Mobile healthcare applications: system design review, critical issues and challenges.

PubMed

Baig, Mirza Mansoor; GholamHosseini, Hamid; Connolly, Martin J

2015-03-01

Mobile phones are becoming increasingly important in monitoring and delivery of healthcare interventions. They are often considered as pocket computers, due to their advanced computing features, enhanced preferences and diverse capabilities. Their sophisticated sensors and complex software applications make the mobile healthcare (m-health) based applications more feasible and innovative. In a number of scenarios user-friendliness, convenience and effectiveness of these systems have been acknowledged by both patients as well as healthcare providers. M-health technology employs advanced concepts and techniques from multidisciplinary fields of electrical engineering, computer science, biomedical engineering and medicine which benefit the innovations of these fields towards healthcare systems. This paper deals with two important aspects of current mobile phone based sensor applications in healthcare. Firstly, critical review of advanced applications such as; vital sign monitoring, blood glucose monitoring and in-built camera based smartphone sensor applications. Secondly, investigating challenges and critical issues related to the use of smartphones in healthcare including; reliability, efficiency, mobile phone platform variability, cost effectiveness, energy usage, user interface, quality of medical data, and security and privacy. It was found that the mobile based applications have been widely developed in recent years with fast growing deployment by healthcare professionals and patients. However, despite the advantages of smartphones in patient monitoring, education, and management there are some critical issues and challenges related to security and privacy of data, acceptability, reliability and cost that need to be addressed.

Critical appraisal of nonrandomized studies-A review of recommended and commonly used tools.

PubMed

Quigley, Joan M; Thompson, Juliette C; Halfpenny, Nicholas J; Scott, David A

2018-02-27

When randomized controlled trial data are limited or unavailable, or to supplement randomized controlled trial evidence, health technology assessment (HTA) agencies may rely on systematic reviews of nonrandomized studies (NRSs) for evidence of the effectiveness of health care interventions. NRS designs may introduce considerable bias into systematic reviews, and several methodologies by which to evaluate this risk of bias are available. This study aimed to identify tools commonly used to assess bias in NRS and determine those recommended by HTA bodies. Appraisal tools used in NRS were identified through a targeted search of systematic reviews (January 2013-March 2017; MEDLINE and EMBASE [OVID SP]). Recommendations for the critical appraisal of NRS by expert review groups and HTA bodies were reviewed. From the 686 studies included in the narrative synthesis, 48 critical appraisal tools were identified. Commonly used tools included the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, the methodological index for NRS, and bespoke appraisal tools. Neither the Cochrane Handbook nor the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination recommends a particular instrument for the assessment of risk of bias in NRS, although Cochrane has recently developed their own NRS critical appraisal tool. Among HTA bodies, only the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health recommends use of a specific critical appraisal tool-SIGN 50 (for cohort or case-control studies). Several criteria including reporting, external validity, confounding, and power were examined. There is no consensus between HTA groups on the preferred appraisal tool. Reviewers should select from a suite of tools on the basis of the design of studies included in their review. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Review of Estelle and LOTOS with respect to critical computer applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bown, Rodney L.

1991-01-01

Man rated NASA space vehicles seem to represent a set of ultimate critical computer applications. These applications require a high degree of security, integrity, and safety. A variety of formal and/or precise modeling techniques are becoming available for the designer of critical systems. The design phase of the software engineering life cycle includes the modification of non-development components. A review of the Estelle and LOTOS formal description languages is presented. Details of the languages and a set of references are provided. The languages were used to formally describe some of the Open System Interconnect (OSI) protocols.

The Composing Process: A Critical Review of Some Recent Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crismore, Avon

Six of the 10 existing research studies that attempt to characterize the composing process by examining certain components and behaviors are critically reviewed in this paper. For each study, the aims and data gathering and sampling procedures are described, and the findings, interpretations, design, and rationale of the research are critically…

The Environment Film Review. A Critical Guide to Ecology Films.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environment Information Center, New York, NY.

Critical reviews of more than 600 environmental films selected from a field of several thousand are contained in this reference guide. Designed to provide a comprehensive selection of films covering all aspects of environmental affairs, from air pollution to wildlife, the guide is primarily user-oriented. It consists of two parts: a Review…

Effect of simulation training on the development of nurses and nursing students' critical thinking: A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Adib-Hajbaghery, Mohsen; Sharifi, Najmeh

2017-03-01

To gain insight into the existing scientific evidence on the effect of simulation on critical thinking in nursing education. A systematic literature review of original research publications. In this systematic review, the papers published in English and Farsi databases of PubMed, Science Direct, ProQuest, ERIC, Google Scholar and Ovid, MagIran and SID, from 1975 to 2015 were reviewed by two independent researchers. Original research publications were eligible for review when they described simulation program directed on nursing student and nurses; used a control group or a pretest post-test design; and gave information about the effects of simulation on critical thinking. Two reviewers independently assessed the studies for inclusion. Methodological quality of the included studies was also independently assessed by the reviewers, using a checklist developed by Greenhalgh et al. and the checklist of Cochrane Center. Data related to the original publications were extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second reviewer. No statistical pooling of outcomes was performed, due to the large heterogeneity of outcomes. After screening the titles and abstracts of 787 papers, 16 ones were included in the review according to the inclusion criteria. These used experimental or quasi-experimental designs. The studies used a variety of instruments and a wide range of simulation methods with differences in duration and numbers of exposures to simulation. Eight of the studies reported that simulation training positively affected the critical thinking skills. However, eight studies reported ineffectiveness of simulation on critical thinking. Studies are conflicting about the effect of simulation on nurses and nursing students' critical thinking. Also, a large heterogeneity exists between the studies in terms of the instruments and the methods used. Thus, more studies with careful designs are needed to produce more credible evidence on the effectiveness of simulation on critical

Contending Claims to Causality: A Critical Review of Mediation Research in HRD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghosh, Rajashi; Jacobson, Seth

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to conduct a critical review of the mediation studies published in the field of Human Resource Development (HRD) to discern if the study designs, the nature of data collection and the choice of statistical methods justify the causal claims made in those studies. Design/methodology/approach: This paper conducts…

A Cross-Industry Review of B2B Critical Success Factors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eid, Riyad; Trueman, Myfanwy; Ahmed, Abdel Moneim

2002-01-01

Presents a comprehensive review of B2B (business-to- business) international Internet marketing and identifies 21 critical success factors in five categories: marketing strategy, including management support, strategic goals, and collaboration; Web site factors, including Web site design; global factors, including multilanguage sites and cultural…

Formative Review of the Critical Television Viewing Skills Curriculum for Secondary Schools. Volume I: Final Report. Volume II: Teacher's Guide: Reviewers' Suggested Revisions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Patricia; And Others

This formative review of a project designed to help high school students become more discriminating television viewers (1) presents a description of the curriculum designed during the project to foster critical television viewing in teenagers, (2) outlines the major tasks involved in the formative review of the curriculum, and (3) presents and…

Design of Critical Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, Robert C.; Zaretsky, Erwin V.

2001-01-01

Critical component design is based on minimizing product failures that results in loss of life. Potential catastrophic failures are reduced to secondary failures where components removed for cause or operating time in the system. Issues of liability and cost of component removal become of paramount importance. Deterministic design with factors of safety and probabilistic design address but lack the essential characteristics for the design of critical components. In deterministic design and fabrication there are heuristic rules and safety factors developed over time for large sets of structural/material components. These factors did not come without cost. Many designs failed and many rules (codes) have standing committees to oversee their proper usage and enforcement. In probabilistic design, not only are failures a given, the failures are calculated; an element of risk is assumed based on empirical failure data for large classes of component operations. Failure of a class of components can be predicted, yet one can not predict when a specific component will fail. The analogy is to the life insurance industry where very careful statistics are book-kept on classes of individuals. For a specific class, life span can be predicted within statistical limits, yet life-span of a specific element of that class can not be predicted.

Interdisciplinary Care Planning and the Written Care Plan in Nursing Homes: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dellefield, Mary Ellen

2006-01-01

Purpose: This article is a critical review of the history, research evidence, and state-of-the-art technology in interdisciplinary care planning and the written plan of care in American nursing homes. Design and Methods: We reviewed educational and empirical literature. Results: Interdisciplinary care planning and the written care plan are…

Measuring Person-Centered Care: A Critical Comparative Review of Published Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edvardsson, David; Innes, Anthea

2010-01-01

Purpose of the study: To present a critical comparative review of published tools measuring the person-centeredness of care for older people and people with dementia. Design and Methods: Included tools were identified by searches of PubMed, Cinahl, the Bradford Dementia Group database, and authors' files. The terms "Person-centered,"…

Critical thinking in nursing: Scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Zuriguel Pérez, Esperanza; Lluch Canut, Maria Teresa; Falcó Pegueroles, Anna; Puig Llobet, Montserrat; Moreno Arroyo, Carmen; Roldán Merino, Juan

2015-12-01

This article seeks to analyse the current state of scientific knowledge concerning critical thinking in nursing. The methodology used consisted of a scoping review of the main scientific databases using an applied search strategy. A total of 1518 studies published from January 1999 to June 2013 were identified, of which 90 met the inclusion criteria. The main conclusion drawn is that critical thinking in nursing is experiencing a growing interest in the study of both its concepts and its dimensions, as well as in the development of training strategies to further its development among both students and professionals. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that critical thinking has been investigated principally in the university setting, independent of conceptual models, with a variety of instruments used for its measurement. We recommend (i) the investigation of critical thinking among working professionals, (ii) the designing of evaluative instruments linked to conceptual models and (iii) the identification of strategies to promote critical thinking in the context of providing nursing care. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

The effect of chronotherapy on delirium in critical care - a systematic review.

PubMed

Luther, Roseanne; McLeod, Anne

2017-05-15

Delirium is highly prevalent within critical care and is linked to adverse clinical outcomes, increased mortality and impaired quality of life. Development of delirium is thought to be caused by multiple risk factors, including disruption of the circadian rhythm. Chronotherapeutic interventions, such as light therapy, music and use of eye shades, have been suggested as an option to improve circadian rhythm within intensive care units. This review aims to answer the question: Can chronotherapy reduce the prevalence of delirium in adult patients in critical care? This study is a systematic review of quantitative studies. Six major electronic databases were searched, and a hand search was undertaken using selected key search terms. Research quality was assessed using the critical appraisal skills programme tools. The studies were critically appraised by both authors independently, and data were extracted. Four themes addressing the research question were identified and critically evaluated. Six primary research articles that investigated different methods of chronotherapy were identified, and the results suggest that multi-component non-pharmacological interventions are the most effective for reducing the prevalence of delirium in critical care. The melatonergic agonist Ramelteon demonstrated statistically significant reductions in delirium; however, the reliability of the results in answering the review question was limited by the research design. The use of bright light therapy (BLT) and dynamic light application had mixed results, with issues with the research design and outcomes measured limiting the validity of the findings. Multi-component non-pharmacological interventions, such as noise and light control, can reduce delirium in critical care, whereas other interventions, such as BLT, have mixed outcomes. Melatonin, as a drug, may be a useful alternative to sedative-hypnotics. Chronotherapy can reduce the incidence of delirium within critical care, although

Course Design for Critical Thinking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furedy, John J.; Furedy, Christine

1979-01-01

A fourth year honors thesis research course in psychology at the University of Toronto uses the device of adversarial interaction to improve critical thinking. Course components, including thesis submission, research seminar, student relations, and supervision, are designed to simulate the constraints, criticism, and relationships of actual…

Methionine production--a critical review.

PubMed

Willke, Thomas

2014-12-01

This paper presents an updated critical review about several attempts to contribute methionine (Met) to the world market with an emphasis on fermentation processes, especially from natural biological sources. Analytical methods for the determination of methionine are reviewed as well as applications in feed, food, pharmacy, and medicine. Fermentation studies published within the last five decades are elucidated critically, mainly with respect to the sulfur balance, substrate yield, and the analytical validity. From all the published fermentation data, it can be concluded that up to now no more than 5 g/L methionine are achievable without using genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The highest L-methionine concentration from natural sources reached so far amounts to 35 g/L and is published as a patent using a GMO of Escherichia coli. The review closes with a comprehensive overview of the role and activities of global methionine manufacturers. Some current market data is also presented.

Critical Studies in Art and Design Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thistlewood, David, Ed.

This book brings together British and U.S. contributions to the debate of a critical studies approach to art and design education. The approach links practice and appreciation. But critical differences exist in definitions of the term design, with the U.S. recognition of design as the use of principles and elements of art in works and a British…

SRTC criticality safety technical review: Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluation 93-04 enriched uranium receipt

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rathbun, R.

Review of NMP-NCS-930087, {open_quotes}Nuclear Criticality Safety Evaluation 93-04 Enriched Uranium Receipt (U), July 30, 1993, {close_quotes} was requested of SRTC (Savannah River Technology Center) Applied Physics Group. The NCSE is a criticality assessment to determine the mass limit for Engineered Low Level Trench (ELLT) waste uranium burial. The intent is to bury uranium in pits that would be separated by a specified amount of undisturbed soil. The scope of the technical review, documented in this report, consisted of (1) an independent check of the methods and models employed, (2) independent HRXN/KENO-V.a calculations of alternate configurations, (3) application of ANSI/ANS 8.1,more » and (4) verification of WSRC Nuclear Criticality Safety Manual procedures. The NCSE under review concludes that a 500 gram limit per burial position is acceptable to ensure the burial site remains in a critically safe configuration for all normal and single credible abnormal conditions. This reviewer agrees with that conclusion.« less

Evidence-based hypnotherapy for asthma: a critical review.

PubMed

Brown, Daniel

2007-04-01

Asthma is a chronic disease with intermittent acute exacerbations, characterized by obstructed airways, hyper-responsiveness, and sometimes by chronic airway inflammation. Critically reviewing evidence primarily from controlled outcome studies on hypnosis for asthma shows that hypnosis is possibly efficacious for treatment of symptom severity and illness-related behaviors and is efficacious for managing emotional states that exacerbate airway obstruction. Hypnosis is also possibly efficacious for decreasing airway obstruction and stabilizing airway hyper-responsiveness in some individuals, but there is insufficient evidence that hypnosis affects asthma's inflammatory process. Promising research needs to be replicated with larger samples and better designs with careful attention paid to the types of hypnotic suggestions given. The critical issue is not so much whether it is used but how it is used. Future outcome research must address the relative contribution of expectancies, hypnotizability, hypnotic induction, and specific suggestions.

Critical Review of NOAA's Observation Requirements Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaJoie, M.; Yapur, M.; Vo, T.; Templeton, A.; Bludis, D.

2017-12-01

NOAA's Observing Systems Council (NOSC) maintains a comprehensive database of user observation requirements. The requirements collection process engages NOAA subject matter experts to document and effectively communicate the specific environmental observation measurements (parameters and attributes) needed to produce operational products and pursue research objectives. User observation requirements documented using a structured and standardized manner and framework enables NOAA to assess its needs across organizational lines in an impartial, objective, and transparent manner. This structure provides the foundation for: selecting, designing, developing, acquiring observing technologies, systems and architectures; budget and contract formulation and decision-making; and assessing in a repeatable fashion the productivity, efficiency and optimization of NOAA's observing system enterprise. User observation requirements are captured independently from observing technologies. Therefore, they can be addressed by a variety of current or expected observing capabilities and allow flexibility to be remapped to new and evolving technologies. NOAA's current inventory of user observation requirements were collected over a ten-year period, and there have been many changes in policies, mission priorities, and funding levels during this time. In light of these changes, the NOSC initiated a critical, in-depth review to examine all aspects of user observation requirements and associated processes during 2017. This presentation provides background on the NOAA requirements process, major milestones and outcomes of the critical review, and plans for evolving and connecting observing requirements processes in the next year.

Toward More Critical Reviewing and Analysis of CD-ROM User Software Interfaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zink, Steven D.

1991-01-01

Criticizes reviews of library CD-ROM products as being uncritical of the user interface and advocates a more rigorous evaluation, not only to aid potential buyers, but as a way to influence manufacturers. Congressional Information Services' Masterfile 2 is evaluated in the context of Heckel's "Principles of Friendly Software Design." (24…

Clinical review: The critical care management of the burn patient

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Between 4 and 22% of burn patients presenting to the emergency department are admitted to critical care. Burn injury is characterised by a hypermetabolic response with physiologic, catabolic and immune effects. Burn care has seen renewed interest in colloid resuscitation, a change in transfusion practice and the development of anti-catabolic therapies. A literature search was conducted with priority given to review articles, meta-analyses and well-designed large trials; paediatric studies were included where adult studies were lacking with the aim to review the advances in adult intensive care burn management and place them in the general context of day-to-day practical burn management. PMID:24093225

Critical Reflections on Realist Review: Insights from Customizing the Methodology to the Needs of Participatory Research Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jagosh, Justin; Pluye, Pierre; Wong, Geoff; Cargo, Margaret; Salsberg, Jon; Bush, Paula L.; Herbert, Carol P.; Green, Lawrence W.; Greenhalgh, Trish; Macaulay, Ann C.

2014-01-01

Realist review has increased in popularity as a methodology for complex intervention assessment. Our experience suggests that the process of designing a realist review requires its customization to areas under investigation. To elaborate on this idea, we first describe the logic underpinning realist review and then present critical reflections on…

Critical review: medical students' motivation after failure.

PubMed

Holland, Chris

2016-08-01

About 10 % of students in each years' entrants to medical school will encounter academic failure at some stage in their programme. The usual approach to supporting these students is to offer them short term remedial study programmes that often enhance approaches to study that are orientated towards avoiding failure. In this critical review I will summarise the current theories about student motivation that are most relevant to this group of students and describe how they are enhanced or not by various contextual factors that medical students experience during their programme. I will conclude by suggesting ways in which support programmes for students who have encountered academic failure might be better designed and researched in the future.

Software for Teaching about AIDS & Sex: A Critical Review of Products. A MicroSIFT Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Dave

This document contains critical reviews of 10 microcomputer software packages and two interactive videodisc products designed for use in teaching about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and sex at the secondary school level and above. Each package was reviewed by one or two secondary school health teachers and by a staff member from the…

Review of battery powered embedded systems design for mission-critical low-power applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malewski, Matthew; Cowell, David M. J.; Freear, Steven

2018-06-01

The applications and uses of embedded systems is increasingly pervasive. Mission and safety critical systems relying on embedded systems pose specific challenges. Embedded systems is a multi-disciplinary domain, involving both hardware and software. Systems need to be designed in a holistic manner so that they are able to provide the desired reliability and minimise unnecessary complexity. The large problem landscape means that there is no one solution that fits all applications of embedded systems. With the primary focus of these mission and safety critical systems being functionality and reliability, there can be conflicts with business needs, and this can introduce pressures to reduce cost at the expense of reliability and functionality. This paper examines the challenges faced by battery powered systems, and then explores at more general problems, and several real-world embedded systems.

A Critical Review: Connecting Nature of Science and Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soysal, Y.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this critical review is to examine studies incorporating interconnectedness between Nature of Science (NOS) and Argumentation. This in-depth critical review seeks to illuminate insights and direction of the linkage between these two eminent research fields in science education. It involves a computerized, web-based search to provide…

A systematic review of critical thinking in nursing education.

PubMed

Chan, Zenobia C Y

2013-03-01

This review aimed to explore how critical thinking is perceived in previous studies of nursing education, and analyse the obstacles and strategies in teaching and learning critical thinking mentioned in these studies. Systematic review. This review was based on the following five databases: The British Nursing Index, Ovid Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Scopus. After the screening process and evaluation through using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool, 17 studies were identified that met the inclusion and quality criteria. The studies were read through several times and analysed through thematic synthesis. A total of three themes were developed. The first theme, components for critical thinkers, suggests the abilities and attitudes that critical thinkers should have. The other two themes, influential factors of critical thinking in nursing education, and strategies to promote critical thinking, describe the obstacles and strategies in teaching and learning critical thinking. The 17 studies illustrated that the definition and concept of critical thinking may change from time to time, and hence there is a need to clarify educators' perspective towards critical thinking. There is also a need to evaluate the efficacy of the new strategies mentioned in several selected studies, such as art-based, questioning, cross-cultural nursing experience, and preceptorship. With a better understanding of critical thinking in nursing education, educators and nursing faculty are able to develop better strategies in enhancing critical thinking development in nursing students, in turn preparing them for future clinical practice. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Translational Cognition for Decision Support in Critical Care Environments: A Review

PubMed Central

Patel, Vimla L.; Zhang, Jiajie; Yoskowitz, Nicole A.; Green, Robert; Sayan, Osman R.

2008-01-01

The dynamic and distributed work environment in critical care requires a high level of collaboration among clinical team members and a sophisticated task coordination system to deliver safe, timely and effective care. A complex cognitive system underlies the decision-making process in such cooperative workplaces. This methodological review paper addresses the issues of translating cognitive research to clinical practice with a specific focus on decision-making in critical care, and the role of information and communication technology to aid in such decisions. Examples are drawn from studies of critical care in our own research laboratories. Critical care, in this paper, includes both intensive (inpatient) and emergency (outpatient) care. We define translational cognition as the research on basic and applied cognitive issues that contribute to our understanding of how information is stored, retrieved and used for problem-solving and decision-making. The methods and findings are discussed in the context of constraints on decision-making in real world complex environments and implications for supporting the design and evaluation of decision support tools for critical care health providers. PMID:18343731

Translational cognition for decision support in critical care environments: a review.

PubMed

Patel, Vimla L; Zhang, Jiajie; Yoskowitz, Nicole A; Green, Robert; Sayan, Osman R

2008-06-01

The dynamic and distributed work environment in critical care requires a high level of collaboration among clinical team members and a sophisticated task coordination system to deliver safe, timely and effective care. A complex cognitive system underlies the decision-making process in such cooperative workplaces. This methodological review paper addresses the issues of translating cognitive research to clinical practice with a specific focus on decision-making in critical care, and the role of information and communication technology to aid in such decisions. Examples are drawn from studies of critical care in our own research laboratories. Critical care, in this paper, includes both intensive (inpatient) and emergency (outpatient) care. We define translational cognition as the research on basic and applied cognitive issues that contribute to our understanding of how information is stored, retrieved and used for problem-solving and decision-making. The methods and findings are discussed in the context of constraints on decision-making in real-world complex environments and implications for supporting the design and evaluation of decision support tools for critical care health providers.

Biofeedback treatment of constipation: a critical review.

PubMed

Heymen, Steve; Jones, Kenneth R; Scarlett, Yolanda; Whitehead, William E

2003-09-01

This review was designed to 1) critically examine the research design used in investigations of biofeedback for pelvic floor dyssynergia, 2) compare the various biofeedback treatment protocols for pelvic floor dyssynergia-type constipation used in this research, 3) identify factors that influence treatment outcome, and 4) identify goals for future biofeedback research for pelvic floor dyssynergia. A comprehensive review of both the pediatric and adult research from 1970 to 2002 on "biofeedback for constipation" was conducted using a Medline search in all languages. Only prospective studies including five or more subjects that described the treatment protocol were included. In addition, a meta-analysis of these studies was performed to compare the outcome of different biofeedback protocols for treating constipation. Thirty-eight studies were reviewed, and sample size, treatment protocol, outcome rates, number of sessions, and etiology are shown in a table. Ten studies using a parallel treatment design were reviewed in detail, including seven that randomized subjects to treatment groups. A meta-analysis (weighted by subjects) was performed to compare the results of two treatment protocols prevalent in the literature. The mean success rate of studies using pressure biofeedback (78 percent) was superior (P = 0.018) to the mean success rate for studies using electromyography biofeedback (70 percent). However, the mean success rates comparing studies using intra-anal electromyography sensors to studies using perianal electromyography sensors were 69 and 72 percent, respectively, indicating no advantages for one type of electromyography protocol over the other (P = 0.428). In addition to the varied protocols and instrumentation used, there also are inconsistencies in the literature regarding the severity and etiology of symptoms, patient selection criteria, and the definition of a successful outcome. Finally, no anatomic, physiologic, or demographic variables were

The Young Adult and Intellectual Freedom in the Library. A Selective Bibliography and Critical Review of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Squyres, Linda Lawrence

Designed for librarians planning community oriented programs, this annotated bibliography critically reviews literature defending the young adult's right to intellectual freedom. Works examined include U.S. English language journal articles and short sections of books published between 1967 and 1979. Within the bibliography and the review, topical…

77 FR 2254 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Mississippi...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-17

...-0024; 4500030114] RIN 1018-AW89 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical... breeding ponds and upland habitats. However, in that revised proposed rule, we stated we used the mean... provide specific data on breeding pond or upland habitat use. Based on the peer review comments we...

A systematic review of selected evidence on developing nursing students' critical thinking through problem-based learning.

PubMed

Yuan, Haobin; Williams, Beverly A; Fan, Lin

2008-08-01

Rapidly changing developments and expanding roles in healthcare environment requires professional nurses to develop critical thinking. Nursing education strives to facilitate students' critical thinking through the appropriate instructional approaches. Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered approach to learning which enables the students to work cooperatively in small groups for seeking solutions to situations/problems. The systematic review was conducted to provide the available evidence on developing nursing students' critical thinking through PBL. The computerized searches from 1990-2006 in CINAHL, Proquest, Cochrane library, Pubmed etc were performed. All studies which addressed the differences in critical thinking among nursing students in PBL were considered. Two independent reviewers assessed the eligibility of each study, its level of evidence and the methodological quality. As a result, only ten studies were retrieved, they were: one RCT with a Jadad quality score of 3, one nonrandomized control study, two quasi-experimental studies with non-controlled pretest-posttest design, and six descriptive studies. The available evidence in this review did not provide supportive evidence on developing nursing students' critical thinking through PBL. Clearly, there is a need for additional research with larger sample size and high quality to clarify the effects of PBL on critical thinking development within nursing educational context.

Acting White: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sohn, Kitae

2011-01-01

The hypothesis of acting White has been heatedly debated and influential over the last 20 years or so in explaining the Black-White test score gap. Recently, economists have joined the debate and started providing new theoretical and empirical analyses of the phenomenon. This paper critically reviews the arguments that have been advanced to…

Review of teaching methods and critical thinking skills.

PubMed

Kowalczyk, Nina

2011-01-01

Critical information is needed to inform radiation science educators regarding successful critical thinking educational strategies. From an evidence-based research perspective, systematic reviews are identified as the most current and highest level of evidence. Analysis at this high level is crucial in analyzing those teaching methods most appropriate to the development of critical thinking skills. To conduct a systematic literature review to identify teaching methods that demonstrate a positive effect on the development of students' critical thinking skills and to identify how these teaching strategies can best translate to radiologic science educational programs. A comprehensive literature search was conducted resulting in an assessment of 59 full reports. Nineteen of the 59 reports met inclusion criteria and were reviewed based on the level of evidence presented. Inclusion criteria included studies conducted in the past 10 years on sample sizes of 20 or more individuals demonstrating use of specific teaching interventions for 5 to 36 months in postsecondary health-related educational programs. The majority of the research focused on problem-based learning (PBL) requiring standardized small-group activities. Six of the 19 studies focused on PBL and demonstrated significant differences in student critical thinking scores. PBL, as described in the nursing literature, is an effective teaching method that should be used in radiation science education. ©2011 by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists.

Critical Realism and Realist Review: Analyzing Complexity in Educational Restructuring and the Limits of Generalizing Program Theories Across Borders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Souza, Denise E.

2016-01-01

This article focuses on the design of a critical realist review that deployed Bhaskar's resolution, redescribing, retroduction, eliminating, identifying, and correcting schema and Pawson and Tilley's Context-Mechanism-Outcome configuration underpinned by realist social theory. Methodologically, the review examined the relationship between…

Economic evaluation of genomic sequencing in the paediatric population: a critical review.

PubMed

Alam, Khurshid; Schofield, Deborah

2018-05-24

Systematic evidence is critical to the formulation of national health policy to provide public funding for the integration of genomic sequencing into routine clinical care. The purpose of this review is to present systematic evidence on the economic evaluation of genomic sequencing conducted for paediatric patients in clinical care, and to identify any gaps in the methodology of economic evaluations. We undertook a critical review of the empirical evidence from economic evaluations of genomic sequencing among paediatric patients searching five electronic databases. Our inclusion criteria were limited to literature published in the English language between 2010 and 2017 in OECD countries. Articles that met our inclusion criteria were assessed using a recognised checklist for a well-designed economic evaluation. We found 11 full-text articles that met our inclusion criteria. Our analysis found that genomic sequencing markedly increased the diagnostic rate to 16-79%, but lowered the cost by 11-64% compared to the standard diagnostic pathway. Only five recent studies in paediatric clinical cohorts met most of the criteria for a well-designed economic evaluation and demonstrated cost-effectiveness of genomic sequencing in paediatric clinical cohorts of patients. Our review identified the need for improvement in the rigour of the methodologies used to provide robust evidence for the formulation of health policy on public funding to integrate genomic sequencing into routine clinical care. Nonetheless, there is emerging evidence of the cost-effectiveness of genomic sequencing over usual care for paediatric patients.

ROMPS critical design review data package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dobbs, M. E.

1992-01-01

The design elements of the Robot-Operated Material Processing in Space (ROMPS) system are described in outline and graphical form. The following subsystems/topics are addressed: servo system, testbed and simulation results, System V Controller, robot module, furnace module, SCL experiment supervisor and script sample processing control, battery system, watchdog timers, mechanical/thermal considerations, and fault conditions and recovery.

An Integrative Review of the Concealed Connection: Nurse Educators' Critical Thinking.

PubMed

Raymond, Christy; Profetto-McGrath, Joanne; Myrick, Florence; Strean, William B

2017-11-01

The role of nurse educators in the development of students' critical thinking has been overlooked despite the emphasized need for effective teaching methods. An integrative review was performed to examine both quantitative and qualitative research published from 2000 to 2015 related to nurse educators' critical thinking. Many barriers and facilitators existing on individual, interpersonal, and contextual levels affected nurse educators' critical thinking. Various tools have been used to measure nurse educators' critical thinking. This review also highlighted the continued lack of a consensus definition of critical thinking and the limited presence of conceptual models to guide the use of critical thinking in nursing education. Continued examination of nurse educators' critical thinking is needed, given the limited number of studies that have been completed. Much needs to be explored further, including conceptualizations of critical thinking and confirmation of emerging themes identified in this review. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(11):648-654.]. © 2017 Raymond, Profetto-McGrath, Myrick, et al.

Review Of Piping And Pressure Vessel Code Design Criteria. Technical Report 217.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

1969-04-18

This Technical Report summarizes a review of the design philosophies and criteria of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and the USASI Code for Pressure Piping. It traces the history of the Codes since their inception and critically reviews their present status. Recommendations are made concerning the applicability of the Codes to the special needs of LMFBR liquid sodium piping.

Online course design for teaching critical thinking.

PubMed

Schaber, Patricia; Shanedling, Janet

2012-01-01

Teaching critical thinking (CT) skills, a goal in higher education, is seldom considered in the primary design of either classroom or online courses, and is even less frequently measured in student learning. In health professional education, CT along with clinical reasoning skills is essential for the development of clinical practitioners. This study, measuring CT skill development in an online theory course, supports using a cyclical course design to build higher level processes in student thinking. Eighty-six Masters of Occupational Therapy students in four sections of an occupation-based theory course were evaluated on elements in the Paul and Elder CT Model throughout the course and surveyed for their perceptions in their ability to think critically at course completion. Results of this study demonstrated that the online theory course design contributed to improving critical thinking skills and student's perceived CT skill development as applicable to their future professional practice. In a focus group, eight students identified four effective course design features that contributed to their CT skill development: highly structured learning, timely feedback from instructor, repetition of assignments, and active engagement with the material.

Green Adsorbents for Wastewaters: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Kyzas, George Z.; Kostoglou, Margaritis

2014-01-01

One of the most serious environmental problems is the existence of hazardous and toxic pollutants in industrial wastewaters. The major hindrance is the simultaneous existence of many/different types of pollutants as (i) dyes; (ii) heavy metals; (iii) phenols; (iv) pesticides and (v) pharmaceuticals. Adsorption is considered to be one of the most promising techniques for wastewater treatment over the last decades. The economic crisis of the 2000s led researchers to turn their interest in adsorbent materials with lower cost. In this review article, a new term will be introduced, which is called “green adsorption”. Under this term, it is meant the low-cost materials originated from: (i) agricultural sources and by-products (fruits, vegetables, foods); (ii) agricultural residues and wastes; (iii) low-cost sources from which most complex adsorbents will be produced (i.e., activated carbons after pyrolysis of agricultural sources). These “green adsorbents” are expected to be inferior (regarding their adsorption capacity) to the super-adsorbents of previous literature (complex materials as modified chitosans, activated carbons, structurally-complex inorganic composite materials etc.), but their cost-potential makes them competitive. This review is a critical approach to green adsorption, discussing many different (maybe in some occasions doubtful) topics such as: (i) adsorption capacity; (ii) kinetic modeling (given the ultimate target to scale up the batch experimental data to fixed-bed column calculations for designing/optimizing commercial processes) and (iii) critical techno-economical data of green adsorption processes in order to scale-up experiments (from lab to industry) with economic analysis and perspectives of the use of green adsorbents. PMID:28788460

Critical review of immediate implant loading.

PubMed

Gapski, Ricardo; Wang, Hom-Lay; Mascarenhas, Paulo; Lang, Niklaus P

2003-10-01

Implant dentistry has become successful with the discovery of the biological properties of titanium. In the original protocol, studies have advocated a 2-stage surgical protocol for load-free and submerged healing to ensure predictable osseointegration. However, the discomfort, inconvenience, and anxiety associated with waiting period remains a challenge to both patients and clinicians. Hence, loading implant right after placement was attempted and has gained popularity among clinicians. Issues/questions related to this approach remain unanswered. Therefore, it is the purpose of this review article to (1). review and analyze critically the current available literature in the field of immediate implant loading and (2). discuss, based on scientific evidence, factors that may influence this treatment modality. Literature published over the past 20 years was selected and reviewed. Findings from these studies were discussed and summarized in the tables. The advantages and disadvantages associated with immediate implant loading were analyzed. Factors that may influence the success of immediate implant loading, including patient selection, type of bone quality, required implant length, micro- and macrostructure of the implant, surgical skill, need for achieving primary stability/control of occlusal force, and prosthesis guidelines, were thoroughly reviewed and discussed. Various studies have demonstrated the feasibility and predictability of this technique. However, most of these articles are based on retrospective data or uncontrolled cases. Randomized, prospective, parallel-armed longitudinal human trials are primarily based on short-term results and long-term follow-ups are still scarce in this field. Nonetheless, from available literature, it may be concluded that anatomic locations, implant designs, and restricted prosthetic guidelines are key to ensure successful outcomes. Future studies, preferably randomized, prospective longitudinal studies, are certainly needed

Calibrated Peer Review Assignments in Science Courses: Are They Designed to Promote Critical Thinking and Writing Skills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Julie; Moskovitz, Cary

2008-01-01

Calibrated Peer Review (CPR), an online program that purportedly helps students develop as writers and critical thinkers, is being increasingly used by science educators. CPR is an enticing tool since it does not require instructors to grade student writing, and instructors can adopt assignments directly from a library. To determine the extent to…

50 CFR 424.12 - Criteria for designating critical habitat.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A LISTING ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES AND DESIGNATING CRITICAL HABITAT Revision of the Lists § 424.12... species. (f) Critical habitat may be designated for those species listed as threatened or endangered but...

Critical care unit design: a nursing perspective.

PubMed

Williams, M

2001-11-01

The task of designing a new critical care unit is best accomplished with the input of people representing multiple disciplines including architects, engineers, physicians, nurses, and equipment manufacturers. It is imperative that the critical care nursing staff and management take an active role in planning the layout of the unit and patient rooms, as the nurses will be the bedside providers 24 hours a day. The new unit should be designed to offer efficient patient care as well as a healing, comfortable environment for both the patients and their families.

Design and validation of a critical pathway for hospital management of patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Espinosa-Aguilar, Amilcar; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia; Huerta-Posada, Carlos E; de León, Itzcoatl Limón-Pérez; López-López, Fernando; Mejía-Hernández, Margarita; Mondragón-Martínez, María A; Calderón-Téllez, Ligia M; Amezcua-Cuevas, Rosa L; Rebollar-González, Jorge A

2008-05-01

Critical pathways for the management of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) may contribute to reducing the incidence of hospital complications, length of hospitalization stay, and cost of care. Such pathways have previously been developed for departments with significant resource availability. In Mexico, STBI is the most important cause of complications and length of stay in neurotrauma services at public hospitals. Although current treatment is designed basically in accordance with the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines, shortfalls in the availability of local resources make it difficult to comply with these standards, and no critical pathway is available that accords with the resources of public hospitals. The purpose of the present study was to design and to validate a critical pathway for managing STBI patients that would be suitable for implementation in neurotrauma departments of middle-income level countries. The study comprised two phases: design (through literature review and design plan) and validation (content, construct, and appearance) of the critical pathway. The validated critical pathway for managing STBI patients entails four sequential subprocesses summarizing the hospital's care procedures, and includes three components: (1) nodes and criteria (in some cases, indicators are also included); (2) health team members in charge of the patient; (3) maximum estimated time for compliance with recommendations. This validated critical pathway is based on the current scientific evidence and accords with the availability of resources of middle-income countries.

The effectiveness of interventions to meet family needs of critically ill patients in an adult intensive care unit: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kynoch, Kate; Chang, Anne M; Coyer, Fiona

Background Attending to the needs of family members of critically ill patients is an important and necessary step in providing appropriate care for both the patient and the family. An initial search of the Cochrane and Joanna Briggs Institute Libraries did not reveal any published systematic reviews recommending effective interventions for addressing family needs of critically ill patients in an acute intensive care unit.Objectives This systematic review aims to establish best practice in addressing the needs of family members with a relative admitted to an adult critical care unit.Search strategy An extensive search of the major databases was conducted. Databases searched included: MEDLINE, CINAHL, psycINFO, Health source, Web of science, EMBASE, the Cochrane library and Database of abstracts of reviews of effects (DARE) as well as Pubmed. The search included published and unpublished studies and papers in English from 1980-2010.Selection criteria This review considered any randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of interventions in addressing family needs of critically ill patients in an adult intensive care unit. In the absence of randomised controlled trials, other research designs such as quasi-experimental as well as before and after studies were considered for inclusion in the narrative summary to enable the identification of current approaches and possible future strategies for addressing family needs of critically ill patients.Assessment of quality Each included study was assessed by two independent reviewers using the appropriate appraisal checklist developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute.Data collection and analysis Data was extracted from the papers included in this review using standardised data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument package. The studies included in this review were not suitable for meta-analysis and therefore the results are presented in

Reducing NPR 7120.5D to Practice: Transitioning from Design Reviews to the SIR Hardware Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Randall

2011-01-01

The Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission was the first Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) project initiated under NASA's revised rules for space flight project management, NPR 7120.5D, "NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements." NASA selected GRAIL through a competitive Announcement of Opportunity process and funded its Phase B Preliminary Design effort. The team's first major milestone was a JPL institutional milestone, the Project Mission System Review (PMSR), which proved an excellent tune-up for the end-of-Phase-B NASA life-cycle review, the Preliminary Design Review (PDR). Building on JPL experience on the Prometheus and Juno projects, the team successfully organized for and conducted these reviews on an aggressive schedule. For the Project Critical Design Review (CDR), lessons learned from the PDR and updated Standing Review Board (SRB) practices from the Agency were factored into the review preparation effort. Additionally, the review was held at the Principal Investigator's institution, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, rather than at the project management center (JPL), which necessitated additional cross-country coordination steps. The PMSR, PDR, and CDR were design reviews and largely paper-oriented. For the System Integration Review (SIR), the project needed to transition to a hardware review and deal with paper in a very different manner. While many of the practices employed for the design reviews were modified and retained (e.g., review preparation team, gate products management, pre-reviews, SRB coordination), the review agenda, presentation style, and slide templates were significantly changed. A key success factor concerned the handling of project open paper, which was succinctly and effectively communicated to the SRB in presentations.This paper provides a brief overview of the GRAIL mission and its project management challenges, provides a detailed description of project SIR preparation and execution

INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION PREVENTION: A CRITICAL REVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Congress passed the Pollution Prevention Act in October 1990. Pollution prevention is clearly a concept that will be of increasing importance to U.S. companies and to the public agencies that are responsible for regulating those companies. In this critical review the aut...

The human factors of color in environmental design: A critical review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wise, Barbara K.; Wise, James A.

1988-01-01

The literature on environmental color to enhance habitability in the design of Space Station interiors is reviewed. Some 200 studies were examined to determine the relative contributions of the three dimensions of color (hue, saturation, and brightness or lightness) to responses to environmental colorations. Implications of the study for color usage in novel settings and locales include: (1) There are no hard-wired linkages between environmental colors and particular judgmental or emotional states; (2) Perceptual impressions of color applications can, however, affect experiences and performances in settings; (3) Color behavior studies cannot yet specify an optimal color scheme, but instead must consider differing objectives, the relative importance of each, and design features such as the coordination of geometry, color, texture, etc.; (4) Some color-behavior effects are governed by low-level retinal and limbal mechanisms as well as by cognitive processes; and (5) Colors should first be specified in terms of what they are to do instead of what they are. Some exercise of choice is therefore needed to establish a sense of personal competence in the setting, since color must be ultimately be accepted by the people who are to live with it.

Design and analysis of field studies with bees: A critical review of the draft EFSA guidance.

PubMed

Bakker, Frank

2016-07-01

The specific protection goal, primary assessment endpoints, acceptable effect thresholds, and experimental design proposed in the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) update of the bee guidance document are subjected to critical review. It is concluded that the negligible effect criteria were established without sufficient regulatory definition and without convincing scientific argumentation. For the assessment endpoints, effects on hive strength lack temporal definition and the reduction to numbers of bees is inappropriate to evaluate effects. Restricting mortality assessments to homing failure is not theoretically justified and specific criteria were incorrectly derived. The combination of acute effect estimates with models for chronic stressors is biased risk assessment and a temporal basis for the acceptability of effects is missing. Effects on overwintering success cannot be experimentally assessed using the proposed criteria. The experimental methodology proposed is inappropriate and the logistical consequences, in particular those related to replication and land use are such that field studies are no longer a feasible option for the risk assessment. It may be necessary to explore new lines of thought for the set-up of field studies and to clearly separate experimentation from monitoring. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:422-428. © 2015 SETAC. © 2015 SETAC.

Muscle strength and golf performance: a critical review.

PubMed

Torres-Ronda, Lorena; Sánchez-Medina, Luis; González-Badillo, Juan J

2011-01-01

Golf has become an increasingly popular sport and a growing body of research trying to identify its main physical requirements is being published. The aim of this review was twofold: first, to examine the existing scientific literature regarding strength training and golf in healthy, non-injured, subjects; and second, to reach conclusions that could provide information on how to design more effective strength training programs to improve golf performance as well as directions for future research. Studies which analyzed the relationship between muscle strength, swing performance variables (club head speed, driving distance, ball speed) and skill (handicap, score) were reviewed. Changes in swing performance following different strength training programs were also investigated. Finally, a critical analysis about the methodologies used was carried out. The results of the reviewed studies seem to indicate that: 1) a positive relationship exists between handicap and swing performance (even though few studies have investigated this issue); 2) there is a positive correlation between skill (handicap and/or score) and muscle strength; and 3) there is a relationship between driving distance, swing speed, ball speed and muscle strength. Results suggest that training leg-hip and trunk power as well as grip strength is especially relevant for golf performance improvement. Studies that analyzed variations in swing performance following resistance-only training programs are scarce, thus it is difficult to prove whether the observed improvements are attributable to changes in strength levels. Many of the studies reviewed presented some methodological errors in their design and not all strength assessment protocols seemed appropriate. Further studies should determine muscle strength needs in relation to final swing performance, using well designed experiments and strict isoinertial assessment protocols which adequately relate to specific golf motion, age and skill level. More

Muscle Strength And Golf Performance: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Torres-Ronda, Lorena; Sánchez-Medina, Luis; González-Badillo, Juan J.

