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This study utilized a qualitative approach to learn about a co-educational housing pilot program in a rural serving, four-year regional university in the mid-south United States. Four individuals involved in the program took part in semi-structured interviews. Open coding analysis revealed four themes: sense of belonging, learning, gender and sexuality, and secrets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether larger tick sizes improve or hinder price efficiency for small‐capitalization stocks using data from implementing and terminating the Tick Size Pilot Program (TSPP). We show that the TSPP led to increases in various liquidity measures, and its termination restored them to their pre‐TSPP levels. We also find evidence that the TSPP led to trader migration from the pilot to control stocks. The TSPP implementation (termination) is associated with decreases (increases) in price efficiency, indicating that price efficiency decreases with tick sizes. Liquidity and informed trading are two channels through which the TSPP changes price efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although comprehensive school-wide interventions targeting bullying have proven effective, many schools, particularly those in low-to-middle income countries like Pakistan, lack the necessary resources to implement them. As a result, implementing cost-effective antibullying bystander programs that train students to become peer advocates is a promising approach for intervening in bullying incidents. Peer training in antibullying intervention involves training students to take on leadership roles and advocate for antibullying initiatives within their school communities. The aim of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate a peer-training module that was subsequently implemented in four schools (N = 38, boys = 26, girls = 12) in Pakistan. The aim was to raise awareness and prepare a team of peer mentors to effectively implement antibullying policies in educational institutions. Pre-post tests and participant feedback were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the peer-training program in increasing knowledge and awareness of bullying and the role of bystanders among trained peer mentors. To determine the impact of the peer mentor training on improving the school environment, data were also collected from students (N = 219, boys = 152, girls = 67) before and after the implementation of the program. The pilot implementation of the peer-training module was considered successful, indicating that the training was effective in improving the knowledge of peer mentors and could be used in a similar way in future cases. The results also showed a significant improvement in the development of prosocial bystanders. However, although improvements were observed in other aspects of the school environment, these did not reach statistical significance. The discussion section includes recommendations and explanations for differences based on gender and urban–rural factors. Suggestions are also made to improve the results for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Supplies Platform was created out of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) disposable product shortage prior to and during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This novel Platform supports Centers in obtaining disposables from other Centers when alternative avenues are exhausted. Methods: Driven by the opportunity for increased patient care by using the product availability of the 962 ELSO centers worldwide was the motivation to form an efficient online supply sharing Platform. The pandemic created by COVID-19 became a catalyst to further recognize the magnitude of the supply disruption on a global scale, impacting allocations and guidelines for institutions, practice, and patient care. Conclusions: Records kept on the Platform website are helpful to the industry by providing insights into where difficulties exist in the supply chain for needed equipment. Yet, the common thread is awareness, of how critical situations can stretch resources and challenge our resolve for the best patient care. ELSO is proud to support member centers in these situations, by providing a means of attaining needed ECMO life support products to cover supply shortages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Veterans Affairs Farming and Recovery Mental Health Services (VA FARMS) is an innovative pilot program to provide supportive resources for veterans with interests in agricultural vocations. Implemented at 10 pilot sites, VA FARMS will provide mental health services and resources for veterans while supporting training in gardening and agriculture. As each pilot site project has unique goals, outreach strategies, and implementation efforts based on the local environment and veteran population, evaluating the pilot program provides a unique challenge for evaluators. This paper describes the protocol to evaluate VA FARMS, which was specifically designed to enable site variation by providing both site-specific and cross-site understanding of site implementation processes and outcomes. Objective: The objectives of this paper are to (1) describe the protocol used for evaluating VA FARMS, as an innovative Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) agriculturally based, mental health, and employment pilot program serving veterans at 10 pilot sites across the Veterans Health Administration enterprise; and (2) provide guidance to other evaluators assessing innovative programs. Methods: This evaluation uses the context, inputs, process, product (CIPP) model, which evaluates a program's content and implementation to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Data collection will use a concurrent mixed methods approach. Quantitative data collection will involve quarterly program surveys, as well as three individual veteran participant surveys administered upon the veteran's entrance and exit of the pilot program and 3 months postexit. Quantitative data will include baseline descriptive statistics and follow-up statistics on veteran health care utilization, health care status, and agriculture employment status. Qualitative data collection will include participant observation