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Research Opportunities (research + opportunity)
Kinds of Research Opportunities Selected AbstractsAlcohol Biomarkers in Applied Settings: Recent Advances and Future Research OpportunitiesALCOHOLISM, Issue 6 2010Raye Z. Litten During the past decade, advances have been made in the identification, development, and application of alcohol biomarkers. This is important because of the unique functions that alcohol biomarkers can serve in various applied settings. To carry out these functions, biomarkers must display several features including validity, reliability, adequacy of temporal window of assessment, reasonable cost, and transportability. During the past two decades, several traditional alcohol biomarkers have been studied in multiple human studies. Meanwhile, several new, promising biomarkers, including various alcohol metabolites and alcohol biosensors, are being explored in human studies. In addition, researchers have explored using biomarkers in combination and using biomarkers in combination with self-reports, resulting in increased sensitivity with little sacrifice in specificity. Despite these advances, more research is needed to validate biomarkers, especially the new ones, in humans. Moreover, recent advances in high-throughput technologies for genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics offer unique opportunities to discover novel biomarkers, while additional research is needed to perfect newly developed alcohol sensors. Development of more accurate biomarkers will help practicing clinicians to more effectively screen and monitor individuals who suffer from alcohol use disorders. [source] Doing Away with the Drab Age: Research Opportunities in Mid-Tudor Literature (1530,1580)LITERATURE COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2010Mike Pincombe This article surveys recent developments in the study of mid-Tudor literature; some of the problems the area has traditionally faced and still faces; and the opportunities for new research it offers, especially that which exploits new technology. It traces the deleterious effect that C. S. Lewis' epithet ,Drab Age' has had upon the field, and how this has been compounded by institutional and market pressures in university education and academic publishing in the second half of the twentieth century. Nonetheless, interest in mid-16th century literature is being revived by historicist readings. The article maps out a number of areas ripe for future study, including life-writing, women's writing, miscellanies, anonymous writing, cheap/ephemeral print, Inns of Court writing, translation, Tudor poetics, manuscripts, non-dramatic dialogue, paratext and anthologies of ,tragical tales'. It calls for an unprejudiced reassessment of the aesthetics of mid-Tudor literature and draws attention to its humour and generic hybridity. [source] Research Opportunities in Simulation-based Medical Education Using Deliberate PracticeACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2008William C. McGaghie PhD Abstract There are many opportunities for the academic emergency medicine (EM) community to engage in simulation-based educational research using deliberate practice (DP). This article begins by defining and giving examples of two key concepts: deliberate practice and mastery learning. The article proceeds to report six lessons learned from a research legacy in simulation-based medical education (SBME). It concludes by listing and amplifying 10 DP research opportunities in academic EM. A coda states that the research agenda is rich and ambitious and should focus on the goal of educating superb, expert clinicians. [source] Decision Sciences Research in China: A Critical Review and Research Agenda,Foundations and Overview,DECISION SCIENCES, Issue 4 2006Xiande Zhao ABSTRACT This article focuses on decision sciences research in China, providing an overview of current research and developing a foundation for future China-based research. China provides a unique research opportunity for decision sciences researchers, owing to its recent history, rapid economic development, and strong national culture. We examine recent economic reforms and their impact on the development of research questions in the decision sciences, as well as discuss characteristics of the diverse regions in China and their potential as sites for various types of research. We provide a brief overview of recent China-based research on decision sciences issues relating to national culture, supply chain management, quality management, production planning and control, operations strategy, and new product development and discuss some of the unique methodological challenges inherent in China-based research. We conclude by looking forward to emerging research opportunities in China. [source] Service Personnel, Technology, and Their Interaction in Influencing Customer Satisfaction,DECISION SCIENCES, Issue 1 2006Craig M. Froehle ABSTRACT Managing both the technologies and the personnel needed for providing high-quality, multichannel customer support creates a complex and persistent operational challenge. Adding to this difficulty, it is still unclear how service personnel and these new communication technologies interact to influence the customer's perceptions of the service being provided. Motivated by both practical importance and inconsistent findings in the academic literature, this exploratory research examines the interaction of media richness, represented by three different technology contexts (telephone, e-mail, and online chat), with six customer service representative (CSR) characteristics and