willing to practise euthanasia and assisted suicide if these acts were legal. In practice, physicians must differentiate between respecting competent decisions to forgo treatment, providing appropriate palliative care, and acceeding to a request for euthanasia or assisted suicide. Physicians who believe that euthanasia and assisted suicide should be legally accepted in Canada should pursue their convictions only through legal and democratic means. PMID:9164399

Acceptability for French People of Physician-Assisted Suicide

Science.gov (United States)

Frileux, Stephanie; Sastre, Maria Teresa Munoz; Antonini, Sophie; Mullet, Etienne; Sorum, Paul Clay

2004-01-01

Our aim was to understand better how people judge the acceptability of physician-assisted suicide (PAS). We found that, for people in France of all ages and for elderly people with life-threatening illnesses, acceptability is an additive combination of the number of requests for PAS, the patient's age, the amount of physical suffering, and the…

[Snoezelen and animal-assisted therapy in dementia patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Javelot, Hervé; Antoine-Bernard, Emilie; Garat, Jennifer; Javelot, Thierry; Weiner, Luisa; Mervelay, Véroníque

2012-01-01

A number of non medication-based methods of nursing care for geriatric patients have been developed over recent decades to treat non cognitive symptoms associated with dementia. Among these, Snoezelen rooms for multisensory behavioural therapy and animal-assisted therapy emerge as innovative strategies which could potentially complement other more frequently developed methods such as physical activity.

75 FR 53304 - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health; Statement of Organization, Functions, and...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-31

... work with adolescents, particularly nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and social workers. 3... Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (ACE)'' with the ``Office of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (ACE)'' and all references to the ``President's Council on Physical Fitness and...

Implementing a routine outcome assessment procedure to evaluate the quality of assistive technology service delivery for children with physical or multiple disabilities: Perceived effectiveness, social cost, and user satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Desideri, Lorenzo; Bizzarri, Martina; Bitelli, Claudio; Roentgen, Uta; Gelderblom, Gert-Jan; de Witte, Luc

2016-01-01

There is a lack of evidence on the effects and quality of assistive technology service delivery (ATSD). This study presents a quasi-experimental 3-months follow-up using a pre-test/post-test design aimed at evaluating outcomes of assistive technology (AT) interventions targeting children with physical and multiple disabilities. A secondary aim was to evaluate the feasibility of the follow-up assessment adopted in this study with a view to implement the procedure in routine clinical practice. Forty-five children aged 3-17 years were included. Parents were asked to complete the Individual Prioritised Problem Assessment (IPPA) for AT effectiveness; KWAZO (Kwaliteit van Zorg [Quality of Care]) and Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST) 2.0 for satisfaction with ATSD; Siva Cost Analysis Instrument (SCAI) for estimating the social cost of AT interventions. At follow-up, 25 children used the AT recommended. IPPA effect sizes ranged from 1.4 to 0.7, showing a large effect of AT interventions. Overall, parents were satisfied with ATSD, but Maintenance, Professional Services, and AT Delivery were rated not satisfactory. SCAI showed more resources spent for AT intervention compared to human assistance without technological supports. AT may be an effective intervention for children with disabilities. Issues concerning responsiveness and feasibility of the IPPA and the SCAI instruments are discussed with a view to inform routine clinical practice.

Software tool for physics chart checks.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, H Harold; Wu, Yu; Yang, Deshan; Mutic, Sasa

2014-01-01

Physics chart check has long been a central quality assurance (QC) measure in radiation oncology. The purpose of this work is to describe a software tool that aims to accomplish simplification, standardization, automation, and forced functions in the process. Nationally recognized guidelines, including American College of Radiology and American Society for Radiation Oncology guidelines and technical standards, and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group reports were identified, studied, and summarized. Meanwhile, the reported events related to physics chart check service were analyzed using an event reporting and learning system. A number of shortfalls in the chart check process were identified. To address these problems, a software tool was designed and developed under Microsoft. Net in C# to hardwire as many components as possible at each stage of the process. The software consists of the following 4 independent modules: (1) chart check management; (2) pretreatment and during treatment chart check assistant; (3) posttreatment chart check assistant; and (4) quarterly peer-review management. The users were a large group of physicists in the author's radiation oncology clinic. During over 1 year of use the tool has proven very helpful in chart checking management, communication, documentation, and maintaining consistency. The software tool presented in this work aims to assist physicists at each stage of the physics chart check process. The software tool is potentially useful for any radiation oncology clinics that are either in the process of pursuing or maintaining the American College of Radiology accreditation.

