Nanocuration workflows: Establishing best practices for identifying, inputting, and sharing data to inform decisions on nanomaterials

PubMed Central

Powers, Christina M; Mills, Karmann A; Morris, Stephanie A; Klaessig, Fred; Gaheen, Sharon; Lewinski, Nastassja

2015-01-01

Summary There is a critical opportunity in the field of nanoscience to compare and integrate information across diverse fields of study through informatics (i.e., nanoinformatics). This paper is one in a series of articles on the data curation process in nanoinformatics (nanocuration). Other articles in this series discuss key aspects of nanocuration (temporal metadata, data completeness, database integration), while the focus of this article is on the nanocuration workflow, or the process of identifying, inputting, and reviewing nanomaterial data in a data repository. In particular, the article discusses: 1) the rationale and importance of a defined workflow in nanocuration, 2) the influence of organizational goals or purpose on the workflow, 3) established workflow practices in other fields, 4) current workflow practices in nanocuration, 5) key challenges for workflows in emerging fields like nanomaterials, 6) examples to make these challenges more tangible, and 7) recommendations to address the identified challenges. Throughout the article, there is an emphasis on illustrating key concepts and current practices in the field. Data on current practices in the field are from a group of stakeholders active in nanocuration. In general, the development of workflows for nanocuration is nascent, with few individuals formally trained in data curation or utilizing available nanocuration resources (e.g., ISA-TAB-Nano). Additional emphasis on the potential benefits of cultivating nanomaterial data via nanocuration processes (e.g., capability to analyze data from across research groups) and providing nanocuration resources (e.g., training) will likely prove crucial for the wider application of nanocuration workflows in the scientific community. PMID:26425437

Covering women's greatest health fear: breast cancer information in consumer magazines.

PubMed

Walsh-Childers, Kim; Edwards, Heather; Grobmyer, Stephen

2011-04-01

Women identify consumer magazines as a key source of information on many health topics, including breast cancer, which continues to rank as women's greatest personal health fear. This study examined the comprehensiveness and accuracy of breast cancer information provided in 555 articles published in 17 consumer magazines from 2002 through 2007. Accuracy of information was determined for 33 key breast cancer facts identified by an expert panel as important information for women to know. The results show that only 7 of 33 key facts were mentioned in at least 5% of the articles. These facts all dealt with breast cancer risk factors, screening, and detection; none of the key facts related to treatment or outcomes appeared in at least 5% of the articles. Other topics (not key facts) mentioned centered around controllable risk factors, support for breast cancer patients, and chemotherapy treatment. The majority of mentions of key facts were coded as fully accurate, although as much as 44% of mentions of some topics (the link between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer) were coded as inaccurate or only partially accurate. The magazines were most likely to emphasize family history of breast cancer or genetic characteristics as risk factors for breast cancers; family history was twice as likely to be discussed as increasing age, which is in fact the most important risk factor for breast cancer other than being female. Magazine coverage may contribute to women's inaccurate perceptions of their breast cancer risk.

A Conceptual Framework for the Social Analysis of Reproductive Health

PubMed Central

Hawkins, Kirstan

2007-01-01

The dominant conceptual framework for understanding reproductive behaviour is highly individualistic. In this article, it is demonstrated that such a conceptualization is flawed, as behaviour is shaped by social relations and institutions. Using ethnographic evidence, the value of a social analysis of the local contexts of reproductive health is highlighted. A framework is set out for conducting such a social analysis, which is capable of generating data necessary to allow health programmes to assess the appropriate means of improving the responsiveness of service-delivery structures to the needs of the most vulnerable. Six key issues are identified in the framework for the analysis of social vulnerability to poor reproductive health outcomes. The key issues are: poverty and livelihood strategies, gender, health-seeking behaviour, reproductive behaviour, and access to services. The article concludes by briefly identifying the key interventions and strategies indicated by such an analysis. PMID:17615901

A Bibliometric Analysis of the Top 100 Most Cited Chronotype Research Papers

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Bibliometric indices are a widely used measure of research impact. The aim of the current study was to identify and characterise the top one hundred most-cited research articles in the topic of chronotype research. A search of the Thomson Reuters Web of Science database returned 974 eligible articles (published between 1990 and 2016). Citations for the 100 most-cited articles ranged between 438 and 29. The most represented journal was Chronobiology International (n = 30). Nearly 50% of articles originated in Germany and the U.S. The bibliometrics reported identify key publications and provide insight into trends within the topic of chronotype research.

Impact of medical academic genealogy on publication patterns: An analysis of the literature for surgical resection in brain tumor patients.

PubMed

Hirshman, Brian R; Tang, Jessica A; Jones, Laurie A; Proudfoot, James A; Carley, Kathleen M; Marshall, Lawrence; Carter, Bob S; Chen, Clark C

2016-02-01

"Academic genealogy" refers to the linking of scientists and scholars based on their dissertation supervisors. We propose that this concept can be applied to medical training and that this "medical academic genealogy" may influence the landscape of the peer-reviewed literature. We performed a comprehensive PubMed search to identify US authors who have contributed peer-reviewed articles on a neurosurgery topic that remains controversial: the value of maximal resection for high-grade gliomas (HGGs). Training information for each key author (defined as the first or last author of an article) was collected (eg, author's medical school, residency, and fellowship training). Authors were recursively linked to faculty mentors to form genealogies. Correlations between genealogy and publication result were examined. Our search identified 108 articles with 160 unique key authors. Authors who were members of 2 genealogies (14% of key authors) contributed to 38% of all articles. If an article contained an authorship contribution from the first genealogy, its results were more likely to support maximal resection (log odds ratio = 2.74, p < 0.028) relative to articles without such contribution. In contrast, if an article contained an authorship contribution from the second genealogy, it was less likely to support maximal resection (log odds ratio = -1.74, p < 0.026). We conclude that the literature on surgical resection for HGGs is influenced by medical academic genealogies, and that articles contributed by authors of select genealogies share common results. These findings have important implications for the interpretation of scientific literature, design of medical training, and health care policy. © 2016 American Neurological Association.

A Scan of CDC-Authored Articles on Legal Epidemiology, 2011-2015.

PubMed

Martini, Leila; Presley, David; Klieger, Sarah; Burris, Scott

2016-11-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducts research on legal epidemiology, the scientific study of law as a factor in the cause, distribution, and prevention of disease. This study describes a scan of articles written by CDC staff members to characterize the frequency and key features of legal epidemiology articles and their distribution across CDC departments and divisions. CDC librarians searched an internal repository for journal articles by CDC staff published from January 1, 2011, to May 31, 2015. Researchers reviewed and coded the abstracts to produce data on key features of the articles. Researchers identified 158 CDC-authored legal epidemiology articles published in 83 journals, most frequently in Preventing Chronic Disease (14 publications), Journal of Public Health Management Practice (10 publications), and Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (9 publications). Most articles concerned the use and impact of law as a deliberate tool of intervention. Thirteen articles addressed the legal infrastructure of public health, and 3 assessed the incidental or unintended effects of nonhealth laws. CDC-authored articles encompassed policy making, implementation, and impact. Literature reviews and studies mapping laws across multiple jurisdictions constituted one-quarter of all publications. Studies addressed laws at the international, national, state, local, and organizational levels. Results of the scan can be used to identify opportunities for the agency to better support research, professional development, networking, publication, and tracking of publication in this emerging field.

Gestational diabetes insipidus: a review of an underdiagnosed condition.

PubMed

Aleksandrov, Nikolay; Audibert, François; Bedard, Marie-Josée; Mahone, Michèle; Goffinet, François; Kadoch, Isaac-Jacques

2010-03-01

To review the etiology, diagnosis, and management of diabetes insipidus during pregnancy. A search of the literature was performed in PubMed using key word searching and citation snowballing to identify articles published in English between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2008, on the subject of diabetes insipidus during pregnancy. Once the articles were identified, a thorough review of all results was conducted. Results and conclusions were compiled and summarized. We reviewed 50 studies selected using the following key words: diabetes insipidus, pregnancy, arginine vasopressin, vasopressinase. Gestational diabetes insipidus is underdiagnosed because polyuria is often considered normal during pregnancy. Clinicians caring for pregnant women should consider screening for gestational diabetes insipidus, because it could be associated with serious underlying pathology.

Task-Based Pronunciation Teaching and Research: Key Issues and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mora, Joan C.; Levkina, Mayya

2017-01-01

This article synthesizes the conclusions of the empirical studies in this special issue and outlines key questions in future research. The research reported in this volume has identified several fundamental issues in pronunciation-focused task design that are discussed in detail and on which suggestions for further research are outlined. One…

Using a Research Article to Foster Moral Reflection and Global Awareness in Teaching about Religion and Politics, Theory Testing, and Democracy in the Muslim World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Nancy J.; Robinson, Robert V.

2006-01-01

Encouraging students to reflect on their ethical principles and to develop a global outlook have been identified as key pedagogical goals in recent national reports on higher education. This article shows how instructors can use a current article from the "American Sociological Review (ASR)" to facilitate moral reflection and global awareness. The…

Teaching the Social Curriculum: Classroom Management as Behavioral Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skiba, Russ; Ormiston, Heather; Martinez, Sylvia; Cummings, Jack

2016-01-01

Psychological science has identified positive classroom management and climate building strategies as a key element in developing and maintaining effective learning environments. In this article, we review the literature that has identified effective strategies that build classroom climates to maximize student learning and minimize disruption. In…

A Scan of CDC-Authored Articles on Legal Epidemiology, 2011-2015

PubMed Central

Martini, Leila; Presley, David; Klieger, Sarah

2016-01-01

Objective: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducts research on legal epidemiology, the scientific study of law as a factor in the cause, distribution, and prevention of disease. This study describes a scan of articles written by CDC staff members to characterize the frequency and key features of legal epidemiology articles and their distribution across CDC departments and divisions. Methods: CDC librarians searched an internal repository for journal articles by CDC staff published from January 1, 2011, to May 31, 2015. Researchers reviewed and coded the abstracts to produce data on key features of the articles. Results: Researchers identified 158 CDC-authored legal epidemiology articles published in 83 journals, most frequently in Preventing Chronic Disease (14 publications), Journal of Public Health Management Practice (10 publications), and Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (9 publications). Most articles concerned the use and impact of law as a deliberate tool of intervention. Thirteen articles addressed the legal infrastructure of public health, and 3 assessed the incidental or unintended effects of nonhealth laws. CDC-authored articles encompassed policy making, implementation, and impact. Literature reviews and studies mapping laws across multiple jurisdictions constituted one-quarter of all publications. Studies addressed laws at the international, national, state, local, and organizational levels. Conclusion: Results of the scan can be used to identify opportunities for the agency to better support research, professional development, networking, publication, and tracking of publication in this emerging field. PMID:28123227

Suicide in Children: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Soole, Rebecca; Kõlves, Kairi; De Leo, Diego

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to provide a review of studies on suicide in children aged 14 years and younger. Articles were identified through a systematic search of Scopus, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO. Key words were "children, suicide, psychological autopsy, and case-study." Additional articles were identified through manual search of reference lists and discussion with colleagues. Fifteen published articles were identified, 8 psychological autopsy studies (PA), and 7 retrospective case-study series. Suicide incidence and gender asymmetry increases with age. Hanging is the most frequent method. Lower rates of psychopathology are evident among child suicides compared to adolescents. Previous suicide attempts were an important risk factor. Children were less likely to consume alcohol prior to suicide. Parent-child conflicts were the most common precipitant.

The Small Rural School Principalship: Key Challenges and Cross-School Responses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starr, Karen; White, Simone

2008-01-01

This article explores the responses of school principals of small rural schools in Victoria, Australia to leadership challenges they identify as characteristic of these contexts. The research is an exercise in grounded theory building, with the focus on the principalship as it is enacted in small rural settings. The article also seeks to trace the…

Building the Anti-Racist University, Action and New Agendas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, Ian

2017-01-01

This article reviews two decades of work carried out at the Centre for Ethnicity and Racism Studies, University of Leeds in the area of racism and higher education. It introduces key issues and themes in this field and also identifies a seven-point agenda for action. This article provides an overview and agenda-setting account of the theoretical…

Identifying Dispositions That Matter: Reaching for Consensus Using a Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bair, Mary Antony

2017-01-01

This article describes how one institution used the Delphi technique to identify and operationalize key professional dispositions to be addressed in its teacher education program. Participants included teacher educators, methods course instructors, and school administrators. Data collection occurred in three phases, with the results of each phase…

Identifying and Developing Women For Management Positions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCord, Bird

1971-01-01

Organizational attitudes and effective development are key factors in acceptance of women managers. Article examines the development of sex role stereotypes and how they effect the placement of women in management positions. (RB)

Forensic dentistry in human identification: A review of the literature.