at each pilot site, and interviews with participants, staff, and community stakeholders. Qualitative data will provide insights about pilot program implementation processes, veterans' experiences, and short-term participation outcomes. Results: Evaluation efforts began in December 2018 and are ongoing. Between October 2018 and September 2020, 494 veterans had enrolled in VA FARMS and 1326 veterans were reached through program activities such as demonstrations, informational presentations, and town-hall discussions. A total of 1623 community members and 655 VA employees were similarly reached by VA FARMS programming during that time. Data were collected between October 2018 and September 2020 in the form of 336 veteran surveys, 30 veteran interviews, 27 staff interviews, and 11 community partner interviews. Data analysis is expected to be completed by October 2022. Conclusions: This evaluation protocol will provide guidance to other evaluators assessing innovative programs. In its application to the VA FARMS pilot, the evaluation aims to add to existing literature on nature-based therapies and the rehabilitation outcomes of agricultural training programs for veterans. Results will provide programmatic insights on the implementation of pilot programs, along with needed improvements and modifications for the future expansion of VA FARMS and other veteran-focused agricultural programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the features of the new version of the "State Program for the Development of Agriculture and Regulation of Agricultural Products, Raw Materials, and Food Markets," which was developed as a pilot program based on project management principles. An analysis is given of the shortcomings of the State Program in terms of its target block and structure. A risk assessment of its implementation is provided. The author argues that the systemic deficiencies of the State Program, and of Russia's entire federal program framework, are caused by the frequent revision of the regulatory framework used to develop, implement, and assess the effectiveness of government programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have been leaders in advancing science to protect and promote public health by ensuring that safe and effective drugs and biological products are available to those who need them. Recently, new therapeutic discoveries, increased understanding of disease mechanisms, the need for innovation to optimally use resources, and global public health crises have led to an evolving drug development landscape. As a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and medical product developers are faced with unique challenges and opportunities. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proactively meeting the challenges of this evolving landscape through various efforts, including the Complex Innovative Trial Design Pilot Meeting Program. Our focus, here, will be on the pilot meeting program. Methods: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has defined a process to facilitate the implementation of the Complex Innovative Trial Design Pilot Meeting Program. The process is transparent and outlines the steps and timeline for submission, review, and meetings. Results: Five submitted meeting requests have been selected for participation in the Complex Innovative Trial Design Pilot Meeting Program. Conclusion: The pilot meeting program has been successful in further educating stakeholders on the potential uses of complex innovative designs in trials intended to provide substantial evidence of effectiveness. The selected submissions, thus far, have all utilized a Bayesian framework. The reasons for the use of Bayesian approaches may be due to the flexibility provided, the ability to incorporate multiple sources of evidence, and a desire to better understand the U.S. Food and Drug Administration perspective on such approaches. We are confident the pilot meeting program will have continued success and impact the collective goal of bringing safe and effective medical products to patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adults experiencing homelessness are at high risk of opioid and other substance use, poor mental health outcomes, exposure to trauma, and other risks. Providing access to stable housing has the potential to act as a powerful preventive intervention, but supportive housing programs have been studied most often among chronically homeless adults or adults with serious mental illness. The Housing First model, which does not precondition supportive housing on sobriety, may reduce drug use in homeless adults. In the present study, we piloted an adapted model of Housing First plus prevention services that was tailored to the needs of young adults (18–24 years) experiencing homelessness in the USA. Preventive services were added to the Housing First model and included youth-centered advocacy services, motivational interviewing, and HIV risk prevention services. This model was piloted in a single-arm study (n = 21) to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a Housing First model over a 6-month period in preparation for a larger randomized trial. We use repeated measures ANOVA to test for changes in alcohol and drug use (percent days of use; alcohol or drug use consequences), housing stability, social network support, and cognitive distortions over 6 months of follow-up. A total of 17 youth completed the study (85% retention), and a high proportion of youth were stably housed at 6-month follow-up. Participation in intervention services was high with an average of 13.57 sessions for advocacy, 1.33 for MI, and 0.76 for HIV prevention. Alcohol use did not change significantly over time. However, drug use, drug use consequences, and cognitive distortions, and the size of youths' social networks that were drug using individuals decreased significantly. The Housing First model appeared to be feasible to deliver, and youth engaged in the supportive intervention services. The study demonstrates the potential for an adapted Housing First model to be delivered to youth experiencing homelessness and may improve outcomes, opening the way for larger randomized trials of the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pilot programs are integral to catalyzing and