Delphi survey

At the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston (Texas), the faculty and administrators made a conscious effort to take a broad, extensive approach to designing and implementing a fully online masters program. This approach was entered in a comprehensive needs assessment model and sought input from students, faculty, industry leaders, technical specialists, and other stakeholders. In addition to focus groups of students and industry professionals who might be expected to hire program graduates, a Delphi process was developed and used with college faculty and administrators as a key element for the clarification of goals, expectations, and objectives for the entire program, courses, and student competencies. (Contains 13 references.) (MES) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Under the framework of the CONFIDENCE project, work package 4 was focusing on the transition to long-term recovery, involving stakeholders in decision-making processes. The essential research was performed using a participatory approach, which combined scenario-based stakeholder discussion panels and transnational stakeholder surveys following the Delphi methodology. The objective was to identify and address the issues and uncertainties arising in the preparedness and management of the transition phase and to explore ways to facilitate the incorporation of stakeholders’ expertise, points of view and interests in the decision-making processes. The final goal was to build best practices for planning optimal remediation strategies during the transition phase considering stakeholder involvement in the decision-making process. The results obtained from the work undertaken in nine European countries are presented.

Sessione 1 -modera Maria Luisa Marchi (Università di Foggia) -10.15 10.30 -Federica Marchitelli (Università di Bari), Analisi, lettura e ricostruzione topografica del territorio dell' antica città di Claterna (Ozzano dell' Emilia-BO) nella pianura emiliana. 10.45 -Grazia Savino (Università di Foggia), Recuperare per ricordare: la ricostruzione dei paesaggi e degli insediamenti antichi sul Gargano. 11.00 -Luisa Pe d ico (Un i ver s it à di F og g i a ), Un approccio mul t idi s cip l ina r e e interdisciplina re p er l o s t ud i o de l l' a r c ip e la g o tr e mi t e s e. Chiese secolari e ins e dia m ent i m o na s t i ci : l a costruzione del p aes a ggi o ne l l a P u gl i a c e nt r a l e t r a V e XII I se col o: du e modelli di organ i zza z ion e te r ri t o r ia l e a c on f ro n t o .

Urbanization is playing a key role in big cities of developing countries, which, in effect, is increasing the population. This study takes care of the mega infrastructure project (Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT)) to explore and identify the H&S (Health and Safety) factors that affect the local residents and the main key stakeholders working on the project. A Sequential Mixed-Method approach of the OLMT-project includes qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted. The data have been collected from the targeted population working on the OLMT-project through a questionnaire. The main key finding of the study indicates that poor planning and a lack of communication between the public and government led to frustration. The most significant factors that identified in the study were unsafe to work practice, project scope constraints, lack in technical and material support, unsafe/bad condition, health/environment degradation, declination and loss of resources and time, no proper emerg...

Background. Ventriculostomy is a common neurosurgical procedure with a relatively steep learning curve. A low-cost, high-fidelity simulator paired with procedure-specific performance measures would provide a safe environment to teach ventriculostomy procedural skills. The same validated simulation model could also allow for assessment of trainees' proficiencies with measures that align with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestones. This study extends previous work to evaluate validity evidence from the simulator, its newly developed performance assessment, the Ventricolostomy Procedural Assessment Tool, and the Objective Structured Assessment for Technical Skills. Methods. After Institutional Review Board exemption, performance data were collected from 11 novice and 3 expert neurosurgeons (n = 14). Participants self-reported their ability to perform tasks on the simulator using the Ventricolostomy Procedural Assessment Tool, an 11-item, step-wise instrument with 5-point rating scales ranging from 1 (unable to perform) to 5 (performs easily and smoothly). Deidentified operative performances were videotaped and independently rated by 3 neurosurgeons, using the Ventricolostomy Procedural Assessment Tool and Objective Structured Assessment for Technical Skills. We evaluated multiple sources of validity evidence (2014 Standards) to examine psychometric quality of the measures and to test our assumption that the tools could discriminate between novice and expert performances adequately. We used a multifacet Rasch model and traditional indices, such as Cronbach alpha, intraclass correlation, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test estimates. Results. Validity evidence relevant to test content and response processes was supported adequately. Evidence of internal structure was supported by high interitem consistency (n = 0.95) and inter-rater agreement for most Ventricolostomy Procedural Assessment Tool items (Intraclass correlation coefficient = [0.00, 0.91]) and all Objective Structured Assessment for Technical Skills items (Intraclass correlation coefficient = [0.80, 0.93]). Overall, novices performed at a lower level than experts on both scales (P < .05), supporting evidence relevant to relationships to other variables. Deeper analysis of novice/expert ratings indicated novices attained lower performances ratings for all Ventricolostomy Procedural Assessment Tool and Objective Structured Assessment for Technical Skills items, but statistical significance was only achieved for the Objective Structured Assessment for Technical Skills items (P < .01). Rater bias estimates were favorable, supporting evidence relevant to consequences of testing. Conclusion. Despite a small sample, favorable evidence using current Standards supports the use of the novel simulator and both tools combined for skills training and performance assessment, but challenges (potential threats to validity) should be considered prior to implementation. (Surgery 2016;j:j-j.

Ventriculostomy is a common neurosurgical procedure with a relatively steep learning curve. A low-cost, high-fidelity simulator paired with procedure-specific performance measures would provide a safe environment to teach ventriculostomy procedural skills. The same validated simulation model could also allow for assessment of trainees&#39; proficiencies with measures that align with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestones. This study extends previous work to evaluate validity evidence from the simulator, its newly developed performance assessment, the Ventricolostomy Procedural Assessment Tool, and the Objective Structured Assessment for Technical Skills. After Institutional Review Board exemption, performance data were collected from 11 novice and 3 expert neurosurgeons (n = 14). Participants self-reported their ability to perform tasks on the simulator using the Ventricolostomy Procedural Assessment Tool, an 11-item, step-wise instrument with 5-point rating...

