A framework for distributed Web-based microsystem design

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (p. 109-111).The increasing complexity of microsystem design mandates a distributed and collaborative design environment. The high integration levels call for tools and generators that allow exploration of the design space irrespective of the geographical or physical availability of the design tools. The World Wide Web serves as a desirable platform for distributed access to libraries, models and design tools. The rapid growth and acceptance of the World Wide Web has happened over the same time period in which distributed object systems have stabilized and matured. The Web can become an important platform for VLSI CAD, when the distributed object technologies (e.g, CORBA) are combined with the Web technologies (e.g., HTTP, CGI) and Web-aware object oriented languages (e.g., Java). In this thesis, a framework using the Object-Web technologies is presented, which enables distributed Web based CAD. The Object-Web architecture provides an open, interoperable and scalable distributed computing environment for microsystem design, in which Web based design tools can efficiently utilize the capabilities of existing design tools on the Web to build hierarchical Web tools. The framework includes the infrastructure to store and manipulate design objects, protocols for tool communication and WebTop, a Java hierarchical schematic/block editor with interfaces to distributed Web tools and cell libraries.by Debashis Saha.M.S

Family Breast Cancer Education: A Model for African American Women

The purpose of this study, funded by the American Cancer Society, was to increase knowledge and understanding, i.e., the willingness and ability to discuss, of breast cancer in southern minority women and their families. A family model of health education guided the research questions. (a) To what extent will an action research intervention increase knowledge about the causes and treatment of breast cancer in minority women? (b) To what extent will an action research intervention increase willingness to talk with family members? The t-test analysis of a 67-item, self- administered survey indicated significant increases in knowledge of cancer and in their willingness to talk with family members about breast cancer. In addition, they reported increases in comfort level about discussing breast cancer as well as willingness to talk with others about their own (possible) positive diagnosis. We infer that increased comfort level and willingness to talk with others has a relationship to increased awareness of breast cancer

Evolution of Software Engineering in the Changing Scenario of Modern Hardware Architecture, Semantic Web and Cloud Computing Platform

Traditional way of software engineering is no longer fully suitable in the changing scenario of modern hardwareand software architecture of parallel and distributed computing on Semantic web and Cloud computing platform. A parallelhardware architecture can support high performance computing but needs changes in programming style. Also the capabilityof Semantic web can link everything on the internet making an interoperable intelligent system. And with this capabilitymany beneficial business models like Web services and Cloud computing platform have been conceptualized. Cloudcomputing is the most anticipated future trend of computing. These changes in hardware and software architecture means weneed to re-visit the traditional software engineering process models meant for a single computer system. This paper firstsurveys the evolution of hardware architecture, newer business models, newer software applications and then analyses theneed for changes in software engineering process models to leverage all the benefits of the newer business models. Thispaper also emphasizes the vulnerability of the web applications and cloud computing platform in terms of risk managementof web applications in general and privacy and security of customer information in shared cloud platform which maythreaten the adoption of the cloud platform.Keywords/Index Terms— Agile Process Model , Cloud Computing Platform, Privacy and Security Issues, RiskManagement, Semantic Web, Software Evolution

Computer-Assisted Prototyping of Advanced Microsystems

Contains reports on five research projects.Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Contract DABT 63-95-C-0088Stanford Universit

Mapping and assessing clinical handover training interventions

BACKGROUND: The literature reveals a patchwork of knowledge about the effectiveness of handover and transfer of care-training interventions, their influence on handover practices and on patient outcomes. We identified a range of training interventions, defined their content, and then proposed practical measures for improving the training effectiveness of handover practices. METHODS: We applied the Group Concept Mapping approach to identify objectively the shared understanding of a group of experts about patient handover training interventions. We collected 105 declarative statements about handover training interventions from an exhaustive literature review, and from structured expert interviews. The statements were then given to 21 healthcare and training design specialists to sort the statements on similarity in meaning, and rate them on their importance and feasibility. RESULTS: We used multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis to depict the following seven clusters related to various handover training issues: standardisation, communication, coordination of activities, clinical microsystem care, transfer and impact, training methods and workplace learning. CONCLUSIONS: Ideas on handover training interventions, grouped in thematic clusters, and prioritised on importance and feasibility creates a repository of approaches. This allows healthcare institutions to design and test concrete solutions for improving formal training and workplace learning related to handovers, and addressing informal social learning at the organisational level, with the aim of increasing impact on handover practice and patient outcomes. Measures need to be taken to assure a continuum of handover training interventions from formal training through workplace learning through less formal social learning, and to embed this training in the design of the clinical microsystem

Internet use and child development: Validation of the ecological techno-subsystem

Johnson and Puplampu recently proposed the ecological techno-subsystem, a refinement to Bronfenbrenner's theoretical organization of environmental influences on child development. The ecological techno-subsystem includes child interaction with both living (e.g., peers) and nonliving (e.g., hardware) elements of communication, information, and recreation technologies in immediate or direct environments. The theoretical techno-subsystem requires empirical validation. Parents of 128 children in first through sixth grade consented to cognitive developmental assessment of their children and completed questionnaires on children’s use of the Internet at home and family socioeconomic characteristics. In general, indices of home Internet use accounted for more of the variance in children’s cognitive development than did indices of socioeconomic status. The ecological techno-subsystem furthers our understanding of environmental influences on child development by emphasizing the impact of digital technologies on cognitive growth during childhood

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Family Employment Awareness Training Program: Expectations, Knowledge, Barriers, and Employment for People with Disabilities who have Individualized Support Needs

This dissertation consists of four individual, but related chapters. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to competitive employment for people with disabilities who have individualized support needs and the Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT). This chapter also provides a general overview of the other chapters in this dissertation. Chapter 2 is a research study that examined the expectations and knowledge of participants who attended FEAT in 2010-2011. This study also explored families' perceptions of FEAT. Chapter 3 is a second research study that evaluated participants' behavior, employment outcomes, and perceptions of FEAT's influence. Chapter 4 is a third research study that explored families' perceptions of barriers to competitive employment

Implementing Risk Tools to Prevent Hospital Readmission

Implementing Risk Tools to Prevent Hospital Readmission Tara O’Connor Abstract Background: Readmission reduction is one of the most important opportunities for reducing cost in today’s health care system. Global Aim: To operationalize risk tools to reduce hospital readmissions by 5 percent by the end of 2017. Project Aim: To develop new transitions program (TP) processes that operationalizes the risk tools and ensures 70 percent of all readmission risk score patients referred receive a post discharge phone call within 48 hours, and are assessed for their risk of medication management issues as part of their initial assessment, by August 1st, 2017. Setting: The TP provides short term case management for patients transitioning home from hospital and other level of care. Quality Gap: An evidence-based means of identifying patients at risk for readmission and a standardized process for assessing medication management issues was previously lacking. Evidence: Intervention demonstrated in clinical trial to reduce readmissions requires timely post discharge follow-up, assessment of and interventions for medication management issues, education on the plan of care, and interventions that address the social barriers of health maintenance and promote patients’ and their caregivers’ capacity for self-management. Results: Through clinical leadership, utilization of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHIs) model for improvement, and interdisciplinary collaboration, the TP team has developed new processes that preliminary data suggests are accomplishing the project aim