WorldWideScience

Sample records for understanding research collected

  1. Now You See It… Now You Don’t: Understanding Airborne Mapping LiDAR Collection and Data Product Generation for Archaeological Research in Mesoamerica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Carlos Fernandez-Diaz

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we provide a description of airborne mapping LiDAR, also known as airborne laser scanning (ALS, technology and its workflow from mission planning to final data product generation, with a specific emphasis on archaeological research. ALS observations are highly customizable, and can be tailored to meet specific research needs. Thus it is important for an archaeologist to fully understand the options available during planning, collection and data product generation before commissioning an ALS survey, to ensure the intended research questions can be answered with the resultant data products. Also this knowledge is of great use for the researcher trying to understand the quality and limitations of existing datasets collected for other purposes. Throughout the paper we use examples from archeological ALS projects to illustrate the key concepts of importance for the archaeology researcher.

  2. A review of research in low earth orbit propellant collection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Lake A.; Walker, Mitchell L. R.

    2015-05-01

    This comprehensive review examines the efforts of previous researchers to develop concepts for propellant-collecting spacecraft, estimate the performance of these systems, and understand the physics involved. Rocket propulsion requires the spacecraft to expend two fundamental quantities: energy and propellant mass. A growing number of spacecraft collect the energy they need to execute propulsive maneuvers in-situ with solar panels. In contrast, every spacecraft using rocket propulsion has carried all of the propellant mass needed for the mission from the ground, which limits the range and mission capabilities. Numerous researchers have explored the concept of collecting propellant mass while in space. These concepts have varied in scale and complexity from chemical ramjets to fusion-driven interstellar vessels. Research into propellant-collecting concepts occurred in distinct eras. During the Cold War, concepts tended to be large, complex, and nuclear powered. After the Cold War, concepts transitioned to solar power sources and more effort has been devoted to detailed analysis of specific components of the propellant-collecting architecture. By detailing the major contributions and limitations of previous work, this review concisely presents the state-of-the-art and outlines five areas for continued research. These areas include air-compatible cathode technology, techniques to improve propellant utilization on atmospheric species, in-space compressor and liquefaction technology, improved hypersonic and hyperthermal free molecular flow inlet designs, and improved understanding of how design parameters affect system performance.

  3. Integrated fundamental research on current collection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhlmann-Wilsdorf, Doris; Tran, Leo

    1993-06-01

    The aim of our research was to add to the basic understanding in the area of current collection with particular emphasis on topics likely to benefit practical objectives. Under sponsorship of this contract, 23 papers were published in the international literature. Additionally, 13 invited lectures and 11 contributed lectures on various aspects of this research were delivered at universities, research laboratories, and international conferences by the principal investigator and co-workers. The development of a novel metal fiber material for sliding electrical contacts was continued with much success. This is expected to become very useful for making metal fiber brushed for homopolar motors/generators, as well as for EML armatures. Included in this report are title pages (and abstracts) for the 23 published papers.

  4. Systematic collection of patient reported outcome research data: A checklist for clinical research professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wehrlen, Leslie; Krumlauf, Mike; Ness, Elizabeth; Maloof, Damiana; Bevans, Margaret

    2016-05-01

    Understanding the human experience is no longer an outcome explored strictly by social and behavioral researchers. Increasingly, biomedical researchers are also including patient reported outcomes (PROs) in their clinical research studies not only due to calls for increased patient engagement in research but also healthcare. Collecting PROs in clinical research studies offers a lens into the patient's unique perspective providing important information to industry sponsors and the FDA. Approximately 30% of trials include PROs as primary or secondary endpoints and a quarter of FDA new drug, device and biologic applications include PRO data to support labeling claims. In this paper PRO, represents any information obtained directly from the patient or their proxy, without interpretation by another individual to ascertain their health, evaluate symptoms or conditions and extends the reference of PRO, as defined by the FDA, to include other sources such as patient diaries. Consumers and clinicians consistently report that PRO data are valued, and can aide when deciding between treatment options; therefore an integral part of clinical research. However, little guidance exists for clinical research professionals (CRPs) responsible for collecting PRO data on the best practices to ensure quality data collection so that an accurate assessment of the patient's view is collected. Therefore the purpose of this work was to develop and validate a checklist to guide quality collection of PRO data. The checklist synthesizes best practices from published literature and expert opinions addressing practical and methodological challenges CRPs often encounter when collecting PRO data in research settings. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. 78 FR 65452 - Proposed Information Collection (Veterans, Researchers, and IRB Members Experiences With...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-31

    ... qualitative research methods to understand Veterans' preferences on research recruitment methods. The data... research study subjects and to explore Veterans views on recruitment procedures. DATES: Written comments... Members Experiences with Recruitment Restrictions). Type of Review: New collection. Abstracts: The VHA...

  6. The collective construction of safety: a trade-off between "understanding" and "doing" in managing dynamic situations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuvelier, L; Falzon, P

    2015-03-01

    This exploratory research aims to understand how teams organize themselves and collectively manage risky dynamic situations. The objective is to assess the plausibility of a model of a collective trade-off between "understanding" and "doing". The empirical study, conducted in the pediatric anesthesia service of a French university hospital, was supported by a "high fidelity" simulation with six teams. Data on the teams' behavior and on the verbal communications were collected through video recordings. The results highlight three modes for management of dynamic situations (determined management, cautious management, and overwhelmed management). These modes are related to the way in which teams manage their cognitive resources. More precisely, they are related to the teams' ability to collectively elaborate a trade-off between "understanding" and "doing". These results question existing perspectives on safety and suggest improvements in the design of crisis management training (concerning for example the recommendation of "calling for help"). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  7. Understanding quantitative research: part 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoe, Juanita; Hoare, Zoë

    This article, which is the first in a two-part series, provides an introduction to understanding quantitative research, basic statistics and terminology used in research articles. Critical appraisal of research articles is essential to ensure that nurses remain up to date with evidence-based practice to provide consistent and high-quality nursing care. This article focuses on developing critical appraisal skills and understanding the use and implications of different quantitative approaches to research. Part two of this article will focus on explaining common statistical terms and the presentation of statistical data in quantitative research.

  8. Using Data Collection Apps and Single-Case Designs to Research Transformative Learning in Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roessger, Kevin M.; Greenleaf, Arie; Hoggan, Chad

    2017-01-01

    To overcome situational hurdles when researching transformative learning in adults, we outline a research approach using single-case research designs and smartphone data collection apps. This approach allows researchers to better understand learners' current lived experiences and determine the effects of transformative learning interventions on…

  9. Research philosophy: towards an understanding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crossan, Frank

    2003-01-01

    In this paper, Frank Crossan argues that the distinction between quantitative and qualitative philosophies and research methods is sometimes overstated, and that triangulation of methods in contemporary research is common. It is, therefore, important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, and this paper aims to provide the novice researcher with a basis for developing that understanding. A descriptive analysis of the philosophies of positivism and post-positivist thinking in relation to research methodology is presented both as an introduction to the philosophical basis of research, and as a sound basis from which to discuss the 'quantitative-qualitative' debate.

  10. Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research: Reflections on the Research Approach Used to Understand the Complexity of Maternal Health Issues in South Sudan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elmusharaf, Khalifa; Byrne, Elaine; Manandhar, Mary; Hemmings, Joanne; O'Donovan, Diarmuid

    2017-07-01

    Many methodological approaches have been used to understand cultural dimensions to maternal health issues. Although a well-designed quantitative survey with a representative sample can provide essential information on trends in behavior, it does not necessarily establish a contextualized understanding of the complexity in which different behaviors occur. This article addresses how contextualized data can be collected in a short time and under conditions in which participants in conflict-affected zones might not have established, or time to establish, trust with the researchers. The solution, the Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research (PEER) approach, is illustrated through a study whereby South Sudanese marginalized women were trained to design research instruments, and collect and analyze qualitative data. PEER overcomes the problem that many ethnographic or participatory approaches face-the extensive time and resources required to develop trusting relationships with the community to understand the local context and the social networks they form.

  11. Human Computer Collaboration at the Edge: Enhancing Collective Situation Understanding with Controlled Natural Language

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-06

    conversational agent with information exchange disabled until the end of the experiment run. The meaning of the indicator in the top- right of the agent... Human Computer Collaboration at the Edge: Enhancing Collective Situation Understanding with Controlled Natural Language Alun Preece∗, William...email: PreeceAD@cardiff.ac.uk †Emerging Technology Services, IBM United Kingdom Ltd, Hursley Park, Winchester, UK ‡US Army Research Laboratory, Human

  12. Developments in Social Impact Assessment : An introduction to a collection of seminal research papers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vanclay, Frank; Vanclay, Frank

    2014-01-01

    This Edward Elgar research collection comprises 50 of the key journal articles in the field of social impact assessment (SIA) as it has developed over time. As discussed in more detail below and in the papers in this collection, the general understanding of SIA has changed over time, and will likely

  13. [Analysis of qualitative data collection methods used in adolescent research].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ndengeyingoma, Assumpta; De Montigny, Francine; Miron, Jean-Marie

    2013-03-01

    There has been remarkable growth in research on adolescents in the last decade, particularly in nursing science. The goal of this article is to produce a synthesis of findings justifying the use of qualitative methods in collecting data from adolescents. A literature review identified relevant articles (N : 27) from digital databases. While the studies done on adolescents were on different topics, the data collection methods were often similar. Most of the studies used more than one technique to reconcile scientific rigour and the way the adolescents expressed themselves. In order to understand a phenomenon, its context and the meaning given to the experience proved essential. In qualitative research on adolescents, it is important to use data collection methods that make it possible to clearly target the experience explored and to orient and guide the individual in deepening that experience in order to favour the emergence of his or her point of view. Data collection methods based on written communication have to be complemented with other methods more focused on oral communication so as to draw out interpretations reflecting adolescents' points of view as accurately as possible.

  14. Philosophy of phenomenology: how understanding aids research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Converse, Mary

    2012-01-01

    To assist the researcher in understanding the similarities and differences between the Husserlian and Heideggerian philosophies of phenomenology, and how that philosophy can inform nursing research as a useful methodology. Nurse researchers using phenomenology as a methodology need to understand the philosophy of phenomenology to produce a research design that is philosophically congruent. However, phenomenology has a long and complex history of development, and may be difficult to understand and apply. The author draws from Heidegger (1962), Gadamer (2004), and nurse scholars and methodologists. To give the reader a sense of the development of the philosophy of phenomenology, the author briefly recounts its historical origins and interpretations, specifically related to Husserl, Heidegger and Gadamer. The author outlines the ontological and epistemological assumptions of Husserlian and Heideggerian phenomenology and guidance for methodology inspired by these philosophers. Difficulties with engaging in phenomenological research are addressed, especially the processes of phenomenological reduction and bracketing, and the lack of clarity about the methods of interpretation. Despite its complexity, phenomenology can provide the nurse researcher with indepth insight into nursing practice. An understanding of phenomenology can guide nurse researchers to produce results that have meaning in nursing patient care.

  15. COLLECTIVE NEGOTIATIONS--IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    OHM, ROBERT E.

    THE AUTHOR STATES THAT CONFLICT, CONTROL, AND BARGAINING ARE PRIMARY ELEMENTS FOR RELEVANT THEORY AND RESEARCH ON COLLECTIVE TEACHER NEGOTIATION. COLLECTIVE ACTIVITY BY TEACHERS IS ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR INCREASED PROFESSIONALIZATION AND IS REGARDED AS AN ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSE GENERATED BY AN EMERGING MANAGERIAL-PROFESSIONAL-BUREAUCRATIC…

  16. Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Hispanic Higher Education Research Collective (H3ERC) Research Agenda: Impacting Education and Changing Lives through Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, 2011

    2011-01-01

    With support from the Lumina Foundation, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) has launched HACU's Hispanic Higher Education Research Collective (H3ERC). The first major task of this virtual gathering of researchers and practitioners in Hispanic higher education has been to assess the state of our knowledge of the key issues…

  17. Understanding FE Mergers. Research Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvert, Natasha

    2009-01-01

    This report presents research findings and discussion to help develop an understanding of what gives rise to mergers and, when they do happen, what makes them work. The research has focused on merger activity between further education (FE) colleges since incorporation in 1993. Mergers are highly contextual, and part of ensuring success is…

  18. Video-cued narrative reflection: a research approach for articulating tacit, relational, and embodied understandings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raingruber, Bonnie

    2003-10-01

    The author's purpose in this article is to describe the effectiveness of video-cued narrative reflection as a research approach for accessing relational, practice-based, and lived understandings. Video-cued narrative reflection provides moment-by-moment access to tacit experience. The immediate nature of the videotape captures emotional nuances, embodied perceptions, spatial influences, relational understandings, situational factors, and temporal manifestations. By watching videotaped interactions, participants are able to re-collect, re-experience, and interpret their life world. Video-cued narrative reflection allows participants to be simultaneously engaged and reflective while describing significant understandings. By inserting audiotaped reflective commentary of participants into the original videotape transcript, contextual meanings can be located and articulated more easily. Although not appropriate for all types of research, this approach offers promise for certain studies.

  19. Understanding Participatory Action Research: A Qualitative Research Methodology Option

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacDonald, Cathy

    2012-01-01

    Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a qualitative research methodology option that requires further understanding and consideration. PAR is considered democratic, equitable, liberating, and life-enhancing qualitative inquiry that remains distinct from other qualitative methodologies (Kach & Kralik, 2006). Using PAR, qualitative features of an…

  20. Interview-Based Qualitative Research in Emergency Care Part II: Data Collection, Analysis and Results Reporting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranney, Megan L.; Meisel, Zachary; Choo, Esther K.; Garro, Aris; Sasson, Comilla; Morrow, Kathleen

    2015-01-01

    Qualitative methods are increasingly being used in emergency care research. Rigorous qualitative methods can play a critical role in advancing the emergency care research agenda by allowing investigators to generate hypotheses, gain an in-depth understanding of health problems or specific populations, create expert consensus, and develop new intervention and dissemination strategies. In Part I of this two-article series, we provided an introduction to general principles of applied qualitative health research and examples of its common use in emergency care research, describing study designs and data collection methods most relevant to our field (observation, individual interviews, and focus groups). Here in Part II of this series, we outline the specific steps necessary to conduct a valid and reliable qualitative research project, with a focus on interview-based studies. These elements include building the research team, preparing data collection guides, defining and obtaining an adequate sample, collecting and organizing qualitative data, and coding and analyzing the data. We also discuss potential ethical considerations unique to qualitative research as it relates to emergency care research. PMID:26284572

  1. Interview-based Qualitative Research in Emergency Care Part II: Data Collection, Analysis and Results Reporting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranney, Megan L; Meisel, Zachary F; Choo, Esther K; Garro, Aris C; Sasson, Comilla; Morrow Guthrie, Kate

    2015-09-01

    Qualitative methods are increasingly being used in emergency care research. Rigorous qualitative methods can play a critical role in advancing the emergency care research agenda by allowing investigators to generate hypotheses, gain an in-depth understanding of health problems or specific populations, create expert consensus, and develop new intervention and dissemination strategies. In Part I of this two-article series, we provided an introduction to general principles of applied qualitative health research and examples of its common use in emergency care research, describing study designs and data collection methods most relevant to our field (observation, individual interviews, and focus groups). Here in Part II of this series, we outline the specific steps necessary to conduct a valid and reliable qualitative research project, with a focus on interview-based studies. These elements include building the research team, preparing data collection guides, defining and obtaining an adequate sample, collecting and organizing qualitative data, and coding and analyzing the data. We also discuss potential ethical considerations unique to qualitative research as it relates to emergency care research. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  2. Research report appraisal: how much understanding is enough?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipscomb, Martin

    2014-07-01

    When appraising research papers, how much understanding is enough? More specifically, in deciding whether research results can inform practice, do appraisers need to substantively understand how findings are derived or is it sufficient simply to grasp that suitable analytic techniques were chosen and used by researchers? The degree or depth of understanding that research appraisers need to attain before findings can legitimately/sensibly inform practice is underexplored. In this paper it is argued that, where knowledge/justified beliefs derived from research evidence prompt actions that materially affect patient care, appraisers have an epistemic duty to demand high (maximal) rather than low (minimal) levels of understanding regards finding derivation (i.e. appraisers have a duty to seek a superior epistemic situation). If this argument holds assumptions about appraiser competence/ability and the feasibility of current UK conceptions of evidence based practice are destabilized. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Biological collections and ecological/environmental research: a review, some observations and a look to the future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pyke, Graham H; Ehrlich, Paul R

    2010-05-01

    Housed worldwide, mostly in museums and herbaria, is a vast collection of biological specimens developed over centuries. These biological collections, and associated taxonomic and systematic research, have received considerable long-term public support. The work remaining in systematics has been expanding as the estimated total number of species of organisms on Earth has risen over recent decades, as have estimated numbers of undescribed species. Despite this increasing task, support for taxonomic and systematic research, and biological collections upon which such research is based, has declined over the last 30-40 years, while other areas of biological research have grown considerably, especially those that focus on environmental issues. Reflecting increases in research that deals with ecological questions (e.g. what determines species distribution and abundance) or environmental issues (e.g. toxic pollution), the level of research attempting to use biological collections in museums or herbaria in an ecological/environmental context has risen dramatically during about the last 20 years. The perceived relevance of biological collections, and hence the support they receive, should be enhanced if this trend continues and they are used prominently regarding such environmental issues as anthropogenic loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem function, global climate change, and decay of the epidemiological environment. It is unclear, however, how best to use biological collections in the context of such ecological/environmental issues or how best to manage collections to facilitate such use. We demonstrate considerable and increasingly realized potential for research based on biological collections to contribute to ecological/environmental understanding. However, because biological collections were not originally intended for use regarding such issues and have inherent biases and limitations, they are proving more useful in some contexts than in others. Biological

  4. Collective Variables in Apphed Linguistics Research

    OpenAIRE

    ヘンスリー, ジョール; HENSLEY, Joel

    2011-01-01

    This paper focuses on the key dynamic(al)systems theory concept of collective variables as it relates to developmental research in applied linguistics. Dynamic(al) systems theory is becoming prevalent in linguistic research and in the past two decades has jumped to the forefront of cutting edge in the field. One key concept in dynamic(al) systems theory is that of collective variables. In order to help properly orient this concept in the field of applied linguistics, this paper discusses the ...

  5. Analysis of the research sample collections of Uppsala biobank.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engelmark, Malin T; Beskow, Anna H

    2014-10-01

    Uppsala Biobank is the joint and only biobank organization of the two principals, Uppsala University and Uppsala University Hospital. Biobanks are required to have updated registries on sample collection composition and management in order to fulfill legal regulations. We report here the results from the first comprehensive and overall analysis of the 131 research sample collections organized in the biobank. The results show that the median of the number of samples in the collections was 700 and that the number of samples varied from less than 500 to over one million. Blood samples, such as whole blood, serum, and plasma, were included in the vast majority, 84.0%, of the research sample collections. Also, as much as 95.5% of the newly collected samples within healthcare included blood samples, which further supports the concept that blood samples have fundamental importance for medical research. Tissue samples were also commonly used and occurred in 39.7% of the research sample collections, often combined with other types of samples. In total, 96.9% of the 131 sample collections included samples collected for healthcare, showing the importance of healthcare as a research infrastructure. Of the collections that had accessed existing samples from healthcare, as much as 96.3% included tissue samples from the Department of Pathology, which shows the importance of pathology samples as a resource for medical research. Analysis of different research areas shows that the most common of known public health diseases are covered. Collections that had generated the most publications, up to over 300, contained a large number of samples collected systematically and repeatedly over many years. More knowledge about existing biobank materials, together with public registries on sample collections, will support research collaborations, improve transparency, and bring us closer to the goals of biobanks, which is to save and prolong human lives and improve health and quality of life.

  6. 77 FR 37387 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Understanding Recreational Angler Attitudes and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-21

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Understanding Recreational Angler Attitudes and Preferences for Saltwater... survey will be to understand the range of attitudes, preferences, and concerns that recreational anglers...

  7. Tackling complexities in understanding the social determinants of health: the contribution of ethnographic research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandyopadhyay, Mridula

    2011-11-25

    The complexities inherent in understanding the social determinants of health are often not well-served by quantitative approaches. My aim is to show that well-designed and well-conducted ethnographic studies have an important contribution to make in this regard. Ethnographic research designs are a difficult but rigorous approach to research questions that require us to understand the complexity of people's social and cultural lives. I draw on an ethnographic study to describe the complexities of studying maternal health in a rural area in India. I then show how the lessons learnt in that setting and context can be applied to studies done in very different settings. I show how ethnographic research depends for rigour on a theoretical framework for sample selection; why immersion in the community under study, and rapport building with research participants, is important to ensure rich and meaningful data; and how flexible approaches to data collection lead to the gradual emergence of an analysis based on intense cross-referencing with community views and thus a conclusion that explains the similarities and differences observed. When using ethnographic research design it can be difficult to specify in advance the exact details of the study design. Researchers can encounter issues in the field that require them to change what they planned on doing. In rigorous ethnographic studies, the researcher in the field is the research instrument and needs to be well trained in the method. Ethnographic research is challenging, but nevertheless provides a rewarding way of researching complex health problems that require an understanding of the social and cultural determinants of health.

  8. 76 FR 16443 - Proposed Information Collection: Strengthening the Scientific Understanding of Climate Change...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-23

    ... Collection: Strengthening the Scientific Understanding of Climate Change Impacts on Freshwater Resources of... Scientific Understanding of Climate Change Impacts on Freshwater Resources of the United States.'' The draft report reviews key issues related to freshwater resource data and climate change and identifies next...

  9. Understanding the Process and Success Factors to Increase Synergies between Research and Teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deborah Ballou

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available While the synergies between research for knowledge discovery and teaching are widely accepted, the evidence is mostly implicit, verbal and poorly documented, and many times contradictive. In an effort to better understand the interaction between these important activities, the main objective of this study is to collect knowledge illustrating their synergies through specific cases. A complementary objective is to identify the important factors, which professionals should implement or avoid for increasing the likelihood that these synergies will be derived. To collect the necessary information personal interviews have been used to address the research question. The same set of questions was sent to several professionals known to have extensive experience in the areas of academic research and teaching. The respondents were asked to: 1. briefly describe the knowledge area in which the synergies occurred; 2. For the specified knowledge area, to please describe in summary form but specifically how they derived the synergy between research and teaching; and 3. Based on their personal experience, to please identify the important factors to increase the likelihood that academic research will produce benefits for teaching, and vice versa. The results strongly corroborate the importance of academic research for effective teaching. Based on the results, a set of recommendations are made to faculty members and school administrators to further promote academic research as an important factor for more effective teaching.

  10. The GLOBE Program's Student Climate Research Campaign: Empowering Students to Measure, Investigate, and Understand Climate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackaro, J.; Andersen, T.; Malmberg, J.; Randolph, J. G.; Wegner, K.; Tessendorf, S. A.

    2012-12-01

    The GLOBE Program's Student Climate Research Campaign (SCRC) is a two-year campaign focused on empowering students to measure, investigate, and understand the climate system in their local community and around the world. Schools can participate in the campaign via three mechanisms: climate foundations, intensive observing periods (IOPs), and research investigations. Participation in the first year of the SCRC focused on increasing student understanding and awareness of climate. Students in 49 countries participated by joining a quarterly webinar, completing the online climate learning activity, collecting and entering data during IOPs, or completing an online join survey. The year also included a video competition with the theme of Earth Day 2012, as well as a virtual student conference in conjunction with The GLOBE Program's From Learning to Research Project. As the SCRC continues into its second year, the goal is for students to increase their understanding of and ability to conduct scientific research focused on climate. Furthermore, year two of the SCRC seeks to improve students' global awareness by encouraging collaborations among students, teachers and scientists focused on understanding the Earth as a system. In addition to the continuation of activities from year one, year two will have even more webinars offered, two competitions, the introduction of two new IOPs, and a culminating virtual student conference. It is anticipated that this virtual conference will showcase research by students who are enthusiastic and dedicated to understanding climate and mitigating impacts of climate change in their communities. This presentation will highlight examples of how the SCRC is engaging students all over the world in hands-on and locally relevant climate research.

  11. Longitudinal research and data collection in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Weel, Chris

    2005-01-01

    This article reviews examples of and experience with longitudinal research in family medicine. The objective is to use this empirical information to formulate recommendations for improving longitudinal research. The article discusses 3 longitudinal studies from the Nijmegen academic family practice research network: 1 on the prognosis of depression and 1 each on the prognosis of and outcomes of care for type 2 diabetes mellitus. The Nijmegen network has recorded all episodes of morbidity encountered in Dutch family medicine since 1971 in a stable practice population. This network's experience is evaluated to identify lessons that may help other practice-based research networks (PBRNs) in pursuing longitudinal research. In terms of external conditions (conditions related to the general setting), the stability of a population and a high level of continuity of care substantially enhance the ability to perform longitudinal research. In terms of internal conditions (conditions related to the PBRN), motivation of family physicians and their staff to conduct ongoing data collection, and their ownership of the data are key for success. Other critical internal conditions include standardization of data; collection of data by clinician-friendly means; training of family physicians and their staff in data collection, as well as meetings for discussion of this task; provision of feedback to practices on the research findings; use of standard procedures to promote adherence to data collection; availability of facilities for regular measurement of patients' health status or chart review; and use of mechanisms for tracking patients who leave the practice area. Insight from existing experience suggests that longitudinal research can be enhanced in PBRNs. The best way forward is to build longitudinal data collection by drawing on lessons from successful studies. Primary care research policy should advocate for a role of longitudinal research and stimulate its development in PBRNs

  12. Employees as Individually and Collectively Acting Subjects—Key Contributions from Nordic Working Life Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Hasle

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The Nordic countries—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden—are societies that share many features among themselves that also distinguish them from other industrialized countries. The paper poses the question whether the distinct character of the Nordic societies has generated working life research that is clearly distinguishable from similar research in other countries in terms of distinctness in topics, methods, empirical findings, or theoretical concepts. The aim of this paper is to answer this question by identifying, analyzing, and discussing selected key contributions from Nordic working life research to understand how they research and construe the conditions of humans at work with a special focus on the psychosocial well-being of industrial workers. The paper concludes that the key contributions to Nordic working life research have a distinctive emphasis on collective employee voice and autonomy and an extensive use of empirical and actionoriented research methods. Employees are construed not only as workers resisting exploitations from management or as workers pursuing individual careers, but also as members of collectives who share ideas and aspirations and who legitimately influence the management (and research using cooperation and pressure.

  13. Understanding the Impact of an Apprenticeship-Based Scientific Research Program on High School Students' Understanding of Scientific Inquiry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aydeniz, Mehmet; Baksa, Kristen; Skinner, Jane

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of an apprenticeship program on high school students' understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry. Data related to seventeen students' understanding of science and scientific inquiry were collected through open-ended questionnaires. Findings suggest that although engagement in authentic…

  14. Understanding Cancer Prognosis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... our information on Coping With Cancer helpful. Understanding Statistics About Survival Doctors estimate prognosis by using statistics that researchers have collected over many years about ...

  15. Developing the Digital Kyoto Collection in Education and Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Mark Anthony

    2018-04-16

    The Kyoto embryo collection was begun in 1961 by Dr. Hideo Nishimura. The collection has been continuously developed and currently contains over 44,000 human normal and abnormal specimens. Beginning online in 1997, the internet provided an opportunity to make embryos from the collection widely available for research and educational purposes (http://tiny.cc/Embryo). These embryonic development resources have been continuously published and available from that time until today. Published in Japanese as an Atlas of Embryonic Development. Published online as the Kyoto Human Embryo Visualization Project (http://atlas.cac.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp) and also as the Human Embryo Atlas (http://tiny.cc/Human_Embryo_Atlas). Published now electronically as a digital eBook (http://tiny.cc/Kyoto_Collection_eBook). This new digital format allows incorporation of whole embryo and histology manipulable images, labels, and a linked glossary. New imaging modalities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and episcopic fluorescence image capture (EFIC) can also be easily displayed as animations. For research, the collection specimens and histological sections have been extensively studied and published in several hundred papers, discussed here and elsewhere in this special edition. I will also describe how the Kyoto collection will now form a major partner of a new international embryology research group, the Digital Embryology Consortium (https://human-embryology.org). The digital Kyoto collection will be made available for remote researcher access, analysis, and comparison with other collections allowing new research and educational applications. This work was presented at the 40th Anniversary Commemoration Symposium of the Congenital Anomaly Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan, November, 2015. Anat Rec, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Opening Digital Archives and Collections with Emerging Data Analytics Technology: A Research Agenda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Elragal

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available In the public sector, the EU legislation requires preservation and opening of increasing amounts of heterogeneous digital information that should be utilized by citizens and businesses. While technologies such as big data analytics (BDA have emerged, opening of digital archives and collections at a large scale is in its infancy. Opening archives and collections involve also particular requirements for recognizing and managing issues of privacy and digital rights. As well, ensuring the sustainability of the opened materials and economical appraisal of digital materials for preservation require robust digital preservation practices. We need to proceed beyond the state-of-the-art in opening digital archives and collections through the means of emerging big data analytics and validating a novel concept for analytics which then enables delivering of knowledge for citizens and the society. We set out an agenda for using BDA as our strategy for research and enquiry and for demonstrating the benefit of BDA for opening digital archives by civil servants and for citizens. That will – eventually - transform the preservation practices, and delivery and use opportunities of public digital archives. Our research agenda suggests a framework integrating four domains of inquiry, analytics-enhanced appraisal, analytics-prepared preservation, analytics-enhanced opening, and analytics-enhanced use, for utilizing the BDA technologies in the domain of digital archives and collections. The suggested framework and research agenda identifies initially particular BDA technologies to be utilized in each of the four domains, and contributes by highlighting a need for an integrated “public understanding of big data” in the domain of digital preservation.

  17. The United States Culture Collection Network (USCCN): Enhancing Microbial Genomics Research through Living Microbe Culture Collections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boundy-Mills, Kyria; Hess, Matthias; Bennett, A. Rick; Ryan, Matthew; Kang, Seogchan; Nobles, David; Eisen, Jonathan A.; Inderbitzin, Patrik; Sitepu, Irnayuli R.; Torok, Tamas; Brown, Daniel R.; Cho, Juliana; Wertz, John E.; Mukherjee, Supratim; Cady, Sherry L.

    2015-01-01

    The mission of the United States Culture Collection Network (USCCN; http://usccn.org) is “to facilitate the safe and responsible utilization of microbial resources for research, education, industry, medicine, and agriculture for the betterment of human kind.” Microbial culture collections are a key component of life science research, biotechnology, and emerging global biobased economies. Representatives and users of several microbial culture collections from the United States and Europe gathered at the University of California, Davis, to discuss how collections of microorganisms can better serve users and stakeholders and to showcase existing resources available in public culture collections. PMID:26092453

  18. Perception, understanding and practice of ethics during research on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Scandals have occurred over time involving conduct of research in different parts of the world. This study was aimed at exploring researchers' perception, understanding, appreciation and practice of research ethics during research on human subjects. Methods: A qualitative approach using the exploratory and ...

  19. Researchers Realize Major Breakthrough in Understanding Endometriosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... 16, 2014 Researchers Realize Major Breakthrough in Understanding Endometriosis For a disease that affects an estimated 6 ... 10% of women, surprisingly little is known about endometriosis — a disorder that causes uterine tissue to grow ...

  20. Multichannel customer management : Understanding the research-shopper phenomenon

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verhoef, Peter C.; Neslin, Scott A.; Vroomen, Bjorn

    This paper develops and estimates a model for understanding the causes of research shopping, and investigates potential strategies for managing it. The research-shopper phenomenon is the tendency of customers to use one channel for search and another for purchase. We hypothesize three fundamental

  1. Understanding of research, genetics and genetic research in a rapid ethical assessment in north west Cameroon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kengne-Ouafo, Jonas A; Millard, James D; Nji, Theobald M; Tantoh, William F; Nyoh, Doris N; Tendongfor, Nicholas; Enyong, Peter A; Newport, Melanie J; Davey, Gail; Wanji, Samuel

    2016-05-01

    There is limited assessment of whether research participants in low-income settings are afforded a full understanding of the meaning of medical research. There may also be particular issues with the understanding of genetic research. We used a rapid ethical assessment methodology to explore perceptions surrounding the meaning of research, genetics and genetic research in north west Cameroon. Eleven focus group discussions (including 107 adults) and 72 in-depth interviews were conducted with various stakeholders in two health districts in north west Cameroon between February and April 2012. Most participants appreciated the role of research in generating knowledge and identified a difference between research and healthcare but gave varied explanations as to this difference. Most participants' understanding of genetics was limited to concepts of hereditary, with potential benefits limited to the level of the individual or family. Explanations based on supernatural beliefs were identified as a special issue but participants tended not to identify any other special risks with genetic research. We demonstrated a variable level of understanding of research, genetics and genetic research, with implications for those carrying out genetic research in this and other low resource settings. Our study highlights the utility of rapid ethical assessment prior to complex or sensitive research. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  2. Interoperable Access to NCAR Research Data Archive Collections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuster, D.; Ji, Z.; Worley, S. J.; Manross, K.

    2014-12-01

    The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Research Data Archive (RDA) provides free access to 600+ observational and gridded dataset collections. The RDA is designed to support atmospheric and related sciences research, updated frequently where datasets have ongoing production, and serves data to 10,000 unique users annually. The traditional data access options include web-based direct archive file downloads, user selected data subsets and format conversions produced by server-side computations, and client and cURL-based APIs for routine scripted data retrieval. To enhance user experience and utility, the RDA now also offers THREDDS Data Server (TDS) access for many highly valued dataset collections. TDS offered datasets are presented as aggregations, enabling users to access an entire dataset collection, that can be comprised of 1000's of files, through a single virtual file. The OPeNDAP protocol, supported by the TDS, allows compatible tools to open and access these virtual files remotely, and make the native data file format transparent to the end user. The combined functionality (TDS/OPeNDAP) gives users the ability to browse, select, visualize, and download data from a complete dataset collection without having to transfer archive files to a local host. This presentation will review the TDS basics and describe the specific TDS implementation on the RDA's diverse archive of GRIB-1, GRIB-2, and gridded NetCDF formatted dataset collections. Potential future TDS implementation on in-situ observational dataset collections will be discussed. Illustrative sample cases will be used to highlight the end users benefits from this interoperable data access to the RDA.

  3. Community understanding of Respondent-Driven Sampling in a medical research setting in Uganda: importance for the use of RDS for public health research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCreesh, Nicky; Tarsh, Matilda Nadagire; Seeley, Janet; Katongole, Joseph; White, Richard G

    2013-01-01

    Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is a widely-used variant of snowball sampling. Respondents are selected not from a sampling frame, but from a social network of existing members of the sample. Incentives are provided for participation and for the recruitment of others. Ethical and methodological criticisms have been raised about RDS. Our purpose was to evaluate whether these criticisms were justified. In this study RDS was used to recruit male household heads in rural Uganda. We investigated community members' understanding and experience of the method, and explored how these may have affected the quality of the RDS survey data. Our findings suggest that because participants recruit participants, the use of RDS in medical research may result in increased difficulties in gaining informed consent, and data collected using RDS may be particularly susceptible to bias due to differences in the understanding of key concepts between researchers and members of the community.

  4. Socialization, Language, and Scenic Understanding

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Henning Salling; Weber, Kirsten

    2013-01-01

    is based on a transformation of the "scenic understanding" from a clinical to a text interpretation, which seeks to understand collective unconscious meaning in text, and is presented with an illustration of the interpretation procedure from social research. Then follows a brief systematic account of key...

  5. Collective statement on the role of research in a nuclear regulatory context

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-01-01

    In the present context of deregulation and privatisation of the nuclear industry, maintaining an adequate level of nuclear safety research is a primary concern for nuclear regulators, researchers and nuclear power plant licensees, as well as for government officials and the public. While these different stakeholders may have common concerns and interests, there may also be differences. At the international level, it is important to understand that divisions exist both within and among countries, not only in national cultures but also in the way regulators, researchers and licensees view the rote of research. An international gathering under the auspices of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) took place in June 2001, bringing together heads of nuclear regulatory bodies of NEA Member countries, senior regulators, senior executives of research organisations and leaders from the nuclear industry to discuss their perceptions of the rote of research in a nuclear regulatory context. This collective statement represents an international consensus on a rationale for regulatory research for currently operating nuclear reactors and for future reactors, and sets forth specific recommendations to NEA standing technical committees and Member countries. The intended audience is primarily nuclear safety regulators, senior researchers and industry leaders. Government authorities, nuclear power plant operators and the general public may also be interested. (author)

  6. Connecting the Dots: Understanding the Flow of Research Knowledge within a Research Brokering Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodway, Joelle

    2015-01-01

    Networks are frequently cited as an important knowledge mobilization strategy; however, there is little empirical research that considers how they connect research and practice. Taking a social network perspective, I explore how central office personnel find, understand and share research knowledge within a research brokering network. This mixed…

  7. Building Research Capacity to Understand and Adapt to Climate ...

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

    Building Research Capacity to Understand and Adapt to Climate Change in the Indus Basin ... Eleven world-class research teams set to improve livestock vaccine development ... Building resilience through socially equitable climate action.

  8. Understanding coping with cancer: how can qualitative research help?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chittem, Mahati

    2014-01-01

    Research in psycho-oncology investigates the psycho-social and emotional aspects of cancer and how this is related to health, well-being and overall patient care. Coping with cancer is a prime focus for researchers owing to its impact on patients' psychological processing and life in general. Research so far has focused mainly on quantitative study designs such as questionnaires to examine the coping strategies used by cancer patients. However, in order to gain a rich and deep understanding of the reasons, processes and types of strategies that patients use to deal with cancer, qualitative study designs are necessary. Few studies have used qualitative designs such as semi-structured interviews to explore coping with cancer. The current paper aims to review the suitability and benefits of using qualitative research designs to understand coping with cancer with the help of some key literature in psycho-oncology research.

  9. Collection of sequential imaging events for research in breast cancer screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, M. N.; Young, K.; Halling-Brown, M. D.

    2016-03-01

    Due to the huge amount of research involving medical images, there is a widely accepted need for comprehensive collections of medical images to be made available for research. This demand led to the design and implementation of a flexible image repository, which retrospectively collects images and data from multiple sites throughout the UK. The OPTIMAM Medical Image Database (OMI-DB) was created to provide a centralized, fully annotated dataset for research. The database contains both processed and unprocessed images, associated data, annotations and expert-determined ground truths. Collection has been ongoing for over three years, providing the opportunity to collect sequential imaging events. Extensive alterations to the identification, collection, processing and storage arms of the system have been undertaken to support the introduction of sequential events, including interval cancers. These updates to the collection systems allow the acquisition of many more images, but more importantly, allow one to build on the existing high-dimensional data stored in the OMI-DB. A research dataset of this scale, which includes original normal and subsequent malignant cases along with expert derived and clinical annotations, is currently unique. These data provide a powerful resource for future research and has initiated new research projects, amongst which, is the quantification of normal cases by applying a large number of quantitative imaging features, with a priori knowledge that eventually these cases develop a malignancy. This paper describes, extensions to the OMI-DB collection systems and tools and discusses the prospective applications of having such a rich dataset for future research applications.

  10. Understanding Combustion Processes Through Microgravity Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ronney, Paul D.

    1998-01-01

    A review of research on the effects of gravity on combustion processes is presented, with an emphasis on a discussion of the ways in which reduced-gravity experiments and modeling has led to new understanding. Comparison of time scales shows that the removal of buoyancy-induced convection leads to manifestations of other transport mechanisms, notably radiative heat transfer and diffusional processes such as Lewis number effects. Examples from premixed-gas combustion, non-premixed gas-jet flames, droplet combustion, flame spread over solid and liquid fuels, and other fields are presented. Promising directions for new research are outlined, the most important of which is suggested to be radiative reabsorption effects in weakly burning flames.

  11. Utilizing the Theoretical Framework of Collective Identity to Understand Processes in Youth Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Futch, Valerie A.

    2016-01-01

    This article explores collective identity as a useful theoretical framework for understanding social and developmental processes that occur in youth programs. Through narrative analysis of past participant interviews (n = 21) from an after-school theater program, known as "The SOURCE", it was found that participants very clearly describe…

  12. Case Study Research Methodology in Nursing Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cope, Diane G

    2015-11-01

    Through data collection methods using a holistic approach that focuses on variables in a natural setting, qualitative research methods seek to understand participants' perceptions and interpretations. Common qualitative research methods include ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and historic research. Another type of methodology that has a similar qualitative approach is case study research, which seeks to understand a phenomenon or case from multiple perspectives within a given real-world context.

  13. Design and Implementation of Data Collection Instruments for Neonatology Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica G. HĂŞMĂŞANU

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available im: The aim of our research was to design and implement data collection instruments to be use in context of an observational prospective clinical study with follow-up conducted on new born with intrauterine growth restriction. Methods: The structure of the data collection forms (paper based and electronic based was first identified and for each variable the best type to accomplish the research aim was established. The code for categorical variables has also been decided as well as the units of measurements for quantitative variables. In respect of good practice, a set of confounding factors (as gender, date of birth, etc. have also been identified and integrated in data collection instruments. Data-entry validation rules were implemented for each variable to reduce data input errors when the electronic data collection instrument was created. Results: Two data collection instruments have been developed and successfully implemented: a paper-based form and an electronic data collection instrument. The developed forms included demographics, neonatal complications (as hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, etc., biochemical data at birth and follow-up, immunological data, as well as basal and follow-up echocardiographic data. Data-entry validation criteria have been implemented in electronic data collection instrument to assure validity and precision when paper-based data are translated in electronic form. Furthermore, to assure subject’s confidentiality a careful attention was given to HIPPA identifiers when electronic data collection instrument was developed. Conclusion: Data collection instruments were successfully developed and implemented as an a priori step in a clinical research for assisting data collection and management in a case of an observational prospective study with follow-up visits.

  14. Understanding concepts of place in recreation research and management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linda. E. Kruger; Troy E. Hall; Maria C. Stiefel

    2008-01-01

    Over a 3-day weekend in the spring of 2004 a group of scientists interested in extending understanding of place as applied in recreation research and management convened a working session in Portland, Oregon. The purpose of the gathering was to clarify their understanding of place-related concepts, approaches to the study of people-place relations, and the application...

  15. Understanding participation by African Americans in cancer genetics research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, Jasmine A; Barg, Frances K; Weathers, Benita; Guerra, Carmen E; Troxel, Andrea B; Domchek, Susan; Bowen, Deborah; Shea, Judy A; Halbert, Chanita Hughes

    2012-01-01

    Understanding genetic factors that contribute to racial differences in cancer outcomes may reduce racial disparities in cancer morbidity and mortality. Achieving this goal will be limited by low rates of African American participation in cancer genetics research. We conducted a qualitative study with African American adults (n = 91) to understand attitudes about participating in cancer genetics research and to identify factors that are considered when making a decision about participating in this type of research. Participants would consider the potential benefits to themselves, family members, and their community when making a decision to participate in cancer genetics research. However, concerns about exploitation, distrust of researchers, and investigators' motives were also important to participation decisions. Individuals would also consider who has access to their personal information and what would happen to these data. Side effects, logistical issues, and the potential to gain knowledge about health issues were also described as important factors in decision making. African Americans may consider a number of ethical, legal, and social issues when making a decision to participate in cancer genetics research. These issues should be addressed as part of recruitment efforts.

  16. If you come from a well-known organisation, I will trust you: Exploring and understanding the community's attitudes towards healthcare research in Cambodia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pol, Sreymom; Fox-Lewis, Shivani; Neou, Leakhena; Parker, Michael; Kingori, Patricia; Turner, Claudia

    2018-01-01

    To explore Cambodian community members' understanding of and attitudes towards healthcare research. This qualitative study generated data from semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. This study was conducted at a non-governmental paediatric hospital and in nearby villages in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. A total of ten semi-structured interviews and four focus group discussions were conducted, involving 27 participants. Iterative data collection and analysis were performed concurrently. Data were analysed by thematic content analysis and the coding structure was developed using relevant literature. Participants did not have a clear understanding of what activities related to research compared with those for routine healthcare. Key attitudes towards research were responsibility and trust: personal (trust of the researcher directly) and institutional (trust of the institution as a whole). Villagers believe the village headman holds responsibility for community activities, while the village headman believes that this responsibility should be shared across all levels of the government system. It is essential for researchers to understand the structure and relationship within the community they wish to work with in order to develop trust among community participants. This aids effective communication and understanding among all parties, enabling high quality ethical research to be conducted.

  17. Nuclear Fusion Research Understanding Plasma-Surface Interactions

    CERN Document Server

    Clark, Robert E.H

    2005-01-01

    It became clear in the early days of fusion research that the effects of the containment vessel (erosion of "impurities") degrade the overall fusion plasma performance. Progress in controlled nuclear fusion research over the last decade has led to magnetically confined plasmas that, in turn, are sufficiently powerful to damage the vessel structures over its lifetime. This book reviews current understanding and concepts to deal with this remaining critical design issue for fusion reactors. It reviews both progress and open questions, largely in terms of available and sought-after plasma-surface interaction data and atomic/molecular data related to these "plasma edge" issues.

  18. Seeking to understand: using generic qualitative research to explore access to medicines and pharmacy services among resettled refugees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellamy, Kim; Ostini, Remo; Martini, Nataly; Kairuz, Therese

    2016-06-01

    Introduction There are challenges associated with selecting a qualitative research approach. In a field abundant with terminology and theories, it may be difficult for a pharmacist to know where and how to begin a qualitative research journey. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into generic qualitative research and to describe the journey of data collection of a novice qualitative researcher in the quest to answer her research question: 'What are the barriers to accessing medicines and pharmacy services for resettled refugees in Queensland, Australia?' Methodology Generic qualitative research draws on the strengths of one or more qualitative approaches. The aim is to draw out participants' ideas about things that are 'outside themselves'; rather than focussing on their inner feelings the research seeks to understand a phenomenon, a process, or the perspectives of participants. Sampling is designed to obtain a broad range of opinions about events and experiences and data collection includes interviews, questionnaires or surveys; thematic analysis is often used to analyse data. When to use Generic qualitative research provides an opportunity to develop research designs that fit researchers' epistemological stance and discipline, with research choices, including methodology and methods, being informed by the research question. Limitations Generic qualitative research is one of many methodologies that may be used to answer a research question and there is a paucity of literature about how to do it well. There is also debate about its validity as a qualitative methodology.

  19. Research Experience for Undergraduates: Understanding the Arctic as a System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexeev, V. A.; Walsh, J. E.; Arp, C. D.; Hock, R.; Euskirchen, E. S.; Kaden, U.; Polyakov, I.; Romanovsky, V. E.; Trainor, S.

    2017-12-01

    Today, more than ever, an integrated cross-disciplinary approach is necessary to understand and explain changes in the Arctic and the implications of those changes. Responding to needs in innovative research and education for understanding high-latitude rapid climate change, scientists at the International Arctic research Center of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) established a new REU (=Research Experience for Undergraduates) NSF-funded site, aiming to attract more undergraduates to arctic sciences. The science focus of this program, building upon the research strengths of UAF, is on understanding the Arctic as a system with emphasis on its physical component. The goals, which were to disseminate new knowledge at the frontiers of polar science and to ignite the enthusiasm of the undergraduates about the Arctic, are pursued by involving undergraduate students in research and educational projects with their mentors using the available diverse on-campus capabilities. IARC hosted the first group of eight students this past summer, focusing on a variety of different disciplines of the Arctic System Science. Students visited research sites around Fairbanks and in remote parts of Alaska (Toolik Lake Field Station, Gulkana glacier, Bonanza Creek, Poker Flats, the CRREL Permafrost Tunnel and others) to see and experience first-hand how the arctic science is done. Each student worked on a research project guided by an experienced instructor. The summer program culminated with a workshop that consisted of reports from the students about their experiences and the results of their projects.

  20. Understanding paradigms used for nursing research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weaver, Kathryn; Olson, Joanne K

    2006-02-01

    The aims of this paper are to add clarity to the discussion about paradigms for nursing research and to consider integrative strategies for the development of nursing knowledge. Paradigms are sets of beliefs and practices, shared by communities of researchers, which regulate inquiry within disciplines. The various paradigms are characterized by ontological, epistemological and methodological differences in their approaches to conceptualizing and conducting research, and in their contribution towards disciplinary knowledge construction. Researchers may consider these differences so vast that one paradigm is incommensurable with another. Alternatively, researchers may ignore these differences and either unknowingly combine paradigms inappropriately or neglect to conduct needed research. To accomplish the task of developing nursing knowledge for use in practice, there is a need for a critical, integrated understanding of the paradigms used for nursing inquiry. We describe the evolution and influence of positivist, postpositivist, interpretive and critical theory research paradigms. Using integrative review, we compare and contrast the paradigms in terms of their philosophical underpinnings and scientific contribution. A pragmatic approach to theory development through synthesis of cumulative knowledge relevant to nursing practice is suggested. This requires that inquiry start with assessment of existing knowledge from disparate studies to identify key substantive content and gaps. Knowledge development in under-researched areas could be accomplished through integrative strategies that preserve theoretical integrity and strengthen research approaches associated with various philosophical perspectives. These strategies may include parallel studies within the same substantive domain using different paradigms; theoretical triangulation to combine findings from paradigmatically diverse studies; integrative reviews; and mixed method studies. Nurse scholars are urged to

  1. Theoretical research in nuclear collective motion. Progress report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-01-01

    Progress is summarized on the following research projects: generalized density matrix method, large amplitude collective motion, boson mappings for the Interacting Boson Model, and semi-classical method for testing IBM hypothesis

  2. Benefits of collective intelligence: Swarm intelligent foraging, an ethnographic research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sivave Mashingaidze

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Wisdom of crowds; bees, colonies of ants, schools of fish, flocks of birds, and fireflies flashing synchronously are all examples of highly coordinated behaviors that emerge from collective, decentralized intelligence. This article is an ethnographic study of swarm intelligence foraging of swarms and the benefits derived from collective decision making. The author used using secondary data analysis to look at the benefits of swarm intelligence in decision making to achieve intended goals. Concepts like combined decision making and consensus were discussed and four principles of swarm intelligence were also discussed viz; coordination, cooperation, deliberation and collaboration. The research found out that collective decision making in swarms is the touchstone of achieving their goals. The research further recommended corporate to adopt collective intelligence for business sustainability.

  3. Manual on reliability data collection for research reactor PSAs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1992-01-01

    The IAEA has been actively promoting performance of probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) studies for research reactors. From 1986 to 1988 the IAEA undertook a Coordinated Research Programme (CRP) on PSA for research reactors which helped promote use of PSA and foster a broad exchange of information. Although the basic methodological approach in performing a research reactor PSA is understood, some unresolved issues, data availability being among them, still exist. To address the issue on the international level, the IAEA initiated a new CRP on ``Data Acquisition for Research Reactors PSA Studies``. The aim of the CRP is to develop a data collection system and generate research reactor specific reliability data for use in PSAs. The achieve this aim a set of precise definitions should be adopted. A set of definitions developed specifically for research reactors and covering classification of equipment and failure terms, reliability parameters, failure modes and other terms necessary for data collection and processing is presented in this document which is based on discussions during the first meeting of the CRP held in Vienna in October 1989 and during the second meeting held in Beijing, China, in October 1990. Refs and figs.

  4. Manual on reliability data collection for research reactor PSAs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-01-01

    The IAEA has been actively promoting performance of probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) studies for research reactors. From 1986 to 1988 the IAEA undertook a Coordinated Research Programme (CRP) on PSA for research reactors which helped promote use of PSA and foster a broad exchange of information. Although the basic methodological approach in performing a research reactor PSA is understood, some unresolved issues, data availability being among them, still exist. To address the issue on the international level, the IAEA initiated a new CRP on ''Data Acquisition for Research Reactors PSA Studies''. The aim of the CRP is to develop a data collection system and generate research reactor specific reliability data for use in PSAs. The achieve this aim a set of precise definitions should be adopted. A set of definitions developed specifically for research reactors and covering classification of equipment and failure terms, reliability parameters, failure modes and other terms necessary for data collection and processing is presented in this document which is based on discussions during the first meeting of the CRP held in Vienna in October 1989 and during the second meeting held in Beijing, China, in October 1990. Refs and figs

  5. Improving the Understanding of Research Methodology and Self-Regulated Learning Through Blog Project

    OpenAIRE

    Retnawati, Heri

    2017-01-01

    : This classroom action research seeks to improve self-regulated learning (SRL) and understanding of research methodology at the graduate school. Nineteen graduate school students were involved. Using project-based learning (PjBL), students were assigned to create online blogs as the main project. The blog was intended for representing their understanding of research methodology by writing review of research articles and submitting a research proposal. The classroom action research was based ...