2011-01-01

Golf has become an increasingly popular sport and a growing body of research trying to identify its main physical requirements is being published. The aim of this review was twofold: first, to examine the existing scientific literature regarding strength training and golf in healthy, non-injured, subjects; and second, to reach conclusions that could provide information on how to design more effective strength training programs to improve golf performance as well as directions for future research. Studies which analyzed the relationship between muscle strength, swing performance variables (club head speed, driving distance, ball speed) and skill (handicap, score) were reviewed. Changes in swing performance following different strength training programs were also investigated. Finally, a critical analysis about the methodologies used was carried out. The results of the reviewed studies seem to indicate that: 1) a positive relationship exists between handicap and swing performance (even though few studies have investigated this issue); 2) there is a positive correlation between skill (handicap and/or score) and muscle strength; and 3) there is a relationship between driving distance, swing speed, ball speed and muscle strength. Results suggest that training leg-hip and trunk power as well as grip strength is especially relevant for golf performance improvement. Studies that analyzed variations in swing performance following resistance-only training programs are scarce, thus it is difficult to prove whether the observed improvements are attributable to changes in strength levels. Many of the studies reviewed presented some methodological errors in their design and not all strength assessment protocols seemed appropriate. Further studies should determine muscle strength needs in relation to final swing performance, using well designed experiments and strict isoinertial assessment protocols which adequately relate to specific golf motion, age and skill level. More

Evidence Based Clinical Assessment of Child and Adolescent Social Phobia: A Critical Review of Rating Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tulbure, Bogdan T.; Szentagotai, Aurora; Dobrean, Anca; David, Daniel

2012-01-01

Investigating the empirical support of various assessment instruments, the evidence based assessment approach expands the scientific basis of psychotherapy. Starting from Hunsley and Mash's evaluative framework, we critically reviewed the rating scales designed to measure social anxiety or phobia in youth. Thirteen of the most researched social…

Do Parent Education Programs Promote Healthy Post-Divorce Parenting? Critical Distinctions and a Review of the Evidence

PubMed Central

Sigal, Amanda; Sandler, Irwin; Wolchik, Sharlene; Braver, Sanford

2009-01-01

Most parent education programs are designed to improve child well-being following divorce by changing some aspect of parenting. However, there has been relatively little discussion of what aspects of parenting are most critical and the effectiveness of programs to change different aspects of parenting. This paper addresses these issues by: 1. Distinguishing three aspects of post-divorce parenting that have been targeted in parent education programs; 2. Reviewing evidence of the relations between each aspect of parenting and the well-being of children and; 3. Critically reviewing evidence that parent education programs have been successful in changing each aspect of post-divorce parenting. PMID:21552360

A critical review of noise production models for turbulent, gas-fueled burners

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahan, J. R.

1984-01-01

The combustion noise literature for the period between 1952 and early 1984 is critically reviewed. Primary emphasis is placed on past theoretical and semi-empirical attempts to predict or explain observed direct combustion noise characteristics of turbulent, gas-fueled burners; works involving liquid-fueled burners are reviewed only when ideas equally applicable to gas-fueled burners are pesented. The historical development of the most important contemporary direct combustion noise theories is traced, and the theories themselves are compared and criticized. While most theories explain combustion noise production by turbulent flames in terms of randomly distributed acoustic monopoles produced by turbulent mixing of products and reactants, none is able to predict the sound pressure in the acoustic farfield of a practical burner because of the lack of a proven model which relates the combustion noise source strenght at a given frequency to the design and operating parameters of the burner. Recommendations are given for establishing a benchmark-quality data base needed to support the development of such a model.

Clinical review: Medication errors in critical care

PubMed Central

Moyen, Eric; Camiré, Eric; Stelfox, Henry Thomas

2008-01-01

Medication errors in critical care are frequent, serious, and predictable. Critically ill patients are prescribed twice as many medications as patients outside of the intensive care unit (ICU) and nearly all will suffer a potentially life-threatening error at some point during their stay. The aim of this article is to provide a basic review of medication errors in the ICU, identify risk factors for medication errors, and suggest strategies to prevent errors and manage their consequences. PMID:18373883

Jaguar critical habitat designation causes concern for Southwestern ranchers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Svancara, Colleen; Lien, Aaron M.; Vanasco, Wendy T.; Laura Lopez-Hoffman,; Ruyle, George B.

2015-01-01

The designation of jaguar critical habitat in April 2014 in southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico created concern for livestock ranchers in the region. We interviewed ranchers to understand their concerns with the jaguar critical habitat designation and their attitudes toward jaguars, wildlife conservation, and resource management in general. Ranchers we interviewed were concerned about direct impacts of designated critical habitat on ranching, as well as possible alternative agendas of critical habitat advocates and issues specific to the borderlands region. The ranchers were less concerned about the presence of jaguars but were more concerned about possible limiting effects of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), distrust of government entities, and litigious environmental groups. To maximize effectiveness, government agencies should work to foster trust in the ranching community, be cognizant of sensitive issues specific to the region that may challenge endangered species conservation goals, recognize the opportunity to work with ranchers for endangered species management, and provide outreach about implications of the ESA.

43 CFR 1610.7-2 - Designation of areas of critical environmental concern.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Designation of areas of critical..., PROGRAMMING, BUDGETING Resource Management Planning § 1610.7-2 Designation of areas of critical environmental concern. Areas having potential for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designation and...

Design of experiments for microencapsulation applications: A review.

PubMed

Paulo, Filipa; Santos, Lúcia

2017-08-01

Microencapsulation techniques have been intensively explored by many research sectors such as pharmaceutical and food industries. Microencapsulation allows to protect the active ingredient from the external environment, mask undesired flavours, a possible controlled release of compounds among others. The purpose of this review is to provide a background of design of experiments in microencapsulation research context. Optimization processes are required for an accurate research in these fields and therefore, the right implementation of micro-sized techniques at industrial scale. This article critically reviews the use of the response surface methodologies in pharmaceutical and food microencapsulation research areas. A survey of optimization procedures in the literature, in the last few years is also presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-efficacy beliefs of medical students: a critical review.

PubMed

Klassen, Robert M; Klassen, Joel R L

2018-04-01

Self-efficacy is a theoretically and empirically robust motivation belief that has been shown to play an important role in the learning and development of new skills and knowledge. In this article, we critically review research on the self-efficacy beliefs of medical students, with a goal to evaluate the existing research and to strengthen future work. In particular, we sought to describe the state of research on medical student self-efficacy and to critically examine the conceptualization and measurement of the construct. Finally, we aimed to provide directions for future self-efficacy research. We critically reviewed 74 published articles that included measures of self-efficacy beliefs of medical students. Our review showed that (a) research on the self-efficacy beliefs of medical students is growing and is becoming increasingly international, and (b) that nearly half (46%) of self-efficacy measures showed conceptual and operational flaws. Our critical review of 74 research studies on self-efficacy of medical students found that although research in the field is increasing, nearly half of measures labelled as self-efficacy were incongruent with the conceptual guidelines set by self-efficacy experts. We provide five suggestions for future research on the self-efficacy of medical students.

ROMPS critical design review. Volume 3: Furnace module design documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dobbs, M. E.

1992-01-01

As part of the furnace module design documentation, the furnace module Easylab programs definitions and command variables are described. Also included are Easylab commands flow charts and fault conditions.

Critical Realist Review: Exploring the Real, beyond the Empirical

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edgley, Alison; Stickley, Theodore; Timmons, Stephen; Meal, Andy

2016-01-01

This article defines the "critical realist review", a literature-based methodological approach to critical analysis of health care studies (or any discipline charged with social interventions) that is robust, insightful and essential for the complexities of twenty-first century evidence-based health and social care. We argue that this…

USING POWDERED ACTIVATED CARBON: A CRITICAL REVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

Because the performance of powdered activated carbon (PAC) for uses other than taste and odor control is poorly documented, the purpose of this article is to critically review uses that have been reported (i.e., pesticides and herbicides, synthetic organic chemicals, and trihalom...

Physical rehabilitation interventions for adult patients during critical illness: an overview of systematic reviews

PubMed Central

Connolly, Bronwen; O'Neill, Brenda; Salisbury, Lisa; Blackwood, Bronagh

2016-01-01

Background Physical rehabilitation interventions aim to ameliorate the effects of critical illness-associated muscle dysfunction in survivors. We conducted an overview of systematic reviews (SR) evaluating the effect of these interventions across the continuum of recovery. Methods Six electronic databases (Cochrane Library, CENTRAL, DARE, Medline, Embase, and Cinahl) were searched. Two review authors independently screened articles for eligibility and conducted data extraction and quality appraisal. Reporting quality was assessed and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach applied to summarise overall quality of evidence. Results Five eligible SR were included in this overview, of which three included meta-analyses. Reporting quality of the reviews was judged as medium to high. Two reviews reported moderate-to-high quality evidence of the beneficial effects of physical therapy commencing during intensive care unit (ICU) admission in improving critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy, quality of life, mortality and healthcare utilisation. These interventions included early mobilisation, cycle ergometry and electrical muscle stimulation. Two reviews reported very low to low quality evidence of the beneficial effects of electrical muscle stimulation delivered in the ICU for improving muscle strength, muscle structure and critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy. One review reported that due to a lack of good quality randomised controlled trials and inconsistency in measuring outcomes, there was insufficient evidence to support beneficial effects from physical rehabilitation delivered post-ICU discharge. Conclusions Patients derive short-term benefits from physical rehabilitation delivered during ICU admission. Further robust trials of electrical muscle stimulation in the ICU and rehabilitation delivered following ICU discharge are needed to determine the long-term impact on patient care. This overview provides recommendations for

Pediatric Critical Care Telemedicine Program: A Single Institution Review.

PubMed

Hernandez, Maria; Hojman, Nayla; Sadorra, Candace; Dharmar, Madan; Nesbitt, Thomas S; Litman, Rebecca; Marcin, James P

2016-01-01

Rural and community emergency departments (EDs) often receive and treat critically ill children despite limited access to pediatric expertise. Increasingly, pediatric critical care programs at children's hospitals are using telemedicine to provide consultations to these EDs with the goal of increasing the quality of care. We conducted a retrospective review of a pediatric critical care telemedicine program at a single university children's hospital. Between the years 2000 and 2014, we reviewed all telemedicine consultations provided to children in rural and community EDs, classified the visits using a comprehensive evidence-based set of chief complaints, and reported the consultations' impact on patient disposition. We also reviewed the total number of pediatric ED visits to calculate the relative frequency with which telemedicine consultations were provided. During the study period, there were 308 consultations provided to acutely ill and/or injured children for a variety of chief complaints, most commonly for respiratory illnesses, acute injury, and neurological conditions. Since inception, the number of consultations has been increasing, as has the number of participating EDs (n = 18). Telemedicine consultations were conducted on 8.6% of seriously ill children, the majority of which resulted in admission to the receiving hospital (n = 150, 49%), with a minority of patients requiring transport to the university children's hospital (n = 103, 33%). This single institutional, university children's hospital-based review demonstrates that a pediatric critical care telemedicine program used to provide consultations to seriously ill children in rural and community EDs is feasible, sustainable, and used relatively infrequently, most typically for the sickest pediatric patients.

An integrated review of the correlation between critical thinking ability and clinical decision-making in nursing.

PubMed

Lee, Daphne Sk; Abdullah, Khatijah Lim; Subramanian, Pathmawathi; Bachmann, Robert Thomas; Ong, Swee Leong

2017-12-01

To explore whether there is a correlation between critical thinking ability and clinical decision-making among nurses. Critical thinking is currently considered as an essential component of nurses' professional judgement and clinical decision-making. If confirmed, nursing curricula may be revised emphasising on critical thinking with the expectation to improve clinical decision-making and thus better health care. Integrated literature review. The integrative review was carried out after a comprehensive literature search using electronic databases Ovid, EBESCO MEDLINE, EBESCO CINAHL, PROQuest and Internet search engine Google Scholar. Two hundred and 22 articles from January 1980 to end of 2015 were retrieved. All studies evaluating the relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making, published in English language with nurses or nursing students as the study population, were included. No qualitative studies were found investigating the relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making, while 10 quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria and were further evaluated using the Quality Assessment and Validity Tool. As a result, one study was excluded due to a low-quality score, with the remaining nine accepted for this review. Four of nine studies established a positive relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making. Another five studies did not demonstrate a significant correlation. The lack of refinement in studies' design and instrumentation were arguably the main reasons for the inconsistent results. Research studies yielded contradictory results as regard to the relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making; therefore, the evidence is not convincing. Future quantitative studies should have representative sample size, use critical thinking measurement tools related to the healthcare sector and evaluate the predisposition of test takers towards their willingness and ability to think

Critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Zhou, Chunkui; Wu, Limin; Ni, Fengming; Ji, Wei; Wu, Jiang; Zhang, Hongliang

2014-01-01

Critical illness polyneuropathy and critical illness myopathy are frequent complications of severe illness that involve sensorimotor axons and skeletal muscles, respectively. Clinically, they manifest as limb and respiratory muscle weakness. Critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy in isolation or combination increases intensive care unit morbidity via the inability or difficulty in weaning these patients off mechanical ventilation. Many patients continue to suffer from decreased exercise capacity and compromised quality of life for months to years after the acute event. Substantial progress has been made lately in the understanding of the pathophysiology of critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy. Clinical and ancillary test results should be carefully interpreted to differentiate critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy from similar weaknesses in this patient population. The present review is aimed at providing the latest knowledge concerning the pathophysiology of critical illness polyneuropathy/myopathy along with relevant clinical, diagnostic, differentiating, and treatment information for this debilitating neurological disease. PMID:25206749

Preparation Prerequisites for Effective Irrigation of Apical Root Canal: A Critical Review.

PubMed

Tziafas, Dimitrios; Alraeesi, Dana; Al Hormoodi, Reem; Ataya, Maamoun; Fezai, Hessa; Aga, Nausheen

2017-10-01

It is well recognized that disinfection of the complex root canal system at the apical root canal remains the most critical therapeutic measure to treat apical periodontitis. Observational and experimental data in relation to the anatomy of the apical root canal in different tooth types and the cross sectional diameters of the apical part of the most commonly used hand and rotary files are critically reviewed. The present data analysis confirm that the challenging issue of antibacterial efficacy of modern preparation protocols in non-surgical endodontics requires more attention to apical root canal irrigation as a balance between safety and effectiveness. Ex vivo investigations clearly indicate that a specific design of the chemo-mechanical preparation is needed at the onset of RCT, more particularly in infected teeth. Design should be based on specific anatomical parameters, and must determine the appropriate size and taper of preparation as pre-requirements for effective and safe apical irrigation. The optimal irrigation protocols might be designed on the basis of technical specifications of the preparations procedures, such as the penetration depth, the type of the needle, the required time for continuous irrigant flow, the concentration of NaOCl, and the activation parameters. Key words: Endodontics, root canal treatment, instrumentation, irrigation, apical root canal.

Osteoarthritis: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Onishi, Kentaro; Utturkar, Amol; Chang, Eric; Panush, Richard; Hata, Justin; Perret-Karimi, Danielle

2015-01-01

Patients with osteoarthritis (OA) are faced with a barrage of treatment options, from recommendations from friends and social media to medications prescribed by the primary care physician. The purpose of this article is to critically review current approaches to generalized or monoarticular OA based on available evidence and to illustrate multidisciplinary and multimodal treatment strategies for the management of OA. Treatment options assessed for efficacy include patient education; oral and topical pharmacological agents; complementary and alternative medicine; surgery; manual medicine; acupuncture; interventional procedures (corticosteroid injection, viscosupplementation, and pulsed radiofrequency); bracing; assistive devices; physical therapy; and physical modalities. Multidisciplinary and multimodal treatment strategies combined with early detection and prevention strategies provide the best benefit to patients. This review also illustrates that traditional and alternative modalities of treatment can be both synergistic and beneficial. Physicians should be aware of the variety of tools available for the management of OA and the associated symptoms. Those healthcare providers who can best individualize treatment plans for specific patients and inspire their patients to embrace healthy lifestyle modifications will achieve the best results. PMID:25750483

Design and Verification of Critical Pressurised Windows for Manned Spaceflight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamoure, Richard; Busto, Lara; Novo, Francisco; Sinnema, Gerben; Leal, Mendes M.

2014-06-01

The Window Design for Manned Spaceflight (WDMS) project was tasked with establishing the state-of-art and explore possible improvements to the current structural integrity verification and fracture control methodologies for manned spacecraft windows.A critical review of the state-of-art in spacecraft window design, materials and verification practice was conducted. Shortcomings of the methodology in terms of analysis, inspection and testing were identified. Schemes for improving verification practices and reducing conservatism whilst maintaining the required safety levels were then proposed.An experimental materials characterisation programme was defined and carried out with the support of the 'Glass and Façade Technology Research Group', at the University of Cambridge. Results of the sample testing campaign were analysed, post-processed and subsequently applied to the design of a breadboard window demonstrator.Two Fused Silica glass window panes were procured and subjected to dedicated analyses, inspection and testing comprising both qualification and acceptance programmes specifically tailored to the objectives of the activity.Finally, main outcomes have been compiled into a Structural Verification Guide for Pressurised Windows in manned spacecraft, incorporating best practices and lessons learned throughout this project.

Interface, information, interaction: a narrative review of design and functional requirements for clinical decision support.

PubMed

Miller, Kristen; Mosby, Danielle; Capan, Muge; Kowalski, Rebecca; Ratwani, Raj; Noaiseh, Yaman; Kraft, Rachel; Schwartz, Sanford; Weintraub, William S; Arnold, Ryan

2018-05-01

Provider acceptance and associated patient outcomes are widely discussed in the evaluation of clinical decision support systems (CDSSs), but critical design criteria for tools have generally been overlooked. The objective of this work is to inform electronic health record alert optimization and clinical practice workflow by identifying, compiling, and reporting design recommendations for CDSS to support the efficient, effective, and timely delivery of high-quality care. A narrative review was conducted from 2000 to 2016 in PubMed and The Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society to identify papers that discussed/recommended design features of CDSSs that are associated with the success of these systems. Fourteen papers were included as meeting the criteria and were found to have a total of 42 unique recommendations; 11 were classified as interface features, 10 as information features, and 21 as interaction features. Features are defined and described, providing actionable guidance that can be applied to CDSS development and policy. To our knowledge, no reviews have been completed that discuss/recommend design features of CDSS at this scale, and thus we found that this was important for the body of literature. The recommendations identified in this narrative review will help to optimize design, organization, management, presentation, and utilization of information through presentation, content, and function. The designation of 3 categories (interface, information, and interaction) should be further evaluated to determine the critical importance of the categories. Future work will determine how to prioritize them with limited resources for designers and developers in order to maximize the clinical utility of CDSS. This review will expand the field of knowledge and provide a novel organization structure to identify key recommendations for CDSS.

ROMPS critical design review. Volume 2: Robot module design documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dobbs, M. E.

1992-01-01

The robot module design documentation for the Remote Operated Materials Processing in Space (ROMPS) experiment is compiled. This volume presents the following information: robot module modifications; Easylab commands definitions and flowcharts; Easylab program definitions and flowcharts; robot module fault conditions and structure charts; and C-DOC flow structure and cross references.

Flight Rules Critical Readiness Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, E.; Knudsen, F.; Rice, S.

2010-01-01

The increment 23/24 Critical Readiness Review (CRR) flight rules are presented. The topics include: 1) B13-152 Acoustic Constraints; 2) B13-113 IFM/Corrective Action Prioritization Due to Loss of Exercise Capability; 3) B13-116 Constraints on Treadmill VIS Failure; 4) B13-201 Medical Management of ISS Fire/Smoke Response; 5) ARED and T2 Exercise constraints Flight rules (flight and stage specific); 6) FYI: B14 FR to be updated with requirement to sample crew sleep locations prior to receiving a "recommendation" from SRAG on where to sleep.

Critical review of controlled release packaging to improve food safety and quality.

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Chen, Mo; Xu, Chenyi; Yam, Kit L

2018-03-19

Controlled release packaging (CRP) is an innovative technology that uses the package to release active compounds in a controlled manner to improve safety and quality for a wide range of food products during storage. This paper provides a critical review of the uniqueness, design considerations, and research gaps of CRP, with a focus on the kinetics and mechanism of active compounds releasing from the package. Literature data and practical examples are presented to illustrate how CRP controls what active compounds to release, when and how to release, how much and how fast to release, in order to improve food safety and quality.

Measurement Techniques for Respiratory Tract Deposition of Airborne Nanoparticles: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Möller, Winfried; Pagels, Joakim H.; Kreyling, Wolfgang G.; Swietlicki, Erik; Schmid, Otmar

2014-01-01

Abstract Determination of the respiratory tract deposition of airborne particles is critical for risk assessment of air pollution, inhaled drug delivery, and understanding of respiratory disease. With the advent of nanotechnology, there has been an increasing interest in the measurement of pulmonary deposition of nanoparticles because of their unique properties in inhalation toxicology and medicine. Over the last century, around 50 studies have presented experimental data on lung deposition of nanoparticles (typical diameter≤100 nm, but here≤300 nm). These data show a considerable variability, partly due to differences in the applied methodologies. In this study, we review the experimental techniques for measuring respiratory tract deposition of nano-sized particles, analyze critical experimental design aspects causing measurement uncertainties, and suggest methodologies for future studies. It is shown that, although particle detection techniques have developed with time, the overall methodology in respiratory tract deposition experiments has not seen similar progress. Available experience from previous research has often not been incorporated, and some methodological design aspects that were overlooked in 30–70% of all studies may have biased the experimental data. This has contributed to a significant uncertainty on the absolute value of the lung deposition fraction of nanoparticles. We estimate the impact of the design aspects on obtained data, discuss solutions to minimize errors, and highlight gaps in the available experimental set of data. PMID:24151837

Critical Review: Medical Students' Motivation after Failure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Chris

2016-01-01

About 10% of students in each years' entrants to medical school will encounter academic failure at some stage in their programme. The usual approach to supporting these students is to offer them short term remedial study programmes that often enhance approaches to study that are orientated towards avoiding failure. In this critical review I will…

Music in Peacebuilding: A Critical Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandoval, Elaine

2016-01-01

The critical literature review summarizes and appraises studies that have been pursued by music scholars examining the contributions of music to peacebuilding as well as the role of music in violence. These two bodies of literature are rarely brought into dialogue, but I juxtapose them in order to confront the idea of music's exceptionalism as…

Elucidating Solvation Structures for Rational Design of Multivalent Electrolytes-A Review.

PubMed

Rajput, Nav Nidhi; Seguin, Trevor J; Wood, Brandon M; Qu, Xiaohui; Persson, Kristin A

2018-04-26

Fundamental molecular-level understanding of functional properties of liquid solutions provides an important basis for designing optimized electrolytes for numerous applications. In particular, exhaustive knowledge of solvation structure, stability, and transport properties is critical for developing stable electrolytes for fast-charging and high-energy-density next-generation energy storage systems. Accordingly, there is growing interest in the rational design of electrolytes for beyond lithium-ion systems by tuning the molecular-level interactions of solvate species present in the electrolytes. Here we present a review of the solvation structure of multivalent electrolytes and its impact on the electrochemical performance of these batteries. A direct correlation between solvate species present in the solution and macroscopic properties of electrolytes is sparse for multivalent electrolytes and contradictory results have been reported in the literature. This review aims to illustrate the current understanding, compare results, and highlight future needs and directions to enable the deep understanding needed for the rational design of improved multivalent electrolytes.

Year in review 2009: Critical Care--infection.

PubMed

Harbarth, Stephan; Haustein, Thomas

2010-01-01

In 2009 Critical Care provided important and clinically relevant research data for management and prevention of infections in critically ill patients. The present review summarises the results of these observational studies and clinical trials and discusses them in the context of the current relevant scientific and clinical background. In particular, we discuss recent epidemiologic data on nosocomial infections in intensive care units, present new approaches to prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia, describe recent advances in biomarker-guided antibiotic stewardship and attempt to briefly summarise specific challenges related to the management of infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms and influenza A (H1N1).

Year in review 2009: Critical Care - infection

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

In 2009 Critical Care provided important and clinically relevant research data for management and prevention of infections in critically ill patients. The present review summarises the results of these observational studies and clinical trials and discusses them in the context of the current relevant scientific and clinical background. In particular, we discuss recent epidemiologic data on nosocomial infections in intensive care units, present new approaches to prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia, describe recent advances in biomarker-guided antibiotic stewardship and attempt to briefly summarise specific challenges related to the management of infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms and influenza A (H1N1). PMID:21122168

Critical Race Design: An Emerging Methodological Approach to Anti-Racist Design and Implementation Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalil, Deena; Kier, Meredith

2017-01-01

This article is about introducing Critical Race Design (CRD), a research methodology that centers race and equity at the nucleus of educational opportunities by design. First, the authors define design-based implementation research (DBIR; Penuel, Fishman, Cheng, & Sabelli, 2011) as an equity-oriented education research methodology where…

Beethoven recordings reviewed: a systematic method for mapping the content of music performance criticism.

PubMed

Alessandri, Elena; Williamson, Victoria J; Eiholzer, Hubert; Williamon, Aaron

2015-01-01

Critical reviews offer rich data that can be used to investigate how musical experiences are conceptualized by expert listeners. However, these data also present significant challenges in terms of organization, analysis, and interpretation. This study presents a new systematic method for examining written responses to music, tested on a substantial corpus of music criticism. One hundred critical reviews of Beethoven's piano sonata recordings, published in the Gramophone between August 1934 and July 2010, were selected using in-depth data reduction (qualitative/quantitative approach). The texts were then examined using thematic analysis in order to generate a visual descriptive model of expert critical review. This model reveals how the concept of evaluation permeates critical review. It also distinguishes between two types of descriptors. The first characterizes the performance in terms of specific actions or features of the musical sound (musical parameters, technique, and energy); the second appeals to higher-order properties (artistic style, character and emotion, musical structure, communicativeness) or assumed performer qualities (understanding, intentionality, spontaneity, sensibility, control, and care). The new model provides a methodological guide and conceptual basis for future studies of critical review in any genre.

Beethoven recordings reviewed: a systematic method for mapping the content of music performance criticism

PubMed Central

Alessandri, Elena; Williamson, Victoria J.; Eiholzer, Hubert; Williamon, Aaron

2015-01-01

Critical reviews offer rich data that can be used to investigate how musical experiences are conceptualized by expert listeners. However, these data also present significant challenges in terms of organization, analysis, and interpretation. This study presents a new systematic method for examining written responses to music, tested on a substantial corpus of music criticism. One hundred critical reviews of Beethoven’s piano sonata recordings, published in the Gramophone between August 1934 and July 2010, were selected using in-depth data reduction (qualitative/quantitative approach). The texts were then examined using thematic analysis in order to generate a visual descriptive model of expert critical review. This model reveals how the concept of evaluation permeates critical review. It also distinguishes between two types of descriptors. The first characterizes the performance in terms of specific actions or features of the musical sound (musical parameters, technique, and energy); the second appeals to higher-order properties (artistic style, character and emotion, musical structure, communicativeness) or assumed performer qualities (understanding, intentionality, spontaneity, sensibility, control, and care). The new model provides a methodological guide and conceptual basis for future studies of critical review in any genre. PMID:25741295

Quality of reporting of surveys in critical care journals: a methodologic review.

PubMed

Duffett, Mark; Burns, Karen E; Adhikari, Neill K; Arnold, Donald M; Lauzier, François; Kho, Michelle E; Meade, Maureen O; Hayani, Omar; Koo, Karen; Choong, Karen; Lamontagne, François; Zhou, Qi; Cook, Deborah J

2012-02-01

Adequate reporting is needed to judge methodologic quality and assess the risk of bias of surveys. The objective of this study is to describe the methodology and quality of reporting of surveys published in five critical care journals. All issues (1996-2009) of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care, Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine, and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. Two reviewers hand-searched all issues in duplicate. We included publications of self-administered questionnaires of health professionals and excluded surveys that were part of a multi-method study or measured the effect of an intervention. Data were abstracted in duplicate. We included 151 surveys. The frequency of survey publication increased at an average rate of 0.38 surveys per 1000 citations per year from 1996-2009 (p for trend = 0.001). The median number of respondents and reported response rates were 217 (interquartile range 90 to 402) and 63.3% (interquartile range 45.0% to 81.0%), respectively. Surveys originated predominantly from North America (United States [40.4%] and Canada [18.5%]). Surveys most frequently examined stated practice (78.8%), attitudes or opinions (60.3%), and less frequently knowledge (9.9%). The frequency of reporting on the survey design and methods were: 1) instrument development: domains (59.1%), item generation (33.1%), item reduction (12.6%); 2) instrument testing: pretesting or pilot testing (36.2%) and assessments of clarity (25.2%) or clinical sensibility (15.7%); and 3) clinimetric properties: qualitative or quantitative description of at least one of face, content, construct validity, intra- or inter-rater reliability, or consistency (28.5%). The reporting of five key elements of survey design and conduct did not significantly change over time. Surveys, primarily conducted in North America and focused on self-reported practice, are increasingly published in highly cited critical care journals. More

Design Review and Analysis | Water Power | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Design Review and Analysis Design Review and Analysis NREL is leveraging its 35 years of experience devices and components. As part of this effort, NREL researchers provide industry partners with design reviews and analyses. In addition to design reviews, NREL offers technical assistance to solve specific

Neurofeminism and feminist neurosciences: a critical review of contemporary brain research

PubMed Central

Schmitz, Sigrid; Höppner, Grit

2014-01-01

To date, feminist approaches to neurosciences have evaluated the debates surrounding practices of knowledge production within and research results of contemporary brain research. Consequently, neurofeminist scholars have critically examined gendered impacts of neuroscientific research. Feminist neuroscientists also develop research approaches for a more gender-appropriate neuroscientific research on several levels. Based on neurofeminist critique feminist neuroscientists aim to enrich neuroscientific work by offering methodological suggestions for a more differentiated setup of categories and experimental designs, for reflective result presentations and interpretations as well as for the analysis of result validity. Reframing neuro-epistemologies by including plasticity concepts works to uncover social influences on the gendered development of the brain and of behavior. More recently, critical work on contemporary neurocultures has highlighted the entanglements of neuroscientific research within society and the implications of ‘neurofacts’ for gendered cultural symbolisms, social practices, and power relations. Not least, neurofeminism critically analyses the portrayal of neuro-knowledge in popular media. This article presents on overview on neurofeminist debates and on current approaches of feminist neurosciences. The authors conclude their review by calling for a more gender-appropriate research approach that takes into account both its situatedness and reflections on the neuroscientific agenda, but also questions neurofeminist discourse in regards to uses and misuses of its concepts. PMID:25120450

Neurofeminism and feminist neurosciences: a critical review of contemporary brain research.

PubMed

Schmitz, Sigrid; Höppner, Grit

2014-01-01

To date, feminist approaches to neurosciences have evaluated the debates surrounding practices of knowledge production within and research results of contemporary brain research. Consequently, neurofeminist scholars have critically examined gendered impacts of neuroscientific research. Feminist neuroscientists also develop research approaches for a more gender-appropriate neuroscientific research on several levels. Based on neurofeminist critique feminist neuroscientists aim to enrich neuroscientific work by offering methodological suggestions for a more differentiated setup of categories and experimental designs, for reflective result presentations and interpretations as well as for the analysis of result validity. Reframing neuro-epistemologies by including plasticity concepts works to uncover social influences on the gendered development of the brain and of behavior. More recently, critical work on contemporary neurocultures has highlighted the entanglements of neuroscientific research within society and the implications of 'neurofacts' for gendered cultural symbolisms, social practices, and power relations. Not least, neurofeminism critically analyses the portrayal of neuro-knowledge in popular media. This article presents on overview on neurofeminist debates and on current approaches of feminist neurosciences. The authors conclude their review by calling for a more gender-appropriate research approach that takes into account both its situatedness and reflections on the neuroscientific agenda, but also questions neurofeminist discourse in regards to uses and misuses of its concepts.

Design review - A tool for all seasons.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liberman, D. S.

1972-01-01

The origins of design review are considered together with questions of definitions. The main characteristics which distinguish the concept of design review discussed from the basic master-apprentice relationship include competence, objectivity, formality, and a systematic approach. Preliminary, major, and final reviews are the steps used in the management of the design and development process in each company. It is shown that the design review is generically a systems engineering milestone review with certain unique characteristics.

Critical thinking: optimal outcomes through end user involvement in the design of critical care areas.

PubMed

Braun, Debra; Barnhardt, Kim

2014-01-01

Including end users in evidence-based design is vital to outcomes. The physical environment impacts caregiver efficiencies, safety, satisfaction, and quality of patient outcomes. End users are more than members of the organization: patients should have representation as well. Patients bring value by offering insight from a different perspective. Timing is key; therefore, it is critical in obtaining desired outcomes, to include end users as early as possible, gaining the most insight into the design of the build. Consideration should also be given to best practice standards, regulatory compliance, progressive sciences, and technologies. Another vital factor is education of the end users on their role and expectations for participation in a design team. When end users are educated and understand the significance of input, the design team will be able to conceive a critical care unit that will meet needs for today and be able to adapt to needs for the future.

The role of nutritional support in the physical and functional recovery of critically ill patients: a narrative review.

PubMed

Bear, Danielle E; Wandrag, Liesl; Merriweather, Judith L; Connolly, Bronwen; Hart, Nicholas; Grocott, Michael P W

2017-08-26

The lack of benefit from randomised controlled trials has resulted in significant controversy regarding the role of nutrition during critical illness in terms of long-term recovery and outcome. Although methodological caveats with a failure to adequately appreciate biological mechanisms may explain these disappointing results, it must be acknowledged that nutritional support during early critical illness, when considered alone, may have limited long-term functional impact.This narrative review focuses specifically on recent clinical trials and evaluates the impact of nutrition during critical illness on long-term physical and functional recovery.Specific focus on the trial design and methodological limitations has been considered in detail. Limitations include delivery of caloric and protein targets, patient heterogeneity, short duration of intervention, inappropriate clinical outcomes and a disregard for baseline nutritional status and nutritional intake in the post-ICU period.With survivorship at the forefront of critical care research, it is imperative that nutrition studies carefully consider biological mechanisms and trial design because these factors can strongly influence outcomes, in particular long-term physical and functional outcome. Failure to do so may lead to inconclusive clinical trials and consequent rejection of the potentially beneficial effects of nutrition interventions during critical illness.

Critical Thinking in Social Work Education: A Research Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samson, Patricia L.

2016-01-01

In a meta-analytic review of critical thinking in social work education, findings revealed variability in research designs, methods, and subsequent findings. The 10 studies reviewed assessed different components of critical thinking and highlighted different potential moderator variables. Although there are significant limitations to all the…

Critical reflections on realist review: insights from customizing the methodology to the needs of participatory research assessment.

PubMed

Jagosh, Justin; Pluye, Pierre; Wong, Geoff; Cargo, Margaret; Salsberg, Jon; Bush, Paula L; Herbert, Carol P; Green, Lawrence W; Greenhalgh, Trish; Macaulay, Ann C

2014-06-01

Realist review has increased in popularity as a methodology for complex intervention assessment. Our experience suggests that the process of designing a realist review requires its customization to areas under investigation. To elaborate on this idea, we first describe the logic underpinning realist review and then present critical reflections on our application experience, organized in seven areas. These are the following: (1) the challenge of identifying middle range theory; (2) addressing heterogeneity and lack of conceptual clarity; (3) the challenge of appraising the quality of complex evidence; (4) the relevance of capturing unintended outcomes; (5) understanding the process of context, mechanism, and outcome (CMO) configuring; (6) incorporating middle-range theory in the CMO configuration process; and (7) using middle range theory to advance the conceptualization of outcomes - both visible and seemingly 'hidden'. One conclusion from our experience is that the degree of heterogeneity of the evidence base will determine whether theory can drive the development of review protocols from the outset, or will follow only after an intense period of data immersion. We hope that presenting a critical reflection on customizing realist review will convey how the methodology can be tailored to the often complex and idiosyncratic features of health research, leading to innovative evidence syntheses. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Gastrointestinal Factors in Autistic Disorder: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Craig A.; Stigler, Kimberly A.; Corkins, Mark R.; Posey, David J.; Fitzgerald, Joseph F.; McDougle, Christopher J.

2005-01-01

Interest in the gastrointestinal (GI) factors of autistic disorder (autism) has developed from descriptions of symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea in autistic children and advanced towards more detailed studies of GI histopathology and treatment modalities. This review attempts to critically and comprehensively analyze the literature as it…

A Critical Review of Surveys Emphasizing on Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks—An Anatomization under General Survey Design Framework

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

A large number of routing-related surveys are published so far for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) that exhibit either complete or partial emphasis on routing in WSNs. These surveys classify and discuss the relevant routing protocols published mainly in the fields of classical, energy efficient, secure, hierarchical, geographic, intelligent, Quality of Service (QoS)-based and multipath WSNs. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study is presented so far which may clearly categorize the routing-related survey literature for WSNs.To fill this gap, an effort is made in this paper for presenting an in-depth review of already published routing-related survey literature in WSNs. Our review initially proposes a generalized survey design model and afterwards analyzes the routing-related survey literature in the light of the devised General Survey Design Framework (GSDF). Such an analysis describes the design soundness of the published routing-related surveys. Therefore, our review puts forth an original classification based on the frequency-of-survey-publication and taxonomizes the corresponding routing-related fields into high, medium and low focused areas of survey publication in WSNs. Furthermore, the surveys belonging to each main category are sub-categorized into various sub-classes and briefly discussed according to their design characteristics. On the one hand, this review is useful for beginners who may easily explore the already published routing-related survey literature in WSNs in a single document and investigate it by spending less effort. On the other hand, it is useful for expert researchers who may explore the trends and frequency of writing surveys in different areas of routing in WSNs. The experts may explore those areas of routing which are either neglected or least focused or lack in design soundness as per general survey design framework. In the end, insights and future research directions are outlined and a reasonable conclusion is put forth

A Critical Review of Surveys Emphasizing on Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks-An Anatomization under General Survey Design Framework.

PubMed

Rehan, Waqas; Fischer, Stefan; Rehan, Maaz

2017-07-26

A large number of routing-related surveys are published so far for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) that exhibit either complete or partial emphasis on routing in WSNs. These surveys classify and discuss the relevant routing protocols published mainly in the fields of classical, energy efficient, secure, hierarchical, geographic, intelligent, Quality of Service (QoS)-based and multipath WSNs. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study is presented so far which may clearly categorize the routing-related survey literature for WSNs.To fill this gap, an effort is made in this paper for presenting an in-depth review of already published routing-related survey literature in WSNs. Our review initially proposes a generalized survey design model and afterwards analyzes the routing-related survey literature in the light of the devised General Survey Design Framework (GSDF) . Such an analysis describes the design soundness of the published routing-related surveys. Therefore, our review puts forth an original classification based on the frequency-of-survey-publication and taxonomizes the corresponding routing-related fields into high, medium and low focused areas of survey publication in WSNs. Furthermore, the surveys belonging to each main category are sub-categorized into various sub-classes and briefly discussed according to their design characteristics. On the one hand, this review is useful for beginners who may easily explore the already published routing-related survey literature in WSNs in a single document and investigate it by spending less effort. On the other hand, it is useful for expert researchers who may explore the trends and frequency of writing surveys in different areas of routing in WSNs. The experts may explore those areas of routing which are either neglected or least focused or lack in design soundness as per general survey design framework. In the end, insights and future research directions are outlined and a reasonable conclusion is put forth

Preliminary design review report - sludge offload system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mcwethy, L.M. Westinghouse Hanford

1996-06-05

This report documents the conceptual design review of the sludge offload system for the Spent Nuclear Fuel Project. The design description, drawings, available analysis, and safety analysis were reviewed by a peer group. The design review comments and resolutions are documented.

Design for Review - Applying Lessons Learned to Improve the FPGA Review Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueiredo, Marco A.; Li, Kenneth E.

2014-01-01

Flight Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) designs are required to be independently reviewed. This paper provides recommendations to Flight FPGA designers to properly prepare their designs for review in order to facilitate the review process, and reduce the impact of the review time in the overall project schedule.

Effectiveness of haloperidol prophylaxis in critically ill patients with a high risk of delirium: a systematic review.

PubMed

Santos, Eduardo; Cardoso, Daniela; Neves, Hugo; Cunha, Madalena; Rodrigues, Manuel; Apóstolo, João

2017-05-01

Delirium is associated with increased intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation, unplanned removal of tubes and catheters, and increased morbidity and mortality. Prophylactic treatment with low-dose haloperidol may have beneficial effects for critically ill patients with a high risk of delirium. To identify the effectiveness of haloperidol prophylaxis in critically ill patients with a high risk for delirium. Patients with a predicted high risk of delirium, aged 18 years or over, and in intensive care units. Patients with a history of concurrent antipsychotic medication use were excluded. Haloperidol prophylaxis for preventing delirium. Experimental and epidemiological study designs. Primary outcome is the incidence of delirium. Secondary outcomes are duration of mechanical ventilation, incidence of re-intubation, incidence of unplanned/accidental removal of tubes/lines and catheters, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and re-admissions to both settings. An initial search of MEDLINE and CINAHL was undertaken, followed by a second search for published and unpublished studies from January 1967 to September 2015 in major healthcare-related electronic databases. Studies in English, Spanish and Portuguese were included. Two independent reviewers assessed the methodological quality of five studies using the standardized critical appraisal instrument from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. There was general agreement among the reviewers to exclude one relevant study due to methodological quality. Data were extracted using the JBI data extraction form for experimental studies and included details about the interventions, populations, study methods and outcomes of significance to the review questions. Significant differences were found between participants, interventions, outcome measures (clinical heterogeneity) and designs (methodological heterogeneity

43 CFR 1610.7-2 - Designation of areas of critical environmental concern.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... environmental concern. 1610.7-2 Section 1610.7-2 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to Public Lands..., PROGRAMMING, BUDGETING Resource Management Planning § 1610.7-2 Designation of areas of critical environmental concern. Areas having potential for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designation and...

43 CFR 1610.7-2 - Designation of areas of critical environmental concern.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... environmental concern. 1610.7-2 Section 1610.7-2 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to Public Lands..., PROGRAMMING, BUDGETING Resource Management Planning § 1610.7-2 Designation of areas of critical environmental concern. Areas having potential for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designation and...

43 CFR 1610.7-2 - Designation of areas of critical environmental concern.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... environmental concern. 1610.7-2 Section 1610.7-2 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to Public Lands..., PROGRAMMING, BUDGETING Resource Management Planning § 1610.7-2 Designation of areas of critical environmental concern. Areas having potential for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) designation and...

The experimental evidence for weight-loss treatment of essential hypertension: a critical review.

PubMed Central

Hovell, M F

1982-01-01

The empirical evidence concerning the therapeutic effects of weight loss for hypertension treatment was reviewed. Interventions were critically reviewed for strength of measures and experimental design. Six of 21 intervention studies proved to be methodologically strong. However, only one study was considered a randomized clinical trial, testing the combined effects of weight reduction and pharmacological treatment of hypertension. Average blood pressure decrease obtained from the methodologically strongest studies was -21 mmHg and -13 mmHg, for systolic and diastolic measures, respectively. This magnitude change suggests that weight loss may be a clinically and statistically significant treatment. Confounding and bias variables, such as adherence to diet, medication, salt consumption, etc., were discussed and future areas of research were outlined. It was concluded that weight loss appears to be an effective and safe treatment of hypertension. PMID:7039371

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living after Critical Illness: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Hopkins, Ramona O; Suchyta, Mary R; Kamdar, Biren B; Darowski, Emily; Jackson, James C; Needham, Dale M

2017-08-01

Poor functional status is common after critical illness, and can adversely impact the abilities of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors to live independently. Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), which encompass complex tasks necessary for independent living, are a particularly important component of post-ICU functional outcome. To conduct a systematic review of studies evaluating IADLs in survivors of critical illness. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and Web of Science for all relevant English-language studies published through December 31, 2016. Additional articles were identified from personal files and reference lists of eligible studies. Two trained researchers independently reviewed titles and abstracts, and potentially eligible full text studies. Eligible studies included those enrolling adult ICU survivors with IADL assessments, using a validated instrument. We excluded studies involving specific ICU patient populations, specialty ICUs, those enrolling fewer than 10 patients, and those that were not peer-reviewed. Variables related to IADLs were reported using the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). Thirty of 991 articles from our literature search met inclusion criteria, and 23 additional articles were identified from review of reference lists and personal files. Sixteen studies (30%) published between 1999 and 2016 met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Study definitions of impairment in IADLs were highly variable, as were reported rates of pre-ICU IADL dependencies (7-85% of patients). Eleven studies (69%) found that survivors of critical illness had new or worsening IADL dependencies. In three of four longitudinal studies, survivors with IADL dependencies decreased over the follow-up period. Across multiple studies, no risk factors were consistently associated with IADL dependency. Survivors of critical illness commonly experience new or worsening IADL dependency that may

The Critical Events Interview Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avery, Donna M.; Taubert, Alexis

This guide for counselors describes the Critical Events Interview (CEI), a new counseling technique designed to be used with women in transition. The concept of critical events and their influence on adult development is described and the history and current status of the CEI are reviewed, along with current results of CEI evaluations and…

Critical factors for EIA implementation: literature review and research options.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Kørnøv, Lone; Christensen, Per

2013-01-15

After decades of development, the gap between expectations of Environment Impact Assessments (EIA) and their practical performance remains significant. Research has been done to identify the critical factors for an effective implementation of EIA. However, this research, to a large extent, has not been cumulated and analysed comprehensively according to the stages of the EIA process. This paper contributes to the critical review of the literature on EIA implementation and effectiveness by cumulating mainly empirical findings in an implementation theoretical perspective. It focuses on the links between different critical factors and how they relate to different stages in the EIA and thus influence the decision making process. After reviewing 33 refereed journal articles published between 1999 and 2011, we identified 203 notions of critical factors. Of these, 102 related to different stages defined in our comprehensive EIA implementation model, and 101 were identified as general factors related to the whole EIA system. The number of notions of stage factors and general factors is thus about equal. An overlap between stage factors and general factors was found, which demonstrates that critical factors function differently in different cases. The function of the critical factors is complex and it is difficult to determine contingencies and causations. In the sources we examined, there is evidently an imbalance between in-depth empirical research and general knowledge, and the paper offers some suggestions for future research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reactive multilayers fabricated by vapor deposition. A critical review

DOE PAGES

Adams, D. P.

