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Small Groups (small + groups)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	31%
Life Sciences	20%
Humanities and Social Sciences	17%
Psychology	9%
Education	8%
Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	4%
Chemistry	2%
3 Other Domains	9%

Distribution within Medical Sciences

Diabetes	6%
14 Other Subdomains	82%

Selected Abstracts

Perceived Benefits on Family Health of Small Groups for Families With Children

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 3 2007
Arja Häggman-Laitila
ABSTRACT Background: Thus far, international research on small groups has focused on health problems. Research on preventive, resource-, and family-oriented small groups and their impact on family health is scant. Objectives: To describe the experiences of families with small children concerning resource-enhancing small support groups, and to identify the benefits to family health described by participating parents at the end of the group processes. Sample: The study population consisted of parents (n=123) attending 13 small groups. Participants included 63 mothers and 14 fathers (63% response rate). Methods: Data were collected through group interviews. Qualitative content analysis of latent content was the method of analysis. Results: Small groups provided the parents with knowledge about family life and encouraged them to seek information, made them feel refreshed, strengthened their social support networks, enhanced their awareness of their own resources and the different developmental needs at times of change in the family, and increased their confidence concerning their ability to cope. Conclusions: Concepts from this study can be used in the future to construct instruments to evaluate the effectiveness of small groups from the perspective of families and family health. The findings add to our professional understanding of resource-oriented family work from the perspective of families. [source]

A Local Model of Information Sharing in Small Groups

COMMUNICATION THEORY, Issue 3 2007
Joseph A. Bonito
This paper sketches a 2-step model of information processing in small groups in which the process of communication influences the quantity and quality of information mentioned during discussion. The first step in the model, activation, describes how information becomes available in short-term memory, such that it provides the basis for a potential contribution to discussion. It is a process based on coherence; activation is a function of antecedent and projected contributions to discussion. The second step, choice, describes the conditions under which members contribute or withhold active information. Although choice to participate can be based on a host of antecedent conditions, the model focuses on the effects of contributing shared and unique information to discussion. Résumé Cet article esquisse un modèle à deux étapes du traitement de l,information dans des petits groupes, au sein duquel le processus de communication influence la quantité et la qualité de l'information mentionnée durant la discussion. La première étape du modèle, l,activation, définit comment l'information devient disponible dans la mémoire à court terme, de façon à offrir une assise à une éventuelle contribution à la discussion. Il s,agit d'un processus fondé sur la cohérence; l,activation est fonction de contributions, précédentes et projetées, à la discussion. La seconde étape, le choix, définit les conditions régissant la contribution ou la dissimulation d'information active par les membres. Bien que le choix de participer puisse reposer sur plusieurs conditions préalables, le modèle se concentre sur les effets de la contribution à la discussion d,information partagée et unique. Abstract Nachfolgender Artikel skizziert ein Zweistufenmodell der Informationsverarbeitung in Kleingruppen, bei dem der Kommunikationsprozess, die in einer Diskussion erwähnten Informationen in ihrer Quantität und Qualität beeinflusst. Der erste Schritt im Modell, nämlich Aktivierung, beschreibt, wie Informationen im Kurzzeitgedächtnis verfügbar gemacht werden und so die Grundlage für einen potentiellen Beitrag zur Diskussion liefern. Dieser Prozess basiert auf Kohärenz; Aktivierung selbst ist eine Funktion von Vorbedingungen und geplanten Beiträgen zur Diskussion. Der zweite Schritt, die Wahl, beschreibt die Bedingungen unter welchen die Teilnehmer aktive Informationen beitragen oder zurückhalten. Auch wenn die Entscheidung, sich in eine Diskussion einzubringen, auf eine Vielzahl von Vorbedingungen zurückzuführen ist, fokussiert das Modell auf den Beitrag geteilter und einzigartiger Information zu einer Diskussion und damit verbundene Effekte. Resumen Este manuscrito esboza un modelo de procesamiento de información en pequeños grupos de dos pasos, en el cual el proceso de comunicación influye sobre la cantidad y la calidad de información mencionada durante la discusión. El primer paso en este modelo, la activación, describe cómo la información se vuelve disponible en la memoria de corto plazo de manera tal que provee de base para las contribuciones potenciales en la discusión. Este es un proceso basado en la coherencia; la activación es una función de las contribuciones precedentes y proyectadas en la discusión. El segundo paso, la opción, describe las condiciones bajo las cuales los miembros contribuyen ó retienen información activa. Aún cuando la opción de participar puede ser basada en una congregación de condiciones predecesoras, el modelo se enfoca en los efectos de la información contribuyente compartida y única en la discusión. ZhaiYao Yo yak [source]