  6. 77 FR 6784 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Scientific Research, Exempted Fishing, and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-09

    ... Collection; Comment Request; Scientific Research, Exempted Fishing, and Exempted Activity Submissions AGENCY... collection. Fishery regulations do not generally affect scientific research activities conducted by a scientific research vessel. Persons planning to conduct such research are encouraged to submit a scientific...

  7. Towards mutual understanding within interdisciplinary palaeoenvironmental research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Förster, F.; Großmann, R.; Hinz, M.

    2013-01-01

    The term landscape is a crucial term for a diversity of scientific disciplines researching the Quaternary, each of which maintains different concepts and definitions. With increasing interdisciplinary research cooperation between disparate disciplines, a basis for communication has to be establis......The term landscape is a crucial term for a diversity of scientific disciplines researching the Quaternary, each of which maintains different concepts and definitions. With increasing interdisciplinary research cooperation between disparate disciplines, a basis for communication has...... to be established. The aim of this paper is a) to survey an assortment of concepts and understandings of landscape within diverse disciplinary contexts and b) to explore the possibilities and usefulness of a common concept in an interdisciplinary palaeo-environmental research field, shared by scholars from...... the humanities and natural sciences alike. This comprises the disciplines art history, prehistoric archaeology, classical archaeology, ecology, geography, geology, and history. As a result, it can be stated that landscape is a cultural term: Landscapes are a cultural construct, and any landscape is the result...

  8. Understanding the creative processes of phenomenological research: The life philosophy of Løgstrup

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreyer, Pia; Haahr, Anita; Martinsen, Bente

    2011-01-01

    The creative processes of understanding patients’ experiences in phenomenological research are difficult to articulate. Drawing on life philosophy as represented by the Danish philosopher K.E. Løgstrup (1905–1981), this article aims to illustrate Løgstrup's thinking as a way to elaborate the creation of cognition and understanding of patients’ experiences. We suggest that Løgstrup's thoughts on sensation can add new dimensions to an increased understanding of the creative process of phenomenological research, and that his thinking can be seen as an epistemological ground for these processes. We argue with Løgstrup that sense-based impressions can facilitate an flash of insight, i.e., the spontaneous, intuitive flash of an idea. Løgstrup stresses that an “flash of insight” is an important source in the creation of cognition and understanding. Relating to three empirical phenomenological studies of patients’ experiences, we illustrate how the notions of impression and flash of insight can add new dimensions to increased understanding of the creative processes in phenomenological research that have previously not been discussed. We illustrate that sense-based impressions can facilitate creative flash of insights that open for understanding of patients’ experiences in the research process as well as in the communication of the findings. The nature of impression and flash of insight and their relevance in the creation of cognition and understanding contributes to the sparse descriptions in the methodological phenomenological research literature of the creative processes of this research. An elaboration of the creative processes in phenomenological research can help researchers to articulate these processes. Thus, Løgstrup's life philosophy has proven to be valuable in adding new dimensions to phenomenological empirical research as well as embracing lived experience. PMID:22076123

  9. Understanding the creative processes of phenomenological research: The life philosophy of Løgstrup

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annelise Norlyk

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The creative processes of understanding patients’ experiences in phenomenological research are difficult to articulate. Drawing on life philosophy as represented by the Danish philosopher K.E. Løgstrup (1905–1981, this article aims to illustrate Løgstrup's thinking as a way to elaborate the creation of cognition and understanding of patients’ experiences. We suggest that Løgstrup's thoughts on sensation can add new dimensions to an increased understanding of the creative process of phenomenological research, and that his thinking can be seen as an epistemological ground for these processes. We argue with Løgstrup that sense-based impressions can facilitate an flash of insight, i.e., the spontaneous, intuitive flash of an idea. Løgstrup stresses that an “flash of insight” is an important source in the creation of cognition and understanding. Relating to three empirical phenomenological studies of patients’ experiences, we illustrate how the notions of impression and flash of insight can add new dimensions to increased understanding of the creative processes in phenomenological research that have previously not been discussed. We illustrate that sense-based impressions can facilitate creative flash of insights that open for understanding of patients’ experiences in the research process as well as in the communication of the findings. The nature of impression and flash of insight and their relevance in the creation of cognition and understanding contributes to the sparse descriptions in the methodological phenomenological research literature of the creative processes of this research. An elaboration of the creative processes in phenomenological research can help researchers to articulate these processes. Thus, Løgstrup's life philosophy has proven to be valuable in adding new dimensions to phenomenological empirical research as well as embracing lived experience.

  10. Understanding the creative processes of phenomenological research: The life philosophy of Løgstrup.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norlyk, Annelise; Dreyer, Pia; Haahr, Anita; Martinsen, Bente

    2011-01-01

    The creative processes of understanding patients' experiences in phenomenological research are difficult to articulate. Drawing on life philosophy as represented by the Danish philosopher K.E. Løgstrup (1905-1981), this article aims to illustrate Løgstrup's thinking as a way to elaborate the creation of cognition and understanding of patients' experiences. We suggest that Løgstrup's thoughts on sensation can add new dimensions to an increased understanding of the creative process of phenomenological research, and that his thinking can be seen as an epistemological ground for these processes. We argue with Løgstrup that sense-based impressions can facilitate an flash of insight, i.e., the spontaneous, intuitive flash of an idea. Løgstrup stresses that an "flash of insight" is an important source in the creation of cognition and understanding. Relating to three empirical phenomenological studies of patients' experiences, we illustrate how the notions of impression and flash of insight can add new dimensions to increased understanding of the creative processes in phenomenological research that have previously not been discussed. We illustrate that sense-based impressions can facilitate creative flash of insights that open for understanding of patients' experiences in the research process as well as in the communication of the findings. The nature of impression and flash of insight and their relevance in the creation of cognition and understanding contributes to the sparse descriptions in the methodological phenomenological research literature of the creative processes of this research. An elaboration of the creative processes in phenomenological research can help researchers to articulate these processes. Thus, Løgstrup's life philosophy has proven to be valuable in adding new dimensions to phenomenological empirical research as well as embracing lived experience.

  11. Using Social Media to Generate and Collect Primary Data: The #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion Twitter Research Campaign.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clyne, Wendy; Pezaro, Sally; Deeny, Karen; Kneafsey, Rosie

    2018-04-23

    Compassion is a core value embedded in the concept of quality in healthcare. The need for compassion toward healthcare staff in the workplace, for their own health and well-being and also to enable staff to deliver compassionate care for patients, is increasingly understood. However, we do not currently know how healthcare staff understand and characterize compassion toward themselves as opposed to patients. The aim of this study was to use social media for the generation and collection of primary data to gain understanding of the concept of workplace compassion. Tweets that contained the hashtag #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion were collected from Twitter and analyzed. The study took place between April 21 and May 21, 2016. Participants were self-selecting users of the social media service Twitter. The study was promoted by a number of routes: the National Health Service (NHS) England website, the personal Twitter accounts of the research team, internal NHS England communications, and via social media sharing. Participants were asked to contribute their views about what activities, actions, policies, philosophies or approaches demonstrate workplace compassion in healthcare using the hashtag #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion. All tweets including the research hashtag #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion were extracted from Twitter and studied using content analysis. Data concerning the frequency, nature, origin, and location of Web-based engagement with the research campaign were collected using Bitly (Bitly, Inc, USA) and Symplur (Symplur LLC, USA) software. A total of 260 tweets were analyzed. Of the 251 statements within the tweets that were coded, 37.8% (95/251) of the statements concerned Leadership and Management aspects of workplace compassion, 29.5% (74/251) were grouped under the theme related to Values and Culture, 17.5% (44/251) of the statements related to Personalized Policies and Procedures that support workplace compassion, and 15.2% (38/251) of the statements concerned

  12. Waste collection : a new topic for research in city logistics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Rijke, Simon; Colstee, Jan-Willem

    2017-01-01

    Waste collection is an important volume in city logistics today. In the LEVV-LOGIC project the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (NL) performed research on waste and the potential use of light commercial vehicles for waste collection in cities.

  13. Understanding pharmaceutical research manipulation in the context of accounting manipulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Abigail

    2013-01-01

    The problem of the manipulation of data that arises when there is both opportunity and incentive to mislead is better accepted and studied - though by no means solved - in financial accounting than in medicine. This article analyzes pharmaceutical company manipulation of medical research as part of a broader problem of corporate manipulation of data in the creation of accounting profits. The article explores how our understanding of accounting fraud and misinformation helps us understand the risk of similar information manipulation in the medical sciences. This understanding provides a framework for considering how best to improve the quality of medical research and analysis in light of the current system of medical information production. I offer three possible responses: (1) use of the Dodd-Frank whistleblower provisions to encourage reporting of medical research fraud; (2) a two-step academic journal review process for clinical trials; and (3) publicly subsidized trial-failure insurance. These would improve the release of negative information about drugs, thereby increasing the reliability of positive information. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

  14. Understanding the meaning of awareness in Research Networks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reinhardt, Wolfgang; Mletzko, Christian; Sloep, Peter; Drachsler, Hendrik

    2013-01-01

    Reinhardt, W., Mletzko, C., Sloep, P. B., & Drachsler, H. (2012). Understanding the meaning of awareness in Research Networks. In A. Moore, V. Pammer, L. Pannese, M. Prilla, K. Rajagopal, W. Reinhardt, Th. D. Ullman, & Ch. Voigt (Eds.), Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Awareness and Reflection in

  15. Collections as a Service: A Research Library's Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linden, Julie; Tudesco, Sarah; Dollar, Daniel

    2018-01-01

    Association of College and Research Libraries' (ACRL's) "2016 Top Trends in Academic Libraries" noted a "shift to the incorporation and integration of more continuous, ongoing, flexible, and sustainable review of collections," and "an increasing need" to align collection development with "institutional research…

  16. Research and Teaching: An Investigation of the Evolution of High School and Undergraduate Student Researchers' Understanding of Key Science Ethics Concepts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mabrouk, Patricia Ann

    2013-01-01

    High school and undergraduate research students were surveyed over the 10-week period of their summer research programs to investigate their understanding of key concepts in science ethics and whether their understanding changed over the course of their summer research experiences. Most of the students appeared to understand the issues relevant to…

  17. Managing unforeseen events in anesthesia: collective trade-off between "understanding" and "doing".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuvelier, L; Falzon, P; Granry, J C; Moll, M C

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to describe how anesthesia teams handle unforeseen events that may affect the patients' health. More precisely, it investigates the mechanisms of decisions made by anesthesia teams to manage unthought-of situations, i.e. situations that have not been foreseen as "possible" ones before their occurrence. An empirical study, based on the analysis of simulated situations, was conducted in a pediatric anesthesia service of a university hospital in France. The results highlighted three ways of managing unthought-of situations (determined management, cautious management and overwhelmed management). They support the hypothesis of a collective cognitive trade-off, whereby teams would behave as virtual operators, with their own collective trade-off between "understanding" and "doing". The discussion of the results questions the assessment criteria, the safety perspectives we adopt and the possible ways to improve the management of unforeseen situations.

  18. A guide to understanding social science research for natural scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Katie; Blackman, Deborah

    2014-10-01

    Natural scientists are increasingly interested in social research because they recognize that conservation problems are commonly social problems. Interpreting social research, however, requires at least a basic understanding of the philosophical principles and theoretical assumptions of the discipline, which are embedded in the design of social research. Natural scientists who engage in social science but are unfamiliar with these principles and assumptions can misinterpret their results. We developed a guide to assist natural scientists in understanding the philosophical basis of social science to support the meaningful interpretation of social research outcomes. The 3 fundamental elements of research are ontology, what exists in the human world that researchers can acquire knowledge about; epistemology, how knowledge is created; and philosophical perspective, the philosophical orientation of the researcher that guides her or his action. Many elements of the guide also apply to the natural sciences. Natural scientists can use the guide to assist them in interpreting social science research to determine how the ontological position of the researcher can influence the nature of the research; how the epistemological position can be used to support the legitimacy of different types of knowledge; and how philosophical perspective can shape the researcher's choice of methods and affect interpretation, communication, and application of results. The use of this guide can also support and promote the effective integration of the natural and social sciences to generate more insightful and relevant conservation research outcomes. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

  19. Collections2: Using “Crowdsourcing” within Psychological Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Randy J. McCarthy

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available “Crowdsourcing” is a methodological approach in which several researchers coordinate their resources to achieve research goals that would otherwise be difficult to attain individually. This article introduces a 'Nexus'—a collection of empirical and theoretical articles that will be published in 'Collabra: Psychology'—that is intended to encourage more crowdsourced research in psychological science by providing a specific outlet for such projects and by assisting researchers in developing and executing their projects. We describe how individuals can propose and lead a crowdsourced research project, how individuals can contribute to other ongoing projects, and other ways to contribute to this 'Nexus'. Ultimately, we hope this 'Nexus' will contain a set of highly-informative articles that demonstrate the flexibility and range of the types of research questions that can be addressed with crowdsourced research methods.

  20. Researching Collective Bargaining Agreements: Building Conceptual Understanding in an Era of Declining Union Power

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborne-Lampkin, La'Tara; Cohen-Vogel, Lora; Feng, Li; Wilson, Jerry J.

    2018-01-01

    Here, we examine over two decades of empirical literature to explore the ways scholars have been working to reveal the changing set of policy and political conditions in which teachers unions are operating. In this context, we identify the conceptual models educational researchers have used to frame their research and the applications of these…

  1. Collecting, curating, and researching writers' libraries a handbook

    CERN Document Server

    Oram, Richard W

    2014-01-01

    Collecting, Curating, and Researching Writers' Libraries: A Handbook is the first book to examine the history, acquisition, cataloging, and scholarly use of writers' personal libraries. This book also includes interviews with several well-known writers, who discuss their relationship with their books.

  2. Developing critical understanding by teaching action research to undergraduate psychology students

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dr. Gaby Jacobs; Prof. dr. Michael Murray

    2010-01-01

    Action research assumes the active engagement of the stakeholders, such as the community, in the research, and a multiple level process of reflection in order to evaluate and monitor the actions taken. This makes action research a suitable methodology to increase critical understanding of the

  3. Building Research Capacity to Understand and Adapt to Climate ...

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

    Building Research Capacity to Understand and Adapt to Climate Change in the Indus Basin ... Site internet ... L'honorable Chrystia Freeland, ministre du Commerce international, a annoncé le lancement d'un nouveau projet financé par le ...

  4. [The interview as a research data collection method].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Debout, Christophe

    2016-04-01

    The interview is a widely-used method for collecting research data, notably in qualitative and mixed protocols. However, it is an umbrella term which groups together numerous types of interviews adapted to the methodological diversity which characterises nursing science. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  5. Long-Lived Digital Data Collections Enabling Research and Education in the 21st Century

    Science.gov (United States)

    2005-09-01

    Collections: Enabling Research and Education in the 21st Century40 LoNG-LiVED DiGiTAL DATA CoLLECTioNS AND LARGE FACiLiTiES Workshop participants drew...Long-Lived Digital Data Collections: Enabling Research and Education in the 21st Century NSB-05-40 Report Documentation Page Form...COVERED - 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Long-Lived Digital Data Collections Enabling Research and Education in the 21st Century 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b

  6. Collection and accumulation of seismic safety research findings, and considerations for information dissemination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    Seismic Safety Division of JNES is collecting and analyzing the findings of seismic safety research, and is developing a system to organize and disseminate the information internally and internationally. These tasks have been conducted in response to the lessons learned from Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. The overview of the tasks is as follows; 1) Collection of the knowledge and findings from seismic safety research. JNES collects information on seismic safety researches including the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake. The information is analyzed whether it is important for regulation to increase seismic safety of NPP. 2) Constructing database of seismic safety research. JNES collects information based on documents published by committee and constructs database of active faults around NPP sites in order to incorporate in the seismic safety review. 3) Dissemination of information related to seismic safety. JNES disseminates outcomes of own researches internally and internationally. (author)

  7. Collection and accumulation of seismic safety research findings, and considerations for information dissemination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-08-15

    Seismic Safety Division of JNES is collecting and analyzing the findings of seismic safety research, and is developing a system to organize and disseminate the information internally and internationally. These tasks have been conducted in response to the lessons learned from Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. The overview of the tasks is as follows; 1) Collection of the knowledge and findings from seismic safety research. JNES collects information on seismic safety researches including the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake. The information is analyzed whether it is important for regulation to increase seismic safety of NPP. 2) Constructing database of seismic safety research. JNES collects information based on documents published by committee and constructs database of active faults around NPP sites in order to incorporate in the seismic safety review. 3) Dissemination of information related to seismic safety. JNES disseminates outcomes of own researches internally and internationally. (author)

  8. World Endometriosis Research Foundation Endometriosis Phenome and Biobanking Harmonisation Project: I. Surgical phenotype data collection in endometriosis research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Becker, Christian M.; Laufer, Marc R.; Stratton, Pamela

    2014-01-01

    ObjectiveTo standardize the recording of surgical phenotypic information on endometriosis and related sample collections obtained at laparoscopy, allowing large-scale collaborative research into the condition.......ObjectiveTo standardize the recording of surgical phenotypic information on endometriosis and related sample collections obtained at laparoscopy, allowing large-scale collaborative research into the condition....

  9. Collecting behavioural data using the world wide web: considerations for researchers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhodes, S D; Bowie, D A; Hergenrather, K C

    2003-01-01

    To identify and describe advantages, challenges, and ethical considerations of web based behavioural data collection. This discussion is based on the authors' experiences in survey development and study design, respondent recruitment, and internet research, and on the experiences of others as found in the literature. The advantages of using the world wide web to collect behavioural data include rapid access to numerous potential respondents and previously hidden populations, respondent openness and full participation, opportunities for student research, and reduced research costs. Challenges identified include issues related to sampling and sample representativeness, competition for the attention of respondents, and potential limitations resulting from the much cited "digital divide", literacy, and disability. Ethical considerations include anonymity and privacy, providing and substantiating informed consent, and potential risks of malfeasance. Computer mediated communications, including electronic mail, the world wide web, and interactive programs will play an ever increasing part in the future of behavioural science research. Justifiable concerns regarding the use of the world wide web in research exist, but as access to, and use of, the internet becomes more widely and representatively distributed globally, the world wide web will become more applicable. In fact, the world wide web may be the only research tool able to reach some previously hidden population subgroups. Furthermore, many of the criticisms of online data collection are common to other survey research methodologies.

  10. Shape understanding system machine understanding and human understanding

    CERN Document Server

    Les, Zbigniew

    2015-01-01

    This is the third book presenting selected results of research on the further development of the shape understanding system (SUS) carried out by authors in the newly founded Queen Jadwiga Research Institute of Understanding. In this book the new term Machine Understanding is introduced referring to a new area of research aiming to investigate the possibility of building machines with the ability to understand. It is presented that SUS needs to some extent mimic human understanding and for this reason machines are evaluated according to the rules applied for the evaluation of human understanding. The book shows how to formulate problems and how it can be tested if the machine is able to solve these problems.    

  11. 78 FR 31568 - Proposed Collection; 60-day Comment Request: Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Portfolio Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-24

    ... Comment Request: Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Portfolio Analysis SUMMARY: In compliance with the.... Proposed Collection: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Research Portfolio Analysis, 0925--NEW--National... Collection: The purpose of the ASD portfolio analysis is to collect research funding data from U.S. and...

  12. Interweaving climate research and public understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betts, A. K.

    2016-12-01

    For the past 10 years I have been using research into land-atmosphere-cloud coupling to address Vermont's need to understand climate change, and develop plans for greater resilience in the face of increasing severe weather. The research side has shown that the fraction of days with snow cover determines the cold season climate, because snow acts as a fast climate switch between non-overlapping climates with and without snow cover. Clouds play opposite roles in warm and cold seasons: surface cooling in summer and warming in winter. The later fall freeze-up and earlier spring ice-out on lakes, coupled to the earlier spring phenology, are clear markers both of a warming climate, as well as the large interannual variability. Severe flooding events have come with large-scale quasi-stationary weather patterns. This past decade I have given 230 talks to schools, business and professional groups, as well as legislative committees and state government. I have written 80 environmental columns for two Vermont newspapers, as part of a weekly series I helped start in 2008. Commentaries and interviews on radio and TV enable me to explain directly the issues we face, as the burning of fossil fuels destabilizes the climate system. The public in Vermont is eager to learn and understand these issues since many have roots in the land; while professional groups need all the information and guidance possible to prepare for the future. My task as a scientist is to map out what we know in ways that can readily be grasped in terms of past experience, even though the climate system is already moving outside this range - and at the same time outline general principles and hopeful strategies for dealing with global and local climate change.

  13. Book collections in the library of the Gama Research Centre

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Widodo, R.U.; Soeratman, S.

    1976-01-01

    Book collection in the library of Gama Atomic Energy Research Centre, National Atomic Energy Agency in December 1974 is grouped according to Universal Decimal Classification. In accordance with the function of the library most of the collections are on physics, mathematics, and engineering. Authors and subjects are alphabetically indexed in the last part of the catalog. (author)

  14. Research-informed Outreach informs Research: Using games to inform and understand farmer decisions in Sri Lanka

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunda, T.; Yeung, K.; Hornberger, G. M.

    2016-12-01

    Researchers from the Agricultural Decision Making and Adaptation to Precipitation Trends in Sri Lanka (ADAPT-SL) team have been working for the past six years to understand Sri Lanka's agricultural vulnerability to climate change and how farmers and policy makers can adapt to and mitigate the variety of threats and uncertainties that climate change brings. In addition to academic publications, the compiled and developed knowledge from the ADAPT-SL research efforts are shared routinely with Sri Lankan stakeholders directly. While presentations are the norm for academic and government stakeholder outreach, we decided that an interactive component would increase farmers' learning. Drawing on teaching pedagogies, we designed a place-based, hands-on game that incorporated local climate and market characteristics to convey the impact of climate change on crop water needs for the Sri Lanka farmers. The process of developing the game, however, revealed gaps in our research knowledge, specifically regarding how farmers balance uncertainties associated with weather and market conditions. So we took advantage of the opportunity offered by the outreach effort to collect data; findings from the game led to the development of a system dynamics model. The game was well received by farmers and other Sri Lankan stakeholders in January 2016, with the former expressing that they played the game as if it was emulating actual farming decisions. The farmers also expressed a desire for more outreach efforts to be designed in such an interactive way. The game has since been used to engage U.S. students (from 5th grade to college seniors majoring in Sociology) regarding the complexities of tackling climate change issues.

  15. Security approaches in using tablet computers for primary data collection in clinical research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilcox, Adam B; Gallagher, Kathleen; Bakken, Suzanne

    2013-01-01

    Next-generation tablets (iPads and Android tablets) may potentially improve the collection and management of clinical research data. The widespread adoption of tablets, coupled with decreased software and hardware costs, has led to increased consideration of tablets for primary research data collection. When using tablets for the Washington Heights/Inwood Infrastructure for Comparative Effectiveness Research (WICER) project, we found that the devices give rise to inherent security issues associated with the potential use of cloud-based data storage approaches. This paper identifies and describes major security considerations for primary data collection with tablets; proposes a set of architectural strategies for implementing data collection forms with tablet computers; and discusses the security, cost, and workflow of each strategy. The paper briefly reviews the strategies with respect to their implementation for three primary data collection activities for the WICER project.

  16. 77 FR 9896 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Application and Reports for Scientific Research...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-21

    ... Collection; Comment Request; Application and Reports for Scientific Research and Enhancement Permits Under... allows permits authorizing the taking of endangered species for research/enhancement purposes. The... sets of information collections: (1) Applications for research/enhancement permits, and (2) reporting...

  17. Automated collection of medical images for research from heterogeneous systems: trials and tribulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, M. N.; Looney, P.; Young, K.; Halling-Brown, M. D.

    2014-03-01

    Radiological imaging is fundamental within the healthcare industry and has become routinely adopted for diagnosis, disease monitoring and treatment planning. Over the past two decades both diagnostic and therapeutic imaging have undergone a rapid growth, the ability to be able to harness this large influx of medical images can provide an essential resource for research and training. Traditionally, the systematic collection of medical images for research from heterogeneous sites has not been commonplace within the NHS and is fraught with challenges including; data acquisition, storage, secure transfer and correct anonymisation. Here, we describe a semi-automated system, which comprehensively oversees the collection of both unprocessed and processed medical images from acquisition to a centralised database. The provision of unprocessed images within our repository enables a multitude of potential research possibilities that utilise the images. Furthermore, we have developed systems and software to integrate these data with their associated clinical data and annotations providing a centralised dataset for research. Currently we regularly collect digital mammography images from two sites and partially collect from a further three, with efforts to expand into other modalities and sites currently ongoing. At present we have collected 34,014 2D images from 2623 individuals. In this paper we describe our medical image collection system for research and discuss the wide spectrum of challenges faced during the design and implementation of such systems.

  18. 76 FR 23609 - New Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Biospecimen and Physical Measures Formative Research...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-04-27

    ...; Comment Request; Biospecimen and Physical Measures Formative Research Methodology Studies for the National... Research Methodology Studies for the National Children's Study (NCS) Type of Information Collection Request... clearance to conduct formative research featuring biospecimen and physical measurement collections. The NCS...

  19. Behaviour as a Lever of Ecological Transition? Understanding and Acting on Individual Behaviour and Collective Dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, Solange; Gaspard, Albane

    2017-01-01

    Beyond broad policy declarations, the implementation of ecological transition - which consists mainly in curbing consumption of energy and raw materials in our societies - requires substantial behavioural change at the collective, but also, quite obviously, the individual level. Yet, though there is general consensus around the principle of embarking on the path to transition, things get more complicated when it comes to changing our practices and habits. Can we act on individual behaviour and collective dynamics in respect of this particular aim of ecological transition, and, if so, how are we to go about it? Solange Martin and Albane Gaspard have examined this question for the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) and offer us the fruit of their labours here. They show, for example, how the social and human sciences help to understand behaviour both at the individual level and in its collective dimensions, and they outline different possible lines of action to modify it. But, given the entanglement between various levels, it is essential, if we are to act effectively on behaviour, to combine approaches, tools and actors, and to analyse and understand social practices thoroughly before implementing political projects or measures

  20. Straightforward statistics understanding the tools of research

    CERN Document Server

    Geher, Glenn

    2014-01-01

    Straightforward Statistics: Understanding the Tools of Research is a clear and direct introduction to statistics for the social, behavioral, and life sciences. Based on the author's extensive experience teaching undergraduate statistics, this book provides a narrative presentation of the core principles that provide the foundation for modern-day statistics. With step-by-step guidance on the nuts and bolts of computing these statistics, the book includes detailed tutorials how to use state-of-the-art software, SPSS, to compute the basic statistics employed in modern academic and applied researc

  1. What do medical students understand by research and research skills? Identifying research opportunities within undergraduate projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murdoch-Eaton, Deborah; Drewery, Sarah; Elton, Sarah; Emmerson, Catherine; Marshall, Michelle; Smith, John A; Stark, Patsy; Whittle, Sue

    2010-01-01

    Undergraduate research exposure leads to increased recruitment into academic medicine, enhanced employability and improved postgraduate research productivity. Uptake of undergraduate research opportunities is reported to be disappointing, and little is known about how students perceive research. To investigate opportunities for undergraduate participation in research, recognition of such opportunities, and associated skills development. A mixed method approach, incorporating student focus and study groups, and documentary analysis at five UK medical schools. Undergraduates recognised the benefits of acquiring research skills, but identified practical difficulties and disadvantages of participating. Analysis of 905 projects in four main research skill areas - (1) research methods; (2) information gathering; (3) critical analysis and review; (4) data processing - indicated 52% of projects provided opportunities for students to develop one or more skills, only 13% offered development in all areas. In 17%, project descriptions provided insufficient information to determine opportunities. Supplied with information from a representative sample of projects (n = 80), there was little consensus in identifying skills among students or between students and researchers. Consensus improved dramatically following guidance on how to identify skills. Undergraduates recognise the benefits of research experience but need a realistic understanding of the research process. Opportunities for research skill development may not be obvious. Undergraduates require training to recognise the skills required for research and enhanced transparency in potential project outcomes.

  2. Mathematics and science Teachers' Understanding and Practices of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Amy Stambach

    It employed qualitative methods of data collection including in-depth interviews and ... Education, Science, Technology, Scientific Research, 2003; Rwanda Education .... Rwandan science teachers were not having common understanding of ...

  3. Machine Assistance in Collection Building: New Tools, Research, Issues, and Reflections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steve Mitchell

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Digital tool making offers many challenges, involving much trial and error. Developing machine learning and assistance in automated and semi-automated Internet resource discovery, metadata generation, and rich-text identification provides opportunities for great discovery, innovation, and the potential for transformation of the library community. The areas of computer science involved, as applied to the library applications addressed, are among that discipline’s leading edges. Making applied research practical and applicable, through placement within library/collection-management systems and services, involves equal parts computer scientist, research librarian, and legacy-systems archaeologist. Still, the early harvest is there for us now, with a large harvest pending. Data Fountains and iVia, the projects discussed, demonstrate this. Clearly, then, the present would be a good time for the library community to more proactively and significantly engage with this technology and research, to better plan for its impacts, to more proactively take up the challenges involved in its exploration, and to better and more comprehensively guide effort in this new territory. The alternative to doing this is that others will develop this territory for us, do it not as well, and sell it back to us at a premium. Awareness of this technology and its current capabilities, promises, limitations, and probable major impacts needs to be generalized throughout the library management, metadata, and systems communities. This article charts recent work, promising avenues for new research and development, and issues the library community needs to understand.

  4. Evaluation of shiitake (Lentinula edodes) strains of the culture collection of Applied Plant Research

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sonnenberg, A.S.M.; Amsing, J.G.M.

    2005-01-01

    Applied Plant Research (PPO), Mushroom Research Unit, has a unique collection of fungi that is used for research in edible mushrooms. The collection contains approximately 6600 strains representing more than 100 species. Most of the species are represented by Agaicus bisporus (button mushroom) and

  5. World Endometriosis Research Foundation Endometriosis Phenome and biobanking harmonization project: II. Clinical and covariate phenotype data collection in endometriosis research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vitonis, Allison F.; Vincent, Katy; Rahmioglu, Nilufer

    2014-01-01

    ObjectiveTo harmonize the collection of nonsurgical clinical and epidemiologic data relevant to endometriosis research, allowing large-scale collaboration.......ObjectiveTo harmonize the collection of nonsurgical clinical and epidemiologic data relevant to endometriosis research, allowing large-scale collaboration....

  6. Analysis of National Public Research Funding (PREF) - Handbook for Data Collection and indicators production

    OpenAIRE

    LEPORI BENEDETTO

    2017-01-01

    This document presents the basic definition and methodology for the PREF data collection. It covers basic definitions of funding streams and funding instruments, the thematic classifications, characterization of research funding organizations and umbrella public research organizations. It also provides guidelines concerning the data structure, data collection process, data flagging and collection and management of metadata.

  7. The culture collection and herbarium of the Center for Forest Mycology Research: A national resource

    Science.gov (United States)

    J.A. Glaeser; K.K. Nakasone; D.J. Lodge; B. Ortiz-Santana; D.L. Lindner

    2013-01-01

    The Center for Forest Mycology Research (CFMR), U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Madison, WI, is home to the world's largest collection of wood-inhabiting fungi. These collections constitute a library of the fungal kingdom that is used by researchers thoughout the world. The CFMR collections have many practical uses that have improved the lives of...

  8. Routinely collected data as a strategic resource for research: priorities for methods and workforce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jorm, Louisa

    2015-09-30

    In the era of 'big data', research using routinely collected data offers greater potential than ever before to drive health system effectiveness and efficiency, and population health improvement. In Australia, the policy environment, and emerging frameworks and processes for data governance and access, increasingly support the use of routinely collected data for research. Capitalising on this strategic resource requires investment in both research methods and research workforce. Priorities for methods development include validation studies, techniques for analysing complex longitudinal data, exploration of bias introduced through linkage error, and a robust toolkit to evaluate policies and programs using 'natural experiments'. Priorities for workforce development include broadening the skills base of the existing research workforce, and the formation of new, larger, interdisciplinary research teams to incorporate capabilities in computer science, partnership research, research translation and the 'business' aspects of research. Large-scale, long-term partnership approaches involving government, industry and researchers offer the most promising way to maximise returns on investment in research using routinely collected data.

  9. Security Approaches in Using Tablet Computers for Primary Data Collection in Clinical Research

    OpenAIRE

    Wilcox, Adam B.; Gallagher, Kathleen; Bakken, Suzanne

    2013-01-01

    Next-generation tablets (iPads and Android tablets) may potentially improve the collection and management of clinical research data. The widespread adoption of tablets, coupled with decreased software and hardware costs, has led to increased consideration of tablets for primary research data collection. When using tablets for the Washington Heights/Inwood Infrastructure for Comparative Effectiveness Research (WICER) project, we found that the devices give rise to inherent security issues asso...

  10. Heritage in the Limelight, a Collection in Progress: Uncovering, Connecting, Researching and Animating Australia’s Magic Lantern Past

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martyn Jolly

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Once they are formed, the digital collections of cultural and collecting institutions do not exist in splendid isolation. As well as being aggregated data sets, digital heritage collections are also links to tangible objects and specific historical experiences. Digital collections may allow users to find the actual analogue objects from which they were derived, they may allow users to understand a particular historical experience (or a simulation of it, they may connect them to a particular place, or they may lead them to other digital collections. Digital heritage collections need to develop generous interfaces in order to maximise their unity across these different demands and to appeal to a variety of users. This article takes as its case study the digital database and interface made by the Australian-based research team, ‘Heritage in the Limelight: The Magic Lantern in Australia and the World’. It examines how the culture, ephemera and documentation around the magic lantern’s use in Australia across the nineteenth and twentieth century calls for its digital presentation in a dynamic, operational archive. The following piece surveys scholarly debates around digital collections that have informed the construction of the Heritage in the Limelight database and prototype 'Collection Explorer' as well placing the creation of this Australian initiative in the context of work being done on lantern slide digital resources globally.

  11. Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 3: Sampling, data collection and analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moser, Albine; Korstjens, Irene

    2018-12-01

    In the course of our supervisory work over the years, we have noticed that qualitative research tends to evoke a lot of questions and worries, so-called frequently asked questions (FAQs). This series of four articles intends to provide novice researchers with practical guidance for conducting high-quality qualitative research in primary care. By 'novice' we mean Master's students and junior researchers, as well as experienced quantitative researchers who are engaging in qualitative research for the first time. This series addresses their questions and provides researchers, readers, reviewers and editors with references to criteria and tools for judging the quality of qualitative research papers. The second article focused on context, research questions and designs, and referred to publications for further reading. This third article addresses FAQs about sampling, data collection and analysis. The data collection plan needs to be broadly defined and open at first, and become flexible during data collection. Sampling strategies should be chosen in such a way that they yield rich information and are consistent with the methodological approach used. Data saturation determines sample size and will be different for each study. The most commonly used data collection methods are participant observation, face-to-face in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Analyses in ethnographic, phenomenological, grounded theory, and content analysis studies yield different narrative findings: a detailed description of a culture, the essence of the lived experience, a theory, and a descriptive summary, respectively. The fourth and final article will focus on trustworthiness and publishing qualitative research.

  12. Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 3: Sampling, data collection and analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moser, Albine; Korstjens, Irene

    2018-01-01

    Abstract In the course of our supervisory work over the years, we have noticed that qualitative research tends to evoke a lot of questions and worries, so-called frequently asked questions (FAQs). This series of four articles intends to provide novice researchers with practical guidance for conducting high-quality qualitative research in primary care. By ‘novice’ we mean Master’s students and junior researchers, as well as experienced quantitative researchers who are engaging in qualitative research for the first time. This series addresses their questions and provides researchers, readers, reviewers and editors with references to criteria and tools for judging the quality of qualitative research papers. The second article focused on context, research questions and designs, and referred to publications for further reading. This third article addresses FAQs about sampling, data collection and analysis. The data collection plan needs to be broadly defined and open at first, and become flexible during data collection. Sampling strategies should be chosen in such a way that they yield rich information and are consistent with the methodological approach used. Data saturation determines sample size and will be different for each study. The most commonly used data collection methods are participant observation, face-to-face in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Analyses in ethnographic, phenomenological, grounded theory, and content analysis studies yield different narrative findings: a detailed description of a culture, the essence of the lived experience, a theory, and a descriptive summary, respectively. The fourth and final article will focus on trustworthiness and publishing qualitative research. PMID:29199486

  13. Data collection using open access technology in multicentre operational research involving patient interviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shewade, H D; Chadha, S S; Gupta, V; Tripathy, J P; Satyanarayana, S; Sagili, K; Mohanty, S; Bera, O P; Pandey, P; Rajeswaran, P; Jayaraman, G; Santhappan, A; Bajpai, U N; Mamatha, A M; Maiser, R; Naqvi, A J; Pandurangan, S; Nath, S; Ghule, V H; Das, A; Prasad, B M; Biswas, M; Singh, G; Mallick, G; Jeyakumar Jaisingh, A J; Rao, R; Kumar, A M V

    2017-03-21

    Conducting multicentre operational research is challenging due to issues related to the logistics of travel, training, supervision, monitoring and troubleshooting support. This is even more burdensome in resource-constrained settings and if the research includes patient interviews. In this article, we describe an innovative model that uses open access tools such as Dropbox, TeamViewer and CamScanner for efficient, quality-assured data collection in an ongoing multicentre operational research study involving record review and patient interviews. The tools used for data collection have been shared for adaptation and use by other researchers.

  14. Journaling and Self-Study in an International Research Collective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makaiau, Amber Strong; Leng, Lu; Fukui, Suguru

    2015-01-01

    Drawing from the theoretical foundations of reflective teaching, culturally responsive education, social constructivism, and self-study, this collaborative self-study investigates the role of an interactive online journal in an international research collective. Each from a different country, the authors came together through a common interest in…

  15. 76 FR 59379 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for Research in Development...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-26

    ...-XXXX. Type of Review: Generic Clearance Request. Title: Generic Clearance for Research in Development... information collected through qualitative evaluation methods will inform the disclosure form's design and... Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for Research in Development of...

  16. Making Sense of Collective Events: The Co-creation of a Research-based Dance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katherine M. Boydell

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available A symbolic interaction (BLUMER, 1969; MEAD, 1934; PRUS, 1996; PRUS & GRILLS, 2003 approach was taken to study the collective event (PRUS, 1997 of creating a research-based dance on pathways to care in first episode psychosis. Viewing the co-creation of a research-based dance as collective activity attends to the processual aspects of an individual's experiences. It allowed us to study the process of the creation of the dance and its capacity to convert abstract research into concrete form and to produce generalizable abstract knowledge from the empirical research findings. Thus, through the techniques of movement, metaphor, voice-over, and music, the characterization of experience through dance was personal and generic, individual and collective, particular and trans-situational. The dance performance allowed us to address the visceral, emotional, and visual aspects of our research which are frequently invisible in traditional academia. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs110155

  17. Analyzing Students’ Level of Understanding on Kinetic Theory of Gases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurhuda, T.; Rusdiana, D.; Setiawan, W.

    2017-02-01

    The purpose of this research is to analysis students’ level of understanding on gas kinetic theory. The method used is descriptive analytic with 32 students at the 11th grade of one high school in Bandung city as a sample. The sample was taken using random sampling technique. Data collection tool used is an essay test with 23 questions. The instrument was used to identify students’ level of understanding and was judged by four expert judges before it was employed, from 27 questions become to 23 questions, for data collection. Questions used are the conceptual understanding including the competence to explain, extrapolate, translate and interpret. Kinetic theory of gases section that was tested includes ideal gas law, kinetic molecular theory and equipartition of energy. The result shows from 0-4 level of understanding, 19% of the students have partial understanding on the 3th level and 81% of them have partial understanding with a specific misconception on 2th level. For the future research, it is suggested to overcome these conceptual understanding with an Interactive Lecture Demonstrations teaching model and coupled with some teaching materials based on multi-visualization because kinetic theory of gases is a microscopic concept.

  18. Making Sense of Collective Events: The Co-creation of a Research-based Dance

    OpenAIRE

    Boydell, Katherine M.

    2011-01-01

    A symbolic interaction (BLUMER, 1969; MEAD, 1934; PRUS, 1996; PRUS & GRILLS, 2003) approach was taken to study the collective event (PRUS, 1997) of creating a research-based dance on pathways to care in first episode psychosis. Viewing the co-creation of a research-based dance as collective activity attends to the processual aspects of an individual's experiences. It allowed us to study the process of the creation of the dance and its capacity to convert abstract research into concrete form a...

  19. Making Sense of Collective Events: The Co-creation of a Research-based Dance

    OpenAIRE

    Katherine M. Boydell

    2011-01-01

    A symbolic interaction (Blumer, 1969; Mead, 1934; Prus, 1996; Prus & Grills, 2003) approach was taken to study the collective event (Prus, 1997) of creating a research-based dance on pathways to care in first episode psychosis. Viewing the co-creation of a research-based dance as collective activity attends to the processual aspects of an individual's experiences. It allowed the authors to study the process of the creation of the dance and its capacity to convert abstract research into concre...

  20. Collecting, Integrating, and Disseminating Patient-Reported Outcomes for Research in a Learning Healthcare System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harle, Christopher A; Lipori, Gloria; Hurley, Robert W

    2016-01-01

    Advances in health policy, research, and information technology have converged to increase the electronic collection and use of patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Therefore, it is important to share lessons learned in implementing PROs in research information systems. The purpose of this case study is to describe a novel information system for electronic PROs and lessons learned in implementing that system to support research in an academic health center. The system incorporates freely available and commercial software and involves clinical and research workflows that support the collection, transformation, and research use of PRO data. The software and processes that comprise the system serve three main functions, (i) collecting electronic PROs in clinical care, (ii) integrating PRO data with non-patient generated clinical data, and (iii) disseminating data to researchers through the institution's research informatics infrastructure, including the i2b2 (Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside) system. Our successful design and implementation was driven by three overarching strategies. First, we selected and implemented multiple interfaced technologies to support PRO collection, management, and research use. Second, we aimed to use standardized approaches to measuring PROs, sending PROs between systems, and disseminating PROs. Finally, we focused on using technologies and processes that aligned with existing clinical research information management strategies within our organization. These experiences and lessons may help future implementers and researchers enhance the scale and sustainable use of systems for research use of PROs.

  1. Talking With Scholars: Developing a Research Environment for Oral History Collections

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kemman, Max; Scagliola, Stef; de Jong, Franciska M.G.; Ordelman, Roeland J.F.

    Scholars are yet to make optimal use of Oral History collections. For the uptake of digital research tools in the daily working practice of researchers, practices and conventions commonly adhered to in the subfields of the humanities should be taken into account during development, in order to

  2. A Novel Technology to Investigate Students' Understandings of Enzyme Representations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linenberger, Kimberly J.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

    2012-01-01

    Digital pen-and-paper technology, although marketed commercially as a bridge between old and new note-taking capabilities, synchronizes the collection of both written and audio data. This manuscript describes how this technology was used to improve data collection in research regarding students' learning, specifically their understanding of…

  3. 45 CFR 46.407 - Research not otherwise approvable which presents an opportunity to understand, prevent, or...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... an opportunity to understand, prevent, or alleviate a serious problem affecting the health or welfare... § 46.407 Research not otherwise approvable which presents an opportunity to understand, prevent, or...) The IRB finds that the research presents a reasonable opportunity to further the understanding...

  4. The Neurobiology of Collective Action

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul Joseph Zak

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available This essay introduces a neurologically-informed mathematical model of collective action that reveals the role for empathy and distress in motivating costly helping behaviors. We report three direct tests of model with a key focus on the neuropeptide oxytocin as well as a variety of indirect tests. These studies, from our lab and other researchers, show support for the model. Our findings indicate that empathic concern, via the brain's release of oxytocin, is a trigger for collective action. We discuss the implications from this model for our understanding why human beings engage in costly collective action.

  5. Student’s mathematical understanding ability based on self-efficacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramdhani, M. R.; Usodo, B.; Subanti, S.

    2017-11-01

    Materials in mathematics are provided not only as an ability to memorize, but also to train the ability of mathematical understanding. Students’ mathematical understanding ability is influenced by the students’ belief in solving the given problems. This research aim to determine the mathematical understanding ability of junior high school students. This research is descriptive qualitative research. Data collection was done through a test, questionnaire, and interview. The result showed that students with high self-efficacy category could master the three indicators of students’ mathematical understanding ability well, namely translation, interpretation, and exploration. Students with moderate self-efficacy category can master translation indicator and able to achieve interpretation indicator but they unable to reach exploration indicator. Students with low self-efficacy category only master the translation, but they cannot achieve the interpretation and exploration indicators. So, the students who have high, moderate or low self-efficacy master the indicator of mathematical understanding based on the level of understanding capabilities on each student.

  6. Managing University Research Microdata Collections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolfrey, Lynn; Fry, Jane

    2015-01-01

    This article examines the management of microdata collections in a university context. It is a cross-country analysis: Collection management at data services in Canada and South Africa are considered. The case studies are of two university sub-contexts: One collection is located in a library; the other at a Faculty-based Data Service. Stages in…

  7. Research on the Mass Digitization of the Print Collection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Yongmei

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available [Purpose/significance] The mass digitization of the print collection is an inevitable action for digital libraries. It has enlarged the depth and breadth of library services, and has enormously promoted the development and progress of academic exchange and academic research. [Method/process] This paper analyzed the global mass digitization of the print collection in terms of the origin, environmental factors, development status and current problems. It took HathiTrust as a case study. [Result/conclusion] Building the principles, solving the copyright problems with fair use and establishing a multi-stage and multi-sided framework for cooperation are important measures to promote the full realization of the mass digitization.

  8. Importance of sampling frequency when collecting diatoms

    KAUST Repository

    Wu, Naicheng; Faber, Claas; Sun, Xiuming; Qu, Yueming; Wang, Chao; Ivetic, Snjezana; Riis, Tenna; Ulrich, Uta; Fohrer, Nicola

    2016-01-01

    There has been increasing interest in diatom-based bio-assessment but we still lack a comprehensive understanding of how to capture diatoms’ temporal dynamics with an appropriate sampling frequency (ASF). To cover this research gap, we collected

  9. Understanding Collective Learning and Human Agency in Diverse ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2018-05-07

    May 7, 2018 ... made between students' lives, their African identities and local natural places. Introduction to the Think Piece Collection: 'Collective Learning and Change ... is increasingly recognised in the social-ecological and global change sciences. For example, ..... processes that allow for the change agent to act.

  10. Using global positioning systems in health research: a practical approach to data collection and processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerr, Jacqueline; Duncan, Scott; Schipperijn, Jasper; Schipperjin, Jasper

    2011-11-01

    The use of GPS devices in health research is increasingly popular. There are currently no best-practice guidelines for collecting, processing, and analyzing GPS data. The standardization of data collection and processing procedures will improve data quality, allow more-meaningful comparisons across studies and populations, and advance this field more rapidly. This paper aims to take researchers, who are considering using GPS devices in their research, through device-selection criteria, device settings, participant data collection, data cleaning, data processing, and integration of data into GIS. Recommendations are outlined for each stage of data collection and analysis and indicates challenges that should be considered. This paper highlights the benefits of collecting GPS data over traditional self-report or estimated exposure measures. Information presented here will allow researchers to make an informed decision about incorporating this readily available technology into their studies. This work reflects the state of the art in 2011. Copyright © 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Understanding and Improving Recruitment to Randomised Controlled Trials: Qualitative Research Approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Daisy; Husbands, Samantha; Hamdy, Freddie C; Holmberg, Lars; Donovan, Jenny L

    2017-11-01

    The importance of evidence from randomised trials is now widely recognised, although recruitment is often difficult. Qualitative research has shown promise in identifying the key barriers to recruitment, and interventions have been developed to reduce organisational difficulties and support clinicians undertaking recruitment. This article provides an introduction to qualitative research techniques and explains how this approach can be used to understand-and subsequently improve-recruitment and informed consent within a range of clinical trials. A literature search was performed using Medline, Embase, and CINAHL. All studies with qualitative research methods that focused on the recruitment activity of clinicians were included in the review. The majority of studies reported that organisational difficulties and lack of time for clinical staff were key barriers to recruitment. However, a synthesis of qualitative studies highlighted the intellectual and emotional challenges that arise when combining research with clinical roles, particularly in relation to equipoise and patient eligibility. To support recruiters to become more comfortable with the design and principles of randomised controlled trials, interventions have been developed, including the QuinteT Recruitment Intervention, which comprises in-depth investigation of recruitment obstacles in real time, followed by implementation of tailored strategies to address these challenges as the trial proceeds. Qualitative research can provide important insights into the complexities of recruitment to trials and inform the development of interventions, and provide support and training initiatives as required. Investigators should consider implementing such methods in trials expected to be challenging or recruiting below target. Qualitative research is a term used to describe a range of methods that can be implemented to understand participants' perspectives and behaviours. Data are gathered from interviews, focus groups

  12. The qualitative orientation in medical education research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cleland, Jennifer Anne

    2017-06-01

    Qualitative research is very important in educational research as it addresses the "how" and "why" research questions and enables deeper understanding of experiences, phenomena and context. Qualitative research allows you to ask questions that cannot be easily put into numbers to understand human experience. Getting at the everyday realities of some social phenomenon and studying important questions as they are really practiced helps extend knowledge and understanding. To do so, you need to understand the philosophical stance of qualitative research and work from this to develop the research question, study design, data collection methods and data analysis. In this article, I provide an overview of the assumptions underlying qualitative research and the role of the researcher in the qualitative process. I then go on to discuss the type of research objectives which are common in qualitative research, then introduce the main qualitative designs, data collection tools, and finally the basics of qualitative analysis. I introduce the criteria by which you can judge the quality of qualitative research. Many classic references are cited in this article, and I urge you to seek out some of these further reading to inform your qualitative research program.

  13. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Understand the Beliefs of Chinese Teachers Concerning Teaching Games for Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lijuan

    2013-01-01

    This study describes the beliefs of Physical Education (PE) teachers regarding Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Twenty PE teachers participated in this study. Data collection consisted of a survey on demographic data and semistructured interviews. The research results indicate that the teachers…

  14. Good Morning from Barrow, Alaska! Helping K-12 students understand the importance of research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shelton, M.

    2010-12-01

    This presentation focuses on how an educator experiences scientific research and how those experiences can help foster K-12 students’ understanding of research being conducted in Barrow, Alaska. According to Zhang and Fulford (1994), real-time electronic field trips help to provide a sense of closeness and relevance. In combination with experts in the field, the electronic experience can help students to better understand the phenomenon being studied, thus strengthening the student’s conceptual knowledge (Zhang & Fulford, 1994). During a seven day research trip to study the arctic sea ice, five rural Virginia teachers and their students participated in Skype sessions with the participating educator and other members of the Radford University research team. The students were able to view the current conditions in Barrow, listen to members of the research team describe what their contributions were to the research, and ask questions about the research and Alaska in general. Collaborations between students and scientist can have long lasting benefits for both educators and students in promoting an understanding of the research process and understanding why our world is changing. By using multimedia venues such as Skype students are able to interact with researchers both visually and verbally, forming the basis for students’ interest in science. A learner’s level of engagement is affected by the use of multimedia, especially the level of cognitive processing. Visual images alone do no promote the development of good problem solving skills. However, the students are able to develop better problem solving skills when both visual images and verbal interactions are used together. As students form higher confidence levels by improving their ability to problem solve, their interest in science also increases. It is possible that this interest could turn into a passion for science, which could result in more students wanting to become scientists or science teachers.

  15. [Socianalytical device: intervention instrument and data collection in qualitative research in nursing].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spagnol, Carla Aparecida; L'Abbate, Solange; Monceau, Gilles; Jovic, Ljiljana

    2016-03-01

    The aims of this paper is to describe and to analyze the use of a socioanalytical device as a data collection too as well as a space of professional practice and work relations analysis, with nurses from a School Hospital of the Minas Gerais Federal University, Brazil. The qualitative approach was chosen to develop an intervention research with Institutional Analysis as theoretical and methodological framework. In the first stage of data collection, an exploratory research was carried out through a questionnaire and, in the second phase, a socianalytical device was built in 5 meetings that took place during two months. For the nurses, the analysis device has enabled personal and professional growth; to review positions; to exchange experience and to reflect on their own problems through the experience of other colleagues. We conclude that the socioanalytical device was a space for discussion, for analysis of professional practice and was the methodological strategy for data collection in this research. It has allowed the creation and recreation of forms of intervention, the production of knowledge and has improved quality of health work.