accelerating research at Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs. However, little has been published about the structure and operationalization of pilot programs or how they impact the translational research enterprise at CTSAs. The North Carolina Translational and Clinical Science Institute (NC TraCS), the CTSA hub at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) conducted an evaluation case study to describe the pilot program structure, assess process outcomes, and provide a framework for other institutions to utilize for the evaluation of their respective pilot programs. Methods: We describe the operationalization of our pilot program, the evaluation framework utilized to evaluate the program, and how we analyzed available data to understand how our pilot funding opportunities were utilized by investigators. We calculated application volumes and funding rates by investigator position title and pilot application type. We also reviewed feedback provided by pilot Principal Investigators (PIs) to understand how many pilot projects were completed, NC TraCS service utilization, and barriers to research. Limited data on publications and subsequent funding was also reviewed. Results: Between 2009 and 2019 the NC TraCS Pilot Program received 2343 applications and funded 933 projects, ranging from $2000 to $100,000 in amount, with an overall funding rate of 39.8%. Utilization of NC TraCS services had positive impacts on both resubmission funding and project completion rates. Conclusion: This process evaluation indicates that the program is being operationalized in a way that successfully fulfills the program mission while meeting the needs of a diverse group of researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To achieve the health equity, it is important to reduce socioeconomic inequalities when managing chronic diseases. In South Korea, a pilot program for chronic diseases was implemented at the national level. This study aimed to examine its effect on socioeconomic inequalities in chronic disease management at the individual and regional levels.Methods: Korean National Health Insurance data from September 2016 to October 2017 were used. Study subjects in the national pilot program for chronic diseases included 31,765 participants and 5,741,922 non-participants. The dependent variable was continuity of prescription medication. Socioeconomic position indicators were health insurance contribution level and the area deprivation index. Covariates were gender, age, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). A multilevel logistic regression model was used to address the effects at both the individual and regional levels. This is a cross-sectional study.Results: Unlike the group of non-participants, the participants showed no inequality in prescription medication continuity according to individual-level socioeconomic position. However, continuity of prescription medication was higher among those in less deprived areas compared to those in more deprived areas in both the participation and non-participation groups.Conclusions: This study found that the pilot program for chronic diseases at the least did not contribute to the worsening of health inequalities at the individual level in South Korea. However, there was a trend showing health inequalities based on the socioeconomic level of the area. These findings suggest that additional policy measures are needed to attain equality in the management of chronic diseases regardless of the regional socioeconomic position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary school aged children (aged 4-12 years) in Australia consume approximately 40% of daily energy from energy-dense, nutrient poor foods and fewer than 5% meet the recommended guidelines for vegetables and fruit (ABS 2018). Poor eating habits in children can track into adulthood increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases later in life (Nicklaus 2013). Children spend a large amount of time at school where they are provided with social contexts which influence behaviour development (FAO, 2022) and thus are ideal settings for teaching children about food and nutrition (FAO, 2022; WHO 2017). This pilot study was designed in response to a call to action from a local primary school in southeast Melbourne facing disadvantage. Anecdotally, the school reported poor food literacy with many students bringing unhealthy lunches. The school asked us to design, pilot, and evaluate a student education program enabling healthier lunches among these children. The aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of a 4-week food and nutrition education program delivered to grade 4 students within a disadvantaged area targeting, children's food-related knowledge, behaviours and self-efficacy (confidence) to pack a healthy lunch. The program delivered weekly 1-hour interactive sessions over four weeks (October-November 2022). Topics included healthy eating, designing healthy lunches and food safety and were delivered using interactive games, activities, quizzes and food tasting. Students completed an online survey measuring their knowledge, self-efficacy and behaviour (e.g. foods packed in their lunchbox) pre- and post- program. A comparative analysis of the pre- and post-survey responses was performed using McNemar Tests in SPSS version 29.0. Sixty students completed both the pre- and post-surveys. A significant increase (p<0.001) in knowledge of recommended daily serves of fruit (pre 43%, post 80%) and vegetables (pre 17%, post 54%) was observed. There was also a significant (p<0.001) increase in student's ability to identify 'sometimes food'. No changes were observed in identification of 'everyday food', sources of protein and sources of dairy food or safety knowledge. Children's confidence to make healthy food swaps significantly increased from pre- to post- program (27%45%, p = 0.035). We observed significant increases in children's food and nutrition related knowledge for some topics and confidence to make healthy food swaps following completion of the program. A program of longer duration may be beneficial to observe additional improvements in knowledge as well as behaviour change, including foods packed in school lunches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In 