2014-10-02

The reactive multilayer thin films are a class of energetic materials that continue to attract attention for use in joining applications and as igniters. Generally composed of two reactants, these heterogeneous solids can be stimulated by an external source to promptly release stored chemical energy in a sudden emission of light and heat. In our critical review article, results from recent investigations of these materials are discussed. Discussion begins with a brief description of the vapor deposition techniques that provide accurate control of layer thickness and film composition. More than 50 reactive film compositions have been reported to date, withmore » most multilayers fabricated by magnetron sputter deposition or electron-beam evaporation. In later sections, we review how multilayer ignition threshold, reaction rate, and total heat are tailored via thin film design. For example, planar multilayers with nanometer-scale periodicity exhibit rapid, self-sustained reactions with wavefront velocities up to 100 m/s. Numeric and analytical models have elucidated many of the fundamental processes that underlie propagating exothermic reactions while demonstrating how reaction rates vary with multilayer design. Recent, time-resolved diffraction and imaging studies have further revealed the phase transformations and the wavefront dynamics associated with propagating chemical reactions. Many reactive multilayers (e.g., Co/Al) form product phases that are consistent with published equilibrium phase diagrams, yet a few systems, such as Pt/Al, develop metastable products. The final section highlights current and emerging applications of reactive multilayers. Examples include reactive Ni(V)/Al and Pd/Al multilayers which have been developed for localized soldering of heat-sensitive components.« less

Theoretical models of parental HIV disclosure: a critical review.

PubMed

Qiao, Shan; Li, Xiaoming; Stanton, Bonita

2013-01-01

This study critically examined three major theoretical models related to parental HIV disclosure (i.e., the Four-Phase Model [FPM], the Disclosure Decision Making Model [DDMM], and the Disclosure Process Model [DPM]), and the existing studies that could provide empirical support to these models or their components. For each model, we briefly reviewed its theoretical background, described its components and/or mechanisms, and discussed its strengths and limitations. The existing empirical studies supported most theoretical components in these models. However, hypotheses related to the mechanisms proposed in the models have not yet tested due to a lack of empirical evidence. This study also synthesized alternative theoretical perspectives and new issues in disclosure research and clinical practice that may challenge the existing models. The current study underscores the importance of including components related to social and cultural contexts in theoretical frameworks, and calls for more adequately designed empirical studies in order to test and refine existing theories and to develop new ones.

The Critical Book Review: How, Why, and When?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nevin, Ann I.; Brown, Stephanie; Erratt, John; Esquer, Jocelyn; Kamae, Melanie; Neria, Christy; Ocampo, Alaine; Shubin, Jennifer

2010-01-01

Disability Studies in Education (DSE) offers a framework that (a) grounds policy/practice in the experiences [and] perspectives of people with disabilities, (b) challenges practices/policy that isolate, de-humanize individuals, and (c) leads to new questions to pose. In this session, pedagogy for critical book reviews from a DSE perspective is…

Improving product introduction through effective design reviews.

PubMed

Pelnik, Tammy M

2003-01-01

The design review process is a part of the manufacturer's due diligence in developing a safe and effective product. Design review provides early and on-going independent feedback to developers. By adopting a proactive review process, design improvements can be pursued at an optimum time in the product development effort, i.e., when it will cost less to implement changes and when these changes may have the greatest impact. Effective implementation of the design review requirement will lead to better medical products and improved product introduction results.

Tank waste remediation system nuclear criticality safety program management review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

BRADY RAAP, M.C.

1999-06-24

This document provides the results of an internal management review of the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) criticality safety program, performed in advance of the DOE/RL assessment for closure of the TWRS Nuclear Criticality Safety Issue, March 1994. Resolution of the safety issue was identified as Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement) Milestone M-40-12, due September 1999.

A Return to Innovative Engineering Design, Critical Thinking and Systems Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Camarda, Charles J.

2007-01-01

I believe we are facing a critical time where innovative engineering design is of paramount importance to the success of our aerospace industry. However, the very qualities and attributes necessary for enhancing, educating, and mentoring a creative spirit are in decline in important areas. The importance of creativity and innovation in this country was emphasized by a special edition of the Harvard Business Review OnPoint entitled: "The Creative Company" which compiled a series of past and present articles on the subject of creativity and innovation and stressed its importance to our national economy. There is also a recognition of a lack of engineering, critical thinking and problem-solving skills in our education systems and a trend toward trying to enhance those skills by developing K-12 educational programs such as Project Lead the Way, "Science for All Americans", Benchmarks 2061 , etc. In addition, with respect to spacecraft development, we have a growing need for young to mid-level engineers with appropriate experience and skills in spacecraft design, development, analysis, testing, and systems engineering. As the Director of Engineering at NASA's Johnson Space Center, I realized that sustaining engineering support of an operational human spacecraft such as the Space Shuttle is decidedly different than engineering design and development skills necessary for designing a new spacecraft such as the Crew Exploration Vehicle of the Constellation Program. We learned a very important lesson post Columbia in that the Space Shuttle is truly an experimental and not an operational vehicle and the strict adherence to developed rules and processes and chains of command of an inherently bureaucratic organizational structure will not protect us from a host of known unknowns let alone unknown unknowns. There are no strict rules, processes, or procedures for understanding anomalous results of an experiment, anomalies with an experimental spacecraft like Shuttle, or in the

Learning styles and critical thinking relationship in baccalaureate nursing education: a systematic review.

PubMed

Andreou, Christos; Papastavrou, Evridiki; Merkouris, Anastasios

2014-03-01

Critical thinking is a desirable competency for contemporary nurses although there are growing concerns supporting a disturbing paucity in its achievement. Learning styles reflect habitual behaviors which determine distinct preferences within learning situations. Evidence suggests that critical thinking could evolve through learning processes. Variances in critical thinking achievement by nursing students might therefore be influenced by individual learning preferences. The concepts "learning styles" and "critical thinking" have been independently examined in the nursing literature. No reviews were found however exploring their association in nursing education. To identify the potential relationships between learning styles and critical thinking in baccalaureate nursing students. Systematic review. Eleven electronic databases were utilized without geographical and time publishing filters. Hand-searching journals and scanning references from retrieved studies were also performed. Databases were searched for descriptive correlational studies which considered the relationship between learning styles and critical thinking in baccalaureate nursing students. The authors independently progressed three stage screening. Retrieved articles were reviewed at title, abstract and full text levels according to predetermined criteria. All included studies were quality appraised using a rating tool for descriptive studies. Six studies were finally included. Findings were grouped under four key themes: predominant learning styles, critical thinking scoring, critical thinking evolution across academic progress and learning styles-critical thinking correlations. Learning styles' diversities, weak critical thinking and inconsistent evolution through academic progress were revealed across studies. Critical thinking differed significantly between learning styles. Commonly accepted models in nursing education were lacking in both learning styles and critical thinking. Within studies

Critical review of membrane bioreactor models--part 2: hydrodynamic and integrated models.

PubMed

Naessens, W; Maere, T; Ratkovich, N; Vedantam, S; Nopens, I

2012-10-01

Membrane bioreactor technology exists for a couple of decades, but has not yet overwhelmed the market due to some serious drawbacks of which operational cost due to fouling is the major contributor. Knowledge buildup and optimisation for such complex systems can heavily benefit from mathematical modelling. In this paper, the vast literature on hydrodynamic and integrated MBR modelling is critically reviewed. Hydrodynamic models are used at different scales and focus mainly on fouling and only little on system design/optimisation. Integrated models also focus on fouling although the ones including costs are leaning towards optimisation. Trends are discussed, knowledge gaps identified and interesting routes for further research suggested. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of critical factors for SEA implementation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang Jie, E-mail: jasmine@plan.aau.dk; Christensen, Per; Kornov, Lone

The implementation process involved in translating Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) intention into action is vital to an effective SEA. Many factors influence implementation and thus the effectiveness of an SEA. Empirical studies have identified and documented some factors influencing the implementation of an SEA. This research is fragmented, however, and it is still not clear what are the most critical factors of effective SEA performance, and how these relate to different stages of the implementation process or other contextual circumstances. The paper takes its point of departure in implementation theory. Firstly, we introduce implementation theory, and then use it inmore » practice to establish a more comprehensive model related to the stages in the implementation process. Secondly, we identify the critical factors in order to see how they are related to the different stages of SEA or are more general in character. Finally we map the different critical factors and how they influence the overall results of an SEA. Based on a literature review, we present a comprehensive picture of the critical factors and where they are found in the process. We conclude that most of the critical factors identified are of a more general character influencing the SEA process as such, while only one out of four of these factors relates to the specific stages of the SEA. Based on this mapping we can sketch a picture of the totality of critical factors. In this study 266 notions of critical factors were identified. Seen at the level of notions of critical factors, only 24% of these relate to specific stages while for 76% the critical factors are of a more general nature. These critical factors interact in complex ways and appear in different combinations in different stages of the implementation process so tracing the cause and effect is difficult. The pervasiveness of contextual and general factors also clearly suggests that there is no single way to put SEA into practice

"Theorizing Teacher Mobility": A Critical Review of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vagi, Robert; Pivovarova, Margarita

2017-01-01

In this critical review of literature, we summarize the major theoretical frameworks that have been used to study teacher mobility. In total we identified 40 teacher mobility studies that met our inclusion criteria. We conclude that relatively few theoretical frameworks have been used to study teacher mobility and those that have been used are…

Clinical review: Critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy

PubMed Central

Hermans, Greet; De Jonghe, Bernard; Bruyninckx, Frans; Berghe, Greet Van den

2008-01-01

Critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) and myopathy (CIM) are major complications of severe critical illness and its management. CIP/CIM prolongs weaning from mechanical ventilation and physical rehabilitation since both limb and respiratory muscles can be affected. Among many risk factors implicated, sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and multiple organ failure appear to play a crucial role in CIP/CIM. This review focuses on epidemiology, diagnostic challenges, the current understanding of pathophysiology, risk factors, important clinical consequences, and potential interventions to reduce the incidence of CIP/CIM. CIP/CIM is associated with increased hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stays and increased mortality rates. Recently, it was shown in a single centre that intensive insulin therapy significantly reduced the electrophysiological incidence of CIP/CIM and the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation in patients in a medical or surgical ICU for at least 1 week. The electrophysiological diagnosis was limited by the fact that muscle membrane inexcitability was not detected. These results have yet to be confirmed in a larger patient population. One of the main risks of this therapy is hypoglycemia. Also, conflicting evidence concerning the neuromuscular effects of corticosteroids exists. A systematic review of the available literature on the optimal approach for preventing CIP/CIM seems warranted. PMID:19040777

48 CFR 242.1105 - Assignment of criticality designator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Assignment of criticality designator. 242.1105 Section 242.1105 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND AUDIT SERVICES Production...

Short- and long-term impact of critical illness on relatives: literature review.

PubMed

Paul, Fiona; Rattray, Janice

2008-05-01

This paper is a report of a literature review undertaken to identify the short- and long-term impact of critical illness on relatives. Patients in intensive care can experience physical and psychological consequences, and their relatives may also experience such effects. Although it is recognized that relatives have specific needs, it is not clear whether these needs are always met and whether further support is required, particularly after intensive care. The following databases were searched for the period 1950-2007: Medline, British Nursing Index and Archive, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and EMB Reviews--Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials. Search terms focused on adult relatives of critically ill adult patients during and after intensive care. Recurrent topics were categorized to structure the review, i.e. 'relatives needs', 'meeting relatives' needs', 'interventions', 'satisfaction', 'psychological outcomes' and 'coping'. Studies have mainly identified relatives' immediate needs using the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. There are few studies of interventions to meet relatives' needs and the short- and long-term effects of critical illness on relatives. Despite widespread use of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory, factors such as local or cultural differences may influence relatives' needs. Relatives may also have unidentified needs, and these needs should be explored. Limited research has been carried out into interventions to meet relatives' needs and the effects of critical illness on their well-being, yet some relatives may experience negative psychological consequences far beyond the acute phase of the illness.

From Ability to Action: Designing Instruction for Critical Thinking Dispositions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leader, Lars F.; Middleton, James A.

This paper explains the importance of disposition as an essential aspect of critical thinking and suggests how instruction can be designed to promote learners' development of the dispositional side of critical thinking. Topics addressed include: (1) the dispositional bottleneck between opportunity and action, i.e., sensitivity to occasion; (2)…

The Impact of Environmental Design on Teamwork and Communication in Healthcare Facilities: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Gharaveis, Arsalan; Hamilton, D Kirk; Pati, Debajyoti

2018-01-01

The purpose of this systematic review is to investigate the current knowledge about the impact of healthcare facility design on teamwork and communication by exploring the relevant literature. Teamwork and communication are behavioral factors that are impacted by physical design. However, the effects of environmental factors on teamwork and communication have not been investigated extensively in healthcare design literature. There are no published systematic reviews on the current topic. Searches were conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar databases in addition to targeted design journals including Health Environmental Research & Design, Environment and Behavior, Environmental Psychology, and Applied Ergonomics. Inclusion criteria were (a) full-text English language articles related to teamwork and communication and (b) involving any healthcare built environment and space design published in peer-reviewed journals between 1984 and 2017. Studies were extracted using defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the first phase, 26 of the 195 articles most relevant to teamwork and 19 studies of the 147 were identified and reviewed to understand the impact of communication in healthcare facilities. The literature regarding the impact of built environment on teamwork and communication were reviewed and explored in detail. Eighteen studies were selected and succinctly summarized as the final product of this review. Environmental design, which involves nurses, support staff, and physicians, is one of the critical factors that promotes the efficiency of teamwork and collaborative communication. Layout design, visibility, and accessibility levels are the most cited aspects of design which can affect the level of communication and teamwork in healthcare facilities.

Influence of Study Design on Outcomes Following Reflexology Massage: An Integrative and Critical Review of Interventional Studies.

PubMed

McVicar, Andrew; Greenwood, Christina; Ellis, Carol; LeForis, Chantelle

2016-09-01

Interpretation of the efficacy of reflexology is hindered by inconsistent research designs and complicated by professional views that criteria of randomized controlled trials (RCTs)are not ideal to research holistic complementary and alternative medicine practice. The influence of research designs on study outcomes is not known. This integrative review sought to evaluate this possibility. Thirty-seven interventional studies (2000-2014) were identified; they had RCT or non-RCT design and compared reflexology outcomes against a control/comparison group. Viability of integrating RCT and non-RCT studies into a single database was first evaluated by appraisal of 16 reporting fields related to study setting and objectives, sample demographics, methodologic design, and treatment fidelity and assessment against Jadad score quality criteria for RCTs. For appraisal, the database was stratified into RCT/non-RCT or Jadad score of 3 or more or less than 3. Deficits in reporting were identified for blind assignment of participants, dropout/completion rate, and School of Reflexology. For comparison purposes, these fields were excluded from subsequent analysis for evidence of association between design fields and of fields with study outcomes. Thirty-one studies applied psychometric tools and 20 applied biometric tools (14 applied both). A total of 116 measures were used. Type of measure was associated with study objectives (p < 0.001; chi-square), in particular of psychometric measures with a collated "behavioral/cognitive" objective. Significant outcomes were more likely (p < 0.001; chi-square) for psychometric than for biometric measures. Neither type of outcome was associated with choice of RCT or non-RCT method, but psychometric responses were associated (p = 0.007) with a nonmassage control strategy. The review supports psychometric responses to reflexology when study design uses a nonmassage control strategy. Findings suggest that an evaluation of outcomes

Drug Use Normalization: A Systematic and Critical Mixed-Methods Review.

PubMed

Sznitman, Sharon R; Taubman, Danielle S

2016-09-01

Drug use normalization, which is a process whereby drug use becomes less stigmatized and more accepted as normative behavior, provides a conceptual framework for understanding contemporary drug issues and changes in drug use trends. Through a mixed-methods systematic review of the normalization literature, this article seeks to (a) critically examine how the normalization framework has been applied in empirical research and (b) make recommendations for future research in this area. Twenty quantitative, 26 qualitative, and 4 mixed-methods studies were identified through five electronic databases and reference lists of published studies. Studies were assessed for relevance, study characteristics, quality, and aspects of normalization examined. None of the studies applied the most rigorous research design (experiments) or examined all of the originally proposed normalization dimensions. The most commonly assessed dimension of drug use normalization was "experimentation." In addition to the original dimensions, the review identified the following new normalization dimensions in the literature: (a) breakdown of demographic boundaries and other risk factors in relation to drug use; (b) de-normalization; (c) drug use as a means to achieve normal goals; and (d) two broad forms of micro-politics associated with managing the stigma of illicit drug use: assimilative and transformational normalization. Further development in normalization theory and methodology promises to provide researchers with a novel framework for improving our understanding of drug use in contemporary society. Specifically, quasi-experimental designs that are currently being made feasible by swift changes in cannabis policy provide researchers with new and improved opportunities to examine normalization processes.

RS-84 Engine Completes Design Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

This is an artist's concept of the kerosene-fueled RS-84 engine, one of several technologies competing to power NASA's next generation of launch vehicles. The RS-84 has successfully completed its preliminary design review as a reusable, liquid kerosene booster engine that will deliver a thrust level of 1 million pounds of force. The preliminary design review is a lengthy technical analysis that evaluates engine design according to stringent system requirements. The review ensures development is on target to meet Next Generation Launch Technology goals: Improved safety, reliability, and cost.

Pulmonary vasculature and critical asthma syndromes: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Avdalovic, Mark

2015-02-01

One of the important factors and consequences in persistent asthma is the change in the vasculature of the airways and lung parenchyma. These changes could contribute to worsening asthma control and predispose asthmatics to critical asthma syndromes. For many years, the contribution of vasculature to severe asthma was limited to discussion of small and medium vessel vasculitis commonly referred to as Churg-Strauss syndrome. This comprehensive review will explore the known mechanisms that are associated with remodeling of the vasculature in a variety of critical asthma presentations. Inflammation of pulmonary and bronchial small blood vessels may contribute significantly but silently to asthma pathobiology. Inflammation in the vasculature of the lung parenchyma can decrease lung capacity while inflammation in airway vasculature can decrease airflow. This review will provide a modern perspective on Churg-Strauss syndromes with a focus on phenotyping, mechanism, and ultimately modern therapeutic approaches. Vascular remodeling and airway remodeling are not mutually exclusive concepts in understanding the progression of asthma and frequency of acute exacerbations. Furthermore, the contribution of vascular leak, particularly in the parenchymal vasculature, has become an increasingly recognized component of certain presentations of poorly controlled, severe persistent asthmatic and during exacerbations. We highlight how these mechanisms can contribute to some the severe presentations of influenza infection in patients with a history of asthma. The ultimate aim of this review is to summarize the current literature concerning vasculitis and the contribution of airway and parenchymal vascular remodeling to presentation of persistent asthma and its consequences during acute exacerbations and critical asthma syndromes.

Nutritional risk assessment in critically ill cancer patients: systematic review

PubMed Central

Fruchtenicht, Ana Valéria Gonçalves; Poziomyck, Aline Kirjner; Kabke, Geórgia Brum; Loss, Sérgio Henrique; Antoniazzi, Jorge Luiz; Steemburgo, Thais; Moreira, Luis Fernando

2015-01-01

Objective To systematically review the main methods for nutritional risk assessment used in critically ill cancer patients and present the methods that better assess risks and predict relevant clinical outcomes in this group of patients, as well as to discuss the pros and cons of these methods according to the current literature. Methods The study consisted of a systematic review based on analysis of manuscripts retrieved from the PubMed, LILACS and SciELO databases by searching for the key words “nutritional risk assessment”, “critically ill” and “cancer”. Results Only 6 (17.7%) of 34 initially retrieved papers met the inclusion criteria and were selected for the review. The main outcomes of these studies were that resting energy expenditure was associated with undernourishment and overfeeding. The high Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score was significantly associated with low food intake, weight loss and malnutrition. In terms of biochemical markers, higher levels of creatinine, albumin and urea were significantly associated with lower mortality. The worst survival was found for patients with worse Eastern Cooperative Oncologic Group - performance status, high Glasgow Prognostic Score, low albumin, high Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score and high alkaline phosphatase levels. Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index values < 87 were significantly associated with mortality. A high Prognostic Inflammatory and Nutritional Index score was associated with abnormal nutritional status in critically ill cancer patients. Among the reviewed studies that examined weight and body mass index alone, no significant clinical outcome was found. Conclusion None of the methods reviewed helped to define risk among these patients. Therefore, assessment by a combination of weight loss and serum measurements, preferably in combination with other methods using scores such as Eastern Cooperative Oncologic Group - performance status, Glasgow Prognostic

Exploring Gigabyte Datasets in Real Time: Architectures, Interfaces and Time-Critical Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryson, Steve; Gerald-Yamasaki, Michael (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

Architectures and Interfaces: The implications of real-time interaction on software architecture design: decoupling of interaction/graphics and computation into asynchronous processes. The performance requirements of graphics and computation for interaction. Time management in such an architecture. Examples of how visualization algorithms must be modified for high performance. Brief survey of interaction techniques and design, including direct manipulation and manipulation via widgets. talk discusses how human factors considerations drove the design and implementation of the virtual wind tunnel. Time-Critical Design: A survey of time-critical techniques for both computation and rendering. Emphasis on the assignment of a time budget to both the overall visualization environment and to each individual visualization technique in the environment. The estimation of the benefit and cost of an individual technique. Examples of the modification of visualization algorithms to allow time-critical control.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition--a critical review.

PubMed

Moreira, Irina Sousa; Fernandes, Pedro Alexandrino; Ramos, Maria João

2007-03-01

Angiogenesis, or formation of new blood capillaries from preexisting vessels, plays both beneficial and damaging roles in the organism. It is a result of a complex balance of positive and negative regulators, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most important pro-angiogenic factors involved in tumor angiogenesis. VEGF increases vascular permeability, which might facilitate tumor dissemination via the circulation causing a greater delivery of oxygen and nutrients; it recruits circulating endothelial precursor cells, and acts as a survival factor for immature tumor blood vessels. The endotheliotropic activities of VEGF are mediated through the VEGF-specific tyrosine-kinase receptors: VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3. VEGF and its receptors play a central role in tumor angiogenesis, and therefore the blockade of this pathway is a promising therapeutic strategy for inhibiting angiogenesis and tumor growth. A number of different strategies to inhibit VEGF signal transduction are in development and they include the development of humanized neutralizing anti-VEGF monoclonal antibodies, receptor antagonists, soluble receptors, antagonistic VEGF mutants, and inhibitors of VEGF receptor function. These agents can be divided in two broad classes, namely agents designed to target the VEGF activity and agents designed to target the surface receptor function. The main purpose of this review is to summarize all the available information regarding the importance of the pro-angiogenic factor VEGF in cancer therapy. After an overview of the VEGF family and their respective receptors, we shall focus our attention on the different VEGF-inhibitors existent nowadays. Agents based upon anti-VEGF therapy have provided solid proofs about their success, and therefore we believe that a critical review is of the utmost importance to help researchers in their future work.

Consumer sleep tracking devices: a critical review.

PubMed

Lee, Jeon; Finkelstein, Joseph

2015-01-01

Consumer sleep tracking devices are widely advertised as effective means to monitor and manage sleep quality and to provide positive effects on overall heath. However objective evidence supporting these claims is not always readily available. The goal of this study was to perform a comprehensive review of available information on six representative sleep tracking devices: BodyMedia FIT, Fitbit Flex, Jawbone UP, Basis Band, Innovative Sleep Solutions SleepTracker, and Zeo Sleep Manager Pro. The review was conducted along the following dimensions: output metrics, theoretical frameworks, systematic evaluation, and FDA clearance. The review identified a critical lack of basic information about the devices: five out of six devices provided no supporting information on their sensor accuracy and four out of six devices provided no information on their output metrics accuracy. Only three devices were found to have related peer-reviewed articles. However in these articles wake detection accuracy was revealed to be quite low and to vary widely (BodyMedia, 49.9±3.6%; Fitbit, 19.8%; Zeo, 78.9% to 83.5%). No supporting evidence on how well tracking devices can help mitigate sleep loss and manage sleep disturbances in practical life was provided.

Risk factors for shoulder pain and injury in swimmers: A critical systematic review.

PubMed

Hill, Lee; Collins, Malcolm; Posthumus, Michael

2015-11-01

Swimming is one of the most popular recreational and competitive sporting activities. In the 2013/2014 swimming season, 9630 men and 12,333 women were registered with the National Collegiate Athletics Association in the USA. The repetitive nature of the swimming stroke and demanding training programs of its athletes raises a number of concerns regarding incidence and severity of injuries that a swimmer might experience during a competitive season. A number of risk factors have previously been identified but the level of evidence from individual studies, as well as the level of certainty that these factors predispose a swimmer to pain and injury, to our knowledge has yet to be critically evaluated in a systematic review. Therefore, the primary objective of this review is to conduct a systematic review to critically assess the published evidence for risk factors that may predispose a swimmer to shoulder pain and injury. Three electronic databases, ScienceDirect, PubMed and SpringerLink, were searched using keywords "(Injury OR pain) AND (Swim*)" and "(Shoulder) AND (Swim*)". Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 2731 unique titles were identified and were analyzed to a final 29 articles. Only articles with a level of evidence of I, II and III were included according to robust study design and data analysis. The level of certainty for each risk factor was determined. No studies were determined to have a high level of certainty, clinical joint laxity and instability, internal/external rotation, previous history of pain and injury and competitive level were determined to have a moderate level of certainty. All other risk factors were evaluated as having a low level of certainty. Although several risk factors were identified from the reviewed studies, prospective cohort studies, larger sample sizes, consistent and robust measures of risk should be employed in future research.

Evaluation of speech errors in Putonghua speakers with cleft palate: a critical review of methodology issues.

PubMed

Jiang, Chenghui; Whitehill, Tara L

2014-04-01

Speech errors associated with cleft palate are well established for English and several other Indo-European languages. Few articles describing the speech of Putonghua (standard Mandarin Chinese) speakers with cleft palate have been published in English language journals. Although methodological guidelines have been published for the perceptual speech evaluation of individuals with cleft palate, there has been no critical review of methodological issues in studies of Putonghua speakers with cleft palate. A literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies published over the past 30 years in Chinese language journals. Only studies incorporating perceptual analysis of speech were included. Thirty-seven articles which met inclusion criteria were analyzed and coded on a number of methodological variables. Reliability was established by having all variables recoded for all studies. This critical review identified many methodological issues. These design flaws make it difficult to draw reliable conclusions about characteristic speech errors in this group of speakers. Specific recommendations are made to improve the reliability and validity of future studies, as well to facilitate cross-center comparisons.

Systematic review of β blocker, aspirin, and statin in critically ill patients: importance of severity of illness and cardiac troponin.

PubMed

Rothenberg, Florence G; Clay, Michael B; Jamali, Hina; Vandivier-Pletsch, Robin H

2017-04-01

Non-cardiac critically ill patients with type II myocardial infarction (MI) have a high risk of mortality. There are no evidence-based interventions to mitigate this risk. We systematically reviewed the literature regarding the use of medications known to reduce mortality in patients with cardiac troponin (cTn) elevation due to type I MI (β blockers, statin, and aspirin) in studies of critically ill patients without Type I MI. All PubMed publications between 1976-2/19/16 were reviewed. Search terms included: β blocker or aspirin or statin and intensive care unit (ICU) or critically ill or sepsis; 497 primary references were obtained. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) study population consisted of critically ill patients in the ICU with non-cardiovascular illnesses, (2) mortality end point, (3) severity of illness (or injury) was measured, and (4) the antiplatelet agent was primarily aspirin. Retrospective investigations, prospective observational studies, meta-analysis, systematic review, and randomized controlled trials were included; case reports were excluded. 25 primary references were obtained. The data were extracted and tabulated using data collection headings as follows: article title, first author/year/reference number, study type/design, population studied, outcome and intervention, and study question addressed. Evidence was not graded as the majority of studies were non-randomized (low-to-moderate quality). 11 studies were found through bibliography reviews for a total of 36 references. In conclusion, β blockers, statins, and aspirin may play a role in reducing mortality in non-cardiac critically ill patients. Benefit appears to be related to severity of illness, for which cTn may be a marker. Copyright © 2017 American Federation for Medical Research.

Critical Issues in Telecollaborative Task Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Dowd, R.; Waire, P.

2009-01-01

In this article we examine how instructors make decisions about task design in telecollaboration and the factors that influence these decisions during the actual implementation of the tasks. We begin with a review of the recent literature of online intercultural exchanges to identify and describe a typology of 12 different types of tasks and task…

Benefits, challenges and critical factors of success for Zero Waste: A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Pietzsch, Natália; Ribeiro, José Luis Duarte; de Medeiros, Janine Fleith

2017-09-01

Considering the growing concern with solid wastes problems and the pressing need for a holistic approach to their management, this study developed a literature review about the subject "Zero Waste". To that end, a systematic literature review was executed, through which 102 published articles were analyzed with the aim to, initially, comprehend the concept of Zero Waste, and, then, map its benefits, challenges, and critical success factors. The results show that scholars have not reached a consensus regarding the concept of ZW. While some studies fully address this philosophy, other studies are based on just one or on some of its topics. The benefits were grouped and organized into four dimensions: benefits to the community, financial-economic benefits, benefits to the environment and benefits to the industry and stakeholders. As to the challenges, barriers were identified both in the macro environment (mainly political and cultural) and in the meso and micro environments (stakeholders, industries, and municipalities). The analysis of the articles enabled listing critical success factors, supported by a set of activities that must be carried out. Regarding future studies, it is worth noting that more empirical studies about ZW implementation are necessary, particularly with regard to educational practices designed to promote changes in user behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Postgraduate Research Supervision: A Critical Review of Current Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCallin, Antoinette; Nayar, Shoba

2012-01-01

Changes in the funding and delivery of research programmes at the university level have, in recent years, resulted in significant changes to research supervision. This paper critically reviews key influences effecting postgraduate supervision. Analysis draws on literature spanning 2000-2010 to determine the appropriateness of traditional models of…

Contraceptive Health Programs for Adolescents: A Critical Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lagana, Luciana; Hayes, David M.

1993-01-01

Reviews some contraceptive education programs designed for adolescents that differ in educational process based on delivery setting. Reviews school-based, community-based, and college/university-based programs and discusses them in terms of their effectiveness, potential, and limitations. Notes that educational accountability in each setting…

EPR and Bell's theorem: A critical review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stapp, H.P.

1991-01-01

The argument of Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen is reviewed with attention to logical structure and character of assumptions. Bohr's reply is discussed. Bell's contribution is formulated without use of hidden variables, and efforts to equate hidden variables to realism are critically examined. An alternative derivation of nonlocality that makes no use of hidden variables, microrealism, counterfactual definiteness, or any other assumption alien to orthodox quantum thinking is described in detail, with particular attention to the quartet or broken-square question.

RISK FACTORS FOR PRESSURE INJURIES AMONG CRITICAL-CARE PATIENTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

PubMed Central

Alderden, Jenny; Rondinelli, June; Pepper, Ginette; Cummins, Mollie; Whitney, JoAnne

2017-01-01

Objective To identify risk factors independently predictive of pressure injury (also known as pressure ulcer) development among critical-care patients Design We undertook a systematic review of primary research based on standardized criteria set forth by the Institute of Medicine. Data Sources We searched the following databases: CINAHL (EBSCOhost), the Cochrane Library (Wilson), Dissertations & Theses Global (ProQuest), PubMed (National Library of Medicine), and Scopus. There was no language restriction. Method A research librarian coordinated the search strategy. Articles that potentially met inclusion criteria were screened by two investigators. Among the articles that met selection criteria, one investigator extracted data and a second investigator reviewed the data for accuracy. Based on a literature search, we developed a tool for assessing study quality using a combination of currently available tools and expert input. We used the method developed by Coleman and colleagues in 2014 to generate evidence tables and a summary narrative synthesis by domain and subdomain. Results Of 1753 abstracts reviewed, 158 were identified as potentially eligible and 18 fulfilled eligibility criteria. Five studies were classified as high quality, two were moderate quality, nine were low quality, and two were of very low quality. Age, mobility/activity, perfusion, and vasopressor infusion emerged as important risk factors for pressure injury development, whereas results for risk categories that are theoretically important, including nutrition, and skin/pressure injury status, were mixed. Methodological limitations across studies limited the generalizability of the results, and future research is needed, particularly to evaluate risk conferred by altered nutrition and skin/pressure injury status, and to further elucidate the effects of perfusion-related variables. Conclusions Results underscore the importance of avoiding overinterpretation of a single study, and the importance

Patient focused care team design. Critical aspects of a cost-effective design strategy.

PubMed

Leander, W J

1993-01-01

It is the critical, yet largely unknown aspects of Patient Focused care team design--the "how" of a design process--which make LRMC's "Care Pairs" a ground-breaking innovation rather than just a distinctive-sounding name. Unfortunately, many hospital leaders of Patient Focused Care programs know the "what" of LRMC's "Care Pairs" but very little, if anything, about this "how." To create Patient Focused care teams which are "right" for your own institution, you must quantify the Costs of Continuity, Competency and Compartmentalization and their associated benefits. Without these informed trade-offs, you and your hospital will be forced to live with someone else's Patient Focused care team design. In summary, it is what you don't know about LRMC's "Care Pairs," not what you do know, that is important to your Patient Focused Care program. Hospitals just beginning to implement Patient Focused Care must understand this "how" if they are to design effective care teams which optimize the performance of their initial unit(s) within their unique environments. Hospitals like LRMC with established Patient Focused Care units must also periodically draw upon this "how" or they face the very real danger of having their Patient Focused care team design(s) become outdated, less effective and eventually detrimental. Or, said another way: "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over those who cannot." Mark Twain. "An out-of-date Patient Focused hospital has no advantage over those which remain unrestructured." The PFCA. The three critical aspects of Patient Focused care team design explored in this article are just the tip of the iceberg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Critical Components of Successful Inclusion of Students with Severe Disabilities: Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alquraini, Turki; Gut, Dianne

2012-01-01

This paper examines the critical components of successful inclusion for students with severe disabilities. This review sets out to provide an overview of literature regarding effective practices for inclusion with a focus on critical components of successful inclusion that assist in preparing the stakeholders worldwide to work and engage…

Perfusion mammalian cell culture for recombinant protein manufacturing - A critical review.

PubMed

Bielser, Jean-Marc; Wolf, Moritz; Souquet, Jonathan; Broly, Hervé; Morbidelli, Massimo

The manufacturing of recombinant protein is traditionally divided in two main steps: upstream (cell culture and synthesis of the target protein) and downstream (purification and formulation of the protein into a drug substance or drug product). Today, cost pressure, market uncertainty and market growth, challenge the existing manufacturing technologies. Leaders in the field are active in designing the process of the future and continuous manufacturing is recurrently mentioned as a potential solution to address some of the current limitations. This review focuses on the application of continuous processing to the first step of the manufacturing process. Enabling technologies and operation modes are described in the first part. In the second part, recent advances in the field that have the potential to support its successful future development are critically discussed. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antidiabetic plant-derived nutraceuticals: a critical review.

PubMed

Naveen, Jayapal; Baskaran, Vallikannan

2018-06-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major health problems in the world, especially amongst the urban population. Chemically synthesized drugs used to decrease the ill effects of DM and its secondary complications cause adverse side effects, viz., weight gain, gastrointestinal disturbances, and heart failure. Currently, various other approaches, viz., diet control, physical exercise and use of antidiabetic plant-derived molecules/foods are advocated to manage DM, as they are economical with fewer or no side effects. This review mainly focuses on antidiabetic plants, chemically characterized plant molecules and plant-based foods in the treatment of DM. Very little science-based evidence is available on the mechanism of action of plant-derived food molecules on the DM targets. Critical DM targets include α-amylase, α-glucosidase, DPP-IV, aldose reductase, PPAR-γ, AMP kinase and GLUT4. In-depth studies carried out on a few of those targets with specific mechanisms of action are addressed in this review. This review may help future researchers in identifying a right plant molecule to treat DM or to develop food formulations for DM management.

School-Based Peer-Related Social Competence Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis and Descriptive Review of Single Case Research Design Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalon, Kelly J.; Conroy, Maureen A.; Martinez, Jose R.; Werch, Brittany L.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this review was to critically examine and summarize the impact of school-based interventions designed to facilitate the peer-related social competence of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Reviewed studies employed a single-case experimental design, targeted peer-related social competence, included children 3-12 years old…

Peer-to-Peer Teaching in Higher Education: A Critical Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stigmar, Martin

2016-01-01

The aim of my critical literature review is to identify studies where students are engaged as partners in teaching in higher education and to analyze how tutors and tutees benefit from peer teaching. Thirty studies were included for review. Thirteen countries are represented and two thirds of the studies conducted in the United States of America…

Risk factors for invasive fungal disease in critically ill adult patients: a systematic review.

PubMed

Muskett, Hannah; Shahin, Jason; Eyres, Gavin; Harvey, Sheila; Rowan, Kathy; Harrison, David

2011-01-01

Over 5,000 cases of invasive Candida species infections occur in the United Kingdom each year, and around 40% of these cases occur in critical care units. Invasive fungal disease (IFD) in critically ill patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality at a cost to both the individual and the National Health Service. In this paper, we report the results of a systematic review performed to identify and summarise the important risk factors derived from published multivariable analyses, risk prediction models and clinical decision rules for IFD in critically ill adult patients to inform the primary data collection for the Fungal Infection Risk Evaluation Study. An internet search was performed to identify articles which investigated risk factors, risk prediction models or clinical decisions rules for IFD in critically ill adult patients. Eligible articles were identified in a staged process and were assessed by two investigators independently. The methodological quality of the reporting of the eligible articles was assessed using a set of questions addressing both general and statistical methodologies. Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria, of which eight articles examined risk factors, four developed a risk prediction model or clinical decision rule and one evaluated a clinical decision rule. Studies varied in terms of objectives, risk factors, definitions and outcomes. The following risk factors were found in multiple studies to be significantly associated with IFD: surgery, total parenteral nutrition, fungal colonisation, renal replacement therapy, infection and/or sepsis, mechanical ventilation, diabetes, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) or APACHE III score. Several other risk factors were also found to be statistically significant in single studies only. Risk factor selection process and modelling strategy also varied across studies, and sample sizes were inadequate for obtaining reliable estimates. This review

Risk factors for invasive fungal disease in critically ill adult patients: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

reliable estimates. Conclusions This review shows a number of risk factors to be significantly associated with the development of IFD in critically ill adults. Methodological limitations were identified in the design and conduct of studies in this area, and caution should be used in their interpretation. PMID:22126425

A knowledge-based taxonomy of critical factors for adopting electronic health record systems by physicians: a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The health care sector is an area of social and economic interest in several countries; therefore, there have been lots of efforts in the use of electronic health records. Nevertheless, there is evidence suggesting that these systems have not been adopted as it was expected, and although there are some proposals to support their adoption, the proposed support is not by means of information and communication technology which can provide automatic tools of support. The aim of this study is to identify the critical adoption factors for electronic health records by physicians and to use them as a guide to support their adoption process automatically. Methods This paper presents, based on the PRISMA statement, a systematic literature review in electronic databases with adoption studies of electronic health records published in English. Software applications that manage and process the data in the electronic health record have been considered, i.e.: computerized physician prescription, electronic medical records, and electronic capture of clinical data. Our review was conducted with the purpose of obtaining a taxonomy of the physicians main barriers for adopting electronic health records, that can be addressed by means of information and communication technology; in particular with the information technology roles of the knowledge management processes. Which take us to the question that we want to address in this work: "What are the critical adoption factors of electronic health records that can be supported by information and communication technology?". Reports from eight databases covering electronic health records adoption studies in the medical domain, in particular those focused on physicians, were analyzed. Results The review identifies two main issues: 1) a knowledge-based classification of critical factors for adopting electronic health records by physicians; and 2) the definition of a base for the design of a conceptual framework for supporting the

Preliminary Report on Mission Design and Operations for Critical Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayden, Sandra C.; Tumer, Irem

2005-01-01

Mission-critical events are defined in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory s Flight Project Practices as those sequences of events which must succeed in order to attain mission goals. These are dependent on the particular operational concept and design reference mission, and are especially important when committing to irreversible events. Critical events include main engine cutoff (MECO) after launch; engine cutoff or parachute deployment on entry, descent, and landing (EDL); orbital insertion; separation of payload from vehicle or separation of booster segments; maintenance of pointing accuracy for power and communication; and deployment of solar arrays and communication antennas. The purpose of this paper is to report on the current practices in handling mission-critical events in design and operations at major NASA spaceflight centers. The scope of this report includes NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), with staff at each center consulted on their current practices, processes, and procedures.

[Introduction to critical reading of articles: study design and biases].

PubMed

García Villar, C

2015-01-01

The critical evaluation of an article enables professionals to make good use of the new information and therefore has direct repercussions for the benefit of our patients. Before undertaking a detailed critical reading of the chosen article, we need to consider whether the study used the most appropriate design for the question it aimed to answer (i.e., whether the level of evidence is adequate). To do this, we need to know how to classify studies in function of their design (descriptive or analytical; prospective or retrospective; cross-sectional or longitudinal) as well as their correlation with the levels of evidence. In critical reading it is also important to know the main systematic errors or biases that can affect a study. Biases can appear in any phase of a study; they can affect the sample, the development of the study, or the measurement of the results. Copyright © 2014 SERAM. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Automatic Generation and Ranking of Questions for Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ming; Calvo, Rafael A.; Rus, Vasile

2014-01-01

Critical review skill is one important aspect of academic writing. Generic trigger questions have been widely used to support this activity. When students have a concrete topic in mind, trigger questions are less effective if they are too general. This article presents a learning-to-rank based system which automatically generates specific trigger…

Ethical Design of Intelligent Assistive Technologies for Dementia: A Descriptive Review.

PubMed

Ienca, Marcello; Wangmo, Tenzin; Jotterand, Fabrice; Kressig, Reto W; Elger, Bernice

2017-09-22

The use of Intelligent Assistive Technology (IAT) in dementia care opens the prospects of reducing the global burden of dementia and enabling novel opportunities to improve the lives of dementia patients. However, with current adoption rates being reportedly low, the potential of IATs might remain under-expressed as long as the reasons for suboptimal adoption remain unaddressed. Among these, ethical and social considerations are critical. This article reviews the spectrum of IATs for dementia and investigates the prevalence of ethical considerations in the design of current IATs. Our screening shows that a significant portion of current IATs is designed in the absence of explicit ethical considerations. These results suggest that the lack of ethical consideration might be a codeterminant of current structural limitations in the translation of IATs from designing labs to bedside. Based on these data, we call for a coordinated effort to proactively incorporate ethical considerations early in the design and development of new products.

Critical to quality in telemedicine service management: application of DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) and SERVQUAL).

PubMed

Yun, Eun Kyoung; Chun, Kee Moon

2008-01-01

Telemedicine generally refers to the use of communications and information technologies for the delivery of health care. owever, telemedicine is not merely a simple combination of health care and technology. The researchers propose a systematic approach for assessing needs of telemedicine customers, called critical-to-quality (CTQ) in Six Sigma, with a purpose of continuous quality improvement. The combination approach using DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) and SERVQUAL (Service Quality Framework) was applied to define the critical quality attributes of telemedicine service management and to match them with the current telemedicine process. With a step-by-step procedure, telemedicine service process was reviewed and all the important CTQ candidates identified via a case study. The findings suggest that nurses need further understanding and research methods that will improve and manage the quality of health care service in various medical fields.

78 FR 24515 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Sierra...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-25

... Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for... Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Sierra Nevada Yellow-Legged Frog, the... that the designation of critical habitat is not prudent. (2) Specific information on: (a) The amount...

A critical review on tablet disintegration.

PubMed

Quodbach, Julian; Kleinebudde, Peter

2016-09-01

Tablet disintegration is an important factor for drug release and can be modified with excipients called tablet disintegrants. Tablet disintegrants act via different mechanisms and the efficacy of these excipients is influenced by various factors. In this review, the existing literature on tablet disintegration is critically reviewed. Potential disintegration mechanisms, as well as impact factors on the disintegration process will be discussed based on experimental evidence. Search terms for Scopus and Web of Science included "tablet disintegration", "mechanism tablet disintegration", "superdisintegrants", "disintegrants", "swelling force", "disintegration force", "disintegration mechanisms", as well as brand names of commonly applied superdisintegrants. References of identified papers were screened as well. Experimental data supports swelling and shape recovery as main mechanisms of action of disintegrants. Other tablet excipients and different manufacturing techniques greatly influence the disintegration process. The use of different excipients, experimental setups and manufacturing techniques, as well as the demand for original research led to a distinct patchwork of knowledge. Broader, more systematic approaches are necessary not only to structure the past but also future findings.