  16. Northern Virginia wineries: understanding visitor motivations for market segmentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cammeral Geide; Laurie Harmon; Robert Baker

    2009-01-01

    The wine industry is a rapidly growing sector of Virginia's economy, yet little research has been done on this topic. The purpose of this study was to obtain a better understanding of northern Virginia winery visitors' motivations to help winery operators better focus their marketing efforts. This exploratory research project collected basic information about...

  17. The Psychology of Superorganisms: Collective Decision Making by Insect Societies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sasaki, Takao; Pratt, Stephen C

    2018-01-07

    Under the superorganism concept, insect societies are so tightly integrated that they possess features analogous to those of single organisms, including collective cognition. If so, colony function might fruitfully be studied using methods developed to understand individual animals. Here, we review research that uses psychological approaches to understand decision making by colonies. The application of neural models to collective choice shows fundamental similarities between how brains and colonies balance speed/accuracy trade-offs in decision making. Experimental analyses have explored collective rationality, cognitive capacity, and perceptual discrimination at both individual and colony levels. A major theme is the emergence of improved colony-level function from interactions among relatively less capable individuals. However, colonies also encounter performance costs due to their reliance on positive feedback, which generates consensus but can also amplify errors. Collective learning is a nascent field for the further application of psychological methods to colonies. The research strategy reviewed here shows how the superorganism concept can serve as more than an illustrative analogy.

  18. Understanding the Validity of Data: A Knowledge-Based Network Underlying Research Expertise in Scientific Disciplines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Ros

    2016-01-01

    This article considers what might be taught to meet a widely held curriculum aim of students being able to understand research in a discipline. Expertise, which may appear as a "chain of practice," is widely held to be underpinned by networks of understanding. Scientific research expertise is considered from this perspective. Within…

  19. Tweets and Mobilisation: Collective Action Theory and Social Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cody McClain Brown

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the relationship between social protest and social media from the theoretical perspective of the Collective Action Research Program. While the literature shows strong empirical evidence for a positive relationship between social media use and incidents of social protest, the theoretical underpinnings of this relationship remain contested and often unspecified. In order to provide a stronger theoretical basis for this relationship this paper explores theories of collective action, focusing on how social media can assist in solving the dissident collective action problem. It argues that using collective action theory to understand social media and protest can better inform our understanding of how and why social media shares a positive relationship with incidents of social protest.

  20. Burnout syndrome: understanding of medical teaching professionals

    OpenAIRE

    Jaqueline Brito Vidal Batista; Thaíza Ferreira Costa; Jocerlânia Maria Dias de Morais; Eveline de Oliveira Barros; Patrícia Serpa de Souza Batista; Márcia Adriana Dias Meirelles Moreira; Jessyka Cibelly Minervina da Costa Silva; Débora Rodrigues Alves de Lima; Ana Hévila Marinho Bezerra; Irany Carvalho da Silva

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the understanding of medical teaching professionals about Burnout Syndrome. This is a qualitative, exploratory study, consisting of ten teaching physicians, who work at the hospital of a higher education institution. The data were collected from May to June 2013, through a form with questions pertinent to the proposed research objective, after approval by the Research Ethics Committee (Protocol No. 84022), and analyzed qualitatively, through the content analysi...

  1. Systematic behavior research for understanding consumer decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chin-Feng

    2009-05-01

    This study incorporates means-end chain (MEC) theory and dynamic programming for understanding the implications of consumer decision making. The conceptual framework of this study can help programmers design information systems for analyzing consumption behaviors. Such analyses will provide marketers with meaningful information for formulating marketing strategies. The main contributions of this article are as follows: (1) to enable researchers to obtain information for consumer cognitive hierarchies utilizing an information system, (2) to enhance the functions of traditional MEC methodology and provide an integrated method for analyzing consumption information, and (3) to construct an information system for analyzing consumer decision-making processes.

  2. Using a Design Science Perspective to Understand a Complex Design-Based Research Process

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bækgaard, Lars

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how a design science perspective can be used to describe and understand a set of related design-based research processes. We describe and analyze a case study in a manner that is inspired by design science. The case study involves the design of modeling......-based research processes. And we argue that a design science perspective may be useful for both researchers and practitioners....... tools and the redesign of an information service in a library. We use a set of guidelines from a design science perspective to organize the description and analysis of the case study. By doing this we demonstrate the usefulness of design science as an analytical tool for understanding related design...

  3. A Survey of Collectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tumer, Kagan; Wolpert, David

    2004-01-01

    Due to the increasing sophistication and miniaturization of computational components, complex, distributed systems of interacting agents are becoming ubiquitous. Such systems, where each agent aims to optimize its own performance, but where there is a well-defined set of system-level performance criteria, are called collectives. The fundamental problem in analyzing/designing such systems is in determining how the combined actions of self-interested agents leads to 'coordinated' behavior on a iarge scale. Examples of artificial systems which exhibit such behavior include packet routing across a data network, control of an array of communication satellites, coordination of multiple deployables, and dynamic job scheduling across a distributed computer grid. Examples of natural systems include ecosystems, economies, and the organelles within a living cell. No current scientific discipline provides a thorough understanding of the relation between the structure of collectives and how well they meet their overall performance criteria. Although still very young, research on collectives has resulted in successes both in understanding and designing such systems. It is eqected that as it matures and draws upon other disciplines related to collectives, this field will greatly expand the range of computationally addressable tasks. Moreover, in addition to drawing on them, such a fully developed field of collective intelligence may provide insight into already established scientific fields, such as mechanism design, economics, game theory, and population biology. This chapter provides a survey to the emerging science of collectives.

  4. A Multidisciplinary Research Agenda for Understanding Vaccine-Related Decisions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, Heidi; Leask, Julie; Aggett, Sian; Sevdalis, Nick; Thomson, Angus

    2013-01-01

    There is increasingly broad global recognition of the need to better understand determinants of vaccine acceptance. Fifteen social science, communication, health, and medical professionals (the “Motors of Trust in Vaccination” (MOTIV) think tank) explored factors relating to vaccination decision-making as a step to building a multidisciplinary research agenda. One hundred and forty seven factors impacting decisions made by consumers, professionals, and policy makers on vaccine acceptance, delay, or refusal were identified and grouped into three major categories: cognition and decision-making; groups and social norms; and communication and engagement. These factors should help frame a multidisciplinary research agenda to build an evidence base on the determinants of vaccine acceptance to inform the development of interventions and vaccination policies. PMID:26344114

  5. A Multidisciplinary Research Agenda for Understanding Vaccine-Related Decisions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nick Sevdalis

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available There is increasingly broad global recognition of the need to better understand determinants of vaccine acceptance. Fifteen social science, communication, health, and medical professionals (the “Motors of Trust in Vaccination” (MOTIV think tank explored factors relating to vaccination decision-making as a step to building a multidisciplinary research agenda. One hundred and forty seven factors impacting decisions made by consumers, professionals, and policy makers on vaccine acceptance, delay, or refusal were identified and grouped into three major categories: cognition and decision-making; groups and social norms; and communication and engagement. These factors should help frame a multidisciplinary research agenda to build an evidence base on the determinants of vaccine acceptance to inform the development of interventions and vaccination policies.

  6. Crafting glass vessels: current research on the ancient glass collections in the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagel, Alexander; McCarthy, Blythe; Bowe, Stacy

    Our knowledge of glass production in ancient Egypt has been well augmented by the publication of recently excavated materials and glass workshops, but also by more recent materials analysis, and experiments of modern glass-makers attempting to reconstruct the production process of thin-walled coreformed glass vessels. From the mounting of a prefabricated core to the final glass product our understanding of this profession has much improved. The small but well preserved glass collection of the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. is a valid tool for examining and studying the technology and production of ancient Egyptian core formed glass vessels. Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919) acquired most of the material from Giovanni Dattari in Cairo in 1909. Previously the glass had received only limited discussion, suggesting that most of these vessels were produced in the 18th Dynasty in the 15th and 14th centuries BCE, while others date from the Hellenistic period and later. In an ongoing project we conducted computed radiography in conjunction with qualitative x-ray fluorescence analysis on a selected group of vessels to understand further aspects of the ancient production process. This paper will provide an overview of our recent research and present our data-gathering process and preliminary results. How can the examinations of core formed glass vessels in the Freer Gallery contribute to our understanding of ancient glass production and technology? By focusing on new ways of looking at old assumptions using the Freer Gallery glass collections, we hope to increase understanding of the challenges of the production process of core-vessel technology as represented by these vessels.

  7. Analysis of senior high school student understanding on gas kinetic theory material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anri, Y.; Maknun, J.; Chandra, D. T.

    2018-05-01

    The purpose of this research conducted to find out student understanding profile about gas kinetic theory. Particularly, on ideal gas law material, ideal gas equations and kinetic energy of ideal gas. This research was conducted on student of class XII in one of the schools in Bandung. This research is a descriptive research. The data of this research collected by using test instrument which was the essay that has been developed by the researcher based on Bloom’s Taxonomy revised. Based on the analysis result to student answer, this research discovered that whole student has low understanding in the material of gas kinetic theory. This low understanding caused of the misconception of the student, student attitude on physic subjects, and teacher teaching method who are less helpful in obtaining clear pictures in material being taught.

  8. Practical guide to understanding Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neely, J Gail; Sharon, Jeffrey D; Graboyes, Evan M; Paniello, Randal C; Nussenbaum, Brian; Grindler, David J; Dassopoulos, Themistocles

    2013-12-01

    "Comparative effectiveness research" (CER) is not a new concept; however, recently it has been popularized as a method to develop scientifically sound actionable data by which patients, physicians, payers, and policymakers may make informed health care decisions. Fundamental to CER is that the comparative data are derived from large diverse populations of patients assembled from point-of-care general primary care practices and that measured outcomes include patient value judgments. The challenge is to obtain scientifically valid data to be acted upon by decision-making stakeholders with potentially quite diversely different agenda. The process requires very thoughtful research designs modulated by complex statistical and analytic methods. This article is composed of a guiding narrative with an extensive set of tables outlining many of the details required in performing and understanding CER. It ends with short discussions of three example papers, limitations of the method, and how a practicing physician may view such reports.

  9. Understanding the creative processes of phenomenological research: The life philosophy of Løgstrup

    OpenAIRE

    Annelise Norlyk; Pia Dreyer; Anita Haahr; Bente Martinsen

    2011-01-01

    The creative processes of understanding patients’ experiences in phenomenological research are difficult to articulate. Drawing on life philosophy as represented by the Danish philosopher K.E. Løgstrup (1905-1981), this article aims to illustrate Løgstrup’s thinking as a way to elaborate the creation of cognition and understanding of patients’ experiences. We suggest that Løgstrup’s thoughts on sensation can add new dimensions to an increased understanding of the creative process of phenomeno...

  10. Description of Student’s Metacognitive Ability in Understanding and Solving Mathematics Problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Herlina; Febryanti, Fatimah; Febryanti, Fatimah; Muthmainnah

    2018-01-01

    This research was conducted qualitative which was aim to describe metacognitive ability to understand and solve the problems of mathematics. The subject of the research was the first year students at computer and networking department of SMK Mega Link Majene. The sample was taken by purposive sampling technique. The data obtained used the research instrument based on the form of students achievements were collected by using test of student’s achievement and interview guidance. The technique of collecting data researcher had observation to ascertain the model that used by teacher was teaching model of developing metacognitive. The technique of data analysis in this research was reduction data, presentation and conclusion. Based on the whole findings in this study it was shown that student’s metacognitive ability generally not develops optimally. It was because of limited scope of the materials, and cognitive teaching strategy handled by verbal presentation and trained continuously in facing cognitive tasks, such as understanding and solving problem.

  11. Science for Alaska: Public Understanding of University Research Priorities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, D.

    2015-12-01

    Science for Alaska: Public Understanding of Science D. L. Campbell11University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA Around 200 people brave 40-below-zero temperatures to listen to university researchers and scientists give lectures about their work at an event called the Science for Alaska Lecture Series, hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. It is held once a week, for six weeks during the coldest part of a Fairbanks, Alaska, winter. The topics range from space physics to remote sensing. The lectures last for 45 minutes with 15 minutes for audience questions and answers. It has been popular for about 20 years and is one of many public outreach efforts of the institute. The scientists are careful in their preparations for presentations and GI's Public Relations staff chooses the speakers based on topic, diversity and public interest. The staff also considers the speaker's ability to speak to a general audience, based on style, clarity and experience. I conducted a qualitative research project to find out about the people who attended the event, why they attend and what they do with the information they hear about. The participants were volunteers who attended the event and either stayed after the lectures for an interview or signed up to be contacted later. I used used an interview technique with open-ended questions, recorded and transcribed the interview. I identified themes in the interviews, using narrative analysis. Preliminary data show that the lecture series is a form of entertainment for people who are highly educated and work in demanding and stressful jobs. They come with family and friends. Sometimes it's a date with a significant other. Others want to expose their children to science. The findings are in keeping with the current literature that suggests that public events meant to increase public understanding of science instead draws like-minded people. The findings are different from Campbell's hypothesis that attendance was based

  12. Translational Research in Pediatrics IV: Solid Tissue Collection and Processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillio-Meina, Carolina; Zielke, H Ronald; Fraser, Douglas D

    2016-01-01

    Solid tissues are critical for child-health research. Specimens are commonly obtained at the time of biopsy/surgery or postmortem. Research tissues can also be obtained at the time of organ retrieval for donation or from tissue that would otherwise have been discarded. Navigating the ethics of solid tissue collection from children is challenging, and optimal handling practices are imperative to maximize tissue quality. Fresh biopsy/surgical specimens can be affected by a variety of factors, including age, gender, BMI, relative humidity, freeze/thaw steps, and tissue fixation solutions. Postmortem tissues are also vulnerable to agonal factors, body storage temperature, and postmortem intervals. Nonoptimal tissue handling practices result in nucleotide degradation, decreased protein stability, artificial posttranslational protein modifications, and altered lipid concentrations. Tissue pH and tryptophan levels are 2 methods to judge the quality of solid tissue collected for research purposes; however, the RNA integrity number, together with analyses of housekeeping genes, is the new standard. A comprehensive clinical data set accompanying all tissue samples is imperative. In this review, we examined: the ethical standards relating to solid tissue procurement from children; potential sources of solid tissues; optimal practices for solid tissue processing, handling, and storage; and reliable markers of solid tissue quality. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  13. Understanding osteoporosis and fractures: an introduction to the use of qualitative research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoang-Kim, A; Schemitsch, E; Sale, J E M; Beaton, D; Warmington, K; Kulkarni, A V; Reeves, S

    2014-02-01

    Qualitative research has been recognized in recent years as a field of inquiry used to understand people's beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, culture or lifestyle. While quantitative results are challenging to apply in everyday practice, the qualitative paradigm can be useful to fill in a research context that is poorly understood or ill-defined. It can provide an in-depth study of interactions, a way to incorporate context, and a means to hear the voices of participants. Understanding experiences, motivation, and beliefs can have a profound effect on the interpretation of quantitative research and generating hypotheses. In this paper, we will review different qualitative approaches that healthcare providers and researchers may find useful to implement in future study designs, specifically in the context of osteoporosis and fracture. We will provide insight into the qualitative paradigm gained from the osteoporosis literature on fractures using examples from the database Scopus. Five prominent qualitative techniques (narratives, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and case study) can be used to generate meanings of the social and clinical world. We have highlighted how these strategies are implemented in qualitative research on osteoporosis and fractures and are anchored to specific methodological practices. We focus on studies that explore patient psychosocial experiences of diagnosis and treatment, cultural boundaries, and interprofessional communication. After reviewing the research, we believe that action research, that is not frequently used, could also effectively be used by many professions to improve programs and policies affecting those dealing with osteoporosis issues.

  14. How Collecting and Freely Sharing Geophysical Data Broadly Benefits Society

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frassetto, A.; Woodward, R.; Detrick, R. S.

    2017-12-01

    Valuable but often unintended observations of environmental and human-related processes have resulted from open sharing of multidisciplinary geophysical observations collected over the past 33 years. These data, intended to fuel fundamental academic research, are part of the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), which is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and has provided a community science facility supporting earthquake science and related disciplines since 1984. These community facilities have included arrays of geophysical instruments operated for EarthScope, an NSF-sponsored science initiative designed to understand the architecture and evolution of the North American continent, as well as the Global Seismographic Network, Greenland Ice Sheet Monitoring Network, a repository of data collected around the world, and other community assets. All data resulting from this facility have been made openly available to support researchers across any field of study and this has expanded the impact of these data beyond disciplinary boundaries. This presentation highlights vivid examples of how basic research activities using open data, collected as part of a community facility, can inform our understanding of manmade earthquakes, geomagnetic hazards, climate change, and illicit testing of nuclear weapons.

  15. Understanding the Conceptual Development Phase of Applied Theory-Building Research: A Grounded Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storberg-Walker, Julia

    2007-01-01

    This article presents a provisional grounded theory of conceptual development for applied theory-building research. The theory described here extends the understanding of the components of conceptual development and provides generalized relations among the components. The conceptual development phase of theory-building research has been widely…

  16. Using online, crowdsourcing platforms for data collection in personality disorder research: The example of Amazon's Mechanical Turk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Joshua D; Crowe, Michael; Weiss, Brandon; Maples-Keller, Jessica L; Lynam, Donald R

    2017-01-01

    The use of crowdsourcing platforms such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) for data collection in the behavioral sciences has increased substantially in the past several years due in large part to (a) the ability to recruit large samples, (b) the inexpensiveness of data collection, (c) the speed of data collection, and (d) evidence that the data collected are, for the most part, of equal or better quality to that collected in undergraduate research pools. In this review, we first evaluate the strengths and potential limitations of this approach to data collection. Second, we examine how MTurk has been used to date in personality disorder (PD) research and compare the characteristics of such research to PD research conducted in other settings. Third, we compare PD trait data from the Section III trait model of the DSM-5 collected via MTurk to data collected using undergraduate and clinical samples with regard to internal consistency, mean-level differences, and factor structure. Overall, we conclude that platforms such as MTurk have much to offer PD researchers, especially for certain kinds of research (e.g., where large samples are required and there is a need for iterative sampling). Whether MTurk itself remains the predominant model of such platforms is unclear, however, and will largely depend on decisions related to cost effectiveness and the development of alternatives that offer even greater flexibility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. [Internet use in primary data collection in nursing research].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apostolico, Maíra Rosa; Egry, Emiko Yoshikawa

    2013-12-01

    This is an experience report on the use of an instrument to collect data from primary sources available on the Internet. Considering the advances in technology that are changing the formation and the professional scenarios, the use of informatics in nursing research encourages the development of methodologies and information search. This study described since the construction of the instrument to collect data and revealed the possibility of facilities like approach much interviewed and offered a similar instrument used by professionals. The main difficulty was the low rate of response. It was considered a positive experience and even the low return of responses did not compromise the results of the qualitative study. It is expected that, in the near future, professionals use computational tools and make them instruments of performance in the routine of health services.

  18. Development of a research-oriented system for collecting mechanical ventilator waveform data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rehm, Gregory B; Kuhn, Brooks T; Delplanque, Jean-Pierre; Guo, Edward C; Lieng, Monica K; Nguyen, Jimmy; Anderson, Nicholas R; Adams, Jason Y

    2017-10-28

    Lack of access to high-frequency, high-volume patient-derived data, such as mechanical ventilator waveform data, has limited the secondary use of these data for research, quality improvement, and decision support. Existing methods for collecting these data are obtrusive, require high levels of technical expertise, and are often cost-prohibitive, limiting their use and scalability for research applications. We describe here the development of an unobtrusive, open-source, scalable, and user-friendly architecture for collecting, transmitting, and storing mechanical ventilator waveform data that is generalizable to other patient care devices. The system implements a software framework that automates and enforces end-to-end data collection and transmission. A web-based data management application facilitates nontechnical end users' abilities to manage data acquisition devices, mitigates data loss and misattribution, and automates data storage. Using this integrated system, we have been able to collect ventilator waveform data from >450 patients as part of an ongoing clinical study. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Understanding Application Behaviours for Android Security: A Systematic Characterization

    OpenAIRE

    Cai, Haipeng; Ryder, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    In contrast to most existing research on Android focusing on specific security issues, there is little broad understanding of Android application run-time characteristics and their security implications. To mitigate this gap, we present the first dynamic characterization study of Android applications that targets such a broad understanding for Android security. Through lightweight method-level profiling, we have collected 33GB traces of method calls and inter-component communication (ICC) fro...

  20. Understanding and managing the food-energy-water nexus - opportunities for water resources research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Ximing; Wallington, Kevin; Shafiee-Jood, Majid; Marston, Landon

    2018-01-01

    Studies on the food, energy, and water (FEW) nexus lay a shared foundation for researchers, policy makers, practitioners, and stakeholders to understand and manage linked production, utilization, and security of FEW systems. The FEW nexus paradigm provides the water community specific channels to move forward in interdisciplinary research where integrated water resources management (IWRM) has fallen short. Here, we help water researchers identify, articulate, utilize, and extend our disciplinary strengths within the broader FEW communities, while informing scientists in the food and energy domains about our unique skillset. This paper explores the relevance of existing and ongoing scholarship within the water community, as well as current research needs, for understanding FEW processes and systems and implementing FEW solutions through innovations in technologies, infrastructures, and policies. Following the historical efforts in IWRM, hydrologists, water resources engineers, economists, and policy analysts are provided opportunities for interdisciplinary studies among themselves and in collaboration with energy and food communities, united by a common path to achieve sustainability development goals.

  1. Understanding and Developing Black Popular Music Collections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, James Briggs

    1983-01-01

    Enumerates types of black popular music (work songs, spirituals, gospel music, blues, race records, rock and roll, soul, funk, disco, Caribbean, and African) and discusses collection development (current, retrospective, monographs, periodicals, sheet music, motion picture film, photographs, oral history), cataloging, and preservation. A 229-item…

  2. The contribution of research on expertise to understanding of expert thinking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krnjaić Zora

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Expertise is determined based on the high level of mastery of knowledge and skills in different areas of human activities (science, art, sports and other less formal domains. This paper explores the contribution of empirical research on expertise to understanding of the nature of expert thinking. For that purpose we have compiled an overview and performed an analysis of the findings of relevant research on expertise based on different approaches and paradigms. We have included the studies that researched experts singled out based on their exceptional performances in different domains (absolute expertise and the studies based on comparing experts with novices (relative expertise. We have analyzed the studies using different paradigms: psychometric and cognitive paradigms, as well as the new offshoot, the paradigm based on viewing giftedness as developing expertise. Research results provide empirically grounded findings on the characteristics of expert thinking and consistently point to the fact that knowledge is the core of expertise. The characteristics of expert knowledge are operationalized via the quantity and organization of knowledge and the mastery of deep contents and knowledge systems, which enables the recognition of rules, models and information sets, as well as the use of knowledge in further studying, detecting and solving different problems. It can be concluded that research findings on expertise are one of the foundations in the conceptualization of expert thinking. They significantly contribute to obtaining an insight into the way in which knowledge shapes thought and into understanding the mechanisms of demonstrating knowledge in the mental processes of experts.

  3. Scientific Understanding from Long Term Observations: Insights from the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gosz, J.

    2001-12-01

    The network dedicated to Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) in the United States has grown to 24 sites since it was formed in 1980. Long-term research and monitoring are performed on parameters thatare basic to all ecosystems and are required to understand patterns, processes, and relationship to change. Collectively, the sites in the LTER Network provide opportunities to contrast marine, coastal, and continental regions, the full range of climatic gradients existing in North America, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats in a range of ecosystem types. The combination of common core areas and long-term research and monitoring in many habitats have allowed unprecedented abilities to understand and compare complex temporal and spatial dynamics associated with issues like climate change, effects of pollution, biodiversity and landuse. For example, McMurdo Dry Valley in the Antarctic has demonstrated an increase in glacier mass since 1993 which coincides with a period of cooler than normal summers and more than average snowfall. In contrast, the Bonanza Creek and Toolik Lake sites in Alaska have recorded a warming period unprecedented in the past 200 years. Nitrogen deposition effects have been identified through long-term watershed studies on biogeochemical cycles, especially at Coweeta Hydrological Lab, Harvard Forest, and the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. In aquatic systems, such as the Northern Temperate Lakes site, long-term data revealed time lags in effects of invaders and disturbance on lake communities. Biological recovery from an effect such as lake acidification was shown to lag behind chemical recovery. The long-term changes documented over 2 decades have been instrumental in influencing management practices in many of the LTER areas. In Puerto Rico, the Luquillo LTER demonstrated that dams obstruct migrations of fish and freshwater shrimp and water abstraction at low flows can completely obliterate downstream migration of juveniles and damage

  4. Understanding Ebola Virus Transmission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seth Judson

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available An unprecedented number of Ebola virus infections among healthcare workers and patients have raised questions about our understanding of Ebola virus transmission. Here, we explore different routes of Ebola virus transmission between people, summarizing the known epidemiological and experimental data. From this data, we expose important gaps in Ebola virus research pertinent to outbreak situations. We further propose experiments and methods of data collection that will enable scientists to fill these voids in our knowledge about the transmission of Ebola virus.

  5. Effect of science magic applied in interactive lecture demonstrations on conceptual understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taufiq, Muhammad; Suhandi, Andi; Liliawati, Winny

    2017-08-01

    Research about the application of science magic-assisting Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILD) has been conducted. This research is aimed at providing description about the comparison of the improvement of the conceptual understanding of lesson on pressure between students who receive physics lesson through science magic-assisting ILD and students who receive physics lesson through ILD without science magic. This research used a quasi-experiment methods with Control Group Pretest-Posttest Design. The subject of the research is all students of class VIII in one of MTs (Islamic junior high school) in Pekalongan. Research samples were selected using random sampling technique. Data about students' conceptual understanding was collected using test instrument of conceptual understanding in the form of multiple choices. N-gain average calculation was performed in order to determine the improvement of students' conceptual understanding. The result of the research shows that conceptual understanding of students on lesson about pressure who received lesson with ILD using science magic is higher than students who received lesson with ILD without science magic . Therefore, the conclusion is that the application of science magic ILD is more effective to improve the conceptual understanding of lesson on pressure.

  6. The Progress and Promise of the Reading for Understanding Research Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas, Karen M.; Albro, Elizabeth R.

    2014-01-01

    Decades of reading research have improved our understanding of the ways that young children learn how to read and of the component skills that support the ongoing development of reading and reading comprehension. However, while these investments have transformed reading instruction and reading outcomes for many learners, too many children are not…

  7. The use of routinely collected computer data for research in primary care: opportunities and challenges.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lusignan, S. de; Weel, C. van

    2006-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Routinely collected primary care data has underpinned research that has helped define primary care as a specialty. In the early years of the discipline, data were collected manually, but digital data collection now makes large volumes of data readily available. Primary care informatics

  8. Informed consent in clinical research; Do patients understand what they have signed?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Villamañán

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Informed consent is an essential element of research, and signing this document is required to conduct most clinical trials. Its aim is to inform patients what their participation in the study will involve. However, increasingly, their complexity and length are making them difficult to understand, which might lead patients to give their authorization without having read them previously or without having understood what is stated. In this sense, the Ethics Committees for Clinical Research, and Pharmacists specialized in Hospital Pharmacy and Primary Care in their capacity as members of said committees, play an important and difficult role in defending the rights of patients. These Committees will review thoroughly these documents to guarantee that all legal requirements have been met and, at the same time, that they are easy to understand by the potential participants in a clinical trial

  9. Valorization of private collections in an academic library: dissemination, communication and research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra Boccone

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The “E.R. Caianiello” Central Library of the University of Salerno preserves many private bibliographic collections. This paper focuses on their valorization through an integrated approach encompassing dissemination, social media communication and research. The dissemination was developed as part of the collaboration to the Wikimedia projects. In particular we created a GLAM working group that enriched Wikipedia, Wikidata and Commons with contents and data related to the private collections. As for the communication, after drafting an editorial plan and a social media policy, the social media profiles of the library were used to provide information to the general public about the collections, including the bibliographic description and a link to the biographic article on Wikipedia, using a dedicated hashtag #fondispeciali. The research path included the organization of the conference “Biblioteca di biblioteche”, held on May 26, 2016 and supported by AIB Campania and Wikimedia Italia, which inaugurated a bio-bibliographic exhibition dedicated to the Cilento, Cuomo, Grottanelli and Paparelli collections. The valorization process generated a positive impact in many areas including the production of new referenced contents, the creation of collaborative networks with other cultural institutions and the continuous training of librarians involved in the projects.

  10. Maternal attitudes toward DNA collection for gene-environment studies: a qualitative research study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkins, Mary M; Reed-Gross, Erika; Rasmussen, Sonja A; Barfield, Wanda D; Prue, Christine E; Gallagher, Margaret L; Honein, Margaret A

    2009-11-01

    To assess attitudes toward DNA collection in an epidemiological study, focus groups were assembled in September 2007 with mothers who had participated in a case-control study of birth defects. Each recruited mother previously had completed an interview and had received a mailed kit containing cytobrushes to collect buccal cells for DNA from herself, her infant, and her infant's father during the period July 2004 through July 2007. A total of 38 mothers attended six focus groups comprising: (1) non-Hispanic Black mothers of case infants who participated or (2) did not participate in DNA collection, (3) mothers of any race or ethnicity who had case infants of low birth weight who participated or (4) did not participate in DNA collection, and (5) non-Hispanic Black mothers of control infants who participated or (6) did not participate in DNA collection. Moderator-led discussions probed maternal attitudes toward providing specimens, factors that influenced decision making, and collection method preferences. Biologics participants reported that they provided DNA for altruistic reasons. Biologics nonparticipants voiced concerns about government involvement and how their DNA will be used. Information provided (or not provided) on DNA use, storage, and disposal influenced decision making. Biologics participants and nonparticipants reported that paternal skepticism was a barrier to participation. All mothers were asked to rank DNA collection methods in terms of preference (cytobrushes, saliva, mouthwash, newborn blood spots, and blood collection). Preferred methods were convenient and noninvasive. Better understanding attitudes toward DNA collection and preferred collection methods might allow more inclusive participation and benefit future studies. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  11. Pooling the ground: Understanding and coordination in collective sense making.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna eRaczaszek-Leonardi

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Common ground is most often understood as the sum of mutually known beliefs, knowledge and suppositions among the participants in a conversation. It explains why participants do not mention things that should be obvious to both. In some accounts of communication, reaching a mutual understanding, i.e., broadening the common ground, is posed as the ultimate goal of linguistic interactions. Yet, congruent with the more pragmatic views of linguistic behavior, in which language is treated as social coordination, understanding each other is not the purpose (or not the sole purpose of linguistic interactions. This purpose is seen as at least twofold (e.g. Fusaroli, Rączaszek-Leonardi & Tylén, 2014: to maintain the systemic character of a conversing dyad and to organize it into a functional synergy in the face of tasks posed for a dyadic system as a whole. It seems that the notion of common ground may not be sufficient to address this dual character of interaction. In situated communication, in which meaning is created in the very process of interaction, both common (sameness and privileged (diversity information must be pooled task-dependently and across participants. In this paper, we analyze the definitions of common and privileged ground and propose extensions that may facilitate a theoretical account of agents that coordinate via linguistic communication. To illustrate the usefulness of this augmented framework, we apply it to one of the recurrent issues in psycholinguistic research, namely the problem of perspective-taking in dialogue, and draw conclusions for the broader problem of audience design.

  12. Research frontiers for improving our understanding of drought‐induced tree and forest mortality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartmann, Henrik; Moura, Catarina; Anderegg, William R. L.; Ruehr, Nadine; Salmon, Yann; Allen, Craig D.; Arndt, Stefan K.; Breshears, David D.; Davi, Hendrik; Galbraith, David; Ruthrof, Katinka X.; Wunder, Jan; Adams, Henry D.; Bloemen, Jasper; Cailleret, Maxime; Cobb, Richard; Gessler, Arthur; Grams, Thorsten E. E.; Jansen, Steven; Kautz, Markus; Lloret, Francisco; O’Brien, Michael

    2018-01-01

    Accumulating evidence highlights increased mortality risks for trees during severe drought, particularly under warmer temperatures and increasing vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Resulting forest die‐off events have severe consequences for ecosystem services, biophysical and biogeochemical land–atmosphere processes. Despite advances in monitoring, modelling and experimental studies of the causes and consequences of tree death from individual tree to ecosystem and global scale, a general mechanistic understanding and realistic predictions of drought mortality under future climate conditions are still lacking. We update a global tree mortality map and present a roadmap to a more holistic understanding of forest mortality across scales. We highlight priority research frontiers that promote: (1) new avenues for research on key tree ecophysiological responses to drought; (2) scaling from the tree/plot level to the ecosystem and region; (3) improvements of mortality risk predictions based on both empirical and mechanistic insights; and (4) a global monitoring network of forest mortality. In light of recent and anticipated large forest die‐off events such a research agenda is timely and needed to achieve scientific understanding for realistic predictions of drought‐induced tree mortality. The implementation of a sustainable network will require support by stakeholders and political authorities at the international level.

  13. Locating tissue collections in tissue economies--deriving value from biomedical research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tupasela, Aaro Mikael

    2006-01-01

    sample collections are challenged by varying conceptions of value, as well as structural factors that relate to the combination of different public population information systems in the Finnish research system. Such challenges reflect a tension in the economic aspirations of the ideology of the knowledge...

  14. Social Work Research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Social work research has gathered a greater transparency and clarity of identity in North American and parts of Europe. Furthermore, the rapid emergence of social work research in other European countries, China, India, Japan and elsewhere in Asia and Pacific Rim countries, and gradually in South...... America, has created a need for a collection that can contribute to both shaping and making accessible key and sometimes hard-to-access sources. This four-volume collection answers this need, bringing together key literature in a single resource and structuring it into thematic volumes to enable clear...... understanding of the different aspects involved in the research. Volume One: Historical Trajectories, Purposes and Key Concepts Volume Two: Key Decisions about Research Strategy Volume Three: The Practice of Social Work Research Volume Four: The Contexts of Social Work Research...

  15. Guidance for Science Data Centers through Understanding Metrics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moses, J. F.

    2006-12-01

    NASA has built a multi-year set of transaction and user satisfaction information about the evolving, broad collection of earth science products from a diverse set of users of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). The transaction and satisfaction trends provide corroborative information to support perception and intuition, and can often be the basis for understanding the results of cross-cutting initiatives and for management decisions about future strategies. The information is available through two fundamental complementary methods, product and user transaction data collected regularly from the major science data centers, and user satisfaction information collected through the American Customer Satisfaction Index survey. The combination provides the fundamental data needed to understand utilization trends in the research community. This paper will update trends based on 2006 metrics from the NASA earth science data centers and results from the 2006 EOSDIS ACSI survey. Principle concepts are explored that lead to sound guidance for data center managers and strategists over the next year.

  16. DEVELOPING AN IPAD® APPLICATION FOR DATA COLLECTION IN A RHEUMATOLOGY RESEARCH CLINIC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaka, Hussam; Ayearst, Renise; Tran, Maithy; Touma, Zahi; Bagovich, Maria; Vinik, Ophir; Somaily, Mansour; Haddad, Amir; Gladman, Dafna D; Chandran, Vinod

    2015-01-01

    Clinical research data are often collected on paper and later inputted onto an electronic database. This method is time consuming and potentially introduces errors. Therefore, to make primary data collection more efficient and less error prone we aimed to develop a touch-screen application for data collection in a psoriatic arthritis research clinic and compared it with the pre-existing paper-based system. We developed a Web application using Java and optimized it for the iPad®. It highlights missing fields for physicians in real time, and only permits submission of data collection form after corrections are made. For its evaluation, seven physicians participated, and before each patient visit they were randomly assigned paper or iPad® data entry. Number of errors, length of visit, and time between clinic visit and completion of data entry were measured. A total of 106 patients seen in the clinic who agreed to participate were randomly assigned to be evaluated by clinic physicians using the iPad® (fifty-three patients) or a paper protocol (fifty-three patients). On average, 3.34 omissions were found per paper form, of which 2.24 would have been detected on the iPad®. The iPad® increased the mean patient encounter time from 37.2 minutes to 46.5 minutes, but eliminated delay between a clinic visit and its data entry. Entering data using the iPad® application makes the patient encounter slightly longer, but reduces "missing fields." It also eliminates the delay between clinic visit and data entry thus improving the efficiency of clinical data capture in a research setting.

  17. The National Cohort of Dairy Farms--a data collection platform for mastitis research in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyher, K K; Dufour, S; Barkema, H W; Des Côteaux, L; Devries, T J; Dohoo, I R; Keefe, G P; Roy, J-P; Scholl, D T

    2011-03-01

    Costs and feasibility of extensive sample collection and processing are major obstacles to mastitis epidemiology research. Studies are often consequentially limited, and fundamental mastitis researchers rarely have the opportunity to conduct their work in epidemiologically valid populations. To mitigate these limitations, the Canadian Bovine Mastitis Research Network has optimized research funds by creating a data collection platform to provide epidemiologically meaningful data for several simultaneous research endeavors. This platform consists of a National Cohort of Dairy Farms (NCDF), Mastitis Laboratory Network, and Mastitis Pathogen Culture Collection. This paper describes the implementation and operation of the NCDF, explains its sampling protocols and data collection, and documents characteristics, strengths and limitations of these data for current and potential users. The NCDF comprises 91 commercial dairy farms in 6 provinces sampled over a 2-yr period. Primarily Holstein-Friesian herds participating in Dairy Herd Improvement milk recording were selected in order to achieve a uniform distribution among 3 strata of bulk tank somatic cell counts and to reflect regional proportions of freestall housing systems. Standardized protocols were implemented for repeated milk samplings on clinical mastitis cases, fresh and randomly selected lactating cows, and cows at dry-off and after calving. Just fewer than 133,000 milk samples were collected. Demographic and production data were recorded at individual cow and farm levels. Health management data are documented and extensive questionnaire data detailing farm management and cleanliness information are also captured. The Laboratory Network represents coordinated regional mastitis bacteriology laboratories using standardized procedures. The Culture Collection archives isolates recovered from intramammary infections of cows in the NCDF and contains over 16,500 isolates, all epidemiologically cross-referenced between

  18. Understanding Medical Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... you hear about the results of a new medical research study. Sometimes the results of one study ... when reading or listening to reports of new medical findings. Some questions that can help you evaluate ...

  19. The Development of a Regional Nursing History Collection: Its Relevance to Practice, Education, and Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hezel, Linda F.; Linebach, Laura M.

    1991-01-01

    The Nursing History Collection at the University of Missouri-Kansas City preserves artifacts and memorabilia of regional nursing history. Such collections are essential to practice, education, and research in nursing. (SK)

  20. Review: Helmut Kromrey (2006. Empirische Sozialforschung. Modelle und Methoden der standardisierten Datenerhebung und Datenauswertung [Social Research Methods. Models and Methods of Standardized Data Collection and Data Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Udo Kuckartz

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available In the new edition of his textbook, KROMREY outlines the basic principles of "traditional" empirical social research. The 650 pages of the book address the foundations of scientific theory and methods within empirical research. There are also extensive explanations of the most important methods of data collection (content analysis, observation, survey and of statistical analyses of data. This book would be a very suitable textbook for introductory university courses in the methods of empirical social research. The text includes many examples and is written in a very understandable style. Qualitative research methods are only mentioned marginally in the "Alternative Research Paradigms" section. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0801240

  1. The Polar Rock Repository: Rescuing Polar Collections for New Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grunow, A.

    2016-12-01

    Geological field expeditions in polar regions are logistically difficult, financially expensive and can have a significant environmental impact on pristine regions. The scarcity of outcrop in Antarctica (98% ice-covered) makes previously collected rock samples very valuable to the science community. NSF recognized the need for preserving rock, dredge, and terrestrial core samples from polar areas and created the Polar Rock Repository (PRR). The PRR collection allows for full and open access to both samples and metadata via the PRR website. In addition to the physical samples and their basic metadata, the PRR archives supporting materials from the collector, field notebooks, images of the samples, field maps, air photos, thin sections and any associated bibliography/DOI's. Many of these supporting materials are unique. More than 40,000 samples are available from the PRR for scientific analysis to researchers around the globe. Most of the samples cataloged at the PRR were collected more than 30 years ago, some more than 100 years ago. The rock samples and metadata are made available online through an advanced search engine for the PRR website. This allows scientists to "drill down" into search results using categories and look-up object fields similar to websites like Amazon. Results can be viewed in a table, downloaded as a spreadsheet, or plotted on an interactive map that supports display of satellite imagery and bathymetry layers. Samples can be requested by placing them in the `shopping cart'. These old sample collections have been repeatedly used by scientists from around the world. One data request involved locating coal deposits in Antarctica for a global compilation and another for looking at the redox state of batholithic rocks from the Antarctic Peninsula using magnetic susceptibilities of PRR rocks. Sample usage has also included non-traditional geologic studies, such as a search for monopoles in Cenozoic volcanic samples, and remote sensing

  2. Overcoming Blockages to Collective Innovation in Digital Infrastructures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rukanova, Boriana; Reuver, Mark; Henningsson, Stefan

    2017-01-01

    Decentralized digital technologies increasingly enable multiple organizations to co-create digital infrastructures. However, collective innovation processes often come to a stand-still because of conflicting interests and business models. While existing research suggests various factors that block...... collective innovation processes, there is still little understanding of how organizations can overcome these blockages. In this paper, we identify patterns that explain how organizations overcome blockages of collective innovation processes for digital infrastructures. We follow a processual approach...... and develop a conceptual framework based on collective action theory. We evaluate the framework through a longitudinal case study on mobile payment infrastructure development. We find various reconfiguration processes that organizations use to overcome blockages of collective innovation. Theoretically...

  3. [Ethnography for nursing research, a sensible way to understand human behaviors in their context].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourbonnais, Anne

    2015-03-01

    Understanding human behaviours is at the heart of the nursing discipline. Knowledge development about behaviours is essential to guide nursing practice in the clinical field, for nursing education or in nursing management. In this context, ethnography is often overlooked as a research method to understand better behaviours in their sociocultural environment This article aims to present the principles guiding this qualitative method and its application to nursing research. First, the ethnographic method and some of its variants will be described. The conduct of an ethnographic study will then be exposed. Finally, examples of ethnographic studies in nursing will be presented. This article provides a foundation for the development of research protocols using ethnography for the advancement of nursing knowledge, as well as better use of ethnographic findings to improve care practices.

  4. 76 FR 38191 - New Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Biospecimen and Physical Measures Formative Research...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-29

    ...; Comment Request; Biospecimen and Physical Measures Formative Research Methodology Studies for the National... comment. Proposed Collection: Title: Biospecimen and Physical Measures Formative Research Methodology... Development* to conduct a national longitudinal study of environmental influences (including physical...

  5. 76 FR 40379 - New Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Study Logistic Formative Research Methodology Studies...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-08

    ...; Comment Request; Study Logistic Formative Research Methodology Studies for the National Children's Study... Collection Title: Study Logistics Formative Research Methodology Studies for the National Children's Study... national longitudinal study of environmental influences (including physical, chemical, biological, and...

  6. [Neuroscience and collective memory: memory schemas linking brain, societies and cultures].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Legrand, Nicolas; Gagnepain, Pierre; Peschanski, Denis; Eustache, Francis

    2015-01-01

    During the last two decades, the effect of intersubjective relationships on cognition has been an emerging topic in cognitive neurosciences leading through a so-called "social turn" to the formation of new domains integrating society and cultures to this research area. Such inquiry has been recently extended to collective memory studies. Collective memory refers to shared representations that are constitutive of the identity of a group and distributed among all its members connected by a common history. After briefly describing those evolutions in the study of human brain and behaviors, we review recent researches that have brought together cognitive psychology, neuroscience and social sciences into collective memory studies. Using the reemerging concept of memory schema, we propose a theoretical framework allowing to account for collective memories formation with a specific focus on the encoding process of historical events. We suggest that (1) if the concept of schema has been mainly used to describe rather passive framework of knowledge, such structure may also be implied in more active fashions in the understanding of significant collective events. And, (2) if some schema researches have restricted themselves to the individual level of inquiry, we describe a strong coherence between memory and cultural frameworks. Integrating the neural basis and properties of memory schema to collective memory studies may pave the way toward a better understanding of the reciprocal interaction between individual memories and cultural resources such as media or education. © Société de Biologie, 2016.

  7. Resource Provisions of a High School Library Collection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Karla B.; Doll, Carol A.

    2012-01-01

    The mission of the school library "is to ensure students and staff are effective users of ideas and information" (AASL 2009, 8). The school library collection should, therefore, support instruction throughout the school. However, teachers do not always understand the potential value of the resources available. This research explored…

  8. Methodology series module 10: Qualitative health research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maninder Singh Setia

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Although quantitative designs are commonly used in clinical research, some studies require qualitative methods. These designs are different from quantitative methods; thus, researchers should be aware of data collection methods and analyses for qualitative research. Qualitative methods are particularly useful to understand patient experiences with the treatment or new methods of management or to explore issues in detail. These methods are useful in social and behavioral research. In qualitative research, often, the main focus is to understand the issue in detail rather than generalizability; thus, the sampling methods commonly used are purposive sampling; quota sampling; and snowball sampling (for hard to reach groups. Data can be collected using in-depth interviews (IDIs or focus group discussions (FGDs. IDI is a one-to-one interview with the participant. FGD is a method of group interview or discussion, in which more than one participant is interviewed at the same time and is usually led by a facilitator. The commonly used methods for data analysis are: thematic analysis; grounded theory analysis; and framework analysis. Qualitative data collection and analysis require special expertise. Hence, if the reader plans to conduct qualitative research, they should team up with a qualitative researcher.

  9. Methodology Series Module 10: Qualitative Health Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setia, Maninder Singh

    2017-01-01

    Although quantitative designs are commonly used in clinical research, some studies require qualitative methods. These designs are different from quantitative methods; thus, researchers should be aware of data collection methods and analyses for qualitative research. Qualitative methods are particularly useful to understand patient experiences with the treatment or new methods of management or to explore issues in detail. These methods are useful in social and behavioral research. In qualitative research, often, the main focus is to understand the issue in detail rather than generalizability; thus, the sampling methods commonly used are purposive sampling; quota sampling; and snowball sampling (for hard to reach groups). Data can be collected using in-depth interviews (IDIs) or focus group discussions (FGDs). IDI is a one-to-one interview with the participant. FGD is a method of group interview or discussion, in which more than one participant is interviewed at the same time and is usually led by a facilitator. The commonly used methods for data analysis are: thematic analysis; grounded theory analysis; and framework analysis. Qualitative data collection and analysis require special expertise. Hence, if the reader plans to conduct qualitative research, they should team up with a qualitative researcher.

  10. The important of living botanical collections for plant biology and the “next generation” of evo-devo research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael Dosmann; Andrew Groover

    2012-01-01

    Living botanical collections include germplasm repositories, long-term experimental plantings, and botanical gardens. We present here a series of vignettes to illustrate the central role that living collections have played in plant biology research, including evo-devo research. Looking towards the future, living collections will become increasingly important in support...

  11. A paradigm for understanding trust and mistrust in medical research: The Community VOICES study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smirnoff, M; Wilets, I; Ragin, D F; Adams, R; Holohan, J; Rhodes, R; Winkel, G; Ricci, E M; Clesca, C; Richardson, L D

    2018-01-01

    To promote justice in research practice and rectify health disparities, greater diversity in research participation is needed. Lack of trust in medical research is one of the most significant obstacles to research participation. Multiple variables have been identified as factors associated with research participant trust/mistrust. A conceptual model that provides meaningful insight into the interplay of factors impacting trust may promote more ethical research practice and provide an enhanced, actionable understanding of participant mistrust. A structured survey was developed to capture attitudes toward research conducted in emergency situations; this article focuses on items designed to assess respondents' level of trust or mistrust in medical research in general. Community-based interviews were conducted in English or Spanish with 355 New York City residents (white 42%, African American 29%, Latino 22%). Generally favorable attitudes toward research were expressed by a majority (85.3%), but many respondents expressed mistrust. Factor analysis yielded four specific domains of trust/mistrust, each of which was associated with different demographic variables: general trustworthiness (older age, not disabled); perceptions of discrimination (African American, Latino, Spanish language preference); perceptions of deception (prior research experience, African American); and perceptions of exploitation (less education). The four domains identified in the analysis provide a framework for understanding specific areas of research trust/mistrust among disparate study populations. This model offers a conceptual basis for the design of tailored interventions that target specific groups to promote trust of individual researchers and research institutions as well as to facilitate broader research participation.

  12. Bringing together raptor collections in Europe for contaminant research and monitoring in relation to chemicals regulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Movalli, Paola; Dekker, René; Koschorreck, Jan; Treu, Gabriele

    2017-11-01

    Raptors are good sentinels of environmental contamination and there is good capability for raptor biomonitoring in Europe. Raptor biomonitoring can benefit from natural history museums (NHMs), environmental specimen banks (ESBs) and other collections (e.g. specialist raptor specimen collections). Europe's NHMs, ESBs and other collections hold large numbers of raptor specimens and samples, covering long periods of time. These collections are potentially a valuable resource for contaminant studies over time and space. There are strong needs to monitor contaminants in the environment to support EU and national chemical management. However, data on raptor specimens in NHMs, ESBs and other collections are dispersed, few are digitised, and they are thus not easy to access. Specimen coverage is patchy in terms of species, space and time. Contaminant research with raptors would be facilitated by creating a framework to link relevant collections, digitising all collections, developing a searchable meta-database covering all existing collections, making them more visible and accessible for contaminant research. This would also help identify gaps in coverage and stimulate specimen collection to fill gaps in support of prioritised contaminant monitoring. Collections can further support raptor biomonitoring by making samples available for analysis on request.

  13. Review of access, licenses and understandability of open datasets used in hydrology research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falkenroth, Esa; Arheimer, Berit; Lagerbäck Adolphi, Emma

    2015-04-01

    The amount of open data available for hydrology research is continually growing. In the EU-funded project SWITCH-ON (Sharing Water-related Information to Tackle Changes in the Hydrosphere - for Operational Needs), we are addressing water concerns by exploring and exploiting the untapped potential of these new open data. This work is enabled by many ongoing efforts to facilitate the use of open data. For instance, a number of portals (such as the GEOSS Portal and the INSPIRE community geoportal) provide the means to search for such open data sets and open spatial data services. However, in general, the systematic use of available open data is still fairly uncommon in hydrology research. Factors that limits (re)usability of a data set include: (1) accessibility, (2) understandability and (3) licences. If you cannot access the data set, you cannot use if for research. If you cannot understand the data set you cannot use it for research. Finally, if you are not permitted to use the data, you cannot use it for research. Early on in the project, we sent out a questionnaire to our research partners (SMHI, Universita di Bologna, University of Bristol, Technische Universiteit Delft and Technische Universitaet Wien) to find out what data sets they were planning to use in their experiments. The result was a comprehensive list of useful open data sets. Later, this list of data sets was extended with additional information on data sets for planned commercial water-information products and services. With the list of 50 common data sets as a starting point, we reviewed issues related to access, understandability and licence conditions. Regarding access to data sets, a majority of data sets were available through direct internet download via some well-known transfer protocol such as ftp or http. However, several data sets were found to be inaccessible due to server downtime, incorrect links or problems with the host database management system. One possible explanation for this

  14. From Knowing to Understanding Student Empowerment: A Narrative Approach to Research in a Middle School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horn, Brian R.

    2015-01-01

    This paper examines how, as a teacher researcher, I employed a narrative approach to research to better understand my 8th grade Language Arts students' empowerment in school. Drawing on sociocultural theory, critical pedagogy and a narrative approach to teacher research, students' voices were privileged and compared to the systemic assumptions…

  15. Toward a New Understanding of Virtual Research Collaborations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arsev Umur Aydinoglu

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Virtual research collaborations (VRCs have become an important method of conducting scientific activity; however, they are often regarded and treated as traditional scientific collaborations. Their success is measured by scholarly productivity and adherence to budget by funding agencies, participating scientists, and scholars. VRCs operate in complex environments interacting with other complex systems. A holistic (or organicist approach is needed to make sense of this complexity. For that purpose, this study proposes using a new perspective, namely, the complex adaptive systems theory that can provide a better understanding of a VRC’s potential creativity, adaptability, resilience, and probable success. The key concepts of complex systems (diversity, interaction, interdependency, feedback, emergence, and adaptation utilized in organization studies are used to discuss the behaviors of VRCs, illustrated with real-life examples.