H TERRITORIES is part of CONCERT. This project has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under grant agreement No 662287. This publication reflects only the author's view. Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the authors. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. i EUROPEAN JOINT PROGRAMME FOR THE INTEGRATION OF RADIATION PROTECTION RESEARCH £ CONCERT TERRIT«j/RIES TERRITORIES Project □ To Enhance unceRtainties Réduction and stakeholders Involvement TOwards integrated and graded Risk management of humans and wildlife In long-lasting radiological Exposure Situations □ 3 year-project (2017-2019) □ Funded by H2020 EJP CONCERT □ 11 partners, over 8 European countries >Recommendations for assessing and managing long-term exposure situations, particularly after a nuclear accident or in NORM situations: >Reduction of uncertainties associated with the evaluation of doses to human populations and wild species >Consideration of uncertainties and involvement of all stakeholders in decision-making processes. TERRITORIES is part of CONCERT. This project has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under grant agreement No 662287. This publication reflects only the author's view. Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the authors. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

Fans painstakingly document canonical texts on informational wiki-based websites such as Fandom.com, creating a widely accessible resource for fictional universes that fans can reference. Analysis of these strategies as they build sites indicates that they act as historians as they document aspects of their fandom's canon.

This study focuses on developing a consumer-centric Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) evaluation scale for the aviation industry, highlighting the growing importance of corporate sustainability actions from a consumer perspective. With the aviation sector being significantly impacted by sustainability challenges, the need for a strategic approach to leverage ESG management for competitive advantage is evident. The research aims to fill the empirical gap regarding how consumers evaluate airlines' ESG performance, which is crucial for enhancing financial and non-financial value. Utilizing a Delphi survey and the Analytic Hierarchy Process, the study seeks to understand and integrate various stakeholders' perspectives, offering new insights into consumer attitudes towards ESG activities, and contributing to the discourse on sustainable and responsible business practices.

To facilitate the science learning, you need to investigate the design of didactic strategies alternatives, and seeking to establish linkages between the pedagogical use of the computer and the laboratory of scientific practices, such as tools of pedagogical support ...

This paper focuses on the World Class Manufacturing, an innovation program based on Continuous Improvement, that provides the elimination of all types of waste and loss of production through the involvement of all levels and all departments. In this work is defined a model based on the logical opening of the different pillars that make up the World Class Manufacturing in the Light version, and the definition of appropriate performance indicators that can give a view of the involvement, the management effectiveness and the achievement of objectives. The Case Study focuses on the implementation of two pillars in particular, Cost Deployment that acts as a guide for the implementation of the program and Workplace Organization.

The aim of this study was to develop a core outcome set (COS) for trials and other studies evaluating the effectiveness of prepregnancy care for women with pregestational (pre-existing) diabetes mellitus. A systematic literature review was completed to identify all outcomes reported in prior studies in this area. Key stakeholders then prioritised these outcomes using a Delphi study. The list of outcomes included in the final COS were finalised at a face-to-face consensus meeting. In total, 17 outcomes were selected and agreed on for inclusion in the final COS. These outcomes were grouped under three domains: measures of pregnancy preparation (n = 9), neonatal outcomes (n = 6) and maternal outcomes (n = 2). This study identified a COS essential for studies evaluating prepregnancy care for women with pregestational diabetes. It is advocated that all trials and other non-randomised studies and audits in this area use this COS with the aim of improving transparency and the ability to co...

Modello di piano industriale dettagliato per la costruzione di un influencer basato su un canale YouTube ed un profilo Facebook, che tratta di ambiente e sostenibilità, educazione e cultura, salute pubblica e benessere, volontariato, diritti umani, economia sostenibile, innovazione sociale e storia/culture locali, analizza aspetti strategici, operativi e di marketing.

The growing emphasis on energy efficiency within the built environment, driven by global concerns over climate change, has resulted in notable shifts in building energy consumption patterns. Achieving reductions in building energy use and CO₂ emissions through sustainable strategies necessitates the development of country-specific policies. While numerous energy assessment tools are available internationally, they often lack contextual relevance for Uganda and many Sub-Saharan African countries.Therefore, there is a pressing need for a tool tailored to Uganda's distinct climatic conditions. This study aimed to identify key building sustainability indicators to promote energy efficiency in Ugandan buildings. Utilizing the Delphi Technique, experts from academia, construction, energy consulting, and government agencies evaluated 35 building indicators over two assessment rounds. The consensus among experts was validated using the Interrater Agreement, with a significant Kendall's W value exceeding 0.6, rising from 0.655 in the first round to 0.704 in the second. Construction consultants showed the highest W value (0.77) in the second round, followed by energy consultants (0.74), while academicians had the lowest (0.7). The Chi-square test demonstrated strong agreement in ranking indicators across 34 degrees of freedom. The most significant indicators identified include "B20-Optimization of energy use," "B8-Advanced design and construction technology," and "B27-Natural ventilation design," among others. The Delphi Technique was instrumental in achieving expert consensus, while interrater agreement was used to validate and ensure the reliability of the findings. The developed framework provides critical insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers seeking to advance energy efficiency and sustainability within Uganda's built environment.

Background/aims People with intellectual disability experience higher rates of multi-morbidity and health inequalities, they are frequently prescribed medications and more likely to have an avoidable or premature death. There is a recognised lack of randomised controlled trials, and subsequently a lack of evidence base, for many of the interventions and treatments provided to people with intellectual disabilities. Very few disability-specific trials are conducted, and people with intellectual, and other cognitive, disabilities are routinely excluded from mainstream trials. There is an urgent need to facilitate more disability-specific trials or to encourage mainstream trialists to include people with disabilities in their studies. Obtaining a thorough understanding of the challenges inherent in these trials, and sharing this knowledge within the research community, may contribute significantly towards addressing this need. The aim of this study was to explore the practical and metho...