Static Magnetic Field Therapy: A Critical Review of Treatment Parameters

PubMed Central

Wahbeh, Helané; Harling, Noelle; Connelly, Erin; Schiffke, Heather C.; Forsten, Cora; Gregory, William L.; Markov, Marko S.; Souder, James J.; Elmer, Patricia; King, Valerie

2009-01-01

Static magnetic field (SMF) therapy, applied via a permanent magnet attached to the skin, is used by people worldwide for self-care. Despite a lack of established SMF dosage and treatment regimens, multiple studies are conducted to evaluate SMF therapy effectiveness. Our objectives in conducting this review are to:(i) summarize SMF research conducted in humans; (ii) critically evaluate reporting quality of SMF dosages and treatment parameters and (iii) propose a set of criteria for reporting SMF treatment parameters in future clinical trials. We searched 27 electronic databases and reference lists. Only English language human studies were included. Excluded were studies of electromagnetic fields, transcranial magnetic stimulation, magnets placed on acupuncture points, animal studies, abstracts, posters and editorials. Data were extracted on clinical indication, study design and 10 essential SMF parameters. Three reviewers assessed quality of reporting and calculated a quality assessment score for each of the 10 treatment parameters. Fifty-six studies were reviewed, 42 conducted in patient populations and 14 in healthy volunteers. The SMF treatment parameters most often and most completely described were site of application, magnet support device and frequency and duration of application. Least often and least completely described were characteristics of the SMF: magnet dimensions, measured field strength and estimated distance of the magnet from the target tissue. Thirty-four (61%) of studies failed to provide enough detail about SMF dosage to permit protocol replication by other investigators. Our findings highlight the need to optimize SMF dosing parameters for individual clinical conditions before proceeding to a full-scale clinical trial. PMID:18955243

School Uniforms: A Critical Review of the Literature. From Inquiry to Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunsma, David L.

The debate surrounding the effectiveness of school-uniform policies, as well as discussions concerning when and how to implement them, is rooted in anecdote. This review summarizes anecdotal literature on which the current debate is based and critically reviews the empirical literature, including theoretical underpinnings, findings, and…

Spacecraft System Integration and Test: SSTI Lewis critical design audit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, R. P.; Cha, K. K.

1995-01-01

The Critical Design Audit package is the final detailed design package which provides a comprehensive description of the SSTI mission. This package includes the program overview, the system requirements, the science and applications activities, the ground segment development, the assembly, integration and test description, the payload and technology demonstrations, and the spacecraft bus subsystems. Publication and presentation of this document marks the final requirements and design freeze for SSTI.

A reference model for model-based design of critical infrastructure protection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Young Don; Park, Cheol Young; Lee, Jae-Chon

2015-05-01

Today's war field environment is getting versatile as the activities of unconventional wars such as terrorist attacks and cyber-attacks have noticeably increased lately. The damage caused by such unconventional wars has also turned out to be serious particularly if targets are critical infrastructures that are constructed in support of banking and finance, transportation, power, information and communication, government, and so on. The critical infrastructures are usually interconnected to each other and thus are very vulnerable to attack. As such, to ensure the security of critical infrastructures is very important and thus the concept of critical infrastructure protection (CIP) has come. The program to realize the CIP at national level becomes the form of statute in each country. On the other hand, it is also needed to protect each individual critical infrastructure. The objective of this paper is to study on an effort to do so, which can be called the CIP system (CIPS). There could be a variety of ways to design CIPS's. Instead of considering the design of each individual CIPS, a reference model-based approach is taken in this paper. The reference model represents the design of all the CIPS's that have many design elements in common. In addition, the development of the reference model is also carried out using a variety of model diagrams. The modeling language used therein is the systems modeling language (SysML), which was developed and is managed by Object Management Group (OMG) and a de facto standard. Using SysML, the structure and operational concept of the reference model are designed to fulfil the goal of CIPS's, resulting in the block definition and activity diagrams. As a case study, the operational scenario of the nuclear power plant while being attacked by terrorists is studied using the reference model. The effectiveness of the results is also analyzed using multiple analysis models. It is thus expected that the approach taken here has some merits

Stripping in HMA Mixtures: State of the Art and Critical Review of Test Methods

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1988-09-01

This report presents review summaries of the state-of-the-art regarding stripping in hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures. The review stresses efforts concerned with methods development, evaluation and presents a critical review of select methods including...

Stripping in HMA mixtures : state-of-the-art and critical review of test methods

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1988-09-01

This report presents review summaries of the state-of-the-art : regarding stripping in hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures. The review stresses efforts concerned with methods development, evaluation and presents a critical review of select methods includi...

Interaction of toxic chemicals with microplastics: A critical review.

PubMed

Wang, Fen; Wong, Charles S; Chen, Da; Lu, Xingwen; Wang, Fei; Zeng, Eddy Y

2018-08-01

Occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in the environment has attracted great attention as it has become a global concern. This review aims to systematically demonstrate the role of marine microplastic as a novel medium for environmental partitioning of chemicals in the ocean, which can cause toxic effects in the ecological environment. This review assimilated and analyzed available data published between 1972 and 2017 on the interaction between MPs and selected chemicals. Firstly, the review analyzes the occurrence of chemicals in MPs and outlines their distribution patterns. Then possible mechanisms of the interaction between MPs and organic chemicals and potential controlling factors were critically studied. Finally, the hazards of MPs and affiliated organic chemicals to marine organisms were shortly summarized. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 66250 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Lepidium...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-26

...-0-0009] RIN 1018-AX16 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat...), announce the reopening of the comment period on our May 10, 2011, proposal to designate critical habitat... comment period on our proposed critical habitat for Lepidium papilliferum that was published in the...

Nanostructured delivery systems with improved leishmanicidal activity: a critical review

PubMed Central

Bruni, Natascia; Stella, Barbara; Giraudo, Leonardo; Della Pepa, Carlo; Gastaldi, Daniela; Dosio, Franco

2017-01-01

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, which are responsible for numerous clinical manifestations, such as cutaneous, visceral, and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, depending on the site of infection for particular species. These complexities threaten 350 million people in 98 countries worldwide. Amastigotes living within macrophage phagolysosomes are the principal target of antileishmanial treatment, but these are not an easy target as drugs must overcome major structural barriers. Furthermore, limitations on current therapy are related to efficacy, toxicity, and cost, as well as the length of treatment, which can increase parasitic resistance. Nanotechnology has emerged as an attractive alternative as conventional drugs delivered by nanosized carriers have improved bioavailability and reduced toxicity, together with other characteristics that help to relieve the burden of this disease. The significance of using colloidal carriers loaded with active agents derives from the physiological uptake route of intravenous administered nanosystems (the phagocyte system). Nanosystems are thus able to promote a high drug concentration in intracellular mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS)-infected cells. Moreover, the versatility of nanometric drug delivery systems for the deliberate transport of a range of molecules plays a pivotal role in the design of therapeutic strategies against leishmaniasis. This review discusses studies on nanocarriers that have greatly contributed to improving the efficacy of antileishmaniasis drugs, presenting a critical review and some suggestions for improving drug delivery. PMID:28794624

Herbal hepatotoxicity: a critical review

PubMed Central

Teschke, Rolf; Frenzel, Christian; Glass, Xaver; Schulze, Johannes; Eickhoff, Axel

2013-01-01

This review deals with herbal hepatotoxicity, identical to herb induced liver injury (HILI), and critically summarizes the pitfalls associated with the evaluation of assumed HILI cases. Analysis of the relevant publications reveals that several dozens of different herbs and herbal products have been implicated to cause toxic liver disease, but major quality issues limit the validity of causality attribution. In most of these reports, discussions around quality specifications regarding herbal products, case data presentations and causality assessment methods prevail. Though the production of herbal drugs is under regulatory surveillance and quality aspects are normally not a matter of concern, low quality of the less regulated herbal supplements may be a critical issue considering product batch variability, impurities, adulterants and herb misidentifications. Regarding case data presentation, essential diagnostic information is often lacking, as is the use of valid and liver specific causality assessment methods that also consider alternative diseases. At present, causality is best assessed by using the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences scale ( CIOMS) in its original or updated form, which should primarily be applied prospectively by the treating physician when evaluating a patient rather than retrospectively by regulatory agencies. To cope with these problems, a common quality approach by manufacturers, physicians and regulatory agencies should strive for the best quality. We propose steps for improvements with impact on future cases of liver injury by herbs, herbal drugs and herbal supplements. PMID:22831551

Culturally Sensitive Parent Education: A Critical Review of Quantitative Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorman, Jean Cheng; Balter, Lawrence

1997-01-01

Critically reviews the quantitative literature on culturally sensitive parent education programs, discussing issues of research methodology and program efficacy in producing change among ethnic minority parents and their children. Culturally sensitive programs for African American and Hispanic families are described in detail. Methodological flaws…

A Critical Review of Low Back Pain Guidelines.

PubMed

Chetty, Laran

2017-09-01

Low back pain (LBP) remains one of the most common and challenging musculoskeletal conditions encountered by health care professionals and is a leading cause of absenteeism. Clinical guidelines are often considered best evidence in health care. The aim of this critical review was to assess the quality and recommendations of LBP guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) instrument. Electronic databases were used to identify LBP guidelines published between 2000 and 2015. Nine guidelines were selected for review from a total of 17. Only five guidelines effectively addressed the AGREE scoring. On the basis of the appraisal and domain scores, only four guidelines were strongly recommended. Improved translation of research evidence from guidelines to clinical practice is needed.

Assessing Quality of Critical Thought in Online Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weltzer-Ward, Lisa; Baltes, Beate; Lynn, Laura Knight

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe a theoretically based coding framework for an integrated analysis and assessment of critical thinking in online discussion. Design/methodology/approach: The critical thinking assessment framework (TAF) is developed through review of theory and previous research, verified by comparing results to…

Critical review and appraisal of published clinical literature: useful skill in biotechnology product development.

PubMed

Foote, Maryann

2008-01-01

Critical review of published literature may be necessary during several stages of biotechnology product development. The reviewer should develop a standardized method for reviewing and comparing published papers on a given topic and should be aware of common errors found in published papers.

Bayesian methodology for the design and interpretation of clinical trials in critical care medicine: a primer for clinicians.

PubMed

Kalil, Andre C; Sun, Junfeng

2014-10-01

To review Bayesian methodology and its utility to clinical decision making and research in the critical care field. Clinical, epidemiological, and biostatistical studies on Bayesian methods in PubMed and Embase from their inception to December 2013. Bayesian methods have been extensively used by a wide range of scientific fields, including astronomy, engineering, chemistry, genetics, physics, geology, paleontology, climatology, cryptography, linguistics, ecology, and computational sciences. The application of medical knowledge in clinical research is analogous to the application of medical knowledge in clinical practice. Bedside physicians have to make most diagnostic and treatment decisions on critically ill patients every day without clear-cut evidence-based medicine (more subjective than objective evidence). Similarly, clinical researchers have to make most decisions about trial design with limited available data. Bayesian methodology allows both subjective and objective aspects of knowledge to be formally measured and transparently incorporated into the design, execution, and interpretation of clinical trials. In addition, various degrees of knowledge and several hypotheses can be tested at the same time in a single clinical trial without the risk of multiplicity. Notably, the Bayesian technology is naturally suited for the interpretation of clinical trial findings for the individualized care of critically ill patients and for the optimization of public health policies. We propose that the application of the versatile Bayesian methodology in conjunction with the conventional statistical methods is not only ripe for actual use in critical care clinical research but it is also a necessary step to maximize the performance of clinical trials and its translation to the practice of critical care medicine.

A Review of Evidence-Based Traffic Engineering Measures Designed to Reduce Pedestrian–Motor Vehicle Crashes

PubMed Central

Retting, Richard A.; Ferguson, Susan A.; McCartt, Anne T.

2003-01-01

We provide a brief critical review and assessment of engineering modifications to the built environment that can reduce the risk of pedestrian injuries. In our review, we used the Transportation Research Information Services database to conduct a search for studies on engineering countermeasures documented in the scientific literature. We classified countermeasures into 3 categories—speed control, separation of pedestrians from vehicles, and measures that increase the visibility and conspicuity of pedestrians. We determined the measures and settings with the greatest potential for crash prevention. Our review, which emphasized inclusion of studies with adequate methodological designs, showed that modification of the built environment can substantially reduce the risk of pedestrian–vehicle crashes. PMID:12948963

Transfusion-related immunomodulation: review of the literature and implications for pediatric critical illness.

PubMed

Muszynski, Jennifer A; Spinella, Philip C; Cholette, Jill M; Acker, Jason P; Hall, Mark W; Juffermans, Nicole P; Kelly, Daniel P; Blumberg, Neil; Nicol, Kathleen; Liedel, Jennifer; Doctor, Allan; Remy, Kenneth E; Tucci, Marisa; Lacroix, Jacques; Norris, Philip J

2017-01-01

Transfusion-related immunomodulation (TRIM) in the intensive care unit (ICU) is difficult to define and likely represents a complicated set of physiologic responses to transfusion, including both proinflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. Similarly, the immunologic response to critical illness in both adults and children is highly complex and is characterized by both acute inflammation and acquired immune suppression. How transfusion may contribute to or perpetuate these phenotypes in the ICU is poorly understood, despite the fact that transfusion is common in critically ill patients. Both hyperinflammation and severe immune suppression are associated with poor outcomes from critical illness, underscoring the need to understand potential immunologic consequences of blood product transfusion. In this review we outline the dynamic immunologic response to critical illness, provide clinical evidence in support of immunomodulatory effects of blood product transfusion, review preclinical and translational studies to date of TRIM, and provide insight into future research directions. © 2016 AABB.

Learning from critical case reviews: emergent themes and their impact on practice.

PubMed

Crofts, Linda

2006-12-01

This paper describes the process of conducting critical case reviews as part of a leadership programme for critical care. Forty-five cases were reviewed over 2 years in five different hospitals and permission was sought from local research ethics committees and research and development committees for the discussions to be treated as research data. Typically the cases presented were patients with complex needs whose trajectory of care had not gone smoothly. Key themes to emerge from the case reviews were: The case reviews themselves were: Communication failures between professional groups, between professional themselves, between staff and families, between wards and departments and between different hospitals. Documentation was also often less than satisfactory. Teams often had problems in working together as a team and different professionals often had different expectations of other members of the team. Individual action may compensate for weaknesses in formal clinical risk system. The case reviews themselves were showcases of the difficulties the health service faces every day and the challenges of communicating effectively. The case reviews provided an effective medium to both resolve those difficulties and model a means through which teams could effectively manage and communicate patient care issues. Furthermore their strength as a learning tool was attributed to team learning as a powerful catalyst for change.

Addressing sexual health behaviour during emerging adulthood: a critical review of the literature

PubMed Central

Alexander, Kamila A; Jemmott1, Loretta S; Teitelman, Anne M; D’Antonio, Patricia

2016-01-01

Aims and objectives In this critical literature review, we examine evidence-based interventions that target sexual behaviours of 18- to 25-year-old emerging adult women. Background Nurses and clinicians implement theory-driven research programmes for young women with increased risk of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. Strategies to decrease transmission of HIV and sexually transmitted infections are rigorously evaluated and promoted by public health agencies such as the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While many interventions demonstrate episodic reductions in sexual risk behaviours and infection transmission, there is little evidence they build sustainable skills and behaviours. Programmes may not attend to contextual and affective influences on sexual behaviour change. Design Discursive paper. Methods We conducted a conceptually based literature review and critical analysis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s best-evidence and good-evidence HIV behavioural interventions. In this review, we examined three contextual and affective influences on the sexual health of emerging adult women: (1) developmental age, (2) reproduction and pregnancy desires and (3) sexual security or emotional responses accompanying relationship experiences. Results Our analyses revealed intervention programmes paid little attention to ways age, desires for pregnancy or emotional factors influence sexual decisions. Some programmes included 18- to 25-year-olds, but they made up small percentages of the sample and did not attend to unique emerging adult experiences. Second, primary focus on infection prevention overshadowed participant desires for pregnancy. Third, few interventions considered emotional mechanisms derived from relationship experiences involved in sexual decision-making. Conclusions Growing evidence demonstrates sexual health interventions may be more effective if augmented to attend to contextual and affective influences

A critical review of the effectiveness of educational interventions applied in HIV/AIDS prevention.

PubMed

Adelekan, Moruf

2017-01-01

A critical review of issues around the effectiveness of educational approaches applied in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention. Published papers, systematic reviews and technical reports were reviewed. The review has identified the large gap between the current state of the art and the ultimate goal of the education-based approaches contributing to the reduction of HIV incidence rates. Significant positive impact has been reported mainly on mediating factors to behavioural change (knowledge, attitude, and intentions). The reported impact on actual behaviour change has been weak and short-lived. Biological markers are not used in many studies as outcome measures and follow-up period is too short to facilitate the measurement of impact on behaviour change or biological markers. Several methodological flaws and cultural issues militate against effective programming. A guideline for standardising practice and research in school-based programme is available for use. There is only very modest evidence of the effectiveness of educational interventions as a result of several gaps in project design, implementation and follow-up. There is urgent need to raise practice and research standards. Educational interventions should utilise scientifically valid data gathering methods. Follow-up period should be long enough to allow for impact measurement. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial Interventions for Women with HIV/AIDS: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernandez, Julieta P.; Macgowan, Mark J.

2015-01-01

Objective: Recent research on psychosocial interventions addressing the well-being of women with HIV/AIDS has brought new options for practitioners. This study critically reviews the treatment features, methodological quality, and efficacy of these interventions. Methods: A comprehensive search between 2000 and 2011 identified 19 studies employing…

77 FR 54517 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Franciscan...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-05

...We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for Arctostaphylos franciscana (Franciscan manzanita) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 318 acres (129 hectares) are being proposed for designation as critical habitat. The proposed critical habitat is located in San Francisco County and City, California.

Bruxism and prosthetic treatment: a critical review.

PubMed

Johansson, Anders; Omar, Ridwaan; Carlsson, Gunnar E

2011-07-01

Based on the findings from available research on bruxism and prosthetic treatment published in the dental literature, an attempt was made to draw conclusions about the existence of a possible relationship between the two, and its clinical relevance. MEDLINE/PubMed searches were conducted using the terms 'bruxism' and 'prosthetic treatment', as well as combinations of these and related terms. The few studies judged to be relevant were critically reviewed, in addition to papers found during an additional manual search of reference lists within selected articles. Bruxism is a common parafunctional habit, occurring both during sleep and wakefulness. Usually it causes few serious effects, but can do so in some patients. The etiology is multifactorial. There is no known treatment to stop bruxism, including prosthetic treatment. The role of bruxism in the process of tooth wear is unclear, but it is not considered a major cause. As informed by the present critical review, the relationship between bruxism and prosthetic treatment is one that relates mainly to the effect of the former on the latter. Bruxism may be included among the risk factors, and is associated with increased mechanical and/or technical complications in prosthodontic rehabilitation, although it seems not to affect implant survival. When prosthetic intervention is indicated in a patient with bruxism, efforts should be made to reduce the effects of likely heavy occlusal loading on all the components that contribute to prosthetic structural integrity. Failure to do so may indicate earlier failure than is the norm. Copyright © 2011 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical review: Bedside lung ultrasound in critical care practice

PubMed Central

Bouhemad, Bélaïd; Zhang, Mao; Lu, Qin; Rouby, Jean-Jacques

2007-01-01

Lung ultrasound can be routinely performed at the bedside by intensive care unit physicians and may provide accurate information on lung status with diagnostic and therapeutic relevance. This article reviews the performance of bedside lung ultrasound for diagnosing pleural effusion, pneumothorax, alveolar-interstitial syndrome, lung consolidation, pulmonary abscess and lung recruitment/derecruitment in critically ill patients with acute lung injury. PMID:17316468

Surveys of the American Deaf Population: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosen, Russell S.

2009-01-01

This is a critical review of surveys conducted on the American deaf population since 1990. There is no agreement among the surveys on the number of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the US. This behooves us to study the question: Why the lack of agreement in estimates and prevalence rates of the American general deaf and the deaf child…

Telemedicine with clinical decision support for critical care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mackintosh, Nicola; Terblanche, Marius; Maharaj, Ritesh; Xyrichis, Andreas; Franklin, Karen; Keddie, Jamie; Larkins, Emily; Maslen, Anna; Skinner, James; Newman, Samuel; De Sousa Magalhaes, Joana Hiew; Sandall, Jane

2016-10-18

Telemedicine applications aim to address variance in clinical outcomes and increase access to specialist expertise. Despite widespread implementation, there is little robust evidence about cost-effectiveness, clinical benefits, and impact on quality and safety of critical care telemedicine. The primary objective was to determine the impact of critical care telemedicine (with clinical decision support available 24/7) on intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital mortality and length of stay in adults and children. The secondary objectives included staff and patient experience, costs, protocol adherence, and adverse events. Data sources included MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library databases, Health Technology Assessment Database, Web of Science, OpenGrey, OpenDOAR, and the HMIC through to December 2015. Randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies were eligible for inclusion. Eligible studies reported on differences between groups using the telemedicine intervention and standard care. Two review authors screened abstracts and assessed potentially eligible studies using Cochrane guidance. Two controlled before-after studies met the inclusion criteria. Both were assessed as high risk of bias. Meta-analysis was not possible as we were unable to disaggregate data between the two studies. One study used a non-randomised stepped-wedge design in seven ICUs. Hospital mortality was the primary outcome which showed a reduction from 13.6 % (CI, 11.9-15.4 %) to 11.8 % (CI, 10.9-12.8 %) during the intervention period with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.40 (95 % CI, 0.31-0.52; p = .005). The second study used a non-randomised, unblinded, pre-/post-assessment of telemedicine interventions in 56 adult ICUs. Hospital mortality (primary outcome) reduced from 11 to 10 % (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 0.84; CI, 0.78-0.89; p = <.001). This review highlights the poor methodological quality of most studies investigating critical care telemedicine. The

Year in review 2005: Critical Care – nephrology

PubMed Central

Ricci, Zaccaria; Ronco, Claudio

2006-01-01

We summarize original research in the field of critical care nephrology accepted or published in 2005 in Critical Care and, when considered relevant or directly linked to this research, in other journals. The articles have been grouped into four categories to facilitate a rapid overview. First, physiopathology, epidemiology and prognosis of acute renal failure (ARF): an extensive review and some observational studies have been performed with the aim of describing aspects of ARF physiopathology, precise epidemiology and long-term outcomes. Second, several authors have performed clinical trials utilizing a potential nephro-protective drug, fenoldopam, with different results. Third, the issue of continuous renal replacement therapies dose has been addressed in a small prospective study and a large observational trial. And fourth, alternative indications to extracorporeal treatment of ARF and systemic inflammatory response syndrome have been explored by three original clinical studies. PMID:16919174

A model for critical review of literature - with vaginismus as an example.

PubMed

Wijma, Barbro; Engman, Maria; Wijma, Klaas

2007-03-01

In this article we present a behavioral model for the critical review of the literature within a certain research field, using vaginismus as an example. We searched the literature for the title word "vaginismus" and analyzed to what extent the articles dealt with the following seven categories: prevention, etiology, maintaining factors, consequences, object of intervention, method of intervention, and method of evaluation. In each category we scrutinized the content of the articles for biological, psychological, social, relational, and gender aspects. Quality requirements of etiological and treatment studies were then added and the results presented in a "quality-adjusted" model. There were 102 articles during 1985-2001, of which 22 were included in the review. Most of the articles deal with supposed predisposing factors of etiology and different aspects of intervention. Only a few articles discuss precipitating factors, maintaining factors, or consequences of the problem. No article had a gender analysis. Only 11 of the articles fulfilled some of the proposed quality criteria. We found the behavioral model with quality requirements useful for classifying and evaluating the literature of vaginismus. The model may also be used as a guide to design methodologically good studies.

Outcome measures for adult critical care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hayes, J A; Black, N A; Jenkinson, C; Young, J D; Rowan, K M; Daly, K; Ridley, S

2000-01-01

1. To identify generic and disease specific measures of impairment, functional status and health-related quality of life that have been used in adult critical care (intensive and high-dependency care) survivors. 2. To review the validity, reliability and responsiveness of the measures in adult critical care survivors. 3. To consider the implications for future policy and to make recommendations for further methodological research. 4. To review what is currently known of the outcome of adult critical care. Searches of electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycLIT, The Cochrane Library and SIGLE) from 1970 to August 1998. Manual searches of five journals (1985-98) not indexed in electronic databases and relevant conference proceedings (1993-98). Reference lists of six existing reviews, plus snowballing from reference lists of all relevant articles identified. Randomised trials, non-randomised trials (cohort studies) and case series that included data on outcomes after discharge from adult (16 years and over) critical care. If reported, the following data were extracted from each paper: patient characteristics (age, gender, severity of illness, diagnostic category) number of patients eligible for study, follow-up period, number of deaths before follow-up, number and proportion of survivors included in follow-up method of presentation of outcome data - proportion normal as defined by reference values, or aggregate value (e.g. mean or median), or aggregate values plus an indication of variance (e.g. standard deviation or inter-quartile range). Evidence for three measurement properties was sought for each outcome measure that had been used in at least two studies - their validity, reliability and responsiveness in adult critical care. If the authors did not report these aspects explicitly, an attempt was made to use the data provided to provide these measurement properties. For measures that were used in at least ten studies, information on actual reported

Psychosocial outcomes in informal caregivers of the critically ill: a systematic review.

PubMed

Haines, Kimberley J; Denehy, Linda; Skinner, Elizabeth H; Warrillow, Stephen; Berney, Sue

2015-05-01

The objective of the review was to evaluate and synthesize the prevalence, risk factors, and trajectory of psychosocial morbidity in informal caregivers of critical care survivors. A systematic search of MEDLINE, PsychInfo, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Scopus, PILOTS, EMBASE, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database was undertaken between January and February 2014. Citations were screened independently by two reviewers for studies that investigated psychosocial outcomes (depression, anxiety, stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, burden, activity restriction, and health-related quality of life) for informal caregivers of critical care survivors (mechanically ventilated for 48 hr or more). Data on study outcomes were extracted into a standardized form and quality assessed by two independent reviewers using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database, and the National Health and Medical Research Council Hierarchy of Evidence guide. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews guidelines were followed. Fourteen studies of 1,491 caregivers were included. Depressive symptoms were the most commonly reported outcome with a prevalence of 75.5% during critical care and 22.8-29% at 1-year follow-up. Risk factors for depressive symptoms in caregivers included female gender and younger age. The greatest period of risk for all outcomes was during the patient's critical care admission although psychological symptoms improved over time. The overall quality of the studies was low. Depressive symptoms were the most prevalent in informal caregivers of survivors of intensive care who were ventilated for more than 48 hours and persist at 1 year with a prevalence of 22.8-29.0%, which is comparable with caregivers of patients with dementia. Screening for caregiver risks could be performed during the ICU admission where intervention can be implemented and then evaluated. Further high-quality studies are needed to quantify anxiety, stress, caregiver burden, and

Exercise rehabilitation following hospital discharge in survivors of critical illness: an integrative review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Although clinical trials have shown benefit from early rehabilitation within the ICU, rehabilitation of patients following critical illness is increasingly acknowledged as an area of clinical importance. However, despite recommendations from published guidelines for rehabilitation to continue following hospital discharge, there is limited evidence to underpin practice during this intermediate stage of recovery. Those patients with ICU-acquired weakness on discharge from the ICU are most likely to benefit from ongoing rehabilitation. Despite this, screening based on strength alone may fail to account for the associated level of physical functioning, which may not correlate with muscle strength, nor address non-physical complications of critical illness. The aim of this review was to consider which patients are likely to require rehabilitation following critical illness and to perform an integrative review of the available evidence of content and nature of exercise rehabilitation programmes for survivors of critical illness following hospital discharge. Literature databases and clinical trials registries were searched using appropriate terms and groups of terms. Inclusion criteria specified the reporting of rehabilitation programmes for patients following critical illness post-hospital discharge. Ten items, including data from published studies and protocols from trial registries, were included. Because of the variability in study methodology and inadequate level of detail of reported exercise prescription, at present there can be no clear recommendations for clinical practice from this review. As this area of clinical practice remains in its relative infancy, further evidence is required both to identify which patients are most likely to benefit and to determine the optimum content and format of exercise rehabilitation programmes for patients following critical illness post-hospital discharge. PMID:22713336

Blood parasites of penguins: a critical review.

PubMed

Vanstreels, Ralph Eric Thijl; Braga, Érika Martins; Catão-Dias, José Luiz

2016-07-01

Blood parasites are considered some of the most significant pathogens for the conservation of penguins, due to the considerable morbidity and mortality they have been shown to produce in captive and wild populations of these birds. Parasites known to occur in the blood of penguins include haemosporidian protozoans (Plasmodium, Leucocytozoon, Haemoproteus), piroplamid protozoans (Babesia), kinetoplastid protozoans (Trypanosoma), spirochete bacteria (Borrelia) and nematode microfilariae. This review provides a critical and comprehensive assessment of the current knowledge on these parasites, providing an overview of their biology, host and geographic distribution, epidemiology, pathology and implications for public health and conservation.

Drug carrier systems for solubility enhancement of BCS class II drugs: a critical review.

PubMed

Kumar, Sumit; Bhargava, Deepak; Thakkar, Arti; Arora, Saahil

2013-01-01

Poor aqueous solubility impedes a drug's bioavailability and challenges its pharmaceutical development. Pharmaceutical development of drugs with poor water solubility requires the establishment of a suitable formulation layout among various techniques. Various approaches have been investigated extensively to improve the aqueous solubility and poor dissolution rate of BCS class II and IV drugs. In this literature review, novel formulation options, particularly for class II drugs designed for applications such as micronization, self-emulsification, cyclodextrin complexation, co-crystallisation, super critical fluid technology, solubilisation by change in pH, salt formation, co-solvents, melt granulation, and solid dispersion, liposomal/niosomal formulations, are discussed in detail to introduce biopharmaceutical challenges and recent approaches to facilitate more efficient drug formulation and development.

The influence of stem design on critical squeaking friction with ceramic bearings.

PubMed

Fan, Na; Morlock, Michael M; Bishop, Nicholas E; Huber, Gerd; Hoffmann, Norbert; Ciavarella, Michele; Chen, Guang X; Hothan, Arne; Witt, Florian

2013-10-01

Ceramic-on-ceramic hip joints have been reported to squeak, a phenomenon that may occur in compromised lubrication conditions. One factor related to the incidence of in vivo squeaking is the stem design. However, it has not yet been possible to relate stem design to squeaking in deteriorating lubrication conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine critical friction factors for different stem designs. A hip simulator was used to measure the friction factor of a ceramic bearing with different stem designs and gradually deteriorating lubrication represented by evaporation of a volatile fluid lubricant. The critical squeaking friction factor was measured at the onset of squeaking for each stem. Critical friction was higher for the long cobalt chrome (0.32 ± 0.02) and short titanium stems (0.39 ± 0.02) in comparison with a long titanium stem (0.29 ± 0.02). The onset of squeaking occurred at a friction factor lower than that measured for dry conditions, in which squeaking is usually investigated experimentally. The results suggest that shorter or heavier stems might limit the possibility of squeaking as lubrication deteriorates. The method developed can be used to investigate the influence of design parameters on squeaking probability. Copyright © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society.

Radiopharmaceuticals drug interactions: a critical review.

PubMed

Santos-Oliveira, Ralph; Smith, Sheila W; Carneiro-Leão, Ana Maria A

2008-12-01

Radiopharmaceuticals play a critical role in modern medicine primarily for diagnostic purposes, but also for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment. As the use of image has been increased, so has the use of prescription medications. These trends increase the risk of interactions between medications and radiopharmaceuticals. These interactions which have an impact on image by competing with the radiopharmaceutical for binding sites for example can lead to false negative results. Drugs that accelerate the metabolism of the radiopharmaceutical can have a positive impact (i.e. speeding its clearance) or, if repeating image is needed, a negative impact. In some cases, for example in cardiac image among patients taking doxirubacin, these interactions may have a therapeutic benefit. The incidence of drug-radiopharmaceuticals adverse reactions is unknown, since they may not be reported or even recognized. Here,we compiled the medical literature, using the criteria of a systematic review established by the Cochrane Collaboration, on pharmaceutical-drug interactions to provide a summary of documented interactions by organ system and radiopharmaceuticals. The purpose is to provide a reference on drug interactions that could inform the nuclear medicine staff in their daily routine. Efforts to increase adverse event reporting, and ideally consolidate reports worldwide, can provide a critically needed resource for prevention of drug-radiopharmaceuticals interactions.

Review of Surface Properties of Thermal Protection Materials for the Design of IXV Thermal Protection System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thoemel, J.; Cosson, E.; Chazot, O.

2009-01-01

In the framework of the creation of an aerothermodynamic database for the design the Intermediate Experimental Vehicle, surface properties of heat shield materials that represent the boundary conditions are reviewed. Catalytic and radiative characteristics available in the literature are critically analyzed and summarized. It turns out that large uncertainties on the parameters exist. Finally, simple and conservative values are proposed.

A systematic review on critical thinking in medical education.

PubMed

Chan, Zenobia C Y

2016-04-18

Critical thinking is the ability to raise discriminating questions in an attempt to search for better ideas, a deeper understanding and better solutions relating to a given issue. This systematic review provides a summary of efforts that have been made to enhance and assess critical thinking in medical education. Nine databases [Ovid MEDLINE(R), AMED, Academic Search Premier, ERIC, CINAHL, Web of Science, JSTOR, SCOPUS and PsycINFO] were searched to identify journal articles published from the start of each database to October 2012. A total of 41 articles published from 1981 to 2012 were categorised into two main themes: (i) evaluation of current education on critical thinking and (ii) development of new strategies about critical thinking. Under each theme, the teaching strategies, assessment tools, uses of multimedia and stakeholders were analysed. While a majority of studies developed teaching strategies and multimedia tools, a further examination of their quality and variety could yield some insights. The articles on assessment placed a greater focus on learning outcomes than on learning processes. It is expected that more research will be conducted on teacher development and students' voices.

Construction Of Critical Thinking Skills Test Instrument Related The Concept On Sound Wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabruroh, F.; Suhandi, A.

2017-02-01

This study aimed to construct test instrument of critical thinking skills of high school students related the concept on sound wave. This research using a mixed methods with sequential exploratory design, consists of: 1) a preliminary study; 2) design and review of test instruments. The form of test instruments in essay questions, consist of 18 questions that was divided into 5 indicators and 8 sub-indicators of the critical thinking skills expressed by Ennis, with questions that are qualitative and contextual. Phases of preliminary study include: a) policy studies; b) survey to the school; c) and literature studies. Phases of the design and review of test instruments consist of two steps, namely a draft design of test instruments include: a) analysis of the depth of teaching materials; b) the selection of indicators and sub-indicators of critical thinking skills; c) analysis of indicators and sub-indicators of critical thinking skills; d) implementation of indicators and sub-indicators of critical thinking skills; and e) making the descriptions about the test instrument. In the next phase of the review test instruments, consist of: a) writing about the test instrument; b) validity test by experts; and c) revision of test instruments based on the validator.

Critical care clinician perceptions of factors leading to Medical Emergency Team review.

PubMed

Currey, Judy; Allen, Josh; Jones, Daryl

2018-03-01

The introduction of rapid response systems has reduced the incidence of in-hospital cardiac arrest; however, many instances of clinical deterioration are unrecognised. Afferent limb failure is common and may be associated with unplanned intensive care admissions, heightened mortality and prolonged length of stay. Patients reviewed by a Medical Emergency Team are inherently vulnerable with a high in-hospital mortality. To explore perceptions of intensive care unit (ICU) staff who attend deteriorating acute care ward patients regarding current problems, barriers and potential solutions to recognising and responding to clinical deterioration that culminates in a Medical Emergency Team review. A descriptive exploratory design was used. Registered intensive care nurses and medical staff (N=207) were recruited during a professional conference using purposive sampling for experience in attending deteriorating patients. Written response surveys were used to address the study aim. Data were analysed using content analysis. Four major themes were identified: Governance, Teamwork, Clinical Care Delivery and End of Life Care. Participants perceived there was a lack of sufficient and senior staff with the required theoretical knowledge; and inadequate assessment and critical thinking skills for anticipating, recognising and responding to clinical deterioration. Senior doctors were perceived to inappropriately manage End of Life Care issues and displayed Teamwork behaviours rendering ward clinicians feeling fearful and intimidated. A lack of System and Clinical Governance hindered identification of clinical deterioration. To improve patient safety related to recognising and responding to clinical deterioration, suboptimal care due to professionals' knowledge, skills and behaviours need addressing, along with End of Life Care and Governance. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Study of Critical Attitude across English and Spanish Academic Book Reviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreno, Ana I.; Suarez, Lorena

2008-01-01

Since the 1990s cross-cultural studies of academic genres are becoming increasingly relevant. One genre that has recently attracted cross-cultural attention is the academic book review. The aim of the present paper is to provide insight into what is expected in terms of overall critical attitude towards the books under review when writing in this…

CFD-aided modelling of activated sludge systems - A critical review.

PubMed

Karpinska, Anna M; Bridgeman, John

2016-01-01

Nowadays, one of the major challenges in the wastewater sector is the successful design and reliable operation of treatment processes, which guarantee high treatment efficiencies to comply with effluent quality criteria, while keeping the investment and operating cost as low as possible. Although conceptual design and process control of activated sludge plants are key to ensuring these goals, they are still based on general empirical guidelines and operators' experience, dominated often by rule of thumb. This review paper discusses the rationale behind the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model aeration, facilitating enhancement of treatment efficiency and reduction of energy input. Several single- and multiphase approaches commonly used in CFD studies of aeration tank operation, are comprehensively described, whilst the shortcomings of the modelling assumptions imposed to evaluate mixing and mass transfer in AS tanks are identified and discussed. Examples and methods of coupling of CFD data with biokinetics, accounting for the actual flow field and its impact on the oxygen mass transfer and yield of the biological processes occurring in the aeration tanks, are also critically discussed. Finally, modelling issues, which remain unaddressed, (e.g. coupling of the AS tank with secondary clarifier and the use of population balance models to simulate bubbly flow or flocculation of the activated sludge), are also identified and discussed. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Empirical research on empathy in medicine-A critical review.

PubMed

Pedersen, Reidar

2009-09-01

There is a growing amount of empirical research on empathy in medicine. This critical review assesses methodological limitations in this body of research that have not received adequate attention. Scientific publications presenting empirical research on medical students' or physicians' empathy were systematically searched for. 206 publications were identified and critically reviewed. Multiple empirical approaches have been used. However, there are some remarkable tendencies given the complexity of the study object: empathy is often not defined. Qualitative approaches are rarely used and the predominant quantitative instruments have a relatively narrow or peripheral scope. For example, the concrete experiences, feelings, and interpretations of the physician and the patient, and empathy in clinical practice, are often neglected. Furthermore, possible influences of medical training and working conditions on empathy have not been adequately explored. The empirical studies of empathy in medicine tend to separate empathy from main parts of clinical perception, judgment, and communication. Thus, important aspects and influences of empathy have been relatively neglected. Future studies should include transparent concepts, more than one method and perspective, qualitative approaches, the physician's and the patient's concrete experiences and interpretations, and the context in which empathy is developed and practiced.

Toward best practice in Human Machine Interface design for older drivers: A review of current design guidelines.

PubMed

Young, K L; Koppel, S; Charlton, J L

2017-09-01

Older adults are the fastest growing segment of the driving population. While there is a strong emphasis for older people to maintain their mobility, the safety of older drivers is a serious community concern. Frailty and declines in a range of age-related sensory, cognitive, and physical impairments can place older drivers at an increased risk of crash-related injuries and death. A number of studies have indicated that in-vehicle technologies such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVIS) may provide assistance to older drivers. However, these technologies will only benefit older drivers if their design is congruent with the complex needs and diverse abilities of this driving cohort. The design of ADAS and IVIS is largely informed by automotive Human Machine Interface (HMI) guidelines. However, it is unclear to what extent the declining sensory, cognitive and physical capabilities of older drivers are addressed in the current guidelines. This paper provides a review of key current design guidelines for IVIS and ADAS with respect to the extent they address age-related changes in functional capacities. The review revealed that most of the HMI guidelines do not address design issues related to older driver impairments. In fact, in many guidelines driver age and sensory cognitive and physical impairments are not mentioned at all and where reference is made, it is typically very broad. Prescriptive advice on how to actually design a system so that it addresses the needs and limitations of older drivers is not provided. In order for older drivers to reap the full benefits that in-vehicle technology can afford, it is critical that further work establish how older driver limitations and capabilities can be supported by the system design process, including their inclusion into HMI design guidelines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Critic Nonlinear Robust Control: A Survey.

PubMed

Wang, Ding; He, Haibo; Liu, Derong

2017-10-01

Adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) and reinforcement learning are quite relevant to each other when performing intelligent optimization. They are both regarded as promising methods involving important components of evaluation and improvement, at the background of information technology, such as artificial intelligence, big data, and deep learning. Although great progresses have been achieved and surveyed when addressing nonlinear optimal control problems, the research on robustness of ADP-based control strategies under uncertain environment has not been fully summarized. Hence, this survey reviews the recent main results of adaptive-critic-based robust control design of continuous-time nonlinear systems. The ADP-based nonlinear optimal regulation is reviewed, followed by robust stabilization of nonlinear systems with matched uncertainties, guaranteed cost control design of unmatched plants, and decentralized stabilization of interconnected systems. Additionally, further comprehensive discussions are presented, including event-based robust control design, improvement of the critic learning rule, nonlinear H ∞ control design, and several notes on future perspectives. By applying the ADP-based optimal and robust control methods to a practical power system and an overhead crane plant, two typical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of theoretical results. Overall, this survey is beneficial to promote the development of adaptive critic control methods with robustness guarantee and the construction of higher level intelligent systems.

Economic analysis of critical habitat designation for the desert tortoise (Mojave population)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schamberger, Mel; MacGillvray, Timothy J.; Draper, Dirk D.

1993-01-01

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service emergency 1isted the Mojave population of the desert tortoise as endangered on August 4, 1989. The Mojave population formally was listed as threatened on April 2, 1990. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, requires that the economic benefits and costs and other relevant effects of critical habitat designation be considered. The Secretary of the Interior may exclude from designation areas where the costs of designation are greater than the benefits, unless the exclusion would result in extinction of the species. Desert tortoises are threatened by an accumulation of human-and disease-related mortality accompanied by habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation. Many desert tortoises are illegally collected for pets, food, and commercial trade. Others are accidentally struck and killed by vehicles on roads and highways or are killed by gunshot or vehicles traveling off-highway. Raven predation on hatchling desert tortoises has increased as raven populations in the desert have risen. An upper respiratory tract disease is suspected to be a major cause of mortality in the western Mojave Desert. This presumably incurable affliction presumably is thought to be spread through the release of infected tortoises into the desert. The Service has proposed designating critical habitat in nine counties within four states. The 12 critical habitat units encompass 6.4 million acres of land, more than 80% federally owned. This region is economically and demographically diverse. Most of the land is sparsely settled and characterized as a hot desert ecosystem. Major industries in the region include entertainment and lodging (primarily in Las Vegas), property development to accommodate the rapid population growth, and services. Millions of rural acres in the region are leased by the federal government for livestock grazing and used for mining. Overall economic benefits to the affected states derived from cattle and sheep grazing in the

Enhancing students' critical thinking in science: A two-year design based exploration in a large undergraduate science course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, Suhyun

The purpose of this study was to explore how to enhance students' critical thinking in an introductory undergraduate science course. As a design experiment, this study aimed to design, develop, implement, and refine learning activities, and investigate how the learning activities worked in fostering students' critical thinking in a large size classroom context. In this study, critical thinking in science was framed with six categories, 1) identifying decisions, 2) evaluating decisions, 3) providing own decision, 4) argument and justification for own decision, 5) presenting supporting data/evidence, and 6) integrating other perspectives, as the result of literature review. To enhance critical thinking, three design principles, 1) authentic task, 2) question prompts, and 3) peer interaction, were associated with the learning activities for two consecutive years. The research context was within a large general science course and the learning activities for a module were designed, implemented and refined for two years. Specially, changes in design strategies were made in the two design principles, question prompts and peer interaction, after the 1st implementation. With regard to the use of question prompts, the students of the 2nd year were provided with procedural and elaborative question prompts, while those of the 1st year only received procedural question prompts embedded in the Group and Community Discussion Charts. Second, instead of being engaged six times in two types of discussions, group and community discussions, the students of the 2nd year were required to take part in a community discussion twice and to prepare for the discussion by learning about and understanding important aspects of dealing with the hurricane situation. For individual preparation, elaborative question prompts were embedded in the Individual Worksheet. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were taken to investigate how the two different designs of the 1st and 2nd years worked

Designing sustainable soils in Earth's critical zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banwart, Steven Allan; de Souza, Danielle Maia; Menon, Manoj; Nikolaidis, Nikolaos; Panagos, Panos; Vala Ragnardsdottir, Kristin; Rousseva, Svelta; van Gaans, Pauline

2014-05-01

The demographic drivers of increasing human population and wealth are creating tremendous environmental pressures from growing intensity of land use, resulting in soil and land degradation worldwide. Environmental services are provided through multiple soil functions that include biomass production, water storage and transmission, nutrient transformations, contaminant attenuation, carbon and nitrogen storage, providing habitat and maintaining the genetic diversity of the land environment. One of the greatest challenges of the 21st century is to identify key risks to soil, and to design mitigation strategies to manage these risks and to enhance soil functions that can last into the future. The scientific study of Earth's Critical Zone (CZ), the thin surface layer that extends vertically from the top of the tree canopy to the bottom of aquifers, provides an essential integrating scientific framework to study, protect and enhance soil functions. The research hypothesis is that soil structure, the geometric architecture of solids, pores and biomass, is a critical indicator and essential factor of productive soil functions. The experimental design selects a network of Critical Zone Observatories (CZOs) as advanced field research sites along a gradient of land use intensity in order to quantify soil structure and soil processes that dictate the flows and transformations of material and energy as soil functions. The CZOs focus multidisciplinary expertise on soil processes, field observation and data interpretation, management science and ecological economics. Computational simulation of biophysical processes provides a quantitative method of integration for the range of theory and observations that are required to quantify the linkages between changes in soil structure and soil functions. Key results demonstrate that changes in soil structure can be quantified through the inputs of organic carbon and nitrogen from plant productivity and microbial activity, coupled with

78 FR 61505 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Taylor's...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-03

...We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, designate critical habitat for the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha taylori) and streaked horned lark (Eremophila alpestris strigata) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 1,941 acres (786 hectares) in Island, Clallam, and Thurston Counties in Washington, and in Benton County in Oregon, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation for Taylor's checkerspot butterfly. Approximately 4,629 acres (1,873 hectares) in Grays Harbor, Pacific, and Wahkiakum Counties in Washington, and in Clatsop, Columbia, Marion, Polk, and Benton Counties in Oregon, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation for streaked horned lark. The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly and streaked horned lark under the Act for the conservation of the species.

