The Nature of Undergraduates\u27 Conceptual Understanding of Oxygen Transport and Utilization in Humans: Can Cardiopulmonary Simulation Software Enhance Learning of Propositional Knowledge And/Or Diagnose Alternative Conceptions in Novices and Intermediates?

The purpose of the this research was to explore undergraduates\u27 conceptual development for oxygen transport and utilization, as a component of a cardiopulmonary physiology and advanced respiratory care course in the allied health program. This exploration focused on the student\u27s development of knowledge and the presence of alternative conceptions, prior to, during, and after completing cardiopulmonary physiology and advanced respiratory care courses. Using the simulation program, SimBioSysTM (Samsel, 1994), student-participants completed a series of laboratory exercises focusing on cardiopulmonary disease states. This study examined data gathered from: (1) a novice group receiving the simulation program prior to instruction, (2) a novice group that experienced the simulation program following course completion in cardiopulmonary physiology, and (3) an intermediate group who experienced the simulation program following completion of formal education in Respiratory Care. This research was based on the theory of Human Constructivism as described by Mintzes, Wandersee, and Novak (1997). Data-gathering techniques were based on theories supported by Novak (1984), Wandersee (1997), and Chi (1997). Data were generated by exams, interviews, verbal analysis (Chi, 1997), and concept mapping. Results suggest that simulation may be an effective instructional method for assessing conceptual development and diagnosing alternative conceptions in undergraduates enrolled in a cardiopulmonary science program. Use of simulation in conjunction with clinical interview and concept mapping may assist in verifying gaps in learning and conceptual knowledge. This study found only limited evidence to support the use of computer simulation prior to lecture to augment learning. However, it was demonstrated that students\u27 prelecture experience with the computer simulation helped the instructor assess what the learner knew so he or she could be taught accordingly. In addition, use of computer simulation after formal instruction was shown to be useful in aiding students identified by the instructor as needing remediation

Evaluating the Impact of Nature-Based Solutions: A Handbook for Practitioners

The Handbook aims to provide decision-makers with a comprehensive NBS impact assessment framework, and a robust set of indicators and methodologies to assess impacts of nature-based solutions across 12 societal challenge areas: Climate Resilience; Water Management; Natural and Climate Hazards; Green Space Management; Biodiversity; Air Quality; Place Regeneration; Knowledge and Social Capacity Building for Sustainable Urban Transformation; Participatory Planning and Governance; Social Justice and Social Cohesion; Health and Well-being; New Economic Opportunities and Green Jobs. Indicators have been developed collaboratively by representatives of 17 individual EU-funded NBS projects and collaborating institutions such as the EEA and JRC, as part of the European Taskforce for NBS Impact Assessment, with the four-fold objective of: serving as a reference for relevant EU policies and activities; orient urban practitioners in developing robust impact evaluation frameworks for nature-based solutions at different scales; expand upon the pioneering work of the EKLIPSE framework by providing a comprehensive set of indicators and methodologies; and build the European evidence base regarding NBS impacts. They reflect the state of the art in current scientific research on impacts of nature-based solutions and valid and standardized methods of assessment, as well as the state of play in urban implementation of evaluation frameworks

Exploring the Dynamics of Corporate Governance Change: A Multi-Level Study of Processes and Mechanisms in Corporate Governance Reforms in Nigeria.