  16. Industrial Student Apprenticeship: Understanding Health and Safety

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simanjuntak, M. V.; Abdullah, A. G.; Puspita, R. H.; Mahdan, D.; Kamaludin, M.

    2018-02-01

    The level of accident in industry is very high caused by lack of knowledge and awareness of workers toward the health and safety. Health and Safety are efforts to create a comfortable and productive atmosphere to accomplish a purpose or goal as maximum risk in the workplace. Vocational Education students must conduct training on business and industry, prior to that they should have a clear understanding on occupational health and safety. The purpose of this research is to analyze the understanding, preparation, and implementation of work health and safety of the students. Method used is descriptive method and data are collected using instrument, observation and interview. The result of study is conclusion of understanding occupational health and safety of vocational education students.

  17. The importance of living botanical collections for plant biology and the next generation of evo-devo research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew eGroover

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Living botanical collections include germplasm repositories, long-term experimental plantings, and botanical gardens. We present here a series of vignettes to illustrate the central role that living collections have played in plant biology research, including evo-devo research. Looking towards the future, living collections will become increasingly important in support of future evo-devo research. The driving force behind this trend is nucleic acid sequencing technologies, which are rapidly becoming more powerful and cost-effective, and which can be applied to virtually any species. This allows for more extensive sampling, including non-model organisms with unique biological features and plants from diverse phylogenetic positions. Importantly, a major challenge for sequencing-based evo-devo research is to identify, access, and propagate appropriate plant materials. We use a vignette of the ongoing One Thousand Transcriptomes project as an example of the challenges faced by such projects. We conclude by identifying some of the pinch-points likely to be encountered by future evo-devo researchers, and how living collections can help address them.

  18. Bridging the Research to Practice Gap: A Case Study Approach to Understanding EIBI Supports and Barriers in Swedish Preschools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lise ROLL-PETTERSSON

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The present study examined proximal and distal barriers and supports within the Swedish service system that may affect implementation of early and intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI for children with autism. A case study approach with roots in ethnography was chosen to explore this issue. Two preschools exemplifying ‘high quality practice’ were studied and information was collected through multiple sources during a 12 month period, this included participant observations, direct observations, semi-structured interviews with key informants; paraprofessionals, parents, special educators, habilitation specialists and a focus group interview. Interview transcripts and field notes were combined and analyzed using an abductive grounded theory approach. Findings highlight the relevance of researchers understanding and taking into consideration the effect that distal variables have on implementation within proximal settings. A theoretical model of factors affecting implementation was conceptualised to include: staff entry knowledge and competence, development through supervision, the role of the preschool administrator, as well as distal influences and inter-organizational tensions, values, and bridges. Findings are discussed within the context of implementation science. Implications for future research are discussed as well as areas in need of further development to bridge the gap between research and practice.

  19. Mathematical understanding of nature essays on amazing physical phenomena and their understanding by mathematicians

    CERN Document Server

    Arnold, V I

    2014-01-01

    This collection of 39 short stories gives the reader a unique opportunity to take a look at the scientific philosophy of Vladimir Arnold, one of the most original contemporary researchers. Topics of the stories included range from astronomy, to mirages, to motion of glaciers, to geometry of mirrors and beyond. In each case Arnold's explanation is both deep and simple, which makes the book interesting and accessible to an extremely broad readership. Original illustrations hand drawn by the author help the reader to further understand and appreciate Arnold's view on the relationship between math

  20. What Makes the Digital "Special"? The Research Program in Digital Collections at the National Library of Wales

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cusworth, Andrew; Hughes, Lorna M.; James, Rhian; Roberts, Owain; Roderick, Gareth Lloyd

    2015-01-01

    This article introduces some of the digital projects currently in development at the National Library of Wales as part of its Research Program in Digital Collections. These projects include the digital representation of the Library's Kyffin Willams art collection, musical collections, and probate collection, and of materials collected by the…

  1. Understanding Collective Learning and Human Agency in Diverse ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2018-05-07

    May 7, 2018 ... new social systems that are more sustainable and socially just. ... collection to these international deliberations about the role of education in enabling ... learning can foster and contribute to the development of change agents ...

  2. A data collection and processing procedure for evaluating a research program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giuseppe Rensi; H. Dean Claxton

    1972-01-01

    A set of computer programs compiled for the information processing requirements of a model for evaluating research proposals are described. The programs serve to assemble and store information, periodically update it, and convert it to a form usable for decision-making. Guides for collecting and coding data are explained. The data-processing options available and...

  3. 76 FR 61707 - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-05

    ... will provide the grantees with technical assistance regarding research design, data collection, data... instruments are designed to capture a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. No claim is made that... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency...

  4. A cross-sectional survey to investigate community understanding of medical research ethics committees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fritschi, Lin; Kelsall, Helen L; Loff, Bebe; Slegers, Claudia; Zion, Deborah; Glass, Deborah C

    2015-07-01

    Study explanatory forms often state that an ethics committee has approved a research project. To determine whether the lay community understand the roles of ethics committees in research, we took a cross-sectional national sample from three sampling frames: the general population (n=1532); cohort study participants (n=397); and case-control study participants (n=151). About half (51.3%) of the participants had heard of ethics committees. Those who had were more likely to be those who had participated in previous surveys, older participants, those born in Australia and those with higher education. Almost all participants agreed that the roles of an ethics committee were to protect participants' privacy and ensure no harm came to study participants and most agreed that the committee's role was to ensure that the research was capable of providing answers. Case-control and cohort participants were more likely than the general population to consider that the role of an ethics committee was to design the research and obtain research funding. Overall, we found that about half of the population are aware of ethics committees and that most could correctly identify that ethics committees are there to protect the welfare and rights of research participants, although a substantial minority had some incorrect beliefs about the committees' roles. Increased education, particularly for migrants and older people, might improve understanding of the role of ethics committees in research. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  5. Research in collegiate mathematics education VI

    CERN Document Server

    Selden, Annie; Harel, Guershon; Hauk, Shandy

    2006-01-01

    The sixth volume of Research in Collegiate Mathematics Education presents state-of-the-art research on understanding, teaching, and learning mathematics at the postsecondary level. The articles advance our understanding of collegiate mathematics education while being readable by a wide audience of mathematicians interested in issues affecting their own students. This is a collection of useful and informative research regarding the ways our students think about and learn mathematics. The volume opens with studies on students' experiences with calculus reform and on the effects of concept-based

  6. Relationship of mutual trust and understanding developed by researches for people

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-10-01

    This is report on the special committee of natural radiation research of public acceptance of radiation, Japan Health Physics Society. It consists of three parts such as 1) seven papers on natural radiation and public understandings, 2) six reports on understanding of radiation by risk acknowledge, communication theory and a questionnaire survey and 3) four reports on one's explanation about radiation and radioactivity. Uranium series nuclide in the surroundings, environmental pollution in the sediments of lakes and seaside, background level of plutonium in the land near Kyoto University, radon concentration and Kobe earthquake are reported. Uranium and radon in environments, 137 Cs and heavy metals in Osaka Bay and Pu background concentration are explained. Security is very difficult to define when people think about radiation and radioactive. Some risk communication activities by WIN (Women In Nuclear)-Japan, JAPA (Japan Health Physics Society) and Universities are reported. It was clear that we had to know the mechanism of method of understanding the theme and importance of risk communication. (S.Y.)

  7. Research implications of the Institute of Medicine Report, Epilepsy Across the Spectrum: Promoting Health and Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesdorffer, Dale C.; Beck, Vicki; Begley, Charles E.; Bishop, Malachy L.; Cushner-Weinstein, Sandra; Holmes, Gregory L.; Shafer, Patricia O.; Sirven, Joseph I.; Austin, Joan K.

    2012-01-01

    In March 2012 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released the report, Epilepsy Across The Spectrum: Promoting Health And Understanding. This report examined the public health dimensions of the epilepsies with a focus on four areas: public health surveillance and data collection and integration; population and public health research; health policy, health care, and human services; and education for providers, people with epilepsy and their families, and the public. The report provided recommendations and research priorities for future work in the field of epilepsy that relate to: increasing the power of data on epilepsy; prevention of epilepsy; improving health care for people with epilepsy; improving health professional education about epilepsy; improving quality of life for people with epilepsy; improving education about epilepsy for people with epilepsy and families; and raising public awareness about epilepsy. For this article, the authors selected one research priority from each of the major chapter themes in the IOM report: expanding and improving the quality of epidemiological surveillance in epilepsy; developing improved interventions for people with epilepsy and depression; expanding early identification/screening for learning impairments in children with epilepsy; evaluating and promoting effective innovative teaching strategies; accelerating research on the identification of risk factors and interventions that increase employment and improve quality of life for people with epilepsy and their families; assessing the information needs of people with epilepsy and their families associated with epilepsy-related risks, specifically sudden unexpected death in epilepsy; and developing and conducting surveys to capture trends in knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and beliefs about epilepsy over time and in specific population subgroups. For each research priority selected, examples of research are provided that will advance the field of epilepsy and improve the lives

  8. Integrating clicker technology at nursing conferences: an innovative approach to research data collection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solecki, Susan; Cornelius, Frances; Draper, Judy; Fisher, Kathleen

    2010-06-01

    A pilot demonstration of integrating an audience response system, that is, 'clickers' at a nursing education conference as an engaging tool for using the research process for learning through immediate research results is presented. A convenience sample of nursing conference attendees were surveyed using clicker technology before a panel presentation on the 'Impaired Health Professional'. The 208 subjects who used the clickers were mostly women (93%) and were nurse educators (81%) with at least 20 years of nursing experience (75%). The ease of data collection, real-time analysis, the active engagement of both participant and presenter were all findings of this study. The utility of this tool as a stimulus for discussion and learning was also reported. Pilot testing the clicker at an education conference for data collection and educational purposes was an important goal and positive outcome of this study. Researchers and educators are advised on the planning steps required to make this a successful experience.

  9. 76 FR 8743 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-15

    ....: New Collection. Billing Accounting Code (BAC): 418423 (CAN G999916). Description: The Administration... available resources for understanding how families use, seek, and cope with the ECE/SA choices that are available to them. Perhaps most significantly, the NSECE will allow the policy and research communities to...

  10. Building Library Collections: The Horse Is Riding Us!

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milton T. Wolf

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available Unsound use of automation and digital idolatry are reducing access to research information.Technology should be the means not the end to better libraries. By understanding how digital information has been captured by multinational corporations,one must thread one s way through the labyrinth of mis-information clones and data corruption to a more wholesome collection of diverse points of view. Collection building will always be labor intensive, and therefore time-consuming,because intellectual judgments are involved. Giving away selection to vendors and publishers only furthers the degradation of research and ultimately threatens not only intellectual investigation but also national security. The way forward is backward to the hard work of selecting.

  11. Using global positioning systems in health research a practical approach to data collection and processing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kerr, Jacqueline; Duncan, Scott; Schipperijn, Jasper

    2011-01-01

    The use of GPS devices in health research is increasingly popular. There are currently no best-practice guidelines for collecting, processing, and analyzing GPS data. The standardization of data collection and processing procedures will improve data quality, allow more-meaningful comparisons acro...

  12. 77 FR 41431 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request: Impact of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-13

    ... Request: Impact of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education at the Clinical Center on Physician Careers in Academia and Clinical Research SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2... approval. Proposed Collection Title: The Impact of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education at the...

  13. USER FRUSTRATION IN HIT INTERFACES: EXPLORING PAST HCI RESEARCH FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF CLINICIANS' EXPERIENCES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Opoku-Boateng, Gloria A

    2015-01-01

    User frustration research has been one way of looking into clinicians' experience with health information technology use and interaction. In order to understand how clinician frustration with Health Information Technology (HIT) use occurs, there is the need to explore Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) literature that addresses both frustration and HIT use. In the past three decades, HCI frustration research has increased and expanded. Researchers have done a lot of work to understand emotions, end-user frustration and affect. This paper uses a historical literature review approach to review the origins of emotion and frustration research and explore the research question; Does HCI research on frustration provide insights on clinicians' frustration with HIT interfaces? From the literature review HCI research on emotion and frustration provides additional insights that can indeed help explain user frustration in HIT. Different approaches and HCI perspectives also help frame HIT user frustration research as well as inform HIT system design. The paper concludes with a suggested directions on how future design and research may take.

  14. Collective ion acceleration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Godfrey, B.B.; Faehl, R.J.; Newberger, B.S.; Shanahan, W.R.; Thode, L.E.

    1977-01-01

    Progress achieved in the understanding and development of collective ion acceleration is presented. Extensive analytic and computational studies of slow cyclotron wave growth on an electron beam in a helix amplifier were performed. Research included precise determination of linear coupling between beam and helix, suppression of undesired transients and end effects, and two-dimensional simulations of wave growth in physically realizable systems. Electrostatic well depths produced exceed requirements for the Autoresonant Ion Acceleration feasibility experiment. Acceleration of test ions to modest energies in the troughs of such waves was also demonstrated. Smaller efforts were devoted to alternative acceleration mechanisms. Langmuir wave phase velocity in Converging Guide Acceleration was calculated as a function of the ratio of electron beam current to space-charge limiting current. A new collective acceleration approach, in which cyclotron wave phase velocity is varied by modulation of electron beam voltage, is proposed. Acceleration by traveling Virtual Cathode or Localized Pinch was considered, but appears less promising. In support of this research, fundamental investigations of beam propagation in evacuated waveguides, of nonneutral beam linear eigenmodes, and of beam stability were carried out. Several computer programs were developed or enhanced. Plans for future work are discussed

  15. Collective occupation in public spaces and the construction of the social fabric: L'occupation collective dans les espaces publics et la construction du tissu social.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kantartzis, Sarah; Molineux, Matthew

    2017-06-01

    Contemporary research is expanding understandings of occupation beyond that of the individual's doing, including the shared and social nature of occupation. The concept of collective occupation has been introduced to capture this broader understanding. This study aimed to explicate the concept of occupation in a Greek town. Ethnographic methodology was used and primary data were collected through observation, participation, and informal interviews. Analysis involved a hermeneutic process to develop a narrative of occupation in the town, including action, setting, and plots. Occupation, a dynamic and multidimensional process, served to maintain the self, family, and social fabric and balance between and within them. Collective occupation maintained the social fabric through three forms: informal daily encounters in public spaces, organization and associations, and celebration and commemoration. Occupational therapists may consider engaging with the potential power of such collective occupation when working toward social change to enable just and inclusive societies.

  16. Rebuilding Hawaii’s Anthurium germplasm collection for cultivar and species preservation, breeding, and biotechnological research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anthurium is the third most important floriculture crop in Hawaii, grown mainly as a cut flower. The University of Hawaii (UH) has a well-established anthurium breeding program since 1950, with a germplasm collection assembled from backyard growers, hobbyists, researchers and collection trips from c...

  17. Improving understanding in the research informed consent process: a systematic review of 54 interventions tested in randomized control trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishimura, Adam; Carey, Jantey; Erwin, Patricia J; Tilburt, Jon C; Murad, M Hassan; McCormick, Jennifer B

    2013-07-23

    Obtaining informed consent is a cornerstone of biomedical research, yet participants comprehension of presented information is often low. The most effective interventions to improve understanding rates have not been identified. To systematically analyze the random controlled trials testing interventions to research informed consent process. The primary outcome of interest was quantitative rates of participant understanding; secondary outcomes were rates of information retention, satisfaction, and accrual. Interventional categories included multimedia, enhanced consent documents, extended discussions, test/feedback quizzes, and miscellaneous methods. The search spanned from database inception through September 2010. It was run on Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Ovid CINAHL, Ovid PsycInfo and Cochrane CENTRAL, ISI Web of Science and Scopus. Five reviewers working independently and in duplicate screened full abstract text to determine eligibility. We included only RCTs. 39 out of 1523 articles fulfilled review criteria (2.6%), with a total of 54 interventions. A data extraction form was created in Distiller, an online reference management system, through an iterative process. One author collected data on study design, population, demographics, intervention, and analytical technique. Meta-analysis was possible on 22 interventions: multimedia, enhanced form, and extended discussion categories; all 54 interventions were assessed by review. Meta-analysis of multimedia approaches was associated with a non-significant increase in understanding scores (SMD 0.30, 95% CI, -0.23 to 0.84); enhanced consent form, with significant increase (SMD 1.73, 95% CI, 0.99 to 2.47); and extended discussion, with significant increase (SMD 0.53, 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.84). By review, 31% of multimedia interventions showed significant improvement in understanding; 41% for enhanced consent form; 50% for extended discussion; 33% for test/feedback; and 29% for miscellaneous.Multiple sources of variation

  18. [Collections of human biological resources for research purposes: from regulations to the need of a guide of good collection practices].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Roux, N; de Montgolfier, S; di Donato, J-H; Boccon-Gibod, L; Teillac, P; Hervé, C; Berthon, P

    2003-12-01

    In France, collections of human biological resources are regulated by the "Bioethics Law", currently in revision. Hence, we analyse the regulatory and ethical issues of these practices in the context of scientific research. The ultimate aim of such collections is to improve biological and medical knowledge. We think that the French regulatory system is quite complicated and non-explicit for "collection holders". The multiplicity of legal texts concerning this activity has made their application difficult, especially in the absence of application decrees. The project amending the actual law has clarified the legal status of collections but it did not shed light on the status of human body detached parts. Furthermore, the text is still very far from the international bioethical recommendations, and does not reflect the actual collection's implementation. The establishment of a guideline of Good Collection Practices, based on clear principles, should help to simplify the situation, especially when it is imbedded in the regulation and linked to control procedures. It would allow a balance between collective interests and the protection of individuals, taking into account of the international highly competitive scientific and economical constraints. The major issue is to preserve and to perpetuate the existing and future collections because of their precious value as an important tool for biomedical knowledge. The efficiency of a regulation depends on its legibility and accessibility, two requirements that seem to determine the acceptance of the regulatory tool and its application allowing subsequently to reach fairness in proceedings.

  19. Research in collegiate mathematics education V

    CERN Document Server

    Selden, Annie; Harel, Guershon; Hitt, Fernando

    2003-01-01

    This fifth volume of Research in Collegiate Mathematics Education presents state-of-the-art research on understanding, teaching, and learning mathematics at the post-secondary level. The articles in RCME are peer-reviewed for two major features: (1) advancing our understanding of collegiate mathematics education, and (2) readability by a wide audience of practicing mathematicians interested in issues affecting their own students. This is not a collection of scholarly arcana, but a compilation of useful and informative research regarding the ways our students think about and learn mathematics.

  20. Qualitative Research in Emergency Care Part I: Research Principles and Common Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choo, Esther K; Garro, Aris C; Ranney, Megan L; Meisel, Zachary F; Morrow Guthrie, Kate

    2015-09-01

    Qualitative methods are increasingly being used in emergency care research. Rigorous qualitative methods can play a critical role in advancing the emergency care research agenda by allowing investigators to generate hypotheses, gain an in-depth understanding of health problems or specific populations, create expert consensus, and develop new intervention and dissemination strategies. This article, Part I of a two-article series, provides an introduction to general principles of applied qualitative health research and examples of its common use in emergency care research, describing study designs and data collection methods most relevant to our field, including observation, individual interviews, and focus groups. In Part II of this series, we will outline the specific steps necessary to conduct a valid and reliable qualitative research project, with a focus on interview-based studies. These elements include building the research team, preparing data collection guides, defining and obtaining an adequate sample, collecting and organizing qualitative data, and coding and analyzing the data. We also discuss potential ethical considerations unique to qualitative research as it relates to emergency care research. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  1. Report on research outline in 1999 fiscal year on public collection type research of nuclear fuel cycle.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-07-01

    The Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) initiated a system to promote the public collection type researches of nuclear fuel cycle since 1999, in order to intend to promote collaboration with universities and research institutes. The system aims to intend to activate researching environment in JNC by intercourse, information exchange, publication of results and so on between researchers in and out of JNC, effectively to proceed basic and fundamental R and D. Here were outlined on eleven researching theme, such as upgrading of velocity and temperature measurement of non-contact type fluid by using electromagnetic ultrasonic wave, development of temperature history memory elements for radiation environment test of a fast breeder reactor, direct glassification of salt wastes by using oxygen plasma, a method on dissolving extraction of metal oxides by using a super-critical fluid, creation of highly separable materials by assistance of computational chemistry (aiming at high order processing of high level radioactive wastes), and so on. (G.K.)

  2. Report on research outline in 1999 fiscal year on public collection type research of nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2000-07-01

    The Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) initiated a system to promote the public collection type researches of nuclear fuel cycle since 1999, in order to intend to promote collaboration with universities and research institutes. The system aims to intend to activate researching environment in JNC by intercourse, information exchange, publication of results and so on between researchers in and out of JNC, effectively to proceed basic and fundamental R and D. Here were outlined on eleven researching theme, such as upgrading of velocity and temperature measurement of non-contact type fluid by using electromagnetic ultrasonic wave, development of temperature history memory elements for radiation environment test of a fast breeder reactor, direct glassification of salt wastes by using oxygen plasma, a method on dissolving extraction of metal oxides by using a super-critical fluid, creation of highly separable materials by assistance of computational chemistry (aiming at high order processing of high level radioactive wastes), and so on. (G.K.)

  3. Understanding the value of mixed methods research: the Children’s Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Matthew; O’Brien, Kerth; Meckler, Garth; Chang, Anna Marie; Guise, Jeanne-Marie

    2016-01-01

    Mixed methods research has significant potential to broaden the scope of emergency care and specifically emergency medical services investigation. Mixed methods studies involve the coordinated use of qualitative and quantitative research approaches to gain a fuller understanding of practice. By combining what is learnt from multiple methods, these approaches can help to characterise complex healthcare systems, identify the mechanisms of complex problems such as medical errors and understand aspects of human interaction such as communication, behaviour and team performance. Mixed methods approaches may be particularly useful for out-of-hospital care researchers because care is provided in complex systems where equipment, interpersonal interactions, societal norms, environment and other factors influence patient outcomes. The overall objectives of this paper are to (1) introduce the fundamental concepts and approaches of mixed methods research and (2) describe the interrelation and complementary features of the quantitative and qualitative components of mixed methods studies using specific examples from the Children’s Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services (CSI-EMS), a large National Institutes of Health-funded research project conducted in the USA. PMID:26949970

  4. Understanding the value of mixed methods research: the Children's Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Matthew; O'Brien, Kerth; Meckler, Garth; Chang, Anna Marie; Guise, Jeanne-Marie

    2016-07-01

    Mixed methods research has significant potential to broaden the scope of emergency care and specifically emergency medical services investigation. Mixed methods studies involve the coordinated use of qualitative and quantitative research approaches to gain a fuller understanding of practice. By combining what is learnt from multiple methods, these approaches can help to characterise complex healthcare systems, identify the mechanisms of complex problems such as medical errors and understand aspects of human interaction such as communication, behaviour and team performance. Mixed methods approaches may be particularly useful for out-of-hospital care researchers because care is provided in complex systems where equipment, interpersonal interactions, societal norms, environment and other factors influence patient outcomes. The overall objectives of this paper are to (1) introduce the fundamental concepts and approaches of mixed methods research and (2) describe the interrelation and complementary features of the quantitative and qualitative components of mixed methods studies using specific examples from the Children's Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services (CSI-EMS), a large National Institutes of Health-funded research project conducted in the USA. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  5. Adapting public policy theory for public health research: A framework to understand the development of national policies on global health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Catherine M; Clavier, Carole; Potvin, Louise

    2017-03-01

    National policies on global health appear as one way that actors from health, development and foreign affairs sectors in a country coordinate state action on global health. Next to a burgeoning literature in which international relations and global governance theories are employed to understand global health policy and global health diplomacy at the international level, little is known about policy processes for global health at the national scale. We propose a framework of the policy process to understand how such policies are developed, and we identify challenges for public health researchers integrating conceptual tools from political science. We developed the framework using a two-step process: 1) reviewing literature to establish criteria for selecting a theoretical framework fit for this purpose, and 2) adapting Real-Dato's synthesis framework to integrate a cognitive approach to public policy within a constructivist perspective. Our framework identifies multiple contexts as part of the policy process, focuses on situations where actors work together to make national policy on global health, considers these interactive situations as spaces for observing external influences on policy change and proposes policy design as the output of the process. We suggest that this framework makes three contributions to the conceptualisation of national policy on global health as a research object. First, it emphasizes collective action over decisions of individual policy actors. Second, it conceptualises the policy process as organised interactive spaces for collaboration rather than as stages of a policy cycle. Third, national decision-making spaces are opportunities for transferring ideas and knowledge from different sectors and settings, and represent opportunities to identify international influences on a country's global health policy. We discuss two sets of challenges for public health researchers using interdisciplinary approaches in policy research. Copyright

  6. Understanding cultural influences on back pain and back pain research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henschke, Nicholas; Lorenz, Eva; Pokora, Roman; Michaleff, Zoe A; Quartey, Jonathan N A; Oliveira, Vinicius Cunha

    2016-12-01

    Low back pain is highly prevalent and places a considerable burden on individuals, their families and communities. This back pain burden is unequally distributed around the world and within populations. Clinicians and researchers addressing back pain should be aware of the cultural, social and political context of back pain patients and how this context can influence pain perception, disability and health care use. Culture, which influences the beliefs and behaviour of individuals within a social group, could be considered an important contributor to the unequal distribution of back pain. However, there is paucity of high-quality research exploring the influence of culture on the experience and management of back pain. Further development and testing of specific tools, assessment methods and communication strategies are needed to improve our understanding of how cultural practices, values and identifications affect those dealing with back pain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Damage assessment in Braunsbach 2016: data collection and analysis for an improved understanding of damaging processes during flash floods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laudan, Jonas; Rözer, Viktor; Sieg, Tobias; Vogel, Kristin; Thieken, Annegret H.

    2017-12-01

    Flash floods are caused by intense rainfall events and represent an insufficiently understood phenomenon in Germany. As a result of higher precipitation intensities, flash floods might occur more frequently in future. In combination with changing land use patterns and urbanisation, damage mitigation, insurance and risk management in flash-flood-prone regions are becoming increasingly important. However, a better understanding of damage caused by flash floods requires ex post collection of relevant but yet sparsely available information for research. At the end of May 2016, very high and concentrated rainfall intensities led to severe flash floods in several southern German municipalities. The small town of Braunsbach stood as a prime example of the devastating potential of such events. Eight to ten days after the flash flood event, damage assessment and data collection were conducted in Braunsbach by investigating all affected buildings and their surroundings. To record and store the data on site, the open-source software bundle KoBoCollect was used as an efficient and easy way to gather information. Since the damage driving factors of flash floods are expected to differ from those of riverine flooding, a post-hoc data analysis was performed, aiming to identify the influence of flood processes and building attributes on damage grades, which reflect the extent of structural damage. Data analyses include the application of random forest, a random general linear model and multinomial logistic regression as well as the construction of a local impact map to reveal influences on the damage grades. Further, a Spearman's Rho correlation matrix was calculated. The results reveal that the damage driving factors of flash floods differ from those of riverine floods to a certain extent. The exposition of a building in flow direction shows an especially strong correlation with the damage grade and has a high predictive power within the constructed damage models. Additionally

  8. Featured collection introduction: contaminants of emerging concern II

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battaglin, William A.; Kolok, Alan; Battaglin, William; Kolok, Alan

    2014-01-01

    This collection of 13 articles focuses on CECs, and each of the articles highlights a specific aspect of this broad topic. The articles were solicited from researchers who participated in the second summer specialty conference on this topic, organized by the American Water Resources Association. The title of the conference was “CECs in Water Resources II: Research, Engineering and Community Action,” and the conference, as well as the articles in this featured collection, focus on a better and more comprehensive understanding of these contaminants. The conference was held in Denver, Colorado, on June 25-27, 2012, and approximately 125 conference attendees participated in an interdisciplinary forum of more than 75 presentations including keynote or plenary presentations by Dana Kolpin, Jorg Drewes, Heiko Schoenfuss, Chris Metcalfe, Vicki Blazer, and Tyrone Hayes. The first conference was held in 2007 and also produced a featured collection of articles (Battaglin and Kolpin, 2009).

  9. Science Olympiad students' nature of science understandings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philpot, Cindy J.

    2007-12-01

    Recent reform efforts in science education focus on scientific literacy for all citizens. In order to be scientifically literate, an individual must have informed understandings of nature of science (NOS), scientific inquiry, and science content matter. This study specifically focused on Science Olympiad students' understanding of NOS as one piece of scientific literacy. Research consistently shows that science students do not have informed understandings of NOS (Abd-El-Khalick, 2002; Bell, Blair, Crawford, and Lederman, 2002; Kilcrease and Lucy, 2002; Schwartz, Lederman, and Thompson, 2001). However, McGhee-Brown, Martin, Monsaas and Stombler (2003) found that Science Olympiad students had in-depth understandings of science concepts, principles, processes, and techniques. Science Olympiad teams compete nationally and are found in rural, urban, and suburban schools. In an effort to learn from students who are generally considered high achieving students and who enjoy science, as opposed to the typical science student, the purpose of this study was to investigate Science Olympiad students' understandings of NOS and the experiences that formed their understandings. An interpretive, qualitative, case study method was used to address the research questions. The participants were purposefully and conveniently selected from the Science Olympiad team at a suburban high school. Data collection consisted of the Views of Nature of Science -- High School Questionnaire (VNOS-HS) (Schwartz, Lederman, & Thompson, 2001), semi-structured individual interviews, and a focus group. The main findings of this study were similar to much of the previous research in that the participants had informed understandings of the tentative nature of science and the role of inferences in science, but they did not have informed understandings of the role of human imagination and creativity, the empirical nature of science, or theories and laws. High level science classes and participation in

  10. Understanding the Perception of Very Small Software Companies towards the Adoption of Process Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basri, Shuib; O'Connor, Rory V.

    This paper is concerned with understanding the issues that affect the adoption of software process standards by Very Small Entities (VSEs), their needs from process standards and their willingness to engage with the new ISO/IEC 29110 standard in particular. In order to achieve this goal, a series of industry data collection studies were undertaken with a collection of VSEs. A twin track approach of a qualitative data collection (interviews and focus groups) and quantitative data collection (questionnaire) were undertaken. Data analysis was being completed separately and the final results were merged, using the coding mechanisms of grounded theory. This paper serves as a roadmap for both researchers wishing to understand the issues of process standards adoption by very small companies and also for the software process standards community.

  11. Creating meaningful learning experiences: Understanding students' perspectives of engineering design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aleong, Richard James Chung Mun

    There is a societal need for design education to prepare holistic engineers with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to innovate and compete globally. Design skills are paramount to the espoused values of higher education, as institutions of higher learning strive to develop in students the cognitive abilities of critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity. To meet these interests from industry and academia, it is important to advance the teaching and learning of engineering design. This research aims to understand how engineering students learn and think about design, as a way for engineering educators to optimize instructional practice and curriculum development. Qualitative research methodology was used to investigate the meaning that engineering students' ascribe to engineering design. The recruitment of participants and corresponding collection of data occurred in two phases using two different data collection techniques. The first phase involved the distribution of a one-time online questionnaire to all first year, third year, and fourth year undergraduate engineering students at three Canadian Universities. After the questionnaire, students were asked if they would be willing to participate in the second phase of data collection consisting of a personal interview. A total of ten students participated in interviews. Qualitative data analysis procedures were conducted on students' responses from the questionnaire and interviews. The data analysis process consisted of two phases: a descriptive phase to code and categorize the data, followed by an interpretative phase to generate further meaning and relationships. The research findings present a conceptual understanding of students' descriptions about engineering design, structured within two educational orientations: a learning studies orientation and a curriculum studies orientation. The learning studies orientation captured three themes of students' understanding of engineering design: awareness

  12. Biobanking for research: a survey of patient population attitudes and understanding

    OpenAIRE

    Rahm, Alanna Kulchak; Wrenn, Michelle; Carroll, Nikki M.; Feigelson, Heather Spencer

    2013-01-01

    Population-based biobanks are a critical resource for genetic research. It is important to know what potential participants understand about the risks and benefits of providing samples in order to ensure adequate informed consent. Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO) is currently planning a biobank where adult members would be asked to contribute an additional tube of blood during a routine blood draw. Adult KPCO members in clinic waiting rooms were asked to read an informational brochure and in...

  13. Qualitative research and its methods in epilepsy: Contributing to an understanding of patients' lived experiences of the disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rapport, Frances; Clement, Clare; Doel, Marcus A; Hutchings, Hayley A

    2015-04-01

    This review paper makes the case for the usefulness of qualitative research methods in the context of epilepsy research. It begins with an assessment of the current state of epilepsy literature and identifies gaps especially in the following: research in 'developing' countries and research around surgery for adults with epilepsy. It makes the case that disclosure of people's behaviors, actions, and reactions in different, often complex health-care situations can indicate how they bring meaning to their disease experiences and support needs. It shows the value of encouraging work that clarifies how patients manage their illness and how they understand changes in their health and well-being over the life course of their illness and how health-care professionals and other stakeholder groups care for those with epilepsy. The paper suggests a range of methods for addressing gaps in the literature and highlights a range of data collection, data analysis, and data interpretation and synthesis techniques that are appropriate in this context. It pays particular attention to the strengths of qualitative applications in mixed-methods research using an example from a recent ulcerative colitis drug trial that indicates how they can be integrated into study findings, add rich description, and enhance study outcomes. Ethnographic methodology is also presented, as a way of offering rare access to the 'lived experience' dimension, before the paper concludes with an assessment of the qualitative criteria of credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability for judging a study's 'trustworthiness'. The criteria evidence not only the trustworthiness of data and findings but also the ways in which a study has approached any challenges inherent in its research design. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Can an Understanding of Basic Research Facilitate the Effectiveness of Practitioners? Reflections and Personal Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidman, Murray

    2011-01-01

    I have written before about the importance of applied behavior analysis to basic researchers. That relationship is, however, reciprocal; it is also critical for practitioners to understand and even to participate in basic research. Although applied problems are rarely the same as those investigated in the laboratory, practitioners who understand…

  15. Bringing a Time-Depth Perspective to Collective Animal Behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biro, Dora; Sasaki, Takao; Portugal, Steven J

    2016-07-01

    The field of collective animal behaviour examines how relatively simple, local interactions between individuals in groups combine to produce global-level outcomes. Existing mathematical models and empirical work have identified candidate mechanisms for numerous collective phenomena but have typically focused on one-off or short-term performance. We argue that feedback between collective performance and learning - giving the former the capacity to become an adaptive, and potentially cumulative, process - is a currently poorly explored but crucial mechanism in understanding collective systems. We synthesise material ranging from swarm intelligence in social insects through collective movements in vertebrates to collective decision making in animal and human groups, to propose avenues for future research to identify the potential for changes in these systems to accumulate over time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Things That Scientists Don't Understand About NASA Spaceflight Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Platts, S. H.; Bauer, Terri; Rogers, Shanna

    2017-01-01

    So you want to conduct human spaceflight research aboard the International Space Station (ISS)? Once your spaceflight research aboard the ISS is proposal is funded.... the real work begins. Because resources are so limited for ISS research, it is necessary to maximize the work being done, while at the same time, minimizing the resources spent. Astronauts may be presented with over 30 human research experiments and select, on average approximately 15 in which to participate. In order to conduct this many studies, ISSMP uses the study requirements provided by the principle investigator to integrate all of this work into the astronauts' complement. The most important thing for investigators to convey to the ISSMP team is their RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS. Requirements are captured in the Experiment document. This document is the official record of how, what, where and when data will be collected. One common mistake that investigators make is not taking this document seriously, but when push comes to shove, if a research requirement is not in this document....it will not get done. The research requirements are then integrated to form a complement of research for each astronaut. What do we mean by integration? Many experiments have overlapping requirements; blood draws, behavioral surveys, heart rate measurement. Where possible, these measures are combined to reduce redundancy and save crew time. Investigators can access these data via data sharing agreements. More examples of how ISS research is integrated will be presented. There are additional limitations commonly associated with human spaceflight research that will also be discussed. Large/heavy hardware, invasive procedures, and toxic reagents are extremely difficult to implement on the ISS. There are strict limits placed on the amount of blood that can be drawn from crew members during (and immediately after) spaceflight. These limits are based on 30-day rolling accumulations. We have recently had to start restricting

  17. Collective in exile: Utilizing terror management theory to understand women's wailing performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamliel, Tova

    2017-08-01

    Although women's wailing at death rites in various cultures typically amplifies mortality salience, this ritual phenomenon is absent in the research literature on terror management theory (TMT). This study explored Yemenite-Jewish wailing in Israel as an example of how a traditional performance manages death anxiety in a community context. Observations of wailing events and interviews with Yemenite-Jewish wailers and mourners in Israel were analyzed to understand respondents' perceptions of the experience of wailing as well as the anxiety-oriented psychotherapeutic expertise involved. The findings are discussed to propose an alternative outlook on the intersubjective adaptive value of death anxiety. After describing TMT's view on the role of culture in coping with death anxiety, I consider the extent to which Yemenite-Jewish wailing is consistent with the premises of TMT.

  18. Using newspaper collections in information institutions for research purposes: experiences of historians and linguists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maja Krtalić

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to present the opinions, experiences and needs of a sample of scientists in the field of the humanities – namely historians and philologists – and their use of newspaper collections in memory institutions during scientific research. A part of the results gathered in the research, which was conducted within the Newspapers as a source of scientific information in social sciences and humanities project, and is presented here. This project examined the extent and practices in the use of newspapers as a resource of information for scientific research in the social sciences and humanities field in Croatia. The quantitative and qualitative data about the methods and level of use of newspaper material as a resource in scientific research were gathered. The results of this project implied that the newspapers are recognised and used as an admissible resource in scientific work, especially in the fields of history and philology. The fact that scientists have specific information needs and search patterns should be considered in creating innovative and effective digital newspaper collections.

  19. JSC Advanced Curation: Research and Development for Current Collections and Future Sample Return Mission Demands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fries, M. D.; Allen, C. C.; Calaway, M. J.; Evans, C. A.; Stansbery, E. K.

    2015-01-01

    Curation of NASA's astromaterials sample collections is a demanding and evolving activity that supports valuable science from NASA missions for generations, long after the samples are returned to Earth. For example, NASA continues to loan hundreds of Apollo program samples to investigators every year and those samples are often analyzed using instruments that did not exist at the time of the Apollo missions themselves. The samples are curated in a manner that minimizes overall contamination, enabling clean, new high-sensitivity measurements and new science results over 40 years after their return to Earth. As our exploration of the Solar System progresses, upcoming and future NASA sample return missions will return new samples with stringent contamination control, sample environmental control, and Planetary Protection requirements. Therefore, an essential element of a healthy astromaterials curation program is a research and development (R&D) effort that characterizes and employs new technologies to maintain current collections and enable new missions - an Advanced Curation effort. JSC's Astromaterials Acquisition & Curation Office is continually performing Advanced Curation research, identifying and defining knowledge gaps about research, development, and validation/verification topics that are critical to support current and future NASA astromaterials sample collections. The following are highlighted knowledge gaps and research opportunities.

  20. Challenges for Smallholder Market Access: a review of literature on institutional arrangements in collective marketing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ton, G.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose of review: This review presents recent research on collective action in agricultural markets, focusing on the institutional settings that increase market access for smallholder farmers. It focuses attention on challenging research areas that try to understand and resolve the inherent

  1. Understandings of Participation in Behavioural Research: A Qualitative Study of Gay and Bisexual Men in Scotland.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicola Boydell

    Full Text Available An array of empirical research has emerged related to public participation in health research. To date, few studies have explored the particular perspectives of gay and bisexual men taking part in behavioural surveillance research, which includes the donation of saliva swabs to investigate HIV prevalence and rates of undiagnosed HIV. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-nine gay and bisexual men in Scotland who had participated in a bar-based survey. Thematic analysis of men's accounts of their motives for participation and their perceptions of not receiving individual feedback on HIV status suggested a shared understanding of participation in research as a means of contributing to 'community' efforts to prevent the spread of HIV. Most men expressed sophisticated understandings of the purpose of behavioural research and distinguished between this and individual diagnostic testing. Despite calls for feedback on HIV results broadly, for these men feedback on HIV status was not deemed crucial.

  2. Understandings of Participation in Behavioural Research: A Qualitative Study of Gay and Bisexual Men in Scotland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boydell, Nicola; Fergie, Gillian May; McDaid, Lisa Margaret; Hilton, Shona

    2015-01-01

    An array of empirical research has emerged related to public participation in health research. To date, few studies have explored the particular perspectives of gay and bisexual men taking part in behavioural surveillance research, which includes the donation of saliva swabs to investigate HIV prevalence and rates of undiagnosed HIV. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-nine gay and bisexual men in Scotland who had participated in a bar-based survey. Thematic analysis of men's accounts of their motives for participation and their perceptions of not receiving individual feedback on HIV status suggested a shared understanding of participation in research as a means of contributing to 'community' efforts to prevent the spread of HIV. Most men expressed sophisticated understandings of the purpose of behavioural research and distinguished between this and individual diagnostic testing. Despite calls for feedback on HIV results broadly, for these men feedback on HIV status was not deemed crucial.

  3. From Brand Image Research to Teaching Assessment: Using a Projective Technique Borrowed from Marketing Research to Aid an Understanding of Teaching Effectiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boddy, Clive Roland

    2004-01-01

    This paper describes how a simple qualitative market research technique using a projective device called a bubble drawing can be used as a useful feedback device to gain an understanding of students' views of the teaching effectiveness of a market research lecture. Comparisons are made with feedback gained from teaching observations and insights…

  4. Active learning and decision making: an introduction to the collection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottlieb, Jacqueline; Lopes, Manuel; Oudeyer, Pierre-Yves

    2014-01-01

    The importance of exploratory behaviors by which agents actively sample information has been long appreciated in a wide range of disciplines ranging from machine and robot learning to neuroscience and psychology.  Given the complexity of these behaviors, progress in understanding them will require a confluence of ideas from these multiple fields.  This collection of articles in F1000Research aims to provide a home for a broad range of studies addressing this topic, including full length research articles, brief communications, single figure studies, and review/opinion articles, and studies using computational, behavioral or neural approaches.  Here, we provide an introduction to the collection which we hope will grow and become a valuable resource for the researchers exploring this topic.

  5. Research in Brief: Using Mobile Phones to Collect Daily Experience Data from College Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravert, Russell D.; Calix, Shaun I.; Sullivan, Michael J.

    2010-01-01

    As mobile phone use and text messaging has continued to play a more central role in people's daily lives, some researchers and clinicians have sought to use the medium as a tool for interventions and data collection. Such efforts have included sending tailored health messages to college students who are trying to quit smoking. This research brief…

  6. Understanding the Information Research Process of Experienced Online Information Researchers to Inform Development of a Scholars Portal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martha Whitehead

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective - The main purpose of this study was to understand the information research process of experienced online information researchers in a variety of disciplines, gather their ideas for improvement and as part of this to validate a proposed research framework for use in future development of Ontario’s Scholars Portal.Methods - This was a qualitative research study in which sixty experienced online information researchers participated in face-to-face workshops that included a collaborative design component. The sessions were conducted and recorded by usability specialists who subsequently analyzed the data and identified patterns and themes.Results - Key themes included the similarities of the information research process across all disciplines, the impact of interdisciplinarity, the social aspect of research and opportunities for process improvement. There were many specific observations regarding current and ideal processes. Implications for portal development and further research included: supporting a common process while accommodating user-defined differences; supporting citation chaining practices with new opportunities for data linkage and granularity; enhancing keyword searching with various types of intervention; exploring trusted social networks; exploring new mental models for data manipulation while retaining traditional objects; improving citation and document management. Conclusion – The majority of researchers in the study had almost no routine in their information research processes, had developed few techniques to assist themselves and had very little awareness of the tools available to help them. There are many opportunities to aid researchers in the research process that can be explored when developing scholarly research portals. That development will be well guided by the framework ‘discover, gather, synthesize, create, share.’

  7. 78 FR 53465 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-29

    ... collection of qualitative data regarding preparedness message framing. The goal of this qualitative research... Message Framing Research. Type of Information Collection: New information collection. FEMA Forms: 008-0-17... will engage in qualitative research involving the review of disaster preparedness message frames for...

  8. A Process of Collective Bricolage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kokshagina, Olga; Boxenbaum, Eva; Cartel, Melodie

    Highly diffusable innovations create value across several domains and contribute to the creation of new markets and the disruption of existing industries. For this reason, they are particularly interesting objects of study for innovation management. This research investigates the creation of highly...... bricolage process for open-ended innovation consisting of four steps: a) pre-conditions, b) the repertoire, c) clustering, and d) prototyping. This model deepens our understanding of how collective bricolage, when undertaken in open innovation structures, produces highly diffusable innovations. This insight...

  9. Research Trends in the Use of Mobile Learning in Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crompton, Helen; Burke, Diane

    2015-01-01

    The use of mobile learning in education is growing at an exponential rate. To best understand how mobile learning is being used, it is crucial to gain a collective understanding of the research that has taken place. This research was a systematic review of 36 studies in mobile learning in mathematics from the year 2000 onward. Eight new findings…

  10. What Does It Take for Practitioners to Use Data to Change Behavior in Collective Impact?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raderstrong, Jeff; Nazaire, JaNay Queen

    2017-01-01

    The use of data to track and manage progress is critical to a collective impact initiative achieving results or understanding impact. Yet, little research has been done to determine how collective impact practitioners can effectively use data. This article--including a literature review, semistructured interviews with experts on performance…

  11. Understanding the burnout experience: recent research and its implications for psychiatry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maslach, Christina; Leiter, Michael P.

    2016-01-01

    The experience of burnout has been the focus of much research during the past few decades. Measures have been developed, as have various theoretical models, and research studies from many countries have contributed to a better understanding of the causes and consequences of this occupationally‐specific dysphoria. The majority of this work has focused on human service occupations, and particularly health care. Research on the burnout experience for psychiatrists mirrors much of the broader literature, in terms of both sources and outcomes of burnout. But it has also identified some of the unique stressors that mental health professionals face when they are dealing with especially difficult or violent clients. Current issues of particular relevance for psychiatry include the links between burnout and mental illness, the attempts to redefine burnout as simply exhaustion, and the relative dearth of evaluative research on potential interventions to treat and/or prevent burnout. Given that the treatment goal for burnout is usually to enable people to return to their job, and to be successful in their work, psychiatry could make an important contribution by identifying the treatment strategies that would be most effective in achieving that goal. PMID:27265691

  12. Researcher-driven Campaigns Engage Nature's Notebook Participants in Scientific Data Collection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crimmins, Theresa M.; Elmore, Andrew J.; Huete, Alfredo; Keller, Stephen; Levetin, Estelle; Luvall, Jeffrey; Meyers, Orrin; Stylinski, Cathlyn D.; Van De Water, Peter K.; Vukovic, Ana

    2013-01-01

    One of the many benefits of citizen science projects is the capacity they hold for facilitating data collection on a grand scale and thereby enabling scientists to answer questions they would otherwise not been able to address. Nature's Notebook, the plant and animal phenology observing program of the USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) suitable for scientists and non-scientists alike, offers scientifically-vetted data collection protocols and infrastructure and mechanisms to quickly reach out to hundreds to thousands of potential contributors. The USA-NPN has recently partnered with several research teams to engage participants in contributing to specific studies. In one example, a team of scientists from NASA, the New Mexico Department of Health, and universities in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and California are using juniper phenology observations submitted by Nature's Notebookparticipants to improve predictions of pollen release and inform asthma and allergy alerts. In a second effort, researchers from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science are engaging Nature's Notebookparticipants in tracking leafing phenophases of poplars across the U.S. These observations will be compared to information acquired via satellite imagery and used to determine geographic areas where the tree species are most and least adapted to predicted climate change. Researchers in these partnerships receive benefits primarily in the form of ground observations. Launched in 2010, the juniper pollen effort has engaged participants in several western states and has yielded thousands of observations that can play a role in model ground validation. Periodic evaluation of these observations has prompted the team to improve and enhance the materials that participants receive, in an effort to boost data quality. The poplar project is formally launching in spring of 2013 and will run for three years; preliminary findings from 2013 will be presented. Participants in these

  13. Introduction to the article collection 'Translation in healthcare: ethical, legal, and social implications'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, Michael; Dickenson, Donna; Lee, Sandra Soo-Jin

    2016-11-14

    New technologies are transforming and reconfiguring the boundaries between patients, research participants and consumers, between research and clinical practice, and between public and private domains. From personalised medicine to big data and social media, these platforms facilitate new kinds of interactions, challenge longstanding understandings of privacy and consent, and raise fundamental questions about how the translational patient pathway should be organised.This editorial introduces the cross-journal article collection "Translation in healthcare: ethical, legal, and social implications", briefly outlining the genesis of the collection in the 2015 Translation in healthcare conference in Oxford, UK and providing an introduction to the contemporary ethical challenges of translational research in biology and medicine accompanied by a summary of the papers included in this collection.

  14. Collectivism and coping: current theories, evidence, and measurements of collective coping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuo, Ben C H

    2013-01-01

    A burgeoning body of cultural coping research has begun to identify the prevalence and the functional importance of collective coping behaviors among culturally diverse populations in North America and internationally. These emerging findings are highly significant as they evidence culture's impacts on the stress-coping process via collectivistic values and orientation. They provide a critical counterpoint to the prevailing Western, individualistic stress and coping paradigm. However, current research and understanding about collective coping appear to be piecemeal and not well integrated. To address this issue, this review attempts to comprehensively survey, summarize, and evaluate existing research related to collective coping and its implications for coping research with culturally diverse populations from multiple domains. Specifically, this paper reviews relevant research and knowledge on collective coping in terms of: (a) operational definitions; (b) theories; (c) empirical evidence based on studies of specific cultural groups and broad cultural values/dimensions; (d) measurements; and (e) implications for future cultural coping research. Overall, collective coping behaviors are conceived as a product of the communal/relational norms and values of a cultural group across studies. They also encompass a wide array of stress responses ranging from value-driven to interpersonally based to culturally conditioned emotional/cognitive to religion- and spirituality-grounded coping strategies. In addition, this review highlights: (a) the relevance and the potential of cultural coping theories to guide future collective coping research; (b) growing evidence for the prominence of collective coping behaviors particularly among Asian nationals, Asian Americans/Canadians and African Americans/Canadians; (c) preference for collective coping behaviors as a function of collectivism and interdependent cultural value and orientation; and (d) six cultural coping scales. This

  15. Understanding men's health and illness: a gender-relations approach to policy, research, and practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schofield, T; Connell, R W; Walker, L; Wood, J F; Butland, D L

    2000-05-01

    Men's health has emerged as an important public concern that may require new kinds of healthcare interventions and increased resources. Considerable uncertainty and confusion surround prevailing understandings of men's health, particularly those generated by media debate and public policy, and health research has often operated on oversimplified assumptions about men and masculinity. A more useful way of understanding men's health is to adopt a gender-relations approach. This means examining health concerns in the context of men's and women's interactions with each other, and their positions in the larger, multidimensional structure of gender relations. Such an approach raises the issue of differences among men, which is a key issue in recent research on masculinity and an important health issue. The gender-relations approach offers new ways of addressing practical issues of healthcare for men in college environments.

  16. Using unstructured diaries for primary data collection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Juliet Anne

    2015-05-01

    To give a reflective account of using unstructured handwritten diaries as a method of collecting qualitative data. Diaries are primarily used in research as a method of collecting qualitative data. There are some challenges associated with their use, including compliance rates. However, they can provide a rich source of meaningful data and can avoid the difficulties of participants trying to precisely recall events after some time has elapsed. The author used unstructured handwritten diaries as her primary method of collecting data during her grounded theory doctoral study, when she examined the professional socialisation of nursing students. Over two years, 26 participants selected from four consecutive recruited groups of nursing students volunteered to take part in the study and were asked to keep a daily diary throughout their first five weeks of clinical experience. When using open-ended research questions, grounded theory's pragmatic approach permits the examination of processes thereby creating conceptual interpretive understanding of data. A wealth of rich, detailed data was obtained from the diaries that permitted the development of new theories regarding the effects early clinical experiences have on nursing students' professional socialisation. Diaries were found to provide insightful in-depth qualitative data in a resource-friendly manner. Nurse researchers should consider using diaries as an alternative to more commonly used approaches to collecting qualitative data.