their influences on customer satisfaction. Using a large-sample customer survey data set, the article develops a multigroup structural equation model to analyze these interactions. Results suggest that CSR characteristics influence customer service satisfaction similarly across all three technology-mediated contexts. Of the characteristics studied, service representatives contribute to customer satisfaction more when they exhibit the characteristics of thoroughness, knowledgeableness, and preparedness, regardless of the richness of the medium used. Surprisingly, while three other CSR characteristics studied (courtesy, professionalism, and attentiveness) are traditionally believed to be important in face-to-face encounters, they had no significant impact on customer satisfaction in the technology-mediated contexts studied. Implications for both practitioners and researchers are drawn from the results and future research opportunities are discussed. [source] Sleep-related memory consolidation in depression: an emerging field of researchDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 12 2008Orla Patricia Hornung Ph.D. Abstract Sleep-related memory consolidation has received increasing attention in recent years. Because previous research has focused on healthy young adults, only very few studies have been conducted in patients with psychiatric disorders so far. The investigation of sleep-related memory consolidation in depression offers a wide range of future research opportunities and can therefore be regarded as an emerging field of research. This article gives a short overview of current knowledge of sleep-related memory consolidation in healthy young adults and builds a bridge to psychiatry and depression, where further research is urgently needed. Depression and Anxiety, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The supply side initiative as an international collaboration to study alcohol supply, drinking, and consequences: current knowledge, policy issues, and research opportunitiesADDICTION, Issue 12s4 2000Harold D. Holder First page of article [source] Recent Insights into the Mechanism of Magnesium Corrosion and Research Suggestions,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 3 2007G. Song The opportunity to give an invited presentation to the Gordon Research Conference , Aqueous Corrosion in 2006 and reflections on the discussion at the conference were used to review our understanding of Mg corrosion mechanism, to generate new insights, to identify gaps in our knowledge and to identify research opportunities. [source] The Evolution of Research in Family and Consumer Sciences: Food, Nutrition, and HealthFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 2 2001Eleanor D. SchlenkerArticle first published online: 2 JUL 200 Changing perspectives in food, nutrition, and health are bringing new research opportunities. Knowledge that nutrients and other food substances prevent chronic disease expanded the study of dietary requirements beyond merely obviating deficiency. Government policy makers mandate food guidance programs to enable consumers to choose foods that are culturally appropriate yet support health. Intervention strategies leading to suitable food behavior are needed to address the rising health costs associated with aging and chronic diseases. Functional foods carrying added health benefits have gripped the attention of food producers and consumers, yet much is to be learned regarding long term effects. FCS professionals are uniquely qualified to study not only the theoretical bases of these issues but also their impact on the physical and psychosocial well-being of families. Research methods and applications must be incorporated at all academic levels to prepare FCS professionals to meet the research opportunities and challenges ahead. [source] The alcohol dehydrogenases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a comprehensive reviewFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 7 2008Olga De Smidt Abstract Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) constitute a large family of enzymes responsible for the reversible oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes with the concomitant reduction of NAD+ or NADP+. These enzymes have been identified not only in yeasts, but also in several other eukaryotes and even prokaryotes. The ADHs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been studied intensively for over half a century. With the ever-evolving techniques available for scientific analysis and since the completion of the Yeast Genome Project, a vast amount of new information has been generated during the past 10 years. This review attempts to provide a brief summary of the wealth of knowledge gained from earlier studies as well as more recent work. Relevant aspects regarding the primary and secondary structure, kinetic characteristics, function and molecular regulation of the ADHs in S. cerevisiae are discussed in detail. A brief outlook also contemplates possible future research opportunities. [source] SWAT2000: current capabilities and research opportunities in applied watershed modellingHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 3 2005J. G. Arnold Abstract SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) is a conceptual, continuous time model that was developed in the early 1990s to assist water resource managers in assessing the impact of management and climate on water supplies and non-point source pollution in watersheds and large river basins. SWAT is the continuation of over 30 years of model development within the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service