Current status of robotic stroke rehabilitation and opportunities for a cyber-physically assisted upper limb stroke rehabilitation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Li, C.; Rusak, Z.; Horvath, I.; Ji, L.; Hou, Y.

2014-01-01

In the last two decades, robotics-assisted stroke reha-bilitation has been wide-spread, in particular for movement rehabilitation of upper limbs. Several studies have reported on the clinical effectiveness of this kind of therapy. The results of these studies show that robot assisted therapy can be

49 CFR 27.72 - Boarding assistance for aircraft.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Boarding assistance for aircraft. 27.72 Section 27... Specific Operating Administration Programs: Airports, Railroads, and Highways § 27.72 Boarding assistance... enplanements. (b) Airports shall, in cooperation with carriers serving the airports, provide boarding...

Informal Caregivers Assisting People with Multiple Sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chunfeng

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify characteristics of informal caregivers, caregiving, and people with multiple sclerosis (MS) receiving this assistance that are associated with the strength of the care-giver/care recipient relationship. Data were collected in a national survey of informal caregivers and analyzed using an ordered logistic regression model to identify factors associated with caregiver perceptions of the strength of the relationship with the person with MS. The overall health of the person with MS was significantly associated with caregiver perceptions that providing assistance strengthened the caregiver/care recipient relationship, with poor health having a negative impact on the relationship. A spousal relationship between the caregiver and the person with MS was associated with significantly lower perceptions of a strengthened relationship. Conversely, caregiver perceptions that MS symptoms interfered with the independence of the person with MS in daily life were associated with caregiver perceptions of a strengthened relationship. Longer duration of caregiving and more hours per week spent providing assistance also were associated with a stronger relationship. In contrast, we found a significant negative association between caregiver perceptions that assisting the person with MS was burdensome and the strength of the relationship. Similarly, higher levels of education among caregivers tended to have a significantly negative impact on the caregiver/care recipient relationship. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing the needs and concerns of spousal caregivers. Health professionals who treat informal caregivers, as well as those treating people with MS, should be sensitive to the impact caregiving has on caregivers, especially spouses providing assistance. PMID:24453723

Mutual emergency assistance arrangements at the international level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swindell, G.E.; Ha Vinh Phuong

1979-01-01

All countries do not necessarily have resources in skilled manpower and equipment enabling them to deal satisfactorily with the consequences of a nuclear incident. Therefore, a mechanism whereby such countries could obtain or provide mutual emergency assistance at international level is extremely useful. This article analyses the provisions of the Nordic Mutual Emergency Assistance Agreement and the measures taken in respect of emergency assistance by international organisations such as IAEA. (NEA) [fr

Application of aesthetic, recreational forms of physical culture in the organizational and pedagogical techniques of school physical education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roters T.T.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The results of methodological analysis are presented in relation to introduction of organizational pedagogical technologies of leadthrough of the employments fixed, extracurricular and extracurricular. Directions of increase of interest and motivation of schoolboys are rotined to employments by physical exercises with the use of aesthetically beautiful forms of physical culture. It is indicated that modern organizational pedagogical technologies come forward the determinative of satisfaction of needs and interests of schoolboys. It is set that the aesthetic recreation forms of physical culture render assistance to the increase of interest and motivation to employments by physical exercises.

Reporting of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the Netherlands: descriptive study.