Empirical design of computer support and staffing in concurrent engineering

HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 2 2006
Joe W. Meredith
Manufacturing environments are characterized by underlying operational approaches and assumptions. One such assumption is that concurrent engineering (CE) is superior to traditional sequential processing. A laboratory experiment was conducted using 180 engineering and building construction students as subjects. The engineering methodology variable was sequential and concurrent engineering. There were large teams, consisting of six students, and small teams, consisting of three students. The computer support variable was using and not using groupware. Each team was given a set of requirements to design a transportation system that moved a payload from one point to another. Each team was asked to (a) develop a design concept, (b) develop a detail design in the form of engineering drawings, (c) manufacture the system based on their design products (e.g., drawings and specifications) using toy plastic LEGOS, and (d) test the system to determine if it met the design requirements. There was no significant difference in performance between concurrent engineering groups and sequential engineering processes. Small groups significantly outperformed large groups in all conditions. Computer support did not significantly improve the performance of large or small groups. Participants in the experiment were equally satisfied with all conditions. An external survey strongly endorsed the superiority of CE as compared to sequential engineering. Results are discussed in terms of why practitioners believe in the effectiveness of CE, yet an empirical test failed to demonstrate better performance. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 177,193, 2006. [source]

Estimated Time and Educational Requirements to Perform NIC Interventions

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING TERMINOLOGIES AND CLASSIFICATION, Issue 2003
Gloria M. Bulechek
PURPOSE To estimate the time to perform and type of personnel to deliver each of the 486 interventions listed and described in the third edition of NIC. METHODS Small groups of research team members rated selected interventions in their area of expertise on education and time needed for each intervention. Education needed was defined as the minimal educational level necessary to perform the intervention in most cases in most states. Rating categories were (a) nursing assistant (NA/LPN/LVN/technician), (b) RN (basic education whether baccalaureate, associate degree, or diploma), or (c) RN with post-basic education or certification. Time needed was defined as the average time needed to perform the intervention. Raters selected one of five possible time estimates: (a) <15 minutes, (b) 16,30 minutes, (c) 31,45 minutes, (d) 46,60 minutes, or (e) >1 hour. All ratings were reviewed across groups to ensure overall consistency. FINDINGS Results of this exercise provide beginning estimates of the time and education needed for 486 NIC interventions. Twenty percent required <15 minutes, 30% required 16,30 minutes, 17% required 31,45 minutes, 12% required 46,60 minutes, and 21% required >1 hour. More than 70% of the interventions were judged as needing basic RN education to perform. Raters judged RN post-basic education to be required to performi 16% of the interventions, and 14% were deemed appropriate for personnel with NA/LPN education to perform. A monograph, Estimated Time and Educational Requirements to Perform 486 Nursing Interventions, available from http://www.nursing@uiowa.ed/cnc, includes lists of interventions appropriate for each time and education category, as well as time and education ratings according to NIC domains and classes. DISCUSSION The estimates of time and education provided by expert ratings provide a good beginning for cost estimates, resource planning, and reimbursement. The results of this study add to the small but growing body of literature that demonstrates that estimates of time to perform interventions by nurses who are familiar with the interventions is an accurate and efficient method to determine time values. A description of how this information can be used in a costing model is in the July/August 2001 issue of Nursing Economics. CONCLUSIONS NIC has identified the interventions that nurses perform. This study of time to perform and type of personnel to deliver each of the NIC interventions can help nurse leaders make better-informed decisions about cost-effective nursing care. [source]

Learning About Foodborne Pathogens: Evaluation of Student Perceptions of Group Project Work in a Food Microbiology Course

JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE EDUCATION, Issue 4 2009
Mark S. Turner
ABSTRACT:, This study examined the experiences of students in an active learning group work exercise in an introductory food microbiology course involving the study of foodborne pathogens. Small groups were required to access, analyze, and present information regarding a single food poisoning bacterium. The presentations contained features and epidemiological information of the pathogen and also a review of a research journal article and a real food poisoning outbreak report involving the pathogen. Analysis of responses from a questionnaire that allowed direct comparisons to be made with other published group work studies revealed that this exercise was a positive learning experience. In particular, students noted improvements in communication, interaction, information acquisition, and organizational skills. [source]

Student interest generated during an inquiry skills lesson

JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 2 2009
David H. Palmer
Abstract "Situational interest" is a short-term form of motivation which occurs when a specific situation stimulates the focused attention of students (e.g., a spectacular science demonstration could arouse transient interest amongst nearly all the students in a class, even those who are not normally interested in science). However, there have been very few studies of situational interest and its potential to motivate students in science classrooms. The purpose of this project was to investigate situational interest and its sources. Small groups of grade 9 students participated in a science lesson which focused on inquiry skills, and data were obtained on their interest levels and sources of interest. The results indicated that interest arousal was substantial but did fluctuate throughout the lesson, according to the types of activities in which students were involved. The main source of interest was novelty, although choice, physical activity, and social involvement were also implicated. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 46: 147,165, 2009 [source]

Simulation in undergraduate medical education: bridging the gap between theory and practice

