Redeveloping a workplace-based assessment program for physicians using Kane’s validity framework

This paper describes the use of Kane’s validity framework to redevelop a workplace-based assessment program for practicing physicians administered by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. The developmental process is presented according to the four inferences in Kane’s model. Scoring was addressed through the creation of specialty-specific assessment criteria and global, narrative-focused reports. Generalization was addressed through standardized sampling protocols and assessor training and consensus-building. Extrapolation was addressed through the use of real-world performance data and an external review of the scoring tools by practicing physicians. Implications were theoretically supported through adherence to formative assessment principles and will be assessed through an evaluation accompanying the implementation of the redeveloped program. Kane’s framework was valuable for guiding the redevelopment process and for systematically collecting validity evidence throughout to support the use of the assessment for its intended purpose. As the use of workplace-based assessment programs for physicians continues to increase, practical examples are needed of how to develop and evaluate these programs using established frameworks. The dissemination of comprehensive validity arguments is vital for sharing knowledge about the development and evaluation of WBA programs and for understanding the effects of these assessments on physician practice improvement

Determining electron column density fluctuations in a dominant scattering region using pulsar scintillation

Density fluctuations in the ionised interstellar medium have a profound effect on radio pulsar observations, through angular scattering, intensity scintillations, and small changes in time delays from dispersion. Here we show that it is possible to recover the variations in dispersive delays that originate from a dominant scattering region using measurements of the dynamic spectrum of intensity scintillations, provided that the pulsar velocity and scattering region location are known. We provide a theoretical framework for the technique, which involves estimating the phase gradient from the dynamic spectra and integrating that gradient to obtain phase variations. It can be used to search for "extreme scattering events" (ESEs) in pulsars for which precision dispersion delay measurements are not otherwise possible, or to separate true dispersion variations from apparent variability caused by frequency-dependent pulse shape changes. We demonstrate that it works in practice by recovering an ESE in PSR J1603$-$7202, which is known from precision dispersion delay measurements from pulsar timing. For this pulsar, we find that the phase gradients also track the long-term variations in electron column density observed by pulsar timing, indicating that the column density variations and the scattering are dominated by the same thin scattering screen. We identify a sudden increase in the scintillation strength and magnitude of phase gradients over $\sim$days in 2010, indicating a compact structure. A decrease in the electron density in 2012 was associated with persistent phase gradients and preceded a period of decreased scintillation strength and an absence of scintillation arcs.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRA

An analysis of post-traumatic stress symptoms in United States Air Force drone operators

Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), commonly referred to as “drones,” have emerged over the past decade as an innovative warfighting tool. Given there is a paucity of empirical research assessing drone operators, the purpose of this study was to assess for the prevalence of PTSD symptoms among this cohort. Of the 1084 United States Air Force (USAF) drone operators that participated, a total of 4.3% endorsed a pattern of symptoms of moderate to extreme level of severity meeting criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th edition. The incidence of PTSD among USAF drone operators in this study was lower than rates of PTSD (10–18%) among military personnel returning from deployment but higher than incidence rates (less than 1%) of USAF drone operators reported in electronic medical records. Although low PTSD rates may be promising, limitations to this study are discussed

Using Implicit Associations to Reveal Hidden Biases Toward Robots

Previously, the Implicit Associations Test (IAT) has been used to measure attitudes toward different human variables (i.e. race, religion, age) (Fazio, R. H., & Olson, M. A., 2003). In this present study, we extend this research to examine biases toward robots by assessing the association between humans and robots with negative and positive stimuli. Participants were recruited at a large southeastern university in the U.S. (n = 23, Mage = 19). The IAT was created in the Qualtrics survey engine where it contains 7 tasks. An improved scoring algorithm was used to examine reaction times from tasks 3, 4, 6, and 7 (Greenwald, 2009). Tasks 3 and 4 measured the association between humans with negative stimuli, and robots with positive stimuli. Tasks 6 and 7 measured the association between humans with positive stimuli, and robots with negative stimuli. As the mean gets smaller, the reaction time increases leading to a stronger association. We hypothesized that people may hold stronger negative associations toward robots than toward humans. Therefore, the reaction time for Tasks 3 and 4 will be significantly larger than for Tasks 6 and 7. As predicted, our results indicate a higher mean for Tasks 3 and 4 (M = 1.09, SD = 0.49) compared to the mean for Tasks 6 and 7 (= 0.71, SD = 0.20). By implementing the IAT in the novel field of robotics, useful information about user’s implicit perceptions toward robots may aid in future human robot interaction

Employer preferences during the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

The changes to the U.S. health care system brought about during the Obama Administration are both the most extensive and most controversial the country has seen in many decades. Employers are traditionally opponents to expansionary government policies. To develop why Obama reforms passed, I compare the Obama and Clinton attempts and discuss factors affecting businesses that may have shifted. The goal of this thesis is to investigate the interests and preferences of employers both large and small and analyze whether they were indeed antagonistic toward the health care reforms. I argue that there are both economic and political organizational reasons for employer preferences that differ based on size. This thesis finds employer responses were antagonistic and that generally the profit motive took precedent over prospective long-term social equality advances

Do You Know if You Trust a Robot? Influences that Mediate Implicit and Explicit Trust