Science.gov (United States)

Buiting, Hilde; van Delden, Johannes; Onwuteaka-Philpsen, Bregje; Rietjens, Judith; Rurup, Mette; van Tol, Donald; Gevers, Joseph; van der Maas, Paul; van der Heide, Agnes

2009-10-27

An important principle underlying the Dutch Euthanasia Act is physicians' responsibility to alleviate patients' suffering. The Dutch Act states that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are not punishable if the attending physician acts in accordance with criteria of due care. These criteria concern the patient's request, the patient's suffering (unbearable and hopeless), the information provided to the patient, the presence of reasonable alternatives, consultation of another physician and the applied method of ending life. To demonstrate their compliance, the Act requires physicians to report euthanasia to a review committee. We studied which arguments Dutch physicians use to substantiate their adherence to the criteria and which aspects attract review committees' attention. We examined 158 files of reported euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide cases that were approved by the review committees. We studied the physicians' reports and the verdicts of the review committees by using a checklist. Physicians reported that the patient's request had been well-considered because the patient was clear-headed (65%) and/or had repeated the request several times (23%). Unbearable suffering was often substantiated with physical symptoms (62%), function loss (33%), dependency (28%) or deterioration (15%). In 35%, physicians reported that there had been alternatives to relieve patients' suffering which were refused by the majority. The nature of the relationship with the consultant was sometimes unclear: the consultant was reported to have been an unknown colleague (39%), a known colleague (21%), otherwise (25%), or not clearly specified in the report (24%). Review committees relatively often scrutinized the consultation (41%) and the patient's (unbearable) suffering (32%); they had few questions about possible alternatives (1%). Dutch physicians substantiate their adherence to the criteria in a variable way with an emphasis on physical symptoms. The information they

Investigations in physical mechanism of the oxidative desulfurization process assisted simultaneously by phase transfer agent and ultrasound.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhasarkar, Jaykumar B; Chakma, Sankar; Moholkar, Vijayanand S

2015-05-01

This paper attempts to discern the physical mechanism of the oxidative desulfurization process simultaneously assisted by ultrasound and phase transfer agent (PTA). With different experimental protocols, an attempt is made to deduce individual beneficial effects of PTA and ultrasound on the oxidative desulfurization system, and also the synergy between the effects of PTA and ultrasound. Effect of PTA is more marked for mechanically stirred system due to mass transfer limitations, while intense emulsification due to ultrasound helps overcome the mass transfer limitations and reduces the extent of enhancement of oxidation by PTA. Despite application of PTA and ultrasound, the intrinsic factors and properties of the reactants such as polarity (and hence partition coefficient) and diffusivity have a crucial effect on the extent of oxidation. The intrinsic reactivity of the oxidant also plays a vital role, as seen from the extent of oxidation achieved with performic acid and peracetic acid. The interfacial transport of oxidant in the form of oxidant-PTA complex reduces the undesired consumption of oxidant by the reducing species formed during transient cavitation in organic medium, which helps effective utilization of oxidant towards desulfurization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physiological profiles of South African soccer referees and assistant ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Referees are important role-players in soccer matches. The physical fitness of referees influences their optimal positioning throughout the game. The aim of this research was to determine the physiological profiles of South African referees and assistant referees and to determine the intensities that they are required to work ...

Participation of steroid hormones in providing physical activity in young people with varying degrees of physical fitness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeriy Levchenko

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to investigate the dynamics of cortisol and testosterone in saliva of young people with varying degrees of physical fitness at an altitude stress test. Material and Methods: in a study involved 44 students – 29 girls and 15 boys, 17–20 years old. There was used immunosorbent assay to determine the level of cortisol and testosterone during tredmil-test, estimated on maximal aerobic power. Results: the relationship between the imbalance between cortisol and testosterone at an altitude under stress test in young people with low tolerance to physical activity in favor of cortisol. Conclusions: reduced tolerance to exercise, accompanied by high cortisol and testosterone index, decreased maximal aerobic power and tolerance.