The Safety Management System (SMS) was introduced to eliminate the risk of injuries and fatalities, and reduce material wastage in the construction industry in the 1980s. Further, immeasurable resources have been spent on executing SMSs over the past 20 years. With reference to the international framework and standards, an SMS was introduced in Hong Kong in November 1999 to prevent accidents and control hazards. This research study aims to empirically address an unexploited issue, in that previous research studies are insufficient regarding SMS implementation, and a clear lack of understanding exists regarding this implementation and project performance. This study adopted a desktop literature review, structured interviews, the Delphi survey method and a massive empirical questionnaire survey to achieve the following research objectives (ROs), which include: identifying the key characteristics of construction projects with outstanding safety performance (RO1); identifying the perceived benefits, potential difficulties and critical success factors of implementing and maintaining an SMS (RO2); evaluating the effectiveness of the current application of SMS in the Hong Kong construction industry (RO3); examining the relationship between SMSs and safety performance in construction projects (RO4); and recommending strategies for improving site safety performance by considering the current application of SMSs in Hong Kong and their further development in Hong Kong and other countries (RO5). Recent industry practices were reviewed to identify not only the benefits, difficulties and critical success factors of implementing SMS, but also the key project characteristics as yardsticks to reflect project safety performance. Further, structured interview and Delphi survey method were conducted to identify these factors and their levels of importance in Hong Kong, respectively. The structured interview and Delphi survey results were consistent with those from the literature review. The results showed that visible senior management's commitment, including manpower III and cost allocations-as well as the safety manager's competence-were critical success factors in an SMS implementation. Additionally, safer working conditions, lower risk of harm to workers and better project management were the major benefits of SMS implementation. However, safety was less prioritised by project team members and subcontractors due to organisations' cultural differences. Tight work schedules and high worker turnover were also considered as difficulties when executing SMS in the Hong Kong construction industry. With reference to Delphi survey results, a massive empirical questionnaire survey was then conducted to quantify the implemented SMS' compliance levels in Hong Kong construction projects. Moreover, theoretical structural models were established to indicate the potential relationships between SMS implementation and the project outcomes from a safety perspective. These relationships were examined with the use of partial least square structural equation modelling and with empirical data from a survey of 334 respondents within the Hong Kong construction industry. The data analysis results suggest that the factors to motivate SMS implementation positively impacted project outcomes, but essential elements of the SMS might not positively impact project outcomes. This implies that an organisation's self-motivation is particularly important in monitoring construction projects' safety performance, including SMS implementation. As the mandatory adoption of SMS is being enforced by government authorities, some organisations might fulfil the legal requirements with minimum organisational efforts, resulting in hardly any positive impact on the safety performance among their construction sites. This study addressed its potential limitations in an SMS implementation context, and unfolded the tacit knowledge of the factors toward future development of SMSs. These indicate future developments in safety management practices and the long-term safety improvement across the construction industry.

Purpose -This paper aimed to identify critical success factors (CSFs) of building information modeling (BIM) implementation among architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) firms in Malaysia using quantitative statistical methods. Design/methodology/approach -A questionnaire survey was conducted on the population of all AEC firms in Malaysia to rank the relative importance of 15 success factors (SFs) for BIM implementation in the firm on a 5-point Likert scale. The sampling frame consisted of all members registered with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) from which 184 responses were received. The distinction between SFs and CSFs was achieved by a normalized mean cutoff value. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the relative groupings of the CSFs and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to examine the underlying relationships between the CSF groupings. Findings -Results of this study validated 11 previously identified CSFs for successful implementation of BIM among Malaysian AEC firms. Non-technical factors such as management, leadership and coordination were found to have higher relevance compared to technical factors such as software and hardware. Ranking analysis of the CSFs found internal coordination factors to have more importance compared to external coordination factors. PCA revealed 4 principal components (PCs) from the 11 CSFs. Together, these four PCs explain 74.3% of the variance in the data. Also, six hypothesized relationships between these groupings were supported using PLS-SEM. Research limitations/implications -This study found an interaction between internal and external coordination factors for the implementation of BIM. Future research could explore the dynamics of both intraand inter-firm coordination, which may create an environment suitable for BIM implementation. Practical implications -This study provides Malaysian AEC firms with a general strategy on how to approach the implementation of BIM within the firm. In addition, government initiatives should focus on increasing BIM competency of graduates entering the workforce. This can be achieved through the development of a national BIM curriculum. Apart from that, the implementation of BIM requires a radical shift in the traditional building delivery process, not just simply acquiring new software and hardware. Originality/value -This study revealed that the interactions between different firms at the industry level can influence successful implementation of BIM at the firm level. CSFs for BIM implementation at the firm level have been extensively studied. However, few studies exist which explore the inter-firm collaborations at the industry level that facilitate successful BIM implementation.

The critical shortage of surgical services in many areas of the world has profound effects on local communities. Approximately 11% of global disease burden can be attributed to causes that are surgically treatable. Efforts have been made to recruit professionals from developed nations to compensate for the lack of such expertise. However, this practice has created a cycle of dependency on foreign-trained physicians and the medical tools they bring. Recognition of this problem calls for adaptation of a novel problem-solving approach. This article describes techniques and technology available in east Africa that have been adapted to allow basic and emergency neurosurgery to be performed in the absence of complex medical infrastructure and equipment. Commonplace items found in the local environment can be used to emulate more sophisticated instruments, and community-specific engineering programs can be developed to provide locally produced appropriate technology that promotes independence from Western sources. The local economy benefits from muchneeded stimulation when these tools are created locally, and this allows for readily available replacement and repair. More studies are under way to identify problems and implement interventions that are realistic and appropriate for these populations.