Female Pathological Gamblers--A Critical Review of the Clinical Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenzel, Hanne Gro; Dahl, Alv A.

2009-01-01

Recent evidence indicates that more and more women gamble and develop gambling problems and pathological gambling (PG). Research has further indicated that female and male PGs differ in their clinical characteristics. The aim of this study is to do a critical review of the literature concerning clinical characteristics of female pathological…

Tranexamic Acid for Trauma Patients: A Critical Review of the Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

REVIEW ARTICLE Tranexamic Acid for Trauma Patients: A Critical Review of the Literature Andrew P. Cap, MD, PhD, David G. Baer, PhD, Jean A. Orman...MPH, ScD, James Aden, PhD, Kathy Ryan, PhD, and Lorne H. Blackbourne, MD Background: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic that inhibits both...prospective clinical evidence to support this application. Key Words: Tranexamic acid , Antifibrinolytic agents, Hemorrhage/drug therapy, Wounds and injuries

A critical review of the core medical training curriculum in the UK: A medical education perspective.

PubMed

Laskaratos, Faidon-Marios; Gkotsi, Despoina; Panteliou, Eleftheria

2014-01-01

This paper represents a systematic evaluation of the Core Medical Training Curriculum in the UK. The authors critically review the curriculum from a medical education perspective based mainly on the medical education literature as well as their personal experience of this curriculum. They conclude in practical recommendations and suggestions which, if adopted, could improve the design and implementation of this postgraduate curriculum. The systematic evaluation approach described in this paper is transferable to the evaluation of other undergraduate or postgraduate curricula, and could be a helpful guide for medical teachers involved in the delivery and evaluation of any medical curriculum.

77 FR 35117 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Dusky Gopher...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-12

... Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for...; 4500030114] RIN 1018-AW89 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for... the area around each breeding pond; and increasing the area of critical habitat beyond the value...

Design review report for the SY-101 RAPID mitigation system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

SCHLOSSER, R.L.

1999-05-24

This report documents design reviews conducted of the SY-101 Respond And Pump In Days (RAPID) Mitigation System. As part of the SY-101 Surface-Level-Rise Remediation Project, the SY-101 WID Mitigation System will reduce the potential unacceptable consequences of crust growth in Tank 241-SY-101 (SY-101). Projections of the crust growth rate indicate that the waste level in the tank may reach the juncture of the primary and secondary confinement structures of the tank late in 1999. Because of this time constraint, many design activities are being conducted in parallel and design reviews were conducted for system adequacy as well as design implementationmore » throughout the process. Design implementation, as used in this design review report, is the final component selection (e.g., which circuit breaker, valve, or thermocouple) that meets the approved design requirements, system design, and design and procurement specifications. Design implementation includes the necessary analysis, testing, verification, and qualification to demonstrate compliance with the system design and design requirements. Design implementation is outside the scope of this design review. The design activities performed prior to detailed design implementation (i.e., system mission requirements, functional design requirements, technical criteria, system conceptual design, and where design and build contracts were placed, the procurement specification) have been reviewed and are within the scope of this design review report. Detailed design implementation will be controlled, reviewed, and where appropriate, approved in accordance with Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) engineering procedures. Review of detailed design implementation will continue until all components necessary to perform the transfer function are installed and tested.« less

The Role of Environmental Design in Cancer Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survivorship: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Gharaveis, Arsalan; Kazem-Zadeh, Mahshad

2018-01-01

The purpose of this literature review is to provide a better understanding of the impact that environmental design can have on the process of cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Cancer is considered a chronic disease in the United States, and more than 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed annually. New strategies of cancer care propose patient-centered services to achieve the best outcome, and researchers have found that environmental design can be an important part of improving this care. Searches were conducted in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases as well as in specific healthcare design journals such as Health Environments Research & Design, Environmental Psychology, and Environment and Behavior. The criteria for articles included in the review were (a) English-language articles related to facility design, which addressed (b) the topics of built environment in relation to cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, and were (c) published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2017. Finally, 10 articles were selected, and the contents were analyzed. The selected articles demonstrate that environmental design is one of the critical factors for success throughout the whole continuum of cancer care from diagnosis to end-of-treatment. Some of the specific conclusions from the review are that "neighborhood-oriented" design strategies can be beneficial (by providing accessibility to all facilities along the patient's path), that access to nature for patients, staff, and visitors alike is associated with better outcomes, and that provisions for natural lighting and noise reduction are associated with cancer patients' well-being.

A missing ethical competency? A review of critical reflection in health promotion.

PubMed

Tretheway, Rebecca; Taylor, Jane; O'Hara, Lily; Percival, Nikki

2015-12-01

There is increasing emphasis in the health promotion literature on the ethical imperative for the profession to move towards critical practice. A key challenge for health promotion is that critical practice appears both under-developed and under-practiced. This is evident in the omission of critical reflection from Australian and international competencies for health promotion practitioners. A narrative literature review was undertaken to explore the current use of critical reflection in health promotion. Critical reflection models relevant to health promotion were identified and critiqued. There was a dearth of literature on critical reflection within health promotion, despite recognition of its potential to support critical practice. The discipline of critical social work provided literature on the use, effect and outcome of critical reflection in practice. The interdisciplinary critical reflection model was identified as the model most applicable to health promotion. Underpinned by critical theory, this model emphasises both critical and ethical practice. Critical reflection is a core competency for health promotion practitioners to address the ethical imperative to move towards critical practice. There is a need to explore the application of a critical reflection model in health promotion to determine how it may support critical and ethical practice. So what? If health promotion is to meet its ethical responsibilities, then critical reflection needs to be articulated as a core health promotion competency and a model for its application in health promotion developed.

Team-Designed Improvement of Writing and Critical Thinking in Large Undergraduate Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Daniel; Greenhoot, Andrea Follmer

2014-01-01

Helping students achieve advanced critical thinking and writing skills in large undergraduate classes is a challenge faced by many university faculty members. We addressed this challenge in a three-year project using team course design, built around a cognitive apprenticeship model, to enhance undergraduates' writing, critical thinking, and…

Automated critical test result notification system: architecture, design, and assessment of provider satisfaction.

PubMed

Lacson, Ronilda; O'Connor, Stacy D; Andriole, Katherine P; Prevedello, Luciano M; Khorasani, Ramin

2014-11-01

Communicating critical results of diagnostic imaging procedures is a national patient safety goal. The purposes of this study were to describe the system architecture and design of Alert Notification of Critical Results (ANCR), an automated system designed to facilitate communication of critical imaging results between care providers; to report providers' satisfaction with ANCR; and to compare radiologists' and ordering providers' attitudes toward ANCR. The design decisions made for each step in the alert communication process, which includes user authentication, alert creation, alert communication, alert acknowledgment and management, alert reminder and escalation, and alert documentation, are described. To assess attitudes toward ANCR, internally developed and validated surveys were administered to all radiologists (n = 320) and ordering providers (n = 4323) who sent or received alerts 3 years after ANCR implementation. The survey response rates were 50.4% for radiologists and 36.1% for ordering providers. Ordering providers were generally dissatisfied with the training received for use of ANCR and with access to technical support. Radiologists were more satisfied with documenting critical result communication (61.1% vs 43.2%; p = 0.0001) and tracking critical results (51.6% vs 35.1%; p = 0.0003) than were ordering providers. Both groups agreed use of ANCR reduces medical errors and improves the quality of patient care. Use of ANCR enables automated communication of critical test results. The survey results confirm overall provider satisfaction with ANCR but highlight the need for improved training strategies for large numbers of geographically dispersed ordering providers. Future enhancements beyond acknowledging receipt of critical results are needed to help ensure timely and appropriate follow-up of critical results to improve quality and patient safety.

Natural Stream Channel Design Techniques and Review

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Need for a Review Checklist: Stream restoration problems include; design complexity, many different design methodologies, inconsistency in design deliverables, communication difficulties, many failed projects

Graduate Medical Education Training in Clinical Epidemiology, Critical Appraisal, and Evidence-Based Medicine: A Critical Review of Curricula.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Michael L.

1999-01-01

A study systematically reviewed published literature on graduate medical-education curricula in clinical epidemiology, critical appraisal, and evidence-based medicine (EBM). The 18 reports found in the search provide useful guidelines for medical educators but many suffer from incomplete descriptions and inadequate curriculum evaluations.…

Critical attributes of transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS)--a generic product development review.

PubMed

Ruby, P K; Pathak, Shriram M; Aggarwal, Deepika

2014-11-01

Bioequivalence testing of transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) has always been a subject of high concern for generic companies due to the formulation complexity and the fact that they are subtle to even minor manufacturing differences and hence should be clearly qualified in terms of quality, safety and efficacy. In recent times bioequivalence testing of transdermal patches has gained a global attention and many regulatory authorities worldwide have issued recommendations to set specific framework for demonstrating equivalence between two products. These current regulatory procedures demand a complete characterization of the generic formulation in terms of its physicochemical sameness, pharmacokinetics disposition, residual content and/or skin irritation/sensitization testing with respect to the reference formulation. This paper intends to highlight critical in vitro tests in assessing the therapeutic equivalence of products and also outlines their valuable applications in generic product success. Understanding these critical in vitro parameters can probably help to decode the complex bioequivalence outcomes, directing the generic companies to optimize the formulation design in reduced time intervals. It is difficult to summarize a common platform which covers all possible transdermal products; hence few case studies based on this approach has been presented in this review.

Electron-proton spectrometer: Summary for critical design review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The electron-proton spectrometer (EPS) is mounted external to the Skylab module complex on the command service module. It is designed to make a 2 pi omni-directional measurement of electrons and protons which result from solar flares or enhancement of the radiation belts. The EPS data will provide accurate radiation dose information so that uncertain Relative biological effectiveness factors are eliminated by measuring the external particle spectra. Astronaut radiation safety, therefore, can be ensured, as the EPS data can be used to correct or qualify radiation dose measurements recorded by other radiation measuring instrumentation within the Skylab module complex. The EPS has the capability of measuring and extremely wide dynamic radiation dose rate range, approaching 10 to the 7th power. Simultaneously the EPS has the capability to process data from extremely high radiation fields such as might be encountered in the wake of an intense solar flare.

SVM-based tree-type neural networks as a critic in adaptive critic designs for control.

PubMed

Deb, Alok Kanti; Jayadeva; Gopal, Madan; Chandra, Suresh

2007-07-01

In this paper, we use the approach of adaptive critic design (ACD) for control, specifically, the action-dependent heuristic dynamic programming (ADHDP) method. A least squares support vector machine (SVM) regressor has been used for generating the control actions, while an SVM-based tree-type neural network (NN) is used as the critic. After a failure occurs, the critic and action are retrained in tandem using the failure data. Failure data is binary classification data, where the number of failure states are very few as compared to the number of no-failure states. The difficulty of conventional multilayer feedforward NNs in learning this type of classification data has been overcome by using the SVM-based tree-type NN, which due to its feature to add neurons to learn misclassified data, has the capability to learn any binary classification data without a priori choice of the number of neurons or the structure of the network. The capability of the trained controller to handle unforeseen situations is demonstrated.

Impact of the design of neonatal intensive care units on neonates, staff, and families: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Shahheidari, Marzieh; Homer, Caroline

2012-01-01

Newborn intensive care is for critically ill newborns requiring constant and continuous care and supervision. The survival rates of critically ill infants and hospitalization in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have improved over the past 2 decades because of technological advances in neonatology. The design of NICUs may also have implications for the health of babies, parents, and staff. It is important therefore to articulate the design features of NICU that are associated with improved outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore the main features of the NICU design and to determine the advantages and limitations of the designs in terms of outcomes for babies, parents, and staff, predominately nurses. A systematic review of English-language, peer-reviewed articles was conducted for a period of 10 years, up to January 2011. Four online library databases and a number of relevant professional Web sites were searched using key words. There were 2 main designs of NICUs: open bay and single-family room. The open-bay environment develops communication and interaction with medical staff and nurses and has the ability to monitor multiple infants simultaneously. The single-family rooms were deemed superior for patient care and parent satisfaction. Key factors associated with improved outcomes included increased privacy, increased parental involvement in patient care, assistance with infection control, noise control, improved sleep, decreased length of hospital stay, and reduced rehospitalization. The design of NICUs has implications for babies, parents, and staff. An understanding of the positive design features needs to be considered by health service planners, managers, and those who design such specialized units.

Conceptualizing the Critical Path Linked by Teacher Commitment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Jingping

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose a critical path through which school leadership travels to students by highlighting the importance of teacher commitment. Design/methodology/approach: Using both meta-analytic and narrative review methods, this paper systematically reviews the evidence in the past 20 years about the…

The effectiveness of concept mapping on development of critical thinking in nursing education: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Yue, Meng; Zhang, Meng; Zhang, Chunmei; Jin, Changde

2017-05-01

As an essential skill in daily clinical nursing practice, critical thinking ability has been an important objective in nursing education. Concept mapping enables nursing students connect new information to existing knowledge and integrates interdisciplinary knowledge. However, there is a lack of evidence related to critical thinking ability and concept mapping in nursing education. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effect of concept mapping in developing critical thinking in nursing education. This systematic review was reported in line with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). A search was conducted in PubMed, Web of science, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing concept mapping and traditional teaching method were retrieved. Data were collected by two reviewers according to the data extraction tables. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed by other two reviewers. The results of meta-analysis were presented using mean difference (MD). Thirteen trials were summarized in the systematic review and eleven trials were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled effect size showed that, comparing with traditional methods, concept mapping could improve subjects' critical thinking ability measured by California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI), California Critical Thinking Skill Test (CCTST) and Critical Thinking Scale (CTS). The subgroup analyses showed that concept mapping improved the score of all subscales. The result of this review indicated that concept mapping could affect the critical thinking affective dispositions and critical thinking cognitive skills. Further high quality research using uniform evaluation is required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving the Critic Learning for Event-Based Nonlinear $H_{\\infty }$ Control Design.

PubMed

Wang, Ding; He, Haibo; Liu, Derong

2017-10-01

In this paper, we aim at improving the critic learning criterion to cope with the event-based nonlinear H ∞ state feedback control design. First of all, the H ∞ control problem is regarded as a two-player zero-sum game and the adaptive critic mechanism is used to achieve the minimax optimization under event-based environment. Then, based on an improved updating rule, the event-based optimal control law and the time-based worst-case disturbance law are obtained approximately by training a single critic neural network. The initial stabilizing control is no longer required during the implementation process of the new algorithm. Next, the closed-loop system is formulated as an impulsive model and its stability issue is handled by incorporating the improved learning criterion. The infamous Zeno behavior of the present event-based design is also avoided through theoretical analysis on the lower bound of the minimal intersample time. Finally, the applications to an aircraft dynamics and a robot arm plant are carried out to verify the efficient performance of the present novel design method.

Evaluation of tools used to measure critical thinking development in nursing and midwifery undergraduate students: a systematic review.

PubMed

Carter, Amanda G; Creedy, Debra K; Sidebotham, Mary

2015-07-01

Well developed critical thinking skills are essential for nursing and midwifery practices. The development of students' higher-order cognitive abilities, such as critical thinking, is also well recognised in nursing and midwifery education. Measurement of critical thinking development is important to demonstrate change over time and effectiveness of teaching strategies. To evaluate tools designed to measure critical thinking in nursing and midwifery undergraduate students. The following six databases were searched and resulted in the retrieval of 1191 papers: CINAHL, Ovid Medline, ERIC, Informit, PsycINFO and Scopus. After screening for inclusion, each paper was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Tool. Thirty-four studies met the inclusion criteria and quality appraisal. Sixteen different tools that measure critical thinking were reviewed for reliability and validity and extent to which the domains of critical thinking were evident. Sixty percent of studies utilised one of four standardised commercially available measures of critical thinking. Reliability and validity were not consistently reported and there was a variation in reliability across studies that used the same measure. Of the remaining studies using different tools, there was also limited reporting of reliability making it difficult to assess internal consistency and potential applicability of measures across settings. Discipline specific instruments to measure critical thinking in nursing and midwifery are required, specifically tools that measure the application of critical thinking to practise. Given that critical thinking development occurs over an extended period, measurement needs to be repeated and multiple methods of measurement used over time. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 59334 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Status and Designation of Critical...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-26

... and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Status and Designation of Critical Habitat for Oregon... of public comment period and notice of public hearing. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), recently published a proposed listing and proposed designation of critical habitat for...

Critical thinking dispositions of nursing students in Asian and non-Asian countries: a literature review.

PubMed

Salsali, Mahvash; Tajvidi, Mansooreh; Ghiyasvandian, Shahrzad

2013-09-26

Critical thinking disposition represents an inclination of a person to use possessed skills in relation to critical thinking. The trend of critical thinking has been described as inner motivation to solve problems and make decisions by thinking. In nursing as a practical profession, the concept of critical thinking dispositions is important component in helping to manage complex health situations and to deal with patient issues effectively. Willingness to think critically is a prerequisite for safe and subtly performance. The results of studies show critical thinking dispositions of nursing students in Asian countries are different from non-Asian countries. Aim of this literature review was to compare critical thinking dispositions of nursing students in Asian and non-Asian countries. Literature review was done in English and Persian databases. The results showed of the 795 articles published in English and Persian language that studied critical thinking, 73 ones studied critical thinking skills and dispositions in nursing education, and relationship between teaching methods and critical thinking skills and dispositions in nursing education of different countries. Fifteen of seventy three articles assessed critical thinking dispositions in nursing students. Limited studies showed that the Asian nursing students had mostly undermining score of the critical thinking dispositions, while non-Asian countries tend to positive scores. The reasons for these differences could be due to issues such as environmental, educational methods and cultural differences. However, future studies should measure critical thinking disposition by discipline-based tools.

Critical Thinking Dispositions of Nursing Students in Asian and Non-Asian Countries: A Literature Review

PubMed Central

Salsali, Mahvash; Tajvidi, Mansooreh; Ghiyasvandian, Shahrzad

2013-01-01

Critical thinking disposition represents an inclination of a person to use possessed skills in relation to critical thinking. The trend of critical thinking has been described as inner motivation to solve problems and make decisions by thinking. In nursing as a practical profession, the concept of critical thinking dispositions is important component in helping to manage complex health situations and to deal with patient issues effectively. Willingness to think critically is a prerequisite for safe and subtly performance. The results of studies show critical thinking dispositions of nursing students in Asian countries are different from non-Asian countries. Aim of this literature review was to compare critical thinking dispositions of nursing students in Asian and non-Asian countries. Literature review was done in English and Persian databases. The results showed of the 795 articles published in English and Persian language that studied critical thinking, 73 ones studied critical thinking skills and dispositions in nursing education, and relationship between teaching methods and critical thinking skills and dispositions in nursing education of different countries. Fifteen of seventy three articles assessed critical thinking dispositions in nursing students. Limited studies showed that the Asian nursing students had mostly undermining score of the critical thinking dispositions, while non-Asian countries tend to positive scores. The reasons for these differences could be due to issues such as environmental, educational methods and cultural differences. However, future studies should measure critical thinking disposition by discipline-based tools. PMID:24171885

Personal Epistemology and Mathematics: A Critical Review and Synthesis of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muis, Krista R.

2004-01-01

This review critically examines 33 studies on students' epistemological beliefs about mathematics. Five categories were identified: beliefs about mathematics, development of beliefs, effects of beliefs on behavior, domain differences, and changing beliefs. Studies examining beliefs about mathematics revealed consistent patterns of nonavailing…

SNAP-8 power conversion system design review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, L. P.

1970-01-01

The conceptual design of the SNAP-8 electrical generating system configurations are reviewed including the evolution of the PCS configuration, and the current concepts. The reliabilities of two alternative PCS-G heat rejection loop configurations with two radiator design concepts are also reviewed. A computer program for calculating system pressure loss using multiple-loop flow analysis is included.

Automated Critical Test Result Notification System: Architecture, Design, and Assessment of Provider Satisfaction

PubMed Central

Lacson, Ronilda; O'Connor, Stacy D.; Andriole, Katherine P.; Prevedello, Luciano M.; Khorasani, Ramin

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE Communicating critical results of diagnostic imaging procedures is a national patient safety goal. The purposes of this study were to describe the system architecture and design of Alert Notification of Critical Results (ANCR), an automated system designed to facilitate communication of critical imaging results between care providers; to report providers’ satisfaction with ANCR; and to compare radiologists’ and ordering providers’ attitudes toward ANCR. MATERIALS AND METHODS The design decisions made for each step in the alert communication process, which includes user authentication, alert creation, alert communication, alert acknowledgment and management, alert reminder and escalation, and alert documentation, are described. To assess attitudes toward ANCR, internally developed and validated surveys were administered to all radiologists (n = 320) and ordering providers (n = 4323) who sent or received alerts 3 years after ANCR implementation. RESULTS The survey response rates were 50.4% for radiologists and 36.1% for ordering providers. Ordering providers were generally dissatisfied with the training received for use of ANCR and with access to technical support. Radiologists were more satisfied with documenting critical result communication (61.1% vs 43.2%; p = 0.0001) and tracking critical results (51.6% vs 35.1%; p = 0.0003) than were ordering providers. Both groups agreed use of ANCR reduces medical errors and improves the quality of patient care. CONCLUSION Use of ANCR enables automated communication of critical test results. The survey results confirm overall provider satisfaction with ANCR but highlight the need for improved training strategies for large numbers of geographically dispersed ordering providers. Future enhancements beyond acknowledging receipt of critical results are needed to help ensure timely and appropriate follow-up of critical results to improve quality and patient safety. PMID:25341163

Nuclear Criticality Experimental Research Center (NCERC) Overview

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goda, Joetta Marie; Grove, Travis Justin; Hayes, David Kirk

The mission of the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) at the Device Assembly Facility (DAF) is to conduct experiments and training with critical assemblies and fissionable material at or near criticality in order to explore reactivity phenomena, and to operate the assemblies in the regions from subcritical through delayed critical. One critical assembly, Godiva-IV, is designed to operate above prompt critical. The Nuclear Criticality Experimental Research Center (NCERC) is our nation’s only general-purpose critical experiments facility and is only one of a few that remain operational throughout the world. This presentation discusses the history of NCERC, the general activitiesmore » that makeup work at NCERC, and the various government programs and missions that NCERC supports. Recent activities at NCERC will be reviewed, with a focus on demonstrating how NCERC meets national security mission goals using engineering fundamentals. In particular, there will be a focus on engineering theory and design and applications of engineering fundamentals at NCERC. NCERC activities that relate to engineering education will also be examined.« less

The DSM: mindful science or mindless power? A critical review

PubMed Central

Khoury, Bassam; Langer, Ellen J.; Pagnini, Francesco

2014-01-01

In this paper we review the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental health (DSM), its scientific bases and utility. The concepts of “normality,” “pathology,” and boundaries between them are critically reviewed. We further use the concepts of mindfulness and mindlessness, and evidence from cognitive and social sciences to investigate the DSM clinical and social impact and we argue against its assigned overpower. We recommend including alternative perspectives to the DSM, such as mindfulness and positive psychology. We also argue for including mindfulness training in psychiatric residency and clinical psychology programs. PMID:24987385

78 FR 2539 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Gunnison Sage...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-11

...We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose to designate critical habitat for the Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to this species' critical habitat. The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for the Gunnison sage-grouse under the Act. In total, approximately 689,675 hectares (ha) (1,704,227 acres (ac)) are being proposed for designation as critical habitat in Chaffee, Delta, Dolores, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, Saguache, and San Miguel Counties in Colorado, and in Grand and San Juan Counties in Utah.

Critical materials: a reason for sustainable education of industrial designers and engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köhler, Andreas R.; Bakker, Conny; Peck, David

2013-08-01

Developed economies have become highly dependent on a range of technology metals with names such as neodymium and terbium. Stakeholders have warned of the impending scarcity of these critical materials. Difficulties in materials supply can affect the high-tech industries as well as the success of sustainable innovation strategies that are based on sophisticated technology. Industrial designers and engineers should therefore increase their awareness of the limits in availability of critical materials. In this paper, it is argued that materials' criticality can give a fresh impetus to the higher education of industrial design engineers. It is important to train future professionals to apply a systems perspective to the process of technology innovation, enabling them to thrive under circumstances of constrained material choices. The conclusions outline ideas on how to weave the topic into existing educational programmes of future technology developers.

Online counseling: a narrative and critical review of the literature.

PubMed

Richards, Derek; Viganó, Noemi

2013-09-01

This article aimed to critically review the literature on online counseling. Database and hand-searches were made using search terms and eligibility criteria, yielding a total of 123 studies. The review begins with what characterizes online counseling. Outcome and process research in online counseling is reviewed. Features and cyberbehaviors of online counseling such as anonymity and disinhibition, convenience, time-delay, the loss of social signaling, and writing behavior in cyberspace are discussed. Ethical behavior, professional training, client suitability, and clients' and therapists' attitudes and experiences of online counseling are reviewed. A growing body of knowledge to date is positive in showing that online counseling can have a similar impact and is capable of replicating the facilitative conditions as face-to-face encounters. A need remains for stronger empirical evidence to establish efficacy and effectiveness and to understand better the unique mediating and facilitative variables. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A critical review of the nursing shortage in Malaysia.

PubMed

Barnett, T; Namasivayam, P; Narudin, D A A

2010-03-01

This paper describes and critically reviews steps taken to address the nursing workforce shortage in Malaysia. To address the shortage and to build health care capacity, Malaysia has more than doubled its nursing workforce over the past decade, primarily through an increase in the domestic supply of new graduates. Government reports, policy documents and ministerial statements were sourced from the Ministry of Health Malaysia website and reviewed and analysed in the context of the scholarly literature published about the health care workforce in Malaysia and more generally about the global nursing shortage. An escalation in student numbers and the unprecedented number of new graduates entering the workforce has been associated with other impacts that have been responded to symptomatically rather than through workplace reform. Whilst growing the domestic supply of nurses is a critical key strategy to address workforce shortages, steps should also be taken to address structural and other problems of the workplace to support both new graduates and the retention of more experienced staff. Nursing shortages should not be tackled by increasing the supply of new graduates alone. The creation of a safe and supportive work environment is important to the long-term success of current measures taken to grow the workforce and retain nurses within the Malaysian health care system.

Tablet Use in Schools: A Critical Review of the Evidence for Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haßler, B.; Major, L.; Hennessy, S.

2016-01-01

The increased popularity of tablets in general has led to uptake in education. We critically review the literature reporting use of tablets by primary and secondary school children across the curriculum, with a particular emphasis on learning outcomes. The systematic review methodology was used, and our literature search resulted in 33 relevant…

Critical Discourse Analysis in Education: A Review of the Literature, 2004 to 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Rebecca; Schaenen, Inda; Schott, Christopher; O'Brien, Kathryn; Trigos-Carrillo, Lina; Starkey, Kim; Chasteen, Cynthia Carter

2016-01-01

This article reviews critical discourse analysis scholarship in education research from 2004 to 2012. Our methodology was carried out in three stages. First, we searched educational databases. Second, we completed an analytic review template for each article and encoded these data into a digital spreadsheet to assess macro-trends in the field.…

Instructional Design as Critical and Creative Thinking: A Journey through a Jamestown-Era Native American Village

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baum, Liesl M.; Newbill, Phyllis Leary

2010-01-01

The role of critical and creative thinking has been debated within the field of instructional design. Through an instructional design and development project we have identified how critical and creative thinking are essential to the instructional design process. This paper highlights a recent project focused on a virtual Native American village…

Peer review in design: Understanding the impact of collaboration on the review process and student perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandala, Mahender Arjun

A cornerstone of design and design education is frequent situated feedback. With increasing class sizes, and shrinking financial and human resources, providing rich feedback to students becomes increasingly difficult. In the field of writing, web-based peer review--the process of utilizing equal status learners within a class to provide feedback to each other on their work using networked computing systems--has been shown to be a reliable and valid source of feedback in addition to improving student learning. Designers communicate in myriad ways, using the many languages of design and combining visual and descriptive information. This complex discourse of design intent makes peer reviews by design students ambiguous and often not helpful to the receivers of this feedback. Furthermore, engaging students in the review process itself is often difficult. Teams can complement individual diversity and may assist novice designers collectively resolve complex task. However, teams often incur production losses and may be impacted by individual biases. In the current work, we look at utilizing a collaborative team of reviewers, working collectively and synchronously, in generating web based peer reviews in a sophomore engineering design class. Students participated in a cross-over design, conducting peer reviews as individuals and collaborative teams in parallel sequences. Raters coded the feedback generated on the basis of their appropriateness and accuracy. Self-report surveys and passive observation of teams conducting reviews captured student opinion on the process, its value, and the contrasting experience they had conducting team and individual reviews. We found team reviews generated better quality feedback in comparison to individual reviews. Furthermore, students preferred conducting reviews in teams, finding the process 'fun' and engaging. We observed several learning benefits of using collaboration in reviewing including improved understanding of the assessment

Healthcare avoidance: a critical review.

PubMed

Byrne, Sharon K

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to provide a critical review and synthesis of theoretical and research literature documenting the impact of avoidance on healthcare behaviors, identify the factors that influence healthcare avoidance and delay in the adult population, and propose a direction for future research. The Theory of Reasoned Action, Theory of Planned Behavior, Theory of Care-Seeking Behavior, the Transtheoretical Model, and the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use/Utilization are utilized to elaborate on the context within which individual intention to engage in healthcare behaviors occurs. Research literature on the concept of healthcare avoidance obtained by using computerized searches of CINAHL, MEDLINE, PSYCH INFO, and HAPI databases, from 1995 to 2007, were reviewed. Studies were organized by professional disciplines. Healthcare avoidance is a common and highly variable experience. Multiple administrative, demographic, personal, and provider factors are related to healthcare avoidance, for example, distrust of providers and/or the science community, health beliefs, insurance status, or socioeconomic/income level. Although the concept is recognized by multiple disciplines, limited research studies address its impact on healthcare decision making. More systematic research is needed to determine correlates of healthcare avoidance. Such studies will help investigators identify patients at risk for avoidant behaviors and provide the basis for health-promoting interventions. Methodological challenges include identification of characteristics of individuals and environments that hinder healthcare behaviors, as well as, the complexity of measuring healthcare avoidance. Studies need to systematically explore the influence of avoidance behaviors on specific healthcare populations at risk.

76 FR 59773 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Mississippi...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-27

... support a diverse ground cover of herbaceous plants, both in the uplands and in the breeding ponds (Hedman... Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for... Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Mississippi Gopher Frog AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife...

Sequential chemical-biological processes for the treatment of industrial wastewaters: review of recent progresses and critical assessment.

PubMed

Guieysse, Benoit; Norvill, Zane N

2014-02-28

When direct wastewater biological treatment is unfeasible, a cost- and resource-efficient alternative to direct chemical treatment consists of combining biological treatment with a chemical pre-treatment aiming to convert the hazardous pollutants into more biodegradable compounds. Whereas the principles and advantages of sequential treatment have been demonstrated for a broad range of pollutants and process configurations, recent progresses (2011-present) in the field provide the basis for refining assessment of feasibility, costs, and environmental impacts. This paper thus reviews recent real wastewater demonstrations at pilot and full scale as well as new process configurations. It also discusses new insights on the potential impacts of microbial community dynamics on process feasibility, design and operation. Finally, it sheds light on a critical issue that has not yet been properly addressed in the field: integration requires complex and tailored optimization and, of paramount importance to full-scale application, is sensitive to uncertainty and variability in the inputs used for process design and operation. Future research is therefore critically needed to improve process control and better assess the real potential of sequential chemical-biological processes for industrial wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Setting Cut-Scores: A Critical Review of the Angoff and Modified Angoff Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricker, Kathryn L.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this article is to review critically the Angoff (1971) and modified Angoff methods for setting cut-scores. The criteria used in this review were originally proposed by Berk (1986). The assumptions of the Angoff method and other current issues surrounding this method are also discussed. Recommendations are made for using the Angoff…

A critical appraisal of the methodology and quality of evidence of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of traditional Chinese medical nursing interventions: a systematic review of reviews

PubMed Central

Jin, Ying-Hui; Wang, Guo-Hao; Sun, Yi-Rong; Li, Qi; Zhao, Chen; Li, Ge; Si, Jin-Hua; Li, Yan; Lu, Cui; Shang, Hong-Cai

2016-01-01

Objective To assess the methodology and quality of evidence of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of traditional Chinese medical nursing (TCMN) interventions in Chinese journals. These interventions include acupressure, massage, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, electroacupuncture and use of Chinese herbal medicines—for example, in enemas, foot massage and compressing the umbilicus. Design A systematic literature search for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of TCMN interventions was performed. Review characteristics were extracted. The methodological quality and the quality of the evidence were evaluated using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approaches. Result We included 20 systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and a total of 11 TCMN interventions were assessed in the 20 reviews. The compliance with AMSTAR checklist items ranged from 4.5 to 8 and systematic reviews/meta-analyses were, on average, of medium methodological quality. The quality of the evidence we assessed ranged from very low to moderate; no high-quality evidence was found. The top two causes for downrating confidence in effect estimates among the 31 bodies of evidence assessed were the risk of bias and inconsistency. Conclusions There is room for improvement in the methodological quality of systematic reviews/meta-analyses of TCMN interventions published in Chinese journals. Greater efforts should be devoted to ensuring a more comprehensive search strategy, clearer specification of the interventions of interest in the eligibility criteria and identification of meaningful outcomes for clinicians and patients (consumers). The overall quality of evidence among reviews remains suboptimal, which raise concerns about their roles in influencing clinical practice. Thus, the conclusions in reviews we assessed must be treated with caution and their roles in influencing clinical practice should be limited. A critical

Science education as a pathway to teaching language literacy: a critical book review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolbert, Sara

2011-03-01

In this paper, I present a critical review of the recent book, Science Education as a Pathway to Teaching Language Literacy, edited by Alberto J. Rodriguez. This volume is a timely collection of essays in which the authors bring to attention both the successes and challenges of integrating science instruction with literacy instruction (and vice versa). Although several themes in the book merit further attention, a central unifying issue throughout all of the chapters is the task of designing instruction which (1) gives students access to the dominant Discourses in science and literacy, (2) builds on students' lived experiences, and (3) connects new material to socially and culturally relevant contexts in both science and literacy instruction— all within the high stakes testing realities of teachers and students in public schools. In this review, I illustrate how the authors of these essays effectively address this formidable challenge through research that `ascends to the concrete'. I also discuss where we could build on the work of the authors to integrate literacy and science instruction with the purpose of `humanizing and democratizing' science education in K-12 classrooms.

Reproducibility of clinical research in critical care: a scoping review.

PubMed

Niven, Daniel J; McCormick, T Jared; Straus, Sharon E; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R; Jeffs, Lianne; Barnes, Tavish R M; Stelfox, Henry T

2018-02-21

The ability to reproduce experiments is a defining principle of science. Reproducibility of clinical research has received relatively little scientific attention. However, it is important as it may inform clinical practice, research agendas, and the design of future studies. We used scoping review methods to examine reproducibility within a cohort of randomized trials examining clinical critical care research and published in the top general medical and critical care journals. To identify relevant clinical practices, we searched the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and JAMA for randomized trials published up to April 2016. To identify a comprehensive set of studies for these practices, included articles informed secondary searches within other high-impact medical and specialty journals. We included late-phase randomized controlled trials examining therapeutic clinical practices in adults admitted to general medical-surgical or specialty intensive care units (ICUs). Included articles were classified using a reproducibility framework. An original study was the first to evaluate a clinical practice. A reproduction attempt re-evaluated that practice in a new set of participants. Overall, 158 practices were examined in 275 included articles. A reproduction attempt was identified for 66 practices (42%, 95% CI 33-50%). Original studies reported larger effects than reproduction attempts (primary endpoint, risk difference 16.0%, 95% CI 11.6-20.5% vs. 8.4%, 95% CI 6.0-10.8%, P = 0.003). More than half of clinical practices with a reproduction attempt demonstrated effects that were inconsistent with the original study (56%, 95% CI 42-68%), among which a large number were reported to be efficacious in the original study and to lack efficacy in the reproduction attempt (34%, 95% CI 19-52%). Two practices reported to be efficacious in the original study were found to be harmful in the reproduction attempt. A minority of critical care practices with research published

Design for Deconstruction (DfD): Critical success factors for diverting end-of-life waste from landfills.

PubMed

Akinade, Olugbenga O; Oyedele, Lukumon O; Ajayi, Saheed O; Bilal, Muhammad; Alaka, Hafiz A; Owolabi, Hakeem A; Bello, Sururah A; Jaiyeoba, Babatunde E; Kadiri, Kabir O

2017-02-01

The aim of this paper is to identify Critical Success Factors (CSF) needed for effective material recovery through Design for Deconstruction (DfD). The research approach employed in this paper is based on a sequential exploratory mixed method strategy. After a thorough review of literature and conducting four Focus Group Discussion (FGDs), 43 DfD factors were identified and put together in a questionnaire survey. Data analyses include Cronbach's alpha reliability analysis, mean testing using significance index, and exploratory factor analysis. The result of the factor analysis reveals that an underlying factor structure of five DfD factors groups that include 'stringent legislation and policy', 'deconstruction design process and competencies', 'design for material recovery', 'design for material reuse', and 'design for building flexibility'. These groups of DfD factor groups show that the requirements for DfD goes beyond technical competencies and that non-technical factors such as stringent legislation and policy and design process and competency for deconstruction are key in designing deconstructable buildings. Paying attention to the factors identified in all of these categories will help to tackle impediments that could hinder the effectiveness of DfD. The results of this study would help design and project managers to understand areas of possible improvement in employing DfD as a strategy for diverting waste from landfills. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research Review: A Critical Review of Studies on the Developmental Trajectories of Antisocial Behavior in Females

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontaine, Nathalie; Carbonneau, Rene; Vitaro, Frank; Barker, Edward D.; Tremblay, Richard E.

2009-01-01

Background: Knowledge on the onset and the development of antisocial behavior in females is limited, because most of the research in this domain is based on males. Methods: We critically reviewed 46 empirical studies that examined developmental trajectories of antisocial behavior in females, notably to help determine whether or not an…

Adaptive and Adaptable Automation Design: A Critical Review of the Literature and Recommendations for Future Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prinzel, Lawrence J., III; Kaber, David B.

2006-01-01

This report presents a review of literature on approaches to adaptive and adaptable task/function allocation and adaptive interface technologies for effective human management of complex systems that are likely to be issues for the Next Generation Air Transportation System, and a focus of research under the Aviation Safety Program, Integrated Intelligent Flight Deck Project. Contemporary literature retrieved from an online database search is summarized and integrated. The major topics include the effects of delegation-type, adaptable automation on human performance, workload and situation awareness, the effectiveness of various automation invocation philosophies and strategies to function allocation in adaptive systems, and the role of user modeling in adaptive interface design and the performance implications of adaptive interface technology.

Asymmetric Photoreactions as the Origin of Biomolecular Homochirality: A Critical Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorissen, Alain; Cerf, Corinne

2002-04-01

The role of asymmetric photoreactions (occurring in space or on the primitive Earth) in the origin of biomolecular homochirality is critically reviewed. A general description of the various possible ways for light to interact with chiral molecules is first presented on the basis of a series expansion of the dielectric constant: natural, magnetic and magnetochiral circular dichroism are identified with the first three terms in this development. Natural and magnetochiral circular dichroism may cause, through asymmetric photolysis, an enantiomeric excess in a racemic mixture of chiral molecules irradiated, respectively, by circularly polarized ultraviolet light, or by unpolarized ultraviolet light in the presence of a magnetic field non-perpendicular to the light beam. Terrestrial and extraterrestrial sites matching these conditions are then critically reviewed. Finally, we stress the possibility to arrive at the homochirality of amino acids through a path involving D-ribose during RNA world as an alternative to the usual scenarios operating directly on amino acids.

Using Critical Incidents of Instructional Design and Multimedia Production Activities to Investigate Instructional Designers' Current Practices and Roles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugar, William A.; Luterbach, Kenneth J.

2016-01-01

Through consideration of critical incidents, this study analyzed 106 effective, ineffective and extraordinary instructional design and multimedia production (MP) activities discussed by 36 instructional design professionals. This evaluation provided insights into these professionals' best and not so best practices during the past 6 months.…

Strategies used for the promotion of critical thinking in nursing undergraduate education: A systematic review.

PubMed

Carvalho, Diana P S R P; Azevedo, Isabelle C; Cruz, Giovanna K P; Mafra, Gabriela A C; Rego, Anna L C; Vitor, Allyne F; Santos, Viviane E P; Cogo, Ana L P; Ferreira Júnior, Marcos A

2017-10-01

Identifying the strategies used to promote critical thinking (CT) during undergraduate education in nursing courses. Systematic review. Five electronic databases were searched without language, publication time or geographic filters. A systematic review of the literature. Including experimental studies that considered at least one teaching strategy to promote critical thinking of undergraduate students in Nursing courses. The search for studies occurred in three phases: title and summary review, complete text and implementation of a clinical form of selection according to predetermined criteria. All included studies were assessed for quality through a classification tool for experimental studies. Six studies were selected. The results were grouped into three key themes: an evaluation of the quality of the selected studies, characterization of the studies and the strategies used to promote critical thinking. All selected studies were in English, with significant conceptual similarity of Critical Thinking and dominance in choosing the approached theme during strategies in clinical nursing education with an emphasis on the nursing process. The most widely used teaching intervention was Problem-Based Learning. Nursing education mediated by strategies that stimulate CT is considered a positive difference in undergraduate curriculums. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trained or professional doulas in the support and care of pregnant and birthing women: a critical integrative review.

PubMed

Steel, Amie; Frawley, Jane; Adams, Jon; Diezel, Helene

2015-05-01

The professionalisation of doula care and research interest in this area of maternity care/support have both grown internationally in recent years highlighting important broader issues around the access, continuity and delivery of maternity care services. However, no work to date has provided a critical appraisal of the international literature on this topic. In response, this paper presents the first critical review of international empirical literature examining professional doula care for pregnant and birthing women. A database search of AMED, CINAHL, Maternity and Infant Care, and MEDLINE using the search term, "doula" was undertaken. A total of 48 papers published between 1980 and March 2013 involving trained or professional doulas were extracted. Four descriptive categories were identified from the review: 'workforce and professional issues in doula care'; 'trained or professional doula's role and skill'; 'physical outcomes of trained or professional doula care'; and 'social outcomes of trained or professional doula care'. Of the studies evaluating outcomes of doula care, there were a number with design and methodology weaknesses. The review highlights a number of gaps in the research literature including a lack of research examining doula workforce issues; focus upon the experience and perspective of significant stakeholders such as expectant fathers with regard to trained or professional doula care; clinical trials measuring both subjective experiences and physical outcomes of trained or professional doula support; synergy between the design of clinical trials research examining trained or professional doula care and the clinical reality of professional doula practice. It is imperative that key aspects of trained doula care be subject to further rigorous, empirical investigation to help establish an evidence base to guide policy and practice relating to this area of support and care for pregnant and birthing women. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Office design and health: a systematic review.