and was developed to ,scale up' past field-scale models to large river basins. Model components include weather, hydrology, erosion/sedimentation, plant growth, nutrients, pesticides, agricultural management, stream routing and pond/reservoir routing. The latest version, SWAT2000, has several significant enhancements that include: bacteria transport routines; urban routines; Green and Ampt infiltration equation; improved weather generator; ability to read in daily solar radiation, relative humidity, wind speed and potential ET; Muskingum channel routing; and modified dormancy calculations for tropical areas. A complete set of model documentation for equations and algorithms, a user manual describing model inputs and outputs, and an ArcView interface manual are now complete for SWAT2000. The model has been recoded into Fortran 90 with a complete data dictionary, dynamic allocation of arrays and modular subroutines. Current research is focusing on bacteria, riparian zones, pothole topography, forest growth, channel downcutting and widening, and input uncertainty analysis. The model SWAT is meanwhile used in many countries all over the world. Recent developments in European Environmental Policy, such as the adoption of the European Water Framework directive in December 2000, demand tools for integrative river basin management. The model SWAT is applicable for this purpose. It is a flexible model that can be used under a wide range of different environmental conditions, as this special issue will show. The papers compiled here are the result of the first International SWAT Conference held in August 2001 in Rauischholzhausen, Germany. More than 50 participants from 14 countries discussed their modelling experiences with the model development team from the USA. Nineteen selected papers with issues reaching from the newest developments, the evaluation of river basin management, interdisciplinary approaches for river basin management, the impact of land use change, methodical aspects and models derived from SWAT are published in this special issue. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Reputation building: beyond our control?JOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 4 2010Inferences in consumers' ethical perception formation A company or brand's reputation is inherently linked to how ethically/unethically it is perceived to conduct its business. While it is generally assumed that consumers' ethical perceptions are either built on first-hand experiences or other concrete information, this research demonstrates that reputation can be influenced by processes outside the company's direct control. The article is based on interviews with general consumers and presents the finding that, in the absence of concrete information or personal experience, consumers may infer ethical beliefs. Four distinct types of cues may instigate ethical inferences and act as surrogate indicators: product-, company-, category- and origin-related cues. A framework that illustrates the hierarchical structure of the various cues depending on their level of specificity is presented. The results suggest that controlling corporate reputation becomes increasingly challenging. Implications for marketing practitioners and general managers are discussed and further research opportunities highlighted. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Computer ethics and consumer ethics: the impact of the internet on consumers' ethical decision-making processJOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 5 2007Andreas Chatzidakis Despite the maturity of the literatures that consider ethical consumer behaviour and the role of the internet, very little work seems to have been undertaken to bring these two themes together. This is unfortunate because the internet is increasingly pervasive and is used at some stage in a significant number of consumer activities. Our primary purpose is to bring together key insights and themes from research into both ethical consumer behaviour and the internet to highlight further research opportunities. In particular, we seek to demonstrate how the ethical consumerism and consumer ethics literatures together can provide a rich foundation to study ethical and moral dimensions of online consumer behaviour. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Marital Processes and Parental Socialization in Families of Color: A Decade Review of ResearchJOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 4 2000Vonnie C. McLoyd Research published during the past decade on African American, Latino, and Asian American families is reviewed. Emphasis is given to selected issues within the broad domains of marriage and parenting. The first section highlights demographic trends in family formation and family structure and factors that contributed to secular changes in family structure among African Americans. In the second section, new conceptualizations of marital relations within Latino families are discussed, along with research documenting the complexities in African American men's conceptions of manhood. Studies examining within-group variation in marital conflict and racial and ethnic differences in division of household labor, marital relations, and children's adjustment to marital and family conflict also are reviewed. The third section gives attention to research on (a) paternal involvement among fathers of color; (b) the relation of parenting behavior to race and ethnicity, grandmother involvement, neighborhood and peer characteristics, and immigration; and (c) racial and ethnic socialization. The article concludes with an overview of recent advances