El estudio aborda la problemática de la sostenibilidad en la producción porcina, destacando la necesidad de alternativas que reduzcan el impacto ambiental y optimicen el uso de recursos. El objetivo es analizar prácticas innovadoras de alimentación que incluyan la personalización de dietas y el uso de ingredientes alternativos. Para ello, se utilizó un enfoque exploratorio basado en análisis documental de literatura científica reciente, priorizando estudios que aborden la eficiencia, sostenibilidad y rentabilidad de estos sistemas. Los resultados muestran que la alimentación de precisión y el uso de ingredientes como proteínas de insectos y subproductos industriales no solo reducen las emisiones de nitrógeno y fósforo, sino que también disminuyen los costos operativos y mejoran la eficiencia de conversión alimenticia. La discusión destaca que, aunque la adopción de estas tecnologías representa una inversión inicial considerable, el potencial de ahorro a largo plazo y los beneficios ambientales justifican su implementación, especialmente en un contexto de creciente demanda de sostenibilidad. En conclusión, estas prácticas ofrecen una vía viable hacia una producción porcina más responsable y económicamente rentable, aunque requieren apoyo institucional para facilitar su adopción a pequeña escala.

For genetic research to contribute more fully to furthering our knowledge of neuropathic pain, we require an agreed, valid, and feasible approach to phenotyping, to allow collaboration and replication in samples of sufficient size. Results from genetic studies on neuropathic pain have been inconsistent and have met with replication difficulties, in part because of differences in phenotypes used for case ascertainment. Because there is no consensus on the nature of these phenotypes, nor on the methods of collecting them, this study aimed to provide guidelines on collecting and reporting phenotypes in cases and controls for genetic studies. Consensus was achieved through a staged approach: (1) systematic literature review to identify all neuropathic pain phenotypes used in previous genetic studies; (2) Delphi survey to identify the most useful neuropathic pain phenotypes and their validity and feasibility; and (3) meeting of experts to reach consensus on the optimal phenotype(s) to be...

Συγκεκριμένες διαδικασίες και έθιμα στην παραγωγή και στην κατανάλωση τροφής επιδρούσαν στην αγγειοπλαστική παραγωγή και απαιτούσαν την κατασκευή ειδικών αγγείων. Για τους παραπάνω λόγους τα κεραμικά σκεύη ήταν πάντα ένας τομέας του υλικού πολιτισμού άμεσα συνυφασμένος με την άυλη πολιτιστική κληρονομιά. Στο παρακάτω κείμενο παρουσιάζονται συνοπτικά τα πήλινα αγγεία που κατασκευάστηκαν και χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την παραγωγή του τυριού στην Ελλάδα, από την συλλογή του γάλακτος έως την ωρίμανση και την αποθήκευσή του καθώς και τα σκεύη στα οποία σερβίρονταν και καταναλώνονταν το τυρί. Το χρονικό πλαίσιο είναι από τα τέλη του 19ου έως το πρώτο μισό του 20ου αιώνα, όταν ακόμα πολυάριθμα αγγειοπλαστεία ανά την Ελλάδα παρήγαν ποικίλα χρηστικά σκεύη λειτουργώντας με προβιομηχανικές μεθόδους. Συμπερασματικά μελέτη αυτή αναδεικνύει την σημασία του τυριού, σημασία τόση ώστε να επηρεάσει την κεραμική παραγωγή και να οδηγήσει στην παραγωγή μιας πλειάδας τυροκομικών, αποθηκευτικών και επιτραπέζιων σκευών για την κατανάλωσή του

Fracture Liaison Services are recommended to deliver best practice in secondary fracture prevention. This modified Delphi survey, as part of the iFraP (Improving uptake of Fracture Prevention drug Treatments) study, provides consensus regarding tasks for clinicians in a model Fracture Liaison Service consultation. Purpose The clinical consultation is of pivotal importance in addressing barriers to treatment adherence. The aim of this study was to agree to the content of the 'model Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) consultation' within the iFraP (Improving uptake of Fracture Prevention drug Treatments) study. Methods A Delphi survey was co-designed with patients and clinical stakeholders using an evidence synthesis of current guidelines and content from frameworks and theories of shared decision-making, communication and medicine adherence. Patients with osteoporosis and/or fragility fractures, their carers, FLS clinicians and osteoporosis specialists were sent three rounds of the Delphi survey. Participants were presented with potential consultation content and asked to rate their perception of the importance of each statement on a 5-point Likert scale and to suggest new statements (Round 1). Lowest rated statements were removed or amended after Rounds 1 and 2. In Round 3, participants were asked whether each statement was 'essential' and percentage agreement calculated; the study team subsequently determined the threshold for essential content. Results Seventy-two, 49 and 52 patients, carers and clinicians responded to Rounds 1, 2 and 3 respectively. One hundred twentytwo statements were considered. By Round 3, consensus was reached, with 81 statements deemed essential within FLS consultations, relating to greeting/introductions; gathering information; considering therapeutic options; eliciting patient perceptions; establishing shared decision-making preferences; sharing information about osteoporosis and treatments; checking understanding/summarising; and signposting next steps. Conclusions This Delphi consensus exercise has summarised for the first time patient/carer and clinician consensus regarding clearly defined tasks for clinicians in a model FLS consultation.

Εκτύπωση: ΙΔΕΑ & ΤΥΠΟΣ-Φίλιππος Σπ. Λένης © Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού & Αθλητισμού-Ταμείο Αρχαιολογικών Πόρων & Απαλλοτριώσεων και Εργαστήριο Αρχαιολογίας Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλίας Ο τόμος τυπώθηκε με δαπάνες του Υπουργείου Πολιτισμού & Αθλητισμού-Ταμείου Αρχαιολογικών Πόρων & Απαλλοτριώσεων και του Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλίας. Οι περισσότερες ανακοινώσεις ανασκαφών ή αντικειμένων έχουν προκαταρκτικό χαρακτήρα και για οποιαδήποτε αναδημοσίευσή τους χρειάζεται η άδεια του συγγραφέα.