PubMed

Ata-Ali, Javier; Ata-Ali, Fadi

2014-04-01

An update is provided of the literature on the role of odontology in human identification, based on a PubMed-Medline search of the last 5 years and using the terms: "forensic dentistry" (n = 464 articles), "forensic odontology" (n = 141 articles) and "forensic dentistry identification" (n = 169 articles). Apart from these initial 774 articles, others considered to be important and which were generated by a manual search and cited as references in review articles were also included. Forensic dentistry requires interdisciplinary knowledge, since the data obtained from the oral cavity can contribute to identify an individual or provide information needed in a legal process. Furthermore, the data obtained from the oral cavity can narrow the search range of an individual and play a key role in the victim identification process following mass disasters or catastrophes. This literature search covering the last 5 years describes the novelties referred to buccodental studies in comparative identification, buccodental evaluation in reconstructive identification, human bites as a method for identifying the aggressor, and the role of DNA in dental identification. The oral cavity is a rich and noninvasive source of DNA, and can be used to solve problems of a social, economic or legal nature. Key words:Forensic identification, DNA, forensic dentistry, rugoscopy, cheiloscopy, saliva.

Forensic dentistry in human identification: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

Ata-Ali, Fadi

2014-01-01

An update is provided of the literature on the role of odontology in human identification, based on a PubMed-Medline search of the last 5 years and using the terms: “forensic dentistry” (n = 464 articles), “forensic odontology” (n = 141 articles) and “forensic dentistry identification” (n = 169 articles). Apart from these initial 774 articles, others considered to be important and which were generated by a manual search and cited as references in review articles were also included. Forensic dentistry requires interdisciplinary knowledge, since the data obtained from the oral cavity can contribute to identify an individual or provide information needed in a legal process. Furthermore, the data obtained from the oral cavity can narrow the search range of an individual and play a key role in the victim identification process following mass disasters or catastrophes. This literature search covering the last 5 years describes the novelties referred to buccodental studies in comparative identification, buccodental evaluation in reconstructive identification, human bites as a method for identifying the aggressor, and the role of DNA in dental identification. The oral cavity is a rich and noninvasive source of DNA, and can be used to solve problems of a social, economic or legal nature. Key words:Forensic identification, DNA, forensic dentistry, rugoscopy, cheiloscopy, saliva. PMID:24790717

Update in perioperative medicine: practice changing evidence published in 2016.

PubMed

Regan, Dennis W; Kashiwagi, Deanne; Dougan, Brian; Sundsted, Karna; Mauck, Karen

2017-10-01

This summary reviews 18 key articles published in 2016 which have significant practice implications for the perioperative medical care of surgical patients. Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of the practice of perioperative medicine, important new evidence is published in journals representing a variety of medical and surgical specialties. Keeping current with the evidence that drives best practice in perioperative medicine is therefore challenging. We set out to identify, critically review, and summarize key evidence which has the most potential for practice change. We integrated the new evidence into the existing body of medical knowledge and identified practical implications for real world patient care. The articles address issues related to anticoagulation, transfusion threshold, immunosuppressive medications, postoperative delirium, myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery, postoperative pain management, perioperative management of antihypertensives, perioperative fasting, and perioperative diabetic control.

Smoke-free workplace ballot campaigns: case studies from Missouri and lessons for policy and media advocacy.

PubMed

Bach, Laura E; Shelton, Sarah C; Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Israel, Kendre

2013-01-01

To assess the key components of smoke-free campaigns that may have influenced voting outcomes in three communities. Community case studies with content analysis of tobacco-related newspaper articles. Three semiurban Missouri communities. One hundred eighty-one articles referencing tobacco published during the campaigns and five key informant interviews. Articles were coded for type, community referenced, tobacco control position, source of quotations, use of evidence, and frame. Semistructured interviews with key informants collected additional information. Descriptive statistics were utilized to examine media coverage in each community. Key themes and events for each campaign were identified from qualitative interviews. The only community that failed to pass its initiative had the highest proportion of letters to the editor (81.1%), anti-tobacco control articles (34.2%), use of a rights frame (28.8%), no evidence used (36.9%), no neighboring communities with policies, strong Tea Party presence, and no support from the chamber of commerce. Across all communities, more articles incorporating health frames were pro-tobacco control (70.7%) and more articles with a rights frame were anti-tobacco control (62.0%), compared to other positions. Several factors can influence the policy process. Tobacco control policy advocates facing strong opposition should consider the many factors (demographics, proximity to other adopting localities, politics) driving the debate and use media as an avenue to influence the discussion, connect with the public and policymakers, and mobilize proponents.

A Survey of Self-Advocacy Groups for People with Learning Disabilities in an English Region: Part II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNally, Steve

2003-01-01

The second article on a survey of self-advocacy groups for people with learning disabilities in England reports key findings that included the consistency of the issues identified as important and the willingness to engage in research. Key themes were self-advocacy, rights, day service center issues, staffing, personal relationships, complaints,…

Key Dimensions of Effective Leadership for Change: A Focus on Township and Rural Schools in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngcobo, Thandi; Tikly, Leon Paul

2010-01-01

The article identifies key dimensions of effective leadership for change in historically disadvantaged, township and rural schools in South Africa. It is based on original case study research in 13 schools in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Although the sample included mainly township and rural primary and secondary schools it also included a smaller sample of…

Co-victims of Homicide: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Connolly, Jennifer; Gordon, Ronit

2015-10-01

This systematic literature review examines the effects of homicide on surviving family members, the "co-victims" or "survivors" of homicide. A content analysis was conducted on 40 articles identified through a search of the literature. The research samples were predominately located in the United States, but included two U.K. samples, one Jamaican sample, and one sample from Israel. All articles were written in English. Three themes were identified. Nineteen articles explored the psychological, academic, social, occupational, and familial effects of homicide. Thirteen articles considered survivors' grieving process and how it was altered by experiences with the criminal justice system as well as coping strategies used by survivors to deal with their grief. Eight articles explored treatment interventions available to help surviving family members deal with their grief. Key findings from the articles, limitations of the current research, and implications for future research, policy, and practice are included. © The Author(s) 2014.

Physician recruitment and retention in rural and underserved areas.

PubMed

Lee, Dane M; Nichols, Tommy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to identify the challenges when recruiting and retaining rural physicians and to ascertain methods that make rural physician recruitment and retention successful. There are studies that suggest rural roots is an important factor in recruiting rural physicians, while others look at rural health exposure in medical school curricula, self-actualization, community sense and spousal perspectives in the decision to practice rural medicine. An extensive literature review was performed using Academic Search Complete, PubMed and The Cochrane Collaboration. Key words were rural, rural health, community hospital(s), healthcare, physicians, recruitment, recruiting, retention, retaining, physician(s) and primary care physician(s). Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed full-text articles written in English, published from 1997 and those limited to USA and Canada. Articles from foreign countries were excluded owing to their unique healthcare systems. While there are numerous articles that call for special measures to recruit and retain physicians in rural areas, there is an overall dearth. This review identifies several articles that suggest recruitment and retention techniques. There is a need for a research agenda that includes valid, reliable and rigorous analysis regarding formulating and implementing these strategies. Rural Americans are under-represented when it comes to healthcare and what research there is to assist recruitment and retention is difficult to find. This paper identify the relevant research and highlights key strategies.

Investigating the Relationship between Dialogue Structure and Tutoring Effectiveness: A Hidden Markov Modeling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyer, Kristy Elizabeth; Phillips, Robert; Ingram, Amy; Ha, Eun Young; Wallis, Michael; Vouk, Mladen; Lester, James

2011-01-01

Identifying effective tutorial dialogue strategies is a key issue for intelligent tutoring systems research. Human-human tutoring offers a valuable model for identifying effective tutorial strategies, but extracting them is a challenge because of the richness of human dialogue. This article addresses that challenge through a machine learning…

Automated labeling of bibliographic data extracted from biomedical online journals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jongwoo; Le, Daniel X.; Thoma, George R.

2003-01-01

A prototype system has been designed to automate the extraction of bibliographic data (e.g., article title, authors, abstract, affiliation and others) from online biomedical journals to populate the National Library of Medicine"s MEDLINE database. This paper describes a key module in this system: the labeling module that employs statistics and fuzzy rule-based algorithms to identify segmented zones in an article"s HTML pages as specific bibliographic data. Results from experiments conducted with 1,149 medical articles from forty-seven journal issues are presented.

Think Tank: Identifying and Creating the Next Generation of Community-Based Cancer Prevention Studies | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

In late 2015, the NCI Division of Cancer Prevention convened cancer prevention research experts and stakeholders to discuss the current state of cancer prevention research, identify key prevention research priorities for the NCI, and identify studies that could be conducted within the NCI Community Oncology Research Program. Read the Cancer Prevention Research journal article

What is “colonial” about medieval colonial medicine? Iberian health in global context

PubMed Central

McCleery, Iona

2015-01-01

Colonial medicine is a thriving field of study in the history of nineteenth- and twentieth-century medicine. Medicine can be used as a lens to view colonialism in action and as a way to critique colonialism. This article argues that key debates and ideas from that modern field can fruitfully be applied to the Middle Ages, especially for the early empires of Spain and Portugal (mid-fourteenth to mid-sixteenth centuries). The article identifies key modern debates, explores approaches to colonization and colonialism in the Middle Ages and discusses how medieval and modern medicine and healthcare could be compared using colonial and postcolonial discourses. The article ends with three case studies of healthcare encounters in Madeira, Granada and Hispaniola at the end of the fifteenth century. PMID:26550030

Nursing patients with epilepsy in secondary care settings.

PubMed

Welsh, Rebecca; Kerley, Sarah

This article gives a brief overview of epilepsy and how a diagnosis is made. It highlights the importance of good observation and communication in its ongoing management. Long-term management of the condition and the acute management of seizures are considered. The article emphasises the effect on the individual, family and carers, identifies the key legislation and highlights the crucial role of secondary care nurses.

An Identification and Evaluation of the Various Types and Forms of Personal Relationships within a Sino Foreign University Strategic Alliance Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Mike

2008-01-01

This article identifies a range of personal relationships observable in Sino foreign strategic alliances. Guanxi relationships remained the key to a successful alliance; and encompassed various levels, stages, and dimensions--making them complex and changeable forms of human behavior. Other types of relationships identified included "basic…

Parental Experiences of Caring for a Child with Intellectual Disabilities: A UK Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willingham-Storr, Gemma Louise

2014-01-01

A structured literature search and thematic analysis of six research articles relating to stress and parenting of a child with an intellectual disability in the United Kingdom identified four key themes: impact upon families, service provision and support networks, coping and transition. The findings identified that parenting a child with an…

Identifying Key Early Literacy and School Readiness Issues: Exploring a Strategy for Assessing Community Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weigel, Daniel J.; Martin, Sally S.

2006-01-01

Much effort has been expended in developing intervention programs to help improve the early literacy and school readiness skills of young children. This article presents the results of a needs assessment project aimed at identifying priorities for community intervention programs aimed at ensuring that young children enter school ready to learn. A…

Analysis of scientific production in spanish implantology.

PubMed

Tarazona, Beatriz; Vidal-Infer, Antonio; Tarazona-Alvarez, Pablo; Alonso-Arroyo, Adolfo

2017-05-01

The aim of the study was to quantify the scientific productivity of researchers, organizations, and regions in Spain that publish articles on implantology in dental journals indexed in Journal Citation Reports. A search was conducted among the core collection of Thomson Reuters' Web of Science database, on the basis of its broad thematic and geographic coverage of health sciences. The search identified original articles - the main vehicle for the dissemination of research results. The search was conducted in July 2016, applying the truncated search term 'implant*' to locate original articles on implantology and its derivative forms. The search was conducted within the topic field (title, keywords and abstract) and two inclusion criteria were applied: documents denominated as articles were included; and articles categorized as Web of Science Medicine Dentistry and Oral Surgery. Finally only articles for which one of the participating organizations was located in Spain were selected. The final search identified a total of 774 records. The period 1988 to 2015 saw an exponential growth in scientific production, especially during the last 10 years. Clinical Oral Implants Research and Medicina Oral Patologia Oral y Cirugia Bucal (Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, and Oral Surgery) were the most productive journals. Collaborative networks among authors and among institutions increased and this increase was related to the improving quality of the publications. Bibliometric analysis revealed a significant growth in the quantity and quality of Spanish implantology literature. Most key bibliometric indicators demonstrated upward trends. Key words: Bibliometric analysis, publication, keywords, implantology, implant.

Framing global health: the governance challenge.