My Activity Coach - using video-coaching to assist a web-based computer-tailored physical activity intervention: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Alley, Stephanie; Jennings, Cally; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Vandelanotte, Corneel

2014-07-21

There is a need for effective population-based physical activity interventions. The internet provides a good platform to deliver physical activity interventions and reach large numbers of people at low cost. Personalised advice in web-based physical activity interventions has shown to improve engagement and behavioural outcomes, though it is unclear if the effectiveness of such interventions may further be improved when providing brief video-based coaching sessions with participants. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness, in terms of engagement, retention, satisfaction and physical activity changes, of a web-based and computer-tailored physical activity intervention with and without the addition of a brief video-based coaching session in comparison to a control group. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups (tailoring + online video-coaching, tailoring-only and wait-list control). The tailoring + video-coaching participants will receive a computer-tailored web-based physical activity intervention ('My Activity Coach') with brief coaching sessions with a physical activity expert over an online video calling program (e.g. Skype). The tailoring-only participants will receive the intervention but not the counselling sessions. The primary time point's for outcome assessment will be immediately post intervention (week 9). The secondary time points will be at 6 and 12 months post-baseline. The primary outcome, physical activity change, will be assessed via the Active Australia Questionnaire (AAQ). Secondary outcome measures include correlates of physical activity (mediators and moderators), quality of life (measured via the SF-12v2), participant satisfaction, engagement (using web-site user statistics) and study retention. Study findings will inform researchers and practitioners about the feasibility and effectiveness of brief online video-coaching sessions in combination with computer-tailored physical activity advice

Hydromechanics of Wind-Assisted Ship Propulsion : Modeling of Hydrodynamic Sideforce

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Kolk, N.J.

2016-01-01

This paper deals with the hydrodynamic sideforce production of a wind-assisted ship. The subject is introduced, both in physical terms, and with an overview of current and recent work. The importance of the hydrodynamic sideforce is established, before classical models are reviewed. Finally, the

Design and development of solar power-assisted manual/electric wheelchair.

Science.gov (United States)

Chien, Chi-Sheng; Huang, Tung-Yung; Liao, Tze-Yuan; Kuo, Tsung-Yuan; Lee, Tzer-Min

2014-01-01

Wheelchairs are an essential assistive device for many individuals with injury or disability. Manual wheelchairs provide a relatively low-cost solution to the mobility needs of such individuals. Furthermore, they provide an effective means of improving the user's cardiopulmonary function and upper-limb muscle strength. However, manual wheelchairs have a loss gross mechanical efficiency, and thus the risk of user fatigue and upper-limb injury is increased. Electric-powered wheelchairs reduce the risk of injury and provide a more convenient means of transportation. However, they have a large physical size and are relatively expensive. Accordingly, the present study utilizes a quality function deployment method to develop a wheelchair with a user-selectable manual/electric propulsion mode and an auxiliary solar power supply system. The auxiliary solar power supply increased the travel range of the wheelchair by approximately 26% compared with that of a wheelchair powered by battery alone. Moreover, the wheelchair has a modular design and can be disassembled and folded for ease of transportation or storage. Overall, the present results suggest that the proposed wheelchair provides an effective and convenient means of meeting the mobility needs of individuals with mobility difficulties.

Are Learning Assistants Better K-12 Science Teachers?

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Kara E.; Webb, David C.; Otero, Valerie K.

2010-10-01

This study investigates how the undergraduate Learning Assistant (LA) experience affects teachers' first year of teaching. The LA Program provides interested science majors with the opportunity to explore teaching through weekly teaching responsibilities, an introduction to physics education research, and a learning community within the university. Some of these LAs are recruited to secondary science teacher certification programs. We hypothesized that the LA experience would enhance the teaching practices of the LAs who ultimately become teachers. To test this hypothesis, LAs were compared to a matched sample of teachers who completed the same teacher certification program as the LAs but did not have the LA "treatment." LAs and "non-LAs" were compared through interviews, classroom observations, artifact packages, and observations made with Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP) collected within the first year of teaching. Some differences were found; these findings and their implications are discussed.

