United Mission Research Articles

Creative Healing

Creative Healing

Quantify measuring method for combat unit mission focusing on unsuccess prevention

To describe the self-adaptive character of combat unit (CU), which may not be able to give precise explanation by conventional mission measurement, we present a measurement method orienting to unsuccess prevention for CU mission. Firstly, the task characteristics of multi-phase and multi-level of CU are explained. On this basis, a hierarchical measuring system including measure of capability deviation, relating to basic task unsuccess and composite task is given by quantifying the disturbance. Based on unified measurement, the basic task unsuccess according to presumable domain from required domain is quantified, and the composite task unsuccess is also quantified. Finally, a case of capability deviation measurement and its impact on overall unsuccess are presented for check.

Mining from the Middle: Making the Most of Resources

Mining from the Middle: Making the Most of Resources

Travel Fund Reports: Nepal

Living in a valley, lush and green, 4600-ft. above sea level, filled with paddy fields, surrounded by terraced hill slopes and dominated by an inspiring backcloth of snow-capped Himalayas is a personal experience to be cherished. Working among a people, poor and poorer yet happy and cheerful, seeing textbook cases of gross, unattended pathology, tropical and “Western” , is a medical experience never to be forgotten.The valley of Kathmandu in Nepal provides the setting. Until 1951, when the King regained control from the Rama family, a hereditary line of Prime Ministers since since 1846, all Nepalese borders were closed to foreign travellers. The country maintained a mediaeval lifestyle with a mediaeval medical care.Since 1951 the influx of foreign influence has been accelerating. Now Kathmandu isa popular tourist stop. The people, however, are caught between the wealth and status of the visitors and their ancestral customs and poverty. Owing to the very rough terrain of the region and the poor communications within the country, most areas outside the city still retain their original life-style and value system.In 1953, the United Mission to Nepal began a hospital which still exists as the Shanta Bhawan Hospital (Palace of Peace). It caters mainly for the Nepali inhabitants of the area but also extends its foreign residents and tourists. Charity or credit concessions are available to the poor whilst the rich and foreign patients are over-charged.

단위임무 기반 로봇의 임무 계획 및 자동화 임무 관리 방법론

ABSTRACT In this paper, it is suggested a method of mission planning and management for robots based on the unit mission. In order to make robots execute given missions continuously as time goes by, a new concept for planning the mission which is composed of one or more unit missions and an automatic mission management scheme are developed. For managing robot’s missions in real time, six management methods are devised as well in order to cope with the mismatches, which occur frequently during the mission execution, as to the initial plan. Without the operator’s involvement, any mismatch can be adjusted automatically by applying one of the mission management methods. The suggested concept of mission planning and mission management methods based on the unit mission are partially realized in the Dog-Horse robot system and it is checked that it can be a viable one for developing effective robot operation systems.Key Words : Robot(로봇), Mission Planning(임무계획), Mission Management(임무관리), Autonomous Navigation(자율주행)

Nursing care received by older patients in Italian medical units: findings from an explorative study

According to available evidence, when the nurse-to-patient ratio is insufficient the occurrence of accidental falls, pressure sores, malnutrition, hospital-acquired dependency in activities of daily living, infections associated with nursing practice and errors in administration of medication as well as mortality all increase. However, while several countries have established a body of evidence and policies concerning the minimum nurse-to-patient ratio, the amount of nursing care offered in Italian medical units remains under-studied. Evaluating variability in the nurse-to-patient ratio and in the skill-mix offered, 12 medical units willing to participate were evaluated with a face-to-face interview performed by a researcher to the nurse manager of the unit. The role of the unit at the hospital level, the nurse-to-patient ratio available on a daily basis, the skill-mix and the strategies enacted in the case of patient overcrowding or understaffing were collected. The mission of the medical units is devoted mainly towards elderly people. The bed occupancy is high and the strategies adopted in case of patient overcrowding determine unstable environments both for medical units (extra beds) and other units (patients temporarily hosted). In the medical units, nurses attend to 5-13 patients in the morning, 7.6-14.6 in the afternoon, and 12.3-30.5 during the night. The skill-mix ranges from 43.5% (more nursing aides than nurses are available on the ward) to 81.2% (more nurses than nursing aides are available). This assessment exercise indicates that nursing care in medical units faces high workloads. Establishing national minimum standards of nursing care to be delivered towards older people admitted in Italian medical units is recommended.