PubMed

Richardson, Ann; Potter, John; Paterson, Margaret; Harding, Thomas; Tyler-Merrick, Gaye; Kirk, Ray; Reid, Kate; McChesney, Jane

2017-12-15

To carry out a systematic review of recent research into the effects of workplace design, comparing individual with shared workspaces, on the health of employees. The research question was "Does workplace design (specifically individual offices compared with shared workspaces) affect the health of workers?" A literature search limited to articles published between 2000 and 2017 was undertaken. A systematic review was carried out, and the findings of the reviewed studies grouped into themes according to the primary outcomes measured in the studies. The literature search identified 15 relevant studies addressing health effects of shared or open-plan offices compared with individual offices. Our systematic review found that, compared with individual offices, shared or open-plan office space is not beneficial to employees' health, with consistent findings of deleterious effects on staff health, wellbeing and productivity. Our findings are also consistent with those of earlier reviews. These findings have public health implications for the New Zealand workforce. Decisions about workplace design should include weighing the short-term financial benefits of open-plan or shared workspaces against the significant harms, including increased sickness absence, lower job satisfaction and productivity, and possible threats to recruitment and retention of staff.

The use of cultured epithelial autograft in the treatment of major burn injuries: a critical review of the literature.

PubMed

Wood, F M; Kolybaba, M L; Allen, P

2006-06-01

The need to achieve rapid wound closure in patients with massive burns and limited skin donor sites led to the investigation of in vitro cellular expansion of keratinocytes. The use of cultured epithelial autografts (CEA) was first reported in the treatment of major burns in 1981. Since that time, support for the use of CEA has varied, ranging from 'a useful agent' to having 'no demonstrable effect on the outcome of extensively burned patients'. This critical review of the literature examines issues associated with the use of CEA and the introduction of the technology into clinical practice. The factors potentially limiting the use of cultured CEA are the time necessary to culture CEA sheets, the reliability of 'take', vulnerability of grafts on the newly healed surface, long-term durability and the cost implications of such treatment. The available literature was located and critically evaluated using the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Guidelines. In the identified literature, the level of evidence to support the use of CEA in major burn injures is limited and often restricted to case studies and case series with no Level 1 evidence currently available. The main question arising 'Does CEA have a role in the treatment of major burns?' has proven difficult to answer due to the wide variation in both the quality of study design and the findings. At best, the literature review has highlighted areas of concern that have hindered the successful use of CEA. Our review critically evaluates the use of CEA and explores the advances in techniques towards attempting to improve reliable clinical implementation of CEA. The need for higher level research into the use of CEA is emphasised by this review.

Part II: The Effects of Aromatherapy and Guided Imagery for the Symptom Management of Anxiety, Pain, and Insomnia in Critically Ill Patients: An Integrative Review of Current Literature.

PubMed

Meghani, Naheed; Tracy, Mary Fran; Hadidi, Niloufar Niakosari; Lindquist, Ruth

This review is part II of a 2-part series that presents evidence on the effectiveness of aromatherapy and guided imagery for the symptom management of anxiety, pain, and insomnia in adult critically ill patients. Evidence from this review supports the use of aromatherapy for management of pain, insomnia, and anxiety in critically ill patients. Evidence also supports the use of guided imagery for managing these symptoms in critical care; however, the evidence is sparse, mixed, and weak. More studies with larger samples and stronger designs are needed to further establish efficacy of guided imagery for the management of anxiety, pain, and insomnia of critically ill patients; to accomplish this, standardized evidence-based intervention protocols to ensure comparability and to establish optimal effectiveness are needed. Discussion and recommendations related to the use of these therapies in practice and needs for future research in these areas were generated.

Does vaginismus exist? A critical review of the literature.

PubMed

Reissing, E D; Binik, Y M; Khalifé, S

1999-05-01

The basic strategies and methods for assessing and treating vaginismus were proposed by the early 20th century and have not essentially changed. Etiological theories have changed over time but are not supported by controlled empirical studies. This critical review of the literature disputes the widely held belief that vaginismus is an easily diagnosed and easily treated sexual dysfunction. We propose a reconceptualization of vaginismus as either an aversion/phobia of vaginal penetration or a genital pain disorder.

A critical methodological review of discourse and conversation analysis studies of family therapy.

PubMed

Tseliou, Eleftheria

2013-12-01

Discourse (DA) and conversation (CA) analysis, two qualitative research methods, have been recently suggested as potentially promising for the study of family therapy due to common epistemological adherences and their potential for an in situ study of therapeutic dialog. However, to date, there is no systematic methodological review of the few existing DA and CA studies of family therapy. This study aims at addressing this lack by critically reviewing published DA and CA studies of family therapy on methodological grounds. Twenty-eight articles in total are reviewed in relation to certain methodological axes identified in the relevant literature. These include choice of method, framing of research question(s), data/sampling, type of analysis, epistemological perspective, content/type of knowledge claims, and attendance to criteria for good quality practice. It is argued that the reviewed studies show "glimpses" of the methods' potential for family therapy research despite the identification of certain "shortcomings" regarding their methodological rigor. These include unclearly framed research questions and the predominance of case study designs. They also include inconsistencies between choice of method, stated or unstated epistemological orientations and knowledge claims, and limited attendance to criteria for good quality practice. In conclusion, it is argued that DA and CA can add to the existing quantitative and qualitative methods for family therapy research. They can both offer unique ways for a detailed study of the actual therapeutic dialog, provided that future attempts strive for a methodologically rigorous practice and against their uncritical deployment. © FPI, Inc.

A review of costing methodologies in critical care studies.

PubMed

Pines, Jesse M; Fager, Samuel S; Milzman, David P

2002-09-01

Clinical decision making in critical care has traditionally been based on clinical outcome measures such as mortality and morbidity. Over the past few decades, however, increasing competition in the health care marketplace has made it necessary to consider costs when making clinical and managerial decisions in critical care. Sophisticated costing methodologies have been developed to aid this decision-making process. We performed a narrative review of published costing studies in critical care during the past 6 years. A total of 282 articles were found, of which 68 met our search criteria. They involved a mean of 508 patients (range, 20-13,907). A total of 92.6% of the studies (63 of 68) used traditional cost analysis, whereas the remaining 7.4% (5 of 68) used cost-effectiveness analysis. None (0 of 68) used cost-benefit analysis or cost-utility analysis. A total of 36.7% (25 of 68) used hospital charges as a surrogate for actual costs. Of the 43 articles that actually counted costs, 37.2% (16 of 43) counted physician costs, 27.9% (12 of 43) counted facility costs, 34.9% (15 of 43) counted nursing costs, 9.3% (4 of 43) counted societal costs, and 90.7% (39 of 43) counted laboratory, equipment, and pharmacy costs. Our conclusion is that despite considerable progress in costing methodologies, critical care studies have not adequately implemented these techniques. Given the importance of financial implications in medicine, it would be prudent for critical care studies to use these more advanced techniques. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Adaptive critic autopilot design of bank-to-turn missiles using fuzzy basis function networks.

PubMed

Lin, Chuan-Kai

2005-04-01

A new adaptive critic autopilot design for bank-to-turn missiles is presented. In this paper, the architecture of adaptive critic learning scheme contains a fuzzy-basis-function-network based associative search element (ASE), which is employed to approximate nonlinear and complex functions of bank-to-turn missiles, and an adaptive critic element (ACE) generating the reinforcement signal to tune the associative search element. In the design of the adaptive critic autopilot, the control law receives signals from a fixed gain controller, an ASE and an adaptive robust element, which can eliminate approximation errors and disturbances. Traditional adaptive critic reinforcement learning is the problem faced by an agent that must learn behavior through trial-and-error interactions with a dynamic environment, however, the proposed tuning algorithm can significantly shorten the learning time by online tuning all parameters of fuzzy basis functions and weights of ASE and ACE. Moreover, the weight updating law derived from the Lyapunov stability theory is capable of guaranteeing both tracking performance and stability. Computer simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive critic autopilot.

Implementing system-wide risk stratification approaches: A review of critical success and failure factors.

PubMed

Huckel Schneider, Carmen; Gillespie, James A; Wilson, Andrew

2017-05-01

Risk stratification has become a widely used tool for linking people identified at risk of health deterioration to the most appropriate evidence-based care. This article systematically reviews recent literature to determine key factors that have been identified as critical enablers and/or barriers to successful implementation of risk stratification tools at a system level. A systematic search found 23 articles and four promising protocols for inclusion in the review, covering the use to 20 different risk stratification tools. These articles reported on only a small fraction of the risk stratification tools used in health systems; suggesting that while the development and statistical validation of risk stratification algorithms is widely reported, there has been little published evaluation of how they are implemented in real-world settings. Controlled studies provided some evidence that the use of risk stratification tools in combination with a care management plan offer patient benefits and that the use of a risk stratification tool to determine components of a care management plan may contribute to reductions in hospital readmissions, patient satisfaction and improved patient outcomes. Studies with the strongest focus on implementation used qualitative and case study methods. Among these, the literature converged on four key areas of implementation that were found to be critical for overcoming barriers to success: the engagement of clinicians and safeguarding equity, both of which address barriers of acceptance; the health system context to address administrative, political and system design barriers; and data management and integration to address logistical barriers.

Methodology or method? A critical review of qualitative case study reports.

PubMed

Hyett, Nerida; Kenny, Amanda; Dickson-Swift, Virginia

2014-01-01

Despite on-going debate about credibility, and reported limitations in comparison to other approaches, case study is an increasingly popular approach among qualitative researchers. We critically analysed the methodological descriptions of published case studies. Three high-impact qualitative methods journals were searched to locate case studies published in the past 5 years; 34 were selected for analysis. Articles were categorized as health and health services (n=12), social sciences and anthropology (n=7), or methods (n=15) case studies. The articles were reviewed using an adapted version of established criteria to determine whether adequate methodological justification was present, and if study aims, methods, and reported findings were consistent with a qualitative case study approach. Findings were grouped into five themes outlining key methodological issues: case study methodology or method, case of something particular and case selection, contextually bound case study, researcher and case interactions and triangulation, and study design inconsistent with methodology reported. Improved reporting of case studies by qualitative researchers will advance the methodology for the benefit of researchers and practitioners.

Methodology or method? A critical review of qualitative case study reports

PubMed Central

Hyett, Nerida; Kenny, Amanda; Dickson-Swift, Virginia

2014-01-01

Despite on-going debate about credibility, and reported limitations in comparison to other approaches, case study is an increasingly popular approach among qualitative researchers. We critically analysed the methodological descriptions of published case studies. Three high-impact qualitative methods journals were searched to locate case studies published in the past 5 years; 34 were selected for analysis. Articles were categorized as health and health services (n=12), social sciences and anthropology (n=7), or methods (n=15) case studies. The articles were reviewed using an adapted version of established criteria to determine whether adequate methodological justification was present, and if study aims, methods, and reported findings were consistent with a qualitative case study approach. Findings were grouped into five themes outlining key methodological issues: case study methodology or method, case of something particular and case selection, contextually bound case study, researcher and case interactions and triangulation, and study design inconsistent with methodology reported. Improved reporting of case studies by qualitative researchers will advance the methodology for the benefit of researchers and practitioners. PMID:24809980

Nuclear Criticality Safety Data Book

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hollenbach, D. F.

The objective of this document is to support the revision of criticality safety process studies (CSPSs) for the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12). This design analysis and calculation (DAC) document contains development and justification for generic inputs typically used in Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) DACs to model both normal and abnormal conditions of processes at UPF to support CSPSs. This will provide consistency between NCS DACs and efficiency in preparation and review of DACs, as frequently used data are provided in one reference source.

System Guidelines for EMC Safety-Critical Circuits: Design, Selection, and Margin Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawton, R. M.

1996-01-01

Demonstration of required safety margins on critical electrical/electronic circuits in large complex systems has become an implementation and cost problem. These margins are the difference between the activation level of the circuit and the electrical noise on the circuit in the actual operating environment. This document discusses the origin of the requirement and gives a detailed process flow for the identification of the system electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) critical circuit list. The process flow discusses the roles of engineering disciplines such as systems engineering, safety, and EMC. Design and analysis guidelines are provided to assist the designer in assuring the system design has a high probability of meeting the margin requirements. Examples of approaches used on actual programs (Skylab and Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster) are provided to show how variations of the approach can be used successfully.

77 FR 50213 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Jaguar

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-20

...We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the jaguar (Panthera onca) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, we propose to designate as critical habitat approximately 339,220 hectares (838,232 acres) in Pima, Santa Cruz, and Cochise Counties, Arizona, and Hidalgo County, New Mexico.

Toward superconducting critical current by design

DOE PAGES

Sadovskyy, Ivan A.; Jia, Ying; Leroux, Maxime; ...

2016-03-31

The interaction of vortex matter with defects in applied superconductors directly determines their current carrying capacity. Defects range from chemically grown nanostructures and crystalline imperfections to the layered structure of the material itself. The vortex-defect interactions are non-additive in general, leading to complex dynamic behavior that has proven difficult to capture in analytical models. With recent rapid progress in computational powers, a new paradigm has emerged that aims at simulation assisted design of defect structures with predictable ‘critical-current-by-design’: analogous to the materials genome concept of predicting stable materials structures of interest. We demonstrate the feasibility of this paradigm by combiningmore » large-scale time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau numerical simulations with experiments on commercial high temperature superconductor (HTS) containing well-controlled correlated defects.« less

Critical Perspectives on Women's Literacy Education in Latin America. Essay Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prins, Esther

2001-01-01

Reviews works on women's literacy education in Latin America by Fink (1992), Purcell-Gates and Waterman (2000), Stromquist (1995, 1997), and van der Westen (1994). Discusses the Latin American context, critical feminist approach to literacy, implementation of Freirean pedagogy, outcomes and benefits, and gaps in the literature. (Contains 17…

Measuring culture: a critical review of acculturation and health in Asian immigrant populations.

PubMed

Salant, Talya; Lauderdale, Diane S

2003-07-01

The number of studies examining how acculturation affects the health of Asian immigrants has increased in recent years. The proliferation of studies reflects the growing size and heterogeneity of Asian immigrant populations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. This paper compares various approaches to acculturation within the health literature on Asian immigrants by reviewing the literature in three-health domains (1) mental health (2) physical health and (3) health services use. The review critically examines the conceptualizations and measures of acculturation in these three domains and presents major findings. We observe that measurement difficulties posed by the experiences of heterogeneous Asian groups compound theoretical and disciplinary disparities between acculturation instruments. The extent to which conceptual and methodological critiques of acculturation studies in Hispanic populations apply to studies of Asian populations is also discussed. The critical review thus provides insights into the diverse ways that the relationship between culture and health is measured in this complicated and growing literature.

Design review report for rotary mode core sample truck (RMCST) modifications for flammable gas tanks, preliminary design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Corbett, J.E.

1996-02-01

This report documents the completion of a preliminary design review for the Rotary Mode Core Sample Truck (RMCST) modifications for flammable gas tanks. The RMCST modifications are intended to support core sampling operations in waste tanks requiring flammable gas controls. The objective of this review was to validate basic design assumptions and concepts to support a path forward leading to a final design. The conclusion reached by the review committee was that the design was acceptable and efforts should continue toward a final design review.

A critical review of current nursing faculty practice.

PubMed

Sawyer, M J; Alexander, I M; Gordon, L; Juszczak, L J; Gilliss, C

2000-12-01

To critically examine the current literature on nursing faculty practice, using the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Guidelines for Evaluation of Faculty Practice, and to examine faculty practice models' strengths, weaknesses, and barriers. Thirty-five articles describing models of faculty practice were identified through an exhaustive search on CINAHL and Medline. Two NONPF monographs on nursing faculty practice were used as guidelines for the critical review. Faculty practice has become an integral component of faculty-role expectations at many schools of nursing. Workload, especially without adequate compensation, remains a hindrance to practice. The value of faculty practice time and expertise has not been sufficiently demonstrated. Integration of practitioner, educator and researcher roles remains extremely difficult and sometimes elusive. Faculty practice offers many advantages to schools of nursing, including educational and research opportunities for faculty and students, as well as practice sites and affordable community healthcare. Providing health care in the community presents an opportunity for independent and collaborative practice. To fully utilize the great research opportunities provided by faculty practice, more emphasis must be placed on gathering and analyzing descriptive data.

Joe L. Kincheloe: Genies and Wishes--A Review of "Key Works in Critical Pedagogy"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali-Khan, Carolyne; Siry, Christina

2012-01-01

We review "Key Works in Critical Pedagogy: Joe L. Kincheloe" edited by Kecia Hayes, Shirley R. Steinberg and Kenneth Tobin, which gathers the seminal works of Joe. L. Kincheloe and pairs them with contemporary scholars who respond to and push forward Kincheloe's work. The chapters of "Key Works in Critical Pedagogy" are arranged to begin with…

Agency, Socialization, and Support: A Critical Review of Doctoral Student Attrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rigler, Kenneth L., Jr.; Bowlin, Linda K.; Sweat, Karen; Watts, Stephen; Throne, Robin

2017-01-01

Almost universally, residential doctoral programs have reported attrition rates of up to 50% for face-to-face programs and 50-70% for online doctoral programs. The purpose of this critical review was to explore current literature for doctoral attrition and persistence to explore reasons and attributes for improved persistence to completion. We…

A Review of Criticality Accidents 2000 Revision

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas P. McLaughlin; Shean P. Monahan; Norman L. Pruvost

Criticality accidents and the characteristics of prompt power excursions are discussed. Sixty accidental power excursions are reviewed. Sufficient detail is provided to enable the reader to understand the physical situation, the chemistry and material flow, and when available the administrative setting leading up to the time of the accident. Information on the power history, energy release, consequences, and causes are also included when available. For those accidents that occurred in process plants, two new sections have been included in this revision. The first is an analysis and summary of the physical and neutronic features of the chain reacting systems. Themore » second is a compilation of observations and lessons learned. Excursions associated with large power reactors are not included in this report.« less

78 FR 51705 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Ivesia webberi

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-21

... Habitat for Ivesia webberi (Webber's ivesia) AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Proposed... dates published in the August 2, 2013, proposed rule to designate critical habitat for Ivesia webberi... rule to designate critical habitat for Ivesia webberi, we included the wrong date for the public...

77 FR 36727 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-19

...We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate revised critical habitat for the Pacific Coast distinct population segment (DPS) (Pacific Coast WSP) of the western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus, formerly C. alexandrinus nivosus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 24,527 acres (9,926 hectares) of critical habitat for the Pacific Coast WSP in Washington, Oregon, and California, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. This revised final designation constitutes an increase of approximately 12,377 ac (5,009 ha) from the 2005 designation of critical habitat for the Pacific Coast WSP. A taxonomic name change has occurred and been accepted for the snowy plover. Throughout the remainder of this document, we will use the currently recognized name for the subspecies, Charadrius nivosus nivosus, to which the listed entity (Pacific Coast WSP) belongs for references to the Pacific Coast WSP.

Do Modification and Interaction Work?--A Critical Review of Literature on the Role of Foreigner Talk in Second Language Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dela Rosa, John Paul O.; Arguelles, Diana C.

2016-01-01

This critical review of literature provides a detailed description of foreigner talk as a simplified register and critically discusses findings entrenched in studies done about this SLA issue. The studies cited are classified as researches concerning foreigner talk that occurs in both natural and classroom settings. Based on the critical review,…

Integration of Mobile Health Technology in the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Critical Review.

PubMed

Sundararaman, Lalitha V; Edwards, Robert R; Ross, Edgar L; Jamison, Robert N

This article provides a critical overview and best-evidence synthesis of the use of mobile health (mHealth) technology among persons with chronic pain and their health care providers and examines the future benefits and barriers of implementing mHealth technology in clinical care. We critically review articles about electronic pain diaries, pain assessment programs, text messaging, and smartphone pain apps for management of persons with pain. Also presented are findings on the utility of activity trackers and use of telehealth to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy. Finally, barriers, study gaps, and future challenges of incorporating mobile technology for chronic pain are discussed. Although the future of mHealth technology and telemedicine in clinical practice is promising, this critical review highlights the need for rigorous studies to establish an association of the use of mHealth technology with improved quality of life, functional autonomy, and decreased hospital use.

Critical Issues in Research Design in Action Research in an SME Development Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Helen; O'Toole, Thomas

2012-01-01

Purpose: The main aim of this paper is to develop guidelines on the critical issues to consider in research design in an action research (AR) environment for SME network capability development. Design/methodology/approach: The issues in research design for AR studies are developed from the authors' experience in running learning sets but, in…

The Reporting of University League Table Employability Rankings: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christie, Fiona

2017-01-01

Which are the best and worst universities in the UK for getting a job when you graduate? This question attracts readers of the employability rankings in national league tables. This study critically reviews the employability measure used in the rankings and its subsequent reporting in public news and commentary sources, such as national and local…

Silver (Ag) Transport Mechanisms in TRISO Coated Particles: A Critical Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

IJ van Rooyen; ML Dunzik-Gougar; PM van Rooyen

2014-05-01

Transport of 110mAg in the intact SiC layer of TRISO coated particles has been studied for approximately 30 years without arriving at a satisfactory explanation of the transport mechanism. In this paper the possible mechanisms postulated in previous experimental studies, both in-reactor and out-of reactor research environment studies are critically reviewed and of particular interest are relevance to very high temperature gas reactor operating and accident conditions. Among the factors thought to influence Ag transport are grain boundary stoichiometry, SiC grain size and shape, the presence of free silicon, nano-cracks, thermal decomposition, palladium attack, transmutation products, layer thinning and coatedmore » particle shape. Additionally new insight to nature and location of fission products has been gained via recent post irradiation electron microscopy examination of TRISO coated particles from the DOE’s fuel development program. The combined effect of critical review and new analyses indicates a direction for investigating possible the Ag transport mechanism including the confidence level with which these mechanisms may be experimentally verified.« less

Silver (Ag) Transport Mechanisms in TRISO coated particles: A Critical Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

I J van Rooyen; J H Neethling; J A A Engelbrecht

2012-10-01

Transport of 110mAg in the intact SiC layer of TRISO coated particles has been studied for approximately 30 years without arriving at a satisfactory explanation of the transport mechanism. In this paper the possible mechanisms postulated in previous experimental studies, both in-reactor and out-of reactor research environment studies are critically reviewed and of particular interest are relevance to very high temperature gas reactor operating and accident conditions. Among the factors thought to influence Ag transport are grain boundary stoichiometry, SiC grain size and shape, the presence of free silicon, nano-cracks, thermal decomposition, palladium attack, transmutation products, layer thinning and coatedmore » particle shape. Additionally new insight to nature and location of fission products has been gained via recent post irradiation electron microscopy examination of TRISO coated particles from the DOE’s fuel development program. The combined effect of critical review and new analyses indicates a direction for investigating possible the Ag transport mechanism including the confidence level with which these mechanisms may be experimentally verified.« less

Long-term psychosocial impact reported by childhood critical illness survivors: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Manning, Joseph C; Hemingway, Pippa; Redsell, Sarah A

2014-01-01

Aim To undertake a qualitative systematic review that explores psychological and social impact, reported directly from children and adolescents at least 6 months after their critical illness. Background Significant advances in critical care have reduced mortality from childhood critical illness, with the majority of patients being discharged alive. However, it is widely reported that surviving critical illness can be traumatic for both children and their family. Despite a growing body of literature in this field, the psychological and social impact of life threatening critical illness on child and adolescent survivors, more than 6 months post event, remains under-reported. Data sources Searches of six online databases were conducted up to February 2012. Review methods Predetermined criteria were used to select studies. Methodological quality was assessed using a standardized checklist. An adapted version of the thematic synthesis approach was applied to extract, code and synthesize data. Findings Three studies met the inclusion criteria, which were all of moderate methodological quality. Initial coding and synthesis of data resulted in five descriptive themes: confusion and uncertainty, other people's narratives, focus on former self and normality, social isolation and loss of identity, and transition and transformation. Further synthesis culminated in three analytical themes that conceptualize the childhood survivors' psychological and social journey following critical illness. Conclusions Critical illness in childhood can expose survivors to a complex trajectory of recovery, with enduring psychosocial adversity manifesting in the long term. Nurses and other health professionals must be aware and support the potential multifaceted psychosocial needs that may arise. Parents and families are identified as fundamental in shaping psychological and social well-being of survivors. Therefore intensive care nurses must take opportunities to raise parents' awareness of the

Hospitalization stay and costs attributable to Clostridium difficile infection: a critical review.

PubMed

Gabriel, L; Beriot-Mathiot, A

2014-09-01

In most healthcare systems, third-party payers fund the costs for patients admitted to hospital for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) whereas, for CDI cases arising as complications of hospitalization, not all related costs are refundable to the hospital. We therefore aimed to critically review and categorize hospital costs and length of hospital stay (LOS) attributable to Clostridium difficile infection and to investigate the economic burden associated with it. A comprehensive literature review selected papers describing the costs and LOS for hospitalized patients as outcomes of CDI, following the use of statistics to identify costs and LOS solely attributable to CDI. Twenty-four studies were selected. Estimated attributable costs, all ranges expressed in US dollars, were $6,774-$10,212 for CDI requiring admission, $2,992-$29,000 for hospital-acquired CDI, and $2,454-$12,850 where no categorization was made. The ranges for LOS values were 5-13.6, 2.7-21.3, and 2.8-17.9 days, respectively. The categorization of CDI attributable costs allows budget holders to anticipate the cost per CDI case, a perspective that should enrich the design of appropriate incentives for the various budget holders to invest in prevention so that CDI prevention is optimized globally. Copyright © 2014 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Industrial machine systems risk assessment: a critical review of concepts and methods.

PubMed

Etherton, John R

2007-02-01

Reducing the risk of work-related death and injury to machine operators and maintenance personnel poses a continuing occupational safety challenge. The risk of injury from machinery in U.S. workplaces is high. Between 1992 and 2001, there were, on average, 520 fatalities per year involving machines and, on average, 3.8 cases per 10,000 workers of nonfatal caught-in-running-machine injuries involving lost workdays. A U.S. task group recently developed a technical reference guideline, ANSI B11 TR3, "A Guide to Estimate, Evaluate, & Reduce Risks Associated with Machine Tools," that is intended to bring machine tool risk assessment practice in the United States up to or above the level now required by the international standard, ISO 14121. The ANSI guideline emphasizes identifying tasks and hazards not previously considered, particularly those associated with maintenance; and it further emphasizes teamwork among line workers, engineers, and safety professionals. The value of this critical review of concepts and methods resides in (1) its linking current risk theory to machine system risk assessment and (2) its exploration of how various risk estimation tools translate into risk-informed decisions on industrial machine system design and use. The review was undertaken to set the stage for a field evaluation study on machine risk assessment among users of the ANSI B11 TR3 method.

A leadership programme for critical care.

PubMed

Crofts, Linda

2006-08-01

This paper describes the genesis, design and implementation of a leadership programme for critical care. This was an initiative funded by the National Health Service (NHS) Nursing Leadership Project and had at the core of its design flexibility to meet the needs of the individual hospitals, which took part in it. Participation was from the multi-disciplinary critical care team. Six NHS hospitals took part in the programme which was of 20 days duration and took place on hospital sites. The programme used the leadership model of as its template and had a number of distinct components; a baseline assessment, personal development, principles of leadership and critical case reviews. The programme was underpinned by three themes; working effectively in multi-professional teams to provide patient focussed care, managing change through effective leadership and developing the virtual critical care service. Each group set objectives pertinent to their own organisation's needs. The programme was evaluated by a self-reporting questionnaire; group feedback and feedback from stakeholders. Programme evaluation was positive from all the hospitals but it was clear that the impact of the programme varied considerably between the groups who took part. It was noted that there was some correlation between the success of the programme and organisational 'buy in' as well as the organisational culture within which the participants operated. A key feature of the programme success was the critical case reviews, which were considered to be a powerful learning tool and medium for group learning and change management.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses on treatment of asthma: critical evaluation

PubMed Central

Jadad, Alejandro R; Moher, Michael; Browman, George P; Booker, Lynda; Sigouin, Christopher; Fuentes, Mario; Stevens, Robert

2000-01-01

Objective To evaluate the clinical, methodological, and reporting aspects of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the treatment of asthma and to compare those published by the Cochrane Collaboration with those published in paper based journals. Design Analysis of studies identified from Medline, CINAHL, HealthSTAR, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, personal collections, and reference lists. Studies Articles describing a systematic review or a meta-analysis of the treatment of asthma that were published as a full report, in any language or format, in a peer reviewed journal or the Cochrane Library. Main outcome measures General characteristics of studies reviewed and methodological characteristics (sources of articles; language restrictions; format, design, and publication status of studies included; type of data synthesis; and methodological quality). Results 50 systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included. More than half were published in the past two years. Twelve reviews were published in the Cochrane Library and 38 were published in 22 peer reviewed journals. Forced expiratory volume in one second was the most frequently used outcome, but few reviews evaluated the effect of treatment on costs or patient preferences. Forty reviews were judged to have serious or extensive flaws. All six reviews associated with industry were in this group. Seven of the 10 most rigorous reviews were published in the Cochrane Library. Conclusions Most reviews published in peer reviewed journals or funded by industry have serious methodological flaws that limit their value to guide decisions. Cochrane reviews are more rigorous and better reported than those published in peer reviewed journals. PMID:10688558

Clarification to 1998 Agreement Regarding the National Remedy Review Board Review Criteria for Department of Energy Non-Time Critical Removal Actions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide additional clarification on the applicability of the October 5, 1998, joint Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) agreement on DOE decommissioning projects titled Review of Department of Energy Non-Time Critical Removal Actions by the National Remedy Review Board.

78 FR 24007 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Eriogonum codium

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-23

... analysis of the designation of critical habitat. In order to consider economic impacts, we have prepared an analysis of the economic impacts of the critical habitat designations and related factors. We announced the availability of the draft economic analysis (DEA) in the May 15, 2012, proposed rule (77 FR 28704), allowing...

A critical review of the neuroimaging literature on synesthesia

PubMed Central

Hupé, Jean-Michel; Dojat, Michel

2015-01-01

Synesthesia refers to additional sensations experienced by some people for specific stimulations, such as the systematic arbitrary association of colors to letters for the most studied type. Here, we review all the studies (based mostly on functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging) that have searched for the neural correlates of this subjective experience, as well as structural differences related to synesthesia. Most differences claimed for synesthetes are unsupported, due mainly to low statistical power, statistical errors, and methodological limitations. Our critical review therefore casts some doubts on whether any neural correlate of the synesthetic experience has been established yet. Rather than being a neurological condition (i.e., a structural or functional brain anomaly), synesthesia could be reconsidered as a special kind of childhood memory, whose signature in the brain may be out of reach with present brain imaging techniques. PMID:25873873

A Critical Review of International Students' Adjustment Research from a Deleuzian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasilopoulos, Gene

2016-01-01

The author in this paper critically reviews recent literature on international student language and adjustment to Western Anglophone universities. Two streams of research are discussed: the problem-solving approach guided largely by positivist epistemologies and quantitative methodologies contrasted to the post-structuralist language and identity…

Openness in Adoption: What We Know So Far--A Critical Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfgram, Susan M.

2008-01-01

What are the factors that keep adoptive parents and birth parents connected and sustain their kinship relationships over time? This is the central research question critically reviewed across studies dating from 1987 to 2000. A preliminary review of the literature revealed 15 to 20 studies within this 13-year scope limited to the perspective of…

Is Single-stage Revision Safe Following Infected Total Knee Arthroplasty? A Critical Review.

PubMed

Vaishya, Raju; Agarwal, Amit Kumar; Rawat, Sudheer K; Singh, Harsh; Vijay, Vipul

2017-08-30

With the improvement in outcomes and modern prosthesis design, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has now become a commonly performed surgery. It is postulated that a total of 2-5% of the primary and revision TKA becomes infected every year, requiring a revision procedure which to date is the conventional two-stage revision. The diagnosis and treatment of these periprosthetic infections is a major and challenging task, as it requires precise identification of the pathogen, meticulous debridement, and postoperative rehabilitation. To date, there have been very few studies in existing literature comparing the outcomes of single-stage versus two-stage procedure in infected TKA. The aim of the review was to provide the clinicians an insight into the outcome of the single-stage procedure compared to two-stage procedures and to suggest ways to improve the results further. In the following critical review, a total of 669 cases that underwent either a single or two-stage revision for infected TKA were studied. The postoperative functional scores were comparable in most studies during the early postoperative period. Our data supports the use of a single-stage revision surgery in infected TKA as an alternative to a conventional two-stage procedure. However, larger prospective and multicentric trials are required to validate our findings.

Neonatal polycythaemia: critical review and a consensus statement of the Israeli Neonatology Association.

PubMed

Mimouni, Francis B; Merlob, Paul; Dollberg, Shaul; Mandel, Dror

2011-10-01

The aim of this paper is to critically review neonatal polycythaemia (NP) literature, in terms of definition, diagnosis and management. We reviewed all Medline articles on NP up to December 2009. (i) The textbook definition of NP [venous haematocrit (HCT) > 65%] is empirical and not based on statistical definition, symptoms or complications. (ii) Measurement of viscosity is not better than HCT in predicting complications. (iii) Normovolaemic NP because of increased erythropoiesis may be different from hypervolaemic polycythaemia because of excessive foetal transfusion. (iv) Coexisting hypoglycaemia may worsen long-term outcome. (v) Four clinical trials (CTs) studied partial exchange transfusion (PET) on outcomes. In all trials, PET was performed after 6 h of life. There is no evidence that PET improves neurodevelopmental outcome of asymptomatic NP, and it might increase the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis. These CTs have inherent design flaws: (a) CNS 'damage' may occur before PET. (b) Confounding variables that may affect outcome have not been studied. (vi) If PET is performed, normal saline is the best alternative. (vii) The long-term effect of PET on symptomatic infants has not been studied. Current definition and management of NP are little evidence based, thus the need for a consensus based on expert opinion. © 2011 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica © 2011 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Identifying and Addressing Stakeholder Interests in Design Science Research: An Analysis Using Critical Systems Heuristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venable, John R.

This paper utilises the Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH) framework developed by Werner Ulrich to critically consider the stakeholders and design goals that should be considered as relevant by researchers conducing Design Science Research (DSR). CSH provides a philosophically and theoretically grounded framework and means for critical consideration of the choices of stakeholders considered to be relevant to any system under design consideration. The paper recommends that legitimately undertaken DSR should include witnesses to represent the interests of the future consumers of the outcomes of DSR, i.e., the future clients, decision makers, professionals, and other non-included stakeholders in the future use of the solution technologies to be invented in DSR. The paper further discusses options for how witnesses might be included, who should be witnessed for and obstacles to implementing the recommendations.

The development and testing of a qualitative instrument designed to assess critical thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clauson, Cynthia Louisa

This study examined a qualitative approach to assess critical thinking. An instrument was developed that incorporates an assessment process based on Dewey's (1933) concepts of self-reflection and critical thinking as problem solving. The study was designed to pilot test the critical thinking assessment process with writing samples collected from a heterogeneous group of students. The pilot test included two phases. Phase 1 was designed to determine the validity and inter-rater reliability of the instrument using two experts in critical thinking, problem solving, and literacy development. Validity of the instrument was addressed by requesting both experts to respond to ten questions in an interview. The inter-rater reliability was assessed by analyzing the consistency of the two experts' scorings of the 20 writing samples to each other, as well as to my scoring of the same 20 writing samples. Statistical analyses included the Spearman Rho and the Kuder-Richardson (Formula 20). Phase 2 was designed to determine the validity and reliability of the critical thinking assessment process with seven science teachers. Validity was addressed by requesting the teachers to respond to ten questions in a survey and interview. Inter-rater reliability was addressed by comparing the seven teachers' scoring of five writing samples with my scoring of the same five writing samples. Again, the Spearman Rho and the Kuder-Richardson (Formula 20) were used to determine the inter-rater reliability. The validity results suggest that the instrument is helpful as a guide for instruction and provides a systematic method to teach and assess critical thinking while problem solving with students in the classroom. The reliability results show the critical thinking assessment instrument to possess fairly high reliability when used by the experts, but weak reliability when used by classroom teachers. A major conclusion was drawn that teachers, as well as students, would need to receive instruction

Review of the Badger report FE-2416-24, conceptual design of a coal to methanol commercial plant, February 1978

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salmon, R.; Hartman, H.F.; Niemann, B.

1979-10-01

This report gives the results of a review by Oak Ridge National Laboratory of the conceptual design study of a 415,000-bbl/day coal-to-methanol facility published in February 1978 by Badger Plants, Incorporated. A critical assessment is made of the technology and economics of the proposed plant and of the Badger-recommended program for concurrent development and construction.

Dyspareunia in postmenopausal women: A critical review

PubMed Central

Kao, Alina; Binik, Yitzchak M; Kapuscinski, Anita; Khalifé, Samir

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Dyspareunia, or pain during sexual intercourse, is among the problems most frequently reported by postmenopausal women. Past literature has almost unanimously attributed dyspareunic pain occurring during or after the menopausal transition to declining estrogen levels and vaginal atrophy. OBJECTIVES: To critically review the literature on the prevalence, risk factors, etiology, clinical presentation and treatment of post-menopausal dyspareunia. The present review also examines the traditional and widely held conceptualization of postmenopausal dyspareunia as a direct symptom of hormonal decline. METHODS: Searches of medical and psychological databases were performed for relevant articles and empirical studies. The methodological quality and outcomes of the studies were systematically reviewed. RESULTS: Available empirical evidence suggests that dyspareunia is common in postmenopausal women, and that it is not highly correlated with menopausal status, estrogen levels or vaginal atrophy. Decreasing levels of endogenous estrogen contribute to the development of dyspareunia in postmenopausal women suffering from vaginal atrophy. Hormonal supplementation is beneficial in alleviating their pain. However, a substantial proportion of treated women do not report relief. CONCLUSIONS: Postmenopausal dyspareunia occurring concurrently with vaginal atrophy is strongly associated with a lack of estrogen in the genital tract. However, a significant percentage of postmenopausal women experience dyspareunic pain that is not caused by hypoestrogenism. It is likely that other types of dyspareunia that occur premenopausally are also occurring in postmenopausal women. Research is needed to adequately address this issue. A change in perspective toward a multiaxial pain-focused approach is proposed for future research concerning dyspareunia in postmenopausal women. PMID:18592062

A Critical Review of Digital Storyline-Enhanced Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novak, Elena

2015-01-01

Storyline is one of the major motivators that lead people to play video games. However, little empirical evidence exists on the instructional effectiveness of integrating a storyline into digital learning materials. This systematic literature review presents current empirical findings on the effects of a storyline game design element for human…

Williams Syndrome: A Critical Review of the Cognitive, Behavioral, and Neuroanatomical Phenotype

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martens, Marilee A.; Wilson, Sarah J.; Reutens, David C.

2008-01-01

This review critically examines the research findings which characterize the cognitive, behavioral, and neuroanatomical features of Williams syndrome (WS). This article analyzes 178 published studies in the WS literature covering the following areas: 1) General intelligence, 2) Language skills, 3) Visuospatial and face processing skills, 4)…

Evidence for curricular and instructional design approaches in undergraduate medical education: An umbrella review.

PubMed

Onyura, Betty; Baker, Lindsay; Cameron, Blair; Friesen, Farah; Leslie, Karen

2016-01-01

An umbrella review compiles evidence from multiple reviews into a single accessible document. This umbrella review synthesizes evidence from systematic reviews on curricular and instructional design approaches in undergraduate medical education, focusing on learning outcomes. We conducted bibliographic database searches in Medline, EMBASE and ERIC from database inception to May 2013 inclusive, and digital keyword searches of leading medical education journals. We identified 18,470 abstracts; 467 underwent duplicate full-text scrutiny. Thirty-six articles met all eligibility criteria. Articles were abstracted independently by three authors, using a modified Kirkpatrick model for evaluating learning outcomes. Evidence for the effectiveness of diverse educational approaches is reported. This review maps out empirical knowledge on the efficacy of a broad range of educational approaches in medical education. Critical knowledge gaps, and lapses in methodological rigour, are discussed, providing valuable insight for future research. The findings call attention to the need for adopting evaluative strategies that explore how contextual variabilities and individual (teacher/learner) differences influence efficacy of educational interventions. Additionally, the results underscore that extant empirical evidence does not always provide unequivocal answers about what approaches are most effective. Educators should incorporate best available empirical knowledge with experiential and contextual knowledge.

Space-filling designs for computer experiments: A review

DOE PAGES

Joseph, V. Roshan

2016-01-29

Improving the quality of a product/process using a computer simulator is a much less expensive option than the real physical testing. However, simulation using computationally intensive computer models can be time consuming and therefore, directly doing the optimization on the computer simulator can be infeasible. Experimental design and statistical modeling techniques can be used for overcoming this problem. This article reviews experimental designs known as space-filling designs that are suitable for computer simulations. In the review, a special emphasis is given for a recently developed space-filling design called maximum projection design. Furthermore, its advantages are illustrated using a simulation conductedmore » for optimizing a milling process.« less

Space-filling designs for computer experiments: A review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joseph, V. Roshan

Improving the quality of a product/process using a computer simulator is a much less expensive option than the real physical testing. However, simulation using computationally intensive computer models can be time consuming and therefore, directly doing the optimization on the computer simulator can be infeasible. Experimental design and statistical modeling techniques can be used for overcoming this problem. This article reviews experimental designs known as space-filling designs that are suitable for computer simulations. In the review, a special emphasis is given for a recently developed space-filling design called maximum projection design. Furthermore, its advantages are illustrated using a simulation conductedmore » for optimizing a milling process.« less

Discourse Impairments Following Right Hemisphere Brain Damage: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Johns, Clinton L.; Tooley, Kristen M.; Traxler, Matthew J.

2015-01-01

Right hemisphere brain damage (RHD) rarely causes aphasias marked by clear and widespread failures of comprehension or extreme difficulty producing fluent speech. Nonetheless, subtle language comprehension deficits can occur following unilateral RHD. In this article, we review the empirical record on discourse function following right hemisphere damage, as well as relevant work on non-brain damaged individuals that focuses on right hemisphere function. The review is divided into four sections that focus on discourse processing, inferencing, humor, and non-literal language. While the exact role that the right hemisphere plays in language processing, and the exact way that the two cerebral hemispheres coordinate their linguistic processes are still open to debate, our review suggests that the right hemisphere plays a critical role in managing inferred or implied information by maintaining relevant information and/or suppressing irrelevant information. Deficits in one or both of these mechanisms may account for discourse deficits following RHD. PMID:26085839

Designing for Interaction: Six Steps to Designing Computer-Supported Group-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strijbos, J. W.; Martens, R. L.; Jochems, W. M. G.

2004-01-01

At present, the design of computer-supported group-based learning (CSGBL) is often based on subjective decisions regarding tasks, pedagogy and technology, or concepts such as "cooperative learning" and "collaborative learning." Critical review reveals these concepts as insufficiently substantial to serve as a basis for CSGBL design. Furthermore,…

Explaining Differences in Age at Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Amy M.; Mandell, David S.

2014-01-01

The diagnosis of autism is often delayed, which translates into a missed opportunity to provide treatment during a critical developmental period. This study reviews studies that assessed factors associated with age at autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and provides recommendations on future research, programs, and policies to improve early…

Sleep Disturbance after Hospitalization and Critical Illness: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Altman, Marcus T; Knauert, Melissa P; Pisani, Margaret A

2017-09-01

Sleep disturbance during intensive care unit (ICU) admission is common and severe. Sleep disturbance has been observed in survivors of critical illness even after transfer out of the ICU. Not only is sleep important to overall health and well being, but patients after critical illness are also in a physiologically vulnerable state. Understanding how sleep disturbance impacts recovery from critical illness after hospital discharge is therefore clinically meaningful. This Systematic Review aimed to summarize studies that identify the prevalence of and risk factors for sleep disturbance after hospital discharge for critical illness survivors. PubMed (January 4, 2017), MEDLINE (January 4, 2017), and EMBASE (February 1, 2017). Databases were searched for studies of critically ill adult patients after hospital discharge, with sleep disturbance measured as a primary outcome by standardized questionnaire or objective measurement tools. From each relevant study, we extracted prevalence and severity of sleep disturbance at each time point, objective sleep parameters (such as total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and arousal index), and risk factors for sleep disturbance. A total of 22 studies were identified, with assessment tools including subjective questionnaires, polysomnography, and actigraphy. Subjective questionnaire studies reveal a 50-66.7% (within 1 mo), 34-64.3% (>1-3 mo), 22-57% (>3-6 mo), and 10-61% (>6 mo) prevalence of abnormal sleep after hospital discharge after critical illness. Of the studies assessing multiple time points, four of five questionnaire studies and five of five polysomnography studies show improved aspects of sleep over time. Risk factors for poor sleep varied, but prehospital factors (chronic comorbidity, pre-existing sleep abnormality) and in-hospital factors (severity of acute illness, in-hospital sleep disturbance, pain medication use, and ICU acute stress symptoms) may play a role. Sleep disturbance was frequently associated with

Psychogeriatric inpatient unit design: a literature review.