  17. Culture and context in understanding child maltreatment: Contributions of intersectionality and neighborhood-based research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nadan, Yochay; Spilsbury, James C; Korbin, Jill E

    2015-03-01

    In the early 1990s, the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect commissioned a series of reviews that appeared as the edited volume, Protecting Children from Abuse and Neglect (Melton & Barry, 1994). Using the 1994 review "Sociocultural Factors in Child Maltreatment" (Korbin, 1994) as a background, this article reconsiders culture and context in child maltreatment work. Since 1994, conditions promoting research and practice attention in this area include immigration-driven global increases in diverse, multicultural societies where different beliefs and practices meet (and clash); expanding purview of the human rights discourse to children; and the disproportionate and disparate representation of cultural, ethnic, and racial groups in child-welfare systems. Although research on child maltreatment has advanced in many ways over 20 years, the complexity of child maltreatment leaves many critical questions demanding further attention, culture and context among them. To help address these questions, we propose two approaches for future maltreatment research: intersectionality - the simultaneous examination of multiple identities (such as gender, race, and socioeconomic status) - as a framework for understanding the complexity of cultural factors; and neighborhood-based research as a means for understanding the context of child maltreatment from the perspective of an ecological framework. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Nuclear power and the public: an update of collected survey research on nuclear power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rankin, W.L.; Melber, B.D.; Overcast, T.D.; Nealey, S.M.

    1981-12-01

    The purpose of this research was to collect, analyze, and summarize all of the nuclear power-related surveys conducted in the United States through June 1981, that we could obtain. The surveys collected were national, statewide, and areawide in scope. Slightly over 100 surveys were collected for an earlier, similar effort carried out in 1977. About 130 new surveys were added to the earlier survey data. Thus, about 230 surveys were screened for inclusion in this report. Because of space limitations, national surveys were used most frequently in this report, followed distantly by state surveys. In drawing our conclusions about public beliefs and attitudes toward nuclear power, we placed most of our confidence in survey questions that were used by national polling firms at several points in time. A summary of the research findings is presented, beginning with general attitudes toward nuclear power, followed by a summary of beliefs and attitudes about nuclear power issues, and ended by a summary of beliefs and attitudes regarding more general energy issues

  19. Nuclear power and the public: an update of collected survey research on nuclear power

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rankin, W.L.; Melber, B.D.; Overcast, T.D.; Nealey, S.M.

    1981-12-01

    The purpose of this research was to collect, analyze, and summarize all of the nuclear power-related surveys conducted in the United States through June 1981, that we could obtain. The surveys collected were national, statewide, and areawide in scope. Slightly over 100 surveys were collected for an earlier, similar effort carried out in 1977. About 130 new surveys were added to the earlier survey data. Thus, about 230 surveys were screened for inclusion in this report. Because of space limitations, national surveys were used most frequently in this report, followed distantly by state surveys. In drawing our conclusions about public beliefs and attitudes toward nuclear power, we placed most of our confidence in survey questions that were used by national polling firms at several points in time. A summary of the research findings is presented, beginning with general attitudes toward nuclear power, followed by a summary of beliefs and attitudes about nuclear power issues, and ended by a summary of beliefs and attitudes regarding more general energy issues.

  20. Data Collection and Harmonization in HIV Research: The Seek, Test, Treat, and Retain Initiative at the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandler, Redonna K; Kahana, Shoshana Y; Fletcher, Bennett; Jones, Dionne; Finger, Matthew S; Aklin, Will M; Hamill, Kathleen; Webb, Candace

    2015-12-01

    Large-scale, multisite data sets offer the potential for exploring the public health benefits of biomedical interventions. Data harmonization is an emerging strategy to increase the comparability of research data collected across independent studies, enabling research questions to be addressed beyond the capacity of any individual study. The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently implemented this novel strategy to prospectively collect and harmonize data across 22 independent research studies developing and empirically testing interventions to effectively deliver an HIV continuum of care to diverse drug-abusing populations. We describe this data collection and harmonization effort, collectively known as the Seek, Test, Treat, and Retain Data Collection and Harmonization Initiative, which can serve as a model applicable to other research endeavors.

  1. Understanding practice change in community pharmacy: a qualitative research instrument based on organisational theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Alison S; Hopp, Trine; Sørensen, Ellen Westh; Benrimoj, Shalom I; Chen, Timothy F; Herborg, Hanne; Williams, Kylie; Aslani, Parisa

    2003-10-01

    The past decade has seen a notable shift in the practice of pharmacy, with a strong focus on the provision of cognitive pharmaceutical services (CPS) by community pharmacists. The benefits of these services have been well documented, yet their uptake appears to be slow. Various strategies have been developed to overcome barriers to the implementation of CPS, with varying degrees of success, and little is known about the sustainability of the practice changes they produce. Furthermore, the strategies developed are often specific to individual programs or services, and their applicability to other CPS has not been explored. There seems to be a need for a flexible change management model for the implementation and dissemination of a range of CPS, but before it can be developed, a better understanding of the change process is required. This paper describes the development of a qualitative research instrument that may be utilised to investigate practice change in community pharmacy. Specific objectives included gaining knowledge about the circumstances surrounding attempts to implement CPS, and understanding relationships that are important to the change process. Organisational theory provided the conceptual framework for development of the qualitative research instrument, within which two theories were used to give insight into the change process: Borum's theory of organisational change, which categorizes change strategies as rational, natural, political or open; and Social Network Theory, which helps identify and explain the relationships between key people involved in the change process. A semi-structured affecting practice change found in the literature that warranted further investigation with the theoretical perspectives of organisational change and social networks. To address the research objectives, the instrument covered four broad themes: roles, experiences, strategies and networks. The qualitative research instrument developed in this study provides a

  2. Symbolic Interactionism and Library Research: Using a Qualitative Methodology To Understand Library Interchange.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fidishun, Dolores

    2002-01-01

    Explains symbolic interactionism as a theory for analyzing research based on a qualitative interpretive process that can help librarians to understand the way in which the library staff and users view services, training, policy, and other issues. The theory focuses on the symbolic meaning of objects, such as books, and events as they are…

  3. Top 10 Research Questions Related to Teaching Games for Understanding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Memmert, Daniel; Almond, Len; Bunker, David; Butler, Joy; Fasold, Frowin; Griffin, Linda; Hillmann, Wolfgang; Hüttermann, Stefanie; Klein-Soetebier, Timo; König, Stefan; Nopp, Stephan; Rathschlag, Marco; Schul, Karsten; Schwab, Sebastian; Thorpe, Rod; Furley, Philip

    2015-01-01

    In this article, we elaborate on 10 current research questions related to the "teaching games for understanding" (TGfU) approach with the objective of both developing the model itself and fostering game understanding, tactical decision making, and game-playing ability in invasion and net/wall games: (1) How can existing scientific approaches from different disciplines be used to enhance game play for beginners and proficient players? (2) How can state-of-the-art technology be integrated to game-play evaluations of beginners and proficient players by employing corresponding assessments? (4) How can complexity thinking be utilized to shape day-to-day physical education (PE) and coaching practices? (5) How can game making/designing be helpfully utilized for emergent learning? (6) How could purposeful game design create constraints that enable tactical understanding and skill development through adaptive learning and distributed cognition? (7) How can teacher/coach development programs benefit from game-centered approaches? (8) How can TGfU-related approaches be implemented in teacher or coach education with the goal of facilitating preservice and in-service teachers/coaches' learning to teach and thereby foster their professional development from novices to experienced practitioners? (9) Can the TGfU approach be considered a helpful model across different cultures? (10) Can physical/psychomotor, cognitive, affective/social, and cultural development be fostered via TGfU approaches? The answers to these questions are critical not only for the advancement of teaching and coaching in PE and sport-based clubs, but also for an in-depth discussion on new scientific avenues and technological tools.

  4. Brain Chemistry and Behaviour: An Update on Neuroscience Research and Its Implications for Understanding Drug Addiction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Emma S. J.

    2011-01-01

    Psychiatric disorders such as drug addiction represent one of the biggest challenges to society. This article reviews clinical and basic science research to illustrate how developments in research methodology have enabled neuroscientists to understand more about the brain mechanisms involved in addiction biology. Treating addiction represents a…

  5. Improving Health Care Efficiency and Quality Using Tablet Personal Computers to Collect Research-Quality, Patient-Reported Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abernethy, Amy P; Herndon, James E; Wheeler, Jane L; Patwardhan, Meenal; Shaw, Heather; Lyerly, H Kim; Weinfurt, Kevin

    2008-01-01

    Objective To determine whether e/Tablets (wireless tablet computers used in community oncology clinics to collect review of systems information at point of care) are feasible, acceptable, and valid for collecting research-quality data in academic oncology. Data/Setting Primary/Duke Breast Cancer Clinic. Design Pilot study enrolling sample of 66 breast cancer patients. Methods Data were collected using paper- and e/Tablet-based surveys: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast, MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT), Self-Efficacy; and two questionnaires: feasibility, satisfaction. Principal Findings Patients supported e/Tablets as: easy to read (94 percent), easy to respond to (98 percent), comfortable weight (87 percent). Generally, electronic responses validly reflected responses provided by standard paper data collection on nearly all subscales tested. Conclusions e/Tablets offer a valid, feasible, acceptable method for collecting research-quality, patient-reported outcomes data in outpatient academic oncology. PMID:18761678

  6. Barriers to women engaging in collective action to overcome sexism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radke, Helena R M; Hornsey, Matthew J; Barlow, Fiona Kate

    2016-12-01

    Over centuries women have fought hard to obtain increasing gender equality, but despite these successes absolute equality remains an elusive goal. Theoretically, women's numerical strength makes them well-placed to take effective collective action, and millions of women engage in feminist collective action every day. In this article, however, we argue that women also face barriers to engaging in feminist collective action; barriers that are associated with the social construction and experience of what it means to be a woman. Our review synthesizes sexism research under a contemporary collective action framework to clarify our current understanding of the literature and to offer novel theoretical explanations for why women might be discouraged from engaging in feminist collective action. Using the antecedents of collective action identified by van Zomeren, Postmes, and Spears' (2008) meta-analysis, we critically review the sexism literature to argue that women face challenges when it comes to (a) identifying with other women and feminists, (b) perceiving sexism and expressing group-based anger, and (c) recognizing the efficacy of collective action. We then outline a research agenda with a view to investigating ways of overcoming these barriers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. Understanding the debate on medical education research: a sociological perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albert, Mathieu

    2004-10-01

    Since the mid-1990s, a debate has taken place among medical education scholars regarding the forms that research should take and the roles it should play. Editors of major journals in medical education and prominent researchers in the domain have repeatedly addressed the issue and have attempted to define what medical education research should be. The goal of this article is to look at the debate from a sociological perspective and to outline the social factors shaping it. An analysis of the texts published since 1990 addressing the issue shows that the debates can be deconstructed in four topics: epistemology, methodology, the primary purpose of medical education research, and the "quality" of the projects carried out in the domain. However, the debates can also be amalgamated and synthesized using the concept of "field" as developed by sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. A "field" refers to the configuration of power relations among individuals, social groups, or institutions within a domain of activities. Scientific fields are typically structured around a "bipolar" opposition pattern. At one pole stand those individuals who promote greater collaboration with nonscientists as well as research aimed at responding to practical needs. At the opposite pole stand those individuals who aspire to achieve independence of the field from such external constraints. The use of the concept of "field" allows us to understand the debate from a larger perspective and to establish parallels with similar debates in other scientific fields. In doing so, we will have the opportunity to learn from the experience of these other fields and be more reflective about the debate in which we engage.

  8. 75 FR 51439 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Application and Reports for Scientific Research...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Application and Reports for Scientific Research and Enhancement Permits Under the Endangered Species Act AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce...

  9. The collection of the Herpetological Museum of the University of Antioquia (northwestern Colombia).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz-Yusty, Carlos E; Daza, Juan M; Paez, Vivian P; Bock, Brian C

    2015-01-01

    Northwestern South America harbors one of the richest herpetofauna in the world. The connection among several biogeographic provinces along with climatic and orographic complexity makes this region an important contributor to the Neotropical biodiversity. Despite of this importance, the amphibian and reptile fauna in this area remains largely unknown as few herpetological collections has been made in recent decades. Motivated by this, the Herpetological Museum at the Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, Colombia) has been increasing the collection in the last 16 years to better understand the herpetofaunal diversity and thus contribute to ecological, systematic, biogeographic and conservation research in the Neotropics. Here, we present the results of this effort and highlight how future collection will impact our understanding of the Neotropical herpetofauna.

  10. The collection of the Herpetological Museum of the University of Antioquia (northwestern Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Ortiz-Yusty

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Northwestern South America harbors one of the richest herpetofauna in the world. The connection among several biogeographic provinces along with climatic and orographic complexity makes this region an important contributor to the Neotropical biodiversity. Despite of this importance, the amphibian and reptile fauna in this area remains largely unknown as few herpetological collections has been made in recent decades. Motivated by this, the Herpetological Museum at the Universidad de Antioquia (Medellín, Colombia has been increasing the collection in the last 16 years to better understand the herpetofaunal diversity and thus contribute to ecological, systematic, biogeographic and conservation research in the Neotropics. Here, we present the results of this effort and highlight how future collection will impact our understanding of the Neotropical herpetofauna.

  11. Understanding the micro and macro politics of health: Inequalities, intersectionality & institutions - A research agenda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gkiouleka, Anna; Huijts, Tim; Beckfield, Jason; Bambra, Clare

    2018-03-01

    This essay brings together intersectionality and institutional approaches to health inequalities, suggesting an integrative analytical framework that accounts for the complexity of the intertwined influence of both individual social positioning and institutional stratification on health. This essay therefore advances the emerging scholarship on the relevance of intersectionality to health inequalities research. We argue that intersectionality provides a strong analytical tool for an integrated understanding of health inequalities beyond the purely socioeconomic by addressing the multiple layers of privilege and disadvantage, including race, migration and ethnicity, gender and sexuality. We further demonstrate how integrating intersectionality with institutional approaches allows for the study of institutions as heterogeneous entities that impact on the production of social privilege and disadvantage beyond just socioeconomic (re)distribution. This leads to an understanding of the interaction of the macro and the micro facets of the politics of health. Finally, we set out a research agenda considering the interplay/intersections between individuals and institutions and involving a series of methodological implications for research - arguing that quantitative designs can incorporate an intersectional institutional approach. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. MoDOT pavement preservation research program volume IV, pavement evaluation tools-data collection methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-10-01

    The overarching goal of the MoDOT Pavement Preservation Research Program, Task 3: Pavement Evaluation Tools Data : Collection Methods was to identify and evaluate methods to rapidly obtain network-level and project-level information relevant to :...

  13. Understanding the design research process: The evolution of a professional development program in Indian slums

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    McKenney, Susan; Raval, Harini; Pieters, Jules

    2011-01-01

    McKenney, S., Raval, H., & Pieters, J. (2011, 8-12 April). Understanding the design research process: The evolution of a professional development program in Indian slums. Presentation at AERA annual meeting, New Orleans.

  14. Activities as a research resource

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Regina Silva

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Activities play a guiding central role in occupational therapy, articulating to its utilization, the understanding and assessment of its capabilities in numerous and different interventions arising from this field. In this study, we aim to present the use of activities as a research methodology resource. Considering the pathways studied in a master’s research followed by a PhD work, some applications of this resource are reported as a powerful strategy of investigation for the occupational therapy researcher. It is about structuring, systematizing, and analyzing the activities proposed in professional practice by the theoretical and methodological rigor used in the research works. It emphasizes how the use of these activities can be considered important data, records, instruments and sources for different research methods, especially for qualitative analyses. Workshop activities were offered in the above mentioned studies; they were used as communication instruments and expressions of personal and collective experiences, supplying data to understand the actions of subjects and collectives. Furthermore, this strategy was applied as spaces of experimentation, learning and expression, where each participant was conceived as an active being of the process, in a way that the proposal could result in democratic experiences that reflected greater interest and participation, and a more complex presentation of the research data. It is worth mentioning that other methodological procedures, which substantiated the analyses and interpretation of the data collected, were also used. It was possible to conclude that activities, mainly as a qualitative research resource, constituted materialities in different languages and expressions that enriched the analyses arising from micro-realities, producing a repertoire of information that supported the interpretations required for the investigative processes.

  15. Motivation Cards to Support Students’ Understanding on Fraction Division

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamirsyah Wahyu

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This design research aims to develop a learning activity which supports the fifth-grade students to understand measurement fraction division problems (A whole number divided by a fraction that result in a whole number answer conceptually. Furthermore, how students solve the fraction division problem using models is also analyzed.  Data for the retrospective analysis is collected through two teaching experiments in the form of students’ work, field notes, and some part of classroom discussions. The important findings in this research are: 1 the developed learning activity namely Motivation Cards support students understand that  3 divided by one-half means how many one-half are in 3 through models. However, when the divisor is not a unit fraction they could not directly relate the unshaded part in area model for example. 2 area model is proper model to be firstly introduced when the students work on fraction division. 3 understanding this kind of fraction division help students understand other measurement fraction division where both divisor and dividend are fractions. 4 the learning activity supports the development of character values for students.    

  16. Understanding Price Elasticities to Inform Public Health Research and Intervention Studies: Key Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nghiem, Nhung; Genç, Murat; Blakely, Tony

    2013-01-01

    Pricing policies such as taxes and subsidies are important tools in preventing and controlling a range of threats to public health. This is particularly so in tobacco and alcohol control efforts and efforts to change dietary patterns and physical activity levels as a means of addressing increases in noncommunicable diseases. To understand the potential impact of pricing policies, it is critical to understand the nature of price elasticities for consumer products. For example, price elasticities are key parameters in models of any food tax or subsidy that aims to quantify health impacts and cost-effectiveness. We detail relevant terms and discuss key issues surrounding price elasticities to inform public health research and intervention studies. PMID:24028228

  17. Understanding price elasticities to inform public health research and intervention studies: key issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nghiem, Nhung; Wilson, Nick; Genç, Murat; Blakely, Tony

    2013-11-01

    Pricing policies such as taxes and subsidies are important tools in preventing and controlling a range of threats to public health. This is particularly so in tobacco and alcohol control efforts and efforts to change dietary patterns and physical activity levels as a means of addressing increases in noncommunicable diseases. To understand the potential impact of pricing policies, it is critical to understand the nature of price elasticities for consumer products. For example, price elasticities are key parameters in models of any food tax or subsidy that aims to quantify health impacts and cost-effectiveness. We detail relevant terms and discuss key issues surrounding price elasticities to inform public health research and intervention studies.

  18. Evidence-based research: understanding the best estimate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bauer JG

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Janet G Bauer,1 Sue S Spackman,2 Robert Fritz,2 Amanjyot K Bains,3 Jeanette Jetton-Rangel3 1Advanced Education Services, 2Division of General Dentistry, 3Center of Dental Research, Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, Loma Linda, CA, USA Introduction: Best estimates of intervention outcomes are used when uncertainties in decision making are evidenced. Best estimates are often, out of necessity, from a context of less than quality evidence or needing more evidence to provide accuracy. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to understand the best estimate behavior, so that clinicians and patients may have confidence in its quantification and validation. Methods: To discover best estimates and quantify uncertainty, critical appraisals of the literature, gray literature and its resources, or both are accomplished. Best estimates of pairwise comparisons are calculated using meta-analytic methods; multiple comparisons use network meta-analysis. Manufacturers provide margins of performance of proprietary material(s. Lower margin performance thresholds or requirements (functional failure of materials are determined by a distribution of tests to quantify performance or clinical competency. The same is done for the high margin performance thresholds (estimated true value of success and clinician-derived critical values (material failure to function clinically. This quantification of margins and uncertainties assists clinicians in determining if reported best estimates are progressing toward true value as new knowledge is reported. Analysis: The best estimate of outcomes focuses on evidence-centered care. In stochastic environments, we are not able to observe all events in all situations to know without uncertainty the best estimates of predictable outcomes. Point-in-time analyses of best estimates using quantification of margins and uncertainties do this. Conclusion: While study design and methodology are variables known to validate the quality of

  19. Understanding the design research process: The evolution of a professional development program in Indian slums

    OpenAIRE

    McKenney, Susan; Raval, Harini; Pieters, Jules

    2011-01-01

    McKenney, S., Raval, H., & Pieters, J. (2011, 8-12 April). Understanding the design research process: The evolution of a professional development program in Indian slums. Paper presentation at AERA annual meeting, New Orleans.

  20. Understanding the design research process: The evolution of a professional development program in Indian slums

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    McKenney, Susan; Raval, Harini; Pieters, Jules

    2012-01-01

    McKenney, S., Raval, H., & Pieters, J. (2011, 8-12 April). Understanding the design research process: The evolution of a professional development program in Indian slums. Paper presentation at AERA annual meeting, New Orleans.

  1. Improving students’ understanding of mathematical concept using maple

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ningsih, Y. L.; Paradesa, R.

    2018-01-01

    This study aimed to improve students’ understanding of mathematical concept ability through implementation of using Maple in learning and expository learning. This study used a quasi-experimental research with pretest-posttest control group design. The sample on this study was 61 students in the second semester of Mathematics Education of Universitas PGRI Palembang, South Sumatera in academic year 2016/2017. The sample was divided into two classes, one class as the experiment class who using Maple in learning and the other class as a control class who received expository learning. Data were collective through the test of mathematical initial ability and mathematical concept understanding ability. Data were analyzed by t-test and two ways ANOVA. The results of this study showed (1) the improvement of students’ mathematical concept understanding ability who using Maple in learning is better than those who using expository learning; (2) there is no interaction between learning model and students’ mathematical initial ability toward the improvement of students’ understanding of mathematical concept ability.

  2. Action Research as a Network

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boulus-Rødje, Nina

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores roles and interventions in IS action research. I draw upon a four-year research project about electronic medical records, conducted in close collaboration with a community partner. Following a self-reflexive stance, I trace the trajectory of the research engagement...... and the different roles I occupied. To better understand the complex nature of collaboration found within action research projects, I propose conceptualizing action research as a network. The network framework directs our attention to the collective production and the conditions through which roles...... this influences the researcher’s agency....

  3. Qualitative systematic reviews: their importance for our understanding of research relevant to pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seers, Kate

    2015-02-01

    This article outlines what a qualitative systematic review is and explores what it can contribute to our understanding of pain. Many of us use evidence of effectiveness for various interventions when working with people in pain. A good systematic review can be invaluable in bringing together research evidence to help inform our practice and help us understand what works. In addition to evidence of effectiveness, understanding how people with pain experience both their pain and their care can help us when we are working with them to provide care that meets their needs. A rigorous qualitative systematic review can also uncover new understandings, often helping illuminate 'why' and can help build theory. Such a review can answer the question 'What is it like to have chronic pain?' This article presents the different stages of meta-ethnography, which is the most common methodology used for qualitative systematic reviews. It presents evidence from four meta-ethnographies relevant to pain to illustrate the types of findings that can emerge from this approach. It shows how new understandings may emerge and gives an example of chronic musculoskeletal pain being experienced as 'an adversarial struggle' across many aspects of the person's life. This article concludes that evidence from qualitative systematic reviews has its place alongside or integrated with evidence from more quantitative approaches.

  4. Multidisciplinary approaches to understanding collective cell migration in developmental biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schumacher, Linus J; Kulesa, Paul M; McLennan, Rebecca; Baker, Ruth E; Maini, Philip K

    2016-06-01

    Mathematical models are becoming increasingly integrated with experimental efforts in the study of biological systems. Collective cell migration in developmental biology is a particularly fruitful application area for the development of theoretical models to predict the behaviour of complex multicellular systems with many interacting parts. In this context, mathematical models provide a tool to assess the consistency of experimental observations with testable mechanistic hypotheses. In this review, we showcase examples from recent years of multidisciplinary investigations of neural crest cell migration. The neural crest model system has been used to study how collective migration of cell populations is shaped by cell-cell interactions, cell-environmental interactions and heterogeneity between cells. The wide range of emergent behaviours exhibited by neural crest cells in different embryonal locations and in different organisms helps us chart out the spectrum of collective cell migration. At the same time, this diversity in migratory characteristics highlights the need to reconcile or unify the array of currently hypothesized mechanisms through the next generation of experimental data and generalized theoretical descriptions. © 2016 The Authors.

  5. Collection Directions: The Evolution of Library Collections and Collecting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dempsey, Lorcan; Malpas, Constance; Lavoie, Brian

    2014-01-01

    This article takes a broad view of the evolution of collecting behaviors in a network environment and suggests some future directions based on various simple models. The authors look at the changing dynamics of print collections, at the greater engagement with research and learning behaviors, and at trends in scholarly communication. The goal is…

  6. Mobile application for field data collection and query: Example from wildlife research (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bateman, H.; Lindquist, T.; Whitehouse, R.

    2013-12-01

    Field data collection is often used in many scientific disciplines and effective approaches rely on accurate data collection and recording. We designed a smartphone and tablet application (app) for field-collected data and tested it during a study on wildlife. The objective of our study was to determine the effectiveness of mobile applications in wildlife field research. Student software developers designed applications for mobile devices on the iOS and Android operating systems. Both platforms had similar user interactions via data entry on a touch screen using pre-programmed fields, checkboxes, drop-down menus, and keypad entry. The mobile application included features to insure collection of all measurements in the field through pop-up messages and could proof entries for valid formats. We used undergraduate student subjects to compare the duration of data recording and data entry, and the frequency of errors between the mobile application and traditional (paper) techniques. We field-tested the mobile application using an existing study on wildlife. From the field, technicians could query a database stored on a mobile device to view histories of previously captured animals. Overall, we found that because the mobile application allowed us to enter data in a digital format in the field we could eliminate timely steps to process handwritten data sheets and double-checking data entries. We estimated that, for a 2-month project, using the mobile application instead of traditional data entry and proofing reduced our total project time by 10%. To our knowledge, this is the first application developed for mobile devices for wildlife users interesting in viewing animal capture histories from the field and could be developed for use in other areas of field research.

  7. Steve Clarke, Julian Savulescu, Tony Coady, Alberto Giubilini, and Sagar Sanyal: the ethics of human enhancement: understanding the debate

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frank, L.E.

    2017-01-01

    A decade of research on the ethics of human enhancement has produced a vast literature. This collection is an excellent contribution to the field; it fulfills and exceeds the promises of its two subsections: understanding and advancing the debate. Section 1, Understanding the Debate includes eight

  8. Research Planning Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lofton, Rodney

    2010-01-01

    This presentation describes the process used to collect, review, integrate, and assess research requirements desired to be a part of research and payload activities conducted on the ISS. The presentation provides a description of: where the requirements originate, to whom they are submitted, how they are integrated into a requirements plan, and how that integrated plan is formulated and approved. It is hoped that from completing the review of this presentation, one will get an understanding of the planning process that formulates payload requirements into an integrated plan used for specifying research activities to take place on the ISS.

  9. Forests under climate change and air pollution: Gaps in understanding and future directions for research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matyssek, R.; Wieser, G.; Calfapietra, C.; Vries, W. de; Dizengremel, P.; Ernst, D.; Jolivet, Y.; Mikkelsen, T.N.; Mohren, G.M.J.; Le Thiec, D.; Tuovinen, J.-P.

    2012-01-01

    Forests in Europe face significant changes in climate, which in interaction with air quality changes, may significantly affect forest productivity, stand composition and carbon sequestration in both vegetation and soils. Identified knowledge gaps and research needs include: (i) interaction between changes in air quality (trace gas concentrations), climate and other site factors on forest ecosystem response, (ii) significance of biotic processes in system response, (iii) tools for mechanistic and diagnostic understanding and upscaling, and (iv) the need for unifying modelling and empirical research for synthesis. This position paper highlights the above focuses, including the global dimension of air pollution as part of climate change and the need for knowledge transfer to enable reliable risk assessment. A new type of research site in forest ecosystems (“supersites”) will be conducive to addressing these gaps by enabling integration of experimentation and modelling within the soil-plant-atmosphere interface, as well as further model development. - Highlights: ► Research needs are identified for forests under climate change and air pollution. ► Abiotic–biotic interactions in response impede tree-ecosystem upscaling. ► Integration of empirical and modelling research is advocated. ► The concept of multi-scale investigations at novel “Supersites” is propagated. ► “Supersites” warrant mechanistic understanding of soil-plant-atmosphere interface. - Forests under climate change and air pollution require empirical and modelling research needs to be integrated at novel “Supersites” through multi-scale investigations.

  10. Students’ Relational Understanding in Quadrilateral Problem Solving Based on Adversity Quotient

    Science.gov (United States)

    Safitri, A. N.; Juniati, D.; Masriyah

    2018-01-01

    The type of research is qualitative approach which aims to describe how students’ relational understanding of solving mathematic problem that was seen from Adversity Quotient aspect. Research subjects were three 7th grade students of Junior High School. They were taken by category of Adversity Quotient (AQ) such quitter, camper, and climber. Data collected based on problem solving and interview. The research result showed that (1) at the stage of understanding the problem, the subjects were able to state and write down what is known and asked, and able to mention the concepts associated with the quadrilateral problem. (2) The three subjects devise a plan by linking concepts relating to quadrilateral problems. (3) The three subjects were able to solve the problem. (4) The three subjects were able to look back the answers. The three subjects were able to understand the problem, devise a plan, carry out the plan and look back. However, the quitter and camper subjects have not been able to give a reason for the steps they have taken.

  11. Bridging the research to practice gap: A case study approach to understanding eıbı supports and barriers in Swedish preschools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lise Roll-Petterson

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The present study examined proximal and distal barriers and supports within the Swedish service system that may affect implementation of early and intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI for children with autism. A case study approach with roots in ethnography was chosen to explore this issue. Two preschools exemplifying ‘high quality practice’ were studied and information was collected through multiple sources during a 12 month period, this included participant observations, direct observations, semi-structured interviews with key informants; paraprofessionals, parents, special educators, habilitation specialists and a focus group interview. Interview transcripts and field notes were combined and analyzed using an abductive grounded theory approach. Findings highlight the relevance of researchers understanding and taking into consideration the effect that distal variables have on implementation within proximal settings. A theoretical model of factors affecting implementation was conceptualised to include: staff entry knowledge and competence, development through supervision, the role of the preschool administrator, as well as distal influences and inter-organizational tensions, values, and bridges. Findings are discussed within the context of implementation science. Implications for future research are discussed as well as areas in need of further development to bridge the gap between research and practice.

  12. 77 FR 38840 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) Summer...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-29

    ... inquires about career activities, including research, clinical, teaching and educational activities, since... the data collection plans and instruments, contact Dr. Amanda Greene, Science Evaluation Officer, Office of Science Policy and Public Liaison, NINR, Democracy One, 6701 Democracy Blvd., Suite 700...

  13. Understanding recovery in the context of lived experience of personality disorders: a collaborative, qualitative research study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillard, Steve; Turner, Kati; Neffgen, Marion

    2015-07-31

    Concepts of recovery increasingly inform the development and delivery of mental health services internationally. In the UK recent policy advocates the application of recovery concepts to the treatment of personality disorders. However diagnosis and understanding of personality disorders remains contested, challenging any assumption that mainstream recovery thinking can be directly translated into personality disorders services. In a qualitative interview-based study understandings of recovery were explored in extended, in-depth interviews with six people purposively sampled from a specialist personality disorders' service in the UK. An interpretive, collaborative approach to research was adopted in which university-, clinical- and service user (consumer) researchers were jointly involved in carrying out interviews and analysing interview data. Findings suggested that recovery cannot be conceptualised separately from an understanding of the lived experience of personality disorders. This experience was characterised by a complexity of ambiguous, interrelating and conflicting feelings, thoughts and actions as individuals tried to cope with tensions between internally and externally experienced worlds. Our analysis was suggestive of a process of recovering or, for some, discovering a sense of self that can safely coexist in both worlds. We conclude that key facilitators of recovery - positive personal relationships and wider social interaction - are also where the core vulnerabilities of individuals with lived experience of personaility disorders can lie. There is a role for personality disorders services in providing a safe space in which to develop positive relationships. Through discursive practice within the research team understandings of recovery were co-produced that responded to the lived experience of personality disorders and were of applied relevance to practitioners.

  14. 75 FR 27789 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Application for the Pharmacology Research Associate Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-18

    ... comment on proposed data collection projects, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be... develop leaders in pharmacological research for key positions in academic, industrial, and Federal...

  15. [The use of interviews in participative intervention and research: the GAM tool as a collective interview].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sade, Christian; de Barros, Leticia Maria Renault; Melo, Jorge José Maciel; Passos, Eduardo

    2013-10-01

    This paper seeks to assess a way of conducting interviews in line with the ideology of Brazilian Psychiatric Reform. In the methodology of participative intervention and research in mental health, the interview is less a data collection than a data harvesting procedure. It is designed to apply the principles of psychosocial care, autonomy as the basis for treatment, the predominance of the users and of their social networks and civic participation. Inspired by the Explicitation Interview technique, the contention is that the handling of the interview presupposes an open attitude able to promote and embrace different viewpoints. This attitude makes the interview a collective experience of sharing and belonging, allowing participants to reposition themselves subjectively in treatment with the emergence of groupality. As an example of using the interview as a methodological tool in mental health research, we examine research into adaptation of the tool of Autonomous Medication Management (GAM). It is an interventionist approach guided by principles that foster autonomy and the protagonist status of users of psychotropic medication, their quality of life, their rights and recognition of the multiple significances of medication, understood here as a collective interview technique.

  16. Understanding Ethics in School-Based Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryan, Hazel; Burstow, Bob

    2018-01-01

    The notion of the "teacher as researcher" has been in the education lexicon since the mid-1970s. School-based research, we suggest, is currently enjoying something of a renaissance, flourishing within the emerging, complex school landscape. This empirical research engages with 25 school leaders to explore the ways in which…

  17. The FY1997 meeting for information exchange of geoscience research. Collection of literature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-09-01

    The Tono Geoscience Center of PNC has been conducting research programs aiming at underground disposal of radioactive wastes. This document is the collection of summary papers presented to the meeting which was held at Toki, Gifu Prefecture on July 17 - 18, 1997. Total of 33 papers are given under two main themes: (1) research on long-term stability of geologic environment and (2) research on characteristics of geologic environment. The second theme is further divided into the four sub-themes: (a) investigation in the Tono Mine, (b) research of broad underground water flow, (c) in-situ test at Kamaishi and (d) development of survey techniques and equipment. Seven papers are contributed to the first theme and 21 papers to the second: five papers to (a), six to (b), seven to (c) and six to (d), including three of the poster session. (H. Yokoo)

  18. Missing signposts on the roadmap to quality: a call to improve medication adherence indicators in data collection for population research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bradi B. Granger

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Poor adherence to prescribed medicines is associated with increased rates of poor outcomes, including hospitalization, serious adverse events, and death, and is also associated with increased healthcare costs. However, current approaches to evaluation of medication adherence using real-world electronic health records (EHRs or claims data may miss critical opportunities for data capture and fall short in modeling and representing the full complexity of the healthcare environment. We sought to explore a framework for understanding and improving data capture for medication adherence in a population-based intervention in four U.S. counties.Approach: We posited that application of a data model and a process matrix when designing data collection for medication adherence would improve identification of variables and data accessibility, and could support future research on medication-taking behaviors. We then constructed a use case in which data related to medication adherence would be leveraged to support improved healthcare quality, clinical outcomes, and efficiency of healthcare delivery in a population-based intervention for persons with diabetes. Because EHRs in use at participating sites were deemed incapable of supplying the needed data, we applied a taxonomic approach to identify and define variables of interest. We then applied a process matrix methodology, in which we identified key research goals and chose optimal data domains and their respective data elements, to instantiate the resulting data model.Conclusions: Combining a taxonomic approach with a process matrix methodology may afford significant benefits when designing data collection for clinical and population-based research in the arena of medication adherence. Such an approach can effectively depict complex real-world concepts and domains by mapping the relationships between disparate contributors to medication adherence and describing their relative contributions to

  19. Fuel-coolant interaction (FCI) phenomena in reactor safety. Current understanding and future research needs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Speis, T.P. [Maryland Univ., College Park, MD (United States); Basu, S.

    1998-01-01

    This paper gives an account of the current understanding of fuel-coolant interaction (FCI) phenomena in the context of reactor safety. With increased emphasis on accident management and with emerging in-vessel core melt retention strategies for advanced light water reactor (ALWR) designs, recent interest in FCI has broadened to include an evaluation of potential threats to the integrity of reactor vessel lower head and ex-vessel structural support, as well as the role of FCI in debris quenching and coolability. The current understanding of FCI with regard to these issues is discussed, and future research needs to address the issues from a risk perspective are identified. (author)

  20. Unveiling Research Agendas: a study of the influences on research problem selection among academic researchers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bianco, M.; Sutz, J.

    2016-07-01

    Research problem selection is central to the dynamics of scientific knowledge production. Research agendas result from the selection of research problems and the formulation of individual and/or collective academic strategies to address them. But, why researchers study what they study? This paper presents incipient research focused on the way different factors influence the construction of academic research agendas. It takes a researcher-oriented approach relying on opinions and perspectives of a wide range of researchers in all fields of knowledge. The empirical work is carried out in Uruguay, a country in the periphery of mainstream science, whose academic community struggles in search of a balance between the requirements of the world community of scholars and the demands from different national stakeholders. The methodology and research results from this study may be relevant to other countries, at different peripheries. Further, understanding the interplay of influences that shape research agendas is an important tool for policy analysis and planning everywhere. (Author)

  1. Employees as Individually and Collectively Acting Subjects—Key Contributions from Nordic Working Life Research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasle, Peter; Sørensen, Ole Henning

    2013-01-01

    voice and autonomy and an extensive use of empirical and actionoriented research methods. Employees are construed not only as workers resisting exploitations from management or as workers pursuing individual careers, but also as members of collectives who share ideas and aspirations and who legitimately...

  2. 77 FR 13131 - Proposed Collection: Comment Request Post-Award Reporting Requirements Including New Research...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-05

    ... submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. Proposed Collection: Title... Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ... information technology. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the proposed project...

  3. 76 FR 79646 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Request-Nutrition...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-22

    ... among nutrition assistance program clients. Among these are steps to support access to fresh fruits and... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food And Nutrition Service Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Request--Nutrition Assistance in Farmers' Markets: Understanding the Shopping...

  4. Chirp subbottom profile data collected in 2015 from the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forde, Arnell S.; DeWitt, Nancy T.; Fredericks, Jake J.; Miselis, Jennifer L.

    2018-01-30

    As part of the Barrier Island Evolution Research project, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted a nearshore geophysical survey around the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, in September 2015. The objective of the project is to improve the understanding of barrier island geomorphic evolution, particularly storm-related depositional and erosional processes that shape the islands over annual to interannual time scales (1–5 years). Collecting geophysical data can help researchers identify relations between the geologic history of the islands and their present day morphology and sediment distribution. High-resolution geophysical data collected along this rapidly changing barrier island system can provide a unique time-series dataset to further the analyses and geomorphological interpretations of this and other coastal systems, improving our understanding of coastal response and evolution over medium-term time scales (months to years). Subbottom profile data were collected in September 2015 offshore of the northern Chandeleur Islands, during USGS Field Activity Number 2015-331-FA. Data products, including raw digital chirp subbottom data, processed subbottom profile images, survey trackline map, navigation files, geographic information system data files and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata, and Field Activity Collection System and operation logs are available for download.

  5. An Evidence Based Methodology to Facilitate Public Library Non-fiction Collection Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew Kelly

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective – This research was designed as a pilot study to test a methodology for subject based collection analysis for public libraries. Methods – WorldCat collection data from eight Australian public libraries was extracted using the Collection Evaluation application. The data was aggregated and filtered to assess how the sample’s titles could be compared against the OCLC Conspectus subject categories. A hierarchy of emphasis emerged and this was divided into tiers ranging from 1% of the sample. These tiers were further analysed to quantify their representativeness against both the sample’s titles and the subject categories taken as a whole. The interpretive aspect of the study sought to understand the types of knowledge embedded in the tiers and was underpinned by hermeneutic phenomenology. Results – The study revealed that there was a marked tendency for a small percentage of subject categories to constitute a large proportion of the potential topicality that might have been represented in these types of collections. The study also found that distribution of the aggregated collection conformed to a Power Law distribution (80/20 so that approximately 80% of the collection was represented by 20% of the subject categories. The study also found that there were significant commonalities in the types of subject categories that were found in the designated tiers and that it may be possible to develop ontologies that correspond to the collection tiers. Conclusions – The evidence-based methodology developed in this pilot study has the potential for further development to help to improve the practice of collection development. The introduction of the concept of the epistemic role played by collection tiers is a promising aid to inform our understanding of knowledge organization for public libraries. The research shows a way forward to help to link subjective decision making with a scientifically based approach to managing knowledge

  6. Routinely-collected general practice data are complex, but with systematic processing can be used for quality improvement and research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon de Lusignan

    2006-03-01

    Conclusions Routinely collected primary care data could contribute more to the process of health improvement; however, those working with these data need to understand fully the complexity of the context within which data entry takes place.

  7. Towards a Better Understanding of Consumer Behaviour: Marginal Utility as a Parameter in Neuromarketing Research

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Alvino, Letizia; Constantinides, Efthymios; Franco, Massimo

    2018-01-01

    Understanding consumers’ decision-making process is one of the most important goal in Marketing. However, the traditional tools (e,g, surveys, personal interviews and observations) used in Marketing research are often inadequate to analyse and study consumer behaviour. Since people’s decisions are

  8. 76 FR 65515 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-21

    ... external stakeholders may use it to understand the operation of the demonstration. The financial information collection will be used in CMS financial statements and shared with the auditors who validate CMS... understand the operation of the demonstration and/or prepare for potential site visits without needing...

  9. Collaboration Across Professional Boundaries – The Emergence of Interpretation Drift and the Collective Creation of Project Jargon

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Mika Yasuoka

    2015-01-01

    research suggested a numbers of support systems that seek to diminish differences, understand others’ social worlds and achieve mutual understanding. However, interestingly, the cases introduced in this paper indicate that a key in such collaboration support resides in the collective creation process...... empirical collaborative design cases, we address the interpretation drift of common terms as an unavoidable integral aspect of the design process, and the ongoing collective creation of local languages or project jargon during the collaboration period as facilitators to enable collaborators to work beyond...

  10. 78 FR 60287 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Testing...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-01

    ... communication strategies, messages, and labels. These communications will aim to improve public understanding of... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2013-N-1164] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Testing Communications on...

  11. 75 FR 51271 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Testing...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-19

    ... communication strategies, messages, and labels. These communications will aim to improve public understanding of... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0420] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Testing Communications on...

  12. Understanding complexities of synaptic transmission in medically intractable seizures: A paradigm of epilepsy research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jyotirmoy Banerjee

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Investigating the changes associated with the development of epileptic state in humans is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Understanding the intricacies of medically intractable epilepsy still remains a challenge for neurosurgeons across the world. A significant number of patients who has undergone resective brain surgery for epilepsy still continue to have seizures. The reason behind this therapy resistance still eludes us. Thus to develop a cure for the difficult to treat epilepsy, we need to comprehensively study epileptogenesis. Although various animal models are developed but none of them replicate the pathological conditions in humans. So the ideal way to understand epileptogenecity is to examine the tissue resected for the treatment of intractable epilepsy. Advanced imaging and electrical localization procedures are utilized to establish the epileptogenic zone in epilepsy patients. Further molecular and cytological studies are required for the microscopic analysis of brain samples collected from the epileptogenic focus. As alterations in inhibitory as well as excitatory synaptic transmission are key features of epilepsy, understanding the regulation of neurotransmission in the resected surgery zone is of immense importance. Here we summarize various modalities of in vitro slice analysis from the resected brain specimen to understand the changes in GABAergic and glutamatergic synaptic transmission in epileptogenic zone. We also review evidence pertaining to the proposed role of nicotinic receptors in abnormal synaptic transmission which is one of the major causes of epileptiform activity. Elucidation of current concepts in regulation of synaptic transmission will help develop therapies for epilepsy cases that cannot me managed pharmacologically.

  13. The Autism Simplex Collection : an international, expertly phenotyped autism sample for genetic and phenotypic analyses

    OpenAIRE

    Buxbaum, Joseph D.; Bolshakova, Nadia; Brownfeld, Jessica M.; Anney, Richard J. L.; Bender, Patrick; Bernier, Raphael; Cook, Edwin H.; Coon, Hilary; Cuccaro, Michael L.; Freitag, Christine M.; Hallmayer, Joachim; Geschwind, Daniel H.; Klauck, Sabine M.; Nurnberger, John I.; Oliveira, Guiomar

    2014-01-01

    Background: There is an urgent need for expanding and enhancing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) samples, in order to better understand causes of ASD. Methods: In a unique public-private partnership, 13 sites with extensive experience in both the assessment and diagnosis of ASD embarked on an ambitious, 2-year program to collect samples for genetic and phenotypic research and begin analyses on these samples. The program was called The Autism Simplex Collection (TASC). TASC sample collection ...

  14. Pre-service Elementary Teachers Understanding on Force and Motion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anggoro, S.; Widodo, A.; Suhandi, A.

    2017-09-01

    The research is done to investigate the understanding on the subtopic of Force and Motion that exists among the pre-services elementary teachers. The participants were 71 Elementary Teachers Study Program students in 6th and 77 one in 2nd semester at private university. Research instrument consisted of background information of respondents, belief of preconception and 8 questions that relates to Force and Motion with four alternative answers and their explained. Descriptive statistics such as percentage and bar chart were used for analyzing the data collected. Research findings have shown many participants have some misunderstand or misconception conception especially in free fall object, rest object, buoyant force and gravitation. This research recommends learning progression pre-services teachers to be exposed with conflict cognitive strategy for science conceptual change.

  15. ESSAY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COLLECTIVE PROTECTION IN PORTUGAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciano Picoli Gagno

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This essay aims to examine certain aspects concerning collective judicial process by the light of some Portuguese cases, having as base the collective judicial protection understood as a fundamental right. With regard to the employed research method, the approach is the qualitative one, while the method is the deductive and the technique is the bibliographic e jurisprudential research. The theoretical framework is based on the doctrine and theory of some of the cited authors during the research. Among them are Robert Alexy, Mauro Cappelletti and Bryant Garth. In addition, this paper is divided into three sections: the first one is a brief study on access to justice clarified as a fundamental right of the citizen. In the second section a parallel is made with the first one, but the collective judicial protection is therefore seen as a fundamental right. In the third and last section we have the analysis of four cases of two superior courts of Portugal, being them the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ and the Supreme Administrative Court (STA, in order to understand the collective process in Portugal and to see which points that can offer a contribution for the brazilian collective procedural technic. As a result, it is found that collective judicial protection is inevitable and immanent for a substantial vision of the fundamental right of access to justice, understood like a orders of optimization, that may his realization in the biggest measure is possible

  16. Demystifying eResearch a primer for librarians

    CERN Document Server

    Martin, Victoria

    2014-01-01

    Today's librarians need to be technology-savvy information experts who understand how to manage datasets. Demystifying eResearch: A Primer for Librarians prepares librarians for careers that involve eResearch, clearly defining what it is and how it impacts library services and collections, explaining key terms and concepts, and explaining the importance of the field. You will come to understand exactly how the use of networked computing technologies enhances and supports collaboration and innovative methods particularly in scientific research, learn about eResearch library initiatives and best practices, and recognize the professional development opportunities that eResearch offers. This book takes the broad approach to the complex topic of eResearch and how it pertains to the library community, providing an introduction that will be accessible to readers without a background in electronic research. The author presents a conceptual overview of eResearch with real-world examples of electronic research activit...

  17. Tracking traders' understanding of the market using e-communication data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saavedra, Serguei; Duch, Jordi; Uzzi, Brian

    2011-01-01

    Tracking the volume of keywords in Internet searches, message boards, or Tweets has provided an alternative for following or predicting associations between popular interest or disease incidences. Here, we extend that research by examining the role of e-communications among day traders and their collective understanding of the market. Our study introduces a general method that focuses on bundles of words that behave differently from daily communication routines, and uses original data covering the content of instant messages among all day traders at a trading firm over a 40-month period. Analyses show that two word bundles convey traders' understanding of same day market events and potential next day market events. We find that when market volatility is high, traders' communications are dominated by same day events, and when volatility is low, communications are dominated by next day events. We show that the stronger the traders' attention to either same day or next day events, the higher their collective trading performance. We conclude that e-communication among traders is a product of mass collaboration over diverse viewpoints that embodies unique information about their weak or strong understanding of the market.

  18. Tracking traders' understanding of the market using e-communication data.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serguei Saavedra

    Full Text Available Tracking the volume of keywords in Internet searches, message boards, or Tweets has provided an alternative for following or predicting associations between popular interest or disease incidences. Here, we extend that research by examining the role of e-communications among day traders and their collective understanding of the market. Our study introduces a general method that focuses on bundles of words that behave differently from daily communication routines, and uses original data covering the content of instant messages among all day traders at a trading firm over a 40-month period. Analyses show that two word bundles convey traders' understanding of same day market events and potential next day market events. We find that when market volatility is high, traders' communications are dominated by same day events, and when volatility is low, communications are dominated by next day events. We show that the stronger the traders' attention to either same day or next day events, the higher their collective trading performance. We conclude that e-communication among traders is a product of mass collaboration over diverse viewpoints that embodies unique information about their weak or strong understanding of the market.

  19. 75 FR 39952 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Testing...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-13

    ... communications will aim to improve public understanding of the risks and benefits of using medical devices and... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0344] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Testing Communications on...

  20. Automated generation of massive image knowledge collections using Microsoft Live Labs Pivot to promote neuroimaging and translational research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viangteeravat, Teeradache; Anyanwu, Matthew N; Ra Nagisetty, Venkateswara; Kuscu, Emin

    2011-07-15

    Massive datasets comprising high-resolution images, generated in neuro-imaging studies and in clinical imaging research, are increasingly challenging our ability to analyze, share, and filter such images in clinical and basic translational research. Pivot collection exploratory analysis provides each user the ability to fully interact with the massive amounts of visual data to fully facilitate sufficient sorting, flexibility and speed to fluidly access, explore or analyze the massive image data sets of high-resolution images and their associated meta information, such as neuro-imaging databases from the Allen Brain Atlas. It is used in clustering, filtering, data sharing and classifying of the visual data into various deep zoom levels and meta information categories to detect the underlying hidden pattern within the data set that has been used. We deployed prototype Pivot collections using the Linux CentOS running on the Apache web server. We also tested the prototype Pivot collections on other operating systems like Windows (the most common variants) and UNIX, etc. It is demonstrated that the approach yields very good results when compared with other approaches used by some researchers for generation, creation, and clustering of massive image collections such as the coronal and horizontal sections of the mouse brain from the Allen Brain Atlas. Pivot visual analytics was used to analyze a prototype of dataset Dab2 co-expressed genes from the Allen Brain Atlas. The metadata along with high-resolution images were automatically extracted using the Allen Brain Atlas API. It is then used to identify the hidden information based on the various categories and conditions applied by using options generated from automated collection. A metadata category like chromosome, as well as data for individual cases like sex, age, and plan attributes of a particular gene, is used to filter, sort and to determine if there exist other genes with a similar characteristics to Dab2. And

  1. Understanding the Relationship between School-Based Management, Emotional Intelligence and Performance of Religious Upper Secondary School Principals in Banten Province

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muslihah, Oleh Eneng

    2015-01-01

    The research examines the correlation between the understanding of school-based management, emotional intelligences and headmaster performance. Data was collected, using quantitative methods. The statistical analysis used was the Pearson Correlation, and multivariate regression analysis. The results of this research suggest firstly that there is…

  2. 76 FR 50993 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Generic Clearance...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-17

    ... interviews, respondent debriefing, pilot surveys) to quickly test and implement new questions for research...: Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Generic Clearance to Conduct Methodological Testing, Surveys, Focus... proposed information collection. This information collection will conduct research by methodological...

  3. The use of multi representative learning materials: definitive, macroscopic, microscopic, symbolic, and practice in analyzing students’ concept understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Susilaningsih, E.; Wulandari, C.; Supartono; Kasmui; Alighiri, D.