The Badger eXploration Loft at Desert RATS 2011

In recent years, the aim of both NASA as well as the nascent private space industry has become increasingly audacious. By any measure, it is becoming apparent that long duration manned missions to deep space are inevitable; as are the inherent complexities and risks associated with such large scale undertakings. With this in mind, it is critical that engineers and scientists work toward the goal of understanding the difficulties that lay ahead. Analog studies such as the Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) are one critical resource available for the investigation of the effectiveness of various mission architectures. This paper provides a brief outline of D-RATS and focuses on the role, abilities, and benefits of the integration of the Badger X-Loft with the Habitat Demonstration Unit mission during D-RATS 2011.Â

Counterterrorism, Dignity, and the Rule of Law

Counterterrorism, Dignity, and the Rule of Law

Analyzing the Effects of Failure on Fire Equipment in Building by FAST

Quantitative analysis of the fire system efficacy of is the trend of China's fire equipment supervision and management. One of the important work is to analyze the effects of failure on fire equipment, and formulate corresponding countermeasures of maintenance and management. Utilizing function analysis system technique (FAST), the mission levels of the fire equipment in building were divided, the analyzing process for fire equipment failure was established according to the failure information during the actual operation of fire equipments, and on the level of component unit, subsystem function and system mission, the method of ranking the effective factors of fire equipment failure was proposed based on the mission and function analysis. The method divided the effects of failure into 3 classes: minor (failure class III), general (failure class II), significant (failure class I), and corresponding management measures were proposed for each class. The method was used in a case study.

Topical Application of Silver Diamine Fluoride may Arrest Dental Caries

Efficacy of silver diamine fluoride for arresting caries treatment. Yee R, Holmgren C, Mulder J, Lama D, Walker D, van Palenstein Helderman W. J Dent Res 2009;88(7):644-7. Milton Houpt, DDS, PhD To assess the effectiveness of a topical application of silver diamine fluoride for arresting active dental caries. This study was supported financially by the United Mission to Nepal Oral Health Programme and by the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Oral Health Care Planning and Future Scenarios, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, College of Dental Sciences, the Netherlands Randomized controlled trial Level 2: Limited-quality, patient-oriented evidence Not applicable

Incidence of oxygen desaturation with intravenous ketamine and the effects of the basic airway management maneuvers on it

Introduction: This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the incidence of oxygen desaturation during intravenous ketamine for short surgical procedure and the effects of basic airway management maneuvers during desaturation.
 Methods: A Population based comparative study was done at two different hospitals situated in hilly regions of Nepal. Children aged between 3 months and 14 years were observed for their oxygen saturation with the help of Pulse Oxymeter during intravenous ketamine anesthesia for short surgical procedures lasting less than 15 minutes. 
 Results: Seventy nine patients from United Mission Hospital (UMN), Tansen and 66 patients from Okhaldhunga Community Hospital (OCH), Okhadhunga were enrolled; the incidence of desaturation was 8(10%) and 11(16.1%) in Tansen and Okhaldhunga respectively. 7(87.5%) and 8(72.7%) of the patients with desaturation from UMH and OCH respectively, were improved to >90% with chin lift only and rest needed jaw thrust.
 Conclusion: The incidence of oxygen desaturation is common within first few minutes of ketamine administration. Basic airway measures like chin lift and jaw thrust is enough to improve oxygen saturation.

Enforcing Firearms Laws at the Local Level: A Case Study of the Virginia Beach Police Department's Gun Trace Unit

Gun violence remains a serious threat to public safety throughout the United States. Numerous federal and local agencies have taken a variety of steps in an attempt to deal with this perennial problem. One of the most common tactics has been the development of task forces between local agencies and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). This is the approach that the Virginia Beach Police Department took until recently. In April 2008, however, the department disbanded its task force and developed its own internal unit tasked with the investigation of firearms-related crimes called the Gun Trace Unit. This article details the new unit's mission, how it functions, and what advantages it has over the previously instituted task force approach. The Gun Trace Unit has been a successful innovation in Virginia Beach and may serve as a useful model for other jurisdictions.