PubMed

McInnes, Colin; Kamradt-Scott, Adam; Lee, Kelley; Reubi, David; Roemer-Mahler, Anne; Rushton, Simon; Williams, Owain David; Woodling, Marie

2012-01-01

With the emergence of global health comes governance challenges which are equally global in nature. This article identifies some of the initial limitations in analyses of global health governance (GHG) before discussing the focus of this special supplement: the framing of global health issues and the manner in which this impacts upon GHG. Whilst not denying the importance of material factors (such as resources and institutional competencies), the article identifies how issues can be framed in different ways, thereby creating particular pathways of response which in turn affect the potential for and nature of GHG. It also identifies and discusses the key frames operating in global health: evidence-based medicine, human rights, security, economics and development.

Ideational conflict: the key to promoting creative activity in the workplace.

PubMed

Dagostino, Lorraine

1999-01-01

This article defines the concept of ideational conflict as it applies to the process of identifying a problem and developing a plan of action for resolving the problem. Then the article examines and illustrates how the ideational conflict that is generated by brainstorming can lead to creative thinking that resolves disparate points of view. The illustration extends the generally accepted view of brainstorming and applies it to identifying a problem related to the university/college work environment. The problem situation is that of the loss of high ability faculty and sutdents to other institutions.

The Case for Lung Cancer Screening: What Nurses Need to Know.

PubMed

Sorrie, Kerrin; Cates, Lisa; Hill, Alethea

2016-06-01

Lung cancer screening with low-dose helical computed tomography (LDCT) can improve high-risk individuals' chances of being diagnosed at an earlier stage and increase survival. The aims of this article are to present the risk factors associated with the development of lung cancer, identify patients at high risk for lung cancer qualifying for LDCT screening, and understand the importance of early lung cancer detection through the use of LDCT screening. PubMed and CINAHL® databases were searched with key words lung cancer screening to identify full-text academic articles from 2004-2014. This resulted in 529 articles from PubMed and 195 from CINAHL. PubMed offered suggestions for additional relevant journal articles. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines also provided substantial evidence-based information. Nurses need to provide support, education, and resources for patients undergoing lung cancer screening.

Cosmetic medicine: facial resurfacing and injectables.

PubMed

Nguyen, Alexander T; Ahmad, Jamil; Fagien, Steven; Rohrich, Rod J

2012-01-01

After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Describe the most common options available for minimally invasive facial rejuvenation. 2. Identify key elements essential to each treatment option. 3. Know how to avoid and manage complications for these procedures. Minimally invasive cosmetic procedures continue to increase in popularity. This article is intended to provide a broad and practical overview of common minimally invasive cosmetic techniques available to the plastic surgeon.

Estimating the Occurrence of Child Maltreatment and Risk-Factor Effects: Benefits of a Mixed-Design Strategy in Epidemiologic Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertolli, Jeanne; And Others

1995-01-01

This article discusses methodologic limitations of four observational study designs (ecologic, case-control, cross-sectional, and cohort) that dominate the child abuse and neglect literature and identifies key features of an "ideal" study of child maltreatment. It proposes a new mixed-design strategy, which improves ability to identify child…

What is lost when searching only one literature database for articles relevant to injury prevention and safety promotion?

PubMed

Lawrence, D W

2008-12-01

To assess what is lost if only one literature database is searched for articles relevant to injury prevention and safety promotion (IPSP) topics. Serial textword (keyword, free-text) searches using multiple synonym terms for five key IPSP topics (bicycle-related brain injuries, ethanol-impaired driving, house fires, road rage, and suicidal behaviors among adolescents) were conducted in four of the bibliographic databases that are most used by IPSP professionals: EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Through a systematic procedure, an inventory of articles on each topic in each database was conducted to identify the total unduplicated count of all articles on each topic, the number of articles unique to each database, and the articles available if only one database is searched. No single database included all of the relevant articles on any topic, and the database with the broadest coverage differed by topic. A search of only one literature database will return 16.7-81.5% (median 43.4%) of the available articles on any of five key IPSP topics. Each database contributed unique articles to the total bibliography for each topic. A literature search performed in only one database will, on average, lead to a loss of more than half of the available literature on a topic.

Identifying barriers for out of hospital emergency care in low and low-middle income countries: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kironji, Antony Gatebe; Hodkinson, Peter; de Ramirez, Sarah Stewart; Anest, Trisha; Wallis, Lee; Razzak, Junaid; Jenson, Alexander; Hansoti, Bhakti

2018-04-19

Out-of-hospital emergency care (OHEC), also known as prehospital care, has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality from serious illness. We sought to summarize literature for low and low-middle income countries to identify barriers to and key interventions for OHEC delivery. We performed a systematic review of the peer reviewed literature from January 2005 to March 2015 in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science. All articles referencing research from low and low-middle income countries addressing OHEC, emergency medical services, or transport/transfer of patients were included. We identified themes in the literature to form six categories of OHEC barriers. Data were collected using an electronic form and results were aggregated to produce a descriptive summary. A total 1927 titles were identified, 31 of which met inclusion criteria. Barriers to OHEC were divided into six categories that included: culture/community, infrastructure, communication/coordination, transport, equipment and personnel. Lack of transportation was a common problem, with 55% (17/31) of articles reporting this as a hindrance to OHEC. Ambulances were the most commonly mentioned (71%, 22/31) mode of transporting patients. However, many patients still relied on alternative means of transportation such as hired cars, and animal drawn carts. Sixty-one percent (19/31) of articles identified a lack of skilled personnel as a key barrier, with 32% (10/31) of OHEC being delivered by laypersons without formal training. Forty percent (12/31) of the systems identified in the review described a uniform access phone number for emergency medical service activation. Policy makers and researchers seeking to improve OHEC in low and low-middle income countries should focus on increasing the availability of transport and trained providers while improving patient access to the OHEC system. The review yielded articles with a primary focus in Africa, highlighting a need for future research in diverse geographic areas.

Making processes reliable: a validated pubmed search strategy for identifying new or emerging technologies.

PubMed

Varela-Lema, Leonora; Punal-Riobóo, Jeanette; Acción, Beatriz Casal; Ruano-Ravina, Alberto; García, Marisa López

2012-10-01

Horizon scanning systems need to handle a wide range of sources to identify new or emerging health technologies. The objective of this study is to develop a validated Medline bibliographic search strategy (PubMed search engine) to systematically identify new or emerging health technologies. The proposed Medline search strategy combines free text terms commonly used in article titles to denote innovation within index terms that make reference to the specific fields of interest. Efficacy was assessed by running the search over a period of 1 year (2009) and analyzing its retrieval performance (number and characteristics). For comparison purposes, all article abstracts published during 2009 in six preselected key research journals and eight high impact surgery journals were scanned. Sensitivity was defined as the proportion of relevant new or emerging technologies published in key journals that would be identified in the search strategy within the first 2 years of publication. The search yielded 6,228 abstracts of potentially new or emerging technologies. Of these, 459 were classified as new or emerging (383 truly new or emerging and 76 new indications). The scanning of 12,061 journal abstracts identified 35 relevant new or emerging technologies. Of these, twenty-nine were located within the Medline search strategy during the first 2 years of publication (sensitivity = 83 percent). The current search strategy, validated against key journals, has demonstrated to be effective for horizon scanning. Even though it can require adaptations depending on the scope of the horizon scanning system, it could serve to simplify and standardize scanning processes.

Factors influencing the crystallization of monosodium urate: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Chhana, Ashika; Lee, Gerald; Dalbeth, Nicola

2015-10-14

Gout is a chronic disease of monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition. Although hyperuricaemia is the central risk factor for development of gout, not all people with hyperuricaemia have subclinical MSU crystal deposition or indeed, symptomatic disease. The aim of this systematic literature review was to identify factors that contribute to MSU crystallization. A search was conducted of the electronic databases PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus. Articles were included if they contained original data related to MSU crystallization. The methods and results were summarized and categorized into articles describing at least one of the three key steps in MSU crystallization (reduced urate solubility, nucleation and growth). A total of 2175 articles were initially identified in our systematic search with 35 of these articles included in the final analysis. Elevated urate concentration was identified as a central factor driving all three stages of MSU crystallization. Factors that were found to consistently reduce urate solubility were reduced temperatures, pH 7-9 and various ions including sodium ions. Connective tissue factors including bovine cartilage homogenates and healthy human synovial fluid and serum all enhanced urate solubility. MSU nucleation was found to be increased by a number of factors, including sodium ions, uric acid binding antibodies, and synovial fluid or serum from patients with gout. Other than elevated urate concentrations, no other specific factors were identified as promoters of MSU crystal growth. Increased urate concentration is the key factor required at each stage of MSU crystallization. Different proteins and factors within connective tissues may promote MSU crystallization and may be important for determining the sites at which MSU crystallization occurs in the presence of elevated urate concentrations.

A risk-based auditing process for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

PubMed

Vargo, Susan; Dana, Bob; Rangavajhula, Vijaya; Rönninger, Stephan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share ideas on developing a risk-based model for the scheduling of audits (both internal and external). Audits are a key element of a manufacturer's quality system and provide an independent means of evaluating the manufacturer's or the supplier/vendor's compliance status. Suggestions for risk-based scheduling approaches are discussed in the article. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to establish and implement a quality system. The quality system is an organizational structure defining responsibilities, procedures, processes, and resources that the manufacturer has established to ensure quality throughout the manufacturing process. Audits are a component of the manufacturer's quality system and provide a systematic and an independent means of evaluating the manufacturer's overall quality system and compliance status. Audits are performed at defined intervals for a specified duration. The intention of the audit process is to focus on key areas within the quality system and may not cover all relevant areas during each audit. In this article, the authors provide suggestions for risk-based scheduling approaches to aid pharmaceutical manufacturers in identifying the key focus areas for an audit.

Keys to Sustaining Successful School Turnarounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duke, Daniel L.

2006-01-01

To identify the changes associated with the school turnaround process, this article reviewed 15 case studies of elementary school turnaround initiatives that sustained improvements for at least two years. Changes were clustered into eight categories: leadership, school policy, programs, organizational processes, staffing, classroom practices,…

Key concepts relevant to quality of complex and shared decision-making in health care: a literature review.

PubMed

Dy, Sydney M; Purnell, Tanjala S

2012-02-01

High-quality provider-patient decision-making is key to quality care for complex conditions. We performed an analysis of key elements relevant to quality and complex, shared medical decision-making. Based on a search of electronic databases, including Medline and the Cochrane Library, as well as relevant articles' reference lists, reviews of tools, and annotated bibliographies, we developed a list of key concepts and applied them to a decision-making example. Key concepts identified included provider competence, trustworthiness, and cultural competence; communication with patients and families; information quality; patient/surrogate competence; and roles and involvement. We applied this concept list to a case example, shared decision-making for live donor kidney transplantation, and identified the likely most important concepts as provider and cultural competence, information quality, and communication with patients and families. This concept list may be useful for conceptualizing the quality of complex shared decision-making and in guiding research in this area. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Telemedicine security: a systematic review.

PubMed

Garg, Vaibhav; Brewer, Jeffrey

2011-05-01

Telemedicine is a technology-based alternative to traditional health care delivery. However, poor security measures in telemedicine services can have an adverse impact on the quality of care provided, regardless of the chronic condition being studied. We undertook a systematic review of 58 journal articles pertaining to telemedicine security. These articles were selected based on a keyword search on 14 relevant journals. The articles were coded to evaluate the methodology and to identify the key areas of research in security that are being reviewed. Seventy-six percent of the articles defined the security problem they were addressing, and only 47% formulated a research question pertaining to security. Sixty-one percent proposed a solution, and 20% of these tested the security solutions that they proposed. Prior research indicates inadequate reporting of methodology in telemedicine research. We found that to be true for security research as well. We also identified other issues such as using outdated security standards. © 2011 Diabetes Technology Society.

Telemedicine Security: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Garg, Vaibhav; Brewer, Jeffrey

2011-01-01

Telemedicine is a technology-based alternative to traditional health care delivery. However, poor security measures in telemedicine services can have an adverse impact on the quality of care provided, regardless of the chronic condition being studied. We undertook a systematic review of 58 journal articles pertaining to telemedicine security. These articles were selected based on a keyword search on 14 relevant journals. The articles were coded to evaluate the methodology and to identify the key areas of research in security that are being reviewed. Seventy-six percent of the articles defined the security problem they were addressing, and only 47% formulated a research question pertaining to security. Sixty-one percent proposed a solution, and 20% of these tested the security solutions that they proposed. Prior research indicates inadequate reporting of methodology in telemedicine research. We found that to be true for security research as well. We also identified other issues such as using outdated security standards. PMID:21722592

Addressing overuse of health services in health systems: a critical interpretive synthesis.

