Effects of noise and vibration on commercial helicopter pilots. Results of Phase 1 research Final report

Noise and vibration effects on commercial helicopter pilot safety, performance, and comfor

Introduction: Oligocene to Pleistocene Eustatic Change at the New Jersey Continental Margin--a Test of Sequence Stratigraphy

The emergence of seismic/sequence stratigraphy since the late 1970s has led to a revolution in stratigraphy and a renewal of interest in the stratigraphic response to eustasy. Two arguments were advanced in support of the eustatic interpretation. One involved widespread seismic evidence for the existence of regional unconformities (sequence boundaries) characterized by apparently abrupt basinward shifts in onlap, which were interpreted to imply relatively rapid falls of sea level with amplitudes of up to several hundred meters. The second was based on the purported global synchroneity of these unconformities, which, if correct, would be difficult to explain by other than a eustatic mechanism. The primary goals of Leg 174A are the following: 1. To date as precisely as possible sequence boundaries of Oligocene—Pleistocene age, and to compare this stratigraphic record with the timing of glacial-eustatic changes inferred from deep-sea d18O variations; 2. To place constraints on the amplitudes and rates of sea-level change that may have been responsible for unconformity development; 3. To assess the relationships between depositional facies and sequence architecture; and 4. To provide a baseline for future scientific ocean drilling that will address the effects and timing of sea-level changes on this and other passive continental margins. An additional goal for Leg 174A is technical. The leg represents the first attempt by scientific ocean drilling in almost 30 years to sample a thickly sedimented continental margin in water depths less than 150 m. Two sites (Sites 1071 and 1072) are located on the outer part of the continental shelf in water depths of 88-90 and 98-100 m, respectively. An additional site (Site 1073) is located on the uppermost continental slope, part of the Hudson Apron, in a water depth of 639 m

Chemical reactivity of hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen atoms at temperatures below 100 deg K Fifth semiannual technical report

Chemical reactivity of hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms at temperatures below 100 deg

Developing an Inflatable Solar Array

Viewgraphs describing the development of an inflatable solar array as part of the Inflatable Torus Solar Array Technology (ITSAT) program are presented. Program phases, overall and subsystem designs, and array deployment are addressed

A Guide for applying a revised version of the PARIHS framework for implementation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Based on a critical synthesis of literature on use of the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework, revisions and a companion <it>Guide </it>were developed by a group of researchers independent of the original PARIHS team. The purpose of the <it>Guide </it>is to enhance and optimize efforts of researchers using PARIHS in implementation trials and evaluations.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Authors used a planned, structured process to organize and synthesize critiques, discussions, and potential recommendations for refinements of the PARIHS framework arising from a systematic review. Using a templated form, each author independently recorded key components for each reviewed paper; that is, study definitions, perceived strengths/limitations of PARIHS, other observations regarding key issues and recommendations regarding needed refinements. After reaching consensus on these key components, the authors summarized the information and developed the <it>Guide</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A number of revisions, perceived as consistent with the PARIHS framework's general nature and intent, are proposed. The related <it>Guide </it>is composed of a set of reference tools, provided in Additional files. Its core content is built upon the basic elements of PARIHS and current implementation science.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We invite researchers using PARIHS for targeted evidence-based practice (EBP) implementations with a strong task-orientation to use this <it>Guide </it>as a companion and to apply the revised framework prospectively and comprehensively. Researchers also are encouraged to evaluate its use relative to perceived strengths and issues. Such evaluations and critical reflections regarding PARIHS and our <it>Guide </it>could thereby promote the framework's continued evolution.</p

Frequency of CHEK2 mutations in a population based, case–control study of breast cancer in young women

INTRODUCTION: The cell-cycle checkpoint kinase (CHEK)2 protein truncating mutation 1100delC has been associated with increased risk for breast or prostate cancer. Multiple studies have found an elevated frequency of the 1100delC variant in specific stratifications of breast cancer patients with a family history of the disease, including BRCA1/BRCA2 negative families and families with a history of bilateral disease or male breast cancer. However, the 1100delC mutation has only been investigated in a few population-based studies and none from North America. METHODS: We report here on the frequency of three CHEK2 variants that alter protein function – 1100delC, R145W, and I175T – in 506 cases and 459 controls from a population based, case–control study of breast cancer conducted in young women from western Washington. RESULTS: There was a suggestive enrichment in the 1100delC variant in the cases (1.2%) as compared with the controls (0.4%), but this was based on small numbers of carriers and the differences were not statistically significant. The 1100delC variant was more frequent in cases with a first-degree family history of breast cancer (4.3%; P = 0.02) and slightly enriched in cases with a family history of ovarian cancer (4.4%; P = 0.09). CONCLUSION: The CHEK2 variants are rare in the western Washington population and, based on accumulated evidence across studies, are unlikely to be major breast cancer susceptibility genes. Thus, screening for the 1100delC variant may have limited usefulness in breast cancer prevention programs in the USA

Development of cross-curricular key skills using a 3D immersive learning environment in schools

© Springer International Publishing AG 2017. Pedagogical opportunities offered by 3D immersive environments are not restricted to subject-based knowledge but also include non-disciplinary and cross-curricular key skills. This pilot study introduced a large 3D scene of a non-extant architectural exhibition into teaching and learning activities at three UK schools. From observation and qualitative data capture, a comparative case study identified a number of pedagogical opportunities and challenges. Despite diverse teacher and student approaches, a number of common factors were identified including constructionist teaching methods and the suitability of 3D environments for developing cross-curricular key skills and capabilities. In relation to the literature, this paper analyses how subject-aligned use of the 3D model met with differing levels of success, identifies four key skills that emerged from student use of the model across all three schools, and considers how challenges might be translated into further learning opportunities

Organizational readiness to change assessment (ORCA): Development of an instrument based on the Promoting Action on Research in Health Services (PARIHS) framework

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services, or PARIHS, framework is a theoretical framework widely promoted as a guide to implement evidence-based clinical practices. However, it has as yet no pool of validated measurement instruments that operationalize the constructs defined in the framework. The present article introduces an Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment instrument (ORCA), organized according to the core elements and sub-elements of the PARIHS framework, and reports on initial validation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted scale reliability and factor analyses on cross-sectional, secondary data from three quality improvement projects (n = 80) conducted in the Veterans Health Administration. In each project, identical 77-item ORCA instruments were administered to one or more staff from each facility involved in quality improvement projects. Items were organized into 19 subscales and three primary scales corresponding to the core elements of the PARIHS framework: (1) Strength and extent of evidence for the clinical practice changes represented by the QI program, assessed with four subscales, (2) Quality of the organizational context for the QI program, assessed with six subscales, and (3) Capacity for internal facilitation of the QI program, assessed with nine subscales.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cronbach's alpha for scale reliability were 0.74, 0.85 and 0.95 for the evidence, context and facilitation scales, respectively. The evidence scale and its three constituent subscales failed to meet the conventional threshold of 0.80 for reliability, and three individual items were eliminated from evidence subscales following reliability testing. In exploratory factor analysis, three factors were retained. Seven of the nine facilitation subscales loaded onto the first factor; five of the six context subscales loaded onto the second factor; and the three evidence subscales loaded on the third factor. Two subscales failed to load significantly on any factor. One measured resources in general (from the context scale), and one clinical champion role (from the facilitation scale).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We find general support for the reliability and factor structure of the ORCA. However, there was poor reliability among measures of evidence, and factor analysis results for measures of general resources and clinical champion role did not conform to the PARIHS framework. Additional validation is needed, including criterion validation.</p

Posthumanist Education

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