    2018-03-01

    This research aims to compose learning material which contains definitive macroscopic, microscopic and symbolic to analyze students’ conceptual understanding in acid-base learning materials. This research was conducted in eleven grade, natural science class, senior high school 1 (SMAN 1) Karangtengah, Demak province, Indonesia as the low level of students’ conceptual understanding and the high level of students’ misconception. The data collecting technique is by test to assess the cognitive aspect, questionnaire to assess students’ responses to multi representative learning materials (definitive, macroscopic, microscopic, symbolic), and observation to assess students’ macroscopic aspects. Three validators validate the multi-representative learning materials (definitive, macroscopic, microscopic, symbolic). The results of the research show that the multi-representative learning materials (definitive, macroscopic, microscopes, symbolic) being used is valid in the average score 62 of 75. The data is analyzed using the descriptive qualitative method. The results of the research show that 72.934 % students understand, 7.977 % less understand, 8.831 % do not understand, and 10.256 % misconception. In comparison, the second experiment class shows 54.970 % students understand, 5.263% less understand, 11.988 % do not understand, 27.777 % misconception. In conclusion, the application of multi representative learning materials (definitive, macroscopic, microscopic, symbolic) can be used to analyze the students’ understanding of acid-base materials.

  4. Using community-based participatory research principles to develop more understandable recruitment and informed consent documents in genomic research.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harlyn G Skinner

    Full Text Available Heart Healthy Lenoir is a transdisciplinary project aimed at creating long-term, sustainable approaches to reduce cardiovascular disease risk disparities in Lenoir County, North Carolina using a design spanning genomic analysis and clinical intervention. We hypothesized that residents of Lenoir County would be unfamiliar and mistrustful of genomic research, and therefore reluctant to participate; additionally, these feelings would be higher in African-Americans.To test our hypothesis, we conducted qualitative research using community-based participatory research principles to ensure our genomic research strategies addressed the needs, priorities, and concerns of the community. African-American (n = 19 and White (n = 16 adults in Lenoir County participated in four focus groups exploring perceptions about genomics and cardiovascular disease. Demographic surveys were administered and a semi-structured interview guide was used to facilitate discussions. The discussions were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed in ATLAS.ti.From our analysis, key themes emerged: transparent communication, privacy, participation incentives and barriers, knowledge, and the impact of knowing. African-Americans were more concerned about privacy and community impact compared to Whites, however, African-Americans were still eager to participate in our genomic research project. The results from our formative study were used to improve the informed consent and recruitment processes by: 1 reducing misconceptions of genomic studies; and 2 helping to foster participant understanding and trust with the researchers. Our study demonstrates how community-based participatory research principles can be used to gain deeper insight into the community and increase participation in genomic research studies. Due in part to these efforts 80.3% of eligible African-American participants and 86.9% of eligible White participants enrolled in the Heart Healthy Lenoir Genomics

  5. Can citizen science enhance public understanding of science?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonney, Rick; Phillips, Tina B; Ballard, Heidi L; Enck, Jody W

    2016-01-01

    Over the past 20 years, thousands of citizen science projects engaging millions of participants in collecting and/or processing data have sprung up around the world. Here we review documented outcomes from four categories of citizen science projects which are defined by the nature of the activities in which their participants engage - Data Collection, Data Processing, Curriculum-based, and Community Science. We find strong evidence that scientific outcomes of citizen science are well documented, particularly for Data Collection and Data Processing projects. We find limited but growing evidence that citizen science projects achieve participant gains in knowledge about science knowledge and process, increase public awareness of the diversity of scientific research, and provide deeper meaning to participants' hobbies. We also find some evidence that citizen science can contribute positively to social well-being by influencing the questions that are being addressed and by giving people a voice in local environmental decision making. While not all citizen science projects are intended to achieve a greater degree of public understanding of science, social change, or improved science -society relationships, those projects that do require effort and resources in four main categories: (1) project design, (2) outcomes measurement, (3) engagement of new audiences, and (4) new directions for research. © The Author(s) 2015.

  6. Enhancing continental-scale understanding of agriculture: Integrating the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) with existing research networks to address global change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, G.

    2015-12-01

    Over the past decade, there has been a resurgence of interest in the sustainability of the world's food system and its contributions to feeding the world's population as well as to ensuring environmental sustainability of the planet. The elements of this grand challenge are by now well known. Analysis of agricultural sustainability is made more challenging by the fact that the local responses to these global drivers of change are extremely variable in space and time due to the biophysical and geopolitical heterogeneity across the United States, and the world. Utilizing research networks allows the scientific community to leverage existing knowledge, models and data to develop a framework for understanding the interplay between global change drivers, regional, and continental sustainability of US agriculture. For example, well-established instrumented and calibrated research networks will allow for the examination of the potential tradeoffs between: 1) crop production, 2) land use and carbon emissions and sequestration, 3) groundwater depletion, and 4) nitrogen dynamics. NEON represents a major investment in scientific infrastructure in support of ecological research at a continental scale and is intended to address multiple ecological grand challenges. NEON will collect data from automated sensors and sample organisms and ecological variables in 20 eco-climatic domains. We will provide examples of how NEON's full potential can be realized when these data are combined with long term experimental results and other sensor networks [e.g., Ameriflux, Fluxnet, the Long-term Ecological Research Program (LTER), the Long-term Agroecosystem Research Network (LTAR)], Critical Zone Observatory (CZO).

  7. Understanding Learning in World Society: Qualitative Reconstructive Research in Global Learning and Learning for Sustainability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheunpflug, Annette; Krogull, Susanne; Franz, Julia

    2016-01-01

    Global learning aims to change behaviour and attitudes. Changes in these areas are not easy to assess. This article discusses the documentary method, which belongs to the group of qualitative reconstructive research methods. The authors argue that this method allows reflection on collective orientations and tacit knowledge. The different steps of…

  8. Setting health research priorities using the CHNRI method: VI. Quantitative properties of human collective opinion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Sachiyo; Rudan, Igor; Cousens, Simon

    2016-06-01

    Crowdsourcing has become an increasingly important tool to address many problems - from government elections in democracies, stock market prices, to modern online tools such as TripAdvisor or Internet Movie Database (IMDB). The CHNRI method (the acronym for the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative) for setting health research priorities has crowdsourcing as the major component, which it uses to generate, assess and prioritize between many competing health research ideas. We conducted a series of analyses using data from a group of 91 scorers to explore the quantitative properties of their collective opinion. We were interested in the stability of their collective opinion as the sample size increases from 15 to 90. From a pool of 91 scorers who took part in a previous CHNRI exercise, we used sampling with replacement to generate multiple random samples of different size. First, for each sample generated, we identified the top 20 ranked research ideas, among 205 that were proposed and scored, and calculated the concordance with the ranking generated by the 91 original scorers. Second, we used rank correlation coefficients to compare the ranks assigned to all 205 proposed research ideas when samples of different size are used. We also analysed the original pool of 91 scorers to to look for evidence of scoring variations based on scorers' characteristics. The sample sizes investigated ranged from 15 to 90. The concordance for the top 20 scored research ideas increased with sample sizes up to about 55 experts. At this point, the median level of concordance stabilized at 15/20 top ranked questions (75%), with the interquartile range also generally stable (14-16). There was little further increase in overlap when the sample size increased from 55 to 90. When analysing the ranking of all 205 ideas, the rank correlation coefficient increased as the sample size increased, with a median correlation of 0.95 reached at the sample size of 45 experts (median of the rank

  9. Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research: Reconciling Qualitative and Quantitative Methods for Understanding Human-Landscape Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lach, Denise

    2014-01-01

    While interdisciplinary research is increasingly practiced as a way to transcend the limitations of individual disciplines, our concepts, and methods are primarily rooted in the disciplines that shape the way we think about the world and how we conduct research. While natural and social scientists may share a general understanding of how science is conducted, disciplinary differences in methodologies quickly emerge during interdisciplinary research efforts. This paper briefly introduces and reviews different philosophical underpinnings of quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches and introduces the idea that a pragmatic, realistic approach may allow natural and social scientists to work together productively. While realism assumes that there is a reality that exists independently of our perceptions, the work of scientists is to explore the mechanisms by which actions cause meaningful outcomes and the conditions under which the mechanisms can act. Our task as interdisciplinary researchers is to use the insights of our disciplines in the context of the problem to co-produce an explanation for the variables of interest. Research on qualities necessary for successful interdisciplinary researchers is also discussed along with recent efforts by funding agencies and academia to increase capacities for interdisciplinary research.

  10. SUPPORTING STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF LINEAR EQUATIONS WITH ONE VARIABLE USING ALGEBRA TILES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sari Saraswati

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This research aimed to describe how algebra tiles can support students’ understanding of linear equations with one variable. This article is a part of a larger research on learning design of linear equations with one variable using algebra tiles combined with balancing method. Therefore, it will merely discuss one activity focused on how students use the algebra tiles to find a method to solve linear equations with one variable. Design research was used as an approach in this study. It consists of three phases, namely preliminary design, teaching experiment and retrospective analysis. Video registrations, students’ written works, pre-test, post-test, field notes, and interview are technic to collect data. The data were analyzed by comparing the hypothetical learning trajectory (HLT and the actual learning process. The result shows that algebra tiles could supports students’ understanding to find the formal solution of linear equation with one variable.

  11. Research on Factors Influencing Municipal Household Solid Waste Separate Collection: Bayesian Belief Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhujie Chu

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Municipal household solid waste (MHSW has become a serious problem in China over the course of the last two decades, resulting in significant side effects to the environment. Therefore, effective management of MHSW has attracted wide attention from both researchers and practitioners. Separate collection, the first and crucial step to solve the MHSW problem, however, has not been thoroughly studied to date. An empirical survey has been conducted among 387 households in Harbin, China in this study. We use Bayesian Belief Networks model to determine the influencing factors on separate collection. Four types of factors are identified, including political, economic, social cultural and technological based on the PEST (political, economic, social and technological analytical method. In addition, we further analyze the influential power of different factors, based on the network structure and probability changes obtained by Netica software. Results indicate that technological dimension has the greatest impact on MHSW separate collection, followed by the political dimension and economic dimension; social cultural dimension impacts MHSW the least.

  12. Interfaces in Social Innovation: an Action Research Story on a Tribal Women's Collective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asha Banu Soletti

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the nature of social interfaces that has emerged in the context of social innovations with vulnerable and marginalised tribal communities along the Tansa Reservoir in Maharashtra, India. This paper is part of a larger action research project that strives towards improving the livelihoods of tribal women through collectives such as self-help groups. The analysis presented in this paper pertains to the experiences of 13 tribal women who have come forward to form a self-help group to supplement their livelihoods. According to the tribal women, the collective spaces that the self-help group provide has itself been termed as innovation. In the above-mentioned context, this paper specifically examines the nature of diverse values and beliefs, interests, knowledge and power among different actors involved in promoting livelihood-based women’s collectives. It also explores the nature of response among tribal women to the intervention of outside experts in the day-to-day activities of their collective. The findings of this paper illustrate the discontinuities associated with the collective and specifically on the nature of frictions, disagreements and conflicts between actors, which are mediated and transformed at critical junctures. This signifies an underlying asymmetry between the knowledge systems of tribal women and outside experts respectively. Furthermore, this paper argues that if not properly nurtured, such innovative collective spaces can become sites of domination and agents for the perpetuation of mere socio-technical interest. Instead, the discourse of social innovation needs to be socially embedded within the issues of rights, recognition, representation and empowerment of those people who are vulnerable and marginalised in the society.

  13. Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research (NABIR) Field Research Center (FRC), Oak Ridge Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watson, David; Jardine, Philip; Gu, Baohua; Parker, Jack; Brandt, Craig; Holladay, Susan; Wolfe, Amy; Bogle, Mary Anna; Lowe, Kenneth; Hyder, Kirk

    2006-01-01

    The Field Research Center (FRC) in Oak Ridge (Fig. 1), Tennessee supports the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Environmental Remediation Sciences Program (ERSP) goal of understanding the complex physical, chemical, and biological properties of contaminated sites for new solutions to environmental remediation and long-term stewardship. In particular, the FRC provides the opportunity for researchers to conduct studies that promote the understanding of the processes that influence the transport and fate of subsurface contaminants, the effectiveness and long-term consequences of existing remediation options, and the development of improved remediation strategies. It offers a series of contaminated sites around the former S-3 Waste Disposal Ponds and uncontaminated sites in which investigators and students conduct field research or collect samples for laboratory analysis. FRC research also spurs the development of new and improved characterization and monitoring tools. Site specific knowledge gained from research conducted at the FRC also provides the DOE-Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (EM) the critical scientific knowledge needed to make cleanup decisions for the S-3 Ponds and other sites on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR)

  14. Setting health research priorities using the CHNRI method: V. Quantitative properties of human collective knowledge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudan, Igor; Yoshida, Sachiyo; Wazny, Kerri; Chan, Kit Yee; Cousens, Simon

    2016-06-01

    The CHNRI method for setting health research priorities has crowdsourcing as the major component. It uses the collective opinion of a group of experts to generate, assess and prioritize between many competing health research ideas. It is difficult to compare the accuracy of human individual and collective opinions in predicting uncertain future outcomes before the outcomes are known. However, this limitation does not apply to existing knowledge, which is an important component underlying opinion. In this paper, we report several experiments to explore the quantitative properties of human collective knowledge and discuss their relevance to the CHNRI method. We conducted a series of experiments in groups of about 160 (range: 122-175) undergraduate Year 2 medical students to compare their collective knowledge to their individual knowledge. We asked them to answer 10 questions on each of the following: (i) an area in which they have a degree of expertise (undergraduate Year 1 medical curriculum); (ii) an area in which they likely have some knowledge (general knowledge); and (iii) an area in which they are not expected to have any knowledge (astronomy). We also presented them with 20 pairs of well-known celebrities and asked them to identify the older person of the pair. In all these experiments our goal was to examine how the collective answer compares to the distribution of students' individual answers. When answering the questions in their own area of expertise, the collective answer (the median) was in the top 20.83% of the most accurate individual responses; in general knowledge, it was in the top 11.93%; and in an area with no expertise, the group answer was in the top 7.02%. However, the collective answer based on mean values fared much worse, ranging from top 75.60% to top 95.91%. Also, when confronted with guessing the older of the two celebrities, the collective response was correct in 18/20 cases (90%), while the 8 most successful individuals among the

  15. 76 FR 4697 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-26

    ... engagement and on the current organizational culture and climate surrounding patient and family engagement... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research...

  16. Understanding Ethical Issues of Research Participation from the Perspective of Participating Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broome, Marion E.

    2017-01-01

    Background The past twenty years have seen distinct shifts in the way the participation of children and adolescents in research is viewed. This has been emphasized by the growing pediatric research enterprise. Additional information on children’s and adolescents’ experiences during research participation is needed to better inform researchers on the ethical conduct of research with this vulnerable population. Aims The objective of this analysis was to examine ethical issues in research with children and adolescents from their perspective as participants, including: assent, parental consent, risk perception, impact of research participation, and incentives. Methods This systematic review was conducted per the Long et al. framework by means of an iterative searching process. Using the key words ‘research ethics’ and ‘child or pediatric or adolescent’, PubMed, CINAHL, and EBSCOhost databases were searched to identify articles. Limitations placed on the original searches were: English language, year of publication between 2003–2014, humans, abstract available, and age birth–18 years. Findings Twenty-three empiric studies were identified and formed the sample. Included studies represented a diverse range of areas of research, methods, settings, sample demographics, authors, and journals. Discussion Even young children demonstrated the ability to understand essential elements of research, although there is variability in children’s level of understanding. Trust was a significant contributing factor to children’s and adolescents’ participation in research, and also shaped their assessments of risk. Research participation was mainly beneficial for children and adolescents. Incentives were mainly viewed positively, although concerns of possible undue influence were expressed. Linking Evidence to Action This systematic review highlights the importance of including the perspectives of children and adolescents and provides researchers and nurse clinicians

  17. Long-term personality data collection in support of spaceflight and analogue research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musson, David M; Helmreich, Robert L

    2005-06-01

    This is a review of past and present research into personality and performance at the University of Texas (UT) Human Factors Research Project. Specifically, personality trait data collected from astronauts, pilots, Antarctic personnel, and other groups over a 15-yr period is discussed with particular emphasis on research in space and space analogue environments. The UT Human Factors Research Project conducts studies in personality and group dynamics in aviation, space, and medicine. Current studies include personality determinants of professional cultures, team effectiveness in both medicine and aviation, and personality predictors of long-term astronaut performance. The Project also studies the design and effectiveness of behavioral strategies used to minimize error and maximize team performance in safety-critical work settings. A multi-year personality and performance dataset presents many opportunities for research, including long-term and follow-up studies of human performance, analyses of trends in recruiting and attrition, and the ability to adapt research design to operational changes and methodological advances. Special problems posed by such long-duration projects include issues of confidentiality and security, as well as practical limitations imposed by current peer-review and short-term funding practices. Practical considerations for ongoing dataset management include consistency of assessment instruments over time, variations in data acquisition from one year to the next, and dealing with changes in theory and practice that occur over the life of the project. A fundamental change in how research into human performance is funded would be required to ensure the ongoing development of such long-duration research databases.

  18. Using interviews to understand the assignment mechanism in a nonexperimental study: the case of eighth grade algebra.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rickles, Jordan H

    2011-10-01

    Many inquiries regarding the causal effects of policies or programs are based on research designs where the treatment assignment process is unknown, and thus valid inferences depend on tenuous assumptions about the assignment mechanism. This article draws attention to the importance of understanding the assignment mechanism in policy and program evaluation studies, and illustrates how information collected through interviews can develop a richer understanding of the assignment mechanism. Focusing on the issue of student assignment to algebra in 8th grade, I show how a preliminary data collection effort aimed at understanding the assignment mechanism is particularly beneficial in multisite observational studies in education. The findings, based on ten interviews and administrative data from a large school district, draw attention to the often ignored heterogeneity in the assignment mechanism across schools. These findings likely extend beyond the current research project in question to related educational policy issues such as ability grouping, tracking, differential course taking, and curricular intensity, as well as other social programs in which the assignment mechanism can differ across sites.

  19. Collective Sensing: Integrating Geospatial Technologies to Understand Urban Systems—An Overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geoffrey J. Hay

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Cities are complex systems composed of numerous interacting components that evolve over multiple spatio-temporal scales. Consequently, no single data source is sufficient to satisfy the information needs required to map, monitor, model, and ultimately understand and manage our interaction within such urban systems. Remote sensing technology provides a key data source for mapping such environments, but is not sufficient for fully understanding them. In this article we provide a condensed urban perspective of critical geospatial technologies and techniques: (i Remote Sensing; (ii Geographic Information Systems; (iii object-based image analysis; and (iv sensor webs, and recommend a holistic integration of these technologies within the language of open geospatial consortium (OGC standards in-order to more fully understand urban systems. We then discuss the potential of this integration and conclude that this extends the monitoring and mapping options beyond “hard infrastructure” by addressing “humans as sensors”, mobility and human-environment interactions, and future improvements to quality of life and of social infrastructures.

  20. 75 FR 53306 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-31

    ... system change and informs the implementation process and impact evaluation. Using a mixed-methods design... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research...

  1. 75 FR 35038 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-21

    ... system change and informs the implementation process and impact evaluation. Using a mixed-methods design... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research...

  2. The effects of conducting authentic field-geology research on high school students' understanding of the nature of science, and their views of themselves as research scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millette, Patricia M.

    Authentic field geology research is a inquiry method that encourages students to interact more with their local environment, and by solving genuine puzzles, begin to increase their intuitive understanding of the nature and processes of science. The goal of the current study was to determine if conducting authentic field research and giving high school students the opportunity to present findings to adult audiences outside of the school setting 1) enhances students' understanding of the nature of science, and 2) affects students views of themselves as researchers. To accomplish this, ninth-grade students from a public school in northern New England engaged in a community-initiated glacial geology problem, completed a field research investigation, and presented their findings at several professional conferences. Following the completion of this student-centered field research, I investigated its effects by using a mixed methods approach consisting of qualitative and quantitative data from two sources. These included selected questions from an open-response survey (VNOS-c), and interviews that were conducted with fifteen of the students of different ages and genders. Findings show that conducting original field research seems to have a positive influence on these students' understanding of the NOS as well as the processes of science. Many of the students reported feelings of accomplishment, acceptance of responsibility for the investigation, a sense of their authentic contribution to the body of scientific knowledge in the world, and becoming scientists. This type of authentic field investigation is significant because recent reforms in earth-science education stress the importance of students learning about the nature and processes of scientific knowledge along with science content.

  3. “So, it is about how negative it is?!” Understanding researcher/researched interactions as relations between intersectional social positions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sune Qvotrup Jensen

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The article argues that interactions in qualitative interviews and ethnography can be analyzed as relations between intersectional social positions. It draws attention to the importance of class and geographical location in such analysis. It further argues that such interactions work through typifications, that they have a power dimension and that they entail processes of identity formation. The identities being offered through these processes can, however, be negotiated or resisted. The article then analyses such interactions as they were experienced in two research projects the author participated in: His PhD project about young marginalized ethnic minority men, and the collective project INTERLOC which focused on the interplay between gender, class, ethnicity and ‘race’ in an underprivileged Danish suburb. It is demonstrated that relationality influences the assumptions research participants have about the researcher. It is also demonstrated that the research encounter entails powerful mechanism of identity formation. The informants, however, sometimes resist these processes resulting in blurred and unstable, sometimes antagonistic, power relations. It is finally argued that analyses of such interactions can provide central insight into the subject studied.

  4. Arts-based Research Processes in ECEC: Examples from Preparing and Conducting a Data Collection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Torill Vist

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In this methodological article, different concepts and possibilities related to how arts-based research processes can contribute in the early phases of ECEC research will be presented and discussed. Despite a setback of art subjects in Norwegian ECEC and early childhood teacher’s education, the field of arts still plays an important role, and is expected to be research-based. Thus, there should be a need for an aesthetical and arts-based dimension in researching ECEC, not only in the subject matter, but also in the method, context, outcome and dissemination. The article focuses on methodological issues in the question development/design phase and the data collection phase, exemplified by the author’s own experiences in arts-based research processes. These processes include participation in dance and music performance as thinking or reflection tools in research, and an arts-based interview method. Some narrative writing processes will also be commented upon. Theoretically, the article primarily leans upon Barone and Eisner’s arts-based research and Irwin and Springgay’s a/r/tography.

  5. Research Commentary: The Promise of Qualitative Metasynthesis for Mathematics Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thunder, Kateri; Berry, Robert Q., III.

    2016-01-01

    Mathematics education has benefited from qualitative methodological approaches over the past 40 years across diverse topics. Although the number, type, and quality of qualitative research studies in mathematics education has changed, little is known about how a collective body of qualitative research findings contributes to our understanding of a…

  6. Announced document collection of the 3rd information exchange meeting on radioactive waste disposal research network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-03-01

    The 3rd meeting on 'Radioactive Waste Disposal Research Network' was held at the Ricotti techno community square of JAEA on September 3 and 4, 2007. The 'Radioactive Waste Disposal Research Network' was established in Interorganization Atomic Energy Research Program under academic collaborative agreement between Japan Atomic Energy Agency and the University of Tokyo. The objective is to bring both research infrastructures and human expertise in Japan to an adequate performance level, thereby contributing to the development of the fundamental research area in the field of radioactive waste disposal. This lecture material is a collection of presentations and discussions during the information exchange meeting. (author)

  7. World Endometriosis Research Foundation Endometriosis Phenome and biobanking harmonization project: II. Clinical and covariate phenotype data collection in endometriosis research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vitonis, Allison F.; Vincent, Katy; Rahmioglu, Nilufer; Fassbender, Amelie; Buck Louis, Germaine M.; Hummelshoj, Lone; Giudice, Linda C.; Stratton, Pamela; Adamson, G. David; Becker, Christian M.; Zondervan, Krina T.; Missmer, Stacey A.

    2014-01-01

    Objective To harmonize the collection of nonsurgical clinical and epidemiologic data relevant to endometriosis research, allowing large-scale collaboration. Design An international collaboration involving 34 clinical/academic centers and three industry collaborators from 16 countries on five continents. Setting In 2013, two workshops followed by global consultation, bringing together 54 leaders in endometriosis research. Patients None. Intervention(s) Development of a self-administered endometriosis patient questionnaire (EPQ), based on [1] systematic comparison of questionnaires from eight centers that collect data from endometriosis cases (and controls/comparison women) on a medium to large scale (publication on >100 cases); [2] literature evidence; and [3] several global consultation rounds. Main Outcome Measure(s) Standard recommended and minimum required questionnaires to capture detailed clinical and covariate data. Result(s) The standard recommended (EPHect EPQ-S) and minimum required (EPHect EPQ-M) questionnaires contain questions on pelvic pain, subfertility and menstrual/reproductive history, hormone/medication use, medical history, and personal information. Conclusion(s) The EPQ captures the basic set of patient characteristics and exposures considered by the WERF EPHect Working Group to be most critical for the advancement of endometriosis research, but is also relevant to other female conditions with similar risk factors and/or symptomatology. The instruments will be reviewed based on feedback from investigators, and–after a first review after 1 year–triannually through systematic follow-up surveys. Updated versions will be made available through http://endometriosisfoundation.org/ephect. PMID:25256930

  8. Understanding Peer Review of Scientific Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Association of American Universities, 2011

    2011-01-01

    An important factor in the success of America's national research system is that federal funds for university-based research are awarded primarily through peer review, which uses panels of scientific experts, or "peers," to evaluate the quality of grant proposals. In this competitive process, proposals compete for resources based on their…

  9. Collective behavior of mice passing through an exit under panic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Teng; Zhang, Xuelin; Huang, Shenshi; Li, Changhai; Lu, Shouxiang

    2018-04-01

    Collective movement of animal in emergency condition has attracted growing attentions among researchers. However, many rules still need to be confirmed with adequate explanation. Study of collective behavior of mice can improve our understanding about the dynamics of pedestrian movement. However, its rules still need to be confirmed with adequate explanation. In this paper, collective behavior of mice passing through an exit under panic was investigated. The results showed that the total evacuation time decreased with exit width increasing in a certain range. Based on the different tendency of the curve in temporal evolution, the process of mice flow was divided into three stages. The density of mice near the exit peaks at a certain horizontal offset and starts to decrease over time. With the increase of the exit width, the duration of the higher density state decreased. We found that the frequency of time intervals obeyed a lognormal distribution or an exponential decay for different exit widths. In addition, the relationship between the group size and the group flow rate in different scenarios was analyzed. The phenomena found in our experiments show the collective behavioral characteristic of mice under panic. Our analysis in this paper will deepen our understanding of crowd dynamics in emergency condition.

  10. Networking to Improve Nutrition Policy Research

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, Sonia A.; Blanck, Heidi M.; Cradock, Angie; Gortmaker, Steven

    2015-01-01

    Effective nutrition and obesity policies that improve the food environments in which Americans live, work, and play can have positive effects on the quality of human diets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network (NOPREN) conducts transdisciplinary practice-based policy research and evaluation to foster understanding of the effectiveness of nutrition policies. The articles in this special collection bring to light a...

  11. Science, Science Signaling, and Science Translational Medicine – AAAS Special Collection on Cancer Research, March 2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Forsythe, Katherine H.

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available The National Cancer Act, signed in 1971, aimed to eliminate cancer deaths through a massive increase in research funding. The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the publisher of Science, Science Signaling, and Science Translational Medicine, observed the 40th anniversary of the Cancer Act in 2011, with special research articles and features, found in all three journals, on the state of cancer research 40 years later. This collection of articles explores both breakthroughs and the challenges in cancer research over the last four decades, and lets us know what we might expect in the future.

  12. Energy research and technology development data collection strategies. The case of Greece

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doukas, Haris; Papadopoulou, Alexandra G.; Nychtis, Christos; Psarras, John; Van Beeck, Nicole

    2009-01-01

    The European Union (EU) from the beginning of 2007 has focused its emphasis on the development of a new policy that puts energy back at the heart of EU action. Indeed, it has very often been stated that the difficulty and complexity of achieving green energy targets in the EU will require strengthened measures to promote implementation of new energy technologies (NET), as well as measures to support the related energy Research and Technology Development (R and TD). Often forgotten is the fact, that most of all, a European-wide co-ordinated forum is needed to continuously develop and sophisticate the monitoring and methodology results, bringing together specialised statisticians, energy researchers and experts on energy socio-economics. Today a nebulous picture prevails on the existence of categorized data with regards to energy Research and Technology Development (R and TD) expenditure. In this context, aim of this paper is the presentation of energy R and TD data collection strategies, as well as the related findings for the Greek energy market. (author)

  13. Assessing the sensitivity of images in research collections: A new approach at the Wellcome Library.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wakely, Helen; Dakin, Carly

    2015-06-01

    In 2014 The Wellcome Library, part of the Wellcome Trust, introduced a new policy in order to address research access to personal data within its collections. The policy has now been used by library staff for almost a year. The policy was devised using a multi-stage approach which consisted of internal surveys and 1:1 interviews. Library staff can use the policy to guide decisions based on what level of access to award material donated or contributed to the Wellcome collections. The policy has been applied to 1 - a series of victorian medical photographs supplied by University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, and 2 - an album of family photographs from the collection of the psychiatrist Dr Ann Dally. Following almost a year in circulation the advantages and disadvantages can now be summarised.

  14. NCI's national environmental research data collection: metadata management built on standards and preparing for the semantic web

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jingbo; Bastrakova, Irina; Evans, Ben; Gohar, Kashif; Santana, Fabiana; Wyborn, Lesley

    2015-04-01

    National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) manages national environmental research data collections (10+ PB) as part of its specialized high performance data node of the Research Data Storage Infrastructure (RDSI) program. We manage 40+ data collections using NCI's Data Management Plan (DMP), which is compatible with the ISO 19100 metadata standards. We utilize ISO standards to make sure our metadata is transferable and interoperable for sharing and harvesting. The DMP is used along with metadata from the data itself, to create a hierarchy of data collection, dataset and time series catalogues that is then exposed through GeoNetwork for standard discoverability. This hierarchy catalogues are linked using a parent-child relationship. The hierarchical infrastructure of our GeoNetwork catalogues system aims to address both discoverability and in-house administrative use-cases. At NCI, we are currently improving the metadata interoperability in our catalogue by linking with standardized community vocabulary services. These emerging vocabulary services are being established to help harmonise data from different national and international scientific communities. One such vocabulary service is currently being established by the Australian National Data Services (ANDS). Data citation is another important aspect of the NCI data infrastructure, which allows tracking of data usage and infrastructure investment, encourage data sharing, and increasing trust in research that is reliant on these data collections. We incorporate the standard vocabularies into the data citation metadata so that the data citation become machine readable and semantically friendly for web-search purpose as well. By standardizing our metadata structure across our entire data corpus, we are laying the foundation to enable the application of appropriate semantic mechanisms to enhance discovery and analysis of NCI's national environmental research data information. We expect that this will further

  15. Burnout syndrome: understanding of medical teaching professionals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaqueline Brito Vidal Batista

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the understanding of medical teaching professionals about Burnout Syndrome. This is a qualitative, exploratory study, consisting of ten teaching physicians, who work at the hospital of a higher education institution. The data were collected from May to June 2013, through a form with questions pertinent to the proposed research objective, after approval by the Research Ethics Committee (Protocol No. 84022, and analyzed qualitatively, through the content analysis technique (Bardin. Among the 10 participants in the study, eight had adequate knowledge about Burnout Syndrome, while others showed insufficient knowledge. From the empirical material analysis, five thematic categories emerged: Syndrome characterized by physical and psychological exhaustion due to work stress; Physical and psychological signs and symptoms of Burnout Syndrome; Burnout syndrome and its implications for the worker’s health; The most vulnerable workers who develop Burnout Syndrome and Relation of Burnout Syndrome to the work of the teaching physician. The study showed that most participants in the research adequately understand Burnout Syndrome, but the subject is still little explored in academia. Therefore, intervention measures are necessary with the professionals of the risk group and new studies that contribute to expand the knowledge about that syndrome, aiming to improve the quality of life of the workers. Keywords: Worker’s Health; Professional Exhaustion; Doctors; Professors; Work Conditions.   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3823/2397

  16. Turkish Primary Science Teacher Candidates' Understandings of Global Warming and Ozone Layer Depletion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yalcin, Fatma Aggul; Yalcin, Mehmet

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to explore Turkish primary science teacher candidates' understanding of global warming and ozone layer depletion. In the study, as the research approach the survey method was used. The sample consisted of one hundred eighty nine third grade science teacher candidates. Data was collected using the tool developed by the…

  17. Identity and collective action via computer-mediated communication: A review and agenda for future research

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Priante, Anna; Ehrenhard, Michel L; van den Broek, Tijs; Need, Ariana

    2017-01-01

    Since the start of large-scale waves of mobilisation in 2011, the importance of identity in the study of collective action via computer-mediated communication (CMC) has been a source of contention. Hence, our research sets out to systematically review and synthesise empirical findings on identity

  18. Identity and collective action via computer-mediated communication : A review and agenda for future research

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Priante, Anna; Ehrenhard, Michel Léon; van den Broek, Tijs Adriaan; Need, Ariana

    2017-01-01

    Since the start of large-scale waves of mobilisation in 2011, the importance of identity in the study of collective action via computer-mediated communication (CMC) has been a source of contention. Hence, our research sets out to systematically review and synthesise empirical findings on identity

  19. Understanding Consumer Needs through Market Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overton, Cynthia; Volkman, Cheryl; Silver-Pacuilla, Heidi; Gray, Tracy

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how existing market research in the assistive technology (AT) field can be leveraged to create new solutions and to help those solutions reach wider markets. To do so, we discuss market research projects, focusing on seminal activities that have occurred in the assistive and learning technology field;…

  20. An Evaluation of Research Ethics in Undergraduate Health Science Research Methodology Programs at a South African University.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coetzee, Tanya; Hoffmann, Willem A; de Roubaix, Malcolm

    2015-10-01

    The amended research ethics policy at a South African University required the ethics review of undergraduate research projects, prompting the need to explore the content and teaching approach of research ethics education in health science undergraduate programs. Two qualitative data collection strategies were used: document analysis (syllabi and study guides) and semi-structured interviews with research methodology coordinators. Five main themes emerged: (a) timing of research ethics courses, (b) research ethics course content, (c) sub-optimal use of creative classroom activities to facilitate research ethics lectures, (d) understanding the need for undergraduate project research ethics review, and (e) research ethics capacity training for research methodology lecturers and undergraduate project supervisors. © The Author(s) 2015.

  1. The importance of scientific collecting and natural history museums for comparative neuroanatomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwaniuk, Andrew N

    2011-05-01

    The comparative study of vertebrate brains is inherently dependent upon access to a sufficient number of species and specimens to perform meaningful comparisons. Although many studies rely on compiling published information, continued specimen collection, in addition to more extensive use of existing brain collections and natural history museums, are crucial for detailed neuroanatomical comparisons across species. This review highlights the importance of collecting species through a variety of means, details a marsupial brain collection, and stresses the potential of natural history museums as a resource for comparative neuroanatomy. By taking advantage of as many of these resources as possible, researchers can rapidly increase species coverage and generate a better understanding of how the brain evolves. © 2011 New York Academy of Sciences.

  2. Collective intelligence for translational medicine: Crowdsourcing insights and innovation from an interdisciplinary biomedical research community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budge, Eleanor Jane; Tsoti, Sandra Maria; Howgate, Daniel James; Sivakumar, Shivan; Jalali, Morteza

    2015-01-01

    Translational medicine bridges the gap between discoveries in biomedical science and their safe and effective clinical application. Despite the gross opportunity afforded by modern research for unparalleled advances in this field, the process of translation remains protracted. Efforts to expedite science translation have included the facilitation of interdisciplinary collaboration within both academic and clinical environments in order to generate integrated working platforms fuelling the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and tools to align biomedical research with clinical need. However, barriers to scientific translation remain, and further progress is urgently required. Collective intelligence and crowdsourcing applications offer the potential for global online networks, allowing connection and collaboration between a wide variety of fields. This would drive the alignment of biomedical science with biotechnology, clinical need, and patient experience, in order to deliver evidence-based innovation which can revolutionize medical care worldwide. Here we discuss the critical steps towards implementing collective intelligence in translational medicine using the experience of those in other fields of science and public health.

  3. The Role of MTurk in Education Research: Advantages, Issues, and Future Directions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Follmer, D. Jake; Sperling, Rayne A.; Suen, Hoi K.

    2017-01-01

    The advent of online platforms such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) has expanded considerably researchers' options for collecting research data. Many researchers, however, express understandable skepticism of the viability of using platforms such as MTurk. In this article, we provide a background on the use of MTurk as a mechanism for…

  4. Understanding the infrastructure of European Research Infrastructures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindstrøm, Maria Duclos; Kropp, Kristoffer

    2017-01-01

    European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERIC) are a new form of legal and financial framework for the establishment and operation of research infrastructures in Europe. Despite their scope, ambition, and novelty, the topic has received limited scholarly attention. This article analyses one ER....... It is also a promising theoretical framework for addressing the relationship between the ERIC construct and the large diversity of European Research Infrastructures.......European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERIC) are a new form of legal and financial framework for the establishment and operation of research infrastructures in Europe. Despite their scope, ambition, and novelty, the topic has received limited scholarly attention. This article analyses one ERIC...... became an ERIC using the Bowker and Star’s sociology of infrastructures. We conclude that focusing on ERICs as a European standard for organising and funding research collaboration gives new insights into the problems of membership, durability, and standardisation faced by research infrastructures...

  5. Research and Teaching: Factors Related to College Students' Understanding of the Nature of Science--Comparison of Science Majors and Nonscience Majors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Partin, Matthew L.; Underwood, Eileen M.; Worch, Eric A.

    2013-01-01

    To develop a more scientifically literate society, students need to understand the nature of science, which may be affected by controversial topics such as evolution. There are conflicting views among researchers concerning the relationships between understanding evolution, acceptance of evolution, and understanding of the nature of science. Four…

  6. Current Understandings of the Research-Practice Gap From the Viewpoint of Complementary Medicine Academics: A Mixed-Method Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leach, Matthew J; Tucker, Basil

    Research plays an important role in advancing health and healthcare. However, much research evidence is not reflected in contemporary complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practice. Understanding and addressing the reasons for this research-practice gap may have positive implications for quality of care. To shed light on the gap between research and CAM practice. Descriptive cross-sectional, mixed-method study. A total of 126 senior CAM academics across Australasia, Europe, UK, and North America. Participants completed a 30-item online survey and a semi-structured interview; both of which explored the research-practice gap in CAM. A total of 43 (34%) academics completed the survey, with 29 (67%) respondents undergoing an interview. There was general agreement among respondents that CAM research should be informed by practice, and practice informed by research; however, most agreed that this did not reflect the current situation. Translational issues were perceived to be the primary reason for the research-practice gap in CAM. Suggested strategies for closing the gap focussed mostly around improving CAM student/practitioner education and training, and researcher-practitioner engagement and collaboration. Study findings point toward the presence of a research-practice gap in CAM, with several factors likely to be instrumental in sustaining this gap. Attention now needs to focus on understanding the views of CAM clinicians on this issue. Insights gained from this research will help inform the development of a multi-modal strategy that will effectively target the barriers to change in order to bring CAM research and practice closer together. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Top 10 Research Questions Related to Teaching Games for Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Memmert, Daniel; Almond, Len; Bunker, David; Butler, Joy; Fasold, Frowin; Griffin, Linda; Hillmann, Wolfgang; Hüttermann, Stefanie; Klein-Soetebier, Timo; König, Stefan; Nopp, Stephan; Rathschlag, Marco; Schul, Karsten; Schwab, Sebastian; Thorpe, Rod; Furley, Philip

    2015-01-01

    In this article, we elaborate on 10 current research questions related to the “teaching games for understanding” (TGfU) approach with the objective of both developing the model itself and fostering game understanding, tactical decision making, and game-playing ability in invasion and net/wall games: (1) How can existing scientific approaches from different disciplines be used to enhance game play for beginners and proficient players? (2) How can state-of-the-art technology be integrated to game-play evaluations of beginners and proficient players by employing corresponding assessments? (4) How can complexity thinking be utilized to shape day-to-day physical education (PE) and coaching practices? (5) How can game making/designing be helpfully utilized for emergent learning? (6) How could purposeful game design create constraints that enable tactical understanding and skill development through adaptive learning and distributed cognition? (7) How can teacher/coach development programs benefit from game-centered approaches? (8) How can TGfU-related approaches be implemented in teacher or coach education with the goal of facilitating preservice and in-service teachers/coaches’ learning to teach and thereby foster their professional development from novices to experienced practitioners? (9) Can the TGfU approach be considered a helpful model across different cultures? (10) Can physical/psychomotor, cognitive, affective/social, and cultural development be fostered via TGfU approaches? The answers to these questions are critical not only for the advancement of teaching and coaching in PE and sport-based clubs, but also for an in-depth discussion on new scientific avenues and technological tools. PMID:26452580

  8. The Understanding of Peace among Children and Adolescents: A Critical Review of Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ron Smith

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Contextualisation Despite the existence in Northern Ireland of an internationally endorsed Peace Process (the 1998 Good Friday or Belfast Agreement, the need for education to play its part in developing a new peace culture and peace consciousness remains as important as ever. In December 1998, the Education Minister established a working group concerned with the promotion of tolerance in schools. The report of this group recommended that there needed to be greater encouragement to regard the development of respect for diversity as a core rather than peripheral element of the school curriculum (DENI 2000. However, earlier research suggested that the received discourses and assumptions about school effectiveness and school improvement were inappropriate to meeting the challenges of improving school effectiveness for peace within a conflicted society (see, Smith 2001 a; 2001 b. This research confirmed that there was a pervasive "culture of silence" within schools with regard to open discussion on the causes and consequences of social division. There were also other silences and gaps in the story forms available to teachers within schools. When, for example, it came to having a say or being allowed to air their views on issues of relevance to school-based community relations policy and practice, the voice of students and parents were mostly silenced, disqualified or subjugated. Consequently, I decided to examine the theme of school improvement for peace from a Narrative psychology perspective. That is, from a perspective which gives a central role to the storied nature of human conduct. This stance is a special case of the wider perspective called social constructionism (Wagner and Watkins, forthcoming. A critical review of relevant extant literatures, including the developmental literature on children's and young peoples' understanding of peace, strengthened my view that new paradigm methodologies and methods were required to investigate and

  9. 75 FR 32508 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-08

    ... teacher effectiveness. The methods of data collection will include both primary and secondary data collections. Primary data collection will include surveys and telephone interviews; secondary data sources... for research, evaluation and data collection (e.g., surveys and interviews) about the Noyce Program...

  10. IMPROVEMENT OF METHODS FOR HYDROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND MODIFICATION OF STANDARD TOOLS FOR SAMPLE COLLECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. M. Aligadjiev

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. The paper discusses the improvement of methods of hydrobiological studies by modifying tools for plankton and benthic samples collecting. Methods. In order to improve the standard methods of hydro-biological research, we have developed tools for sampling zooplankton and benthic environment of the Caspian Sea. Results. Long-term practice of selecting hydrobiological samples in the Caspian Sea shows that it is required to complete the modernization of the sampling tools used to collect hydrobiological material. With the introduction of Azov and Black Sea invasive comb jelly named Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz to the Caspian Sea there is a need to collect plankton samples without disturbing its integrity. Tools for collecting benthic fauna do not always give a complete picture of the state of benthic ecosystems because of the lack of visual site selection for sampling. Moreover, while sampling by dredge there is a probable loss of the samples, especially in areas with difficult terrain. Conclusion. We propose to modify a small model of Upstein net (applied in shallow water to collect zooplankton samples with an upper inverted cone that will significantly improve the catchability of the net in theCaspian Sea. Bottom sampler can be improved by installing a video camera for visual inspection of the bottom topography, and use sensors to determine tilt of the dredge and the position of the valves of the bucket. 

  11. Use of interviews in nursing research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Gary

    2015-06-24

    Conducting interviews is one of the most common ways of collecting data in healthcare research. In particular, interviews are associated with qualitative research, where researchers seek to understand participants' experiences through their own words and perspectives. This article will help healthcare researchers prepare to carry out interviews as part of their research. It will also emphasise important skills to consider during the interview process. Consideration will also be given to remedying interviews that do not go according to plan, as well as identifying appropriate debriefing processes post-interview. With this knowledge, healthcare researchers are more likely to conduct effective interviews that will yield better quality data and protect the participant.

  12. The effect of activity-based nanoscience and nanotechnology education on pre-service science teachers' conceptual understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Şenel Zor, Tuba; Aslan, Oktay

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of activity-based nanoscience and nanotechnology education (ABNNE) on pre-service science teachers' (PST') conceptual understanding of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Within this context, the study was conducted according to mixed methods research with the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods. The participants were 32 PST who were determined by using criterion sampling that is one of the purposive sampling methods. ABNNE was carried out during 7 weeks as 2 h per week in special issues at physics course. Design and implementation of ABNNE were based on "Big Ideas" which was found in literature and provided guidance for teaching nanoscience and nanotechnology. All activities implemented during ABNNE were selected from literature. "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Concept Test (NN-CT)" and "Activity-Based Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Education Assessment Form (ABNNE-AF)" were used as data collection tools in research. Findings obtained with data collection tools were discussed with coverage of literature. The findings revealed that PST conceptual understanding developed following ABNNE. Various suggestions for increasing PST conceptual understanding of nanoscience and nanotechnology were presented according to the results of the study.

  13. Leveraging High Performance Computing for Managing Large and Evolving Data Collections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ritu Arora

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The process of developing a digital collection in the context of a research project often involves a pipeline pattern during which data growth, data types, and data authenticity need to be assessed iteratively in relation to the different research steps and in the interest of archiving. Throughout a project’s lifecycle curators organize newly generated data while cleaning and integrating legacy data when it exists, and deciding what data will be preserved for the long term. Although these actions should be part of a well-oiled data management workflow, there are practical challenges in doing so if the collection is very large and heterogeneous, or is accessed by several researchers contemporaneously. There is a need for data management solutions that can help curators with efficient and on-demand analyses of their collection so that they remain well-informed about its evolving characteristics. In this paper, we describe our efforts towards developing a workflow to leverage open science High Performance Computing (HPC resources for routinely and efficiently conducting data management tasks on large collections. We demonstrate that HPC resources and techniques can significantly reduce the time for accomplishing critical data management tasks, and enable a dynamic archiving throughout the research process. We use a large archaeological data collection with a long and complex formation history as our test case. We share our experiences in adopting open science HPC resources for large-scale data management, which entails understanding usage of the open source HPC environment and training users. These experiences can be generalized to meet the needs of other data curators working with large collections.

  14. The importance of stories in understanding people's relationship to food: narrative inquiry methodology has much to offer the public health nutrition researcher and practitioner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Kane, Gabrielle; Pamphilon, Barbara

    2016-03-01

    Despite the usefulness of quantitative research, qualitative research methodologies are equally needed to allow researchers to better understand the important social and environmental factors affecting food choice and eating habits. The present paper contributes insights from narrative inquiry, a well-established qualitative methodology, to a food-related doctoral research study. The connections between food shoppers and the producer, family, friends and others in the food system, between eaters and the earth, and how these connections affect people's meaning-making of food and pathways to food citizenship, were explored in the research. The research used narrative inquiry methodology and focus groups for data collection. Five different food-ways in the Canberra region of Australia were selected for the present research; that is, community gardens, community-supported agriculture, farmers' markets, fresh food markets and supermarkets. Fifty-two people voluntarily attended eight focus groups with four to nine participants in each. From a practical perspective, the present paper offers a guide to the way in which narrative inquiry has been applied to one research project. The paper describes the application of narrative inquiry methodology, revealing the important place of narratives in generating new knowledge. The paper further outlines how phased narrative analysis can lead to a defensible and rigorous interpretive framework grounded in the data generated from people's stories and meaning-making. We argue that individual, social and system change will not be possible without further rigorous qualitative studies to inform and complement the empirical basis of public health nutrition practice.

  15. Attitudes, understanding, and concerns regarding medical research amongst Egyptians: A qualitative pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raafat May

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Medical research must involve the participation of human subjects. Knowledge of patients' perspectives and concerns with their involvement in research would enhance recruitment efforts, improve the informed consent process, and enhance the overall trust between patients and investigators. Several studies have examined the views of patients from Western countries. There is limited empirical research involving the perspectives of individuals from developing countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes of Egyptian individuals toward medical research. Such information would help clarify the type and extent of concerns regarding research participation of individuals from cultural, economic, and political backgrounds that differ from those in developed countries. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Egyptian individuals recruited from the outpatient settings (public and private at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt. Interviews were taped, transcribed, and translated. Thematic analysis followed. Results All individuals valued the importance of medical research; however most would not participate in research that involved more than minimal risk. Individuals were comfortable with studies involving surveys and blood sampling, but many viewed drug trials as being too risky. All participants valued the concept of informed consent, as they thought that their permission to be in a research study was paramount. Many participants had discomfort with or difficulty in the understanding several research concepts: randomization, double-blind, and clinical equipoise. Trust in the physicians performing research was important in deciding to participate in clinical research. The small sample size and the selection bias associated with obtaining information from only those who agreed to participate in a research study represent limitations in this study. Conclusion Overall, individuals in our sample recognize

  16. Academic Uses of Video Games: A Qualitative Assessment of Research and Teaching Needs at a Large Research University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farrell, Shannon L.; Neeser, Amy E.; Bishoff, Carolyn

    2017-01-01

    Academic libraries develop collections and services for scholars who use video games in teaching and research. However, there are no assessments of related information and technology needs. The authors conducted 30 semi-structured interviews to gather data about these needs and understand how the University of Minnesota Libraries can facilitate…

  17. Experiential Learning: Dissolving Classroom and Research Borders

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClellan, Rhonda; Hyle, Adrienne E.

    2012-01-01

    During a summer cruise to Mexico and Central America, students earned academic credit for doctoral-level coursework in qualitative research approaches and data collection and analysis. This study explored how participants, 16 doctoral students at a midwestern university, perceived experiential education and its effect upon their understanding of…

  18. Surrogate receptivity to participation in critical illness genetic research: aligning research oversight and stakeholder concerns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman, Bradley D; Butler, Kevin; Bolcic-Jankovic, Dragana; Clarridge, Brian R; Kennedy, Carie R; LeBlanc, Jessica; Chandros Hull, Sara

    2015-04-01

    Collection of genetic biospecimens as part of critical illness investigations is increasingly commonplace. Oversight bodies vary in restrictions imposed on genetic research, introducing inconsistencies in study design, potential for sampling bias, and the possibility of being overly prohibitive of this type of research altogether. We undertook this study to better understand whether restrictions on genetic data collection beyond those governing research on cognitively intact subjects reflect the concerns of surrogates for critically ill patients. We analyzed survey data collected from 1,176 patients in nonurgent settings and 437 surrogates representing critically ill adults. Attitudes pertaining to genetic data (familiarity, perceptions, interest in participation, concerns) and demographic information were examined using univariate and multivariate techniques. We explored differences among respondents who were receptive (1,333) and nonreceptive (280) to genetic sample collection. Whereas factors positively associated with receptivity to research participation were "complete trust" in health-care providers (OR, 2.091; 95% CI, 1.544-2.833), upper income strata (OR, 2.319; 95% CI, 1.308-4.114), viewing genetic research "very positively" (OR, 3.524; 95% CI, 2.122-5.852), and expressing "no worry at all" regarding disclosure of results (OR, 2.505; 95% CI, 1.436-4.369), black race was negatively associated with research participation (OR, 0.410; 95% CI, 0.288-0.585). We could detect no difference in receptivity to genetic sample collection comparing ambulatory patients and surrogates (OR, 0.738; 95% CI, 0.511-1.066). Expressing trust in health-care providers and viewing genetic research favorably were associated with increased willingness for study enrollment, while concern regarding breach of confidentiality and black race had the opposite effect. Study setting had no bearing on willingness to participate.

  19. A Computational Lens on Design Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoyles, Celia; Noss, Richard

    2015-01-01

    In this commentary, we briefly review the collective effort of design researchers to weave theory with empirical results, in order to gain a better understanding of the processes of learning. We seek to respond to this challenging agenda by centring on the evolution of one sub-field: namely that which involves investigations within a…

  20. Understanding Collective Learning and Human Agency in Diverse ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2018-05-07

    May 7, 2018 ... new social systems that are more sustainable and socially just. However, we .... Tensions in dynamics. • Concrete ... The purpose here was to relate theory to practice and to consider the research object in and out of contexts ...