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2004
Jennifer M Weller
Objective, To evaluate the use of simulation-based teaching in the medical undergraduate curriculum in the context of management of medical emergencies, using a medium fidelity simulator. Design, Small groups of medical students attended a simulation workshop on management of medical emergencies. The workshop was evaluated in a postcourse questionnaire. Subjects, All Year 4 medical students allocated to the resuscitation rotation during the first half of 2002. Main outcome measures, Student perceptions of learning outcomes, the value of the simulation in the undergraduate curriculum and their self-assessed improved mastery of workshop material. Results, A total of 33 students attended the workshop and all completed questionnaires. Students rated the workshop highly and found it a valuable learning experience. In all, 21 (64%) students identified teamwork skills as key learning points; 11 (33%) felt they had learnt how to approach a problem better, particularly in terms of using a systematic approach, and 12 (36%) felt they had learnt how to apply their theoretical knowledge in a clinical setting better. All 33 students were positive about the use of simulation in their training; 14 students wrote that simulation should be used more or should be mandatory in training; 5 students commented positively on the realism of the learning experience and a further 5 said they valued the opportunity to learn new skills in a safe environment. Conclusion, This study demonstrates that medical students value simulation-based learning highly. In particular, they value the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in a safe and realistic setting, to develop teamwork skills and to develop a systematic approach to a problem. A medium fidelity simulator is a valuable educational tool in medical undergraduate education. [source]

Perceived Benefits on Family Health of Small Groups for Families With Children

Brain dysmorphology in individuals with severe prenatal alcohol exposure

DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 3 2001
Sarah L Archibald MA
Our previous studies revealed abnormalities on structural MRI (sMRI) in small groups of children exposed to alcohol prenatally. Microcephaly, disproportionately reduced basal ganglia volume, and abnormalities of the cerebellar vermis and corpus callosum were demonstrated. The present study used sMRI to examine in detail the regional pattern of brain hypoplasia resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol using a higher resolution imaging protocol and larger sample sizes than reported previously. Fourteen participants (mean 11.4 years; eight females, six males) with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and 12 participants (mean 14.8 years; four females, eight males) with prenatal exposure to alcohol (PEA) but without the facial features of FAS were compared to a group of 41 control participants (mean 12.8 years, 20 females, 21 males). Findings of significant microcephaly and disproportionately reduced basal ganglia volumes in the FAS group were confirmed. Novel findings were that in FAS participants, white matter volumes were more affected than gray matter volumes in the cerebrum, and parietal lobes were more affected than temporal and occipital lobes. Among subcortical structures, in contrast to the disproportionate effects on caudate nucleus, the hippocampus was relatively preserved in FAS participants. Differences between the PEA group and controls were generally non-significant; however, among a few of the structures most affected in FAS participants, there was some evidence for volume reduction in PEA participants as well, specifically in basal ganglia and the parietal lobe. There were no group differences in cerebral volume asymmetries. Severe prenatal alcohol exposure appears to produce a specific pattern of brain hypoplasia. [source]

Evaluation of a holistic treatment and teaching programme for patients with Type 1 diabetes who failed to achieve their therapeutic goals under intensified insulin therapy

DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 9 2000
U. Bott
SUMMARY Aims To evaluate a treatment and teaching programme including psychosocial modules for patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus on intensified insulin therapy who failed to achieve their treatment goals despite participation in standard programmes. Methods The 5-day inpatient programme comprises small groups of 4,6 patients, focusing on individual needs and problems. Beyond the teaching lessons (most topics are deliberately chosen by the patients), the programme provides intensive group discussions and offers individual counselling concerning motivational aspects, psychosocial problems and coping strategies. Of the first consecutive 83 participants, 76 were re-examined after 17.5 ± 5.5 months (range 9,31 months). Results At follow-up, HbA1c was not improved compared to baseline (8.0 ± 1.3% vs. 8.1 ± 1.5%). However, the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia per patient/year (glucose i.v., glucagon injection) was substantially decreased: 0.62 ± 1.5 episodes at baseline compared to 0.16 ± 0.9 at follow-up (P < 0.001). Twenty-six per cent of the patients at baseline, and 4% at re-examination had experienced at least one episode of severe hypoglycaemia during the preceding year (P < 0.001). Sick leave days per patient/year decreased from 17.0 ± 38.5,7.7 ± 13.6 days (P < 0.05). Patients improved their perceptions of self-efficacy, their relationship to doctors and felt less externally controlled (P < 0.001). The majority of patients perceived an improved competence regarding diet (80.6%) and adaptation of insulin dosage (82.4%), an improved knowledge (82.2%), and a renewed motivation for the treatment (84.5%). Treatment success was significantly associated with baseline HbA1c, stability of motivation, frequency of blood glucose self-monitoring, control beliefs and change in subsequent outpatient care. Conclusions The programme improved glycaemic control mainly as a result of a substantial reduction in the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia. Patients with persistent poor glycaemic control may benefit from structured follow-up care focusing on motivational aspects of self-management and psychosocial support. [source]

CNS response to a thermal stressor in human volunteers and rats may predict the clinical utility of analgesics

DRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 1 2007
David Borsook
Abstract fMRI was used to test the hypothesis that global brain activation following a stressor (a thermal stimulus) that activates multiple brain circuits in healthy subjects can predict which drugs have higher potential for clinical utility for neuropathic pain. The rationale is that a drug will modulate multiple neural circuits that are activated by the system-specific stressor (e.g., pain). In neuropathic pain, some brain circuits have altered function, but most brain systems are "normal." Thus, the manner in which a drug effect on neural circuits is modulated by the stressor may provide insight into the clinical utility based on the readout of brain activation in response to the stimulus. Six drugs with known clinical efficacy (or lack thereof) in treating neuropathic pain were selected and the CNS response to each drug in the presence or absence of a pain stimulus was examined. The present results suggest that it is possible to identify potentially effective drugs based on patterns of brain activation in healthy human subjects and indicate that CNS activity is a more sensitive measure of drug action than standard psychophysical measures of pain intensity. This approach was repeated in rats and showed that a similar fMRI paradigm segregates these drugs in a similar manner suggesting a potential "translational tool" in evaluating drug efficacy for neuropathic pain. The sensitivity of this paradigm using fMRI allows clinical screening in small groups of healthy subjects, suggesting it could become a useful tool for drug development as well as for elucidating the mechanisms of neuropathic disease and therapy. Drug Dev. Res. 68:23,41, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

The prevalence of reading and spelling difficulties among inmates of institutions for compulsory care of juvenile delinquents

DYSLEXIA, Issue 2 2001
Idor Svensson
Abstract Recent studies have focused on reading and writing disabilities among inmates in prisons and at juvenile institutions. Some studies in Sweden have demonstrated that more than half of the delinquents have serious reading difficulties, and for immigrants the situation is even worse. However, these studies have focused on small groups. Furthermore, little attention has been paid to different types of reading and writing difficulties. The main purpose of this investigation was to estimate the prevalence of reading and writing disabilities in juvenile institutions. The study analyses gender differences and differences between immigrants and Swedish pupils. The study included 163 pupils from 22 institutions and used three tests of literacy skills: word identification, spelling and reading comprehension. More than 70% showed some problems in reading and spelling. However, only 11% had serious difficulties. Moreover, the results showed that comprehension ability among immigrant boys was lower than among Swedish boys, despite the same level of word reading skill. The high prevalence of reading and writing disabilities seems primarily to be related to social and cultural factors, home backgrounds, limited school attendance and poor self-esteem rather than to constitutional problems of a dyslexic nature. The implication of this conclusion may be important for the intervention process. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

An Economic Model of Friendship: Homophily, Minorities, and Segregation

ECONOMETRICA, Issue 4 2009
Sergio Currarini
We develop a model of friendship formation that sheds light on segregation patterns observed in social and economic networks. Individuals have types and see type-dependent benefits from friendships. We examine the properties of a steady-state equilibrium of a matching process of friendship formation. We use the model to understand three empirical patterns of friendship formation: (i) larger groups tend to form more same-type ties and fewer other-type ties than small groups, (ii) larger groups form more ties per capita, and (iii) all groups are biased towards same-type relative to demographics, with the most extreme bias coming from middle-sized groups. We show how these empirical observations can be generated by biases in preferences and biases in meetings. We also illustrate some welfare implications of the model. [source]

Going Public: Teaching Students to Speak Out in Public Contexts

ENGLISH IN EDUCATION, Issue 2 2000
Judith Baxter
Abstract Many students find speaking in large group, whole class or ,public' contexts intimidating. Over the last 30 years, a model of collaborative talk in small groups has been favoured within English teaching in British education but, with the new generation of GCSE syllabuses, students are required to speak effectively to larger audiences. This article explores what constitutes an effective ,public' speaker at GCSE level, and suggests various teaching strategies as starting points. [source]

Microbial diversity , insights from population genetics

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008
Ted H. M. Mes
Summary Although many environmental microbial populations are large and genetically diverse, both the level of diversity and the extent to which it is ecologically relevant remain enigmatic. Because the effective (or long-term) population size, Ne, is one of the parameters that determines population genetic diversity, tests and simulations that assume selectively neutral mutations may help to identify the processes that have shaped microbial diversity. Using ecologically important genes, tests of selective neutrality suggest that adaptive as well as non-adaptive types of selection act and that departure from neutrality may be widespread or restricted to small groups of genotypes. Population genetic simulations using population sizes between 103 and 107 suggest extremely high levels of microbial diversity in environments that sustain large populations. However, census and effective population sizes may differ considerably, and because we know nothing of the evolutionary history of environmental microbial populations, we also have no idea what Ne of environmental populations is. On the one hand, this reflects our ignorance of the microbial world. On the other hand, the tests and simulations illustrate interactions between microbial diversity and microbial population genetics that should inform our thinking in microbial ecology. Because of the different views on microbial diversity across these disciplines, such interactions are crucial if we are to understand the role of genes in microbial communities. [source]