PubMed

Ellen, Moriah E; Wilson, Michael G; Vélez, Marcela; Shach, Ruth; Lavis, John N; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; Moat, Kaelan A

2018-06-15

Health systems are increasingly focusing on the issue of 'overuse' of health services and how to address it. We developed a framework focused on (1) the rationale and context for health systems prioritising addressing overuse, (2) elements of a comprehensive process and approach to reduce overuse and (3) implementation considerations for addressing overuse. We conducted a critical interpretive synthesis informed by a stakeholder-engagement process. The synthesis identified relevant empirical and non-empirical articles about system-level overuse. Two reviewers independently screened records, assessed for inclusion and conceptually mapped included articles. From these, we selected a purposive sample, created structured summaries of key findings and thematically synthesised the results. Our search identified 3545 references, from which we included 251. Most articles (76%; n = 192) were published within 5 years of conducting the review and addressed processes for addressing overuse (63%; n = 158) or political and health system context (60%; n = 151). Besides negative outcomes at the patient, system and global level, there were various contextual factors to addressing service overuse that seem to be key issue drivers. Processes for addressing overuse can be grouped into three elements comprising a comprehensive approach, including (1) approaches to identify overused health services, (2) stakeholder- or patient-led approaches and (3) government-led initiatives. Key implementation considerations include the need to develop 'buy in' from stakeholders and citizens. Health systems want to ensure the use of high-value services to keep citizens healthy and avoid harm. Our synthesis can be used by policy-makers, stakeholders and researchers to understand how the issue has been prioritised, what approaches have been used to address it and implementation considerations. PROSPERO CRD42014013204 .

The state of the art and future opportunities for using longitudinal n-of-1 methods in health behaviour research: a systematic literature overview.

PubMed

McDonald, Suzanne; Quinn, Francis; Vieira, Rute; O'Brien, Nicola; White, Martin; Johnston, Derek W; Sniehotta, Falko F

2017-12-01

n-of-1 studies test hypotheses within individuals based on repeated measurement of variables within the individual over time. Intra-individual effects may differ from those found in between-participant studies. Using examples from a systematic review of n-of-1 studies in health behaviour research, this article provides a state of the art overview of the use of n-of-1 methods, organised according to key methodological considerations related to n-of-1 design and analysis, and describes future challenges and opportunities. A comprehensive search strategy (PROSPERO:CRD42014007258) was used to identify articles published between 2000 and 2016, reporting observational or interventional n-of-1 studies with health behaviour outcomes. Thirty-nine articles were identified which reported on n-of-1 observational designs and a range of n-of-1 interventional designs, including AB, ABA, ABABA, alternating treatments, n-of-1 randomised controlled trial, multiple baseline and changing criterion designs. Behaviours measured included treatment adherence, physical activity, drug/alcohol use, sleep, smoking and eating behaviour. Descriptive, visual or statistical analyses were used. We identify scope and opportunities for using n-of-1 methods to answer key questions in health behaviour research. n-of-1 methods provide the tools needed to help advance theoretical knowledge and personalise/tailor health behaviour interventions to individuals.

Collaboration between employers and occupational health service providers: a systematic review of key characteristics.

PubMed

Halonen, Jaana I; Atkins, Salla; Hakulinen, Hanna; Pesonen, Sanna; Uitti, Jukka

2017-01-05

Employees are major contributors to economic development, and occupational health services (OHS) can have an important role in supporting their health. Key to this is collaboration between employers and OHS. We reviewed the evidence regarding the characteristics of good collaboration between employers and OHS providers that is essential to construct more effective collaboration and services. A systematic review of the factors of good collaboration between employers and OHS providers was conducted. We searched five databases between January 2000 and March 2016 and back referenced included articles. Two reviewers evaluated 639 titles, 63 abstracts and 20 full articles, and agreed that six articles, all on qualitative studies, met the predetermined relevance and publication criteria and were included. Data were extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second reviewer and analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes and nine subthemes related to good collaboration were identified. The first theme included time, space and contract requirements for effective collaboration with three subthemes (i.e., key characteristics): flexible OHS/flexible contracts including tailor-made services accounting for the needs of the employer, geographical proximity of the stakeholders allowing easy access to services, and long-term contracts as collaboration develops over time. The second theme was related to characteristics of the dialogue in effective collaboration that consisted of shared goals, reciprocity, frequent contact and trust. According to the third theme the definition of roles of the stakeholders was important; OHS providers should have competence and knowledge about the workplace, become strategic partners with the employers as well as provide quality services. Although literature regarding collaboration between the employers and OHS providers was limited, we identified several key factors that contribute to effective collaboration. This information is useful in developing indicators of effective collaboration that will enable organisation of more effective OHS practices.

The ABSEL Classicos Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon, Hugh M.; Smith, J. Alexander

2004-01-01

Over the years, the Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning (ABSEL) has invested considerable effort in formulating its research mission while reflecting on its unique identity among professional organizations. This article reviews the literature on this topic while identifying key issues and proposals. It then discusses the…

An Overview of Audacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Douglas Earl

2014-01-01

This article is an overview of the open source audio-editing and -recording program, Audacity. Key features are noted, along with significant features not included in the program. A number of music and music technology concepts are identified that could be taught and/or reinforced through using Audacity.

Perception of touch quality in piano tones.

PubMed

Goebl, Werner; Bresin, Roberto; Fujinaga, Ichiro

2014-11-01

Both timbre and dynamics of isolated piano tones are determined exclusively by the speed with which the hammer hits the strings. This physical view has been challenged by pianists who emphasize the importance of the way the keyboard is touched. This article presents empirical evidence from two perception experiments showing that touch-dependent sound components make sounds with identical hammer velocities but produced with different touch forms clearly distinguishable. The first experiment focused on finger-key sounds: musicians could identify pressed and struck touches. When the finger-key sounds were removed from the sounds, the effect vanished, suggesting that these sounds were the primary identification cue. The second experiment looked at key-keyframe sounds that occur when the key reaches key-bottom. Key-bottom impact was identified from key motion measured by a computer-controlled piano. Musicians were able to discriminate between piano tones that contain a key-bottom sound from those that do not. However, this effect might be attributable to sounds associated with the mechanical components of the piano action. In addition to the demonstrated acoustical effects of different touch forms, visual and tactile modalities may play important roles during piano performance that influence the production and perception of musical expression on the piano.

Nurses' attitudes to assisted suicide: sociodemographic factors.

PubMed

Evans, Luke

This literature review seeks to explore the factors that influence nurses' attitudes towards assisted suicide. A poll conducted by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) showed that 49% of nurses supported assisted suicide while 40% were opposed to it. A literature review resulted in 16 articles being identified for data synthesis using a recognised critiquing framework. The articles revealed four key themes: nursing specialty, level of education, geographical location and religion. It was concluded that these four themes are key to understanding a nurse's attitude towards assisted suicide. Nursing staff need to be aware of their own influences on this topic, since they will inevitably be involved in the process in some way or another, in countries where assisted suicide has been legalised.

Key elements of high-quality practice organisation in primary health care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Crossland, Lisa; Janamian, Tina; Jackson, Claire L

2014-08-04

To identify elements that are integral to high-quality practice and determine considerations relating to high-quality practice organisation in primary care. A narrative systematic review of published and grey literature. Electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Emerald Insight, PsycInfo, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service website, Google Scholar) were searched in November 2013 and used to identify articles published in English from 2002 to 2013. Reference lists of included articles were searched for relevant unpublished articles and reports. Data were configured at the study level to allow for the inclusion of findings from a broad range of study types. Ten elements were most often included in the existing organisational assessment tools. A further three elements were identified from an inductive thematic analysis of descriptive articles, and were noted as important considerations in effective quality improvement in primary care settings. Although there are some validated tools available to primary care that identify and build quality, most are single-strategy approaches developed outside health care settings. There are currently no validated organisational improvement tools, designed specifically for primary health care, which combine all elements of practice improvement and whose use does not require extensive external facilitation.

Manned remote work station development article. Volume 2: Simulation requirements. Appendix A: Open cherry picker development test articles specification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

A manned remote work station (MRWS) mission scenario, broken down into the three time phases was selected as the basis for analysis of the MRWS flight article requirements and concepts. The mission roles for the three time phases, supporting tradeoff and evaluation studies, was used to identify key issues requiring simulation. The MRWS is discussed in terms of its capability to perform such operations as support of Spacelab experiments, servicing and repair of satellites, and construction. Future considerations for the use of the MRWS are also given.

Bottlenecks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grinstead, Robert R.

1972-01-01

Solid wastes that go at low cost into municipal landfills contain valuable raw materials which technology is not equipped to handle on a large scale. Identifying the key stumbling blocks may help divert the flow of wastes to useful purposes rather than into permanent burial sites. First of a two-part article. (BL)

Methodological reporting in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods health services research articles.

PubMed

Wisdom, Jennifer P; Cavaleri, Mary A; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J; Green, Carla A

2012-04-01

Methodologically sound mixed methods research can improve our understanding of health services by providing a more comprehensive picture of health services than either method can alone. This study describes the frequency of mixed methods in published health services research and compares the presence of methodological components indicative of rigorous approaches across mixed methods, qualitative, and quantitative articles. All empirical articles (n = 1,651) published between 2003 and 2007 from four top-ranked health services journals. All mixed methods articles (n = 47) and random samples of qualitative and quantitative articles were evaluated to identify reporting of key components indicating rigor for each method, based on accepted standards for evaluating the quality of research reports (e.g., use of p-values in quantitative reports, description of context in qualitative reports, and integration in mixed method reports). We used chi-square tests to evaluate differences between article types for each component. Mixed methods articles comprised 2.85 percent (n = 47) of empirical articles, quantitative articles 90.98 percent (n = 1,502), and qualitative articles 6.18 percent (n = 102). There was a statistically significant difference (χ(2) (1) = 12.20, p = .0005, Cramer's V = 0.09, odds ratio = 1.49 [95% confidence interval = 1,27, 1.74]) in the proportion of quantitative methodological components present in mixed methods compared to quantitative papers (21.94 versus 47.07 percent, respectively) but no statistically significant difference (χ(2) (1) = 0.02, p = .89, Cramer's V = 0.01) in the proportion of qualitative methodological components in mixed methods compared to qualitative papers (21.34 versus 25.47 percent, respectively). Few published health services research articles use mixed methods. The frequency of key methodological components is variable. Suggestions are provided to increase the transparency of mixed methods studies and the presence of key methodological components in published reports. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Methodological Reporting in Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Health Services Research Articles

PubMed Central

Wisdom, Jennifer P; Cavaleri, Mary A; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J; Green, Carla A

2012-01-01

Objectives Methodologically sound mixed methods research can improve our understanding of health services by providing a more comprehensive picture of health services than either method can alone. This study describes the frequency of mixed methods in published health services research and compares the presence of methodological components indicative of rigorous approaches across mixed methods, qualitative, and quantitative articles. Data Sources All empirical articles (n = 1,651) published between 2003 and 2007 from four top-ranked health services journals. Study Design All mixed methods articles (n = 47) and random samples of qualitative and quantitative articles were evaluated to identify reporting of key components indicating rigor for each method, based on accepted standards for evaluating the quality of research reports (e.g., use of p-values in quantitative reports, description of context in qualitative reports, and integration in mixed method reports). We used chi-square tests to evaluate differences between article types for each component. Principal Findings Mixed methods articles comprised 2.85 percent (n = 47) of empirical articles, quantitative articles 90.98 percent (n = 1,502), and qualitative articles 6.18 percent (n = 102). There was a statistically significant difference (χ2(1) = 12.20, p = .0005, Cramer's V = 0.09, odds ratio = 1.49 [95% confidence interval = 1,27, 1.74]) in the proportion of quantitative methodological components present in mixed methods compared to quantitative papers (21.94 versus 47.07 percent, respectively) but no statistically significant difference (χ2(1) = 0.02, p = .89, Cramer's V = 0.01) in the proportion of qualitative methodological components in mixed methods compared to qualitative papers (21.34 versus 25.47 percent, respectively). Conclusion Few published health services research articles use mixed methods. The frequency of key methodological components is variable. Suggestions are provided to increase the transparency of mixed methods studies and the presence of key methodological components in published reports. PMID:22092040

A systematic review of persuasive marketing techniques to promote food to children on television.

PubMed

Jenkin, G; Madhvani, N; Signal, L; Bowers, S

2014-04-01

The ubiquitous marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor food and beverages is a key modifiable influence on childhood dietary patterns and obesity. Much of the research on television food advertising is focused on identifying and quantifying unhealthy food marketing with comparatively few studies examining persuasive marketing techniques to promote unhealthy food to children. This review identifies the most frequently documented persuasive marketing techniques to promote food to children via television. A systematic search of eight online databases using key search terms identified 267 unique articles. Thirty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria. A narrative synthesis of the reviewed studies revealed the most commonly reported persuasive techniques used on television to promote food to children. These were the use of premium offers, promotional characters, nutrition and health-related claims, the theme of taste, and the emotional appeal of fun. Identifying and documenting these commonly reported persuasive marketing techniques to promote food to children on television is critical for the monitoring and evaluation of advertising codes and industry pledges and the development of further regulation in this area. This has a strong potential to curbing the international obesity epidemic besieging children throughout the world. © 2014 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2014 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Genetic association analysis identifies variants associated with disease progression in primary sclerosing cholangitis.