Special Features: Clinical Concepts: Reinvigorating Performance Evaluation: First Steps in a Local Health Department

The ability of a local health department to assess and improve employee performance through an effective evaluation process is critical to overall organizational success. A constructive performance evaluation process not only provides meaningful feedback on work performance but also provides opportunities to reinforce work behaviors that support the organization's mission, to recognize exceptional work, and to guide future growth and learning. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is creating a new approach to performance evaluation that recognizes 3 distinct components of work performance: standard business practices, competencies, and standards of practice. This multidimensional perspective acknowledges that the expectations of workers are complex and that evaluations of performance are not easily captured with single-dimension assessment tools. This report describes the conceptual relationships of these 3 components and how they integrate to form a single performance evaluation process. Key elements within this structure include a base document of competencies for all workers, expanded competency sets for professional staff, role-specific duty statements for workers who perform similar work, and standards of competent practice related to the mission of units to which individuals are assigned. Key first steps are to define the terminology of performance evaluation and to create role-specific duty statements.

P02-229 - The implementation of management through processes in an inpatient psychiatric medium-stay unit

ObjectivesThe European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model is a non-prescriptive framework based on nine criteria. The aim of this work is to describe the implementation of the EFQM model as a quality framework for the improvement of an inpatient medium-stay psychiatric unit.MethodsIn 2005 a multidisciplinary performance improvement work group was convened to begin a project with these aims:-The definition of the unit's mission.-The identification of the unit's main processes.-The identification of performance and quality results.-The establishment of an audit period of clinical outcomes.-The creation of a protocol for admissions.ResultsBetween 2005 and 2008 the group designed the following:-A map showing the medium-stay unit process as well as the main processes.-The key performance indicators.-An ECT protocol.-The Quality Indicators.-A patient satisfaction survey.Every year we decide the objectives of each indicator and revise them every month. Efficiency in the use of resources improved, due to an increase in annual admissions (from 190 in 2005 to 213 in 2009) as well as a decrease in length of hospital stays (from 62 days in 2005 to 48 days in 2009).ConclusionsThe management through processes according to the EFQM model is an instrument for the improvement of the quality of assistance. This type of management allows for the definition of the unit's mission, the measure and analysis of results and for the establishment of areas of improvement.

Grand challenges of brain computer interfaces in the years to come

Invasive and non-invasive brain machine interface research is a fast growing field, but a series of important challenges will have to be met to bring this to a level that will significantly impact patients. An increasing number of neurologists, neurosurgeon, neuroscientists, theoreticians and computer engineers have become interested in the field, and their work gives hope for significant breakthroughs. The first challenge we face is in the realm of socio-economics. It is essential to have a worldwide network of collaborations and information exchange between all disciplines, including allocation of much larger resources for the task. Mankind needs to learn how to combine the natural tendencies of individuals for personal achievements with the fact that we humans are social animals that made the best by synergistic social interactions and associations to larger teams, tribes and nations. The challenge is to create a worldwide feeling of a united mission. In this sense, we should adopt the brain strategy; none of us humans feel like “a bunch of neurons”. Yet, our brains, which make us what we are, are a collection of billions of cells that “know” how to interact and generate intelligence, emotions and creativity. This is in fact a great challenge for the world population in all aspects of science and society.

The Role of the Library in the First Year of College (review)