Fireblight monitoring in Lithuania1

EPPO BULLETIN, Issue 3 2004
L. Baranauskait
Lithuania has requested that its whole territory should be recognized by the EU as a protected zone for Erwinia amylovora. Fireblight monitoring was performed in 1998/2002 with the aim of detecting and identifying the bacterium, and of determining its distribution in the country. The study consisted of periodic surveys (at least twice a year) of nurseries, orchards, collective farms and host plants, growing individually or in small groups, as well as the surrounding zone within a radius of 250 m. Tests, under conditions of quality control, were applied to host plants with and without symptoms, using detection methods such as ELISA and immunofluorescence (with polyclonal antibodies), semi-selective plating and pathogenicity. [source]

Anti-Predator Strategies and Grouping Patterns in White-Tailed Deer and Mule Deer

ETHOLOGY, Issue 4 2001
Susan Lingle
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (O. hemionus) are closely related species of similar size that differ in their anti-predator behavior. White-tails flee from coyotes (Canis latrans), whereas mule deer typically stand their ground and attack this predator. I used observations of coyotes hunting deer to identify: (i) changes in group structure made in response to coyotes; and (ii) the relationship between group structure and the risk of predation for each species. In response to coyotes, groups of mule deer merged with other groups and individuals bunched together. Predation attempts were more likely to escalate when groups split and individuals failed to bunch. Coyotes typically attacked mule deer that were in outlying positions, and these deer had to move to central positions to end attacks. Due to the high frequency of attacks on small groups as well as to the level of dilution of risk, individuals in small mule deer groups were at high risk of being attacked compared with those in larger groups. In contrast to mule deer, white-tails made no consistent changes in group size or formation, and coyotes attacked individuals in central as well as in outlying positions. Variation in aspects of group cohesion was not related to the vulnerability of white-tails, and there was no obvious difference in the risk of attack facing individuals in groups of different size. These results suggest that coyote predation selects for relatively large, cohesive groups in mule deer, apparently because this type of group improves their ability to deter coyotes. Coyote predation does not have similar effects on groups formed by white-tails, which use flight rather than deterrence to avoid predation. The benefits of responding cohesively, occupying certain positions within groups, and forming groups of a certain size can vary widely depending on the anti-predator strategies used by an animal. [source]

,I'm the Boss': testing the feasibility of an evidence-based patient education programme using problem-based learning

EUROPEAN DIABETES NURSING, Issue 1 2004
K Wikblad FEND Professor in Diabetes Nursing
Abstract Patient education programmes have shown only small to modest effects on diabetes self-care and metabolic control. Despite that, almost all diabetes teams agree that patient education is an extremely important part of the treatment of diabetes. It is, therefore, important to identify components of successful patient education as a basis for creating and testing an evidence-based education programme. In a review of controlled studies evaluating patient education such components were identified and these were then used in building up the new programme. This programme, called ,I'm the Boss', is based on the notion that the patient is an active care participant, setting his own self-care goals, and is the one responsible for his own life. The content of the programme did not, therefore, focus on diabetes as such, but on life with diabetes. Six themes were explored during six three-hour weekly sessions. The educational method used was problem-based learning. This method is founded in cognitive theory and views the learner as active in seeking knowledge and able to solve the self-care problems identified. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of the programme which was tested in four small groups (five to eight participants) of diabetic patients together with two facilitators. After completing the programme, the patients participated in focus group interviews to evaluate the programme. They identified both positive and negative factors. After each session the two facilitators reflected upon the group dynamics. In particular, problems with allowing patients to be the experts should be highlighted. This programme has been modified according to the evaluation and it is now being tested in a randomised, controlled, multicentre study. Copyright © 2004 FEND. [source]

Topics of Special Interest in an Emergency Medicine Course for Dental Practice Teams

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 2 2004
S. Weber
Considering increasing life expectancy and population comorbitity, not only dentists but also nursing staff should gain knowledge and skills in treatment of patients in acute life-threatening situations. In cooperation with the State Dental Council, a 1-day course in the management of medical emergencies based on the ERC ALS guidelines was held for primary care dental practice teams. Following a short lecture series (2 hours), a systematic skills-training session (6 hours) was performed in small groups, addressing the following subjects: BLS, airway management and ventilation, intravenous techniques, manual and automated external defibrillation, ALS and resuscitation routine in a typical dental practice setting. For all skills-training sessions, life-like manikins and models were utilized and the emergency scenarios were simulated by the use of a universal patient simulator (SimMan®, MPL/Laerdal). At the end of the course, an evaluation questionnaire was completed by all candidates to find out in which emergency situations the dental practice teams now felt well trained or incompetent. In the first course with 32 participants, 13 were dentists and 19 were dental nurses. In the evaluation results, 53% of both, dentists and nurses, stated to be competent in cardiac arrest situations. 95% of the nurses, but only 69% of the dentists, thought that an automated external defibrillator should be available in the dental practice. 26% of the dentists felt unable to treat patients with anaphylactic reactions adequately, whereas 37% of the nurses felt incompetent in respiratory emergencies. [source]