PubMed

Alberts, Rudi; de Vries, Elisabeth M G; Goode, Elizabeth C; Jiang, Xiaojun; Sampaziotis, Fotis; Rombouts, Krista; Böttcher, Katrin; Folseraas, Trine; Weismüller, Tobias J; Mason, Andrew L; Wang, Weiwei; Alexander, Graeme; Alvaro, Domenico; Bergquist, Annika; Björkström, Niklas K; Beuers, Ulrich; Björnsson, Einar; Boberg, Kirsten Muri; Bowlus, Christopher L; Bragazzi, Maria C; Carbone, Marco; Chazouillères, Olivier; Cheung, Angela; Dalekos, Georgios; Eaton, John; Eksteen, Bertus; Ellinghaus, David; Färkkilä, Martti; Festen, Eleonora A M; Floreani, Annarosa; Franceschet, Irene; Gotthardt, Daniel Nils; Hirschfield, Gideon M; Hoek, Bart van; Holm, Kristian; Hohenester, Simon; Hov, Johannes Roksund; Imhann, Floris; Invernizzi, Pietro; Juran, Brian D; Lenzen, Henrike; Lieb, Wolfgang; Liu, Jimmy Z; Marschall, Hanns-Ulrich; Marzioni, Marco; Melum, Espen; Milkiewicz, Piotr; Müller, Tobias; Pares, Albert; Rupp, Christian; Rust, Christian; Sandford, Richard N; Schramm, Christoph; Schreiber, Stefan; Schrumpf, Erik; Silverberg, Mark S; Srivastava, Brijesh; Sterneck, Martina; Teufel, Andreas; Vallier, Ludovic; Verheij, Joanne; Vila, Arnau Vich; Vries, Boudewijn de; Zachou, Kalliopi; Chapman, Roger W; Manns, Michael P; Pinzani, Massimo; Rushbrook, Simon M; Lazaridis, Konstantinos N; Franke, Andre; Anderson, Carl A; Karlsen, Tom H; Ponsioen, Cyriel Y; Weersma, Rinse K

2017-08-04

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a genetically complex, inflammatory bile duct disease of largely unknown aetiology often leading to liver transplantation or death. Little is known about the genetic contribution to the severity and progression of PSC. The aim of this study is to identify genetic variants associated with PSC disease progression and development of complications. We collected standardised PSC subphenotypes in a large cohort of 3402 patients with PSC. After quality control, we combined 130 422 single nucleotide polymorphisms of all patients-obtained using the Illumina immunochip-with their disease subphenotypes. Using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models, we identified genetic variants associated with binary and time-to-event PSC subphenotypes. We identified genetic variant rs853974 to be associated with liver transplant-free survival (p=6.07×10 -9 ). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a 50.9% (95% CI 41.5% to 59.5%) transplant-free survival for homozygous AA allele carriers of rs853974 compared with 72.8% (95% CI 69.6% to 75.7%) for GG carriers at 10 years after PSC diagnosis. For the candidate gene in the region, RSPO3 , we demonstrated expression in key liver-resident effector cells, such as human and murine cholangiocytes and human hepatic stellate cells. We present a large international PSC cohort, and report genetic loci associated with PSC disease progression. For liver transplant-free survival, we identified a genome-wide significant signal and demonstrated expression of the candidate gene RSPO3 in key liver-resident effector cells. This warrants further assessments of the role of this potential key PSC modifier gene. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Beyond Food Promotion: A Systematic Review on the Influence of the Food Industry on Obesity-Related Dietary Behaviour among Children.

PubMed

Sonntag, Diana; Schneider, Sarah; Mdege, Noreen; Ali, Shehzad; Schmidt, Burkhard

2015-10-16

An increased consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor food and beverages as a result of a changing obesogenic environment contributes substantially to the increasing prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity. This paper reviews the nature and extent of food industry influences which expose children to commercial influences and thus might affect unhealthy dietary behaviour and finally contributes to obesity. A systematic search of nine electronic databases (including PubMed, PsycINFO, EconLit) and reference lists of original studies and reviews using key search terms identified 1900 articles. Of these only thirty-six articles met the inclusion and quality criteria. A narrative synthesis of the reviewed studies revealed six key obesogenic environments by which the food industry possibly influences obesity-related dietary behaviours in young children. These were schools, retailers, mass media "television", mass media "internet", home and promotional campaigns. Identifying these obesogenic environments is critical for monitoring and controlling the food industry, the development of effective environmental-level interventions to prevent childhood overweight and obesity and to identify knowledge gaps to be addressed in future research to support informed decisions of policy makers.

Beyond Food Promotion: A Systematic Review on the Influence of the Food Industry on Obesity-Related Dietary Behaviour among Children

PubMed Central

Sonntag, Diana; Schneider, Sarah; Mdege, Noreen; Ali, Shehzad; Schmidt, Burkhard

2015-01-01

An increased consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor food and beverages as a result of a changing obesogenic environment contributes substantially to the increasing prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity. This paper reviews the nature and extent of food industry influences which expose children to commercial influences and thus might affect unhealthy dietary behaviour and finally contributes to obesity. A systematic search of nine electronic databases (including PubMed, PsycINFO, EconLit) and reference lists of original studies and reviews using key search terms identified 1900 articles. Of these only thirty-six articles met the inclusion and quality criteria. A narrative synthesis of the reviewed studies revealed six key obesogenic environments by which the food industry possibly influences obesity-related dietary behaviours in young children. These were schools, retailers, mass media “television”, mass media “internet”, home and promotional campaigns. Identifying these obesogenic environments is critical for monitoring and controlling the food industry, the development of effective environmental-level interventions to prevent childhood overweight and obesity and to identify knowledge gaps to be addressed in future research to support informed decisions of policy makers. PMID:26501319

A systematic literature review of the key challenges for developing the structure of public health economic models.

PubMed

Squires, Hazel; Chilcott, James; Akehurst, Ronald; Burr, Jennifer; Kelly, Michael P

2016-04-01

To identify the key methodological challenges for public health economic modelling and set an agenda for future research. An iterative literature search identified papers describing methodological challenges for developing the structure of public health economic models. Additional multidisciplinary literature searches helped expand upon important ideas raised within the review. Fifteen articles were identified within the formal literature search, highlighting three key challenges: inclusion of non-healthcare costs and outcomes; inclusion of equity; and modelling complex systems and multi-component interventions. Based upon these and multidisciplinary searches about dynamic complexity, the social determinants of health, and models of human behaviour, six areas for future research were specified. Future research should focus on: the use of systems approaches within health economic modelling; approaches to assist the systematic consideration of the social determinants of health; methods for incorporating models of behaviour and social interactions; consideration of equity; and methodology to help modellers develop valid, credible and transparent public health economic model structures.

Top 100 Most-cited Articles on Pituitary Adenoma: A Bibliometric Analysis.

PubMed

Guo, Xiaopeng; Gao, Lu; Wang, Zihao; Feng, Chenzhe; Xing, Bing

2018-06-02

Many articles have been published on pituitary adenomas. Bibliometric analyses are helpful for determining the most impactful studies within a field. To identify the top 100 most-cited articles on pituitary adenomas using the bibliometric analysis method. We searched the Thomson Reuters Web of Science on March 31, 2018. Articles were listed in descending order by the total citation (TC) number, and the most-cited articles on pituitary adenomas were identified and analyzed. The most-cited articles were published between 1970 and 2014, with 1999 as the most prolific year. Growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma was the most commonly studied tumor subtype (43%), and in clinical studies, treatment options and follow-up were the most important research focuses (62%). The average number of TCs was 326, and the average number of annual citations (ACs) was 17. More review articles were published in the last decade, and the average number of ACs was higher for this decade than for previous decades. Twenty-one articles were recognized as "Citation Classics" with a TC number>400. Twenty-five journals published the top 100 works; the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism published the most articles (25%). The most articles (43%) were published in the United States. S. Melmed authored the greatest number of publications (14%). Departments of Medicine (32%) and Endocrinology (32%) contributed to the largest number of articles. This study identified the research focuses and trends regarding pituitary adenoma and provides key references for investigators in guiding future pituitary adenoma research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Military Service Member and Veteran Reintegration: A Conceptual Analysis, Unified Definition, and Key Domains

PubMed Central

Elnitsky, Christine A.; Fisher, Michael P.; Blevins, Cara L.

2017-01-01

Returning military service members and veterans (MSMVs) may experience a variety of stress-related disorders and challenges when reintegrating from the military to the community. Facilitating the reintegration, transition, readjustment and coping, and community integration, of MSMVs is a societal priority. To date, research addressing MSMV reintegration has not identified a comprehensive definition of the term or defined the broader context within which the process of reintegration occurs although both are needed to promote valid and reliable measurement of reintegration and clarify related challenges, processes, and their impact on outcomes. Therefore, this principle-based concept analysis sought to review existing empirical reintegration measurement instruments and identify the problems and needs of MSMV reintegration to provide a unified definition of reintegration to guide future research, clinical practice, and related services. We identified 1,459 articles in the health and social sciences literature, published between 1990 and 2015, by searching multiple electronic databases. Screening of abstracts and full text review based on our inclusion/exclusion criteria, yielded 117 articles for review. Two investigators used constant conceptual comparison to evaluate relevant articles independently. We examined the term reintegration and related terms (i.e., transition, readjustment, community integration) identifying trends in their use over time, analyzed the eight reintegration survey instruments, and synthesized service member and veteran self-reported challenges and needs for reintegration. More reintegration research was published during the last 5 years (n = 373) than in the previous 10 years combined (n = 130). The research suggests coping with life stresses plays an integral role in military service member and veteran post-deployment reintegration. Key domains of reintegration include individual, interpersonal, community organizations, and societal factors that may facilitate or challenge successful reintegration, and results suggest that successful coping with life stressors plays an integral role in post-deployment reintegration. Overall, the literature does not provide a comprehensive representation of reintegration among MSMVs. Although, previous research describes military service member and veteran reintegration challenges, this concept analysis provides a unified definition of the phenomenon and identifies key domains of reintegration that may broaden our understanding and guide reintegration research and practice. PMID:28352240

Military Service Member and Veteran Reintegration: A Conceptual Analysis, Unified Definition, and Key Domains.

PubMed

Elnitsky, Christine A; Fisher, Michael P; Blevins, Cara L

2017-01-01

Returning military service members and veterans (MSMVs) may experience a variety of stress-related disorders and challenges when reintegrating from the military to the community. Facilitating the reintegration, transition, readjustment and coping, and community integration, of MSMVs is a societal priority. To date, research addressing MSMV reintegration has not identified a comprehensive definition of the term or defined the broader context within which the process of reintegration occurs although both are needed to promote valid and reliable measurement of reintegration and clarify related challenges, processes, and their impact on outcomes. Therefore, this principle-based concept analysis sought to review existing empirical reintegration measurement instruments and identify the problems and needs of MSMV reintegration to provide a unified definition of reintegration to guide future research, clinical practice, and related services. We identified 1,459 articles in the health and social sciences literature, published between 1990 and 2015, by searching multiple electronic databases. Screening of abstracts and full text review based on our inclusion/exclusion criteria, yielded 117 articles for review. Two investigators used constant conceptual comparison to evaluate relevant articles independently. We examined the term reintegration and related terms (i.e., transition, readjustment, community integration) identifying trends in their use over time, analyzed the eight reintegration survey instruments, and synthesized service member and veteran self-reported challenges and needs for reintegration. More reintegration research was published during the last 5 years ( n = 373) than in the previous 10 years combined ( n = 130). The research suggests coping with life stresses plays an integral role in military service member and veteran post-deployment reintegration. Key domains of reintegration include individual, interpersonal, community organizations, and societal factors that may facilitate or challenge successful reintegration, and results suggest that successful coping with life stressors plays an integral role in post-deployment reintegration. Overall, the literature does not provide a comprehensive representation of reintegration among MSMVs. Although, previous research describes military service member and veteran reintegration challenges, this concept analysis provides a unified definition of the phenomenon and identifies key domains of reintegration that may broaden our understanding and guide reintegration research and practice.