Amidst significant research on corporate governance, empirical studies of Corporate Governance (CG) reforms have been hindered by an exclusive focus on macro-level institutions, overlooking the vital role of actors in shaping CG reform initiatives. This research delves into the implementation of the National Code of Corporate Governance in Nigeria (NCCG) developed between 2013 and 2016, providing a specific context to explore the institutionalisation of a new corporate governance system. The study offers insights into the dynamic processes and relational dynamics of Corporate Governance change in complex contexts and the reasons behind the success or failure of CG reforms in different contexts. To comprehend the complexity of these processes, sociological institutionalism and Archerian critical realism are employed to analyse the implementation of the new corporate governance improvement programmes, examining both macro and micro-level processes of change. This approach uncovers the processes and mechanisms that led to the emergence of the NCCG through interactions across multiple layers of context. A critical realist case study methodology is then used to describe and explain the conditioning influences that framed the NCCG's implementation. The research employs triangulation of data from organisational documents and semi-structured interviews to gain insight into the institutional and social processes that shaped the NCCG's present state. The findings are analysed using Archer's Morphogenetic Approach (MA), explicitly considering time and temporal dynamics, as well as the broader context surrounding the NCCG projects. This study demonstrates the value of Archer's morphogenetic approach (MA) in uncovering unique change factors within the NCCG case and illuminates the complexities of implementing corporate governance reforms in developing countries. The analysis identifies intense global normative pressures, global events impacting the case site, state-transnational agency relations, political advocacy, socio-cultural dynamics, and the role of actors and networks with collective identity as key forces influencing the evolutionary process of the NCCG. Moreover, the explicit treatment of context as relational, conditioned, stratified, and stretched across time is crucial in understanding the mechanisms underpinning the NCCG's evolutionary process. The findings highlight how specific configurations of factors across multiple layers of context influenced the outcomes of the NCCG reform, including the role of champions in driving change. Local contexts significantly affect agents' subjectivity and subsequent actions. Actors employ multiple interpretive schemes that impact the NCCG's implementation, shaped by their placement within the broader context, roles, vested interests, concerns, and agendas. The study provides insights into how individuals or groups, faced with contextual conditions across various layers, draw upon different logics to support their goals, individually or collectively. The research contributes novel knowledge on corporate governance reform in national contexts, revealing that variations in CG practices across different institutional and organisational contexts cannot be fully understood through analytical perspectives emphasising managerial rationality based on agency theory and principal-agent relationships. The thesis establishes a new methodological and theoretical framework for future CG research, emphasising the utility of morphogenetic analytical framework and Archerian Critical Realism Social Theory for a more nuanced and critical perspective in corporate governance research. It enables a broader range of causes and influences on CG reform to be considered and evaluated beyond the scope of agency theory and rational choice models

Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1975. A chronology

The major NASA launches are presented including the sounding rocket launches. Also included are the satellites, space probes, and manned space flights for the year

An assessment of the impact of corporate governance practices on the values of firms in the United Kingdom and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia : a comparative study using the Ethical Process Thinking Model (EPTM)

There are many scandals and collapses of companies around the world, and there has been a renewed interest in the impact of corporate governance on the firm value. According to the literature on corporate governance, the roles of regulatory authorities, company boards and management, vendors, customers, banks and other funding agencies including creditors are important in contributing to the firm value. This is true both in the case of both developing and developed countries. In the context of both developing and developed countries, the protection of shareholders depends mainly on adoption and following of good corporate governances practices. However, it needs to be appreciated that the impact of corporate governance practices in different countries might differ because of dissimilar corporate governance structures evolved from disparate social, economic and regulatory conditions existing in the respective countries. Thus, the differences in the social, economic and regulatory conditions prevailing in the developing and developed countries determine the nature and operational processes of corporate governance practices. Such differences in the corporate governance practices, in turn, have a serious impact on the firm value. The differences in the regulatory framework and market behaviour that existin the developing and developed countries appear to influence the value and performance of the firm to a large extent. Therefore, the corporate governance practices in developed countries appear to be superior in quality and they are likely to have a beneficial influence in improving the firm value in the developed countries. Furthermore, the introduction of corporate governance standards by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Developments (OECD) in 1999 had given a head-start for the developed economies to frame appropriate governance structures over the period. This has helped the developed countries to have effective corporate governance practices in place to aid the improvement in firm value.On the other hand, in the case of developing countries, lack of development of a well-structured regulatory framework and the differences in other social and economic conditions tend to affect the quality of the corporate governance practices. These factors also affect the effective implementation of good corporate governance practices. As a result, the corporate governance practices may not have the desired positive influence on the firm value in the case of developing countries. For example, in such countries, where state ownership companies are predominant, quality of the government officials managing the state-owned corporations determine the corporate behaviour and the resultant impact on the firm value. Similarly, the development of healthy financial markets as affected by the legal foundations and enforcement also could influence the level and quality of corporate government practices in the developing economies. Ownership structure is another important factor that has its own impact on the effectiveness of corporate governance practices in the developing countries. Therefore, it becomes important for the developing countries to consider these differences in the analysis of the prevailing corporate governance practices and their impact on firm value, in order to have a thorough understanding of the role of corporate governance and their influence in enhancing firm value. However, it seems the existing literature is lacking in systematically discussing these differences.A great deal of research has been done in developed countries such USA and UK; however; there is relatively little evidence in the Middle East in this area especially in Saudi Arabia. This study investigates corporate governance practices and their impact on firm value in the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Quantitative data was analysed by SmartPLS software version 3.0. Operationalising a theoretical model described as the Ethical Process Thinking Model (EPTM)), a comparison was made between the listed companies in these two countries. This study is based on the two sets of data: (1) a sample of 342 firms listed in the listed on the London Stock Exchange and Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul); (2) Data was collected from the annual reports of listed companies over five years (2010 –2015).Different pathways enumerated in the TM displayed significant impact and implications on corporate governance leading to firm value. This study used three pathways out of six possible pathways, which are (i) Rule-based pathway (P→J→D) (ii) Principle-based pathway, (I→J→D) and (iii) preference-based pathway (P→D). The results indicated that the (P→J→D pathway found that there is significant relationship between board characters and audit committee and on the financial health and firm value, while the (I→J→D) pathway indicated that there issignificant relationship between profitability and liquidity on the financial health and firm value. Finally, the (P→D)pathway displayed that there is a direct impact of board characters and audit committee on firm value