Εκτύπωση: ΙΔΕΑ & ΤΥΠΟΣ-Φίλιππος Σπ. Λένης © Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού & Αθλητισμού-Ταμείο Αρχαιολογικών Πόρων & Απαλλοτριώσεων και Εργαστήριο Αρχαιολογίας Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλίας Ο τόμος τυπώθηκε με δαπάνες του Υπουργείου Πολιτισμού & Αθλητισμού-Ταμείου Αρχαιολογικών Πόρων & Απαλλοτριώσεων και του Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλίας. Οι περισσότερες ανακοινώσεις ανασκαφών ή αντικειμένων έχουν προκαταρκτικό χαρακτήρα και για οποιαδήποτε αναδημοσίευσή τους χρειάζεται η άδεια του συγγραφέα.

Long before the formation of the ancient Greek pantheon, as presented in art and literary texts of the historical times, the perception of the divine had reached an advanced level of theological approach in the great prehistoric civilizations of the Aegean. Archaeological evidence testifies to the institutionalized worship of gods and to the development of organized ritual practices in the official religion of the ancient cultures flourished in the Aegean: the Cycladic, the Minoan and the Mycenaean. Although the first scripts invented in Minoan Crete have not been deciphered yet, references from the first Greek script, the Linear B, used by the bureaucratic system of the Late Minoan palace of Knossos and the Mycenaean palatial centres, indicate that the core of the ancient Greek pantheon had already been conceived till the end of the 14th century B.C.

Background: Measuring care processes is an important component of any effort to improve care quality, however knowing the appropriate metrics to measure is a challenge both in Ireland and other countries. Quality of midwifery care depends on the expert knowledge of the midwife and her/his contribution to women and their babies' safety in the healthcare environment. Therefore midwives need to be able to clearly articulate and measure what it is that they do, the dimensions of their professional practice frequently referred to as midwifery care processes. The objective of this paper is to report on the development and prioritisation of a national suite of Quality Care Metrics (QCM), and their associated indicators, for midwifery care processes in Ireland. Methods: The study involved four discrete, yet complimentary, phases; i) a systematic literature review to identify midwifery care process metrics and their associated measurement indicators; ii) a two-round, online Delphi survey of midwives to develop consensus on the set of midwifery care process metrics to be measured; iii) a two-round online Delphi survey of midwives to develop consensus on the indicators that will be used to measure prioritised metrics; and iv) a face-to-face consensus meeting with midwives to review the findings and achieve consensus on the final suite of metrics and indicators. Results: Following the consensus meeting, 18 metrics and 93 indicators were prioritised for inclusion in the suite of QCM Midwifery Metrics. These metrics span the pregnancy, birth and postpartum periods. Conclusion: The development of this suite of process metrics and indicators for midwifery care provides an opportunity for measuring the safety and quality of midwifery care in Ireland and for adapting internationally. This initial work should be followed by a rigorous evaluation of the impact of the new suite of metrics on midwifery care processes.

In this working paper are present the main results of the first round of a Delphi survey held in Portugal on the automotive sector. It was done under the WorTiS project, developed by IET-Research Centre on Enterprise and Work Innovation, and financed by the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Technology. The majority of experts consider to have an average of less knowledge in almost all the scenario topics presented. Nevertheless, we considered specially the topics where the experts considered themselves to have some knowledge. There were no "irrelevant" topics considered as such by the expert panel. There are also no topics that is not considered a need for cooperation (that happens in jus tone case). The lack of technological infra-structrures was not considered as an hindered factor for the accomplishement of any scenario. The experts panel considered no other international competence besides US, Japan or Germany in these topics. Although the members of the expert panel were not as many as needed, These situations will be taken into consideration for a second round of the Delphi survey

This article explores the economic characteristics of the Italian gas storage system. Microeconomic and qualitative methods are used to shed light on past, present and forecasted trends. Notwithstanding the entrenched stagnation of the sector, the analysis highlights a break in trends. The policy-driven phase of liberalization is ending and the market-driven phase has just begun. The former phase has granted fair access to storage, thus narrowing the drawbacks of dominant players, but it has proved dynamically inefficient. Cost-reflective tariffs, capacity constraints and low penalties have both lowered incentives to expand the range of tools for balancing gas demand and penalized industrial customers in the storage service provision. The market-driven phase has just started. The expected increase in working capacity and the entry of newcomers in the authorization process for new facilities are a progress towards the commercial use of storage. To this end, however, a further change in gas market design is needed: the creation of a well functioning spot market.