Reviewed by: The Role of the Library in the First Year of College Kristen Bullard The Role of the Library in the First Year of College, ed. Larry Hardesty . University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition: Columbia, SC, 2007. 269p. $40.00 (ISBN 978188927155) Librarians and teaching faculty who work with first-year college students face a series of questions: What information literacy (IL) skills do our students need to be successful in college and throughout life? What is the best way to integrate these concepts into the curriculum? What specific programs or courses on campus provide logical starting points for teaching these skills? What are the best methods for delivery? How can we facilitate the connection between IL concepts learned in the first year with the skills needed for the rest of college and throughout life after college? This book is aptly named because it comprehensively addresses these and many more questions about the first-year experience (FYE). This collection bridges the narrowing gap between IL and the FYE. Although it includes many tried-and-true methods, it also reaches beyond traditional thinking about how the library plays a role in first-year student life. Contributions to this volume are organized into four sections: "Foundations," "Initiatives," "Connections," and "Campus Case Studies." These categories guide the reader from an overview of IL and first-year initiatives to a vision of combined partnership of these two movements, thereby bridging these two important and interconnected areas of practice and scholarship and articulating [End Page 500] and furthering connections that have been developed in the literature for the past decade. The section entitled "Foundations" includes the first three chapters. They summarize the IL movement, define the importance of librarians in the development of engagement, and provide a glimpse into how first-year students use their time. Chapter 2 is noteworthy for its thorough explanation and analysis of the importance of the academic librarian in the process of developing engagement with the first-year student. The authors describe two key features of engagement as student-driven and institution-driven, with the nature and frequency of engagement, as well as the presence of collaborative learning pedagogies, being crucial to student success. The chapter explains the importance of academic libraries and librarians for providing spaces and experiences that develop engagement. It goes on to survey several methods for library involvement in promoting engagement. The second section outlines, analyzes, and provides examples of methods, models, programming, and planning that focus on connecting the library and IL to the first-year student. The recommendations derived from each study are helpful and clearly articulate practical ways to improve IL integration on any campus. The massive California State University (CSU) System's comprehensive IL initiative provides a unique opportunity to compare a variety of approaches in many different school settings and to learn what makes them successful. The united mission of the CSU system is a remarkable example that provides a wealth of ideas for other institutions and systems. Chapter 7 examines library positions with a focus on first-year initiatives and makes recommendations for any institution interested in developing this type of position. The initiatives presented in chapter 9 exemplify how librarians can facilitate first-year student engagement, including integrating IL into co-curricular activities as well as making library spaces more conducive to co-curricular groups. Increased library involvement in this way creates an opportunity to engage the students when they are most interested and receptive to IL concepts. This approach also serves to demonstrate to students the broader lifelong applications of IL skills and concepts and provides an accessible way to start learning about the library. Section 3, "Connections," unites many themes from the previous sections. A comprehensive guide to assessment of first-year IL programming includes answers to the questions of why and what to assess. The qualities of effective assessment and practical suggestions for developing a plan of assessment are helpful for many programs. The assessment discussion continues with the topic of student retention statistics and ways that IL programs can make a difference. The final chapter examines the merging direction of IL and the FYE...

Diverse Views with a United Mission

Diverse Views with a United Mission

Using the Balanced-Scorecard Approach for Program Assessment of Faculty Advising

A program assessment methodology for academic advising based on a balanced-scorecard approach is discussed. The balanced-scorecard approach is used to identify a set of five to nine performance measures as metrics of organizational (not individual) effectiveness. Grouped into four perspectives (financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth), the measures can be directly tied to advising unit mission; the measures allow users to be objective and subjective, process- and outcome-focused, and forward- and backward-looking. Stakeholders in various institutional types have utilized the comprehensive balanced-scorecard system to improve communication, demonstrate effectiveness, and improve organizational culture and relationships.

A Sensitivity Analysis of the National Fire Management Analysis System

Abstract A sensitivity analysis was conducted of the National Fire Management Analysis System (NFMAS) to better understand the relationship between data input and model outcomes, as reflected by changes in C+NVC and MEL program options. Five input variables were selected for sensitization: Unit Mission Costs, Average Acre Costs, Net Value Change, Production Rates, and Escaped Fire Limits. A stratified random sample of 32 national forests was selected, according to the distribution of national forests within Forest Service regions and fire frequency classes, on the basis of historical fire data. NFMAS database tables were obtained and manipulated, with each variable increased and decreased at six levels (±25, ±50, and ±100%). Results indicated that Production Rates was always the most influential variable, Unit Mission Costs was always least influential, and the influence of the other variables depends on the choice of model outcome. In general, greater sensitivity changes resulted in greater changes in model outcome, but no consistent pattern of influence could be found regarding program option.West. J. Appl. For. 19(1):5–12.

Using Virtual Environments for Conducting Small Unit Mission Rehearsals

This research examined the use of virtual environments as a viable dismounted infantry mission rehearsal tool. Four squads of soldiers individually conducted two missions that involved clearing a two-story building located at an urban operations training site. Two squads rehearsed the mission in a virtual representation of the exact building they would clear at the urban training site. The remaining squads rehearsed in an actual two-story building that was similar to the one they would clear at the urban training site. Squads executed both missions in each environment. Performance differences between the rehearsal groups across the two “real-world” missions were small to negligible. Group performance differences for fratricides and personnel flagging were negatively affected by simulator constraints. The research showed that while virtual environments show promise for this type of training, a number of interface and technology problems must be overcome. Currently, virtual environments do not appear to be as effective as real-world tactical training for improving skills underlying specific small unit tasks or battle drills. However, these environments may be used effectively at selected stages of training to enhance cognitive skills development.