With the widespread expansion in fields of technology, the use of robotics in the average person’s everyday life continues to increase. This fast paced shift has brought about issues related to user trust. Here we investigate the effects of robot appearance and reliability on a user’s level of trust. Traditionally trust in the field of robotics has measured explicit trust, primarily through the use of self-report questionnaires. While we maintain this paradigm in our current work, we also expand on it by including a measure of implicit trust. This was achieved through the use of the Implicit Associations Test (IAT), administered prior to the experimental trials and aimed at evaluating participant’s implicit trust differences between humans and robots. Explicit trust was evaluated by measuring participant response to three different robot forms. Additionally, each robot could behave reliably or unreliably during a series of three experimental trials. A final fourth trial was also used, where we evaluated choice by allowing participants to choose their preferred robot. Explicit trust was measured through the use of two questionnaires: the Trust in Automation Scale (TAS) and the Human-Robot Trust Scale (HRTS). Results from the IAT showed implicit reservations related to trusting a robot over a human. Results from the explicit trust metrics showed differences based on the reliability of the robot, as well as when the participant chose to interact with the robot. We conclude that reliability remains a dominant driver of trust, yet other contextual factors do prove influential

Insider Threat Detection in PRODIGAL

This paper reports on insider threat detection research, during which a prototype system (PRODIGAL) was developed and operated as a testbed for exploring a range of detection and analysis methods. The data and test environment, system components, and the core method of unsupervised detection \ of insider threat leads are presented to document this work and benefit others working in the insider threat domain. \ \ We also discuss a core set of experiments evaluating the prototype’s ability to detect both known and unknown malicious insider behaviors. The experimental results show the ability to detect a large variety of insider threat scenario instances imbedded in real data with no prior knowledge of what scenarios \ are present or when they occur. \ \ We report on an ensemble-based, unsupervised technique for detecting potential insider threat instances. When run over 16 months of real monitored computer usage activity augmented with independently developed and unknown but realistic, insider threat scenarios, this technique robustly achieves results within five percent of the best individual detectors identified after the fact. We discuss factors that contribute to the success of the ensemble method, such as the number and variety of unsupervised detectors and the use of prior knowledge encoded in detectors designed for specific activity patterns. \ \ Finally, the paper describes the architecture of the prototype system, the environment in which we conducted these experiments and that is in the process of being transitioned to operational users

Exchange of polar lipids from adults to neonates in \u3ci\u3eDaphnia magna\u3c/i\u3e: Perturbations in sphingomyelin allocation by dietary lipids and environmental toxicants

Because xenosensing nuclear receptors are also lipid sensors that regulate lipid allocation, we hypothesized that toxicant-induced modulation of HR96 activity would alter lipid profiles and the balance between adult survival and neonate production following exposure in Daphnia magna. Adult daphnids were exposed to unsaturated fatty acid- and toxicant- activators or inhibitors of HR96 and later starved to test whether chemical exposure altered allocation toward survival or reproduction. The HR96 activators, linoleic acid and atrazine, decreased reproduction as expected with concomitant changes in the expression of HR96 regulated genes such as magro. The HR96 inhibitors, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and triclosan, increased reproduction or neonate starvation survival, respectively. However, pre-exposure to triclosan increased in neonate survival at the expense of reproductive maturation. Lipidomic analysis revealed that sphingomyelins (SM) are predominantly found in neonates and therefore we propose are important in development. DHA and triclosan increased neonatal SM, consistent with HR96’s regulation of Niemann-Pick genes. While DHA altered expression of magro, Niemann-Pick 1b, mannosidase, and other HR96-regulated genes as expected, triclosan primarily perturbed sphingomyelinase and mannosidase expression indicating different but potentially overlapping mechanisms for perturbing SM. Overall, SM appears to be a key lipid in Daphnia maturation and further support was provided by carmofur, which inhibits sphingomyelin/ceramide metabolism and in turn severely represses Daphnia maturation and initial brood production. In conclusion, toxicants can perturb lipid allocation and in turn impair development and reproduction

Septic regulations and suburban development patterns : an analysis based on soil data in Norfolk County, Massachusetts

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2003.Includes bibliographical references (p. 95-98).This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Urban sanitation systems are fundamental elements of modern urban development. Decentralized, privately operated, on-site wastewater disposal systems have also played an important role in suburban and exurban development over the past fifty years. This research is an attempt to assess the current influence of on-site wastewater disposal technology and regulations on land use patterns in Norfolk County, Massachusetts; to estimate the potential impacts of technological and regulatory change; and to assess the potential role of on-site sanitation policies in managing suburban and exurban development. I grouped soil types into seven interpretive classes based on their limitations for wastewater disposal; and created a Soil Development Index, which represents the relative proportion of soil classes in available and developed land over time. I found that soils with high groundwater and slow permeability are systematically underrepresented in residential development utilizing on-site wastewater disposal; comparisons to sewer service areas suggest these patterns may be due to regulatory restrictions on the use of septic systems. Slowly permeable soils and shallow bedrock areas are also associated with larger lot sizes in unsewered areas. The land-consumptive patterns of development observed in unsewered suburbs suggest that the current system of on-site sanitation is closely linked to other public policies that promote large-lot single family large-lot development to the exclusion of more diverse development models. The history of centralized and decentralized sanitation systems in the United States demonstrates that sanitation policies have evolved over time to address a wider variety of social and political concerns, including explicit planning objectives. Additional research is necessary to assess how sanitation policies -- including standards for on-site wastewater disposal -- might be used as implementation mechanisms for land use and planning policies intended to promote sustainabilityby Timothy W. Reardon.M.C.P