in the study of families of color and important challenges and issues that represent research opportunities for the new decade. [source] Habitat use, diet and roost selection by the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) in North America: a case for conserving an abundant speciesMAMMAL REVIEW, Issue 3 2002SALVATORE J. AGOSTA ABSTRACT Insectivorous bats are integral components of terrestrial ecosystems. Despite this, a growing number of factors causing world-wide declines in bat populations have been identified. Relatively abundant species are important for bat conservation because of their role in ecosystems and the research opportunities they offer. In addition, species that have been well-studied present unique opportunities to synthesize information and highlight important areas of focus for conservation and research. This paper focuses on a well-studied abundant bat, Eptesicus fuscus. I review the relevant literature on habitat use, diet and roost selection by E. fuscus in North America, and highlight important areas of conservation and research for this species, including the effects of roost disturbance, control of economically important insect pests, exposure to pesticides, long-term monitoring of populations, and the potential consequences of expanding populations. These issues have broad implications for other species and can be used to focus future research and conservation efforts. [source] Asthma in Latin America: a public heath challenge and research opportunityALLERGY, Issue 1 2009P. J. Cooper ,Asthma has emerged as an important public health problem in many Latin American countries over the past decade. In Brazil and Costa Rica, the prevalence of asthma and associated morbidity is as great or greater as reported in traditional high prevalence countries such as the US, but remains neglected as a public health priority. Asthma in Latin America is associated particularly with underprivileged populations living in cities but remains relatively rare in many rural populations. The causes of asthma in Latin America are likely to be associated with urbanization, migration, and the adoption of a modern ,Westernized' lifestyle and environmental changes that follow these processes that include changes in diet, physical activity, hygiene, and exposures to allergens, irritants, and outdoor and indoor pollutants. Because of the enormous social, genetic, and environmental contrasts within and between Latin American countries, and the large differences in prevalence associated with these differences, the investigation of asthma in Latin America provides important research opportunities to identify the social and biological mechanisms that underlie asthma development. Asthma in Latin America poses enormous challenges for health policy makers, health services, and researchers to respond to and alleviate the growing burden of asthma disability, particularly among marginalized urban populations. [source] Speciation in the Orchidaceae: confronting the challengesMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 14 2007ROD PEAKALL The Orchidaceae is renowned for its large number of species (19 500) and its many diverse, even bizarre, specialized pollination systems. One unusual feature of orchids is the high frequency of food deception whereby animal pollination is achieved without providing nectar, pollen or other food rewards. Food-deceptive pollination is estimated to occur in approximately one-third of all orchids. Equally intriguing is pollination by sexual deception whereby pollination is achieved by the sexual attraction of male insects to the orchid flower. Sexual deception is found in several hundred species representing multiple lineages. Given their rich species diversity and extraordinary plant,animal interactions, orchids clearly offer exciting research opportunities in pollination biology, reproductive isolation and speciation, yet surprisingly they remain under-represented in scientific investigations both in these fields and more generally. In this special issue of Molecular Ecology, Moccia et al. provide an exemplar study that combine multiple lines of evidence to illuminate the mechanism of reproductive isolation between two closely related food-deceptive orchids. Their study demonstrates that many of the challenges that confront orchid researchers and impede progress in our understanding of speciation in the Orchidaceae can be overcome by the creative application and integration of both old and new tools in ecology and genetics. [source] Strategically Managing Negotiation Linkage DynamicsNEGOTIATION AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT RESEARCH, Issue 1 2010Larry Crump Abstract Negotiation linkage (the way in which one negotiation influences the process or outcome of another) presents challenges that are complex and real. Based on field research, this qualitative study examines four linked-bilateral trade treaty negotiations conducted by Australia, Chile, the European Union, Singapore, and the United States to establish theoretical understanding about the strategic management of negotiation linkage dynamics. Several outcomes are achieved through case analysis. This study (a) introduces "degree of linkage dynamics" (robust, moderate, or modest) as a concept and concludes that it is determined by structural and contextual factors, (b) develops a framework of linked party action, (c) establishes guidance for managing opportunistic behavior in linked negotiations, (d) builds a six-part typology of strategic techniques that can produce tangible gains in linked negotiations, and (e) examines research opportunities to further extend