Ο ναός της Δήμητρας εντοπίστηκε έπειτα από έρευνες και ανασκαφές που πραγματοποίησε ο Newton στην περιοχή της Κνίδου. Ανάμεσα στα ευρήματα εντοπίστηκαν ορισμένες πινακίδες οι οποίες αρχικά χαρακτηρίστηκαν ως παραδοσιακοί κατάδεσμοι. Ωστόσο, έπειτα από την έρευνα των κειμένων αυτών από τον Η. Versnel, θεωρήθηκε ότι οι πινακίδες από τον ναό της Δήμητρας στην Κνίδο δεν ανήκουν στις παραδοσιακές κατηγορίες των καταδέσμων, αλλά πως εντάσσονται σε μία ειδική κατηγορία που ονομάζεται «προσευχές για δικαιοσύνη». Αυτές οι προσευχές χρονολογούνται στην ελληνιστική εποχή (πιο συγκεκριμένα στον 2ο και 1ο αιώνα π.Χ.) και είναι γραμμένες όλες από γυναίκες. Οι βασικές διαφορές, λοιπόν, των προσευχών για δικαιοσύνη από τους παραδοσιακούς καταδέσμους συνίστανται στο γεγονός ότι ο συντάκτης (η συντάκτρια, στην περίπτωση των προσευχών για δικαιοσύνη από την Κνίδο) έχει υποστεί προηγουμένως μία αδικία, υπάρχει δηλαδή ένα επιχείρημα δικαιολόγησης της πράξης αυτής. Ακόμη, ο συγγραφέας/η συγγραφέας δίνει το όνομά του/της και τέλος, συνήθως αυτές οι προσευχές για δικαιοσύνη εξετίθεντο σε κοινή θέα και όχι σε κάποιον τάφο ή σε πηγάδι. Επιπροσθέτως, αξιοσημείωτες διαφορές των προσευχών για δικαιοσύνη με τους παραδοσιακούς καταδέσμους είναι η χρήση όρων και ονομάτων που αναφέρονται στη δικαιοσύνη (π.χ. ἐκδικέω, ἀδικέω κτλ), η επίκληση σε διαφορετικές από τις συνήθεις χθόνιες θεότητες και η προσφώνηση των θεών με κολακευτικά επίθετα (π.χ. φίλη, κύριος, δέσποινα κτλ). Σκοπός της παρούσας ανακοίνωσης είναι να αναλύσει, με βασικά εγχειρίδια τις μελέτες του H. Versnel, την δομή των προσευχών για δικαιοσύνη. Επίσης, στοχεύει στην ανάδειξη της κοινωνικής διάστασης των προσευχών για δικαιοσύνη που βρέθηκαν στην Κνίδο καθώς και των λόγων που οι άνθρωποι προέβαιναν σε αυτή την πρακτική, κάτι το οποίο δεν έχει απασχολήσει ιδιαίτερα την έρευνα.

Over the last 10 years, the excavations by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Phthiotida and Evrytania in the area of Kompotades, a village at the foot of Mt Oiti, south of the Spercheios River, have revealed a considerable part of a cemetery of chamber tombs. The first use of the site as a burial place dates back to the early Mycenaean period. The site of the cemetery was reused and expanded in the Geometric era, and continued to be
a significant burial place in the Classical and Hellenistic period.
The diachronically used tombs have been a recognizable landmark and focus for the funeral rituals of families or clans. The diachronic use of tombs could be interpreted as the need either to emphasize a long lineage and origin, or to prove ‘affinity’, by showing the succession or claims of a race/tribe. The diachronic use of the cemetery can also indicate social and religious continuity in the Spercheios Valley, as well as the possible ‘affinity’ – real or supposed – of those who have been buried for many centuries in the same ancestral space.
The past for the Greeks has been a source of authenticity, identity and reference in the possession of power. Moreover, the continuation of cult and collective memory is witnessed from the Late Bronze Age to
the Historical era.

On account of a clay anthropomorphic figurine of the Middle Neolithic period, found at the pehistoric site of Melissochori 2 (Magoula Karli - Mesiani) at the southeast edge of the military airport of Larissa and a skyphos of the Middle Bronze Age from the site of Gentiki, a surface survey and a small- scale excavation werw conducted by the Archaeological Ephorate of Larissa.

Objective. Interpretation and comparison of patient safety information have been compromised by the lack of a common understanding of the concepts involved. The World Alliance set out to develop an International Classification for Patient Safety (ICPS) to address this, and to test the relevance and acceptability of the draft ICPS and progressively refine it prior to field testing. Design. Two-stage Delphi survey. Quantitative and qualitative analyses informed the review of the ICPS. Setting. International web-based survey of expert opinion. Participants. Experts in the fields of patient safety, health policy, reporting systems, safety and quality control, classification theory and development, health informatics, consumer advocacy, law and medicine; 253 responded to the first round survey, 30% of whom responded to the second round. Results. In the first round, 14% felt that the conceptual framework was missing at least one class, although it was apparent that most respondents were actually referring to concepts they felt should be included within the classes rather than the classes themselves. There was a need for clarification of several components of the classification, particularly its purpose, structure and depth. After revision and feedback, round 2 results were more positive, but further significant changes were made to the conceptual framework and to the major classes in response to concerns about terminology and relationships between classes. Conclusions. The Delphi approach proved invaluable, as both a consensus-building exercise and consultation process, in engaging stakeholders to support completion of the final draft version of the ICPS. Further refinement will occur.

This study aimed to identify constructs (factors) and content (items) that constitutes self-concept for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Three participant groups were recruited for a three-round Delphi survey: 12 children with CP aged 8-12 years, 18 caregivers, and 21 professionals working with this population. Delphi Round I involved item generation and literature review. In Round II, participants used a fivepoint scale to rate the importance of factors/items collated from (a) existing self-concept measures identified from literature review and (b) additional factors/items raised in Round I. To increase understanding for children, the rating process was incorporated into a game-based format called BmyTREEHOUSE^where ramps leading up to the tree house represented progressively higher ratings. Each item was presented by the researcher verbally (short standard phrase) and visually (Pictorial Communication Symbols card). Factors and items reaching 75 % consensus within each group were removed and those not reaching consensus were repeated in Round III. Consensus on

Patient characteristics and stratification factors are key features influencing trial outcomes. However, there is substantial heterogeneity in reporting of patient characteristics and use of stratification factors in phase 3 trials investigating systemic treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We aimed to develop a minimum set of essential baseline characteristics and stratification factors to include in such trials. We performed a modified, two-round Delphi survey among international experts with wide experience in the conduct and methodology of phase 3 trials of systemic treatment of mCRC. Thirty mCRC experts from 15 different countries completed both consensus rounds. A total of 14 patient characteristics were included in the recommended set: age, performance status, primary tumour location, primary tumour resection, prior chemotherapy, number of metastatic sites, liver-only disease, liver involvement, surgical resection of metastases, synchronous versus metachronous me...