PubMed

Dobrohotoff, John T; Llewellyn-Jones, Robert H

2011-03-01

In many parts of the world the provision of psychogeriatric inpatient units (PGUs) remains limited. More units will be required over coming decades given rapid population aging. Medline (1950-2010), psycINFO (1806-2009), EMBASE (1980-2009) and CINAHL (1982-2009) were searched for papers about PGU design. Selected non-peer reviewed literature such as government reports and unpublished academic dissertations were also reviewed. Data were also obtained from the literature related to general adult psychiatry inpatient units where there was limited information from studies of units designed for older people. Over 200 papers were reviewed and 130 were included. There are few good quality studies to guide the design of acute PGUs and much of the existing literature is based on opinion and anecdote or, at best, based on observational studies. Randomized controlled studies comparing different designs and assessing outcomes are virtually non-existent. Several studies have identified violence and trauma resulting from hospitalization as significant problems with current acute PGU care. Despite its limitations the available literature provides useful guidance on how PGU design can optimize patient and staff safety and improve clinical outcomes. There are significant problems with current acute PGUs, and patient mix on existing units is an important issue. Future research should examine patient and staff perceptions of different PGU ward environments, the relationship between ward design and clinical outcomes, the effects of segregating patients with challenging behaviors in dementia and the benefits or otherwise of gender segregation.

Effects of School-Based Educational Interventions for Enhancing Adolescents Abilities in Critical Appraisal of Health Claims: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Espehaug, Birgitte; Guttersrud, Øystein; Flottorp, Signe

2016-01-01

Background and Objective Adolescents are frequent media users who access health claims from various sources. The plethora of conflicting, pseudo-scientific, and often misleading health claims in popular media makes critical appraisal of health claims an essential ability. Schools play an important role in educating youth to critically appraise health claims. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of school-based educational interventions for enhancing adolescents’ abilities in critically appraising health claims. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, AMED, Cinahl, Teachers Reference Centre, LISTA, ERIC, Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts, The Cochrane Library, Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, and sources of grey literature. Studies that evaluated school-based educational interventions to improve adolescents’ critical appraisal ability for health claims through advancing the students’ knowledge about science were included. Eligible study designs were randomised and non-randomised controlled trials, and interrupted time series. Two authors independently selected studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias in included studies. Due to heterogeneity in interventions and inadequate reporting of results, we performed a descriptive synthesis of studies. We used GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) to assess the certainty of the evidence. Results Eight studies were included: two compared different teaching modalities, while the others compared educational interventions to instruction as usual. Studies mostly reported positive short-term effects on critical appraisal-related knowledge and skills in favour of the educational interventions. However, the certainty of the evidence for all comparisons and outcomes was very low. Conclusion Educational interventions in schools may have beneficial short-term effects on knowledge and skills relevant

Critical review and analysis of the impact of the physical infrastructure on the driving ability, performance, and safety of older adults.

PubMed

Bohr, Paula Christine

2008-01-01

Literature on the impact of physical infrastructure on older adult safe driving performance was reviewed in 2005 as part of the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Literature Review Project. Existing guidelines for driving environments, related to changes in visual, cognitive, and psychomotor abilities associated with the aging process (as published in the Highway Design Handbook for Older Drivers and Pedestrians, Federal Highway Administration, 2001), are exhaustive, but the authors made no attempt to critically assess the strength of the study design or level of evidence. In laboratory studies since 1999, the interventions lacked applicability to real-life driving environments. Further investigation of the effectiveness of best practice interventions and how the driving environment can better accommodate the needs of older drivers is needed. Occupational therapy interventions that focus on the occupation of driving and compensation and education strategies that allow older adults to drive safely as long as possible are included.

What Works Clearinghouse Study Review Guide Instructions for Reviewing Single-Case Designs Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2016

2016-01-01

This document provides step-by-step instructions on how to complete the Study Review Guide (SRG, Version S3, V2) for single-case designs (SCDs). Reviewers will complete an SRG for every What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) review. A completed SRG should be a reviewer's independent assessment of the study, relative to the criteria specified in the review…

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Home Telemonitoring Interventions for Patients With Chronic Diseases: A Critical Assessment of Their Methodological Quality

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of home telemonitoring interventions for patients with chronic diseases have increased over the past decade and become increasingly important to a wide range of clinicians, policy makers, and other health care stakeholders. While a few criticisms about their methodological rigor and synthesis approaches have recently appeared, no formal appraisal of their quality has been conducted yet. Objective The primary aim of this critical review was to evaluate the methodology, quality, and reporting characteristics of prior reviews that have investigated the effects of home telemonitoring interventions in the context of chronic diseases. Methods Ovid MEDLINE, the Database of Abstract of Reviews of Effects (DARE), and Health Technology Assessment Database (HTA) of the Cochrane Library were electronically searched to find relevant systematic reviews, published between January 1966 and December 2012. Potential reviews were screened and assessed for inclusion independently by three reviewers. Data pertaining to the methods used were extracted from each included review and examined for accuracy by two reviewers. A validated quality assessment instrument, R-AMSTAR, was used as a framework to guide the assessment process. Results Twenty-four reviews, nine of which were meta-analyses, were identified from more than 200 citations. The bibliographic search revealed that the number of published reviews has increased substantially over the years in this area and although most reviews focus on studying the effects of home telemonitoring on patients with congestive heart failure, researcher interest has extended to other chronic diseases as well, such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma. Nevertheless, an important number of these reviews appear to lack optimal scientific rigor due to intrinsic methodological issues. Also, the overall quality of reviews does not appear to have improved over time

A Profile of Injuries Sustained by Law Enforcement Officers: A Critical Review.

PubMed

Lyons, Kate; Radburn, Cameron; Orr, Robin; Pope, Rodney

2017-02-03

Due to the unpredictable, varied and often physical nature of law enforcement duties, police officers are at a high risk of work-related physical injury. The aim of this critical narrative review was to identify and synthesize key findings of studies that have investigated musculoskeletal injuries sustained by law enforcement officers during occupational tasks. A systematic search of four databases using key search terms was conducted to identify potentially relevant studies, which were assessed against key inclusion and exclusion criteria to determine studies to be included in the review. Included studies were critically appraised and the level of evidence determined. Relevant data were extracted, tabulated and synthesized. The 16 identified studies ranged in percentage quality scores from 25.00% to 65.00%, with a mean score of 41.25% and high interrater agreement in scores reflected in a Cohen's Kappa coefficient, κ = 0.977. The most common body site of injury was the upper extremity, the most common injury types were soft-tissue sprains and strains and the most common cause of injury was a non-compliant offender, often involving assault. However, there was limited peer reviewed research in this area and the published research had a narrow focus and was of low to fair methodological quality.

A Profile of Injuries Sustained by Law Enforcement Officers: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Lyons, Kate; Radburn, Cameron; Orr, Robin; Pope, Rodney

2017-01-01

Due to the unpredictable, varied and often physical nature of law enforcement duties, police officers are at a high risk of work-related physical injury. The aim of this critical narrative review was to identify and synthesize key findings of studies that have investigated musculoskeletal injuries sustained by law enforcement officers during occupational tasks. A systematic search of four databases using key search terms was conducted to identify potentially relevant studies, which were assessed against key inclusion and exclusion criteria to determine studies to be included in the review. Included studies were critically appraised and the level of evidence determined. Relevant data were extracted, tabulated and synthesized. The 16 identified studies ranged in percentage quality scores from 25.00% to 65.00%, with a mean score of 41.25% and high interrater agreement in scores reflected in a Cohen’s Kappa coefficient, κ = 0.977. The most common body site of injury was the upper extremity, the most common injury types were soft-tissue sprains and strains and the most common cause of injury was a non-compliant offender, often involving assault. However, there was limited peer reviewed research in this area and the published research had a narrow focus and was of low to fair methodological quality. PMID:28165373

Simulation-based crisis resource management training for pediatric critical care medicine: a review for instructors.

PubMed

Cheng, Adam; Donoghue, Aaron; Gilfoyle, Elaine; Eppich, Walter

2012-03-01

To review the essential elements of crisis resource management and provide a resource for instructors by describing how to use simulation-based training to teach crisis resource management principles in pediatric acute care contexts. A MEDLINE-based literature source. OUTLINE OF REVIEW: This review is divided into three main sections: Background, Principles of Crisis Resource Management, and Tools and Resources. The background section provides the brief history and definition of crisis resource management. The next section describes all the essential elements of crisis resource management, including leadership and followership, communication, teamwork, resource use, and situational awareness. This is followed by a review of evidence supporting the use of simulation-based crisis resource management training in health care. The last section provides the resources necessary to develop crisis resource management training using a simulation-based approach. This includes a description of how to design pediatric simulation scenarios, how to effectively debrief, and a list of potential assessment tools that instructors can use to evaluate crisis resource management performance during simulation-based training. Crisis resource management principles form the foundation for efficient team functioning and subsequent error reduction in high-stakes environments such as acute care pediatrics. Effective instructor training is required for those programs wishing to teach these principles using simulation-based learning. Dissemination and integration of these principles into pediatric critical care practice has the potential for a tremendous impact on patient safety and outcomes.

78 FR 56071 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Texas Golden...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-11

...We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for two Texas plants, Leavenworthia texana (Texas golden gladecress) and Hibiscus dasycalyx (Neches River rose-mallow), under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Critical habitat for the Texas golden gladecress is located in Sabine and San Augustine Counties, Texas, and for the Neches River rose-mallow in Nacogdoches, Houston, Trinity, Cherokee, and Harrison Counties, Texas. The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for these two East Texas plants under the Endangered Species Act.

Advanced design for lightweight structures: Review and prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braga, Daniel F. O.; Tavares, S. M. O.; da Silva, Lucas F. M.; Moreira, P. M. G. P.; de Castro, Paulo M. S. T.

2014-08-01

Current demand for fuel efficient aircraft has been pushing the aeronautical sector to develop ever more lightweight designs while keeping safe operation and required structural strength. Along with light-weighting, new structural design concepts have also been established in order to maintain the aircraft in service for longer periods of time, with high reliability levels. All these innovations and requirements have led to deeply optimized aeronautical structures contributing to more sustainable air transport. This article reviews the major design philosophies which have been employed in aircraft structures, including safe-life, fail-safe and damage tolerance taking into account their impact on the structural design. A brief historical review is performed in order to analyse what led to the development of each philosophy. Material properties are related to each of the design philosophies. Damage tolerant design has emerged as the main structural design philosophy in aeronautics, requiring deep knowledge on materials fatigue and corrosion strength, as well as potential failure modes and non-destructive inspection techniques, particularly minimum detectable defect and scan times. A discussion on the implementation of structural health monitoring and self-healing structures within the current panorama of structures designed according to the damage tolerant philosophy is presented. This discussion is aided by a review of research on these two subjects. These two concepts show potential for further improving safety and durability of aircraft structures.

78 FR 73202 - Review and Revision of the National Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience (NCISR...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-05

...This Request for Information (RFI) notice informs the public that the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is currently developing a National Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Research and Development Plan (NCISR R&D Plan) to conform to the requirements of Presidential Policy Directive 21, Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience. As part of a comprehensive national review process, DHS solicits public comment on issues or language in the NCISR R&D Plan that need to be included. Critical infrastructure includes both cyber and physical components, systems, and networks for the sixteen established ``critical infrastructures''.

Interventions Used by Nurse Preceptors to Develop Critical Thinking of New Graduate Nurses: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Schuelke, Sue; Barnason, Susan

Healthcare complexity and patient acuity necessitate competent nurses with critical thinking abilities. However, these skill sets are less developed among newly hired graduate nurses. The overall purpose of this systematic review was to examine interventions/strategies implemented by preceptors in healthcare organizations to promote critical thinking of new graduate nurses. A systematic search of the literature resulted in 602 citations, with nine studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Educational interventions were varied and will be described in this article. Preceptor education was a key component in the studies reviewed.

The Evaluation of Physical Learning Environments: A Critical Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cleveland, Benjamin; Fisher, Kenn

2014-01-01

This article critically reviews the methodologies and methods that have been used for the evaluation of physical learning environments. To contextualize discussion about the evaluation of learning spaces, we initially chart the development of post-occupancy evaluation (POE) for non-domestic buildings. We then discuss the recent evolution of POE…

Recent Work on Flourishing as the Aim of Education: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kristjánsson, Kristján

2017-01-01

Flourishing, understood along semi-Aristotelian lines, has re-emerged recently as an account of the ideal aim of education, for instance, in works by educational philosophers Brighouse, White and de Ruyter. This article aims at critically reviewing this new paradigm by subjecting it to philosophical and educational scrutiny. Throughout I compare…

76 FR 515 - Endangered and Threatened Species, Designation of Critical Habitat for Southern Distinct...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-05

...We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose to designate critical habitat for the southern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Pacific eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus), which was recently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have proposed 12 specific areas for designation as critical habitat within the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. The proposed areas are a combination of freshwater creeks and rivers and their associated estuaries which comprise approximately 470 km (292 mi) of habitat. Three particular areas are proposed for exclusion after evaluating the impacts and benefits associated with tribal land ownership and management by Indian tribes, but no areas are proposed for exclusion based on economic impacts. We are soliciting comments from the public on all aspects of the proposal, including information on the economic, national security, and other relevant impacts of the proposed designation, as well as the benefits to the southern DPS of eulachon from designation. We will consider additional information received prior to making a final designation.

Spatial Designation of Critical Habitats for Endangered and Threatened Species in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tuttle, Mark A; Singh, Nagendra; Sabesan, Aarthy

Establishing biological reserves or "hot spots" for endangered and threatened species is critical to support real-world species regulatory and management problems. Geographic data on the distribution of endangered and threatened species can be used to improve ongoing efforts for species conservation in the United States. At present no spatial database exists which maps out the location endangered species for the US. However, spatial descriptions do exists for the habitat associated with all endangered species, but in a form not readily suitable to use in a geographic information system (GIS). In our study, the principal challenge was extracting spatial data describingmore » these critical habitats for 472 species from over 1000 pages of the federal register. In addition, an appropriate database schema was designed to accommodate the different tiers of information associated with the species along with the confidence of designation; the interpreted location data was geo-referenced to the county enumeration unit producing a spatial database of endangered species for the whole of US. The significance of these critical habitat designations, database scheme and methodologies will be discussed.« less

Writings on the Wall: Nurturing Critical Literacy through a Community-Based Design Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders-Bustle, Lynn; Lalik, Rosary

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to explore the potential of artistic design to promote critical literacy among adult learners. Conducted by a university literacy educator and a university art educator, this qualitative study examined adults' divergent perspectives in the design of a mosaic at a center for the homeless. Participants included a…

State of the art review: the data revolution in critical care.

PubMed

Ghassemi, Marzyeh; Celi, Leo Anthony; Stone, David J

2015-03-16

This article is one of ten reviews selected from the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2015 and co-published as a series in Critical Care. Other articles in the series can be found online at http://ccforum.com/series/annualupdate2015. Further information about the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine is available from http://www.springer.com/series/8901.

Topiramate in the treatment of substance related disorders: a critical review of the literature

PubMed Central

Shinn, Ann K.; Greenfield, Shelly F.

2013-01-01

Objective To critically review the literature on topiramate in the treatment of substance related disorders. Data Sources A PubMed search of human studies published in English through January 2009. Study Selection 26 articles were identified and reviewed; these studies examined topiramate in disorders related to alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine, opioids, ecstasy, and benzodiazepines. Data Extraction Study design, sample size, topiramate dose and duration, and study outcomes were reviewed. Data Synthesis There is compelling evidence for the efficacy of topiramate in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Two trials show trends for topiramate’s superiority over oral naltrexone in alcohol dependence, while one trial suggests topiramate is inferior to disulfiram. Despite suggestive animal models, evidence for topiramate in treating alcohol withdrawal in humans is slim. Studies of topiramate in nicotine dependence show mixed results. Human laboratory studies that used acute topiramate dosing show that topiramate actually enhances the pleasurable effects of both nicotine and methamphetamine. Evidence for topiramate in the treatment of cocaine dependence is promising, but limited by small sample size. The data on opioids, benzodiazepines, and ecstasy are sparse. Conclusion Topiramate is efficacious for the treatment of alcohol dependence, but side effects may limit widespread use. While topiramate’s unique pharmacodynamic profile offers a promising theoretical rationale for use across multiple substance related disorders, heterogeneity both across and within these disorders limits topiramate’s broad applicability in treating substance related disorders. Recommendations for future research include exploration of genetic variants for more targeted pharmacotherapies. PMID:20361908

Review of design optimization methods for turbomachinery aerodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhihui; Zheng, Xinqian

2017-08-01

In today's competitive environment, new turbomachinery designs need to be not only more efficient, quieter, and ;greener; but also need to be developed at on much shorter time scales and at lower costs. A number of advanced optimization strategies have been developed to achieve these requirements. This paper reviews recent progress in turbomachinery design optimization to solve real-world aerodynamic problems, especially for compressors and turbines. This review covers the following topics that are important for optimizing turbomachinery designs. (1) optimization methods, (2) stochastic optimization combined with blade parameterization methods and the design of experiment methods, (3) gradient-based optimization methods for compressors and turbines and (4) data mining techniques for Pareto Fronts. We also present our own insights regarding the current research trends and the future optimization of turbomachinery designs.

Who should be responsible for supporting individuals with mental health problems? A critical literature review.

PubMed

Pope, Megan A; Malla, Ashok K; Iyer, Srividya N

2018-05-01

Individuals with mental health problems have many support needs that are often inadequately met; however, perceptions of who should be responsible for meeting these needs have been largely unexplored. Varying perceptions may influence whether, how, and to what extent relevant stakeholders support individuals with mental health problems. To critically evaluate the literature to determine who different stakeholders believe should be responsible for supporting individuals with mental health problems, what factors shape these perceptions, and how they relate to one another. A critical literature review was undertaken. Following an extensive literature search, the conceptual contributions of relevant works were critically evaluated. A concept map was created to build a conceptual framework of the topic. Views of individual versus societal responsibility for need provision and health; the morality of caring; and attributions of responsibility for mental illness offered valuable understandings of the review questions. Creating a concept map revealed that various interrelated factors may influence perceptions of responsibility. Varying perceptions of who should be responsible for supporting individuals with mental health problems may contribute to unmet support needs among this group. Our critical review helps build a much-needed conceptual framework of factors influencing perceptions of responsibility. Such a framework is essential as these views iteratively shape and reflect the complex divisions of mental healthcare roles and responsibilities. Understanding these perceptions can help define relevant stakeholders' roles more clearly, which can improve mental health services and strengthen stakeholder accountability.

78 FR 43005 - Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of Critical Habitat for the Northwest Atlantic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-18

...We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose critical habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean loggerhead sea turtle Distinct Population Segment (DPS) (Caretta caretta) within the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Specific areas proposed for designation include 36 occupied marine areas within the range of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean DPS. These areas contain one or a combination of nearshore reproductive habitat, winter area, breeding areas, and migratory corridors. We are also asking for comment on whether to include as critical habitat in the final rule some areas that contain foraging habitat and two large areas that contain Sargassum habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service addressed terrestrial areas (nesting beaches) in a separate document. No marine areas meeting the definition of critical habitat were identified within the jurisdiction of the United States for the North Pacific Ocean DPS, and therefore we are not proposing to designate critical habitat for that DPS. We are soliciting comments from the public on all aspects of the proposal, including information on the economic, national security, and other relevant impacts. We will consider additional information received prior to making a final designation.

Transgender Stigma and Health: A Critical Review of Stigma Determinants, Mechanisms, and Interventions

PubMed Central

White Hughto, Jaclyn M.; Reisner, Sari L.; Pachankis, John E.

2015-01-01

Rationale Transgender people in the United States experience widespread prejudice, discrimination, violence, and other forms of stigma. Objective This critical review aims to integrate the literature on stigma towards transgender people in the US. Results This review demonstrates that transgender stigma limits opportunities and access to resources in a number of critical domains (e.g., employment, healthcare), persistently affecting the physical and mental health of transgender people. The applied social ecological model employed here elucidates that transgender stigma operates at multiple levels (i.e., individual, interpersonal, structural) to impact health. Stigma prevention and coping interventions hold promise for reducing stigma and its adverse health-related effects in transgender populations. Conclusion Additional research is needed to document the causal relationship between stigma and adverse health as well as the mediators and moderators of stigma in US transgender populations. Multi-level interventions to prevent stigma towards transgender people are warranted. PMID:26599625

A critical review of social and structural conditions that influence HIV risk among Mexican deportees

PubMed Central

Pinedo, Miguel; Burgos, José Luis; Ojeda, Victoria D.

2014-01-01

Mexican migrants who are deported from the US may be at elevated risk for HIV infection. Deportations of Mexican migrants by the US have reached record numbers. We critically reviewed existing literature to assess how social and structural conditions in post-deportation settings can influence Mexican deported migrants' HIV risk. We also identify critical research gaps and make research recommendations. PMID:24583278

77 FR 71041 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Southern...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-28

...We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, designate critical habitat for the southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) under the Endangered Species Act. In total, approximately 30,010 acres (12,145 hectares) is being designated as critical habitat. The critical habitat is located in Boundary County, Idaho, and Pend Oreille County, Washington. We are finalizing this action in compliance with our obligation under the Act and in compliance with a court-approved settlement agreement. The effect of this regulation is to conserve the habitat essential to the southern Selkirk Mountains population of woodland caribou.

Online learning control using adaptive critic designs with sparse kernel machines.

PubMed

Xu, Xin; Hou, Zhongsheng; Lian, Chuanqiang; He, Haibo

2013-05-01

In the past decade, adaptive critic designs (ACDs), including heuristic dynamic programming (HDP), dual heuristic programming (DHP), and their action-dependent ones, have been widely studied to realize online learning control of dynamical systems. However, because neural networks with manually designed features are commonly used to deal with continuous state and action spaces, the generalization capability and learning efficiency of previous ACDs still need to be improved. In this paper, a novel framework of ACDs with sparse kernel machines is presented by integrating kernel methods into the critic of ACDs. To improve the generalization capability as well as the computational efficiency of kernel machines, a sparsification method based on the approximately linear dependence analysis is used. Using the sparse kernel machines, two kernel-based ACD algorithms, that is, kernel HDP (KHDP) and kernel DHP (KDHP), are proposed and their performance is analyzed both theoretically and empirically. Because of the representation learning and generalization capability of sparse kernel machines, KHDP and KDHP can obtain much better performance than previous HDP and DHP with manually designed neural networks. Simulation and experimental results of two nonlinear control problems, that is, a continuous-action inverted pendulum problem and a ball and plate control problem, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed kernel ACD methods.

Historical and Critical Review on Biophysical Economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adigüzel, Yekbun

2016-07-01

Biophysical economics is initiated with the long history of the relation of economics with ecological basis and biophysical perspectives of the physiocrats. It inherently has social, economic, biological, environmental, natural, physical, and scientific grounds. Biological entities in economy like the resources, consumers, populations, and parts of production systems, etc. could all be dealt by biophysical economics. Considering this wide scope, current work is a “biophysical economics at a glance” rather than a comprehensive review of the full range of topics that may just be adequately covered in a book-length work. However, the sense of its wide range of applications is aimed to be provided to the reader in this work. Here, modern approaches and biophysical growth theory are presented after the long history and an overview of the concepts in biophysical economics. Examples of the recent studies are provided at the end with discussions. This review is also related to the work by Cleveland, “Biophysical Economics: From Physiocracy to Ecological Economics and Industrial Ecology” [C. J. Cleveland, in Advances in Bioeconomics and Sustainability: Essay in Honor of Nicholas Gerogescu-Roegen, eds. J. Gowdy and K. Mayumi (Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, England, 1999), pp. 125-154.]. Relevant parts include critics and comments on the presented concepts in a parallelized fashion with the Cleveland’s work.

A critical review of classical bouncing cosmologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battefeld, Diana; Peter, Patrick

2015-04-01

Given the proliferation of bouncing models in recent years, we gather and critically assess these proposals in a comprehensive review. The PLANCK data shows an unmistakably red, quasi scale-invariant, purely adiabatic primordial power spectrum and no primary non-Gaussianities. While these observations are consistent with inflationary predictions, bouncing cosmologies aspire to provide an alternative framework to explain them. Such models face many problems, both of the purely theoretical kind, such as the necessity of violating the NEC and instabilities, and at the cosmological application level, as exemplified by the possible presence of shear. We provide a pedagogical introduction to these problems and also assess the fitness of different proposals with respect to the data. For example, many models predict a slightly blue spectrum and must be fine-tuned to generate a red spectral index; as a side effect, large non-Gaussianities often result. We highlight several promising attempts to violate the NEC without introducing dangerous instabilities at the classical and/or quantum level. If primordial gravitational waves are observed, certain bouncing cosmologies, such as the cyclic scenario, are in trouble, while others remain valid. We conclude that, while most bouncing cosmologies are far from providing an alternative to the inflationary paradigm, a handful of interesting proposals have surfaced, which warrant further research. The constraints and lessons learned as laid out in this review might guide future research.

A Critical Review of the Use of Virtual Reality in Construction Engineering Education and Training.

PubMed

Wang, Peng; Wu, Peng; Wang, Jun; Chi, Hung-Lin; Wang, Xiangyu

2018-06-08

Virtual Reality (VR) has been rapidly recognized and implemented in construction engineering education and training (CEET) in recent years due to its benefits of providing an engaging and immersive environment. The objective of this review is to critically collect and analyze the VR applications in CEET, aiming at all VR-related journal papers published from 1997 to 2017. The review follows a three-stage analysis on VR technologies, applications and future directions through a systematic analysis. It is found that the VR technologies adopted for CEET evolve over time, from desktop-based VR, immersive VR, 3D game-based VR, to Building Information Modelling (BIM)-enabled VR. A sibling technology, Augmented Reality (AR), for CEET adoptions has also emerged in recent years. These technologies have been applied in architecture and design visualization, construction health and safety training, equipment and operational task training, as well as structural analysis. Future research directions, including the integration of VR with emerging education paradigms and visualization technologies, have also been provided. The findings are useful for both researchers and educators to usefully integrate VR in their education and training programs to improve the training performance.

On Mixed Data and Event Driven Design for Adaptive-Critic-Based Nonlinear $H_{\\infty}$ Control.

PubMed

Wang, Ding; Mu, Chaoxu; Liu, Derong; Ma, Hongwen

2018-04-01

In this paper, based on the adaptive critic learning technique, the control for a class of unknown nonlinear dynamic systems is investigated by adopting a mixed data and event driven design approach. The nonlinear control problem is formulated as a two-player zero-sum differential game and the adaptive critic method is employed to cope with the data-based optimization. The novelty lies in that the data driven learning identifier is combined with the event driven design formulation, in order to develop the adaptive critic controller, thereby accomplishing the nonlinear control. The event driven optimal control law and the time driven worst case disturbance law are approximated by constructing and tuning a critic neural network. Applying the event driven feedback control, the closed-loop system is built with stability analysis. Simulation studies are conducted to verify the theoretical results and illustrate the control performance. It is significant to observe that the present research provides a new avenue of integrating data-based control and event-triggering mechanism into establishing advanced adaptive critic systems.

Fully probabilistic control design in an adaptive critic framework.

PubMed

Herzallah, Randa; Kárný, Miroslav

2011-12-01

Optimal stochastic controller pushes the closed-loop behavior as close as possible to the desired one. The fully probabilistic design (FPD) uses probabilistic description of the desired closed loop and minimizes Kullback-Leibler divergence of the closed-loop description to the desired one. Practical exploitation of the fully probabilistic design control theory continues to be hindered by the computational complexities involved in numerically solving the associated stochastic dynamic programming problem; in particular, very hard multivariate integration and an approximate interpolation of the involved multivariate functions. This paper proposes a new fully probabilistic control algorithm that uses the adaptive critic methods to circumvent the need for explicitly evaluating the optimal value function, thereby dramatically reducing computational requirements. This is a main contribution of this paper. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Society and 'good woman': A critical review of gender difference in depression.

PubMed

Maji, Sucharita

2018-06-01

Worldwide, women are found to suffer from depression significantly more than men. This has puzzled the scientists since no biological explanation can completely resolve the matter. Extant empirical work has been conducted to solve the mystery of the issue. However, most of the research has pivoted their attention to biology. Therefore, based on the previous literature from the disciplines of medicine, psychology and sociology, the author aimed at looking and reviewing the matter critically. Specifically, the present critical review aims at conceptualising the psychological, social and cultural factors in the context of gender difference in depression. The work reveals that psychological variables such as women's unique attachment patterns, relational self-construal, as well as a macro-level issue like power dynamics based on gender, and the skewed division of labour play an important role in gender difference in depression. The work also suggests that focusing solely on biological underpinnings may result in losing the entire scenario; therefore, social and cultural issues that place women in a socially disadvantaged position are equally important.

Current practices in the identification of critical habitat for threatened species.

PubMed

Camaclang, Abbey E; Maron, Martine; Martin, Tara G; Possingham, Hugh P

2015-04-01

The term critical habitat is used to describe the subset of habitat that is essential to the survival and recovery of species. Some countries legally require that critical habitat of listed threatened and endangered species be identified and protected. However, there is little evidence to suggest that the identification of critical habitat has had much impact on species recovery. We hypothesized that this may be due at least partly to a mismatch between the intent of critical habitat identification, which is to protect sufficient habitat for species persistence and recovery, and its practice. We used content analysis to systematically review critical habitat documents from the United States, Canada, and Australia. In particular, we identified the major trends in type of information used to identify critical habitat and in occupancy of habitat identified as critical. Information about population viability was used to identify critical habitat for only 1% of the species reviewed, and for most species, designated critical habitat did not include unoccupied habitat. Without reference to population viability, it is difficult to determine how much of a species' occupied and unoccupied habitat will be required for persistence. We therefore conclude that the identification of critical habitat remains inconsistent with the goal of protecting sufficient habitat to support persistence and recovery of the species. Ensuring that critical habitat identification aligns more closely with its intent will improve the accuracy of the designations and may therefore help improve the benefits to species recovery when combined with adequate implementation and enforcement of legal protections. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

An Opening: Graphic Design's Discursive Spaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blauvelt, Andrew

1994-01-01

Introduces a special issue on critical histories of graphic design with a review of the particular problems identified with the history of graphic design as a field of study and the emerging discipline of graphic design history. Makes a case for the examination of graphic design through its relationships with larger discourses. (SR)

75 FR 63897 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for Bull...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-18

...We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are revising critical habitat for the bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are designating a total of 31,750.8 km (19,729.0 mi) of streams (which includes 1,213.2 km (754.0 mi) of marine shoreline) and are designating a total of 197,589.2 ha (488,251.7 ac) of reservoirs and lakes. The areas designated as critical habitat are located in the States of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, and Montana.

Initial conceptual design study of self-critical nuclear pumped laser systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodgers, R. J.

1979-01-01

An analytical study of self-critical nuclear pumped laser system concepts was performed. Primary emphasis was placed on reactor concepts employing gaseous uranium hexafluoride (UF6) as the fissionable material. Relationships were developed between the key reactor design parameters including reactor power level, critical mass, neutron flux level, reactor size, operating pressure, and UF6 optical properties. The results were used to select a reference conceptual laser system configuration. In the reference configuration, the 3.2 m cubed lasing volume is surrounded by a graphite internal moderator and a region of heavy water. Results of neutronics calculations yield a critical mass of 4.9 U(235) in the form (235)UF6. The configuration appears capable of operating in a continuous steady-state mode. The average gas temperature in the core is 600 K and the UF6 partial pressure within the lasing volume is 0.34 atm.

Children's Literature Review: Excerpts from Reviews, Criticism, and Commentary on Books for Children and Young People. Volume 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Block, Ann, Ed.; Riley, Carolyn, Ed.

This is the first volume of a semiannual children's literature review reference series, each volume of which will present criticism of about 40 authors and will include excerpts from more than 45 books and from various issues of about 35 periodicals. A short paragraph following each author listing identifies the author by nationality, principal…

78 FR 8745 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Tidewater Goby

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-06

...We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, designate critical habitat for the tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 12,156 acres (4,920 hectares) in Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties, California, fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation.

Optimizing the Design of Preprinted Orders for Ambulatory Chemotherapy: Combining Oncology, Human Factors, and Graphic Design

PubMed Central

Jeon, Jennifer; White, Rachel E.; Hunt, Richard G.; Cassano-Piché, Andrea L.; Easty, Anthony C.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To establish a set of guidelines for developing ambulatory chemotherapy preprinted orders. Methods: Multiple methods were used to develop the preprinted order guidelines. These included (A) a comprehensive literature review and an environmental scan; (B) analyses of field study observations and incident reports; (C) critical review of evidence from the literature and the field study observation analyses; (D) review of the draft guidelines by a clinical advisory group; and (E) collaboration with graphic designers to develop sample preprinted orders, refine the design guidelines, and format the resulting content. Results: The Guidelines for Developing Ambulatory Chemotherapy Preprinted Orders, which consist of guidance on the design process, content, and graphic design elements of ambulatory chemotherapy preprinted orders, have been established. Conclusion: Health care is a safety critical, dynamic, and complex sociotechnical system. Identifying safety risks in such a system and effectively addressing them often require the expertise of multiple disciplines. This study illustrates how human factors professionals, clinicians, and designers can leverage each other's expertise to uncover commonly overlooked patient safety hazards and to provide health care professionals with innovative, practical, and user-centered tools to minimize those hazards. PMID:23077436

Optimizing the design of preprinted orders for ambulatory chemotherapy: combining oncology, human factors, and graphic design.

PubMed

Jeon, Jennifer; White, Rachel E; Hunt, Richard G; Cassano-Piché, Andrea L; Easty, Anthony C

2012-03-01

To establish a set of guidelines for developing ambulatory chemotherapy preprinted orders. Multiple methods were used to develop the preprinted order guidelines. These included (A) a comprehensive literature review and an environmental scan; (B) analyses of field study observations and incident reports; (C) critical review of evidence from the literature and the field study observation analyses; (D) review of the draft guidelines by a clinical advisory group; and (E) collaboration with graphic designers to develop sample preprinted orders, refine the design guidelines, and format the resulting content. The Guidelines for Developing Ambulatory Chemotherapy Preprinted Orders, which consist of guidance on the design process, content, and graphic design elements of ambulatory chemotherapy preprinted orders, have been established. Health care is a safety critical, dynamic, and complex sociotechnical system. Identifying safety risks in such a system and effectively addressing them often require the expertise of multiple disciplines. This study illustrates how human factors professionals, clinicians, and designers can leverage each other's expertise to uncover commonly overlooked patient safety hazards and to provide health care professionals with innovative, practical, and user-centered tools to minimize those hazards.

Persistence and elimination of human norovirus in food and on food contact surfaces: a critical review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This critical review addresses the persistence of human norovirus (NoV) in water, shellfish, processed meats, soils and organic wastes; on berries, herbs, vegetables, fruits and salads; and on food contact surfaces. The review focuses on studies using NoV; information from studies involving only su...

Preferences of Knowledge Users for Two Formats of Summarizing Results from Systematic Reviews: Infographics and Critical Appraisals

PubMed Central

Crick, Katelynn; Hartling, Lisa

2015-01-01

Objectives To examine and compare preferences of knowledge users for two different formats of summarizing results from systematic reviews: infographics and critical appraisals. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Annual members’ meeting of a Network of Centres of Excellence in Knowledge Mobilization called TREKK (Translating Emergency Knowledge for Kids). TREKK is a national network of researchers, clinicians, health consumers, and relevant organizations with the goal of mobilizing knowledge to improve emergency care for children. Participants Members of the TREKK Network attending the annual meeting in October 2013. Outcome Measures Overall preference for infographic vs. critical appraisal format. Members’ rating of each format on a 10-point Likert scale for clarity, comprehensibility, and aesthetic appeal. Members’ impressions of the appropriateness of the two formats for their professional role and for other audiences. Results Among 64 attendees, 58 members provided feedback (91%). Overall, their preferred format was divided with 24/47 (51%) preferring the infographic to the critical appraisal. Preference varied by professional role, with 15/22 (68%) of physicians preferring the critical appraisal and 8/12 (67%) of nurses preferring the infographic. The critical appraisal was rated higher for clarity (mean 7.8 vs. 7.0; p = 0.03), while the infographic was rated higher for aesthetic appeal (mean 7.2 vs. 5.0; p<0.001). There was no difference between formats for comprehensibility (mean 7.6 critical appraisal vs. 7.1 infographic; p = 0.09). Respondents indicated the infographic would be most useful for patients and their caregivers, while the critical appraisal would be most useful for their professional roles. Conclusions Infographics are considered more aesthetically appealing for summarizing evidence; however, critical appraisal formats are considered clearer and more comprehensible. Our findings show differences in terms of audience-specific preferences for

The Role of Gender in Workplace Stress: A Critical Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gyllensten, Kristina; Palmer, Stephen

2005-01-01

Objective: The aim of this review was to evaluate research relating to the role of gender in the level of workplace stress. A further aim was to review literature relating to stressors of particular relevance to working women. These stressors included, multiple roles, lack of career progress and discrimination and stereotyping. Design: Systematic…

Review & Peer Review of “Parameters for Properly Designed and Operated Flares” Documents

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page contains two 2012 memoranda on the review of EPA's parameters for properly designed and operated flares. One details the process of peer review, and the other provides background information and specific charge questions to the panel.

Review of Designs for Haptic Data Visualization.

PubMed

Paneels, Sabrina; Roberts, Jonathan C

2010-01-01

There are many different uses for haptics, such as training medical practitioners, teleoperation, or navigation of virtual environments. This review focuses on haptic methods that display data. The hypothesis is that haptic devices can be used to present information, and consequently, the user gains quantitative, qualitative, or holistic knowledge about the presented data. Not only is this useful for users who are blind or partially sighted (who can feel line graphs, for instance), but also the haptic modality can be used alongside other modalities, to increase the amount of variables being presented, or to duplicate some variables to reinforce the presentation. Over the last 20 years, a significant amount of research has been done in haptic data presentation; e.g., researchers have developed force feedback line graphs, bar charts, and other forms of haptic representations. However, previous research is published in different conferences and journals, with different application emphases. This paper gathers and collates these various designs to provide a comprehensive review of designs for haptic data visualization. The designs are classified by their representation: Charts, Maps, Signs, Networks, Diagrams, Images, and Tables. This review provides a comprehensive reference for researchers and learners, and highlights areas for further research.

Laser and electron-beam powder-bed additive manufacturing of metallic implants: A review on processes, materials and designs.

PubMed

Sing, Swee Leong; An, Jia; Yeong, Wai Yee; Wiria, Florencia Edith

2016-03-01

Additive manufacturing (AM), also commonly known as 3D printing, allows the direct fabrication of functional parts with complex shapes from digital models. In this review, the current progress of two AM processes suitable for metallic orthopaedic implant applications, namely selective laser melting (SLM) and electron beam melting (EBM) are presented. Several critical design factors such as the need for data acquisition for patient-specific design, design dependent porosity for osteo-inductive implants, surface topology of the implants and design for reduction of stress-shielding in implants are discussed. Additive manufactured biomaterials such as 316L stainless steel, titanium-6aluminium-4vanadium (Ti6Al4V) and cobalt-chromium (CoCr) are highlighted. Limitations and future potential of such technologies are also explored. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

DNA methylation markers for oral pre-cancer progression: A critical review.

PubMed

Shridhar, Krithiga; Walia, Gagandeep Kaur; Aggarwal, Aastha; Gulati, Smriti; Geetha, A V; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Dhillon, Preet K; Rajaraman, Preetha

2016-02-01

Although oral cancers are generally preceded by a well-established pre-cancerous stage, there is a lack of well-defined clinical and morphological criteria to detect and signal progression from pre-cancer to malignant tumours. We conducted a critical review to summarize the evidence regarding aberrant DNA methylation patterns as a potential diagnostic biomarker predicting progression. We identified all relevant human studies published in English prior to 30th April 2015 that examined DNA methylation (%) in oral pre-cancer by searching PubMed, Web-of-Science and Embase databases using combined key-searches. Twenty-one studies (18-cross-sectional; 3-longitudinal) were eligible for inclusion in the review, with sample sizes ranging from 4 to 156 affected cases. Eligible studies examined promoter region hyper-methylation of tumour suppressor genes in pathways including cell-cycle-control (n=15), DNA-repair (n=7), cell-cycle-signalling (n=4) and apoptosis (n=3). Hyper-methylated loci reported in three or more studies included p16, p14, MGMT and DAPK. Two longitudinal studies reported greater p16 hyper-methylation in pre-cancerous lesions transformed to malignancy compared to lesions that regressed (57-63.6% versus 8-32.1%; p<0.01). The one study that explored epigenome-wide methylation patterns reported three novel hyper-methylated loci (TRHDE; ZNF454; KCNAB3). The majority of reviewed studies were small, cross-sectional studies with poorly defined control groups and lacking validation. Whilst limitations in sample size and study design preclude definitive conclusions, current evidence suggests a potential utility of DNA methylation patterns as a diagnostic biomarker for oral pre-cancer progression. Robust studies such as large epigenome-wide methylation explorations of oral pre-cancer with longitudinal tracking are needed to validate the currently reported signals and identify new risk-loci and the biological pathways of disease progression. Copyright © 2015 The

DNA methylation markers for oral pre-cancer progression: A critical review

PubMed Central

Shridhar, Krithiga; Walia, Gagandeep Kaur; Aggarwal, Aastha; Gulati, Smriti; Geetha, A.V.; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Dhillon, Preet K.; Rajaraman, Preetha

2016-01-01

Summary Although oral cancers are generally preceded by a well-established pre-cancerous stage, there is a lack of well-defined clinical and morphological criteria to detect and signal progression from pre-cancer to malignant tumours. We conducted a critical review to summarize the evidence regarding aberrant DNA methylation patterns as a potential diagnostic biomarker predicting progression. We identified all relevant human studies published in English prior to 30th April 2015 that examined DNA methylation (%) in oral pre-cancer by searching PubMed, Web-of-Science and Embase databases using combined key-searches. Twenty-one studies (18-cross-sectional; 3-longitudinal) were eligible for inclusion in the review, with sample sizes ranging from 4 to 156 affected cases. Eligible studies examined promoter region hyper-methylation of tumour suppressor genes in pathways including cell-cycle-control (n = 15), DNA-repair (n = 7), cell-cycle-signalling (n = 4) and apoptosis (n = 3). Hyper-methylated loci reported in three or more studies included p16, p14, MGMT and DAPK. Two longitudinal studies reported greater p16 hyper-methylation in pre-cancerous lesions transformed to malignancy compared to lesions that regressed (57–63.6% versus 8–32.1%; p < 0.01). The one study that explored epigenome-wide methylation patterns reported three novel hyper-methylated loci (TRHDE; ZNF454; KCNAB3). The majority of reviewed studies were small, cross-sectional studies with poorly defined control groups and lacking validation. Whilst limitations in sample size and study design preclude definitive conclusions, current evidence suggests a potential utility of DNA methylation patterns as a diagnostic biomarker for oral pre-cancer progression. Robust studies such as large epigenome-wide methylation explorations of oral pre-cancer with longitudinal tracking are needed to validate the currently reported signals and identify new risk-loci and the biological pathways of disease

Transgender stigma and health: A critical review of stigma determinants, mechanisms, and interventions.

PubMed

White Hughto, Jaclyn M; Reisner, Sari L; Pachankis, John E

2015-12-01

Transgender people in the United States experience widespread prejudice, discrimination, violence, and other forms of stigma. This critical review aims to integrate the literature on stigma towards transgender people in the U.S. This review demonstrates that transgender stigma limits opportunities and access to resources in a number of critical domains (e.g., employment, healthcare), persistently affecting the physical and mental health of transgender people. The applied social ecological model employed here elucidates that transgender stigma operates at multiple levels (i.e., individual, interpersonal, structural) to impact health. Stigma prevention and coping interventions hold promise for reducing stigma and its adverse health-related effects in transgender populations. Additional research is needed to document the causal relationship between stigma and adverse health as well as the mediators and moderators of stigma in US transgender populations. Multi-level interventions to prevent stigma towards transgender people are warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Instructional Design and Facilitation Approaches That Promote Critical Thinking in Asynchronous Online Discussions: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schindler, Laura A.; Burkholder, Gary J.

2014-01-01

Asynchronous online discussions (AODs) are often used to promote critical thinking in online courses; however, recent research suggests that levels of critical thinking in discussions remain low. Furthermore, there is a lack of consensus in the literature about the definition of critical thinking and many of the existing studies focus on one…

Knowledge mobilisation in healthcare: a critical review of health sector and generic management literature.