negotiation linkage theory. Research methodology developed in this study serves as a model for investigating negotiation linkage dynamics. [source] A Framework for New Scholarship in Human Performance TechnologyPERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2006Thomas M. Schwen This article introduces a strategic argument and examples, in subsequent articles in this special issue, about sociocultural research opportunities for HPT practitioners and scholars. The authors take the view that recent criticisms of Instructional Systems Design have merit when considered from an organizational performance point of view. We see the problem as historic overuse of one theoretical perspective at a microlevel of theory and application. We argue that adding recent sociocultural perspectives and expanding the levels of theory to include groups and complex organizational structures will offer an opportunity for more rigorous and diverse research agenda and create new insights for problem solving in practice. [source] Policy Subsystems and Regimes: Organized Interests and Climate Change PolicyPOLICY STUDIES JOURNAL, Issue 2 2006Shannon K. Orr This research is an examination of the role of organized interests in international climate change policy formation. Systematic survey results are used to demonstrate that organized interests actually engage in the same activities in both the international and domestic arenas. This research demonstrates that the climate change negotiations can be characterized as both a policy subsystem and an international regime. It is further argued that these two concepts are in fact highly analogous, thereby facilitating new cross-discipline research opportunities. The research is based on a web survey of organized interests accredited by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and on interviews and field research at the 8th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC in New Delhi, India. [source] The Modern Call Center: A Multi-Disciplinary Perspective on Operations Management ResearchPRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, Issue 6 2007Zeynep Aksin Call centers are an increasingly important part of today's business world, employing millions of agents across the globe and serving as a primary customer-facing channel for firms in many different industries. Call centers have been a fertile area for operations management researchers in several domains, including forecasting, capacity planning, queueing, and personnel scheduling. In addition, as telecommunications and information technology have advanced over the past several years, the operational challenges faced by call center managers have become more complicated. Issues associated with human resources management, sales, and marketing have also become increasingly relevant to call center operations and associated academic research. In this paper, we provide a survey of the recent literature on call center operations management. Along with traditional research areas, we pay special attention to new management challenges that have been caused by emerging technologies, to behavioral issues associated with both call center agents and customers, and to the interface between call center operations and sales and marketing. We identify a handful of broad themes for future investigation while also pointing out several very specific research opportunities. [source] Rethinking the Work,Life Interface: It's Not about Balance, It's about Resource AllocationAPPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, Issue 2 2010Matthew J. Grawitch This article re-conceptualises the framework surrounding work,life balance. Though previous research has focused primarily on the ways in which work life and non-work life influence each other (mostly negatively), we present an alternative perspective that focuses on personal pursuits and the management of personal resources. We introduce a personal resource allocation (PRA) framework that treats all life demands,whether preferred or required,as forcing individuals to make choices about where, when, and how they expend their personal resources across the life domain. Building on self-regulatory theories, such as control theory, self-determination theory, and conservation of resources theory, we suggest ways in which effective personal resource allocation not only decreases negative outcomes (which has been the emphasis in work,life balance research), but also how effective personal resource allocation can actually contribute to positive outcomes. We conclude by providing some practical implications for individuals and organisations based on the PRA framework and suggest future research opportunities. [source] Linking ecological and hydromorphological data: approaches, challenges and future prospects for riverine scienceAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue S1 2010I. P. Vaughan Abstract 1.Research linking river ecology and hydromorphology is driven by concerns about hydromorphological pressures (e.g. abstraction, land-use change) and legislative (e.g. EU Water Framework Directive) or management needs (e.g. climate-change adaptation). Unfortunately, much of the science is still weak or qualitative (cf. links between ecology and water quality). 2.Rapid progress is required, but financial resources are limited. In response, research opportunities using existing ecological and hydromorphological data and survey methods need to be explored further. 3.There are challenges inherent in using existing data, which are often collected for different purposes, and this paper highlights aspects of spatial scale, temporal coverage, sampling biases, data quality and mining, and the problems faced when using pre-defined sets of variables. 