Hiring an Effective Special Education Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenlon, Amanda

2008-01-01

The task of hiring special education teachers may seem daunting because they serve in what is undeniably the most complex of teaching roles. This article provides guidance and suggestions for identifying key competencies that a viable special education teacher candidate should possess. Although many building leaders may still subscribe to gut…

Current Practice and Infrastructures for Campus Centers of Community Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welch, Marshall; Saltmarsh, John

2013-01-01

This article provides an overview of current practice and essential infrastructure of campus community engagement centers in their efforts to establish and advance community engagement as part of the college experience. The authors identified key characteristics and the prevalence of activities of community engagement centers at engaged campuses…

Teaching Dance: One Man's Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Jim

2006-01-01

This article illustrates the author's discovery that the key to any successful dance unit is finding ways for students to make connections and want to dance. While reflecting on the purpose of dance in the curriculum, the author identified important skills and concepts he wanted his students to master, such as rhythm, balance, and…

Perspectives on Technology in Learning and Teaching Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kern, Richard

2006-01-01

Rapid evolution of communication technologies has changed language pedagogy and language use, enabling new forms of discourse, new forms of authorship, and new ways to create and participate in communities. The first section of this article identifies and discusses four key issues arising from the recent technology-related literature (the status…

Issues Involved in the Evaluation of Gifted Programmes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, A. Sidiq

2001-01-01

This article discusses the purpose of gifted program evaluation and identifies some of the pertinent issues involved in evaluating gifted programs. The gifted program delivered by the Peel District Board of Education in Ontario, Canada, is used to illustrate key evaluation considerations, including gifted identification procedures and gifted…

Effective Chaperone Selection and Training for Enhanced Youth Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Emily J.; Roop, Kelsey; MacArthur, Stacey

2017-01-01

This article identifies key strategies for selecting and training chaperones for youth programs. Although substantial research on volunteer core competencies and training exists, very little has been written to specifically address volunteers who serve in a chaperone capacity. We surveyed chaperones who had participated in an international youth…

Pathways to Economic Security: Gender and Nonstandard Employment in Contemporary Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottfried, Heidi

2008-01-01

Compiling data from several government surveys, this article identifies key social indicators of economic security associated with nonstandard employment in Japan. Empirical trends of nonstandard employment are contextualized in the development of Japanese coordinated capitalism from the economic boom during the 1960s through the recession of the…

Developments in Transnational Research Linkages: Evidence from U.S. Higher-Education Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koehn, Peter H.

2014-01-01

In our knowledge-driven era, multiple and mutual benefits accrue from transnational research linkages. The article identifies important directions in transnational research collaborations involving U.S. universities revealed by key dimensions of 369 projects profiled on a U.S. higher-education association's database. Project initiators, principal…

Dwarfing the Social? Nanotechnology Lessons from the Biotechnology Front

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Einsiedel, Edna F.; Goldenberg, Linda

2004-01-01

Biotechnology and nanotechnology are both strategic technologies, and the former provides several lessons that could contribute to more successful embedding and integration processes for the latter. This article identifies some of the key questions emerging from the biotechnology experience and summarizes several lessons learned in the context of…

Social Pedagogy in Modern Times

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosendal Jensen, Niels

2013-01-01

The article identifies several key concepts used to describe and categorize social pedagogy. The first section of the paper establishes a framework for considering the diversity that characterizes the field, including reflection on social pedagogy's theoretical, political and social dimensions. This is followed by a discussion based on a…

In the Classroom: "If You Build It, They Will Come."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hargrove, Kathy

2003-01-01

This article discusses the experiences gifted secondary students have had with pre-Advanced Placement, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate programs. Key traits essential for teachers of the gifted are identified: a high degree of intelligence; extensive knowledge of the subject matter; emotional maturity; and a strong self-concept.…

Controversial Issues: Identifying the Concerns and Priorities of Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woolley, Richard

2011-01-01

The theoretical framework of this article considers the significant place of education in the socialisation and enculturation of children. This requires that student teachers develop critical pedagogies as a means of promoting equity, pupil voice and democratic structures in schools. Key to this is Cole's concept of "isms" and…

Identifying and Assessing Creativity as a Component of Giftedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, James C.; Plucker, Jonathan A.; Russell, Christina M.

2012-01-01

Most theories of giftedness include creativity as a central component. Creativity assessment has a key role, therefore, in measuring giftedness. This article reviews the state of the creativity assessment, from divergent thinking tests (including the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking) to the consensual assessment technique to rating scales and…

A Dialogic Account of Sense-Making in Scientific Argumentation and Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Michael J.

2012-01-01

This article identifies aspects of argumentation in scientific practice that are key for scientific sense-making and articulates how engagement in these aspects happens both inter-mentally (between people) and intra-mentally (an individual's reasoning). Institutionally, peer review exerts critique on new knowledge claims in science and is…

Students with Intellectual Disabilities Going to College? Absolutely!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleinert, Harold L.; Jones, Melissa M.; Sheppard-Jones, Kathleen; Harp, Beverly; Harrison, Elizabeth M.

2012-01-01

In this article we describe the new opportunities for postsecondary education available to students with intellectual disabilities (ID) through the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008. We also identify the importance of these opportunities for students with ID, and key strategies for ensuring that their college experience is an important…

Internationalizing Business Education in Latin America: Issues and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elahee, Mohammad; Norbis, Mario

2009-01-01

This article examines the extent of internationalization of business education in Latin America and identifies the key challenges facing the Latin American business schools. Based on a survey of the business schools that are members of CLADEA (Consejo Latinoamericano de Escuelas de Administracion--Latin American Council of Management Schools), and…

Stories and Statistics: Describing a Mixed Methods Study of Effective Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kington, Alison; Sammons, Pam; Day, Christopher; Regan, Elaine

2011-01-01

The Effective Classroom Practice project aimed to identify key factors that contribute to effective teaching in primary and secondary phases of schooling in different socioeconomic contexts. This article addresses the ways in which qualitative and quantitative approaches were combined within an integrated design to provide a comprehensive…

A matter of definition--key elements identified in a discourse analysis of definitions of palliative care.

PubMed

Pastrana, T; Jünger, S; Ostgathe, C; Elsner, F; Radbruch, L

2008-04-01

For more than 30 years, the term "palliative care" has been used. From the outset, the term has undergone a series of transformations in its definitions and consequently in its tasks and goals. There remains a lack of consensus on a definition. The aim of this article is to analyse the definitions of palliative care in the specialist literature and to identify the key elements of palliative care using discourse analysis: a qualitative methodology. The literature search focused on definitions of the term 'palliative medicine' and 'palliative care' in the World Wide Web and medical reference books in English and German. A total of 37 English and 26 German definitions were identified and analysed. Our study confirmed the lack of a consistent meaning concerning the investigated terms, reflecting on-going discussion about the nature of the field among palliative care practitioners. Several common key elements were identified. Four main categories emerged from the discourse analysis of the definition of palliative care: target groups, structure, tasks and expertise. In addition, the theoretical principles and goals of palliative care were discussed and found to be key elements, with relief and prevention of suffering and improvement of quality of life as main goals. The identified key elements can contribute to the definition of the concept 'palliative care'. Our study confirms the importance of semantic and ethical influences on palliative care that should be considered in future research on semantics in different languages.

The War Horse: A Bibliography of Periodical Articles.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

NOTES 19. KEY WORDS (Continue an reeroe side if neceeary ad identify by block number) dibliographieFs, horse -s, equines , warfare, Aorld ..ar I, per...34 Equine Reparations," AMCAVJ, 55:63-66, Nov 1946. 54. Cowin, William B. "Shipment of Men and Horses by Rail," CAVJ, 24:236-248, Jul 1913 - May 1914. 55...A-I2214 THE WAR HORSE : A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PERIODICAL ARTICLES 1/1 (U) ARMY FIELD ARTILLER Y SCHOOL FORT SILL OK MORRIS SWETT L IRRARY L L MILLER 01

Retail grocery store marketing strategies and obesity: an integrative review.

PubMed

Glanz, Karen; Bader, Michael D M; Iyer, Shally

2012-05-01

In-store food marketing can influence food-purchasing behaviors and warrants increased attention given the dramatic rise in obesity. Descriptive and experimental studies of key marketing components have been conducted by consumer scientists, marketing researchers, and public health experts. This review synthesizes research and publications from industry and academic sources and provides direction for developing and evaluating promising interventions. Literature sources for the review were English-language articles published from 1995 to 2010, identified from multidisciplinary search indexes, backward searches of cited articles, review articles, industry reports, and online sources. Only articles that focused on physical grocery stores and food products were included. Data collection occurred in 2010 and 2011. Articles were classified in the categories of product, price, placement, and promotion and divided into controlled laboratory experiments, observation, and field experiments; 125 primary peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. Narrative synthesis methods were used. Key findings were synthesized by category of focus and study design. Evidence synthesis was completed in 2011. Findings suggest several strategies for in-store marketing to promote healthful eating by increasing availability, affordability, prominence, and promotion of healthful foods and/or restricting or de-marketing unhealthy foods. Key results of research in controlled laboratory studies should be adapted and tested in real-world in-store settings. Industry methods for assessing consumer behavior, such as electronic sales data and individually linked sales information from loyalty card holders, can help public health researchers increase the scientific rigor of field studies. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The importance of standard operating procedures in clinical trials.

PubMed

Sajdak, Rebecca; Trembath, Lisaann; Thomas, Kathy S

2013-09-01

This special contribution provides insight into the role that standard operating procedures (SOPs) play in an imaging department and their value in building a high-quality research site. If you have ever participated in a clinical trial, many of the principles described in this article should be familiar. However, this article goes a step further by presenting information from a pharmaceutical or device sponsor's point of view-what the sponsor expects from a site during the course of a research study. This article is intended not to provide a complete set of instructions on how to create a great SOP but, instead, to present guidelines to ensure that the key elements are included. After reading the article, you will be able to define SOPs as they pertain to the clinical trial environment, describe key components of an SOP, list the clinical research SOPs that exist in your institution and imaging department, identify which additional SOPs might improve site performance, and describe how the sponsor relies on SOPs to ensure that the highest quality of research is attained.

Should people with unhealthy lifestyles pay higher health insurance premiums?

PubMed

Buchanan, David R

2011-02-01

This commentary sets the article by Dubois on the ethical justification for charging higher insurance premiums for people with unhealthy lifestyles in the context of US health care reform. It reviews the relevance and strength of normative concerns identified by Dubois about the acceptability of such differentiated "means-tested" plans. It identifies key issues involving whether certain health behaviors matter ethically, and if so, the grounds that would justify an obligation for people to take action. The article frames the answer in terms of the need to achieve an ethically acceptable balance between the principle of equality and principle of merit and concludes with four ethical standards to focus the terms of the debate.

Curated Collection for Educators: Five Key Papers about the Flipped Classroom Methodology.

PubMed

King, Andrew; Boysen-Osborn, Megan; Cooney, Robert; Mitzman, Jennifer; Misra, Asit; Williams, Jennifer; Dulani, Tina; Gottlieb, Michael

2017-10-25

The flipped classroom (FC) pedagogy is becoming increasingly popular in medical education due to its appeal to the millennial learner and potential benefits in knowledge acquisition. Despite its popularity and effectiveness, the FC educational method is not without challenges. In this article, we identify and summarize several key papers relevant to medical educators interested in exploring the FC teaching methodology. The authors identified an extensive list of papers relevant to FC pedagogy via online discussions within the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Faculty Incubator. This list was augmented by an open call on Twitter (utilizing the #meded, #FOAMed, and #flippedclassroom hashtags) yielding a list of 33 papers. We then conducted a three-round modified Delphi process within the authorship group, which included both junior and senior clinician educators, to identify the most impactful papers for educators interested in FC pedagogy. The three-round modified Delphi process ranked all of the selected papers and selected the five most highly-rated papers for inclusion. The authorship group reviewed and summarized these papers with specific consideration given to their value to junior faculty educators and faculty developers interested in the flipped classroom approach. The list of papers featured in this article serves as a key reading list for junior clinician educators and faculty developers interested in the flipped classroom technique. The associated commentaries contextualize the importance of these papers for medical educators aiming to optimize their understanding and implementation of the flipped classroom methodology in their teaching and through faculty development.

Bibliographic analysis of scientific research on selected topics in public health nutrition in West Africa: Review of articles published from 1998 to 2008.

PubMed

Aaron, Grant J; Wilson, Shelby E; Brown, Kenneth H

2010-01-01

Few countries in West Africa have the capacity for carrying out advanced training in nutrition and public health. To provide additional information on current regional applied nutrition research capacity and productivity, we analysed peer-reviewed articles on key public health nutrition topics that were published from 1998 to 2008. Using MEDLINE/PubMed, the following terms were searched: 'breast feeding', 'infant nutrition physiology' (comprising complementary feeding and weaning), 'protein energy malnutrition', 'nutrition and infection', 'vitamin A', 'iodine', 'zinc' and 'overweight', each linked with the term 'Western Africa'. In total, 412 unique articles (37±6 articles per year) were identified. Most research focused on infant and young child feeding practices, selected micronutrient deficiencies, and the emerging problem of overweight and obesity. The primary author of nearly half (46%) the publications was located in an institution outside of West Africa. Most articles were published in English (90%), and nearly half of all articles (41%) were cross-sectional studies. Our findings indicate that few peer-reviewed research studies are being published on key public health topics in the West African region, considering the magnitude of nutrition problems in this region. New approaches are needed to encourage and support research capacity and output in West Africa.