  1. Ethical considerations in forensic genetics research on tissue samples collected post-mortem in Cape Town, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heathfield, Laura J; Maistry, Sairita; Martin, Lorna J; Ramesar, Raj; de Vries, Jantina

    2017-11-29

    The use of tissue collected at a forensic post-mortem for forensic genetics research purposes remains of ethical concern as the process involves obtaining informed consent from grieving family members. Two forensic genetics research studies using tissue collected from a forensic post-mortem were recently initiated at our institution and were the first of their kind to be conducted in Cape Town, South Africa. This article discusses some of the ethical challenges that were encountered in these research projects. Among these challenges was the adaptation of research workflows to fit in with an exceptionally busy service delivery that is operating with limited resources. Whilst seeking guidance from the literature regarding research on deceased populations, it was noted that next of kin of decedents are not formally recognised as a vulnerable group in the existing ethical and legal frameworks in South Africa. The authors recommend that research in the forensic mortuary setting is approached using guidance for vulnerable groups, and the benefit to risk standard needs to be strongly justified. Lastly, when planning forensic genetics research, consideration must be given to the potential of uncovering incidental findings, funding to validate these findings and the feedback of results to family members; the latter of which is recommended to occur through a genetic counsellor. It is hoped that these experiences will contribute towards a formal framework for conducting forensic genetic research in medico-legal mortuaries in South Africa.

  2. Understanding policy research in liminal spaces: Think tank responses to diverging principles of legitimacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLevey, John

    2015-04-01

    Research on scientific, social scientific, and technical knowledge is increasingly focused on changes in institutionalized fields, such as the commercialization of university-based knowledge. Much less is known about how organizations produce and promote knowledge in the 'thick boundaries' between fields. In this article, I draw on 53 semi-structured interviews with Canadian think-tank executives, researchers, research fellows, and communication officers to understand how think-tank knowledge work is linked to the liminal spaces between institutionalized fields. First, although think-tank knowledge work has a broadly utilitarian epistemic culture, there are important differences between organizations that see intellectual simplicity and political consistency as the most important marker of credibility, versus those that emphasize inconsistency. A second major difference is between think tanks that argue for the separation of research and communication strategies and those that conflate them from beginning to end, arguably subordinating research to demands from more powerful fields. Finally, think tanks display different degrees of instrumentalism toward the public sphere, with some seeking publicity as an end in itself and others using it as a means to influence elite or public opinion. Together, we can see these differences as responses to diverging principles of legitimacy.

  3. 78 FR 7433 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-01

    ... data collection of NQF 0678 Pressure Ulcer measures beginning October 1, 2012, with the understanding... care, better health, and lower costs through improvement. The six priorities include: making care safer...

  4. Development of a Reference Image Collection Library for Histopathology Image Processing, Analysis and Decision Support Systems Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kostopoulos, Spiros; Ravazoula, Panagiota; Asvestas, Pantelis; Kalatzis, Ioannis; Xenogiannopoulos, George; Cavouras, Dionisis; Glotsos, Dimitris

    2017-06-01

    Histopathology image processing, analysis and computer-aided diagnosis have been shown as effective assisting tools towards reliable and intra-/inter-observer invariant decisions in traditional pathology. Especially for cancer patients, decisions need to be as accurate as possible in order to increase the probability of optimal treatment planning. In this study, we propose a new image collection library (HICL-Histology Image Collection Library) comprising 3831 histological images of three different diseases, for fostering research in histopathology image processing, analysis and computer-aided diagnosis. Raw data comprised 93, 116 and 55 cases of brain, breast and laryngeal cancer respectively collected from the archives of the University Hospital of Patras, Greece. The 3831 images were generated from the most representative regions of the pathology, specified by an experienced histopathologist. The HICL Image Collection is free for access under an academic license at http://medisp.bme.teiath.gr/hicl/ . Potential exploitations of the proposed library may span over a board spectrum, such as in image processing to improve visualization, in segmentation for nuclei detection, in decision support systems for second opinion consultations, in statistical analysis for investigation of potential correlations between clinical annotations and imaging findings and, generally, in fostering research on histopathology image processing and analysis. To the best of our knowledge, the HICL constitutes the first attempt towards creation of a reference image collection library in the field of traditional histopathology, publicly and freely available to the scientific community.

  5. Students' understandings of electrochemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Grady-Morris, Kathryn

    Electrochemistry is considered by students to be a difficult topic in chemistry. This research was a mixed methods study guided by the research question: At the end of a unit of study, what are students' understandings of electrochemistry? The framework of analysis used for the qualitative and quantitative data collected in this study was comprised of three categories: types of knowledge used in problem solving, levels of representation of knowledge in chemistry (macroscopic, symbolic, and particulate), and alternative conceptions. Although individually each of the three categories has been reported in previous studies, the contribution of this study is the inter-relationships among them. Semi-structured, task-based interviews were conducted while students were setting up and operating electrochemical cells in the laboratory, and a two-tiered, multiple-choice diagnostic instrument was designed to identify alternative conceptions that students held at the end of the unit. For familiar problems, those involving routine voltaic cells, students used a working-forwards problem-solving strategy, two or three levels of representation of knowledge during explanations, scored higher on both procedural and conceptual knowledge questions in the diagnostic instrument, and held fewer alternative conceptions related to the operation of these cells. For less familiar problems, those involving non-routine voltaic cells and electrolytic cells, students approached problem-solving with procedural knowledge, used only one level of representation of knowledge when explaining the operation of these cells, scored higher on procedural knowledge than conceptual knowledge questions in the diagnostic instrument, and held a greater number of alternative conceptions. Decision routines that involved memorized formulas and procedures were used to solve both quantitative and qualitative problems and the main source of alternative conceptions in this study was the overgeneralization of theory

  6. Sympathy, empathy, and compassion: A grounded theory study of palliative care patients' understandings, experiences, and preferences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinclair, Shane; Beamer, Kate; Hack, Thomas F; McClement, Susan; Raffin Bouchal, Shelley; Chochinov, Harvey M; Hagen, Neil A

    2017-05-01

    Compassion is considered an essential element in quality patient care. One of the conceptual challenges in healthcare literature is that compassion is often confused with sympathy and empathy. Studies comparing and contrasting patients' perspectives of sympathy, empathy, and compassion are largely absent. The aim of this study was to investigate advanced cancer patients' understandings, experiences, and preferences of "sympathy," "empathy," and "compassion" in order to develop conceptual clarity for future research and to inform clinical practice. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and then independently analyzed by the research team using the three stages and principles of Straussian grounded theory. Data were collected from 53 advanced cancer inpatients in a large urban hospital. Constructs of sympathy, empathy, and compassion contain distinct themes and sub-themes. Sympathy was described as an unwanted, pity-based response to a distressing situation, characterized by a lack of understanding and self-preservation of the observer. Empathy was experienced as an affective response that acknowledges and attempts to understand individual's suffering through emotional resonance. Compassion enhanced the key facets of empathy while adding distinct features of being motivated by love, the altruistic role of the responder, action, and small, supererogatory acts of kindness. Patients reported that unlike sympathy, empathy and compassion were beneficial, with compassion being the most preferred and impactful. Although sympathy, empathy, and compassion are used interchangeably and frequently conflated in healthcare literature, patients distinguish and experience them uniquely. Understanding patients' perspectives is important and can guide practice, policy reform, and future research.

  7. Understanding Qualitative Research: A School Nurse Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broussard, Lisa

    2006-01-01

    More school nurses are engaging in the generation of research, and their studies increasingly are using qualitative methods to describe various areas of practice. This article provides an overview of 4 major qualitative methods: ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and historical research. Examples of school nursing research studies that…

  8. Understanding Research Excellence at IDRC

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

    KFerguson

    2009-01-18

    Jan 18, 2009 ... The primary intended users of this study are IDRC program staffand the ... type of framework, and some parameters that anchor the concepts.” ... (e.g., the complex health care delivery system), we have little reason to ..... defines or views research excellence and related concepts such as rigor and impact;.

  9. Using Twitter for Demographic and Social Science Research: Tools for Data Collection and Processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormick, Tyler H; Lee, Hedwig; Cesare, Nina; Shojaie, Ali; Spiro, Emma S

    2017-08-01

    Despite recent and growing interest in using Twitter to examine human behavior and attitudes, there is still significant room for growth regarding the ability to leverage Twitter data for social science research. In particular, gleaning demographic information about Twitter users-a key component of much social science research-remains a challenge. This article develops an accurate and reliable data processing approach for social science researchers interested in using Twitter data to examine behaviors and attitudes, as well as the demographic characteristics of the populations expressing or engaging in them. Using information gathered from Twitter users who state an intention to not vote in the 2012 presidential election, we describe and evaluate a method for processing data to retrieve demographic information reported by users that is not encoded as text (e.g., details of images) and evaluate the reliability of these techniques. We end by assessing the challenges of this data collection strategy and discussing how large-scale social media data may benefit demographic researchers.

  10. Spaceflight Microbiology: Benefits for Long Duration Spaceflight and Our Understanding of Microorganisms on Earth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ott, C. Mark

    2014-01-01

    Spaceflight microbiology is composed of both operational and experimental components that complement each other in our understanding of microbial interactions and their responses in the microgravity of spaceflight. Operationally, efforts to mitigate microbiological risk to the crew and the spacecraft have historically focused on minimizing the number of detectable organisms, relying heavily on preventative measures, including appropriate vehicle design, crew quarantine prior to flight, and stringent microbial monitoring. Preflight monitoring targets have included the astronauts, spaceflight foods, potable water systems, the vehicle air and surfaces, and the cargo carried aboard the spacecraft. This approach has been very successful for earlier missions; however, the construction and long-term habitation of the International Space Station (ISS) has created the need for additional inflight monitoring of the environment and potable water systems using hardware designed for both in-flight microbial enumeration and sample collection and return to Earth. In addition to operational activities, the ISS is providing a research platform to advance our understanding of microbiomes in the built environment. Adding to the research possibilities of this system are multiple reports of unique changes in microbial gene expression and phenotypic responses, including virulence and biofilm formation, in response to spaceflight culture. The tremendous potential of the ISS research platform led the National Research Council to recommend that NASA utilize the ISS as a microbial observatory. Collectively, the findings from operational and research activities on the ISS are expected to both enable future space exploration and translate to basic and applied research on Earth.

  11. Forests under climate change and air pollution: Gaps in understanding and future directions for research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Matyssek, R.; Wieser, G.; Calfapietra, C.

    2012-01-01

    Forests in Europe face significant changes in climate, which in interaction with air quality changes, may significantly affect forest productivity, stand composition and carbon sequestration in both vegetation and soils. Identified knowledge gaps and research needs include: (i) interaction between...... changes in air quality (trace gas concentrations), climate and other site factors on forest ecosystem response, (ii) significance of biotic processes in system response, (iii) tools for mechanistic and diagnostic understanding and upscaling, and (iv) the need for unifying modelling and empirical research...... for synthesis. This position paper highlights the above focuses, including the global dimension of air pollution as part of climate change and the need for knowledge transfer to enable reliable risk assessment. A new type of research site in forest ecosystems (“supersites”) will be conducive to addressing...

  12. 75 FR 53305 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-31

    ... proposed information collection project: ``AHRQ Grants Reporting System (GRS).'' In accordance with the... consistent with the AHRQ enterprise architecture model and aligned with AHRQ systems development standards... Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research...

  13. Understanding Cancer Prognosis

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Questions to Ask about Your Diagnosis Research Understanding Cancer Prognosis Oncologist Anthony L. Back, M.D., a ... for provider care teams (PDF-210KB). Understanding Your Cancer Prognosis Video View this video on YouTube. Three ...

  14. Collective excitations in nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chomaz, Ph.

    1997-01-01

    The properties of the nucleus cannot be reduced to the properties of its constituents: it is a complex system. The fact that many properties of the nucleus are consequences of the existence of mean-field potential is a manifestation of this complexity. In particular the nucleons can thus self-organize in collective motions such as giant resonances. Therefore the study of these collective motions is a very good to understand the properties of the nucleus itself. The purpose of this article was to stress some aspects of these collective vibrations. In particular we have studied how an ensemble of fermions as the nucleus can self-organize in collective vibrations which are behaving like a gas of bosons in weak interaction. The understanding of these phenomena remains one of the important subjects of actually in the context of quantal systems in strong interaction. In particular the study of the states with one or two vibration quanta provides a direct information on the structure if nuclei close to their ground states. (author)

  15. Collective excitations in nuclei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chomaz, Ph

    1997-12-31

    The properties of the nucleus cannot be reduced to the properties of its constituents: it is a complex system. The fact that many properties of the nucleus are consequences of the existence of mean-field potential is a manifestation of this complexity. In particular the nucleons can thus self-organize in collective motions such as giant resonances. Therefore the study of these collective motions is a very good to understand the properties of the nucleus itself. The purpose of this article was to stress some aspects of these collective vibrations. In particular we have studied how an ensemble of fermions as the nucleus can self-organize in collective vibrations which are behaving like a gas of bosons in weak interaction. The understanding of these phenomena remains one of the important subjects of actually in the context of quantal systems in strong interaction. In particular the study of the states with one or two vibration quanta provides a direct information on the structure if nuclei close to their ground states. (author) 270 refs.

  16. The potential for scaling up a fog collection system on the eastern escarpment of Eritrea

    OpenAIRE

    Fessehaye, Mussie; Abdul-Wahab, Sabah A.; Savage, Michael J.; Kohler, Thomas; Tesfay, Selamawit

    2015-01-01

    Fog is an untapped natural resource. A number of studies have been undertaken to understand its potential as an alternative or complementary water source. In 2007, a pilot fog-collection project was implemented in 2 villages on the Eastern Escarpment of Eritrea. The government of Eritrea, buoyed by the project’s positive results, has encouraged research into and application of fog-collection technologies to alleviate water-supply problems in this region. In 2014, this study was undertaken to ...

  17. The REporting of studies Conducted using Observational Routinely-collected health Data (RECORD statement.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric I Benchimol

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Routinely collected health data, obtained for administrative and clinical purposes without specific a priori research goals, are increasingly used for research. The rapid evolution and availability of these data have revealed issues not addressed by existing reporting guidelines, such as Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE. The REporting of studies Conducted using Observational Routinely collected health Data (RECORD statement was created to fill these gaps. RECORD was created as an extension to the STROBE statement to address reporting items specific to observational studies using routinely collected health data. RECORD consists of a checklist of 13 items related to the title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion section of articles, and other information required for inclusion in such research reports. This document contains the checklist and explanatory and elaboration information to enhance the use of the checklist. Examples of good reporting for each RECORD checklist item are also included herein. This document, as well as the accompanying website and message board (http://www.record-statement.org, will enhance the implementation and understanding of RECORD. Through implementation of RECORD, authors, journals editors, and peer reviewers can encourage transparency of research reporting.

  18. The NASA Ames Research Center Institutional Scientific Collection: History, Best Practices and Scientific Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rask, Jon C.; Chakravarty, Kaushik; French, Alison; Choi, Sungshin; Stewart, Helen

    2017-01-01

    The NASA Ames Life Sciences Institutional Scientific Collection (ISC), which is composed of the Ames Life Sciences Data Archive (ALSDA) and the Biospecimen Storage Facility (BSF), is managed by the Space Biosciences Division and has been operational since 1993. The ALSDA is responsible for archiving information and animal biospecimens collected from life science spaceflight experiments and matching ground control experiments. Both fixed and frozen spaceflight and ground tissues are stored in the BSF within the ISC. The ALSDA also manages a Biospecimen Sharing Program, performs curation and long-term storage operations, and makes biospecimens available to the scientific community for research purposes via the Life Science Data Archive public website (https:lsda.jsc.nasa.gov). As part of our best practices, a viability testing plan has been developed for the ISC, which will assess the quality of archived samples. We expect that results from the viability testing will catalyze sample use, enable broader science community interest, and improve operational efficiency of the ISC. The current viability test plan focuses on generating disposition recommendations and is based on using ribonucleic acid (RNA) integrity number (RIN) scores as a criteria for measurement of biospecimen viablity for downstream functional analysis. The plan includes (1) sorting and identification of candidate samples, (2) conducting a statiscally-based power analysis to generate representaive cohorts from the population of stored biospecimens, (3) completion of RIN analysis on select samples, and (4) development of disposition recommendations based on the RIN scores. Results of this work will also support NASA open science initiatives and guides development of the NASA Scientific Collections Directive (a policy on best practices for curation of biological collections). Our RIN-based methodology for characterizing the quality of tissues stored in the ISC since the 1980s also creates unique

  19. [Educational needs assessment on research ethics among nursing researchers].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Ihn Sook; Gu, Mee Ock; Kim, Keum Soon; Lee, Kwang Ja; Yang, Soo

    2010-08-01

    This study aimed to investigate the educational needs of research ethics among nursing researchers. Convenience sample of 161 nursing professors and 262 master or doctoral nursing students participated in the study. Data was collected with self-reported questionnaire from June to August 2009, and analyzed with descriptive statistics using SPSS WIN (version 14.0). Among 161 nursing professors, about 31.7% has educated nursing ethics in the postgraduate course. The most common course was nursing research or methodology (62.7%), and median education time was 2 hr. Areas that showed difficulty in understanding was the conflict of interest and plagiarism for professors and falsification and fabrication for graduate students. Average knowledge on the research ethics was 75.4 points for professors and 61.6 points for students based on the 100 points. Educational needs of research ethics among nursing professors and students in the postgraduate course was high. We recommend both basic and advanced research ethics educational programs for the nursing researchers. The basic course should be at least 6 hr and include various cases and something to discuss.

  20. Yarning/Aboriginal storytelling: towards an understanding of an Indigenous perspective and its implications for research practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geia, Lynore K; Hayes, Barbara; Usher, Kim

    2013-12-01

    There is increasing recognition of Indigenous perspectives from various parts of the world in relation to storytelling, research and its effects on practice. The recent emergence of storytelling or yarning as a research method in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island studies and other Indigenous peoples of the world is gaining momentum. Narratives, stories, storytelling and yarning are emerging methods in research and has wide ranging potential to shape conventional research discourse making research more meaningful and accessible for researchers. In this paper we argue for the importance of Indigenous research methods and Indigenous method(ology), within collaborative respectful partnerships with non-Indigenous researchers. It is imperative to take these challenging steps together towards better outcomes for Indigenous people and their communities. In the Australian context we as researchers cannot afford to allow the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and mainstream Australia health outcomes to grow even wider. One such pathway is the inclusion of Aboriginal storytelling or yarning from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait perspective within Indigenous and non-Indigenous research paradigms. Utilising Aboriginal storytelling or yarning will provide deeper understanding; complementing a two-way research paradigm for collaborative research. Furthermore, it has significant social implications for research and clinical practice amongst Indigenous populations; thus complementing the biomedical medical paradigm.

  1. Understanding palliative care on the heart failure care team: an innovative research methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lingard, Lorelei A; McDougall, Allan; Schulz, Valerie; Shadd, Joshua; Marshall, Denise; Strachan, Patricia H; Tait, Glendon R; Arnold, J Malcolm; Kimel, Gil

    2013-05-01

    There is a growing call to integrate palliative care for patients with advanced heart failure (HF). However, the knowledge to inform integration efforts comes largely from interview and survey research with individual patients and providers. This work has been critically important in raising awareness of the need for integration, but it is insufficient to inform solutions that must be enacted not by isolated individuals but by complex care teams. Research methods are urgently required to support systematic exploration of the experiences of patients with HF, family caregivers, and health care providers as they interact as a care team. To design a research methodology that can support systematic exploration of the experiences of patients with HF, caregivers, and health care providers as they interact as a care team. This article describes in detail a methodology that we have piloted and are currently using in a multisite study of HF care teams. We describe three aspects of the methodology: the theoretical framework, an innovative sampling strategy, and an iterative system of data collection and analysis that incorporates four data sources and four analytical steps. We anticipate that this innovative methodology will support groundbreaking research in both HF care and other team settings in which palliative integration efforts are emerging for patients with advanced nonmalignant disease. Copyright © 2013 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Do medical students really understand plagiarism? - Case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badea, Oana

    2017-01-01

    In the last decade, more and more medicine students are involved in research, either in the form of a research project within specialized courses or as a scientific article to be presented at student international conferences or published in prestigious medical journals. The present study included 250 2nd year medical students, currently studying within the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania. There were collected 239 responses, with a response rate of 95.6%. In our study, the results showed that foreign students within the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova did have some issues understanding plagiarism with fewer foreign students (34%) than Romanian students (66%) recognizing that simply changing words does not avoid plagiarism. In our opinion, there should be put more emphasis upon plagiarism implications and its aspects, as well, with a permanent order to try to prevent future attempts of plagiarizing among medical students as future researchers within the medical science field.

  3. Theory and research in audiology education: understanding and representing complexity through informed methodological decisions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Stella L

    2013-05-01

    The discipline of audiology has the opportunity to embark on research in education from an informed perspective, learning from professions that began this journey decades ago. The goal of this article is to position our discipline as a new member in the academic field of health professional education (HPE), with much to learn and contribute. In this article, I discuss the need for theory in informing HPE research. I also stress the importance of balancing our research goals by selecting appropriate methodologies for relevant research questions, to ensure that we respect the complexity of social processes inherent in HPE. Examples of relevant research questions are used to illustrate the need to consider alternative methodologies and to rethink the traditional hierarchy of evidence. I also provide an example of the thought processes and decisions that informed the design of an educational research study using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. As audiology enters the scholarly field of HPE, we need to arm ourselves with some of the knowledge and perspective that informs the field. Thus, we need to broaden our conceptions of what we consider to be appropriate styles of academic writing, relevant research questions, and valid evidence. Also, if we are to embark on qualitative inquiry into audiology education (or other audiology topics), we need to ensure that we conduct this research with an adequate understanding of the theories and methodologies informing such approaches. We must strive to conduct high quality, rigorous qualitative research more often than uninformed, generic qualitative research. These goals are imperative to the advancement of the theoretical landscape of audiology education and evolving the place of audiology in the field of HPE. American Academy of Audiology.

  4. Activity Theory and Qualitative Research in Digital Domains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sam, Cecile

    2012-01-01

    Understanding the interactions between people, computer-mediated communication, and online life requires that researchers appropriate a set of methodological tools that would be best suited for capturing and analyzing the phenomenon. However, these tools are not limited to relevant technological forms of data collections and analysis programs; it…

  5. A European Flood Database: facilitating comprehensive flood research beyond administrative boundaries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Hall

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The current work addresses one of the key building blocks towards an improved understanding of flood processes and associated changes in flood characteristics and regimes in Europe: the development of a comprehensive, extensive European flood database. The presented work results from ongoing cross-border research collaborations initiated with data collection and joint interpretation in mind. A detailed account of the current state, characteristics and spatial and temporal coverage of the European Flood Database, is presented. At this stage, the hydrological data collection is still growing and consists at this time of annual maximum and daily mean discharge series, from over 7000 hydrometric stations of various data series lengths. Moreover, the database currently comprises data from over 50 different data sources. The time series have been obtained from different national and regional data sources in a collaborative effort of a joint European flood research agreement based on the exchange of data, models and expertise, and from existing international data collections and open source websites. These ongoing efforts are contributing to advancing the understanding of regional flood processes beyond individual country boundaries and to a more coherent flood research in Europe.

  6. Data Collected in 1959 by English Research Vessels at Serial and Surface Hydrographic Stations (NODC Accession 6900852)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The present volume contains data collected in 1959 by English research vessels at serial and surface hydrographic stations. The data list are preceded by a number of...

  7. Repeatable group differences in the collective behaviour of stickleback shoals across ecological contexts

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Establishing how collective behaviour emerges is central to our understanding of animal societies. Previous research has highlighted how universal interaction rules shape collective behaviour, and that individual differences can drive group functioning. Groups themselves may also differ considerably in their collective behaviour, but little is known about the consistency of such group variation, especially across different ecological contexts that may alter individuals' behavioural responses. Here, we test if randomly composed groups of sticklebacks differ consistently from one another in both their structure and movement dynamics across an open environment, an environment with food, and an environment with food and shelter. Based on high-resolution tracking data of the free-swimming shoals, we found large context-associated changes in the average behaviour of the groups. But despite these changes and limited social familiarity among group members, substantial and predictable behavioural differences between the groups persisted both within and across the different contexts (group-level repeatability): some groups moved consistently faster, more cohesively, showed stronger alignment and/or clearer leadership than other groups. These results suggest that among-group heterogeneity could be a widespread feature in animal societies. Future work that considers group-level variation in collective behaviour may help understand the selective pressures that shape how animal collectives form and function. PMID:29436496

  8. 78 FR 55084 - Proposed Collection; 60-day Comment Request; Data Collection To Understand How NIH Programs Apply...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-09

    ... strategy management, total quality management, change management, organizational assessment and... periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for... enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the...

  9. Report of the First Community Consultation on the Responsible Collection and Use of Samples for Genetic Research, September 25-26, 2000

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greenberg, Judith H.

    2002-05-22

    The First Community Consultation on the Responsible Collection and Use of Samples for Genetic Research was held in Bethesda, Maryland, on September 25-26, 2000. The consultation was convened by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Approximately 120 individuals participated in the consultation, half from a broad range of communities and populations, and half from government. The participants shared their views and concerns about population- and community-based genetic research, expanding the focus of the meeting from the collection and use of blood or other tissue samples for genetic research to broader issues and concerns about the conduct of genetic research in general with populations and communities.

  10. Impact of Hearing Aid Technology on Outcomes in Daily Life II: Speech Understanding and Listening Effort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Jani A; Xu, Jingjing; Cox, Robyn M

    2016-01-01

    Modern hearing aid (HA) devices include a collection of acoustic signal-processing features designed to improve listening outcomes in a variety of daily auditory environments. Manufacturers market these features at successive levels of technological sophistication. The features included in costlier premium hearing devices are designed to result in further improvements to daily listening outcomes compared with the features included in basic hearing devices. However, independent research has not substantiated such improvements. This research was designed to explore differences in speech-understanding and listening-effort outcomes for older adults using premium-feature and basic-feature HAs in their daily lives. For this participant-blinded, repeated, crossover trial 45 older adults (mean age 70.3 years) with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss wore each of four pairs of bilaterally fitted HAs for 1 month. HAs were premium- and basic-feature devices from two major brands. After each 1-month trial, participants' speech-understanding and listening-effort outcomes were evaluated in the laboratory and in daily life. Three types of speech-understanding and listening-effort data were collected: measures of laboratory performance, responses to standardized self-report questionnaires, and participant diary entries about daily communication. The only statistically significant superiority for the premium-feature HAs occurred for listening effort in the loud laboratory condition and was demonstrated for only one of the tested brands. The predominant complaint of older adults with mild-to-moderate hearing impairment is difficulty understanding speech in various settings. The combined results of all the outcome measures used in this research suggest that, when fitted using scientifically based practices, both premium- and basic-feature HAs are capable of providing considerable, but essentially equivalent, improvements to speech understanding and listening effort in daily

  11. Understanding infants' and children's social learning about foods: previous research and new prospects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shutts, Kristin; Kinzler, Katherine D; DeJesus, Jasmine M

    2013-03-01

    Developmental psychologists have devoted significant attention to investigating how children learn from others' actions, emotions, and testimony. Yet most of this research has examined children's socially guided learning about artifacts. The present article focuses on a domain that has received limited attention from those interested in the development of social cognition: food. We begin by reviewing the available literature on infants' and children's development in the food domain and identify situations in which children evidence both successes and failures in their interactions with foods. We focus specifically on the role that other people play in guiding what children eat and argue that understanding patterns of successes and failures in the food domain requires an appreciation of eating as a social phenomenon. We next propose a series of questions for future research and suggest that examining food selection as a social phenomenon can shed light on mechanisms underlying children's learning from others and provide ideas for promoting healthy social relationships and eating behaviors early in development.

  12. Treasures in Archived Histolopathology Collections: Preserving the Past for Future Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Extensive collections of histopathology materials from studies of marine and freshwater mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, and other organisms are archived in the Registry of Tumors in Lower Animals (RTLA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NOAA’s National Marine Fishe...

  13. Reactor Safety Research: Semiannual report, January-June 1986: Reactor Safety Research Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-05-01

    Sandia National Laboratories is conducting, under USNRC sponsorship, phenomenological research related to the safety of commercial nuclear power reactors. The research includes experiments to simulate the phenomenology of accident conditions and the development of analytical models, verified by experiment, which can be used to predict reactor and safety systems performance behavior under abnormal conditions. The objective of this work is to provide NRC requisite data bases and analytical methods to (1) identify and define safety issues, (2) understand the progression of risk-significant accident sequences, and (3) conduct safety assessments. The collective NRC-sponsored effort at Sandia National Laboratories is directed at enhancing the technology base supporting licensing decisions

  14. New biological research and understanding of Papanicolaou's test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Elizabeth R; George, Sophia H; Kobetz, Erin; Xu, Xiang-Xi

    2018-06-01

    The development of the Papanicolaou smear test by Dr. George Nicholas Papanicolaou (1883-1962) is one of the most significant achievements in screening for disease and cancer prevention in history. The Papanicolaou smear has been used for screening of cervical cancer since the 1950s. The test is technically straightforward and practical and based on a simple scientific observation: malignant cells have an aberrant nuclear morphology that can be distinguished from benign cells. Here, we review the scientific understanding that has been achieved and continues to be made on the causes and consequences of abnormal nuclear morphology, the basis of Dr. Papanicolaou's invention. The deformed nuclear shape is caused by the loss of lamina and nuclear envelope structural proteins. The consequences of a nuclear envelope defect include chromosomal numerical instability, altered chromatin organization and gene expression, and increased cell mobility because of a malleable nuclear envelope. HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) infection is recognized as the key etiology in the development of cervical cancer. Persistent HPV infection causes disruption of the nuclear lamina, which presents as a change in nuclear morphology detectable by a Papanicolaou smear. Thus, the causes and consequences of nuclear deformation are now linked to the mechanisms of viral carcinogenesis, and are still undergoing active investigation to reveal the details. Recently a statue was installed in front of the Papanicolaou's Cancer Research Building to honor the inventor. Remarkably, the invention nearly 60 years ago by Dr. Papanicolaou still exerts clinical impacts and inspires scientific inquiries. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Understanding factors associated with the translation of cardiovascular research: a multinational case study approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Funders of health research increasingly seek to understand how best to allocate resources in order to achieve maximum value from their funding. We built an international consortium and developed a multinational case study approach to assess benefits arising from health research. We used that to facilitate analysis of factors in the production of research that might be associated with translating research findings into wider impacts, and the complexities involved. Methods We built on the Payback Framework and expanded its application through conducting co-ordinated case studies on the payback from cardiovascular and stroke research in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. We selected a stratified random sample of projects from leading medical research funders. We devised a series of innovative steps to: minimize the effect of researcher bias; rate the level of impacts identified in the case studies; and interrogate case study narratives to identify factors that correlated with achieving high or low levels of impact. Results Twenty-nine detailed case studies produced many and diverse impacts. Over the 15 to 20 years examined, basic biomedical research has a greater impact than clinical research in terms of academic impacts such as knowledge production and research capacity building. Clinical research has greater levels of wider impact on health policies, practice, and generating health gains. There was no correlation between knowledge production and wider impacts. We identified various factors associated with high impact. Interaction between researchers and practitioners and the public is associated with achieving high academic impact and translation into wider impacts, as is basic research conducted with a clinical focus. Strategic thinking by clinical researchers, in terms of thinking through pathways by which research could potentially be translated into practice, is associated with high wider impact. Finally, we identified the complexity of

  16. Profile of Metacognition of Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers in Understanding the Concept of Integral Calculus with Regard Gender Differences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misu, L.; Budayasa, I. K.; Lukito, A.

    2018-01-01

    This research is to describe metacognition profile of female and male mathematics’ pre-service teachers in understanding the concept of integral calculus. The subjects of this study are one female and 1 male mathematics’ pre-service teachers who have studied integral calculus. This research type is an explorative study with the qualitative approach. The main data collection of this research was obtained by using Interview technique. In addition, there are supporting data which is the result of the written work of research subjects (SP) in understanding the question of integral calculus. The results of this study are as follows: There is a difference in metacognition profiles between male and female mathematics’ pre-service teachers in the understanding concept of integral calculus in the interpreting category, especially the definite integral concept. While in the category of exemplifying, there is no difference in metacognition profile between male and female mathematics’ pre-service teachers either the definite integral concept and the indefinite integral concept.

  17. Preservice Teachers' Understanding of Variable

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Sue; Bergman, Judy

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the research on middle school students' understanding of variables and explores preservice elementary and middle school teachers' knowledge of variables. According to research studies, middle school students have limited understanding of variables. Many studies have examined the performance of middle school students and offered…

  18. Data measured on water collected from eastern Mojave Desert, California

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rose, Tim P. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2017-08-17

    In March of 2000 field collection of water from the Eastern Mojave Desert resulted in the measurement of stable isotope, radiocarbon, tritium, and limited dissolved noble gases. This work was follow-on to previous studies on similar systems in southern Nevada associated with the Nevada Test Site (Davisson et al., 1999; Rose and Davisson, 2003). The data for groundwater from wells and springs was never formally published and is therefore tabulated in Table 1 in order to be recorded in public record. In addition 4 years of remote precipitation data was collected for stable isotopes and is included in Table 2. These studies, along with many parallel and subsequent ones using isotopes and elemental concentrations, are all related to the general research area of tracing sources and quantifying transport times of natural and man-made materials in the environment. This type of research has direct relevance in characterizing environmental contamination, understanding resource development and protection, designing early detection in WMD related terrorism, and application in forensics analysis.

  19. PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ COGNITIVE STRUCTURES CONCERNING PROTEIN SYNTHESIS AND THEIR DEGREE OF UNDERSTANDING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cem Gerçek

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of education is to actualise meaningful learning. Therefore, researching the issues on how students process information and how they configure it is important for meaningful learning. The issue of protein synthesis contains a number of abstract topics and concepts. Hence, it is important in biology teaching to be informed of students’ cognitive structures concerning protein synthesis. This research aims to analyse prospective teachers’ cognitive structures about protein synthesis and their degree of understanding the subject. The research group was composed of 17 volunteering prospective teachers who had been chosen through purposeful sampling. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews. Flow maps and content analysis were used in analysing the data. The results demonstrated that prospective teachers had too many misconceptions about protein synthesis and that their knowledge extent and rich connection are inadequate. The prospective teachers’ degree of understanding protein synthesis was divided into three categories. The results obtained in this research suggested that teachers should be careful in teaching the subject of protein synthesis. Students’ prior knowledge and their misconceptions should be determined and content or contexts to facilitate them to learn an abstract subject such as protein synthesis should be presented.

  20. SUPPORTING STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF LINEAR EQUATIONS WITH ONE VARIABLE USING ALGEBRA TILES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sari Saraswati

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This research aimed to describe how algebra tiles can support students’ understanding of linear equations with one variable. This article is a part of a larger research on learning design of linear equations with one variable using algebra tiles combined with balancing method. Therefore, it will merely discuss one activity focused on how students use the algebra tiles to find a method to solve linear equations with one variable. Design research was used as an approach in this study. It consists of three phases, namely preliminary design, teaching experiment and retrospective analysis. Video registrations, students’ written works, pre-test, post-test, field notes, and interview are technic to collect data. The data were analyzed by comparing the hypothetical learning trajectory (HLT and the actual learning process. The result shows that algebra tiles could supports students’ understanding to find the formal solution of linear equation with one variable.Keywords: linear equation with one variable, algebra tiles, design research, balancing method, HLT DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.7.1.2814.19-30

  1. Understanding and Applying Research Paradigms in Educational Contexts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kivunja, Charles; Kuyini, Ahmed Bawa

    2017-01-01

    The concept of research paradigm is one that many higher degree research students, and even early career researchers, find elusive to articulate, and challenging to apply in their research proposals. Adopting an ethnographic and hermeneutic methodology, the present paper draws upon our experiences as lecturers in Research Methods over many years,…

  2. Understanding the workplace culture of a special care nursery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Valerie J; McCormack, Brendan G; Ives, Glenice

    2005-04-01

    This paper presents findings from the first phase of a research study focusing on implementation and evaluation of emancipatory practice development strategies. Understanding the culture of practice is essential to undertaking effective developments in practice. Culture is a dominant feature of discussions about modernizing health care, yet few studies have been undertaken that systematically evaluate the development of effective practice cultures. The study intervention is that of emancipatory practice development with an integrated evaluation approach based on Realistic Evaluation. The aim of Realistic Evaluation is to evaluate relationships between Context (setting), Mechanism (process characteristics) and Outcome (arising from the context-mechanism configuration). This first phase of the study focuses on uncovering the context (in particular the culture) of the Special Care Nursery in order to evaluate the emancipatory practice development processes and outcomes. Data collection methods included survey, participant observation and interview. Cognitive mapping, constant comparative method and coding were used to analyse the data. Findings. Four key categories were identified: Teamwork, Learning in Practice, Inevitability of Change and Family-Centred Care and collectively these formed a central category of Core Values and Beliefs. A number of themes were identified in each category, and reflected tensions that existed between differing values and beliefs within the culture of the unit. Understanding values and beliefs is an important part of understanding a workplace culture. Whilst survey methods are capable of outlining espoused workplace characteristics, observation of staff interactions and perceptions gives an understanding of culture as a living entity manifested through interpersonal relationships. Attempts at changing workplace cultures should start from the clarification of values held among staff in that culture.

  3. Data collection and evaluation for experimental computer science research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zelkowitz, Marvin V.

    1983-01-01

    The Software Engineering Laboratory was monitoring software development at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center since 1976. The data collection activities of the Laboratory and some of the difficulties of obtaining reliable data are described. In addition, the application of this data collection process to a current prototyping experiment is reviewed.

  4. Inconsistencies in quality of life data collection in clinical trials: a potential source of bias? Interviews with research nurses and trialists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyte, Derek; Ives, Jonathan; Draper, Heather; Keeley, Thomas; Calvert, Melanie

    2013-01-01

    Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as health-related quality of life (HRQL) are increasingly used to evaluate treatment effectiveness in clinical trials, are valued by patients, and may inform important decisions in the clinical setting. It is of concern, therefore, that preliminary evidence, gained from group discussions at UK-wide Medical Research Council (MRC) quality of life training days, suggests there are inconsistent standards of HRQL data collection in trials and appropriate training and education is often lacking. Our objective was to investigate these reports, to determine if they represented isolated experiences, or were indicative of a potentially wider problem. We undertook a qualitative study, conducting 26 semi-structured interviews with research nurses, data managers, trial coordinators and research facilitators involved in the collection and entry of HRQL data in clinical trials, across one primary care NHS trust, two secondary care NHS trusts and two clinical trials units in the UK. We used conventional content analysis to analyze and interpret our data. Our study participants reported (1) inconsistent standards in HRQL measurement, both between, and within, trials, which appeared to risk the introduction of bias; (2), difficulties in dealing with HRQL data that raised concern for the well-being of the trial participant, which in some instances led to the delivery of non-protocol driven co-interventions, (3), a frequent lack of HRQL protocol content and appropriate training and education of trial staff, and (4) that HRQL data collection could be associated with emotional and/or ethical burden. Our findings suggest there are inconsistencies in the standards of HRQL data collection in some trials resulting from a general lack of HRQL-specific protocol content, training and education. These inconsistencies could lead to biased HRQL trial results. Future research should aim to develop HRQL guidelines and training programmes aimed at supporting

  5. Undertaking qualitative health research in social virtual worlds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McElhinney, Evelyn; Cheater, Francine M; Kidd, Lisa

    2014-06-01

    This paper discusses the methodological challenges of using the 3D social virtual world Second Life for research and offers some solutions on a range of research issues including research ethics committee approval, gaining consent, recruitment of sample, data collection and engagement with 'in - world culture'. The attraction of social virtual worlds to researchers is their ability to mimic the physical world, as they, are seen as 'places' where people have a feeling of presence (being there) and social presence (being there with others) through the use of a 'customisable' avatar (digital self-representation). Emerging research demonstrating the persuasive nature of avatars on health behaviours through virtual worlds, online games and the 3D web has increased the use of and interest in these areas for delivering health information, advice and support. However, conducting research can be challenging in a 3D world where people are represented as anonymous avatars in an environment unlike any other online media. 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted in Second Life from September 2011-June 2012. Nurses wishing to undertake research in social virtual worlds should spend time in-world to acquire technical skills and gain an understanding of the culture of the world. Our experience of an interview-based study in virtual worlds indicates that researchers require several virtual world technical skills to create innovative tools to recruit, gain consent and collect data and an understanding of in-world culture, language and social norms to increase the chances of successful research. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Marketing research of consumer perception

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodić Jelena

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Perception involves the collection, processing and interpretation of information through sensory receptors and represents the reality of an individual. Collecting customer information is imperative for marketing, because consumers are in the focus of defining all its objectives, strategies and plans. The result of the perception depends on a number of factors and that is why people do not experience stimuli in the same way. A marketing research of consumer perceptions has been carried out in order to identify the habits and understand the behavior of consumers when choosing products with special emphasis on the influence of perception, stimuli from the environment and perceptions of risk in their decision. .

  7. Collectible toys and decisions to share: I will gift you one to expand my set.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAlister, Anna R; Cornwell, T Bettina; Cornain, Emilita Krisanti

    2011-03-01

    Two studies were used to examine the collecting behaviour of preschool children. Prior studies of collecting have defined the behaviour as exhibited by older children and adults. To understand childhood collecting, existing theoretical perspectives were discussed in terms of how they might apply to children's behaviour as collectors. Results showed that some preschool children are motivated to engage in collecting and possess the developmental capacities required for successful collecting. Individual differences in executive functioning (Study 1, N= 57) and theory of mind (Study 2, N= 46) explained why some preschoolers were more oriented towards collecting than others. Study 2 showed that the motivational pull of collectible toys can be very strong, with some children agreeing to pay the 'cost' of sharing with a confederate child in order to obtain a collectible toy. This research highlights similarities and differences between adult and child collecting. Suggestions are provided for parents and for policy considerations regarding the appropriateness of marketing collectible toys to preschoolers. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

  8. Research Plans for Improving Understanding of Effects of Very Low-Frequency Noise of Heavy Lift Rotorcraft

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fidell, Sanford; Horonieff, Richard D.; Schmitz, Fredric H.

    2010-01-01

    This report reviews the English-language technical literature on infrasonic and low-frequency noise effects; identifies the most salient effects of noise produced by a future large civil tiltrotor aircraft on crew, passengers, and communities near landing areas; and recommends research needed to improve understanding of the effects of such noise on passengers, crew, and residents of areas near landing pads.

  9. Social Relations at the Collective Level: The Meaning and Measurement of Collective Control in Research on the Psychosocial Work Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Per Øystein Saksvik

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we suggest that organizational-level social relations should be defined and measured as workplace norms. We base this argument on new research on the components of the psychosocial work environment and on the availability of new techniques for measuring and analyzing workplace norms as organizational properties. Workplace norms emerge from interactions and negotiations among organizational actors, through which patterns of behavior, attitudes, and perspectives become defined as legitimate. This is an underestimated dimension of the psychosocial work environment that should be assessed with two types of data: self-reports by employees of their experiences in the workplace (task-level control and self-reports by employees and employers of collective or group-level norms. Hierarchical linear modeling is an especially useful tool for analyzing the relationships between workplace norms and different organizational outcomes because it allows researchers to separate the effects of individual-level variables from group or organizational-level factors. Our approach is anchored in the Nordic perspective of the work environment developed over the past 50 years.

  10. Understanding mechanisms of autoimmunity through translational research in vitiligo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strassner, James P; Harris, John E

    2016-01-01

    Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease of the skin that leads to life-altering depigmentation and remains difficult to treat. However, clinical observations and translational studies over 30-40 years have led to the development of an insightful working model of disease pathogenesis: Genetic risk spanning both immune and melanocyte functions is pushed over a threshold by known and suspected environmental factors to initiate autoimmune T cell-mediated killing of melanocytes. While under cellular stress, melanocytes appear to signal innate immunity to activate T cells. Once the autoimmune T cell response is established, the IFN-γ-STAT1-CXCL10 signaling axis becomes the primary inflammatory pathway driving both progression and maintenance of vitiligo. This pathway is a tempting target for both existing and developing pharmaceuticals, but further detailing how melanocytes signal their own demise may also lead to new therapeutic targets. Research in vitiligo may be the future key to understand the pathogenesis of organ-specific autoimmunity, as vitiligo is common, reversible, progresses over the life of the individual, has been relatively well-defined, and is quite easy to study using translational and clinical approaches. What is revealed in these studies can lead to innovative treatments and also help elucidate the principles that underlie similar organ-specific autoimmune diseases, especially in cases where the target organ is less accessible. PMID:27764715

  11. Specimen collection for induced pluripotent stem cell research: harmonizing the approach to informed consent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowenthal, Justin; Lipnick, Scott; Rao, Mahendra; Hull, Sara Chandros

    2012-05-01

    Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have elicited excitement in both the scientific and ethics communities for their potential to advance basic and translational research. They have been hailed as an alternative to derivation from embryos that provides a virtually unlimited source of pluripotent stem cells for research and therapeutic applications. However, research with iPSCs is ethically complex, uniquely encompassing the concerns associated with genomics, immortalized cell lines, transplantation, human reproduction, and biobanking. Prospective donation of tissue specimens for iPSC research thus requires an approach to informed consent that is constructed for this context. Even in the nascent stages of this field, approaches to informed consent have been variable in ways that threaten the simultaneous goals of protecting donors and safeguarding future research and translation, and investigators are seeking guidance. We address this need by providing concrete recommendations for informed consent that balance the perspectives of a variety of stakeholders. Our work combines analysis of consent form language collected from investigators worldwide with a conceptual balancing of normative ethical concerns, policy precedents, and scientific realities. Our framework asks people to consent prospectively to a broad umbrella of foreseeable research, including future therapeutic applications, with recontact possible in limited circumstances. We argue that the long-term goals of regenerative medicine, interest in sharing iPSC lines, and uncertain landscape of future research all would be served by a framework of ongoing communication with donors. Our approach balances the goals of iPSC and regenerative medicine researchers with the interests of individual research participants.

  12. Investigating student understanding of simple harmonic motion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Somroob, S.; Wattanakasiwich, P.

    2017-09-01

    This study aimed to investigate students’ understanding and develop instructional material on a topic of simple harmonic motion. Participants were 60 students taking a course on vibrations and wave and 46 students taking a course on Physics 2 and 28 students taking a course on Fundamental Physics 2 on the 2nd semester of an academic year 2016. A 16-question conceptual test and tutorial activities had been developed from previous research findings and evaluated by three physics experts in teaching mechanics before using in a real classroom. Data collection included both qualitative and quantitative methods. Item analysis and whole-test analysis were determined from student responses in the conceptual test. As results, most students had misconceptions about restoring force and they had problems connecting mathematical solutions to real motions, especially phase angle. Moreover, they had problems with interpreting mechanical energy from graphs and diagrams of the motion. These results were used to develop effective instructional materials to enhance student abilities in understanding simple harmonic motion in term of multiple representations.

  13. A Microscope or a Mirror?: A Question of Study Validity Regarding the Use of Dissertation Citation Analysis for Evaluating Research Collections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beile, Penny M.; Boote, David N.; Killingsworth, Elizabeth K.

    2004-01-01

    Use of dissertation citation analysis for collection evaluation was investigated. Analysis of 1842 education dissertation citations from three institutions suggests the assumption of doctoral student expertise in their use of the scholarly literature may be overstated. For purposes of developing research collections, dependence on dissertation…

  14. Forests under climate change and air pollution: gaps in understanding and future directions for research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matyssek, R; Wieser, G; Calfapietra, C; de Vries, W; Dizengremel, P; Ernst, D; Jolivet, Y; Mikkelsen, T N; Mohren, G M J; Le Thiec, D; Tuovinen, J-P; Weatherall, A; Paoletti, E

    2012-01-01

    Forests in Europe face significant changes in climate, which in interaction with air quality changes, may significantly affect forest productivity, stand composition and carbon sequestration in both vegetation and soils. Identified knowledge gaps and research needs include: (i) interaction between changes in air quality (trace gas concentrations), climate and other site factors on forest ecosystem response, (ii) significance of biotic processes in system response, (iii) tools for mechanistic and diagnostic understanding and upscaling, and (iv) the need for unifying modelling and empirical research for synthesis. This position paper highlights the above focuses, including the global dimension of air pollution as part of climate change and the need for knowledge transfer to enable reliable risk assessment. A new type of research site in forest ecosystems ("supersites") will be conducive to addressing these gaps by enabling integration of experimentation and modelling within the soil-plant-atmosphere interface, as well as further model development. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Effect of a Diagram on Primary Students' Understanding About Electric Circuits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preston, Christine Margaret

    2017-09-01

    This article reports on the effect of using a diagram to develop primary students' conceptual understanding about electric circuits. Diagrammatic representations of electric circuits are used for teaching and assessment despite the absence of research on their pedagogical effectiveness with young learners. Individual interviews were used to closely analyse Years 3 and 5 (8-11-year-old) students' explanations about electric circuits. Data was collected from 20 students in the same school providing pre-, post- and delayed post-test dialogue. Students' thinking about electric circuits and changes in their explanations provide insights into the role of diagrams in understanding science concepts. Findings indicate that diagram interaction positively enhanced understanding, challenged non-scientific views and promoted scientific models of electric circuits. Differences in students' understanding about electric circuits were influenced by prior knowledge, meta-conceptual awareness and diagram conventions including a stylistic feature of the diagram used. A significant finding that students' conceptual models of electric circuits were energy rather than current based has implications for electricity instruction at the primary level.

  16. Balancing the Costs of Wildlife Research with the Benefits of Understanding a Panzootic Disease, White-Nose Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeder, DeeAnn M; Field, Kenneth A; Slater, Matthew H

    2016-01-01

    Additional ethical issues surrounding wildlife research compared with biomedical research include consideration of the harm of research to the ecosystem as a whole and the benefits of conservation to the same species of animals under study. Research on white-nose syndrome in bats provides a case study to apply these considerations to determine whether research that harms ecosystems under crisis is justified. By expanding well-established guidelines for animal and human subjects research, we demonstrate that this research can be considered highly justified. Studies must minimize the amount of harm to the ecosystem while maximizing the knowledge gained. However, the likelihood of direct application of the results of the research for conservation should not necessarily take priority over other considerations, particularly when the entire context of the ecologic disaster is poorly understood. Since the emergence of white-nose syndrome, researchers have made great strides in understanding this panzootic disease and are now in a position to utilize this knowledge to mitigate this wildlife crisis. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Ethical Considerations When Using Social Media for Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammer, Marilyn J

    2017-07-01

    Because of its adaptation across age groups and populations, social media is being used as a venue for the conduction of research studies. The implications for use of social media to streamline data collection and analyses to understand epidemiologic effects of disease are intriguing. Public access to personalized Internet-based searches and conversations for patients with or at risk for cancer can potentially allow providers to target individuals for earlier interventions and improved outcomes. Although publicly posted, the use of personal information to solicit research participants, implement interventions, or abstract information for research studies raises questions regarding maintaining the ethical conduct of research.

  18. Collective Social Entrepreneurship: Arenas for Gendering Social Innovation and Marginalized Women’s Collective Action

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Linda Lundgaard; Banerjee, Swati

    2018-01-01

    This chapter focuses on collective(s) and social entrepreneurship and explores how gendering social innovation through marginalized women’s collective actions might add depth and new insight to our understanding of social innovation. We explore different forms of organizations and collectives...... arenas for participation, negotiation of patriarchy in day-to-day lives and spaces for combating poverty, resource deprivation and exclusion. Our theoretical framing situates a discussion of innovation terms like collective action innovation, social action, social innovation linked to a gendered......' agencies and actions, for the creation of social values through production of welfare services or products via market dynamics through collective action, and for co–creation and co-production of citizenship, environment and livelihood. We picture the chosen organizational entities as hybrid and as possible...

  19. Qualitative Methods in Mental Health Services Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palinkas, Lawrence A.