2017, a Northern Territory PHN funded pilot program integrating psychology into remote Aboriginal Health Centres, was launched at Julanimawu Health Centre at Wurrumiyanga, Bathurst Island, Tiwi Islands (pop.1600). Psychology was identified as the allied health approach most attuned to the influential socio-cultural needs of Australian Aboriginal people when negotiating health care and effecting behavioural change; namely, providing a time rich, systemic, behaviourally focused, empathic perspective with a story telling method. Method: The program was designed to address the psychological needs of the community through two clearly stated pathways: supporting and educating the staff of the Health Centre on the effects of trauma, and providing a psychological service directly to the community. The psychologist recorded program participant demographic information and kept a diary that acknowledged the program intentions in relation to her experience. Results: Overall, the pilot program demanded non-traditional responses in a non-traditional psychology setting and the capacity to maintain equilibrium without expectation in the face of intergenerational trauma. Aboriginal culture impacted significantly on psychological practice, resulting in a process of decolonisation. The psychologist responded to different perceptions of time, resources, communication, connection and obligation and championed the Social Emotional Wellbeing approach to Aboriginal health. On a systemic level, while the program model recognised that behaviour largely determines health outcomes, the program outcomes suggested that culture largely determines behaviour. Conclusions: A Social Emotional Wellbeing approach is highly applicable, however, the approach requires champions to further support integration into the Health Centre system. Key Points What is already known: The health and wellbeing of Australian Aboriginals is impacted by the consequences of colonisation. The integration of psychology into health care is beneficial when addressing trauma related health issues. Behaviour largely determines health outcomes. What this topic adds: Behaviour largely reflects culture. Decolonising psychology requires an active process contingent on cultural knowledge. Privileging the multi-dimensional connections of social emotional wellbeing is a pathway forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth sport participation preferences are evolving and shifting toward unorganized, nontraditional types of sport participation. This trend has left more traditional sports with decreasing participation numbers. Baseball Canada noticed a similar trend and therefore implemented an innovative approach to increase interest and participation in baseball. This case study follows Alex, the Manager of Sport Development at Baseball Canada, as they develop and evaluate Baseball5™, an innovative street version of the traditional sport of baseball. This alternative form of baseball needs to be tested and evaluated in five pilot programs throughout Canada. Alex collects survey, interview, and focus group data following each of the pilot programs to determine whether the approach is viable for increasing interest in baseball long term. After reading the case, students are tasked with analyzing the collected data and designing the Baseball5™ program for long-term implementation. The case is ideal for upper year undergraduate students who have the skills and knowledge necessary to execute program evaluations and build holistic program implementation plans, and for undergraduate courses in research methods or data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Korea is one of many countries that has implement national chronic disease management programs. These programs comprise “A pilot program for the registration and management of cardiocerebrovascular high-risk groups” in 2007, “A pilot program for community primary medical care” in 2014, “A pilot program for chronic care charges” in 2016, and “Primary medical chronic disease management pilot project” in 2019. For establishing and implementing policies to strengthen chronic care management in primary medical care, a virtuous cycle, in which experiences in various programs are monitored and achievements are accumulated in aid of policy development, is important. That is, objective evaluation indices and systems should be designed as programs are carried forward, and program quality should be improved through of evaluation results and feedback. This study highlight the problems with existing programs and the necessary steps to achieve the expected effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Palliative care is recommended for patients with metastatic cancer, but there has been limited research about embedded palliative care for specific patient populations. We describe the impact of a pilot program that provided routine, early, integrated palliative care to patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Methods: Mixed methods pre-post intervention cohort study at an academic cancer center. Thirty control then 30 intervention patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were surveyed at baseline and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months thereafter about symptoms, quality-of-life, and likelihood of cure. We compared survey responses, trends over time, rates of advance care planning, and healthcare utilization between groups. Patients, family caregivers, and clinicians were interviewed. Results: Patients in the intervention group were followed for an average of 6.5 months and had an average of 3.5 palliative care visits. At baseline, symptoms were mild (average 1.85/10) and 78.2% of patients reported good/excellent quality-of-life. Half (50.9%) believed they were likely to be cured of cancer. Over time, symptoms and quality-of-life metrics remained similar between groups, however intervention patients were more realistic about their likelihood of cure (p = 0.008). Intervention patients were more likely to have a surrogate documented (83.3% vs. 26.7%, p < 0.0001), an advance directive completed (63.3% vs. 13.3%, p < 0.0001), and non-full code status (43.3% vs. 16.7%, p < 0.03). All patients and family caregivers would recommend the program to others with cancer. Conclusions: We describe the impact of an embedded palliative care program for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, which improved prognostic awareness and rates of advance care planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the features of the new version of the "State Program for the Development of Agriculture and Regulation of Agricultural Products, Raw Materials, and Food Markets," which was developed as a pilot program based on project management principles. An analysis is given of the shortcomings of the State Program in terms of its target block and structure. A risk assessment of its implementation is provided. The author argues that the systemic deficiencies of the State Program, and of Russia's entire federal program framework, are caused by the frequent revision of the regulatory framework used to develop, implement, and assess the effectiveness of government programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intergenerational study tourism (IST) is a conceptual model designed to promote cross-cultural, intergenerational (IG) encounters through travel and learning. IST is an area of IG practice that would benefit from further research. In response to this identified need, this paper documents a pilot effort to develop a model that includes the design of a cross-cultural, intergenerational activity and examines its perceived benefits, reflection and discussion. Participants in this pilot project represented different generations from local and international communities. To facilitate participant engagement, ice-breaking games and mission-oriented interventions were employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Market-based emission trading schemes (ETSs) are widely used in the developed world to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which are perceived as the source of global climate change. China, as the largest GHG emitter in the world, is committed to introducing an ETS to reduce emissions. Here we reviewed existing ETSs and sustainable energy policies worldwide as well as China's pilot programs. These studies were conducted in order to propose recommendations for national initiatives and strategies to be implemented in China in relation to climate change adaptation and mitigation. It has been shown that setting emission caps in the context of a national emission intensity target is difficult. However, implementing reliable systems for measurement, reporting, and verification of emissions are essential. A two-level management system (by central and provincial governments) for carbon trading is beneficial to ensure uniform standards and compliance while maintaining flexibility. Persistent political support from, and effective coordination of, policies by the government are crucial. In addition, strengthening of institutional innovation, and the establishment of a national GHG emissions information system, are of equal importance. This vital information could provide a great opportunity for China to re-define its economic growth and take global leadership in combatting climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Driven by motivation of quality enhancement and brand reputation promotion, automotive industries try to improve product quality and customer satisfaction by performing quality pilot programs continuously. The purpose of this paper is to develop a dynamic model to select the improvement quality pilot program from competitive candidates based on dynamic customers’ feedback.Design/methodology/approach An extended dynamic multi-criteria decision-making method is developed by embedding dynamic triangular fuzzy weighting average operators into fuzzy VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method, and the novel evaluation indicator “ζ” is introduced to reflect prioritization performance.Findings The two evaluation indicators (Q and “ζ” ) assist quality managers to identify the best program with respect to multiple conflicting criteria and the best choice based on these two indexes shows high conformity. Besides, ranking sequences obtained by “ζ” can avoid the dilemma that there are several candidates with top priority calculated by comprehensive group utility value Q.Practical implications The dynamic MCDM method has been applied into the quality improvement procedure in Chinese domestic auto factories and contributes to highly efficient promotion.Originality/value Few dynamic models on pilot program selection for quality improvement based on dynamic customers’ feedback, this study deals with the dynamic promotion by an extended fuzzy VIKOR method and presents a case application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tick value is a crucial component of market design and is often considered the most suitable tool to mitigate the effects of high frequency trading. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate that the approach introduced in [Dayri, K., and M. Rosenbaum, 2015, Large Tick Assets: Implicit Spread and Optimal Tick Size, Market Microstructure and Liquidity, 1, 1550003.] allows for an ex ante assessment of the consequences of a tick value change on the microstructure of an asset. To that purpose, we analyze the pilot program on tick value modifications started in 2014 by the Tokyo Stock Exchange in light of this methodology. We focus on forecasting the future cost of market and limit orders after a tick value change and show that our predictions are very accurate. Furthermore, for each asset involved in the pilot program, we are able to define ( ex ante) an optimal tick value. This enables us to classify the stocks according to the relevance of their tick value, before and after its modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer ( CRC) is a global epidemic predominantly affecting Western countries. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Australia with one in 12 Australians affected by this condition by the age of 85 years. Appropriate preventive measures by screening followed by colonoscopy can detect cancer and precancerous lesions, which are potentially curable. The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program ( NBCSP) is a national screening program implemented by the Australian Government aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality from bowel cancer by actively recruiting and screening the target population. The long-term goal of the program is to include the at-risk population (50-74 years of age) in a biennial screening program. Newer technologies could have a potential role in screening programs by enhancing adenoma detection rates. However, until more evidence is available, improving screening uptake and bowel preparation strategies are the prime focus in reducing CRC-related morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians purchased 12 e-readers and six tablets to provide patrons the opportunity to experiment with the latest mobile technologies. After several train-the-trainer sessions, librarians shared device information with the broader health sciences community. Devices were cataloged and made available for a two-week checkout. A limited number of books and applications (apps) were preloaded for all the devices, and patrons were allowed to download their own content. Each tablet has Google Books, iBooks, Kindle, and Nook apps available to allow choice in reading e-books. Upon return, patrons were asked to complete a ten-question survey to determine preferences for device use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2008, the American Society for Breast Surgeons launched its Mastery in Breast Surgery Pilot Program to demonstrate feasibility of a Web-based tool for breast surgeons to document and monitor quality outcomes. Methods: Participating surgeons report performance of three quality measures for breast procedures: Was a needle biopsy performed to evaluate the breast lesion before the procedure? Was the surgical specimen oriented? For nonpalpable lesions localized with image guidance, was there intraoperative confirmation of removal? Data are collected through the American Society for Breast Surgeons' Web-based software using a secure server and encrypted identification numbers. Surgeon demographic/practice characteristic data were collected, and logistic regression models were used to identify factors that affected quality measures. Results: From October 2008 to December 2009, a total of 696 surgeons entered data for 28,798 breast procedures. Participants were diverse in years in practice, geographic location, practice setting and type, and proportion of practice made up of breast procedures. Delivery of "optimal care" (defined as delivery of all quality measures for which there was no valid clinical reason for nonperformance) was high for all surgeon demographic/practice characteristics, ranging from 81% to 94%. Statistically significant differences in delivery of quality measures were observed within all physician demographic/practice characteristic variables, but many absolute differences were small. Conclusions: The high level of participation and volume of breast procedures for which quality measure data was entered demonstrate this is a feasible means of collecting quality performance data. Future development will include identifying/developing additional quality measures and establishing evidence-based benchmarks for care on the basis of data collected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With literacy being an issue that continues to plague too many students, the Mentor/Mentee Literacy program evaluation, emphasizes the need for programs that foster a community of readers. The purpose of the evaluation was to examine the impact of positive peer interaction improving the critical reading skills of sixth grade remedial reading students. The initial focus of the pilot program was to improve language arts class performance, at the middle school level. However, the evaluation ultimately found that reading skills must be incorporated into all of the core subjects. Recognizing that reading is a gateway skill, educational decision-makers must begin to examine the best methods of merging reading skills into all core subject areas (US Department of Education, 2002). The United Nations, Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization defines literacy as, "the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in the wider society." This comprehensive explication is a definitive statement of the path literacy education should consistently pursue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fathers of children with a disability report both in Australia and elsewhere that they feel marginalised from communication about, and the design and implementation of, formal support for their children. They also report having few if any avenues via which they can receive support and share and discuss their concerns about the disability of their children. This article describes a new groupwork program to Jill this gap - to engage and support such fathers and to complement existing support services: Hey, Dad! For fathers who have a child with a disability. Findings from an initial evaluation of a pilot of the program involving 83 fathers are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most colleges are continuing to see growth in their online education programs. Academic libraries are attempting to strike a balance between traditional library offerings and new online resources and services. Determining how to allocate funds is complicated by the fact that many students in online classes today live near enough campus to come to the library. Should libraries at institutions where most online students live near campus devote scarce resources to providing services such as online reference? One community college library is attempting to answer that question by testing online reference with Elluminate vClass in a limited way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unemployment may be the single most powerful force challenging families in the U.S. today. The objective of the study reported here was to develop, implement, and evaluate a pilot program, BRITE©, for unemployed individuals and their families. Results found that depression and problematic family functioning were significantly reduced from pre- to post-intervention. Follow-up with participants 6 to 9 months later also validated the efficacy of BRITE© and the use of a family systems approach to unemployment. Suggestions for future programming for unemployed families as well as some policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]