Factors that influence career progression among postdoctoral clinical academics: a scoping review of the literature

PubMed Central

Ranieri, Veronica; Barratt, Helen; Fulop, Naomi; Rees, Geraint

2016-01-01

Background The future of academic medicine is uncertain. Concerns regarding the future availability of qualified and willing trainee clinical academics have been raised worldwide. Of significant concern is our failure to retain postdoctoral trainee clinical academics, who are likely to be our next generation of leaders in scientific discovery. Objectives To review the literature about factors that may influence postdoctoral career progression in early career clinical academics. Design This study employed a scoping review method. Three reviewers separately assessed whether the articles found fit the inclusion criteria. Data sources PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar (1991–2015). Article selection The review encompassed a broad search of English language studies published anytime up to November 2015. All articles were eligible for inclusion, including research papers employing either quantitative or qualitative methods, as well as editorials and other summary articles. Data extraction Data extracted from included publications were charted according to author(s), sample population, study design, key findings, country of origin and year of publication. Results Our review identified 6 key influences: intrinsic motivation, work–life balance, inclusiveness, work environment, mentorship and availability of funding. It also detected significant gaps within the literature about these influences. Conclusions Three key steps are proposed to help support postdoctoral trainee clinical academics. These focus on ensuring that researchers feel encouraged in their workplace, involved in collaborative dialogue with key stakeholders and able to access reliable information regarding their chosen career pathway. Finally, we highlight recommendations for future research. PMID:27798036

Critical factors for the success of orthodontic mini-implants: a systematic review.

PubMed

Chen, Yan; Kyung, Hee Moon; Zhao, Wen Ting; Yu, Won Jae

2009-03-01

This systematic review was undertaken to discuss factors that affect mini-implants as direct and indirect orthodontic anchorage. The data were collected from electronic databases (Medline [Entrez PubMed], Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and All Evidence Based Medicine Reviews). Randomized clinical trials, prospective and retrospective clinical studies, and clinical trials concerning the properties, affective factors, and requirements of mini-implants were considered. The titles and abstracts that appeared to fulfill the initial selection criteria were collected by consensus, and the original articles were retrieved and evaluated with a methodologic checklist. A hand search of key orthodontic journals was performed to identify recent unindexed literature. The search strategy resulted in 596 articles. By screening titles and abstracts, 126 articles were identified. After the exclusion criteria were applied, 16 articles remained. The analyzed results of the literature were divided into 2 topics: placement-related and loading-related factors. Mini-implants are effective as anchorage, and their success depends on proper initial mechanical stability and loading quality and quantity.

SciLite: a platform for displaying text-mined annotations as a means to link research articles with biological data.

PubMed

Venkatesan, Aravind; Kim, Jee-Hyub; Talo, Francesco; Ide-Smith, Michele; Gobeill, Julien; Carter, Jacob; Batista-Navarro, Riza; Ananiadou, Sophia; Ruch, Patrick; McEntyre, Johanna

2016-01-01

The tremendous growth in biological data has resulted in an increase in the number of research papers being published. This presents a great challenge for scientists in searching and assimilating facts described in those papers. Particularly, biological databases depend on curators to add highly precise and useful information that are usually extracted by reading research articles. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find ways to improve linking literature to the underlying data, thereby minimising the effort in browsing content and identifying key biological concepts.   As part of the development of Europe PMC, we have developed a new platform, SciLite, which integrates text-mined annotations from different sources and overlays those outputs on research articles. The aim is to aid researchers and curators using Europe PMC in finding key concepts more easily and provide links to related resources or tools, bridging the gap between literature and biological data.

SciLite: a platform for displaying text-mined annotations as a means to link research articles with biological data

PubMed Central

Talo, Francesco; Ide-Smith, Michele; Gobeill, Julien; Carter, Jacob; Batista-Navarro, Riza; Ananiadou, Sophia; Ruch, Patrick; McEntyre, Johanna

2017-01-01

The tremendous growth in biological data has resulted in an increase in the number of research papers being published. This presents a great challenge for scientists in searching and assimilating facts described in those papers. Particularly, biological databases depend on curators to add highly precise and useful information that are usually extracted by reading research articles. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find ways to improve linking literature to the underlying data, thereby minimising the effort in browsing content and identifying key biological concepts.   As part of the development of Europe PMC, we have developed a new platform, SciLite, which integrates text-mined annotations from different sources and overlays those outputs on research articles. The aim is to aid researchers and curators using Europe PMC in finding key concepts more easily and provide links to related resources or tools, bridging the gap between literature and biological data. PMID:28948232

Key health themes and reporting of numerical cigarette-waterpipe equivalence in online news articles reporting on waterpipe tobacco smoking: a content analysis.

PubMed

Jawad, Mohammed; Bakir, Ali M; Ali, Mohammed; Jawad, Sena; Akl, Elie A

2015-01-01

There is anecdotal evidence that health messages interpreted from waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) research are inconsistent, such as comparing the health effects of one WTS session with that of 100 cigarettes. This study aimed to identify key health themes about WTS discussed by online news media, and how numerical cigarette-waterpipe equivalence (CWE) was being interpreted. We identified 1065 online news articles published between March 2011 and September 2012 using the 'Google Alerts' service. We screened for health themes, assessed statements mentioning CWE and reported differences between countries. We used logistic regression to identify factors associated with articles incorrectly reporting a CWE equal to or greater than 100 cigarettes, in the absence of any comparative parameter ('CWE ≥100 cigarettes'). Commonly mentioned health themes were the presence of tobacco (67%) and being as bad as cigarettes (49%), and we report on differences between countries. While 10.8% of all news articles contained at least one positive health theme, 22.9% contained a statement about a CWE. Most of these (18.6% total) were incorrectly a CWE ≥100 cigarettes, a quarter of which were made by healthcare professionals/organisations. Compared with the Middle East, articles from the USA and the UK were the most significant predictors to contain a CWE ≥100 cigarettes statement. Those wishing to write or publish information related to WTS may wish to avoid comparing WTS to cigarettes using numerical values as this is a major source of confusion. Future research is needed to address the impact of the media on the attitudes, initiation and cessation rates of waterpipe smokers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Interprofessional Care and Teamwork in the ICU.

PubMed

Donovan, Anne L; Aldrich, J Matthew; Gross, A Kendall; Barchas, Denise M; Thornton, Kevin C; Schell-Chaple, Hildy M; Gropper, Michael A; Lipshutz, Angela K M

2018-06-01

We describe the importance of interprofessional care in modern critical care medicine. This review highlights the essential roles played by specific members of the interprofessional care team, including patients and family members, and discusses quality improvement initiatives that require interprofessional collaboration for success. Studies were identified through MEDLINE search using a variety of search phrases related to interprofessional care, critical care provider types, and quality improvement initiatives. Additional articles were identified through a review of the reference lists of identified articles. Original articles, review articles, and systematic reviews were considered. Manuscripts were selected for inclusion based on expert opinion of well-designed or key studies and review articles. "Interprofessional care" refers to care provided by a team of healthcare professionals with overlapping expertise and an appreciation for the unique contribution of other team members as partners in achieving a common goal. A robust body of data supports improvement in patient-level outcomes when care is provided by an interprofessional team. Critical care nurses, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, respiratory care practitioners, rehabilitation specialists, dieticians, social workers, case managers, spiritual care providers, intensivists, and nonintensivist physicians each provide unique expertise and perspectives to patient care, and therefore play an important role in a team that must address the diverse needs of patients and families in the ICU. Engaging patients and families as partners in their healthcare is also critical. Many important ICU quality improvement initiatives require an interprofessional approach, including Awakening and Breathing Coordination, Delirium, Early Exercise/Mobility, and Family Empowerment bundle implementation, interprofessional rounding practices, unit-based quality improvement initiatives, Patient and Family Advisory Councils, end-of-life care, coordinated sedation awakening and spontaneous breathing trials, intrahospital transport, and transitions of care. A robust body of evidence supports an interprofessional approach as a key component in the provision of high-quality critical care to patients of increasing complexity and with increasingly diverse needs.

Refugees and antimicrobial resistance: A systematic review.

PubMed

de Smalen, Allard Willem; Ghorab, Hatem; Abd El Ghany, Moataz; Hill-Cawthorne, Grant A

There is a large increase in the numbers of refugees and asylum seekers worldwide and a lack of data on the carriage of antimicrobial resistance in refugee/asylum seeking groups. This article aims to identify the impact of refugees and asylum seekers on the acquisition and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a literature search. The databases Embase, Medline, Pubmed, and Web of Science Core Collection were utilised and covered all articles before the 1st of October 2016. In total, 577 articles were identified, and studies were eligible if they met the selection criteria, including observational study design, English language, and AMR strains reported in absolute numbers. In total, 17 articles met the criteria, the majority were from the European region. Articles fitting the selection criteria exclusively reported AMR in bacterial species including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, K. oxytoca, Shigella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, and Acinetobacter baumannii. The analyses indicated that a high percentage of AMR strains, have been circulating among refugees and asylum seekers. The displacement of refugees and asylum seekers seem to play a key role in the transmission of AMR. Therefore, improved AMR control measures are essential. A knowledge gap was identified; further research is strongly recommended. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Awareness, Analysis, and Action: Curricular Alignment for Student Success in General Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewitt, Sarah; Sutphin, Kathy; Gierasch, Tiffany; Hamilton, Pauline; Lilly, Kathleen; Miller, Kristine; Newlin, Donald; Pires, Richard; Sherer, Maureen; LaCourse, William R.

2018-01-01

This article examines the ways that a shared faculty experience across five partner institutions led to a deep awareness of the curriculum and pedagogy of general chemistry coursework, and ultimately, to a collaborative action plan for student success. The team identified key differences and similarities in course content and instructional…

Changing Organizational Culture to Achieve Excellence in Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shera, Wes

2008-01-01

This article describes the research capacity building efforts of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto over the past 12 years. It identifies the role of strategic planning, the process of change, and the key practices, in terms of personnel, resources, research center development, and strategic community…

Processes and Procedures for Estimating Score Reliability and Precision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bardhoshi, Gerta; Erford, Bradley T.

2017-01-01

Precision is a key facet of test development, with score reliability determined primarily according to the types of error one wants to approximate and demonstrate. This article identifies and discusses several primary forms of reliability estimation: internal consistency (i.e., split-half, KR-20, a), test-retest, alternate forms, interscorer, and…

Assessment of Creativity in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alenizi, Mogbel

2008-01-01

This article reports themes emerging from a small-scale literature review on creativity in education. The purpose of the review was to identify key themes and approaches to inform future research. The research questions are; what is creativity? Which theory of creativity is most relevant and useful? Can creativity be assessed and if so, how? The…

Racial Justice, Hegemony, and Bias Incidents in U.S. Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Glyn

2013-01-01

Formal administrative protocols for responding to bias incidents are now the norm in higher education. In considering these developments, the author of this article poses critical questions about racial justice work on campus, identifies key features of an under-acknowledged institutional racism, and contributes to discussions about ways that…

Assessing the Quality of Early Years Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Glenda; Gardner, John

2005-01-01

This article describes a means of evaluating early years classrooms from the perspective of the child's experience. Nine key themes, such as motivation and independence, are identified as representing significant aspects of a high-quality environment for learning. The manner in which these manifest themselves in relation to the three elements of…

Finding the "Prism": Understanding Vygotsky's "Perezhivanie" as an Ontogenetic Unit of Child Consciousness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michell, Michael

2016-01-01

The concept of perezhivanie, Vygotsky's "last word" on psychology, has been among the most difficult of his theoretical constructs to define and operationalise in research. Drawing on close analysis of key texts, this article identifies and examines three defining attributes of "perezhivanie" found throughout Vygotsky's works.…

Using Osteoclast Differentiation as a Model for Gene Discovery in an Undergraduate Cell Biology Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birnbaum, Mark J.; Picco, Jenna; Clements, Meghan; Witwicka, Hanna; Yang, Meiheng; Hoey, Margaret T.; Odgren, Paul R.