PubMed

Ferlie, Ewan; Crilly, Tessa; Jashapara, Ashok; Peckham, Anna

2012-04-01

The health policy domain has displayed increasing interest in questions of knowledge management and knowledge mobilisation within healthcare organisations. We analyse here the findings of a critical review of generic management and health-related literatures, covering the period 2000-2008. Using 29 pre-selected journals, supplemented by a search of selected electronic databases, we map twelve substantive domains classified into four broad groups: taxonomic and philosophical (e.g. different types of knowledge); theoretical discourse (e.g. critical organisational studies); disciplinary fields (e.g. organisational learning and Information Systems/Information Technology); and organisational processes and structures (e.g. organisational form). We explore cross-overs and gaps between these traditionally separate literature streams. We found that health sector literature has absorbed some generic concepts, notably Communities of Practice, but has not yet deployed the performance-oriented perspective of the Resource Based View (RBV) of the Firm. The generic literature uses healthcare sites to develop critical analyses of power and control in knowledge management, rooted in neo-Marxist/labour process and Foucauldian approaches. The review generates three theoretically grounded statements to inform future enquiry, by: (a) importing the RBV stream; (b) developing the critical organisational studies perspective further; and (c) exploring the theoretical argument that networks and other alternative organisational forms facilitate knowledge sharing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Major publications in the critical care pharmacotherapy literature in 2015.

PubMed

Wong, Adrian; Erdman, Michael; Hammond, Drayton A; Holt, Tara; Holzhausen, Jenna M; Horng, Michelle; Huang, Lori Lynn; Jarvis, Jennifer; Kram, Bridgette; Kram, Shawn; Lesch, Christine; Mercer, Jessica; Rech, Megan A; Rivosecchi, Ryan; Stump, Brian; Teevan, Colleen; Day, Sarah

2017-03-01

Recently published practice guidelines and research reports on pharmacotherapy in critical care patient populations are summarized. The Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Literature Update (CCPLU) Group is composed of over 50 experienced critical care pharmacists who evaluate 31 peer-reviewed journals monthly to identify literature pertaining to pharmacotherapy in critical care populations. Articles are chosen for summarization in a monthly CCPLU Group publication on the basis of applicability and relevance to clinical practice and strength of study design. From January to December 2015, a total of 121 articles were summarized; of these, 3 articles presenting clinical practice guidelines and 12 articles presenting original research findings were objectively selected for inclusion in this review based on their potential to change or reinforce current evidence-based practice. The reviewed guidelines address the management of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), adult advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and post-cardiac arrest care, and the management of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). The reviewed research reports address topics such as nutrition in critically ill adults, administration of β-lactams for severe sepsis, anticoagulant selection in the context of continuous renal replacement therapy, early goal-directed therapy in septic shock, magnesium use for neuroprotection in acute stroke, and progesterone use in patients with traumatic brain injury. Important recent additions to the critical care pharmacy literature include updated joint clinical practice guidelines on the management of spontaneous ICH, ACLS, and SVT. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Content and Context in Knowledge Production: A Critical Review of Doctoral Supervision Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastalich, Wendy

2017-01-01

With the massification of higher degrees, the efficiency gaze has fixed on students and supervisors, or on their relationship, as the "problem" to be managed, in need of administrative regulation, skill improvement or perhaps emotional management. This critical review of a selection of higher education journal articles on doctoral…

ANTIBACTERIAL EFFICACY OF INTRACANAL MEDICAMENTS ON BACTERIAL BIOFILM: A CRITICAL REVIEW

PubMed Central

Estrela, Carlos; Sydney, Gilson Blitzkow; Figueiredo, José Antonio Poli; Estrela, Cyntia Rodrigues de Araújo

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to discuss critically the antibacterial efficacy of intracanal medicaments on bacterial biofilm. Longitudinal studies were evaluated by a systematic review of English-language articles retrieved from electronic biomedical journal databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL) and handsearching records, using different matches of keywords for root canal biofilm, between 1966 and August 1st, 2007. The selected articles were identified from titles, abstracts and full-text articles by two independent reviewers, considering the tabulated inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. The search retrieved 91 related articles, of which 8.8% referred to in vivo studies demonstrating the lack of efficacy of endodontic therapy on bacterial biofilm. Intracanal medicaments were found to have a limited action against bacterial biofilm. PMID:19148398

A Critical Ear: Analysis of Value Judgments in Reviews of Beethoven's Piano Sonata Recordings

PubMed Central

Alessandri, Elena; Williamson, Victoria J.; Eiholzer, Hubert; Williamon, Aaron

2016-01-01

What sets a great music performance apart? In this study, we addressed this question through an examination of value judgments in written criticism of recorded performance. One hundred reviews of recordings of Beethoven's piano sonatas, published in the Gramophone between 1934 and 2010, were analyzed through a three-step qualitative analysis that identified the valence (positive/negative) expressed by critics' statements and the evaluation criteria that underpinned their judgments. The outcome is a model of the main evaluation criteria used by professional critics: aesthetic properties, including intensity, coherence, and complexity, and achievement-related properties, including sureness, comprehension, and endeavor. The model also emphasizes how critics consider the suitability and balance of these properties across the musical and cultural context of the performance. The findings relate directly to current discourses on the role of evaluation in music criticism and the generalizability of aesthetic principles. In particular, the perceived achievement of the performer stands out as a factor that drives appreciation of a recording. PMID:27065900

Carbon Nanomaterials in Agriculture: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Arnab; Majumdar, Sanghamitra; Servin, Alia D.; Pagano, Luca; Dhankher, Om Parkash; White, Jason C.

2016-01-01

There has been great interest in the use of carbon nano-materials (CNMs) in agriculture. However, the existing literature reveals mixed effects from CNM exposure on plants, ranging from enhanced crop yield to acute cytotoxicity and genetic alteration. These seemingly inconsistent research-outcomes, taken with the current technological limitations for in situ CNM detection, present significant hurdles to the wide scale use of CNMs in agriculture. The objective of this review is to evaluate the current literature, including studies with both positive and negative effects of different CNMs (e.g., carbon nano-tubes, fullerenes, carbon nanoparticles, and carbon nano-horns, among others) on terrestrial plants and associated soil-dwelling microbes. The effects of CNMs on the uptake of various co-contaminants will also be discussed. Last, we highlight critical knowledge gaps, including the need for more soil-based investigations under environmentally relevant conditions. In addition, efforts need to be focused on better understanding of the underlying mechanism of CNM-plant interactions. PMID:26941751

Implant-Assisted Removable Partial Denture Prostheses: A Critical Review of Selected Literature.

PubMed

Bassetti, Renzo G; Bassetti, Mario A; Kuttenberger, Johannes

A critical review of selected relevant publications assessed clinical efficacy and effectiveness of implant-assisted removable partial dentures (IARPDs) with implant survival and failure rates, biologic and technical complications, and maintenance and patient satisfaction after rehabilitation as outcomes. Screening of three databases (Medline [PubMed], Embase [OVID], and the Cochrane Library [CENTRAL]) and a manual search of related articles were performed. Reports on outcomes from human studies conducted between 1 January 1980 and 31 May 2016 were considered. A quality assessment of the identified full-text articles was performed to assess risk of bias and to evaluate heterogeneity. Only nine studies were included, and all nine demonstrated high risk of bias. The mean observation period ranged from 1 to 10 years, and only four studies included at least one control group. The studies reported implant survival rates of 91.7% to 100%, abutment tooth survival rates of 79.2% to 100%, and prosthesis survival rates of 90% to 100%. Approximal peri-implant crestal bone level changes (ΔCBL) ranged from -0.17 to -2.2 mm. IARPDs were associated with a higher frequency of technical complications and maintenance interventions than biologic complications. Only two question-based studies assessed patient satisfaction before and after treatment, and both reported marked improvement. A meta-analysis was not possible because of substantial heterogeneity in study design. Limited availability of robust publications related to the selected review topic precluded significant conclusions. Nonetheless, the preliminary assessment suggests that IARPDs are a simple and cost-effective approach to providing symmetric prosthesis support and stability, plus improved patient satisfaction.

Designing drug regimens for special intensive care unit populations

PubMed Central

Erstad, Brian L

2015-01-01

This review is intended to help clinicians design drug regimens for special populations of critically ill patients with extremes of body size, habitus and composition that make drug choice or dosing particularly challenging due to the lack of high-level evidence on which to make well-informed clinical decisions. The data sources included a literature search of MEDLINE and EMBASE with reviews of reference lists of retrieved articles. Abstracts of original research investigations and review papers were reviewed for their relevance to drug choice or dosing in the following special critically ill populations: patients with more severe forms of bodyweight or height, patients with amputations or missing limbs, pregnant patients, and patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or plasma exchange. Relevant papers were retrieved and evaluated, and their associated reference lists were reviewed for citations that may have been missed through the electronic search strategy. Relevant original research investigations and review papers that could be used to formulate general principles for drug choice or dosing in special populations of critically ill patients were extracted. Randomized studies with clinically relevant endpoints were not available for performing quantitative analyses. Critically ill patients with changes in body size, habitus and composition require special consideration when designing medication regimens, but there is a paucity of literature on which to make drug-specific, high-level evidence-based recommendations. Based on the evidence that is available, general recommendations are provided for drug choice or dosing in special critically ill populations. PMID:25938029

Feeding the critically ill obese patient: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Secombe, Paul; Harley, Simon; Chapman, Marianne; Aromataris, Edoardo

2015-10-01

The objective of this review is to identify effective enteral nutritional regimens targeting protein and calorie delivery for the critically ill obese patient on morbidity and mortality.More specifically, the review question is:In the critically ill obese patient, what is the optimal enteral protein and calorie target that improves mortality and morbidity? The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health, or, empirically, as a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m. Twenty-eight percent of the Australian population is obese with the prevalence rising to 44% in rural areas, and there is evidence that rates of obesity are increasing. The prevalence of obese patients in intensive care largely mirrors that of the general population. There is concern, however, that this may also be rising. A recently published multi-center nutritional study of critically ill patients reported a mean BMI of 29 in their sample, suggesting that just under 50% of their intensive care population is obese. It is inevitable, therefore, that the intensivist will care for the critically ill obese patient.Managing the critically ill obese patient is challenging, not least due to the co-morbid diseases frequently associated with obesity, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidaemia, sleep disordered breathing and respiratory insufficiency, hepatic steatohepatitis, chronic kidney disease and hypertension. There is also evidence that metabolic processes differ in the obese patient, particularly those with underlying insulin resistance, itself a marker of the metabolic syndrome, which may predispose to futile cycling, altered fuel utilization and protein catabolism. These issues are compounded by altered drug pharmacokinetics, and the additional logistical issues associated with prophylactic, therapeutic and diagnostic interventions.It is entirely plausible that the altered metabolic processes observed in the obese

How Do Virtual World Experiences Bring about Learning? A Critical Review of Theories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loke, Swee-Kin

2015-01-01

While students do learn real-world knowledge and skills in virtual worlds, educators have yet to adequately theorise how students' virtual world experiences bring about this learning. This paper critically reviewed theories currently used to underpin empirical work in virtual worlds for education. In particular, it evaluated how applicable these…

Metaphor and Metonymy in ASD Children: A Critical Review from a Developmental Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melogno, Sergio; Pinto, Maria Antonietta; Levi, Gabriel

2012-01-01

The aim of the present article is to critically review the experimental research in the domain of metaphor and metonymy competencies in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) children. After providing some basic definitions of metaphor and metonymy, we consider some major points emerging from studies on metaphorical and metonymical competencies in…

Photovoltaic system criteria documents. Volume 4: Review criteria for photovoltaic applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, John C.; Billitti, Joseph W.; Tallon, John M.

1979-01-01

Guidelines are provided for the organization, preparation and conduct of program reviews for photovoltaic applications. These criteria apply to all photovoltaic applications. They include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Conceptual design review; (2) Preliminary design review; (3) Critical design review; and (4) Operational readiness review. Contract goal's and objectives are met through program monitoring for cost, schedule, and performance for both managerial and technical elements for all PV applications activities.

Plasmapheresis and other extracorporeal filtration techniques in critical patients.

PubMed

Daga Ruiz, D; Fonseca San Miguel, F; González de Molina, F J; Úbeda-Iglesias, A; Navas Pérez, A; Jannone Forés, R

2017-04-01

Plasmapheresis is an extracorporeal technique that eliminates macromolecules involved in pathological processes from plasma. A review is made of the technical aspects, main indications in critical care and potential complications of plasmapheresis, as well as of other extracorporeal filtration techniques such as endotoxin-removal columns and other devices designed to eliminate cytokines or modulate the inflammatory immune response in critical patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Critical Variables in Singing Accuracy Test Construction: A Review of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Bryan E.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this review of literature was to identify research findings for designing assessments in singing accuracy. The aim was to specify the test construction variables that directly affect test performance to guide future design in singing accuracy assessment for research and classroom uses. Three pitch-matching tasks--single pitch,…

A critical review of published research literature reviews on nursing and healthcare ageism.

PubMed

Wilson, Donna M; Nam, Mavis A; Murphy, Jill; Victorino, João P; Gondim, Ellen C; Low, Gail

2017-12-01

To establish how common and impactful nursing and healthcare ageism is and whether proven interventions or prevention methods exist. Ageism has been a concern since 1969 when it was first introduced as a concept for social reform. As ageism has been linked to lower quality health services and reduced health care access, it is imperative that healthcare and nursing ageism is prevented or identified and reduced or eliminated. A qualitative narrative review of published research literature reviews using a scoping design to map all published reviews was undertaken. The EBSCO Discovery Service (providing access to articles in 271 databases, including MEDLINE and CINAHL) and Directory of Open Access Journals (providing access to over 9,000 open access journals) were used to find review articles. Using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and limited by English language and peer-review publications, 12 eligible reviews were identified and information from them was systematically identified, assessed and synthesised. The 12 reviews did not provide clear and convincing information to determine how common and impactful nursing or healthcare ageism is, nor what can best be done to prevent or address it. Although each review had value since research literature was collected and discussed on nursing or healthcare ageism, the array of literature search and analysis methods, and diversity in conclusions reached about the evidence is highly problematic. Research literature reviews offering a more balanced perspective and demonstrating greater care in finding and using quality evidence are needed. At this point in time, there is no clear understanding of how widespread and impactful nursing or healthcare ageism is, and what can best be done to prevent or address it. Nurses need to be aware that ageism may be common and impactful, and guard against it. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cosmological moduli and the post-inflationary universe: A critical review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kane, Gordon; Sinha, Kuver; Watson, Scott

2015-06-01

We critically review the role of cosmological moduli in determining the post-inflationary history of the universe. Moduli are ubiquitous in string and M-theory constructions of beyond the Standard Model physics, where they parametrize the geometry of the compactification manifold. For those with masses determined by supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking this leads to their eventual decay slightly before Big Bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) (without spoiling its predictions). This results in a matter dominated phase shortly after inflation ends, which can influence baryon and dark matter genesis, as well as observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and the growth of large-scale structure. Given progress within fundamental theory, and guidance from dark matter and collider experiments, nonthermal histories have emerged as a robust and theoretically well-motivated alternative to a strictly thermal one. We review this approach to the early universe and discuss both the theoretical challenges and the observational implications.

Document Design: A Review of the Relevant Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felker, Daniel B., Ed.

Research from several disciplines has been examined to create this literature review of information on document design, the overall movement toward producing public documents that the intended users can understand. Six chapters review appropriate research from the areas of psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, instructional research,…

What do we mean by Human-Centered Design of Life-Critical Systems?

PubMed

Boy, Guy A

2012-01-01

Human-centered design is not a new approach to design. Aerospace is a good example of a life-critical systems domain where participatory design was fully integrated, involving experimental test pilots and design engineers as well as many other actors of the aerospace engineering community. This paper provides six topics that are currently part of the requirements of the Ph.D. Program in Human-Centered Design of the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT.) This Human-Centered Design program offers principles, methods and tools that support human-centered sustainable products such as mission or process control environments, cockpits and hospital operating rooms. It supports education and training of design thinkers who are natural leaders, and understand complex relationships among technology, organizations and people. We all need to understand what we want to do with technology, how we should organize ourselves to a better life and finally find out whom we are and have become. Human-centered design is being developed for all these reasons and issues.

Efficient critical design load case identification for floating offshore wind turbines with a reduced nonlinear model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matha, Denis; Sandner, Frank; Schlipf, David

2014-12-01

Design verification of wind turbines is performed by simulation of design load cases (DLC) defined in the IEC 61400-1 and -3 standards or equivalent guidelines. Due to the resulting large number of necessary load simulations, here a method is presented to reduce the computational effort for DLC simulations significantly by introducing a reduced nonlinear model and simplified hydro- and aerodynamics. The advantage of the formulation is that the nonlinear ODE system only contains basic mathematic operations and no iterations or internal loops which makes it very computationally efficient. Global turbine extreme and fatigue loads such as rotor thrust, tower base bending moment and mooring line tension, as well as platform motions are outputs of the model. They can be used to identify critical and less critical load situations to be then analysed with a higher fidelity tool and so speed up the design process. Results from these reduced model DLC simulations are presented and compared to higher fidelity models. Results in frequency and time domain as well as extreme and fatigue load predictions demonstrate that good agreement between the reduced and advanced model is achieved, allowing to efficiently exclude less critical DLC simulations, and to identify the most critical subset of cases for a given design. Additionally, the model is applicable for brute force optimization of floater control system parameters.

78 FR 40673 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Acuña...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-08

... acres (ac)) in six units located in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal Counties, Arizona. For the Fickeisen plains cactus, we proposed to designate as critical habitat approximately 19,901 ha (49,186 ac) in nine.... For the acu[ntilde]a cactus, we propose to designate approximately 7,657 ha (18,921 ac) as critical...

Thermal hydrolysis for sewage treatment: A critical review.

PubMed

Barber, W P F

2016-11-01

A review concerning the development and applicability of sewage sludge thermal hydrolysis especially prior to anaerobic digestion is presented. Thermal hydrolysis has proven to be a successful approach to making sewage sludge more amenable to anaerobic digestion. Currently there are 75 facilities either in operation or planning, spanning several continents with the first installation in 1995. The reported benefits of thermal hydrolysis relate to: increased digestion loading rate due to altered rheological properties, improved biodegradation of (especially activated) sludge and enhanced dewaterability. In spite of its relative maturity, there has been no attempt to perform a critical review of the pertinent literature relating to the technology. Closer look at the literature reveals complications with comparing both experimental- and full-scale results due to differences in experimental set-up and capability, and also site-specific conditions at full-scale. Furthermore, it appears that understanding of thermodynamic and rheological properties of sludge is key to optimizing the process, however these parameters are largely overlooked by the literature. This paper aims to bridge these complexities in order to elucidate the benefits of thermal hydrolysis for sewage treatment, and makes recommendations for further development and research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A review of shear wave splitting in the crack-critical crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crampin, Stuart; Chastin, Sebastien

2003-10-01

Over the last 15 years, it has become established that crack-induced stress-aligned shear wave splitting, with azimuthal anisotropy, is an inherent characteristic of almost all rocks in the crust. This means that most in situ rocks are pervaded by fluid-saturated microcracks and consequently are highly compliant. The evolution of such stress-aligned fluid-saturated grain-boundary cracks and pore throats in response to changing conditions can be calculated, in some cases with great accuracy, using anisotropic poro-elasticity (APE). APE is tightly constrained with no free parameters, yet dynamic modelling with APE currently matches a wide range of phenomena concerning anisotropy, stress, shear waves and cracks. In particular, APE has allowed the anisotropic response of a reservoir to injection to be calculated (predicted with hindsight), and the time and magnitude of an earthquake to be correctly stress-forecast. The reason for this calculability and predictability is that the microcracks in the crust are so closely spaced that they form critical systems. This crack-critical crust leads to a new style of geophysics that has profound implications for almost all aspects of pre-fracturing deformation of the crust and for solid-earth geophysics and geology. We review past, present and speculate about the future of shear wave splitting in the crack-critical crust. Shear wave splitting is seen to be a dynamic measure of the deformation of the rock mass. There is some good news and some bad news for conventional geophysics. Many accepted phenomena are no longer valid at high spatial and temporal resolution. A major effect is that the detailed crack geometry changes with time and varies from place to place in response to very small previously negligible changes. However, at least in some circumstances, the behaviour of the rock in the highly complex inhomogeneous Earth may be calculated and the response predicted, opening the way to possible control by feedback. The need is

50 CFR 424.21 - Periodic review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Periodic review. 424.21 Section 424.21... SPECIES AND DESIGNATING CRITICAL HABITAT Revision of the Lists § 424.21 Periodic review. At least once every 5 years, the Secretary shall conduct a review of each listed species to determine whether it...

Topological design and additive manufacturing of porous metals for bone scaffolds and orthopaedic implants: A review.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaojian; Xu, Shanqing; Zhou, Shiwei; Xu, Wei; Leary, Martin; Choong, Peter; Qian, M; Brandt, Milan; Xie, Yi Min

2016-03-01

One of the critical issues in orthopaedic regenerative medicine is the design of bone scaffolds and implants that replicate the biomechanical properties of the host bones. Porous metals have found themselves to be suitable candidates for repairing or replacing the damaged bones since their stiffness and porosity can be adjusted on demands. Another advantage of porous metals lies in their open space for the in-growth of bone tissue, hence accelerating the osseointegration process. The fabrication of porous metals has been extensively explored over decades, however only limited controls over the internal architecture can be achieved by the conventional processes. Recent advances in additive manufacturing have provided unprecedented opportunities for producing complex structures to meet the increasing demands for implants with customized mechanical performance. At the same time, topology optimization techniques have been developed to enable the internal architecture of porous metals to be designed to achieve specified mechanical properties at will. Thus implants designed via the topology optimization approach and produced by additive manufacturing are of great interest. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of topological design and manufacturing processes of various types of porous metals, in particular for titanium alloys, biodegradable metals and shape memory alloys. This review also identifies the limitations of current techniques and addresses the directions for future investigations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A critical review of social and structural conditions that influence HIV risk among Mexican deportees.

PubMed

Pinedo, Miguel; Burgos, José Luis; Ojeda, Victoria D

2014-05-01

Mexican migrants who are deported from the US may be at elevated risk for HIV infection. Deportations of Mexican migrants by the US have reached record numbers. We critically reviewed existing literature to assess how social and structural conditions in post-deportation settings can influence Mexican deported migrants' HIV risk. We also identify critical research gaps and make research recommendations. Copyright © 2014 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Elements, Principles, and Critical Inquiry for Identity-Centered Design of Online Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dudek, Jaclyn; Heiser, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Within higher education, a need exists for learning designs that facilitate education and support students in sharing, examining, and refining their critical identities as learners and professionals. In the past, technology-mediated identity work has focused on individual tool use or a learning setting. However, we as professional learning…

Universal Design for Learning: Critical Need Areas for People with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strobel, Wendy; Arthanat, Sajay; Bauer, Stephen; Flagg, Jennifer

2007-01-01

The primary market research outlined in this paper was conducted by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology Transfer to identify critical technology needs for people with learning disabilities. Based on the research conducted, the underlying context of these technology needs is Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The paper…

Substance use and its implications for the critical care nurses: a literature review.

PubMed

Brotto, Vanessa; Lee, Geraldine

2007-04-01

Illicit drug use in Australia has been increasing and studies indicate that illicit drug users have a higher risk of accidents which may result in the user needing critical care. However, there is a significant gap in the literature specifically pertaining to the implications of drug use in critical care. The primary objective was to examine the literature for the physiological effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cocaine and amphetamines in critically ill patients. A comprehensive literature review was undertaken and a body systems framework was used to categorise the effects of these illicit drugs. The illicit substances addressed have potentially fatal and long-term side effects. For those users involved in accidents or trauma requiring intensive or critical care nursing, the mortality and co-morbidity risks are increased significantly. It is, therefore, important that nurses are able to recognise the specific physiological effects and possible complications that can occur with the use of each illicit drug. Both nursing and medical staff need to have a thorough understanding of how illicit substances work and how they can affect the critical care patient and the care they are given.

Communicating Qualitative Research Study Designs to Research Ethics Review Boards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ells, Carolyn

2011-01-01

Researchers using qualitative methodologies appear to be particularly prone to having their study designs called into question by research ethics or funding agency review committees. In this paper, the author considers the issue of communicating qualitative research study designs in the context of institutional research ethics review and offers…

A meta-analysis of the effects of non-traditional teaching methods on the critical thinking abilities of nursing students.

PubMed

Lee, JuHee; Lee, Yoonju; Gong, SaeLom; Bae, Juyeon; Choi, Moonki

2016-09-15

Scientific framework is important in designing curricula and evaluating students in the field of education and clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of non-traditional educational methods on critical thinking skills. A systematic review approach was applied. Studies published in peer-reviewed journals from January 2001 to December 2014 were searched using electronic databases and major education journals. A meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.2. Reviewing the included studies, the California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (CCTDI) and California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) were used to assess the effectiveness of critical thinking in the meta-analysis. The eight CCTDI datasets showed that non- traditional teaching methods (i.e., no lectures) were more effective compared to control groups (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.42, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.26-0.57, p < .00001). And six CCTST datasets showed the teaching and learning methods in these studies were also had significantly more effects when compared to the control groups (SMD: 0.29, 95 % CI: 0.10-0.48, p = 0.003). This research showed that new teaching and learning methods designed to improve critical thinking were generally effective at enhancing critical thinking dispositions.

Milrinone for cardiac dysfunction in critically ill adult patients: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

PubMed

Koster, Geert; Bekema, Hanneke J; Wetterslev, Jørn; Gluud, Christian; Keus, Frederik; van der Horst, Iwan C C

2016-09-01

Milrinone is an inotrope widely used for treatment of cardiac failure. Because previous meta-analyses had methodological flaws, we decided to conduct a systematic review of the effect of milrinone in critically ill adult patients with cardiac dysfunction. This systematic review was performed according to The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Searches were conducted until November 2015. Patients with cardiac dysfunction were included. The primary outcome was serious adverse events (SAE) including mortality at maximum follow-up. The risk of bias was evaluated and trial sequential analyses were conducted. The quality of evidence was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria. A total of 31 randomised clinical trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria, of which 16 provided data for our analyses. All trials were at high risk of bias, and none reported the primary composite outcome SAE. Fourteen trials with 1611 randomised patients reported mortality data at maximum follow-up (RR 0.96; 95% confidence interval 0.76-1.21). Milrinone did not significantly affect other patient-centred outcomes. All analyses displayed statistical and/or clinical heterogeneity of patients, interventions, comparators, outcomes, and/or settings and all featured missing data. The current evidence on the use of milrinone in critically ill adult patients with cardiac dysfunction suffers from considerable risks of both bias and random error and demonstrates no benefits. The use of milrinone for the treatment of critically ill patients with cardiac dysfunction can be neither recommended nor refuted. Future randomised clinical trials need to be sufficiently large and designed to have low risk of bias.

Instrumented Measurement of Balance and Postural Control in Individuals with Lower Limb Amputation: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jayakaran, Prasath; Johnson, Gillian M.; Sullivan, S. John; Nitz, Jennifer C.

2012-01-01

Measurement of balance and postural performance that underpins activities of daily living is important in the rehabilitation of individuals with a lower limb amputation (LLA), and there are a number of methods and strategies available for this purpose. To provide an evidence-based choice of approach, this review aims to critically review the tasks…

Notes on critical care-review of seminal management and leadership papers in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Coombs, Maureen

2009-06-01

Review of recent critical care provision reveals substantial changes in clinical unit operating, and policy drivers influencing international critical care delivery. Practitioners who have worked in healthcare environments over this time, will have witnessed substantial shifts in healthcare policy, changes in professional body guidance and greater service evaluation have impacted on critical care management and leadership. This paper offers a personal perspective on seminal management and leadership papers published in the critical care literature over the past decade. Presenting a range of national and international work that utilise diverse approaches, ten key papers are highlighted that have impacted in the United Kingdom setting. Through this, the influence of the modernisation agenda, the increasing significance of outcome studies, and the need for flexible, interdependent practice emerges. A key message to surface from this paper is the need for all in critical care to engage with, and understand the wider implications of management and leadership change for critical care delivery.

Patient- and family-centered performance measures focused on actionable processes of care for persistent and chronic critical illness: protocol for a systematic review.

PubMed

Rose, Louise; Istanboulian, Laura; Allum, Laura; Burry, Lisa; Dale, Craig; Hart, Nicholas; Kydonaki, Claire; Ramsay, Pam; Pattison, Natalie; Connolly, Bronwen

2017-04-17

Approximately 5 to 10% of critically ill patients transition from acute critical illness to a state of persistent and in some cases chronic critical illness. These patients have unique and complex needs that require a change in the clinical management plan and overall goals of care to a focus on rehabilitation, symptom relief, discharge planning, and in some cases, end-of-life care. However, existing indicators and measures of care quality, and tools such as checklists, that foster implementation of best practices, may not be sufficiently inclusive in terms of actionable processes of care relevant to these patients. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to identify the processes of care, performance measures, quality indicators, and outcomes including reports of patient/family experience described in the current evidence base relevant to patients with persistent or chronic critical illness and their family members. Two authors will independently search from inception to November 2016: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, PROSPERO, the Joanna Briggs Institute and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. We will include all study designs except case series/reports of <10 patients describing their study population (aged 18 years and older) using terms such as persistent critical illness, chronic critical illness, and prolonged mechanical ventilation. Two authors will independently perform data extraction and complete risk of bias assessment. Our primary outcome is to determine actionable processes of care and interventions deemed relevant to patients experiencing persistent or chronic critical illness and their family members. Secondary outcomes include (1) performance measures and quality indicators considered relevant to our population of interest and (2) themes related to patient and family experience. We will use our systematic review findings, with data from patient, family member and clinician interviews, and a

What is wrong with intelligent design?

PubMed

Sober, Elliott

2007-03-01

This article reviews two standard criticisms of creationism/intelligent design (ID)): it is unfalsifiable, and it is refuted by the many imperfect adaptations found in nature. Problems with both criticisms are discussed. A conception of testability is described that avoids the defects in Karl Popper's falsifiability criterion. Although ID comes in multiple forms, which call for different criticisms, it emerges that ID fails to constitute a serious alternative to evolutionary theory.

The state of Danish nursing ethnographic research: flowering, nurtured or malnurtured - a critical review.

PubMed

Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth; Martinsen, Bente; Jørgensen, Lene Bastrup; Sørensen, Erik Elgaard

2018-03-01

Nursing was established in Denmark as a scholarly tradition in the late nineteen eighties, and ethnography was a preferred method. No critical review has yet summarised accomplishments and gaps and pointing at directions for the future methodological development and research herein. This review critically examines the current state of the use of ethnographic methodology in the body of knowledge from Danish nursing scholars. We performed a systematic literature search in relevant databases from 2003 to 2016. The studies included were critically appraised by all authors for methodological robustness using the ten-item instrument QARI from Joanna Briggs Institute. Two hundred and eight studies met our inclusion criteria and 45 papers were included; the critical appraisal gave evidence of studies with certain robustness, except for the first question concerning the congruity between the papers philosophical perspective and methodology and the seventh question concerning reflections about the influence of the researcher on the study and vice versa. In most studies (n = 34), study aims and arguments for selecting ethnographic research are presented. Additionally, method sections in many studies illustrated that ethnographical methodology is nurtured by references such as Hammersley and Atkinson or Spradley. Evidence exists that Danish nursing scholars' body of knowledge nurtures the ethnographic methodology mainly by the same few authors; however, whether this is an expression of a deliberate strategy or malnutrition in the form of lack of knowledge of other methodological options appears yet unanswered. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Understanding the information needs of public health practitioners: a literature review to inform design of an interactive digital knowledge management system.

PubMed

Revere, Debra; Turner, Anne M; Madhavan, Ann; Rambo, Neil; Bugni, Paul F; Kimball, AnnMarie; Fuller, Sherrilynne S

2007-08-01

The need for rapid access to information to support critical decisions in public health cannot be disputed; however, development of such systems requires an understanding of the actual information needs of public health professionals. This paper reports the results of a literature review focused on the information needs of public health professionals. The authors reviewed the public health literature to answer the following questions: (1) What are the information needs of public health professionals? (2) In what ways are those needs being met? (3) What are the barriers to meeting those needs? (4) What is the role of the Internet in meeting information needs? The review was undertaken in order to develop system requirements to inform the design and development of an interactive digital knowledge management system. The goal of the system is to support the collection, management, and retrieval of public health documents, data, learning objects, and tools. The search method extended beyond traditional information resources, such as bibliographic databases, tables of contents (TOC), and bibliographies, to include information resources public health practitioners routinely use or have need to use--for example, grey literature, government reports, Internet-based publications, and meeting abstracts. Although few formal studies of information needs and information-seeking behaviors of public health professionals have been reported, the literature consistently indicated a critical need for comprehensive, coordinated, and accessible information to meet the needs of the public health workforce. Major barriers to information access include time, resource reliability, trustworthiness/credibility of information, and "information overload". Utilizing a novel search method that included the diversity of information resources public health practitioners use, has produced a richer and more useful picture of the information needs of the public health workforce than other literature

Association between nutritional status and outcomes in critically-ill pediatric patients - a systematic review.

PubMed

Costa, Caroline A D; Tonial, Cristian T; Garcia, Pedro Celiny R

2016-01-01

To systematically review the evidence about the impact of nutritional status in critically-ill pediatric patients on the following outcomes during hospitalization in pediatric intensive care units: length of hospital stay, need for mechanical ventilation, and mortality. The search was carried out in the following databases: Lilacs (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences), MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine United States) and Embase (Elsevier Database). No filters were selected. A total of seven relevant articles about the subject were included. The publication period was between 1982 and 2012. All articles assessed the nutritional status of patients on admission at pediatric intensive care units and correlated it to at least one assessed outcome. A methodological quality questionnaire created by the authors was applied, which was based on some references and the researchers' experience. All included studies met the quality criteria, but only four met all the items. The studies included in this review suggest that nutritional depletion is associated with worse outcomes in pediatric intensive care units. However, studies are scarce and those existing show no methodological homogeneity, especially regarding nutritional status assessment and classification methods. Contemporary and well-designed studies are needed in order to properly assess the association between children's nutritional status and its impact on outcomes of these patients. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Spondylolysis: a critical review

PubMed Central

Standaert, C; Herring, S

2000-01-01

Aim—To provide an understanding of the current concepts in the natural history, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of spondylolysis based on the available medical literature. Methods—Articles were selected for review by the following methods: (a) MEDLINE searches with review of abstracts to select relevant articles; (b) review of multiple textbooks considered likely to contain information on spondylolysis; (c) review of references in articles identified by (a) and (b). Over 125 articles were ultimately reviewed fully. Publications were selected for inclusion in this article on the basis of perceived scientific and historical merit, particularly as thought to be relevant to achieving the stated purpose of this review. As no controlled clinical trials were identified, this could not be used as an inclusion criterion. Conclusions—Isthmic spondylolysis is considered to represent a fatigue fracture of the pars interarticularis of the neural arch. There is a relatively high incidence of radiographically identified spondylolysis in the general population, but the vast majority of these lesions probably occur without associated symptoms. Symptomatic pars lesions appear to be particularly a clinical problem in adolescents, especially adolescent athletes. The optimal diagnostic and treatment algorithms are not well identified in the current literature. Multiple imaging studies may have a role in the diagnosis of a pars lesion, and treatment seems likely to require at least relative rest and physical rehabilitation with consideration of bracing or, rarely, surgical intervention depending on the clinical context. Key Words: spondylolysis; spondylolisthesis; spine; back; neural arch; pars interarticularis PMID:11131228

Relationship between malnutrition and depression or anxiety in Anorexia Nervosa: a critical review of the literature.

PubMed

Mattar, Lama; Huas, Caroline; Duclos, Jeanne; Apfel, Alexandre; Godart, Nathalie

2011-08-01

Depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) frequently co-occur with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Clinical consensus admits that depressive symptoms and anxiety are the sequelae of malnutrition in AN. This review presents a critical assessment of the literature that looked into the link between depression/anxiety symptoms in relation to malnutrition and their improvement throughout the treatment. We performed a systematic search of literature in Medline and PsychInfo for all the studies done to investigate psychological factors in relation to malnutrition in AN using the keywords "Anorexia Nervosa", "depression", "anxiety", "obsessive-compulsive disorder" and "malnutrition". Only articles published between 1980 and 2010 in English or French were reviewed. From the articles on AN and depression, anxiety, and/or OCD, only the ones which investigated on the relation with malnutrition were kept. This search was complemented by a manual search. We also checked the reference lists of the articles we found. Seven papers were analyzed and critically reviewed for their methods and results. Results are contradictory and inconsistent at all levels of assessment. Evidence based data is very rare. From the 7 reviewed studies, none of them draw the same conclusion. This is mainly due to the large differences in the samples' populations and the studies' protocols. Future studies are needed to focus on the relationship between depression/anxiety symptoms and malnutrition. A more critical nutritional assessment should be undertaken with multiple psychological assessment scales. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reactor Testing and Qualification: Prioritized High-level Criticality Testing Needs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

S. Bragg-Sitton; J. Bess; J. Werner

2011-09-01

Researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) were tasked with reviewing possible criticality testing needs to support development of the fission surface power system reactor design. Reactor physics testing can provide significant information to aid in development of technologies associated with small, fast spectrum reactors that could be applied for non-terrestrial power systems, leading to eventual system qualification. Several studies have been conducted in recent years to assess the data and analyses required to design and build a space fission power system with high confidence that the system will perform as designed [Marcille, 2004a, 2004b; Weaver, 2007; Parry et al.,more » 2008]. This report will provide a summary of previous critical tests and physics measurements that are potentially applicable to the current reactor design (both those that have been benchmarked and those not yet benchmarked), summarize recent studies of potential nuclear testing needs for space reactor development and their applicability to the current baseline fission surface power (FSP) system design, and provide an overview of a suite of tests (separate effects, sub-critical or critical) that could fill in the information database to improve the accuracy of physics modeling efforts as the FSP design is refined. Some recommendations for tasks that could be completed in the near term are also included. Specific recommendations on critical test configurations will be reserved until after the sensitivity analyses being conducted by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) are completed (due August 2011).« less

The results of the critical design of the mission instruments of GOSAT-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yajima, Yukie; Suto, Hiroshi; Yotsumoto, Kazuhiko; Miyakawa, Takehiro; Hashimoto, Makiko; Shiomi, Kei; Nakajima, Masakatsu; Hirabayashi, Takeshi

2016-04-01

The GOSAT-2 is the successor satellite to the GOSAT which is the satellite dedicated to the measurements of the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. GOSAT was launched in January of 2009 and has been operated for about seven years. The development of the GOSAT-2 has been continued for two years, and through the preliminary and critical design phase the detail of the design of the mission instruments were fixed as well as the bus system design. The mission instruments of the GOSAT-2 are TANSO-FTS-2 and TANSO-CAI-2. TANSO-FTS-2 is the Fourier Transform Spectrometer observing greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide and Methane and TANSO-CAI-2 is the imager observing the aerosols and clouds to compensate the TANSO-FTS-2 data and to grasp the movements of the aerosols such as PM2.5. The mission instruments will adopt the same kinds of instruments as GOSAT. But some improvements will be carried. Based on the results of the preliminary design, the design had been refined in the critical design phase and the results of the design meets all of the requirements on the mission instruments derived from the mission requirements to understand CO2 and CH4 sources and sinks and carbon cycle precisely. To improve the measurement accuracy, the signal to noise ratio will be increased by the extension of the aperture size from 64mm to 73mm and cooling the after optics as well as the thermal detectors. And to increase the number of the useful data, GOSAT-2 will equip the function to avoid the clouds during the observation using the images obtained by the monitor camera in FTS. To observe the carbon monoxide, the 2.3μm observation channel will be added. This function will be realized by the extension of the 2.0μm observation band to 2.3μm. The pointing angle in the along track direction will be extend from 20 degrees of GOSAT to 40 degrees to expand the observation area over the ocean where the sun glint is observed. This will make it possible to increase the number

Palliative Care in Critical Care Settings: A Systematic Review of Communication-Based Competencies Essential for Patient and Family Satisfaction.

PubMed

Schram, Andrew W; Hougham, Gavin W; Meltzer, David O; Ruhnke, Gregory W

2017-11-01

There is an emerging literature on the physician competencies most meaningful to patients and their families. However, there has been no systematic review on physician competency domains outside direct clinical care most important for patient- and family-centered outcomes in critical care settings at the end of life (EOL). Physician competencies are an essential component of palliative care (PC) provided at the EOL, but the literature on those competencies relevant for patient and family satisfaction is limited. A systematic review of this important topic can inform future research and assist in curricular development. Review of qualitative and quantitative empirical studies of the impact of physician competencies on patient- and family-reported outcomes conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for systematic reviews. The data sources used were PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Fifteen studies (5 qualitative and 10 quantitative) meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified. The competencies identified as critical for the delivery of high-quality PC in critical care settings are prognostication, conflict mediation, empathic communication, and family-centered aspects of care, the latter being the competency most frequently acknowledged in the literature identified. Prognostication, conflict mediation, empathic communication, and family-centered aspects of care are the most important identified competencies for patient- and family-centered PC in critical care settings. Incorporation of education on these competencies is likely to improve patient and family satisfaction with EOL care.

A literature review of comfort in the paediatric critical care patient.

PubMed

Bosch-Alcaraz, Alejandro; Falcó-Pegueroles, Anna; Jordan, Iolanda

2018-03-08

To investigate the meaning of comfort and to contextualise it within the framework of paediatric critical care. The concept of comfort is closely linked to care in all health contexts. However, in specific settings such as the paediatric critical care unit, it takes on particular importance. A literature review was conducted. A literature search was performed of articles in English and Spanish in international health science databases, from 1992-March 2017, applying the quality standards established by the PRISMA methodology and the Joanna Briggs Institute. A total of 1,203 publications were identified in the databases. Finally, 59 articles which met the inclusion criteria were entered in this literature review. Almost all were descriptive studies written in English and published in Europe. The concept of comfort was defined as the immediate condition of being strengthened through having the three types of needs (relief, ease and transcendence) addressed in the four contexts of experience (physical, psychospiritual, social and environmental). Only two valid and reliable tools for assessing comfort were found: the Comfort Scale and the Comfort Behavior Scale. Comfort is subjective and difficult to assess. It has four facets: physical, emotional, social and environmental. High levels of noise and light are the inputs that cause the most discomfort. Comfort is a holistic, universal concept and an important component of quality nursing care. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Review on design and control aspects of ankle rehabilitation robots.

PubMed

Jamwal, Prashant K; Hussain, Shahid; Xie, Sheng Q

2015-03-01

Ankle rehabilitation robots can play an important role in improving outcomes of the rehabilitation treatment by assisting therapists and patients in number of ways. Consequently, few robot designs have been proposed by researchers which fall under either of the two categories, namely, wearable robots or platform-based robots. This paper presents a review of both kinds of ankle robots along with a brief analysis of their design, actuation and control approaches. While reviewing these designs it was observed that most of them are undesirably inspired by industrial robot designs. Taking note of the design concerns of current ankle robots, few improvements in the ankle robot designs have also been suggested. Conventional position control or force control approaches, being used in the existing ankle robots, have been reviewed. Apparently, opportunities of improvement also exist in the actuation as well as control of ankle robots. Subsequently, a discussion on most recent research in the development of novel actuators and advanced controllers based on appropriate physical and cognitive human-robot interaction has also been included in this review. Implications for Rehabilitation Ankle joint functions are restricted/impaired as a consequence of stroke or injury during sports or otherwise. Robots can help in reinstating functions faster and can also work as tool for recording rehabilitation data useful for further analysis. Evolution of ankle robots with respect to their design and control aspects has been discussed in the present paper and a novel design with futuristic control approach has been proposed.

Electron beam processing of fresh produce - A critical review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pillai, Suresh D.; Shayanfar, Shima

2018-02-01

To meet the increasing global demand for fresh produce, robust processing methods that ensures both the safety and quality of fresh produce are needed. Since fresh produce cannot withstand thermal processing conditions, most of common safety interventions used in other foods are ineffective. Electron beam (eBeam) is a non-thermal technology that can be used to extend the shelf life and ensure the microbiological safety of fresh produce. There have been studies documenting the application of eBeam to ensure both safety and quality in fresh produce, however, there are still unexplored areas that still need further research. This is a critical review on the current literature on the application of eBeam technology for fresh produce.

Dowsing Rods Designed to Sharpen Critical Thinking and Understanding of Ideomotor Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Timothy J.; Crane, Lynda L.

2014-01-01

We describe an Introduction to Psychology (IP) demonstration of water dowsing and ideomotor action designed to enhance students' critical thinking. An instructor demonstrated that metal rods crossed over an uncovered cup containing water but not one containing sugar. Student volunteers using the rods also saw them cross over the cup…

Safety Critical Mechanisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)