Resource Constraints and Quality Public Library Service Delivery in Ghana     

Frederic Naazi-Ale Baada  Azerikatoa D. Ayoung  Stephen Bekoe  Fuseini Bawah Azindow 《International Information and Library Review》2020,52(1):10-31

Abstract

The availability and quantum of resources at the disposal of libraries greatly influence service delivery. This study seeks to assess the adequacy and effect of attenuating resources on the quality of public library services and the barriers to accessing sufficient resources for the provision of quality services. Based on a qualitative approach, the study interviewed 32 participants drawn from three regional libraries, using purposive and convenience sampling methods. Data were analyzed using interpretative techniques. The results showed that all three regional libraries were highly under resourced in terms of qualified personnel, physical resources, and current library materials which ultimately resulted in low patronage of the library facilities. A major concern was the absence of a National Library and Public Library Policy guiding the establishment of public libraries in Ghana. We strongly suggest that the new public library service bill should include a statutory formula for resource allocation to public libraries. Though our research concentrated on Ghana, the implications of the study are of great value to similar contexts.  相似文献   

Extracting Latent Moral Information from Text Narratives: Relevance,Challenges, and Solutions     

René Weber  J. Michael Mangus  Richard Huskey  Frederic R. Hopp  Ori Amir  Reid Swanson 《Communication methods and measures》2018,12(2-3):119-139

ABSTRACT

Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) and the Model of Intuitive Morality and Exemplars (MIME) contend that moral judgments are built on a universal set of basic moral intuitions. A large body of research has supported many of MFT’s and the MIME’s central hypotheses. Yet, an important prerequisite of this research—the ability to extract latent moral content represented in media stimuli with a reliable procedure—has not been systematically studied. In this article, we subject different extraction procedures to rigorous tests, underscore challenges by identifying a range of reliabilities, develop new reliability test and coding procedures employing computational methods, and provide solutions that maximize the reliability and validity of moral intuition extraction. In six content analytical studies, including a large crowd-based study, we demonstrate that: (1) traditional content analytical approaches lead to rather low reliabilities; (2) variation in coding reliabilities can be predicted by both text features and characteristics of the human coders; and (3) reliability is largely unaffected by the detail of coder training. We show that a coding task with simplified training and a coding technique that treats moral foundations as fast, spontaneous intuitions leads to acceptable inter-rater agreement, and potentially to more valid moral intuition extractions. While this study was motivated by issues related to MFT and MIME research, the methods and findings in this study have implications for extracting latent content from text narratives that go beyond moral information. Accordingly, we provide a tool for researchers interested in applying this new approach in their own work.  相似文献   

A Photograph of the Head of Cardinal Richelieu Taken Two Hundred and Fifty Years After Death     

Frederic Griffith 《Journal of the Medical Library Association》1906,4(2):184-185

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The Influence of Media Type on the Perceived Influence of Media Contents and on the Support to Restrict Controversial Messages     

Frederic Guerrero-Solé  Hibai López-González 《Communication Research Reports》2016,33(1):68-73

The aim of this study was to explore the intersection between Medium Theory (MT) and Third-Person Effect (TPE) and evaluate how the research on MT can further our knowledge of the TPE. The study has proven that the perceptual hypothesis of the TPE is confirmed in different media contents and across media types (TV and the Internet) and that media type has an impact on the magnitude of the TPE. In addition, media type can also be a requisite for TPE to occur. On the other hand, the study shows that media type can have an influence on people’s support to restrict controversial content, in particular, pornography.  相似文献   

First Year Medical Student Peer Nominations of Professionalism: A Methodological Detective Story about Making Sense of Non-Sense     

Trey C. Mullikin  Varun Shahi  Douglas Grbic  Wojciech Pawlina  Frederic W. Hafferty 《Anatomical sciences education》2019,12(1):20-31

This article explores the assessment of professionalism within a cohort of medical students during a sequential 13-week medical school histology and anatomy course. Across seven data points, students were asked to identify a professionalism role model from amongst their peers and to score Likert-structured rationales for their decision. Based on density scores, an initial social network analysis identified six peer-nomination “stars.” However, analysis of these stars revealed considerable variability and random-like “noise” in both the nomination and explanation data sets. Subsequent analyses of both data sets explored the possibility of underlying patterns in this noise using tests of reliability, principal components factor analysis, and fixed-effects regression analysis. These explorations revealed the presence of two dimensions (professional vs. supportive) in how students sought to explain their nomination decisions. Although data variability remained quite high, significantly less variability was present in the professional than in the supportive dimension, suggesting that academic helpfulness rationales are both empirically distinct and more mutable than rationales grounded in professionalism-related factors. In addition, data showed that the greater the stability in one's choice of a professionalism role model nomination over the T1–T7 data periods, the more stable one's reasons for that nomination—both for professionalism and supportive dimensions. Results indicate that while peer assessment of professionalism by first-year medical students may not be very reliable, students can differentiate between more personal and professional factors, even at this early stage in their professional development. Formal instruction within the pre-clinical curriculum should recognize and address this distinction. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.  相似文献   