Effects of need for closure on creativity in small group interactions

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 4 2004
Antonio Chirumbolo
Three experiments investigated the consequences of the epistemic motivation toward closure on the emergence of creative interactions in small groups. In the first study, need for closure was manipulated via time pressure. Results showed that in groups under high need for closure (i.e. under time pressure) the percentage of creative acts during group discussion was reduced. The second study replicated this result using an individual differences operationalization of the need for closure. In the third study, groups composed of individuals high (versus low) in need for closure performed less creatively, and exhibited less ideational fluidity during group interaction. Moreover, it was demonstrated that conformity pressure mediates the negative relationship between dispositional need for closure and group creativity. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Knowing who likes who: The early developmental basis of coalition understanding

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
Lara Platten
Group biases based on broad category membership appear early in human development. However, like many other primates humans inhabit social worlds also characterised by small groups of social coalitions which are not demarcated by visible signs or social markers. A critical cognitive challenge for a young child is thus how to extract information concerning coalition structure when coalitions are dynamic and may lack stable and outwardly visible cues to membership. Therefore, the ability to decode behavioural cues of affiliations present in everyday social interactions between individuals would have conferred powerful selective advantages during our evolution. This would suggest that such an ability may emerge early in life, however, little research has investigated the developmental origins of such processing. The present paper will review recent empirical research which indicates that in the first 2 years of life infants achieve a host of social-cognitive abilities that make them well adapted to processing coalition-affiliations of others. We suggest that such an approach can be applied to better understand the origins of intergroup attitudes and biases. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Podcasting Communities and Second Language Pronunciation

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 2 2008
Gillian Lord
Abstract: Although often neglected in language classrooms, second language phonology is a crucial element in language learning because it is often the most salient feature in the speech of a foreigner. As instructors, we must decide how to emphasize pronunciation and what techniques to use. This article discusses a collaborative pod-casting project in an undergraduate Spanish phonetics class. Students worked in small groups to create and maintain their own podcast channel on which they uploaded recordings for group member feedback. Each recording focused on particular aspects of Spanish pronunciation, using tongue twisters, short readings, and personal reflection on students' own pronunciation. Both attitudes and pronunciation abilities were assessed before and after the project, and both were found to improve. The benefits of podcasting projects to improve language skills are discussed from an empirical as well as a pedagogical perspective. [source]

Empirical design of computer support and staffing in concurrent engineering

House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus roosting behaviour during the non-breeding season and possible effects of mycoplasmal conjunctivitis

IBIS, Issue 1 2007
ANDRÉ A. DHONDT
We studied House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus roosting behaviour during the non-breeding season using radiotracking and direct observations in Ithaca, NY, USA. In contrast to what has been reported in the literature and in contrast to what should be expected from Newton's European studies of cardueline finches, House Finches roost in small groups (mean 3.5; maximum 11) and do not display at roost sites. Seventy-seven per cent of the birds re-used the same tree on successive observations. In winter, birds re-used the same roost tree more often than in the autumn, and birds with mycoplasmal conjunctivitis tended to move more between roost trees than did birds without conjunctivitis. A small number of radiotagged birds that roosted in the same tree were observed together in the daytime more often than by chance, suggesting the existence of social bonds between birds (some same sex) during the non-breeding season. In the autumn the birds often roosted in leafed deciduous trees and closer to their daytime feeding locations than they did in winter. In winter all birds roosted in evergreen trees. It is possible that the reliable and predictable food sources at feeding sites offered by the public might have changed House Finch roosting behaviour. [source]

Willingness to communicate: can online chat help?1

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS, Issue 2 2006
Mark Freiermuth
This study compared the experiences of small groups of female Japanese university students communicating in English to solve tasks using online chat with those who solved the same tasks in face-to-face settings using spoken language. The groups were compared using a counterbalanced research design so that the nine groups consisting of four participants each took part in solving tasks in both the online mode and the traditional face-to-face setting. Data gathered from questionnaires, along with an analysis of the discourse produced by students, led to the conclusion that under the conditions in the study, online chatting provided a more comfortable environment, enhancing students' willingness to communicate. Regarding benefits to the language teacher, online chat provides another fruitful tool to enhance interaction in the target language. [source]

Original semiologic standardized evaluation of stratum corneum hydration by Diagnoskin® stripping sample

