Entry of the Hearing Impaired into the Health Care System

The current system of referral of patients complaining of hearing loss usually requires a dual appointment with otolaryngology and audiology. Most of these patients have sensorineural hearing loss for which there is rarely surgical or medical treatment. This study tests the hypothesis that these patients would receive appropriate treatment and that health care dollars would be saved if an audiological assessment could identify those patients who require medical or surgical care. One hundred consecutive patients whose sole complaint was hearing loss were evaluated using audiograms and hearing abilities questionnaires by five audiologists using subjective and objective criteria to determine the need for referral to otolaryngology. Audiologists determined the need for referral with an accuracy of 55% and 72% utilizing subjective and objective criteria, respectively. The questionnaire was found to be of little value. Audiologists may be able to function as the entry point into the health care system for patients complaining of hearing loss. We are encouraged by the results of this preliminary study, but improvement in the system by which audiologists detect disease is necessary

Exploring Counselor Educators’ Pedagogical Practices: Cultivating Competent Counselors Through Increased Cognitive Complexity And Reflective Practice

An extensive amount of research has underscored the benefits of developing higher levels of cognitive complexity and reflective practice among counseling professionals (Buser, 2008; Choate & Granello, 2006; Fong, Borders, Ethington, & Pitts, 1997; Granello, 2002; Pietrzak, Duncan & Korcuska, 2008). This exploratory study examined the degree to which evidence-based pedagogical methods promoting cognitive complexity and reflective practice exist within graduate level counseling classes

Time to Adopt: Librarians’ New Skills and Competency Profiles

On the one hand, libraries are at the forefront of the digital transformation and digital information infrastructures, on the other, they manage and curate cultural heritage collections. This brings about new ways of engagement with information and knowledge and the need to rethink skills and competency profiles – which enable librarians to support e-research all along the research cycle. This paper presents findings of the joint Task Force on Librarians’ Competencies in Support of E-Research and Scholarly Communication

Time to Adopt: Librarians’ New Skills and Competency Profiles

On the one hand, libraries are at the forefront of the digital transformation and digital information infrastructures, on the other, they manage and curate cultural heritage collections. This brings about new ways of engagement with information and knowledge and the need to rethink skills and competency profiles – which enable librarians to support e-research all along the research cycle. This paper presents findings of the joint Task Force on Librarians’ Competencies in Support of E-Research and Scholarly Communication

Retention strategies in longitudinal studies with emerging adults

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this report was to describe retention strategies that were useful and those that were not in a longitudinal study of emerging adults. BACKGROUND: A longitudinal study examining the transition to young adulthood among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes, which had success in retention, provided the context for describing retention strategies. RATIONALE: A challenge in longitudinally designed studies is retention of participants because the loss decreases power for statistical analysis. Given that emerging adulthood is a period of instability, retention is particularly challenging among this population. However, longitudinal studies are the best way to understand developmental changes, and it is also important to increase our knowledge of health outcomes during emerging adulthood. DESCRIPTION: Retention strategies used in the study are described, including promoting a positive relationship with participants, maintaining contact with participants, having a study staff with good interpersonal skills, using incentives, conveying respect for participants, and using user-friendly data collection. OUTCOMES: Useful strategies to promote a positive relationship included sending cards and newsletters to participants, maintaining consistency of contact person, and expressing appreciation for participant's time and effort. Useful strategies for maintaining contact with participants included obtaining contact information at every data collection point, maintaining birth dates and chart numbers in tracking databases, monitoring returned mail, and using Web search engines. Other useful strategies were providing incentives to participants, employing staff with good interpersonal skills, providing participants with choices when appropriate, and using user-friendly data collection. One strategy, using contests, was not found useful. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the challenges of conducting longitudinally designed studies with emerging adults, multiple retention strategies can be used that are useful to retention. IMPLICATIONS: It is feasible to conduct longitudinal studies with emerging adults despite the challenges

Multilevel security within the Army Tactical Command Control System: an implementation strategy