4.While the prospects for exploiting existing data are mixed, distinct strengths arise from extensive geographic coverage, the ability to improve the evidence base rapidly and at low cost, and the generation of testable hypotheses. 5.Current survey methods usually record biological or hydromorphic patterns, or inventories of features (cf. physical processes, or ecosystem functions or services). Their greatest use is likely to be in extending current spatially extensive biological or water chemistry monitoring to more integrated ,eco-hydromorphic' monitoring. 6.With further methodological development, there is real scope for illuminating several aspects of riverine ecology, including the direct ecological and physical consequences of modifying river systems; revealing indirect sensitivity to other pressures, such as climate change; offering a more holistic picture of the distribution of pressures on river ecosystems; and developing hydromorphology as a unifying theme in river studies. However, such developments require funding commitments from research sponsors. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Research Opportunities in Simulation-based Medical Education Using Deliberate PracticeACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2008William C. McGaghie PhD Abstract There are many opportunities for the academic emergency medicine (EM) community to engage in simulation-based educational research using deliberate practice (DP). This article begins by defining and giving examples of two key concepts: deliberate practice and mastery learning. The article proceeds to report six lessons learned from a research legacy in simulation-based medical education (SBME). It concludes by listing and amplifying 10 DP research opportunities in academic EM. A coda states that the research agenda is rich and ambitious and should focus on the goal of educating superb, expert clinicians. [source] Les déterminants de la fidélité des clients commerciaux dans l'industrie bancaire canadienneCANADIAN JOURNAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES, Issue 2 2003Jasmin Bergeron Résumé La concurrence omniprésente qui sévit dans l'industrie bancaire canadienne motive les institutions financières à développer des stratégies pour fidéliser leurs clients. La présente étude empirique montre que la fidélité des clients commerciaux dépend notamment de la confiance de l'entreprise envers son institution financière, de la culture relationnelle instaurée par la banque, de l'absence de conflits entre les deux parties, et du niveau concurrentiel de l'organisation. Plusieurs recommandations stratégiques et opportunités de recherche sont présentées. Abstract The omnipresent competition that exists in the banking industry motivates financial institutions to increase customer loyalty. This empirical study indicates that the loyalty of commercial clients toward their bank depends mostly on the following factors: the company's trust toward its financial institution, the relational culture implemented in the bank, the occurrence of conflicts between both parties, and the competitiveness of the organization. Strategic recommendations and research opportunities are discussed. [source] Executive Summary: The Institute of Medicine Report and the Future of Academic Emergency Medicine: The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and Association of Academic Chairs in Emergency Medicine Panel: Association of American Medical Colleges Annual Meeting, October 28, 2006ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 3 2007Daniel A. Handel MD The findings in the Institute of Medicine's Future of Emergency Care reports, released in June 2006, emphasize that emergency physicians work in a fragmented system of emergency care with limited interhospital and out-of-hospital care coordination, too few on-call specialists, minimal disaster readiness, strained inpatient resources, and inadequate pediatric emergency services. Areas warranting special attention at academic medical centers (AMCs), both those included within the report and others warranting further attention, were reviewed by a distinguished panel and include the following: 1) opportunities to strengthen and leverage the educational environment within the AMC emergency department; 2) research opportunities created by emergency medicine (EM) serving as an interdisciplinary bridge in the area of clinical and translational research; 3) enhancement of federal guidelines for observational and interventional emergency care research; 4) recognition of the importance of EM residency training, the role of academic departments of EM, and EM subspecialty development in critical care medicine and out-of-hospital and disaster medicine; 5) further assessment of the impact of a regional emergency care model on patient outcomes and exploration of the role of AMCs in the development of such a model (e.g., geriatric and pediatric centers of EM excellence); 6) t e opportunity to use educational loan forgiveness to encourage rural EM practice and the development of innovative EM educational programs linked to rural hospitals; and 7) the need to address AMC emergency department crowding and its adverse effect on quality of care and patient safety. Strategic plans should be developed on a local level in conjunction with support from national EM organizations, allied health care, specialty organizations, and consumer groups to help implement the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine report. The report recommendations and other related