    2014-01-01

    Qualitative and mixed methods play a prominent role in mental health services research. However, the standards for their use are not always evident, especially for those not trained in such methods. This paper reviews the rationale and common approaches to using qualitative and mixed methods in mental health services and implementation research based on a review of the papers included in this special series along with representative examples from the literature. Qualitative methods are used to provide a “thick description” or depth of understanding to complement breadth of understanding afforded by quantitative methods, elicit the perspective of those being studied, explore issues that have not been well studied, develop conceptual theories or test hypotheses, or evaluate the process of a phenomenon or intervention. Qualitative methods adhere to many of the same principles of scientific rigor as quantitative methods, but often differ with respect to study design, data collection and data analysis strategies. For instance, participants for qualitative studies are usually sampled purposefully rather than at random and the design usually reflects an iterative process alternating between data collection and analysis. The most common techniques for data collection are individual semi-structured interviews, focus groups, document reviews, and participant observation. Strategies for analysis are usually inductive, based on principles of grounded theory or phenomenology. Qualitative methods are also used in combination with quantitative methods in mixed method designs for convergence, complementarity, expansion, development, and sampling. Rigorously applied qualitative methods offer great potential in contributing to the scientific foundation of mental health services research. PMID:25350675

  20. Social and online media research – data, metrics and methods

    OpenAIRE

    Georgeta Drula

    2012-01-01

    Studies and current researches in online digital media and communication science are related to Web 2.0 at least from two perspectives: either to better understand this medium as research object, or to collect data on different topics. Social media can be a tremendous data source and topics for researchers. At the same time, these data are found in multimedia formats on different platforms, are updated continuously, and could be posted by professionals or users. This situation requires differ...

  1. A collection of research reporting, theoretical analysis, and practical applications in science education: Examining qualitative research methods, action research, educator-researcher partnerships, and constructivist learning theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartle, R. Todd

    2007-12-01

    Educator-researcher partnerships are increasingly being used to improve the teaching of science. Chapter 1 provides a summary of the literature concerning partnerships, and examines the justification of qualitative methods in studying these relationships. It also justifies the use of Participatory Action Research (PAR). Empirically-based studies of educator-researcher partnership relationships are rare despite investments in their implementation by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and others. Chapter 2 describes a qualitative research project in which participants in an NSF GK-12 fellowship program were studied using informal observations, focus groups, personal interviews, and journals to identify and characterize the cultural factors that influenced the relationships between the educators and researchers. These factors were organized into ten critical axes encompassing a range of attitudes, behaviors, or values defined by two stereotypical extremes. These axes were: (1) Task Dictates Context vs. Context Dictates Task; (2) Introspection vs. Extroversion; (3) Internal vs. External Source of Success; (4) Prior Planning vs. Implementation Flexibility; (5) Flexible vs. Rigid Time Sense; (6) Focused Time vs. Multi-tasking; (7) Specific Details vs. General Ideas; (8) Critical Feedback vs. Encouragement; (9) Short Procedural vs. Long Content Repetition; and (10) Methods vs. Outcomes are Well Defined. Another ten important stereotypical characteristics, which did not fit the structure of an axis, were identified and characterized. The educator stereotypes were: (1) Rapport/Empathy; (2) Like Kids; (3) People Management; (4) Communication Skills; and (5) Entertaining. The researcher stereotypes were: (1) Community Collaboration; (2) Focus Intensity; (3) Persistent; (4) Pattern Seekers; and (5) Curiosity/Skeptical. Chapter 3 summarizes the research presented in chapter 2 into a practical guide for participants and administrators of educator-researcher partnerships

  2. Qualitative Descriptive Methods in Health Science Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colorafi, Karen Jiggins; Evans, Bronwynne

    2016-07-01

    The purpose of this methodology paper is to describe an approach to qualitative design known as qualitative descriptive that is well suited to junior health sciences researchers because it can be used with a variety of theoretical approaches, sampling techniques, and data collection strategies. It is often difficult for junior qualitative researchers to pull together the tools and resources they need to embark on a high-quality qualitative research study and to manage the volumes of data they collect during qualitative studies. This paper seeks to pull together much needed resources and provide an overview of methods. A step-by-step guide to planning a qualitative descriptive study and analyzing the data is provided, utilizing exemplars from the authors' research. This paper presents steps to conducting a qualitative descriptive study under the following headings: describing the qualitative descriptive approach, designing a qualitative descriptive study, steps to data analysis, and ensuring rigor of findings. The qualitative descriptive approach results in a summary in everyday, factual language that facilitates understanding of a selected phenomenon across disciplines of health science researchers. © The Author(s) 2016.

  3. Implementation and assessment of a yeast orphan gene research project: involving undergraduates in authentic research experiences and progressing our understanding of uncharacterized open reading frames.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowling, Bethany V; Schultheis, Patrick J; Strome, Erin D

    2016-02-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the first eukaryotic organism to be sequenced; however, little progress has been made in recent years in furthering our understanding of all open reading frames (ORFs). From October 2012 to May 2015 the number of verified ORFs had only risen from 75.31% to 78%, while the number of uncharacterized ORFs had decreased from 12.8% to 11% (representing > 700 genes still left in this category; http://www.yeastgenome.org/genomesnapshot). Course-based research has been shown to increase student learning while providing experience with real scientific investigation; however, implementation in large, multi-section courses presents many challenges. This study sought to test the feasibility and effectiveness of incorporating authentic research into a core genetics course, with multiple instructors, to increase student learning and progress our understanding of uncharacterized ORFs. We generated a module-based annotation toolkit and utilized easily accessible bioinformatics tools to predict gene function for uncharacterized ORFs within the Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD). Students were each assigned an uncharacterized ORF, which they annotated using contemporary comparative genomics methodologies, including multiple sequence alignment, conserved domain identification, signal peptide prediction and cellular localization algorithms. Student learning outcomes were measured by quizzes, project reports and presentations, as well as a post-project questionnaire. Our results indicate that the authentic research experience had positive impacts on students' perception of their learning and their confidence to conduct future research. Furthermore, we believe that creation of an online repository and adoption and/or adaptation of this project across multiple researchers and institutions could speed the process of gene function prediction. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. How Do Trend Researchers Conduct Research? The Production of Knowledge in a Controversial Field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michaela Pfadenhauer

    2004-05-01

    Full Text Available The planned research project described in this article focuses on the methods of trend research—not only in a narrow literal sense of techniques of data collection and data evaluation but also in a broader understanding of the logic of knowledge production in this controversial field. Initially trend research can be appointed between market research on the one hand and futurology on the other hand. Criticism regarding trend research as well as its innovative potential is also mentioned. Following the recent studies, trend research is conceived as application-oriented research in a broad sense. As far as the methodology is concerned, the proposed study promises to be an empirically-founded contribution by integrating analysis from sources such as explorative and focused conversations, observations and expert interviews. The study uses the example of trend research and asks the question how research is actually "done" and if it is application oriented or not. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0402366

  5. Recruiting to cohort studies in specialist healthcare services: Lessons learned from clinical research nurses in UK cleft services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zucchelli, Fabio; Rumsey, Nichola; Humphries, Kerry; Bennett, Rhiannon; Davies, Amy; Sandy, Jonathan; Stock, Nicola Marie

    2018-03-01

    To explore the experiences of clinical research nurses recruiting patients in a large specialist care-based cohort study. Longitudinal studies are vital to better understand the aetiology and moderators of health conditions. This need is especially salient for congenital conditions, such as cleft lip and/or palate, where establishing large, comprehensive data sets from birth is vital to improve understanding and to inform interventions. Various barriers exist in recruiting patients to large cohort studies. The role of clinical research nurses embedded within health settings has grown over past decades to facilitate data collection, yet challenges remain. Qualitative descriptive study. Individual semi-structured interviews with 12 clinical research nurses based in 10 National Health Service cleft services across the UK, recruiting to the Cleft Collective Birth Cohort Study. Of seven emergent themes, three highlighted challenges to recruiting patients, another three described facilitative factors, and one theme overlapped challenges and facilitators. Challenges included the life circumstances of potential participants; language barriers; and limited clinical research nurse time for study. Facilitative factors included integrating research into clinical practice; patient information shared with clinical research nurses; and support from the university-based research study team. The theme "Method of data collection" related to both challenges and facilitators. The qualitative data from clinical research nurses recruiting to a large birth cohort study provide helpful practical detail for specialist healthcare teams, specialist nurses, clinical research nurses and researchers looking to optimise recruitment and data collection in longitudinal studies. The findings suggest the importance of specialist clinical services and research study teams cooperating to embed research into everyday clinical practice, without compromising care. This should facilitate patients

  6. Embodied Understanding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Leonard Johnson

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Western culture has inherited a view of understanding as an intellectual cognitive operation of grasping of concepts and their relations. However, cognitive science research has shown that this received intellectualist conception is substantially out of touch with how humans actually make and experience meaning. The view emerging from the mind sciences recognizes that understanding is profoundly embodied, insofar as our conceptualization and reasoning recruit sensory, motor, and affective patterns and processes to structure our understanding of, and engagement with, our world. A psychologically realistic account of understanding must begin with the patterns of ongoing interaction between an organism and its physical and cultural environments and must include both our emotional responses to changes in our body and environment, and also the actions by which we continuously transform our experience. Consequently, embodied understanding is not merely a conceptual/propositional activity of thought, but rather constitutes our most basic way of being in, and engaging with, our surroundings in a deep visceral manner.

  7. Understanding Greenland ice sheet hydrology using an integrated multi-scale approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rennermalm, A K; Moustafa, S E; Mioduszewski, J; Robinson, D A; Chu, V W; Smith, L C; Forster, R R; Hagedorn, B; Harper, J T; Mote, T L; Shuman, C A; Tedesco, M

    2013-01-01

    Improved understanding of Greenland ice sheet hydrology is critically important for assessing its impact on current and future ice sheet dynamics and global sea level rise. This has motivated the collection and integration of in situ observations, model development, and remote sensing efforts to quantify meltwater production, as well as its phase changes, transport, and export. Particularly urgent is a better understanding of albedo feedbacks leading to enhanced surface melt, potential positive feedbacks between ice sheet hydrology and dynamics, and meltwater retention in firn. These processes are not isolated, but must be understood as part of a continuum of processes within an integrated system. This letter describes a systems approach to the study of Greenland ice sheet hydrology, emphasizing component interconnections and feedbacks, and highlighting research and observational needs. (letter)

  8. Pre-service elementary teachers' understanding of scientific inquiry and its role in school science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macaroglu, Esra

    The purpose of this research was to explore pre-service elementary teachers' developing understanding of scientific inquiry within the context of their elementary science teaching and learning. More specifically, the study examined 24 pre-service elementary teachers' emerging understanding of (1) the nature of science and scientific inquiry; (2) the "place" of scientific inquiry in school science; and (3) the roles and responsibilities of teachers and students within an inquiry-based learning environment. Data sources consisted primarily of student-generated artifacts collected throughout the semester, including pre/post-philosophy statements and text-based materials collected from electronic dialogue journals. Individual data sources were open-coded to identify concepts and categories expressed by students. Cross-comparisons were conducted and patterns were identified. Assertions were formed with these patterns. Findings are hopeful in that they suggest pre-service teachers can develop a more contemporary view of scientific inquiry when immersed in a context that promotes this perspective. Not surprisingly, however, the prospective teachers encountered a number of barriers when attempting to translate their emerging ideas into practice. More research is needed to determine which teacher preparation experiences are most powerful in supporting pre-service teachers as they construct a framework for science teaching and learning that includes scientific inquiry as a central component.

  9. Students concept understanding of fluid static based on the types of teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahmawati, I. D.; Suparmi; Sunarno, W.

    2018-03-01

    This research aims to know the concept understanding of student are taught by guided inquiry based learning and conventional based learning. Subjects in this study are high school students as much as 2 classes and each class consists of 32 students, both classes are homogen. The data was collected by conceptual test in the multiple choice form with the students argumentation of the answer. The data analysis used is qualitative descriptive method. The results of the study showed that the average of class that was using guided inquiry based learning is 78.44 while the class with use conventional based learning is 65.16. Based on these data, the guided inquiry model is an effective learning model used to improve students concept understanding.

  10. Coastal bathymetry data collected in 2011 from the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeWitt, Nancy T.; Pfeiffer, William R.; Bernier, Julie C.; Buster, Noreen A.; Miselis, Jennifer L.; Flocks, James G.; Reynolds, Billy J.; Wiese, Dana S.; Kelso, Kyle W.

    2014-01-01

    As part of the Barrier Island Evolution Research project, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted nearshore geophysical surveys off the northern Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, in June of 2011. The overall objectives of the study are to better understand barrier-island geomorphic evolution, particularly storm-related depositional and erosional processes that shape the islands over annual to interannual timescales (1-5 years). Collection of geophysical data will allow us to identify relationships between the geologic history of the island and its present day morphology and sediment distribution. This mapping effort was the first in a series of three planned surveys in this area. High resolution geophysical data collected in each of three consecutive years along this rapidly changing barrier-island system will provide a unique time-series dataset that will significantly further the analyses and geomorphological interpretations of this and other coastal systems, improving our understanding of coastal response and evolution over short time scales (1-5 years).

  11. The use of semi-structured interviews for collection of qualitative and quantitative data in hydrological studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Keeffe, Jimmy; Buytaert, Wouter; Mijic, Ana; Brozovic, Nicholas

    2015-04-01

    To build an accurate, robust understanding of the environment, it is important to not only collect information describing its physical characteristics, but also the drivers which influence it. As environmental change, from increasing CO2 levels to decreasing water levels, is often heavily influenced by human activity, gathering information on anthropogenic as well as environmental variables is extremely important. This can mean collecting qualitative, as well as quantitative information. In reality studies are often bound by financial and time constraints, limiting the depth and detail of the research. It is up to the researcher to determine what the best methodology to answer the research questions is likely to be. Here we present a methodology of collecting qualitative and quantitative information in tandem for hydrological studies through the use of semi-structured interviews. This is applied to a case study in two districts of Uttar Pradesh, North India, one of the most intensely irrigated areas of the world. Here, decreasing water levels exacerbated by unchecked water abstraction, an expanding population and government subsidies, have put the long term resilience of the farming population in doubt. Through random selection of study locations, combined with convenience sampling of the participants therein, we show how the data collected can provide valuable insight into the drivers which have led to the current water scenario. We also show how reliable quantitative information can, using the same methodology, be effectively and efficiently extracted for modelling purposes, which along with developing an understanding of the characteristics of the environment is vital in coming up with realistic and sustainable solutions for water resource management in the future.

  12. Crash course in collection development

    CERN Document Server

    Disher, Wayne

    2014-01-01

    This professional volume covers all aspects of collection development and management in the public library, from gathering statistics to design a collection that meets community needs, to selecting materials, managing vendor relations, understanding the publishing industry, and handling complaints. Author Wayne Disher provides public librarians-especially those without the benefit of academic training-access to the tools to make them successful, and their collections beneficial to the public they serve. The second edition features two new chapters on digital curation and cooperative colle

  13. Understanding the use of geographical information systems (GIS) in health informatics research: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Nicola; McGuire, Suzanne

    2017-06-23

    The purpose of this literature review is to understand geographical information systems (GIS) and how they can be applied to public health informatics, medical informatics, and epidemiology. Relevant papers that reflected the use of geographical information systems (GIS) in health research were identified from four academic databases: Academic Search Complete, BioMed Central, PubMed Central, and Scholars Portal, as well as Google Scholar. The search strategy used was to identify articles with "geographic information systems", "GIS", "public health", "medical informatics", "epidemiology", and "health geography" as main subject headings or text words in titles and abstracts. Papers published between 1997 and 2014 were considered and a total of 39 articles were included to inform the authors on the use of GIS technologies in health informatics research. The main applications of GIS in health informatics and epidemiology include disease surveillance, health risk analysis, health access and planning, and community health profiling. GIS technologies can significantly improve quality and efficiency in health research as substantial connections can be made between a population's health and their geographical location. Gains in health informatics can be made when GIS are applied through research, however, improvements need to occur in the quantity and quality of data input for these systems to ensure better geographical health maps are used so that proper conclusions between public health and environmental factors may be made.

  14. Final Technical Report for the Energy Frontier Research Center Understanding Charge Separation and Transfer at Interfaces in Energy Materials (EFRC:CST)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vanden Bout, David A. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

    2015-09-14

    Our EFRC was founded with the vision of creating a broadly collaborative and synergistic program that would lead to major breakthroughs in the molecular-level understanding of the critical interfacial charge separation and charge transfer (CST) processes that underpin the function of candidate materials for organic photovoltaic (OPV) and electrical-energy-storage (EES) applications. Research in these energy contexts shares an imposing challenge: How can we understand charge separation and transfer mechanisms in the presence of immense materials complexity that spans multiple length scales? To address this challenge, our 50-member Center undertook a total of 28 coordinated research projects aimed at unraveling the CST mechanisms that occur at interfaces in these nanostructured materials. This rigorous multi-year study of CST interfaces has greatly illuminated our understanding of early-timescale processes (e.g., exciton generation and dissociation dynamics at OPV heterojunctions; control of Li+-ion charging kinetics by surface chemistry) occurring in the immediate vicinity of interfaces. Program outcomes included: training of 72 graduate student and postdoctoral energy researchers at 5 institutions and spanning 7 academic disciplines in science and engineering; publication of 94 peer-reviewed journal articles; and dissemination of research outcomes via 340 conference, poster and other presentations. Major scientific outcomes included: implementation of a hierarchical strategy for understanding the electronic communication mechanisms and ultimate fate of charge carriers in bulk heterojunction OPV materials; systematic investigation of ion-coupled electron transfer processes in model Li-ion battery electrode/electrolyte systems; and the development and implementation of 14 unique technologies and instrumentation capabilities to aid in probing sub-ensemble charge separation and transfer mechanisms.

  15. Microalgae culture collection, 1986-1987

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barclay, W.; Johansen, J.; Chelf, P.; Nagle, N.; Roessler, P.; Lemke, P.

    1986-12-01

    The SERI Microalgae Culture Collection provides a repository for strains identified or developed for mass culture biomass production and makes these strains readily available to the research community. The strains in the collection have been selected for their potential in biomass fuel applications, and many produce significant quantities of cellular storage lipids. All of the newly added strains have been recently isolated by SERI and its subcontractors in organized screening programs. Many have been tested in outdoor mass culture systems, and several have demonstrated excellent performance as biomass producers. The strains added to the collection this year have been isolated from inland saline waters and marine waters. We believe that the strains in this collection can provide a source of extremely useful organisms, both for laboratory experimentation and for mass culture research. Most of the strains are currently nonaxenic. Again this year, cultures will be shipped free of charge to interested researchers. An important function of the culture collection catalog, in addition to listing the available strains, is to provide culture and performance data for each of the organisms. By collecting a summary of the requirements and characteristics of these organisms, we hope to allow requestors of cultures to begin productive research with a minimum of preliminary work on culture techniques.

  16. 76 FR 61136 - Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information Collection Request: Commercial Driver...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-03

    ... managers. For at least 5,000 CMV driver participants, the information collection will occur twice... Administrator for Research and Information Technology. [FR Doc. 2011-25325 Filed 9-30-11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE...-0225] Agency Information Collection Activities; New Information Collection Request: Commercial Driver...

  17. 75 FR 8408 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-02-24

    ... respondent confidentiality, also will be made available to researchers on CD-ROM and on the World Wide Web... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: National Science Foundation. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: Under the...

  18. Supplementing electronic health records through sample collection and patient diaries: A study set within a primary care research database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Rebecca M; Soames, Jamie; Wright, Mark; Sultana, Kirin; van Staa, Tjeerd P; Dixon, William G

    2018-02-01

    To describe a novel observational study that supplemented primary care electronic health record (EHR) data with sample collection and patient diaries. The study was set in primary care in England. A list of 3974 potentially eligible patients was compiled using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Interested general practices opted into the study then confirmed patient suitability and sent out postal invitations. Participants completed a drug-use diary and provided saliva samples to the research team to combine with EHR data. Of 252 practices contacted to participate, 66 (26%) mailed invitations to patients. Of the 3974 potentially eligible patients, 859 (22%) were at participating practices, and 526 (13%) were sent invitations. Of those invited, 117 (22%) consented to participate of whom 86 (74%) completed the study. We have confirmed the feasibility of supplementing EHR with data collected directly from patients. Although the present study successfully collected essential data from patients, it also underlined the requirement for improved engagement with both patients and general practitioners to support similar studies. © 2017 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Experiences of SKYPE Communication in Education and Research--Data Collection Concerning Young Children with Long-Term Illness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svensson, Agneta Simeonsdotter; Samuelsson, Ingrid Pramling; Hellström, Anna-Lena; Nolbris, Margaretha Jenholt

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to provide knowledge about communication using SKYPE with young children with chronic illness; advantages and barriers are investigated related to education and data issues collection. A qualitative exploratory research method was applied to interviews and notes via SKYPE between children and their web teachers. The…

  20. Modelling collective cell migration of neural crest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szabó, András; Mayor, Roberto

    2016-10-01

    Collective cell migration has emerged in the recent decade as an important phenomenon in cell and developmental biology and can be defined as the coordinated and cooperative movement of groups of cells. Most studies concentrate on tightly connected epithelial tissues, even though collective migration does not require a constant physical contact. Movement of mesenchymal cells is more independent, making their emergent collective behaviour less intuitive and therefore lending importance to computational modelling. Here we focus on such modelling efforts that aim to understand the collective migration of neural crest cells, a mesenchymal embryonic population that migrates large distances as a group during early vertebrate development. By comparing different models of neural crest migration, we emphasize the similarity and complementary nature of these approaches and suggest a future direction for the field. The principles derived from neural crest modelling could aid understanding the collective migration of other mesenchymal cell types. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Scientists do not Need More Communities, They Need Collectives; and Collectives need Community to Build Teamwork

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caron, B. R.

    2017-12-01

    Nearly a decade ago I was on a team that was exploring a new online network platform for ocean scientists—one of those "Facebook for X" forays that never took off. During the research phase I learned that online groups exhibited a wide range of "stickiness," a description for member engagement. In general, engagement could be plotted on the usual power law curve; a handful of really engaged members on one side, and hundreds or thousands of mostly un-engaged members in the "long-tail" end of the curve.One genre of online groups completely broke this curve. These were the most engaged groups online, and by a long ways. Their entire membership regularly contributed content. The problem was that these groups were made of individuals who had been diagnosed with terminal or incurable chronic physical diseases. Their members sought answers beyond the ken of their individual medical advisors, and they collectively shouldered the news when one of their members inevitably passed on.This leads me back to science (including data science) and to the online engagement of scientists in social networks. From a series of cases and anecdotes collected from other community managers who have attempted to "engage" scientists online, it is clear that science effects its "victims" (scientists) much like an incurable (intellectual) disease. Scientists commonly spend sixty or more hours a week chasing unknowns in their labs, gathering field data, or tracking down software bugs. They share a fever for knowledge and their own common foe: the specific unknown that stands between the state-of-the-science in their specialty and a better understanding of the object of their study; the peculiar intellectual challenge (disease) they have chosen as their quest and their foe.Scientists don't need to join online communities to do science. What scientists need are online collectives that can accelerate their own research, and reward their contributions to new knowledge in their chosen specialty

  2. Understanding Technology?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erik Bendtsen

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available We are facing radical changes in our ways of living in the nearest future. Not necessarily of our own choice, but because tchnological development is moving so fast, that it will have still greater impact on many aspects of our lives. We have seen the beginnings of that change within the latest 35 years or so, but according to newest research that change will speed up immensely in the nearest years to come. The impact of that change or these changes will affect our working life immensely as a consequence of automation. How these changes are brought about and which are their consequences in a broad sense is being attempted to be understood and guessed by researchers. No one knows for sure, but specific patterns are visible. This paper will not try to guess, what will come, but will rather try to understand the deepest ”nature” of technology in order to understand the driving factors in this development: the genesis of technology in a broad sense in order to contibute to the understanding of the basis for the expected development.

  3. Scientific approach as an understanding and applications of hydrological concepts of tropical rainforest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haryanto, Z.; Setyasih, I.

    2018-04-01

    East Kalimantan has a variety of biomes, one of which is tropical rain forests. Tropical rain forests have enormous hydrological potential, so it is necessary to provide understanding to prospective teachers. Hydrology material cannot be separated from the concept of science, for it is needed the right way of learning so students easily understand the material. This research uses descriptive method with research subject is geography education students taking hydrology course at Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Mulawarman University. The results showed that the students were able to observe, ask question, collect data, give reason, and communicate the hydrological conditions of tropical rain forest biomes, especially related to surface ground water and groundwater conditions. Tropical rainforests are very influenced by the hydrological conditions of the region and the availability of water is affected by the forest area as a catchment area. Therefore, the tropical rainforest must be maintained in condition and its duration, so that there is no water crisis and hydrological related disasters.

  4. Responsive survey design, demographic data collection, and models of demographic behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Axinn, William G; Link, Cynthia F; Groves, Robert M

    2011-08-01

    To address declining response rates and rising data-collection costs, survey methodologists have devised new techniques for using process data ("paradata") to address nonresponse by altering the survey design dynamically during data collection. We investigate the substantive consequences of responsive survey design-tools that use paradata to improve the representative qualities of surveys and control costs. By improving representation of reluctant respondents, responsive design can change our understanding of the topic being studied. Using the National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6, we illustrate how responsive survey design can shape both demographic estimates and models of demographic behaviors based on survey data. By juxtaposing measures from regular and responsive data collection phases, we document how special efforts to interview reluctant respondents may affect demographic estimates. Results demonstrate the potential of responsive survey design to change the quality of demographic research based on survey data.

  5. Research Participants' Understanding of and Reactions to Certificates of Confidentiality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beskow, Laura M; Check, Devon K; Ammarell, Natalie

    2014-01-01

    Certificates of Confidentiality are intended to facilitate participation in critical public health research by protecting against forced disclosure of identifying data in legal proceedings, but little is known about the effect of Certificate descriptions in consent forms. To gain preliminary insights, we conducted qualitative interviews with 50 HIV-positive individuals in Durham, North Carolina to explore their subjective understanding of Certificate descriptions and whether their reactions differed based on receiving a standard versus simplified description. Most interviewees were neither reassured nor alarmed by Certificate information, and most said it would not influence their willingness to participate or provide truthful information. However, compared with those receiving the simplified description, more who read the standard description said it raised new concerns, that their likelihood of participating would be lower, and that they might be less forthcoming. Most interviewees said they found the Certificate description clear, but standard-group participants often found particular words and phrases confusing, while simplified-group participants more often questioned the information's substance. Valid informed consent requires comprehension and voluntariness. Our findings highlight the importance of developing consent descriptions of Certificates and other confidentiality protections that are simple and accurate. These qualitative results provide rich detail to inform a larger, quantitative study that would permit further rigorous comparisons.

  6. Networking to Improve Nutrition Policy Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sonia A; Blanck, Heidi M; Cradock, Angie; Gortmaker, Steven

    2015-09-10

    Effective nutrition and obesity policies that improve the food environments in which Americans live, work, and play can have positive effects on the quality of human diets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network (NOPREN) conducts transdisciplinary practice-based policy research and evaluation to foster understanding of the effectiveness of nutrition policies. The articles in this special collection bring to light a set of policies that are being used across the United States. They add to the larger picture of policies that can work together over time to improve diet and health.

  7. Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Research Collection (MMASTR)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla houses one of the largest marine mammal and marine turtle sample collections in the world, with over 140,000...

  8. Researching language teaching: Understanding practice through ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In this article we argue that second language acquisition (SLA) research and theory have a significant role to play in teacher education, especially at the masters level. The danger of overly practical approaches is that they cannot challenge current practice in ways that are both critical and rigorous. However, to engage ...

  9. Social networking and young adults’ drinking practices:innovative qualitative methods for health behavior research

    OpenAIRE

    Lyons, Antonia C.; Goodwin, Ian; McCreanor, Tim; Griffin, Christine

    2015-01-01

    Understandings of health behaviours can be enriched by employing innovative qualitative research designs. We draw on research that employed a range of qualitative methods to explore young adults’ drinking behaviours and social networking in Aotearoa New Zealand. We demonstrate the importance of multiple research approaches to situate drinking practices within their broader social context. The research involved three data collection stages. First, 34 friendship focus group discussions were con...

  10. The Influence of Power Shifts in Data Collection and Analysis Stages: A Focus on Qualitative Research Interview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anyan, Frederick

    2013-01-01

    This paper analyzes the power relation between the interviewer and the interviewee in the qualitative research interview methodology. The paper sets out to grapple with the extent to which the dynamisms in power shifts influence data collection and analysis in the interview methodology. The exploration of power shifts in the qualitative research…

  11. Collective Psychological Ownership and Intergroup Relations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verkuyten, Maykel; Martinovic, Borja

    2017-11-01

    Whereas much social psychological research has studied the in-group and out-group implications of social categorization and collective identity ("we"), little research has examined the nature and relevance of collective psychological ownership ("ours") for intergroup relations. We make a case for considering collective psychological ownership as an important source of intergroup tensions. We do so by integrating theory and research from various social sciences, and we draw out implications for future social psychological research on intergroup relations. We discuss collective psychological ownership in relation to the psychology of possessions, marking behavior, intergroup threats, outgroup exclusion, and in-group responsibility. We suggest that the social psychological processes discussed apply to a range of ownership objects (territory, buildings, cultural artifacts) and various intergroup settings, including international, national, and local contexts, and in organizations and communities. We conclude by providing directions for future research in different intergroup contexts.

  12. Research on data collection key technology of smart electric energy meters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiangqun; Huang, Rui; Shen, Liman; Chen, Hao; Xiong, Dezhi; Xiao, Xiangqi; Mouhailiu; Renheng, Xu

    2018-02-01

    In recent years, smart electric energy meters are demand at 70 million to 90 million with the strong smart grid construction every year in China. However, there are some issues in smart electric energy meters data collection such as the interference of environment, low collection efficiency and inability to work when the power is off. In order to solve these issues above, it uses the RFID communication technology to collect the numbers and electric energy information of smart electric energy meters on the basis of the existing smart electric energy meters, and the related data collection communication experiments were made. The experimental result shows that the electric information and other data batch collection of RFID smart electric energy meters are realized in power and power off. It improves the efficiency and the overall success rate is 99.2% within 2 meters. It provides a new method for smart electric energy meters data collection.

  13. [Tissue repositories for research at Sheba Medical Center(SMC].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Yehudit; Barshack, Iris; Onn, Amir

    2013-06-01

    Cancer is the number one cause of death in both genders. Breakthroughs in the understanding of cancer biology, the identification of prognostic factors, and the development of new treatments are increasingly dependent on access to human cancer tissues with linked clinicopathological data. Access to human tumor samples and a large investment in translational research are needed to advance this research. The SMC tissue repositories provide researchers with biological materials, which are essential tools for cancer research. SMC tissue repositories for research aim to collect, document and preserve human biospecimens from patients with cancerous diseases. This is in order to provide the highest quality and well annotated biological biospecimens, used as essential tools to achieve the growing demands of scientific research needs. Such repositories are partners in acceLerating biomedical research and medical product development through clinical resources, in order to apply best options to the patients. Following Institutional Review Board approval and signing an Informed Consent Form, the tumor and tumor-free specimens are coLLected by a designated pathologist at the operating room only when there is a sufficient amount of the tumor, in excess of the routine needs. Blood samples are collected prior to the procedure. Other types of specimens collected include ascites fluid, pleural effusion, tissues for Optimal Cutting Temperature [OCT] and primary culture etc. Demographic, clinical, pathologicaL, and follow-up data are collected in a designated database. SMC has already established several organ or disease-specific tissue repositories within different departments. The foundation of tissue repositories requires the concentrated effort of a multidisciplinary team composed of paramedical, medical and scientific professionals. Research projects using these specimens facilitate the development of 'targeted therapy', accelerate basic research aimed at clarifying molecular

  14. Diagrams and Relational Maps: The Use of Graphic Elicitation Techniques with Interviewing for Data Collection, Analysis, and Display

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea J. Copeland PhD

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Graphic elicitation techniques, which ask research participants to provide visual data representing personal understandings of concepts, experiences, beliefs, or behaviors, can be especially useful in helping participants to express complex or abstract ideas or opinions. The benefits and drawbacks of using graphic elicitation techniques for data collection, data analysis, and data display in qualitative research studies are analyzed using examples from a research study that employed data matrices and relational maps in conjunction with semi-structured interviews. Results from this analysis demonstrate that the use of these combined techniques for data collection facilitates triangulation and helps to establish internal consistency of data, thereby increasing the trustworthiness of the interpretation of that data and lending support to validity and reliability claims. Findings support the notion that graphic elicitation techniques can be highly useful in qualitative research studies at the data collection, the data analysis, and the data reporting stages. For example, this study found that graphic elicitation techniques are especially useful for eliciting data related to emotions and emotional experiences.

  15. Treasures in Archived Histopathology Collections: Preserving the Past for Future Understanding.(SETAC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Extensive collections of histopathology materials from studies of marine and freshwater mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, and other organisms are archived in the Registry of Tumors in Lower Animals (RTLA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheri...

  16. Treasures in Archived Histopathology Collections: Preserving the Past for Future Understanding (NACSETAC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Extensive collections of histopathology materials from studies of marine and freshwater mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, and other organisms are archived in the Registry of Tumors in Lower Animals (RTLA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NOAA’s National Marine Fishe...

  17. 76 FR 30741 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Existing Collection; Comments Requested: Prison...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-26

    ..., practitioners, researchers, students, the media, and others interested in criminal justice statistics. (5) An... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Office of Justice Programs [OMB Number 1121-0102] Agency Information Collection Activities: Existing Collection; Comments Requested: Prison Population Reports: Summary of...

  18. Examination of a duo-collection optics design for the Korea superconducting tokamak advanced research (KSTAR) Thomson scattering system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Seungtae; Lee, Jong Ha

    2011-01-01

    The comparison of collective optic designs is described for the Thomson scattering system of the Korea superconducting tokamak advanced research (KSTAR) device. The optical systems collecting the light emission induced through the interaction between the plasma electrons and a laser beam are the key components for the Thomson scattering system. In the first conceptual design of the collection optics for the KSTAR Thomson scattering system, a duo-lens system covering individually the core and the edge regions of the KSTAR plasma with two optical lens modules was proposed. In optical designs, the number of optical modules is a great concern in the case of limited system space. Here, the duo-lens system is evaluated through a comparison with a uni-lens system covering the whole region of the plasma with a single optical module. The duo-lens system turned out to have 2.0 times and 4.73 times higher light collections of the plasma core and edge compared with the uni-lens system

  19. Treasures in Archived Histopathology Collections: Preserving the Past for Future Understanding (Histologic)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Extensive collections of histopathology materials from studies of marine and freshwater fish, mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, and other organisms are archived at the Registry of Tumors in Lower Animals (RTLA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NOAA’s National Ma...

  20. The U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS)—A master catalog and collections management plan for U.S. Geological Survey geologic samples and sample collections

    Science.gov (United States)

    ,

    2015-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is widely recognized in the earth science community as possessing extensive collections of earth materials collected by research personnel over the course of its history. In 2006, a Geologic Collections Inventory was conducted within the USGS Geology Discipline to determine the extent and nature of its sample collections, and in 2008, a working group was convened by the USGS National Geologic and Geophysical Data Preservation Program to examine ways in which these collections could be coordinated, cataloged, and made available to researchers both inside and outside the USGS. The charge to this working group was to evaluate the proposition of creating a Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS), a centralized database that would (1) identify all existing USGS geologic collections, regardless of size, (2) create a virtual link among the collections, and (3) provide a way for scientists and other researchers to obtain access to the samples and data in which they are interested. Additionally, the group was instructed to develop criteria for evaluating current collections and to establish an operating plan and set of standard practices for handling, identifying, and managing future sample collections. Policies and procedures promoted by the GCMS would be based on extant best practices established by the National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution. The resulting report—USGS Circular 1410, “The U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS): A Master Catalog and Collections Management Plan for U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Samples and Sample Collections”—has been developed for sample repositories to be a guide to establishing common practices in the collection, retention, and disposal of geologic research materials throughout the USGS.

  1. Problem of Understanding in the Psychology Science Studies of Ukrainian and Russian Researchers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kharchenko Natalia

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The article discusses the phenomenon ‘understanding’ from the position of psychological science. The paper also examines the relationship between the categories of ‘understanding’, ‘knowledge’, ‘perception’, ‘sense’, in particular the relationship (interdependence in dyads ‘understanding–knowledge’, ‘understanding–perception’, ‘understanding–sense’. The article also covers the functions of understanding (cognitive, regulatory, ideological, levels of understanding (depth, clarity and completeness, forms of understanding (understanding–recognition, understanding–hypothesis (prediction, understanding–unification, stages of understanding (pre-understanding, a vague understanding, insufficiently clear understanding, a clear understanding, a complete understanding, types of understanding (natural, cultural, creative. The analysis of scientific literature made it possible to draw conclusions that understanding is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, which can act as a natural and social, conscious and unconscious, objective and subjective, as the process and as the result. Understanding as a psychological phenomenon covers all mental processes: thinking, memory, representation, creative imagination, emotional and volitional processes, properties and abilities of the individual and pervades and mediates cognitive procedures (observation, description, prediction, explanation, etc.. Understanding is the target process, motivated, active, emotional and volitional, productive and individually personal.

  2. Collective motion in behaviorally heterogeneous systems

    OpenAIRE

    Copenhagen, Katherine

    2017-01-01

    Collective motion is a widespread phenomenon in nature where individuals actively propel themselves, gather together and move as a group. Some examples of collective motion are bird flocks, fish schools, bacteria swarms, cell clusters, and crowds of people. Many models seek to understand the effects of activity in collective systems including things such as environmental disorder, density, and interaction details primarily at infinite size limits and with uniform populations. In this disserta...

  3. Conceptions of Musical Understanding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallam, Susan; Papageorgi, Ioulia

    2016-01-01

    Music can be understood in many ways. This has important implications for music education. The research reported here explored how groups of people conceptualise musical understanding and what they believe supports its acquisition. In this study 463 participants completed two statements: "Musical understanding is" and "You learn to…

  4. Comic strips help children understand medical research: targeting the informed consent procedure to children's needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grootens-Wiegers, Petronella; de Vries, Martine C; van Beusekom, Mara M; van Dijck, Laura; van den Broek, Jos M

    2015-04-01

    Children involved in medical research often fail to comprehend essential research aspects. In order to improve information provision, a participatory approach was used to develop new information material explaining essential concepts of medical research. A draft of a comic strip was developed by a science communicator in collaboration with pediatricians. The draft was presented to children participating in a clinical trial and to two school classes. Children were consulted for further development in surveys and interviews. Subsequently, the material was revised and re-evaluated in four school classes with children of varying ages and educational levels. In the first evaluation, children provided feedback on the storyline, wording and layout. Children thought the comic strip was 'fun' and 'informative'. Understanding of 8 basic research aspects was on average 83% and all above 65%, illustrating that children understood and remembered key messages. A comic strip was developed to support the informed consent process. Children were consulted and provided feedback. The resulting material was well understood and accepted. Involving children in the development of information material can substantially contribute to the quality of the material. Children were excited to participate and to 'be a part of science'. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. The Cell Collective: Toward an open and collaborative approach to systems biology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helikar Tomáš

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite decades of new discoveries in biomedical research, the overwhelming complexity of cells has been a significant barrier to a fundamental understanding of how cells work as a whole. As such, the holistic study of biochemical pathways requires computer modeling. Due to the complexity of cells, it is not feasible for one person or group to model the cell in its entirety. Results The Cell Collective is a platform that allows the world-wide scientific community to create these models collectively. Its interface enables users to build and use models without specifying any mathematical equations or computer code - addressing one of the major hurdles with computational research. In addition, this platform allows scientists to simulate and analyze the models in real-time on the web, including the ability to simulate loss/gain of function and test what-if scenarios in real time. Conclusions The Cell Collective is a web-based platform that enables laboratory scientists from across the globe to collaboratively build large-scale models of various biological processes, and simulate/analyze them in real time. In this manuscript, we show examples of its application to a large-scale model of signal transduction.

  6. Investigation of the relationship between students' problem solving and conceptual understanding of electricity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cobanoglu Aktan, Derya

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between students' qualitative problem solving and conceptual understanding of electricity. For the analysis data were collected from observations of group problem solving, from their homework artifacts, and from semi-structured interviews. The data for six undergraduate students were analyzed by qualitative research methods. The students in the study were found to use tools (such as computer simulations and formulas) differently from one another, and they made different levels of interpretations for the electricity representations. Consequently each student had different problem solving strategies. The students exhibited a wide range of levels of understanding of the electricity concepts. It was found that students' conceptual understandings and their problem solving strategies were closely linked with one another. The students who tended to use multiple tools to make high level interpretations for representations to arrive at a single solution exhibited a higher level of understanding than the students who tended to use tools to make low level interpretations to reach a solution. This study demonstrates a relationship between conceptual understanding and problem solving strategies. Similar to the results of the existing research on students' quantitative problem solving, it was found that students were able to give correct answers to some problems without fully understanding the concepts behind the problem. However, some problems required a conceptual understanding in order for a student to arrive at a correct answer. An implication of this study is that careful selection of qualitative questions is necessary for capturing high levels of conceptual understanding. Additionally, conceptual understanding among some types of problem solvers can be improved by activities or tasks that can help them reflect on their problem solving strategies and the tools they use.

  7. Collective excitations in nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chomaz, Ph.

    1998-01-01

    The properties of the nucleus cannot be reduced to the properties of its constituents: it is a complex system. The fact that many properties of the nucleus are consequences of the existence of mean-field potential is a manifestation of this complexity. In particular, the nucleons can thus self-organize in collective motions such as giant resonances. Therefore the study of this collective motions is a very good tool to understand the properties of the nucleus itself. The purpose of this article is to stress some aspects of these collective vibrations. We have studied how an ensemble of fermions as the nucleus can self-organize in collective vibrations which are behaving like a gas of bosons in weak interaction. Understanding of these phenomena remains one of the important subjects of actuality in the context of quantal systems in strong interaction. In particular, the study of the states with one or two vibration quanta provides a direct information on the structure of nuclei close to their ground states. Moreover, some collective states appear to be very robust against the onset of chaos. This is the case of the hot giant dipole built on top of a hot nucleus which seems to survive up to rather high temperatures. Their sudden disappearance is still a subject of controversy. It may be that the mean-field and the associated collective states are playing a crucial role also in catastrophic processes such as the phase-transitions. Indeed, when the system is diluted the collective vibrations may become unstable and it seems that these unstable modes provide a natural explanation to the self organization of the system in drops. Finally, considering the diversity of the different structures of exotic nuclei one may expect new vibration types. All these studies are showing the diversity of the collective motions of strongly correlated quantum systems such as the nucleus but many open questions remain to be solved. (authors)

  8. Collective excitations in nuclei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chomaz, Ph. [Grand Accelerateur National d`Ions Lourds (GANIL), 14 - Caen (France); Collaboration: La Direction des Sciences de la Matiere du CEA (FR); Le Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique de Belgique (BE)

    1998-12-31

    The properties of the nucleus cannot be reduced to the properties of its constituents: it is a complex system. The fact that many properties of the nucleus are consequences of the existence of mean-field potential is a manifestation of this complexity. In particular, the nucleons can thus self-organize in collective motions such as giant resonances. Therefore the study of this collective motions is a very good tool to understand the properties of the nucleus itself. The purpose of this article is to stress some aspects of these collective vibrations. We have studied how an ensemble of fermions as the nucleus can self-organize in collective vibrations which are behaving like a gas of bosons in weak interaction. Understanding of these phenomena remains one of the important subjects of actuality in the context of quantal systems in strong interaction. In particular, the study of the states with one or two vibration quanta provides a direct information on the structure of nuclei close to their ground states. Moreover, some collective states appear to be very robust against the onset of chaos. This is the case of the hot giant dipole built on top of a hot nucleus which seems to survive up to rather high temperatures. Their sudden disappearance is still a subject of controversy. It may be that the mean-field and the associated collective states are playing a crucial role also in catastrophic processes such as the phase-transitions. Indeed, when the system is diluted the collective vibrations may become unstable and it seems that these unstable modes provide a natural explanation to the self organization of the system in drops. Finally, considering the diversity of the different structures of exotic nuclei one may expect new vibration types. All these studies are showing the diversity of the collective motions of strongly correlated quantum systems such as the nucleus but many open questions remain to be solved. (authors) 304 refs., 53 figs., 5 tabs.

  9. Understanding recurrent crime as system-immanent collective behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perc, Matjaž; Donnay, Karsten; Helbing, Dirk

    2013-01-01

    Containing the spreading of crime is a major challenge for society. Yet, since thousands of years, no effective strategy has been found to overcome crime. To the contrary, empirical evidence shows that crime is recurrent, a fact that is not captured well by rational choice theories of crime. According to these, strong enough punishment should prevent crime from happening. To gain a better understanding of the relationship between crime and punishment, we consider that the latter requires prior discovery of illicit behavior and study a spatial version of the inspection game. Simulations reveal the spontaneous emergence of cyclic dominance between "criminals", "inspectors", and "ordinary people" as a consequence of spatial interactions. Such cycles dominate the evolutionary process, in particular when the temptation to commit crime or the cost of inspection are low or moderate. Yet, there are also critical parameter values beyond which cycles cease to exist and the population is dominated either by a stable mixture of criminals and inspectors or one of these two strategies alone. Both continuous and discontinuous phase transitions to different final states are possible, indicating that successful strategies to contain crime can be very much counter-intuitive and complex. Our results demonstrate that spatial interactions are crucial for the evolutionary outcome of the inspection game, and they also reveal why criminal behavior is likely to be recurrent rather than evolving towards an equilibrium with monotonous parameter dependencies.

  10. Understanding recurrent crime as system-immanent collective behavior.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matjaž Perc

    Full Text Available Containing the spreading of crime is a major challenge for society. Yet, since thousands of years, no effective strategy has been found to overcome crime. To the contrary, empirical evidence shows that crime is recurrent, a fact that is not captured well by rational choice theories of crime. According to these, strong enough punishment should prevent crime from happening. To gain a better understanding of the relationship between crime and punishment, we consider that the latter requires prior discovery of illicit behavior and study a spatial version of the inspection game. Simulations reveal the spontaneous emergence of cyclic dominance between "criminals", "inspectors", and "ordinary people" as a consequence of spatial interactions. Such cycles dominate the evolutionary process, in particular when the temptation to commit crime or the cost of inspection are low or moderate. Yet, there are also critical parameter values beyond which cycles cease to exist and the population is dominated either by a stable mixture of criminals and inspectors or one of these two strategies alone. Both continuous and discontinuous phase transitions to different final states are possible, indicating that successful strategies to contain crime can be very much counter-intuitive and complex. Our results demonstrate that spatial interactions are crucial for the evolutionary outcome of the inspection game, and they also reveal why criminal behavior is likely to be recurrent rather than evolving towards an equilibrium with monotonous parameter dependencies.

  11. Psychiatric research platform within SAIL - Linkage of prospectively ascertained phenotypically rich and genetic data to routinely collected anonymised records.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna McGregor

    2017-04-01

    To advance mental health research by developing our understanding of the causes, course and outcomes of mental illness that may lead to the development of better diagnostic classification, predictive, preventative strategies and therapeutic approaches.

  12. Geoscience Education Research: The Role of Collaborations with Education Researchers and Cognitive Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manduca, C. A.; Mogk, D. W.; Kastens, K. A.; Tikoff, B.; Shipley, T. F.; Ormand, C. J.; Mcconnell, D. A.

    2011-12-01

    problem, to make collaborative decisions, and to collectively problem solve. The development of this shared understanding is a primary result of the past decade of work. It has been developed through geoscience hosted events like the On the Cutting Edge emerging theme workshops and the Synthesis of Research on Thinking and Learning in the Geosciences project, complementary events in cognitive science and education that include geoscientists like the Gordon Conferences on Visualization in Science & Education or the Spatial Cognition conference series, and the interactions within and among geoscience education research projects like the Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center, the GARNET project, and many others. With this common ground in place, effective collaborations that bring together deep knowledge of psychology and brain function, of educational design and testing, and of time tested learning goals, teaching methods, and measures of success can flourish. A strong and accelerating research field has emerged that spans from work on basic cognitive skills important in geoscience, to studies of specific teaching strategies.

  13. Collective action and its interpreters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Alfredo Costa de Campos Melo Júnior

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available This article intention is to give the theorical and intellectual map production regarding collective actions. For such, we will analyze the propositions of five thinkers who have work for the better understanding of this question. We will discuss the contributions of the Chicago School, especially psic-sociology, and Herbert Blumer symbolic interactionism; the classical Marxists approaches on collective actions; Claus Offe and the Marxist point of view on the new models of collective actions; Charles Tilly and his social-historic perspective analysis about social movements; and finally Mancur Olson and collective action from a rational perspective. What we intend is to present comparatively the theorical and practical similarities and exclusions of these contemporary authors who contribute with collective actions today.

  14. Learning and knowing collectively

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norgaard, Richard B.

    2004-01-01

    Scholars from multiple epistemic communities using a variety of models and approaches are working together to understand climate change, biodiversity loss, and other large-scale phenomena stemming from how people interact with the environment. No single model is adequate, no single mind can grasp the multiple models and their numerous implications. Yet collectively, scientists are putting the parts together and reaching a shared understanding. How is this happening, how can it be done better, and what are the implications for ecological economics?

  15. A COMPARISON ON THE TIME MANAGEMENT UNDERSTANDINGS OF UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC STAFF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kubilay Çimen

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate time management understandings of university academic staff with their participation or not participation in the sports activities, gender and their work year. The sample of the study consisted of 93 university academic staff who Works at Dumlupinar University (37 women and 56 men. As data collection tool in addition to a questionary, which consists 10 items developed by the researchers, “Time Management Scale”, which was developed by Britton and Tesser (1991 and Turkish adaptation was done by Koçak and Alay (2002 was used. The obtained data were analyzed by using SPSS for windows. In addition to descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis test were done in order to determine significant differences between time management understandings of the academic staff. As a result, although, there was no significant difference between participants’ time management understanding according to gender (p>.05 there were significant differences between participants’ time management understandings in the “time attitudes” subscale according to their work year and in “time management” and “time attitudes” subscales according to participation /or not participation in sport activities (p<.05.

  16. Students’ Ability and Difficulties in Understanding English Text (A Study at English Program IAIN Padangsidimpuan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eka Sustri Harida

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available This study deals with the ability of the students to understand English texts and types of their reading strategies. It is believed that reading strategies help students improve their reading comperehension.  Based on this theory, then, the qualitative research was carried out to describe students’ reading ability and types of strategy they used. Data were collected through questionnaires that have been distributed to 34 students.  They were also observed and tested.  It was found that the students’ ability in understanding text was still low. They had many problems in understanding English texts because they did not apply appropriate reading strategies in their reading activities. Their low reading comprehension was due to their lack of reading strategies. Copyright © 2014 by Al-Ta'lim All right reserved

  17. Undergraduate Nursing Students' Understandings of Mental Health: A Review of the Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Sinead; Ward, Louise

    2017-02-01

    The purpose of this literature review was to identify research and current literature surrounding nursing students' understandings of mental health. The aim is to share findings from an extensive international and national literature review exploring undergraduate nurse education specific to mental health content. Data were collected utilising a comprehensive search of electronic databases including CINAHL (EBSCO), MEDLINE, and PsycINFO 1987-(Ovid) from 2008 to 2016. The initial search terms were altered to include undergraduate, mental health, nursing, education, experience, and knowledge. Three content themes emerged which included: 1. Undergraduate nursing students' knowledge has been considered compromised due to concerns relating to the variation and inconsistencies within the comprehensive nursing curriculums representation of mental health, 2. Undergraduate nursing students knowledge of mental health is thought to be compromised due to the quality of mental health theoretical and experiential learning opportunities, and 3. Research indicates that nursing students' knowledge of mental health was influenced by their experience of undertaking mental health content. Based on these findings greater consideration of students' understandings of mental health is required.

  18. Understanding the visual resource

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floyd L. Newby

    1971-01-01

    Understanding our visual resources involves a complex interweaving of motivation and cognitive recesses; but, more important, it requires that we understand and can identify those characteristics of a landscape that influence the image formation process. From research conducted in Florida, three major variables were identified that appear to have significant effect...

  19. Innovation and collective entrepreneurship

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spear, Roger

    2012-01-01

    different perspectives on innovation and social innovation and the dynamic interaction through collective entrepreneurship in the the social and solidarity economy; bringing out process and outcome dimensions of innovation. And it will develop an understanding of the drivers and barriers to innovation...

  20. Understanding universities and entrepreneurship education: towards a comprehensive future research agenda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Benneworth, Paul Stephen; Osborne, Mike

    2015-01-01

    Understanding the potential and dynamics of entrepreneurship and education requires better understanding of how universities function as knowledge communities, and the role of students in such milieu. This can reveal how universities’ teaching activities influence the development of students’