Identifying work ability promoting factors for home care aides and assistant nurses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larsson Agneta

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In workplace health promotion, all potential resources needs to be taken into consideration, not only factors relating to the absence of injury and the physical health of the workers, but also psychological aspects. A dynamic balance between the resources of the individual employees and the demands of work is an important prerequisite. In the home care services, there is a noticeable trend towards increased psychosocial strain on employees at work. There are a high frequency of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, and a low prevalence of sustainable work ability. The aim of this research was to identify factors promoting work ability and self-efficacy in care aides and assistant nurses within home care services. Methods This study is based on cross-sectional data collected in a municipality in northern Sweden. Care aides (n = 58 and assistant nurses (n = 79 replied to a self-administered questionnaire (response rate 46%. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the influence of several independent variables on self-efficacy (model 1 and work ability (model 2 for care aides and assistant nurses separately. Results Perceptions of personal safety, self-efficacy and musculoskeletal wellbeing contributed to work ability for assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.36, p 2adj of 0.29, p = 0.001. Self-efficacy was associated with the safety climate and the physical demands of the job in both professions (R2adj of 0.24, p = 0.003 for care aides, and also by sex and age for the assistant nurses (R2adj of 0.31, p Conclusions The intermediate factors contributed differently to work ability in the two professions. Self-efficacy, personal safety and musculoskeletal wellbeing were important for the assistant nurses, while the work ability of the care aides was associated with the safety climate, but also with the non-changeable factors age and seniority. All these factors are important to acknowledge in

Measuring physical inactivity: do current measures provide an accurate view of "sedentary" video game time?

Science.gov (United States)

Fullerton, Simon; Taylor, Anne W; Dal Grande, Eleonora; Berry, Narelle

2014-01-01

Measures of screen time are often used to assess sedentary behaviour. Participation in activity-based video games (exergames) can contribute to estimates of screen time, as current practices of measuring it do not consider the growing evidence that playing exergames can provide light to moderate levels of physical activity. This study aimed to determine what proportion of time spent playing video games was actually spent playing exergames. Data were collected via a cross-sectional telephone survey in South Australia. Participants aged 18 years and above (n = 2026) were asked about their video game habits, as well as demographic and socioeconomic factors. In cases where children were in the household, the video game habits of a randomly selected child were also questioned. Overall, 31.3% of adults and 79.9% of children spend at least some time playing video games. Of these, 24.1% of adults and 42.1% of children play exergames, with these types of games accounting for a third of all time that adults spend playing video games and nearly 20% of children's video game time. A substantial proportion of time that would usually be classified as "sedentary" may actually be spent participating in light to moderate physical activity.

Human-inspired sound environment recognition system for assistive vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

González Vidal, Eduardo; Fredes Zarricueta, Ernesto; Auat Cheein, Fernando

2015-02-01

Objective. The human auditory system acquires environmental information under sound stimuli faster than visual or touch systems, which in turn, allows for faster human responses to such stimuli. It also complements senses such as sight, where direct line-of-view is necessary to identify objects, in the environment recognition process. This work focuses on implementing human reaction to sound stimuli and environment recognition on assistive robotic devices, such as robotic wheelchairs or robotized cars. These vehicles need environment information to ensure safe navigation. Approach. In the field of environment recognition, range sensors (such as LiDAR and ultrasonic systems) and artificial vision devices are widely used; however, these sensors depend on environment constraints (such as lighting variability or color of objects), and sound can provide important information for the characterization of an environment. In this work, we propose a sound-based approach to enhance the environment recognition process, mainly for cases that compromise human integrity, according to the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). Our proposal is based on a neural network implementation that is able to classify up to 15 different environments, each selected according to the ICF considerations on environment factors in the community-based physical activities of people with disabilities. Main results. The accuracy rates in environment classification ranges from 84% to 93%. This classification is later used to constrain assistive vehicle navigation in order to protect the user during daily activities. This work also includes real-time outdoor experimentation (performed on an assistive vehicle) by seven volunteers with different disabilities (but without cognitive impairment and experienced in the use of wheelchairs), statistical validation, comparison with previously published work, and a discussion section where the pros and cons of our system are evaluated. Significance

Pros and cons of using paid feeding assistants in nursing homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Remsburg, Robin E

2004-01-01

Recently the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), citing increasing resident acuity, staffing shortages, and high turnover rates that make it difficult for nursing homes to provide adequate feeding assistance to residents who need minimal help at mealtimes, began allowing nursing facilities to use single-task workers to provide assistance during mealtimes. This article describes the use of single-task workers to provide feeding assistance to nutritionally at-risk residents during a 6-month clinical study designed to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of implementing a buffet-dining program in an academic long-term care facility.

Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms: Economic, Program, and Policy Issues

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hornbeck, J. F

2007-01-01

.... This report focuses on the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) program for firms, which provides technical assistance to help them develop strategies to remain competitive in the changing international economy...

Teaching assistant-student interactions in a modified SCALE-UP classroom

Science.gov (United States)

DeBeck, George; Demaree, Dedra

2012-02-01

In the spring term of 2010, Oregon State University (OSU) began using a SCALE-UP style classroom in the instruction of the introductory calculus-based physics series. Instruction in this classroom was conducted in weekly two-hour sessions facilitated by the primary professor and either two graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) or a graduate teaching assistant and an undergraduate learning assistant (LA). During the course of instruction, two of the eight tables in the room were audio and video recorded. We examine the practices of the GTAs in interacting with the students through both qualitative and quantitative analyses of these recordings. Quantitatively, significant differences are seen between the most experienced GTA and the rest. A major difference in confidence is also observed in the qualitative analysis of this GTA compared to a less experienced GTA.

Implementation of U.S. Department of Energy physical protection upgrades in Lithuania and Uzbekistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haase, M.; Romesberg, L.; Showalter, R.; Soo Hoo, M.S.; Corey, J.; Engling, E.

1996-01-01

Since 1994, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has provided cooperative assistance to the non-nuclear weapons states of the Former Soviet Union. This effort, within DOE's program of Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC ampersand A), identified the Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) in Uzbekistan and the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) in Lithuania as sites for cooperative MPC ampersand A projects. The INP, located just outside of Tashkent, is the site of a 10-megawatt WWR-SM research reactor. This reactor is expected to remain operational as a major nuclear research and isotope production reactor for Central Asia. The INPP, located 100 kilometers northeast of the capital city of Vilnius, consists of two Russian-made RBMK reactors with a combined power output of 3,000 megawatts (electric). This power plant has been the subject of international safety and security concerns, which prompted DOE's cooperative assistance effort. This paper describes U.S. progress in a multi-national effort directed at implementing physical protection upgrades in Lithuania and Uzbekistan. The upgrades agreed upon between DOE and the INP and between DOE and the INPP have been designed to interface with upgrades being implemented by other donor countries. DOE/INPP upgrade projects include providing training on U.S. approaches to physical protection, access control through the main vehicle portal, a hardened central alarm station, and improved guard force communications. DOE/INP upgrade projects in Uzbekistan include an access control system, a hardened fresh fuel storage vault, an interior intrusion detection and assessment system, and an integrated alarm display and assessment system

Mainstreaming animal-assisted therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Palley, Lori S; O'Rourke, P Pearl; Niemi, Steven M

2010-01-01

The term animal-assisted therapy (AAT) commonly refers to the presentation of an animal to one or more persons for the purpose of providing a beneficial impact on human health or well-being. AAT is an ideal example of "One Health" because of numerous studies and widespread testimonials indicating that many humans feel better in the presence of pets and other domesticated animals, and, conversely, that some of those creatures appear to respond positively to human company for their emotional and perhaps physical betterment. Many AAT studies have claimed a wide range of human health benefits, but much of the research is characterized by small-scale interventions among disparate fields, resulting in criticisms about weak study design or inconsistent methodology. Such criticisms contrast with the strongly held belief among many that interaction with friendly animals has a strong and innate value for the persons involved. Consequently the appeal of AAT in human medicine today may be generally characterized as a "push" by enthusiastic advocates rather than a "pull" by prescribing physicians. To fully integrate AAT into conventional medical practice as an accepted therapeutic modality, more convincing intervention studies are necessary to confirm its clinical merits, along with an understanding of the underlying mechanism of the human response to the company of friendly animals.