Original characteristics of a new cycle ergometer     

William M. Bertucci  Frederic Grappe  Samuel Crequy 《Sports Engineering》2011,13(4):171-179

The aim of this study was to describe and validate a new cycling ergometer with original characteristics that allow the measurement of biomechanical variables with position and crank inertial load used by the cyclist in field condition. The braking pedalling force, that permitted the simulation of the resistance to the cyclist in the field, is performed with a brushless electric motor. The validity and the reproducibility of the power output measurements were compared with the widely accepted SRM powermeter. The results indicate that taking into account a systematic error, the measurements are valid compared with the SRM, and the reproducibility of the power output measurements is similar to the SRM. In conclusion, this ergometer is the only one that allows at the same time for (1) valid and reproducible power output measurements at submaximal intensity, (2) utilisation of the personal bicycle of the cyclist, and (3) simulation of the inertial characteristics of the road cycling.  相似文献   

Adolescents' mobility histories and present social adjustment     

Bradley C. Norford  Frederic J. Medway 《Psychology in the schools》2002,39(1):51-62

This study compared three groups of high school students: frequent movers (6 to 13 relocations), moderate movers (3 to 5 relocations), and nonmovers on depression, appraised social support, and participation in extracurricular activities. The sample was examined further according to the primary reason for relocation, the timing (before or after the seventh grade), and whether student shyness, socioeconomic status (SES), and family cohesion influenced any potential effects. Despite methodological improvements over past research including the exclusion of students who recently moved or reported other current stressors, few significant effects were obtained. Findings did reveal that students whose families relocated because of divorce and those who experienced early life relocations had lower levels of participation in extracurricular activities. Students reported less negative effects of relocation than did their mothers. Further, mothers' negative attitudes toward relocation were significantly correlated with student depression. It is concluded that there is little current or prior research evidence that high rates of social mobility are associated with long‐term social adjustment problems for adolescents. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.  相似文献   

Fitness, Probability and the Principles of Natural Selection   总被引：4，自引：0，他引：4  

Bouchard  Frederic; Rosenberg  Alex 《The British journal for the philosophy of science》2004,55(4):693-712

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Aerodynamic drag in cycling: methods of assessment     

Pierre Debraux  Frederic Grappe  Aneliya V. Manolova  William Bertucci 《Sports biomechanics / International Society of Biomechanics in Sports》2013,12(3):197-218

When cycling on level ground at a speed greater than 14 m/s, aerodynamic drag is the most important resistive force. About 90% of the total mechanical power output is necessary to overcome it. Aerodynamic drag is mainly affected by the effective frontal area which is the product of the projected frontal area and the coefficient of drag. The effective frontal area represents the position of the cyclist on the bicycle and the aerodynamics of the cyclist-bicycle system in this position. In order to optimise performance, estimation of these parameters is necessary. The aim of this study is to describe and comment on the methods used during the last 30 years for the evaluation of the effective frontal area and the projected frontal area in cycling, in both laboratory and actual conditions. Most of the field methods are not expensive and can be realised with few materials, providing valid results in comparison with the reference method in aerodynamics, the wind tunnel. Finally, knowledge of these parameters can be useful in practice or to create theoretical models of cycling performance.  相似文献   

Microarray of non-connected gold pads used as high density electric traps for parallelized pairing and fusion of cells     

Feriel S. Hamdi  Olivier Fran?ais  Frederic Subra  Elisabeth Dufour-Gergam  Bruno Le Pioufle 《Biomicrofluidics》2013,7(4)

Cell fusion consists of inducing the formation of a hybridoma cell containing the genetic properties of the progenitor cells. Such an operation is usually performed chemically or electrically. The latter method, named electrofusion, is considered as having a strong potential, due to its efficiency and non-toxicity, but deserves further investigations prior to being applicable for key applications like antibody production and cancer immunotherapy. Indeed, to envision such applications, a high amount of hybrid cells is needed. In this context, we present in this paper a device for massive cell pairing and electrofusion, using a microarray of non-connected conductive pads. The electrofusion chamber––or channel––exposes cells to an inhomogeneous electric field, caused by the pads array, enabling the trapping and pairing of cells with dielectrophoresis (DEP) forces prior to electrofusion. Compared to a mechanical trapping, such electric trapping is fully reversible (on/off handling). The DEP force is contactless and thus eases the release of the produced hybridoma. Moreover, the absence of wire connections on the pads permits the high density trapping and electrofusion of cells. In this paper, the electric field mapping, the effect of metallic pads thickness, and the transmembrane potential of cells are studied based on a numerical model to optimize the device. Electric calculations and experiments were conducted to evaluate the trapping force. The structure was finally validated for cell pairing and electrofusion of arrays of cells. We believe that our approach of fully electric trapping with a simple structure is a promising method for massive production of electrofused hybridoma.  相似文献