Ecological restoration is key to counteracting anthropogenic degradation of biodiversity and to reducing disaster risk. However, there is limited knowledge of barriers hindering the wider implementation of restoration practices, despite high‐level political priority to halt the loss of biodiversity. In Europe, progress on ecological restoration has been slow and insufficient to meet international agreements and comply with European Union Nature Directives. We assessed European restoration experts&#39; perceptions on barriers to restoration in Europe, and their relative importance, through a multiple expert consultation using a Delphi process. We found that experts share a common multi‐dimensional concept of ecological restoration. Experts identified a large number of barriers (33) to the advancement of ecological restoration in Europe. Major barriers pertained to the socio‐economic, not the environmental, domain. The three most important being insufficient funding, conflicting inter...

Under the framework of the CONFIDENCE project, work package 4 was focusing on the transition to long-term recovery, involving stakeholders in decision-making processes. The essential research was performed using a participatory approach, which combined scenario-based stakeholder discussion panels and transnational stakeholder surveys following the Delphi methodology. The objective was to identify and address the issues and uncertainties arising in the preparedness and management of the transition phase and to explore ways to facilitate the incorporation of stakeholders’ expertise, points of view and interests in the decision-making processes. The final goal was to build best practices for planning optimal remediation strategies during the transition phase considering stakeholder involvement in the decision-making process. The results obtained from the work undertaken in nine European countries are presented.

ABSTRACT: Despite episodes of identifiably Canadian influences on science education, the last six decades of science education in Canada has been a decidedly American experience – particularly from the standpoints of: 1) the foundational policy documents that have provided explicit impetus to periodic science curriculum reform in Canada; 2) the principal theoretical foundations, guiding assumptions, and goals of science education, and; 3) the development of curricular frameworks in Canadian provincial jurisdictions. Though admittedly contested it will be argued here that the Canadian systems of science education operating in the provinces and territories have not had opportunity, historically, to engage in curriculum uniquely from Canada that supplies broad and respected appeal to the context of Canadian society, its demographics, its geographic diversity, and its geopolitical position internationally.

The objective of the research design for this new look at science education in Canada was to empirically determine, and provide definition to, the principal theoretical foundations and system conditions for a Canadian approach to science education. Responsibility for this determination and definition rested with an assembled expert community. The research was conducted through an online, anonymous, and asynchronous modified Delphi methodology. Over a five-month period, the assembled expert panel of 54 peer-acknowledged and representative science and education specialists from Canada - comprising fourteen identifiable professional affiliations in two cohorts - participated in a Delphi having three rounds. This first-of-kind Delphi has identified emergent consensus positions in accordance with standard statistical criteria developed in the research design. These consensus positions occur across four principal areas of impact on the future of Canadian science education: (1) significant national and international globalization trends; (2) the foundations and goals of science education; (3) the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in curriculum, and; (4) a context for the future of science education in Canada.

In addition, the study has identified certain areas of interest and opinion-making which can be considered as dissensus (contested) positions which caused polar disagreement among panel members to surface. Certain of these contested areas are often in the realm of innovation wherein the science education discourse is yet to establish strong theoretical bases for their treatment and incorporation into curriculum frameworks. The following notable contested areas emerged in the Delphi:

• The integration of First Nations’, Métis, and Inuit perspectives as contributors to a third vision of science education which complements the Vision I and II science of Roberts developed in the 1980’s;

• Operational definitions and clarity around what is identified as a “re-conceptualisation” of the foundations of science education in Canada;
• The future role of K-12 science education in the development of the next generation of Canadian science specialists and its relationship to globalising influences centred on models of economic growth and the acquisition of skills;

• The preferred role of academic scientists in the development of science curriculum in the Canadian provinces and territories.

The findings of the study provide a new basis for, and constitute potential new challenges to, science education in Canada and argue persuasively for new guiding assumptions – but not those which could constitute educational sloganism. Sustainability Science, Technology, Economy and Environment (SSTEE) is presented here as a new principal foundation for science education in Canada. This terminology also happens to instigate a new tension for science curriculum and directly challenges the current trend of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as a basis for science curriculum reform.

RÉSUMÉ :

Malgré quelques périodes d’influences canadiennes identifiables, l’enseignement des sciences de la nature au Canada durant les six dernières décennies a été une expérience plutôt américaine, surtout au niveau : 1) des documents de politique fondamentaux qui ont mené aux réformes curriculaires en sciences de la nature au Canada; 2) des fondements théoriques principaux, des principes directeurs et des buts de l’enseignement des sciences et 3) de l’élaboration de cadres curriculaires dans les juridictions provinciales canadiennes.

Quoique l’idée soit certes contestée, cet article fera valoir que les systèmes éducatifs dans les provinces et les territoires du Canada n’ont pas eu l’occasion, historiquement, de s’engager dans l’élaboration de programmes d’études particulièrement canadiens et donc pertinents pour le contexte de la société canadienne – son profil démographique, sa diversité géographique et sa position géopolitique.

Le but de la méthodologie de recherche pour cette nouvelle analyse de l’enseignement des sciences au Canada était d’établir et définir de façon empirique les principaux fondements théoriques et les conditions systémiques nécessaires au développement d’une approche canadienne à l’enseignement des sciences de la nature. Une communauté d’experts a été assemblée pour l’identification et la définition de ces fondements théoriques et ces conditions systémiques. La recherche a pris la forme d’un processus Delphi modifié, mené en ligne de façon asynchrone et anonyme. Sur une période de cinq mois, un panel d’experts comptant 54 membres, formant un échantillon représentatif de spécialistes canadiens en sciences de la nature et en éducation, a participé à un processus de Delphi comprenant trois rondes. Ce processus a permis de faire ressortir des consensus en fonction de critères statistiques normalisés développés avec la méthodologie de recherche. Ces consensus ont été classés selon quatre domaines pouvant avoir un impact possible sur l’avenir de l’enseignement des sciences de la nature au Canada : (1) les tendances nationales et internationales importantes; (2) les principes de base et les buts de l’enseignement des sciences de la nature; (3) les rôles et responsabilités des intervenants quant aux programmes d’études, et; (4) un contexte pour l’avenir de l’enseignement des sciences de la nature au Canada.