Continual improvement: A bibliography with indexes, 1992-1993

This bibliography lists 606 references to reports and journal articles entered into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Database during 1992 to 1993. Topics cover the philosophy and history of Continual Improvement (CI), basic approaches and strategies for implementation, and lessons learned from public and private sector models. Entries are arranged according to the following categories: Leadership for Quality, Information and Analysis, Strategic Planning for CI, Human Resources Utilization, Management of Process Quality, Supplier Quality, Assessing Results, Customer Focus and Satisfaction, TQM Tools and Philosophies, and Applications. Indexes include subject, personal author, corporate source, contract number, report number, and accession number

Iran, Persian Gulf and Relations with the United States: The Myth of Hegemony (1968-75)

Abstract A host of negative perceptions about Western interests in keeping the Shah of Iran on throne and encouraging his aggressive posture during 1968-79 abound the anti-Imperialist narrative across the Persian Gulf. Negative references to the Shah’s stance against his Gulf and Westerly neighbours, such as claims on Bahrain, Abu Musa and the Tunbs Islands; instigating the Iraqi Kurdish rebellion and threatening to detach Pakistani Baluchistan during 1972-75 notwithstanding, his otherwise hostile behaviour in the OPEC threatening oil embargos against the West, as well actions in Dhofari rebellion during 1970-75, can only be explained as positive contributions towards the Arab cause and acting against Western interests. In addition, while the Shah acted against various Soviet protégés in the Gulf and western Asia during 1969-78, the Soviet countenance to his regional policies after his demanding American withdrawal from Bahrain in 1968 contradicts his acting on behalf of US interests or keeping the conservative Arabs incheck, or harbour expansionist ambitions. Analysing “Top-Secret” diplomatic correspondence detailing the Shah-US undertakings on these controversies, this study instead claims that the Shah wanted closer relations with all the conservative Arabs and revolutionary Iraq to protect the region from the US “bargains” with the Soviets. He actually protected his Sheikhly Arab neighbours from the Western military threat during 1968-71; extended direct security guarantees to Saudi Kingdom and Pakistan during 1972-75; and never harboured ambitions to take a security role under Nixon Doctrine thrgouh an aircraft Carrier navy well after 1971. The work discovers that the Shah had actually become resistant to President Johnson and Nixon’s advice on Iran’s security and relations with the Soviet Union, after refusals to provide necessary defensive weapons; threatening the Shah with arms embargoes and refusing any security guarantee to Iran from the Soviet, Nasserite or the Marxist threats during 1967-72. In fact, the study suggests that contrary to the stated objectives for US stationingthe MIDEASTFOR in Bahrain as security presence, Nixon intended to increase his bargaining position viz-a-viz the Soivet vulnerability along the southern borders; seek Soviet restraint against Europe and agree to Strategic Arms Limitations. The Shah was assured supplies of high-tech arms as a “recompense” for quiescence over US presence and Détente, and act as a conduit for arms to Pakistan after the 1971 War. The Shah’s interest in containing revolutionary Iraq after 1972 through the Kurds is also demonstrated as contradictory to Kissinger’s motives for Shah to act along Soviet borders and “neutralize” Iraq from the anti-Israeli quation. This study uncovers that the Shah did not act unilaterally against Saddam during 1972-75, but received support from King Faisal, Hussein and Kuwait, whereas, Nixon and Kissinger were duly warned by the CIA about the Shah’s “heavy-handed” tendencies against Arab neighbours; the dangers of triggering an arms race - without commensurate Iraqi threat -and which could elicit Soviet counter-actions should Iran threatened its southern borders or regional clients

Astronautics and aeronautics, 1972

Important events of the U. S. space program during 1972 are recorded in a chronology which encompasses all NASA, NASA related, and international cooperative efforts in aeronautics and astronautics. Personnel and budget concerns are documented, along with the major developments in aircraft research, manned space flight, and interplanetary exploration

Astronautics and aeronautics, 1970. Chronology on science, technology, and policy

An immediate reference to aerospace-related events of 1970 is provided to help historians in preserving historical accuracy and precision. Chronologies of major NASA launches, and manned space flights for 1970 are included