As U.S. Forces continue to operate in coalition environments, the need to incorporate Multilevel Security into the ATCCS becomes more apparent. While Army doctrine requires the ATCCS to be MLS to the B2 level, there iii currently no product or technology developed to fulfill this requirement, nor is there any implementation strategy devised to address this issue. This thesis proposes two strategies to implement MLS within the ATCCS: a target and near term implementation strategy. These two strategies are derived from the DoD joint MLS Technology Insertion Program Target Architecture and Implementation Strategy, which provides the vehicle for assessing the current and in development MLS products and capabilitieshttp://archive.org/details/multilevelsecuri00lopeCaptain, United States ArmyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Science fairs and Science Olympiad : influence on student science inquiry learning and attitudes toward STEM careers and coursework

Advisors: Paul Kelter.Committee members: Kyle Cudworth; Joseph E. Flynn.Thousands of middle school students participate in science competitions such as science fairs and Science Olympiad yearly, but little is known about the effects of their participation on their attitudes toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) coursework and careers. Even less is known about whether they increase students' understanding of the practices of scientific inquiry. In this study, 86 seventh-grade students from eight schools who participated in either science fair or Science Olympiad competitions were assessed regarding their attitudes toward STEM coursework and careers and the extent of their science inquiry skills. Quantitative data were collected through pre- and post- competition written assessments. Qualitative data were collected through post-competition focus groups.Both groups increased their understanding of science inquiry as a result of their participation in science competitions. Student attitudes toward STEM coursework and careers were generally positively influenced by their participation in science competitions. However, there was a subgroup of science fair participants for which the opposite was true. The strengths of Science Olympiad programs were the opportunities to study science topics on a deep level, to work with teammates, and to compete. However, there was little student choice at the schools studied because the coaches chose the teams and generally assigned students to particular Science Olympiad events. The level of science inquiry varied according to event. Strengths of the science fair programs were student choice regarding topics and a focus on science inquiry. However, the level of stress experienced by some students, and the negative attitudes toward science that resulted, called into question the appropriateness of engaging in a project of the length and complexity of a typical science fair project with this age group.Recommendations for Science Olympiad competitions are adding events that allow more student choice and deeper engagement with science inquiry. Science fair students may benefit from engaging in several small projects, rather than one large project, and from working with a partner or a small group. It was found that for most students, science competition participation had a positive influence on their understanding of science inquiry and attitudes toward STEM coursework and careers.Ed.D. (Doctor of Education

Evaluation of Vascular Control Mechanisms Utilizing Video Microscopy of Isolated Resistance Arteries of Rats

This protocol describes the use of in vitro television microscopy to evaluate vascular function in isolated cerebral resistance arteries (and other vessels), and describes techniques for evaluating tissue perfusion using Laser Doppler Flowmetry (LDF) and microvessel density utilizing fluorescently labeled Griffonia simplicifolia (GS1) lectin. Current methods for studying isolated resistance arteries at transmural pressures encountered in vivo and in the absence of parenchymal cell influences provide a critical link between in vivo studies and information gained from molecular reductionist approaches that provide limited insight into integrative responses at the whole animal level. LDF and techniques to selectively identify arterioles and capillaries with fluorescently-labeled GS1 lectin provide practical solutions to enable investigators to extend the knowledge gained from studies of isolated resistance arteries. This paper describes the application of these techniques to gain fundamental knowledge of vascular physiology and pathology in the rat as a general experimental model, and in a variety of specialized genetically engineered designer rat strains that can provide important insight into the influence of specific genes on important vascular phenotypes. Utilizing these valuable experimental approaches in rat strains developed by selective breeding strategies and new technologies for producing gene knockout models in the rat, will expand the rigor of scientific premises developed in knockout mouse models and extend that knowledge to a more relevant animal model, with a well understood physiological background and suitability for physiological studies because of its larger size

Men and Women of the Bar: The Impact of Gender on Legal Careers

In this study, we use the University of Michigan Law School Alumni Data Set to undertake an empirical analysis of the impact of gender on the legal profession and the differences that gender makes in the careers and lives of attorneys. With regular survey responses from Michigan alumni from 1967 until the present, the University of Michigan Law School Alumni Data Set provides a unique opportunity to examine these questions from the days when female attorneys were rare, to the arrival of the first generation of women to achieve significant presence in the legal profession