De plus, l’étude a pu identifier certains domaines d’intérêt suscitant des opinions variées et des désaccords parmi les membres du panel. Certaines questions contestées font partie du domaine de l’innovation, là où la recherche n’a pas encore établi des fondements théoriques solides pour leur inclusion dans les cadres curriculaires. Les domaines contestés suivants ont ressorti lors du processus Delphi :

• L’intégration des perspectives autochtones contribuant à une troisième vision de l’enseignement des sciences de la nature, vision qui vient compléter la Vision I et II de Roberts développée dans les années 1980;

• Des définitions opérationnelles et une clarification autour des idées liées à la reconceptualisation des principes de base de l’enseignement des sciences de la nature au Canada;

• L’avenir du rôle de l’enseignement des sciences de la nature dans le développement de la nouvelle génération de spécialistes canadiens en sciences de la nature et son lien avec les influences de mondialisation centrées sur des modèles de développement économique et d’acquisition d’habiletés.

• Le rôle privilégié des scientifiques dans la conception de cadres curriculaires en sciences de la nature dans les provinces et les territoires du Canada.

Les conclusions de cette recherche présentent de nouveaux fondements qui pourraient remettre en question l’enseignement des sciences de la nature au Canada, et font valoir l’importance d’établir de nouveaux principes directeurs. La science axée sur la viabilité, la technologie, l’économie et l’environnement est présentée comme nouveau principe de base pour l’enseignement des sciences de la nature au Canada. Cette terminologie met en question la tendance actuelle vers la science, la technologie, l’ingénierie et les mathématiques (STEM) comme fondement pour la réforme curriculaire en sciences.

KEYWORDS: Canadian science education, curriculum, modified Delphi study, policy Delphi, expert panel.

Defining the role of a forensic hospital registered nurse using the Delphi method Aim A Delphi survey was undertaken to refine the position description of a registered nurse working in a forensic hospital, in New South Wales, Australia. Background Prior to commencing operation in 2008, position descriptions were developed from a review of legislation, as well as policies and procedures used by existing forensic mental health services in Australia. With an established workforce and an evolving model of care, a review of the initial registered nurse position description was required. Method An online Delphi survey was undertaken. Eight executive (88.9%) and 12 (58.3%) senior nursing staff participated in the first survey round. A total of four survey rounds were completed. Results At the final round, there was consensus (70%) that the revised position description was either very or somewhat suitable. There were a total of nine statements, from 31 originally produced in round 1, that did not reach consensus. Conclusions The Delphi survey enabled a process for refining the Forensic Hospital registered nurse position description. Implications for nursing management Methods that facilitate executive and senior nursing staff consensus in the development and review of position descriptions should be considered in nursing management.

Résultats.-Cent soixante-neuf patients ont été inclus. Un pourcentage de 25 % des patients seulement arrivent dans les 2 h 30 suivant le début des symptômes. Les facteurs identifiés comme associés à un délai d'hospitalisation plus long sont : l'appel initial au médecin traitant et le début progressif des symptômes. Les antécédents d'AVC ou l'HTA ne sont par contre pas associés à une prise en charge plus rapide. Parmi les appelants au Centre 15, ceux qui expriment spontanément le terme AVC sont rares (6 %). L'identification par l'appelant d'un déficit moteur était plus fréquente que celle d'un trouble du langage (71 % versus 48 %). L'analyse du tri des patients a permis d'identifier clairement qu'une seule erreur d'orientation (patient hospitalisé initialement au SAU qui aurait du l'être à l'UNV). Par ailleurs, les régulateurs libéraux prennent moins souvent contact avec le neurologue, 20 % des appels contre 47 % pour les hospitaliers. Conclusion.-Les délais de prise en charge sont encore trop longs. Dans ce retard peuvent être mis en cause : des symptômes débutant progressivement et le recours au médecin traitant. L'absence de raccourcissement des délais pour des patients à risque (antécédent personnel ou hypertendus) soulève la question de la qualité de l'information ciblée. La moins bonne reconnaissance des troubles de la parole même si ceux-ci relèvent moins fréquemment d'une thrombolyse, devraient nous faire repenser en partie les campagnes d'information. L'orientation des patients pourrait être améliorée par la formation des médecins régulateurs en particulier libéraux.

Η ανασκαφή στις νότιες υπώρειες του λόφου «Άγιος Κωνσταντίνος», παρακείμενου στην παραλία Πελασγίας, στο ανατολικό τμήμα του νομού Φθιώτιδας, αποκάλυψε τα οικοδομικά λείψανα μιας άγνωστης παράκτιας πόλης, που άκμασε από το α΄ ήμισυ του 5ου έως τον 4ο αι. π.Χ. και ίσως αποτελεί το επίνειο της Λάρισας Κρεμαστής.
Μετά τα μέσα του 4ου αι. π.Χ. η άγνωστη παραλιακή πόλη εγκαταλείφθηκε σταδιακά.. Την ερήμωση διαδέχθηκε η εκ νέου χρήση
σημαντικού τμήματος του οικισμού ως νεκροταφείο, από την ύστερη Ελληνιστική έως την πρώιμη Ρωμαϊκή περίοδο. Μοναδικός, και ένα
από τα ελάχιστα παραδείγματα του είδους του στην ανατολική Φθιώτιδα, είναι ένας κτιστός καμαροσκεπής τάφος, με κόγχη και αψιδωτή οροφή, του 3ου αι. μ.Χ.