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 3 2004
P. Gasser
Synopsis In a normal and healthy skin, the regular elimination of the superficial corneocytes, called desquamation, is a fundamental physiologic process intended to protect the barrier function of the skin. This invisible loss of corneocytes, individually or in small groups, is incessantly compensated by the divisions of the proliferative layer and the upward cellular maturation in order to maintain the harmonious renewal of the epidermis and the integrity of the stratum corneum. The harmony of this desquamation process is intimately conditioned by a sufficient hydration of the stratum corneum: (i) an abnormal desquamation leads to a disruption of the water barrier function and consequently to a dehydration tendency of the stratum corneum, and (ii) a cutaneous dryness (whatever the cause) is able to disturb the desquamation process. Protecting the water content of the stratum corneum has always been a major preoccupation of the cosmetic industry scientists. Consequently, the moisturizing properties of a cosmetic product are objectively measured by various explorations directly targeted on the hydration (corneometry) and on the level of the water barrier function (transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurements), which depends directly on the skin hydration state. This intimate linkage of the desquamation process and the water content of the stratum corneum enable us to suggest an indirect assessment of the hydration from a direct study of the desquamation by examining a skin-stripping sample (D-Squames®) by an optical microscope (linked to a computer). We will describe this already known technique and mainly its new and unpublished semiologic exploitation, named Diagnoskin®, whose advantages are its simplicity and its reproducibility particularly interesting in the case of sequential appraisal of dermatologic or cosmetic treatments. Résumé Sur une peau normale et saine, l'élimination régulière des cornéocytes superficiels, appelée desquamation, est un processus physiologique fondamental destinéà préserver la fonction barrière de la peau. La perte invisible des cornéocytes, individuellement ou par petits paquets cellulaires, est sans cesse compensée par les divisions de la couche germinative et la maturation cellulaire ascensionnelle afin de maintenir le renouvellement harmonieux de l'épiderme et l'intégrité du stratum corneum. L'harmonie de ce processus de desquamation est intimement conditionnée par une hydratation suffisante du stratum corneum: une desquamation anormale aboutit à une perturbation de la fonction barrière et donc à une tendance à la déshydratation du stratum corneum, Une sècheresse cutanée (quelle qu'en soit la cause) va perturber la desquamation. Préserver la teneur en eau du stratum corneum est depuis toujours une préoccupation majeure pour le scientifique de l'industrie cosmétique. L'appréciation objective du caractère hydratant d'une crème cosmétique est d'ailleurs mesuré par diverses explorations directement ciblées sur l'hydratation (cornéométrie) et sur l'état de la fonction barrière (Perte Insensible en Eau ,PIE) qui dépend directement de l'état d'hydratation de la peau. Cette liaison intime du niveau d'hydratation du stratum corneum et du phénomène de desquamation nous a fait proposer une évaluation indirecte de l'hydratation à l'aide d'une étude directe de la desquamation par observation au microscope (reliéà un ordinateur) des prélèvements par stripping des cornéocytes superficiels (D-Squames®). Nous décrirons cette technique déjà connue et surtout son exploitation sémiologique nouvelle et inédite, appelée Diagnoskin® dont les avantages sont sa simplicité et son caractère reproductible particulièrement intéressants pour l'évaluation séquentielle de traitements dermatologiques ou cosmétiques. [source]

Topographical recognition memory sensitive to amnestic mild cognitive impairment but not to depression

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 10 2006
Emilie Ritter
Abstract Objective Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) involves episodic memory. The person who presents aMCI has a high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, prediction of deterioration to dementia in cases of aMCI can be confounded with depression due to lack of specificity on selective memory tests. Finding a test sensitive to aMCI but not to depression would be potentially most useful to subsequent longitudinal studies researching the neuropsychological markers of preclinical AD. We hypothesized that the performance on a topographical memory task would be sensitive to the aMCI condition, while depression would not influence such a performance. Participants and Methods A group of 137 community-dwelling French-speaking subjects between 55 and 70 years old was administered a topographical recognition memory task. Based on aMCI and depression criteria, 45 subjects were selected and divided into four groups: 11 patients with aMCI without depression, nine depressive patients with aMCI, ten depressive patients without cognitive impairment and 15 control subjects. The remaining non-selected participants did not belong to any of the previous interest groups. Results The ,aMCI' factor had a significant effect on the topographical recognition memory task scores, while the ,depression' factor did not. The aMCI patients performed worse than the non-aMCI. Conclusion Although these results were found with relatively small groups, deficits in topographical recognition memory were observed in aMCI patients and did not seem to be sensitive to depression. Further longitudinal studies are needed to examine whether deficits in topographical recognition memory are a neuropsychological marker of preclinical AD. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

The role of group size and environmental factors on survival in a cooperatively breeding tropical passerine