recommendations brought forward during the panel discussions should be addressed through innovative programs and policy development at the regional and federal levels. [source] Depression and Obesity: Implications for Assessment, Treatment, and ResearchCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE, Issue 1 2008Melissa A. Napolitano Markowitz, Friedman, and Arent (2008) review the literature on the relationship between obesity and depression and (a) highlight behavioral, cognitive, physiological, and social mechanisms potentially elucidating these links and (b) provide a valuable resource both for clinicians and researchers. This commentary underscores (a) the strengths of the article; (b) additional areas of consideration; (c) implications for treatment; and (d) future clinical and research opportunities. Also included are suggestions for the design and measurement of future longitudinal observational studies, intervention trials, and other conceptual models. Finally, we comment on the responsibility of the scientist practitioner not only to consider evaluating and treating each behavior in isolation, but also to take an inclusive approach and apply the common features of evidence-based treatment for both obesity and depression. [source] Decision Sciences Research in China: A Critical Review and Research Agenda,Foundations and Overview,DECISION SCIENCES, Issue 4 2006Xiande Zhao ABSTRACT This article focuses on decision sciences research in China, providing an overview of current research and developing a foundation for future China-based research. China provides a unique research opportunity for decision sciences researchers, owing to its recent history, rapid economic development, and strong national culture. We examine recent economic reforms and their impact on the development of research questions in the decision sciences, as well as discuss characteristics of the diverse regions in China and their potential as sites for various types of research. We provide a brief overview of recent China-based research on decision sciences issues relating to national culture, supply chain management, quality management, production planning and control, operations strategy, and new product development and discuss some of the unique methodological challenges inherent in China-based research. We conclude by looking forward to emerging research opportunities in China. [source] Asthma in Latin America: a public heath challenge and research opportunityALLERGY, Issue 1 2009P. J. Cooper ,Asthma has emerged as an important public health problem in many Latin American countries over the past decade. In Brazil and Costa Rica, the prevalence of asthma and associated morbidity is as great or greater as reported in traditional high prevalence countries such as the US, but remains neglected as a public health priority. Asthma in Latin America is associated particularly with underprivileged populations living in cities but remains relatively rare in many rural populations. The causes of asthma in Latin America are likely to be associated with urbanization, migration, and the adoption of a modern ,Westernized' lifestyle and environmental changes that follow these processes that include changes in diet, physical activity, hygiene, and exposures to allergens, irritants, and outdoor and indoor pollutants. Because of the enormous social, genetic, and environmental contrasts within and between Latin American countries, and the large differences in prevalence associated with these differences, the investigation of asthma in Latin America provides important research opportunities to identify the social and biological mechanisms that underlie asthma development. Asthma in Latin America poses enormous challenges for health policy makers, health services, and researchers to respond to and alleviate the growing burden of asthma disability, particularly among marginalized urban populations. [source] Commerce with a conscience: corporate control and academic investmentBUSINESS ETHICS: A EUROPEAN REVIEW, Issue 4 2001Diane Huberman-Arnold Corporations have been investing in academia to an extent that could be classified as a corporate takeover of universities. Intra-university critics see this as an ethical problem, because of the degree of business control over university policies and decisions which accompanies the funding. University critics rarely suggest that the corporate funding be given up, returned, or even limited. What they protest against is corporate control, which they see as threatening university autonomy, and as inimical to the public good. Multi-university conferences have been held focusing on this problem, and the most serious solution proposed thus far is to construct a relevant code of ethics regulating and limiting corporate involvement, through standards and guidelines which corporations will then have to subscribe to, in order to fund universities. However, there is a conflict of interest here. Universities have a public trust and a fiduciary duty not to compromise education. This implies a covenant not to cede power to outside interests, not to use university resources, or faculty and students, as a means to an educationally irrelevant end. Universities cannot sell out. However, it seems equally dishonest not to offer their students a well-funded first-rate, quality education in applied fields with current skills, maximum research opportunity, and the corporate ties that would allow them to obtain jobs. We examine three cases showing errors made by universities in ceding control to corporate investment, and draw some policy conclusions. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||