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2006
LYANNE BROUWER
Summary 1Variation in survival, a major determinant of fitness, may be caused by individual or environmental characteristics. Furthermore, interactions between individuals may influence survival through the negative feedback effects of density dependence. Compared to species in temperate regions, we have little knowledge about population processes and variation in fitness in tropical bird species. 2To investigate whether variation in survival could be explained by population size or climatic variables we used capture,recapture models in conjunction with a long-term data set from an island population of the territorial, cooperatively breeding Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis). The lack of migration out of the study population means that our results are not confounded by dispersal. 3Annual survival was high, both for adults (84%) and juveniles (61%), and did not differ between the sexes. Although there was significant variation in survival between years, this variation could not be explained by overall population size or weather variables. 4For territorial species, resource competition will work mainly on a local scale. The size of a territory and number of individuals living in it will therefore be a more appropriate measure of density than overall population density. Consequently, both an index of territory quality per individual (food availability) and local density, measured as group size, were included as individual covariates in our analyses. 5Local density had a negative effect on survival; birds living in larger groups had lower survival probabilities than those living in small groups. Food availability did not affect survival. 6Our study shows that, in a territorial species, although density-dependent effects might not be detectable at the population level they can be detected at the individual territory level , the scale at which individuals compete. These results will help to provide a better understanding of the small-scale processes involved in the dynamics of a population in general, but in particular in tropical species living in relatively stable environments. [source]

Spatial organization, group living and ecological correlates in low-density populations of Eurasian badgers, Meles meles

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2002
Eloy Revilla
Summary 1,Territoriality and group living are described in a low-density population of Eurasian badgers, Meles meles L., by studying the patterns of spatial grouping and territory marking, as well as the differences between individuals in some of their characteristics (body condition and dispersal) and in their space use (seasonally, periods of activity and interaction between pairs of individuals) under strong seasonal fluctuations in the availability of the key resource (young rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus L.). Finally, the role of the spatial distribution of the main prey (young rabbits) in the development of sociality was also studied in order to test some of the assumptions and predictions of the resource dispersion hypothesis (RDH). 2,Badgers were territorial, showing a flexible system of territory marking, which includes the marking of the most used areas (sett-latrines at the centres of activity) and additionally, at the smaller territories, a system of border-latrines in the areas of contact between territories. The maximum use of border-latrines was associated with the reproductive season, and that of sett-latrines with the season of food scarcity. 3,In the study area where badgers had rabbits as main prey, territories were occupied by small groups of animals, formed by one adult female who reproduced, one adult male who also showed signs of reproductive activity, the cubs of the year (if there was reproduction) and some animals born during previous years, which remained in their natal territory until their dispersal (normally during the mating season of their third or fourth year of life). This system was not strictly fixed as males, given the opportunity, expanded their territories to encompass additional females. Territories in another study site were occupied by one adult female (marked), plus the cubs of the year and another adult individual (unmarked). 4,In winter and spring dominant females and subordinates used only a small fraction of their territories, moved short distances, at a low speed and covering small areas per night. These seasons corresponded with the reproduction of rabbits (highest food availability). Dominant females were the only individuals using all the territory available in the summer (lowest food availability), when badgers had the worst body condition. Food availability increased again in autumn, as did body condition, while range sizes were again reduced. Dominant males used the same proportion of their territories over all seasons. However, in winter (reproductive season) they moved faster, over longer distances, and covered larger areas per period of activity. These results indicate that use of space by dominant males was affected by different factors from that of dominant females and subordinates. 5,RDH does not seem to explain group living in our populations because: (a) territoriality in each pair of primary animals was driven by different factors (trophic resources for females and females for males); (b) dominant males acted as expansionists; and (c) territory size was related to its richness and not to patch dispersion. 6,We propose an integrative hypothesis to explain not only group formation but also interpopulation variability in the social organization of badgers within ecological, demographic and behavioural constraints and in the light of current theory on delayed dispersal. [source]

Egg-yolk androgen and carotenoid deposition as a function of maternal social environment in barn swallows Hirundo rustica

JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
Rebecca J. Safran
Evidence is mounting that female animals use egg-yolk compounds (e.g. steroids, antioxidants) to adaptively engineer the quality of their offspring as a function of several maternal and environmental factors. Though adjustments to yolk allocation have been well-characterized as a function of parental phenotypes, we know very little about how an individual's social environment influences yolk composition. Here, we consider how two types of yolk compounds, androgens and carotenoids, relate to the maternal social environment during the egg-laying period, controlling statistically for known correlations between various aspects of parental quality and egg yolk compounds. Barn swallows Hirundo rustica erythrogaster breed in groups of highly variable size and spacing, allowing us to test whether or not the social environment is correlated with these maternal effects. We found no relationship between carotenoid levels in eggs as a function of colony size, colony density, or nearest-neighbor distance. However, eggs from females in larger groups had lower concentrations and total amounts of yolk androgens than those from females in smaller, less dense social settings. Our results counter previous predictions and literature, showing that females breeding in large groups deposit more androgen in eggs, mechanistically, because they compete more with conspecifics and have higher circulating androgen levels themselves and, functionally, because it could be advantageous for their offspring to show high androgen-mediated competitive abilities early in life. Instead, because group size in this species is governed largely by site fidelity and the availability of old nests for re-use, and because reproductive output does not differ as a function of group size, it may be that competition is greater for limited nests in small groups, thus elevating androgen levels. Further, yolk androgens were previously shown to be affected by male quality, and the greater concentrations and amounts of yolk androgens in smaller sites may reflect differential allocation to darker males found at these sites. [source]