2010-01-01

A key goal of molecular/cell biology/biotechnology is to identify essential genes in virtually every physiological process to uncover basic mechanisms of cell function and to establish potential targets of drug therapy combating human disease. This article describes a semester-long, project-oriented molecular/cellular/biotechnology laboratory…

Persistence and Fadeout in the Impacts of Child and Adolescent Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Drew; Duncan, Greg J.; Odgers, Candice L.; Yu, Winnie

2017-01-01

Many interventions targeting cognitive skills or socioemotional skills and behaviors demonstrate initially promising but then quickly disappearing impacts. Our article seeks to identify the key features of interventions, as well as the characteristics and environments of the children and adolescents who participate in them, that can be expected to…

Research Information Management: How the Library Can Contribute to the Campus Conversation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Annette

2018-01-01

This article describes a project undertaken as part of a cross-campus strategic planning effort. The project documented current campus practices and systems in use for collecting, analyzing and reporting key research metrics. The project identified organizational issues around siloed data collection and lack of clarity on data stewards, data…

Revisiting Key Assumptions of the Reading Level Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halladay, Juliet L.

2012-01-01

Since Emmett Betts first devised a framework of independent, instructional, and frustration reading levels in the 1940s, these levels have played a large role in classroom assessment and instruction. It is important for teachers to have a deep understanding of the research that supports the reading level framework. This article identifies four key…

Classroom Strategies Coaching Model: Integration of Formative Assessment and Instructional Coaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Linda A.; Dudek, Christopher M.; Lekwa, Adam

2017-01-01

This article describes the theory, key components, and empirical support for the Classroom Strategies Coaching (CSC) Model, a data-driven coaching approach that systematically integrates data from multiple observations to identify teacher practice needs and goals, design practice plans, and evaluate progress towards goals. The primary aim of the…

Down the Rabbit Hole: Challenges and Methodological Recommendations in Researching Writing-Related Student Dispositions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driscoll, Dana Lynn; Gorzelsky, Gwen; Wells, Jennifer; Hayes, Carol; Jones, Ed; Salchak, Steve

2017-01-01

Researching writing-related dispositions is of critical concern for understanding writing transfer and writing development. However, as a field we need better tools and methods for identifying, tracking, and analyzing dispositions. This article describes a failed attempt to code for five key dispositions (attribution, self-efficacy, persistence,…

Key Challenges of Using Video When Investigating Social Practices in Education: Contextualization, Magnification, and Representation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blikstad-Balas, Marte

2017-01-01

Audio- and video-recordings are increasingly popular data sources in contemporary qualitative research, making discussions about methodological implications of such recordings timelier than ever. This article goes beyond discussing practical issues and issues of "camera effect" and reactivity to identify three major challenges of using…

Conditions That Promote Teacher Learning for Effective Chemistry Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lythcott, Jean

2015-01-01

This article describes a professional development program that inspired some high school teachers to drastically reshape their teaching of chemistry toward a more learner-centered practice. Through interviews, they identified a freedom to explore and a sense of being trusted and respected as key aspects that supported this new approach. Rather…

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

Platt, F.N. Jr.

This article examines the treatment of a Superfund site, the Runyon Watershed just outside of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, for volatile organic compounds. The beginning of treatment was the result of a 20-year legal battle begun in 1971 and resolved after the city's consulting engineering firm designed and implemented a specialized approach to identify and develop key critical issues.

Open Teaching: A New Way on E-Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiappe, Andres; Lee, Linda L.

2017-01-01

Open Teaching is currently considered an ambiguous and polysemic concept but has nevertheless become a growing global trend in ICT-based education. To identify key issues on the subject, this article presents a study on Open teaching that combines meta-synthesis and content analysis of research published over the last twenty years in major…

Tending to Change: Toward a Situated Model of Affinity Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bommarito, Dan

2014-01-01

The concept of affinity spaces, a theoretical construct used to analyze literate activity from a spatial perspective, has gained popularity among scholars of literacy studies and, particularly, video-game studies. This article seeks to expand current notions of affinity spaces by identifying key assumptions that have limited researchers'…

Student Perceptions of Classroom Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamlem, Siv M.; Smith, Kari

2013-01-01

Feedback to students has been identified as a key strategy in learning and teaching, but we know less about how feedback is understood by students. The purpose of this study is to gain more insight into lower secondary students' perceptions of when and how they find classroom feedback useful. This article draws on data generated through individual…

Accreditation in the Profession of Psychology: A Cautionary Tale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maiden, Robert; Knight, Bob G.; Howe, Judith L.; Kim, Seungyoun

2012-01-01

This article examines the history of accreditation in psychology and applies the lessons learned to the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education's (AGHE) consideration of forming an organization to accredit programs in gerontology. The authors identify the challenges met and unmet, the successes and failures, and the key issues that emerged…

Teaching Reading Fluency to Struggling Readers: Method, Materials, and Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasinski, Timothy; Homan, Susan; Biggs, Marie

2009-01-01

Reading fluency has been identified as a key component in reading and in learning to read. Moreover, a significantly large number of students who experience difficulty in reading manifest difficulties in reading fluency that appear to contribute to their overall struggles in reading. In this article we explore the nature of effective instruction…

Planning Lessons for Refugee-Background Students: Challenges and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Jennifer; Windle, Joel Austin; Yazdanpanah, Lilly K.

2014-01-01

This article examines the ways teachers plan lessons for English as an Additional Language (EAL) students from refugee backgrounds in secondary school transition programs. Based on a study of teachers working with students in three Victorian schools, we identify the key challenges teachers face in planning and the strategies they adopt to confront…

Race, Gender, and Leadership Identity: An Autoethnography of Reconciliation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClellan, Patrice

2012-01-01

This article is an autoethnography of the author's journey researching Black men. She highlights two critical incidents during the research process that aided in the formation of her identity as a leader. Drawing on Hill Collins' "Black Feminist Thought" the author also identifies key women leaders whose examples fueled her commitment to…

Theories in Developing Oral Communication for Specific Learner Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadi, Marham Jupri

2016-01-01

The current article presents some key theories most relevant to the development of oral communication skills in an Indonesian senior high school. Critical analysis on the learners' background is employed to figure out their strengths and weaknesses. The brief overview of the learning context and learners' characteristic are used to identify which…

A Problem-Solving Model for Literacy Coaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toll, Cathy A.

2017-01-01

Literacy coaches are more effective when they have a clear plan for their collaborations with teachers. This article provides details of such a plan, which involves identifying a problem, understanding the problem, deciding what to do differently, and trying something different. For each phase of the problem-solving model, there are key tasks for…

Teaching Writing in Response to Text to Students with Developmental Disabilities Who Participate in Alternate Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Angel; Browder, Diane M.; Hawley, Katherine; Flowers, Claudia; Wakeman, Shawnee

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effects of task analytic instruction, systematic prompting and graphic organizers on two students' ability to compose informational text. Participants were provided with information articles from which they identified the key ideas and supporting details. Participants transferred this information to a graphic organizer…

Attracting and Retaining Teachers: A Question of Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Karin; Alliata, Roberta; Benninghoff, Fabienne

2009-01-01

Attracting and retaining competent teachers is a key concern when it comes to managing the supply and demand for teachers. This article examines the motivation that prompts people to enter or leave the teaching profession with the aim of identifying a decision framework for defining teacher policies. The results are based on the teacher workforce…

The Development of Faith Leadership in Novice Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rieckhoff, Barbara Stacy

2014-01-01

This article describes the Catholic School Principal Support Program (CSPSP), a mentoring program for first and second-year Catholic school principals in a large urban diocese, and identifies key challenges, impacts and influences on decision-making. Ten school leaders describe their work and provide the lens by which they reflect on their role as…

Reconfiguring Urban Leadership: Taking a Perspective on Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley, Kathryn A.

2009-01-01

This article maps the key features of the community contexts in which a range of challenging urban schools are located, highlighting the community-related issues facing school leaders. Whilst recognising the growing demands on school leaders and the need to reconfigure leadership, the author also identifies steps which they can take to strengthen…

Academic Medicine and Medical Professionalism: A Legacy and a Portal Into An Evolving Field of Educational Scholarship.

PubMed

Hafferty, Frederic W

2017-09-05

In this Invited Commentary, the author examines two curated Academic Medicine volumes showcasing foundational research and key writings on professionalism in medicine and medical education, collectively spanning from 1994 to 2016. The author reviews the beginnings of the medical professionalism movement and examines how the trends and themes reflected in the first volume-specifically the work to define, assess, and institutionalize professionalism-capture key elements in this movement. He then examines how the trends and themes in the second volume align with and build on those from the first, noting two themes that extend across a number of second volume articles: a unit-of-analysis issue and the challenge of context. The author identifies several topics that have yet to be adequately mined and calls attention to two bridge-spanning articles in the second volume that, respectively, take us into the future (around the topic of identify formation) and back to the past (on the hidden curriculum). Finally, the author reflects on "directions home" in medicine's noble search for its moral core and collective identity.

In pursuit of goodness in bioethics: analysis of an exemplary article.

PubMed

Hofmann, Bjørn; Magelssen, Morten

2018-06-15

What is good bioethics? Addressing this question is key for reinforcing and developing the field. In particular, a discussion of potential quality criteria can heighten awareness and contribute to the quality of bioethics publications. Accordingly, the objective of this article is threefold: first, we want to identify a set of criteria for quality in bioethics. Second, we want to illustrate the added value of a novel method: in-depth analysis of a single article with the aim of deriving quality criteria. The third and ultimate goal is to stimulate a broad and vivid debate on goodness in bioethics. An initial literature search reveals a range of diverse quality criteria. In order to expand on the realm of such quality criteria, we perform an in-depth analysis of an article that is acclaimed for being exemplary. The analysis results in eleven specific quality criteria for good bioethics in three categories: argumentative, empirical, and dialectic. Although we do not claim that the identified criteria are universal or absolute, we argue that they are fruitful for fueling a continuous constitutive debate on what is "good bioethics." Identifying, debating, refining, and applying such criteria is an important part of defining and improving bioethics.

Posterior lamellar reconstruction: a comprehensive review of the literature.

PubMed

Fin, Alessandra; De Biasio, Fabrizio; Lanzetta, Paolo; Mura, Sebastiano; Tarantini, Anna; Parodi, Pier Camillo

2018-05-21

The aim of the review is to describe the different techniques and materials available to reconstruct the tarsoconjunctival layer of the eyelid; to analyze their indications, advantages, and disadvantages. We searched the Cochrane, PubMed, and Ovid MEDLINE databases for English articles published between January 1990 and January 2017 using variations of the following key words: "posterior lamella," "eyelid reconstruction," "tarsoconjunctival," "flap," and "graft." Two reviewers checked the abstracts of the articles found to eliminate redundant or not relevant articles. The references of the identified articles were screened manually to include relevant works not found through the initial search. The search identified 174 articles. Only a few articles with a therapeutic level of evidence were found. Techniques for the posterior lamellar reconstruction can be categorized as local, regional, and distant flaps; tarsoconjunctival, heterotopic, homologous, and heterologous grafts. Several techniques and variations on the techniques exist to reconstruct the posterior lamella, and, for similar indications, there's no evidence of the primacy of one over the other. Defect size and location as well as patient features must guide the oculoplastic surgeon's choice. The use of biomaterials can avoid possible complications of the donor site.

A practical review of the muscles of facial mimicry with special emphasis on the superficial musculoaponeurotic system.

PubMed

Hutto, Justin R; Vattoth, Surjith

2015-01-01

In this article, we elaborate a practical approach to superficial facial anatomy enabling easy identification of the facial mimic muscles by classifying them according to their shared common insertion sites. The facial mimic muscles are often difficult to identify on imaging. By tracing them from their common group insertion sites back to their individual origins as well as understanding key anatomic relationships, radiologists can more accurately identify these muscles.

Assessment of Technical Skills Competence in the Operating Room: A Systematic and Scoping Review.

PubMed

Fahim, Christine; Wagner, Natalie; Nousiainen, Markku T; Sonnadara, Ranil

2018-05-01

While academic accreditation bodies continue to promote competency-based medical education (CBME), the feasibility of conducting regular CBME assessments remains challenging. The purpose of this study was to identify evidence pertaining to the practical application of assessments that aim to measure technical competence for surgical trainees in a nonsimulated, operative setting. In August 2016, the authors systematically searched Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for English-language, peer-reviewed articles published in or after 1996. The title, abstract, and full text of identified articles were screened. Data regarding study characteristics, psychometric and measurement properties, implementation of assessment, competency definitions, and faculty training were extracted. The findings from the systematic review were supplemented by a scoping review to identify key strategies related to faculty uptake and implementation of CBME assessments. A total of 32 studies were included. The majority of studies reported reasonable scores of interrater reliability and internal consistency. Seven articles identified minimum scores required to establish competence. Twenty-five articles mentioned faculty training. Many of the faculty training interventions focused on timely completion of assessments or scale calibration. There are a number of diverse tools used to assess competence for intraoperative technical skills and a lack of consensus regarding the definition of technical competence within and across surgical specialties. Further work is required to identify when and how often trainees should be assessed and to identify strategies to train faculty to ensure timely and accurate assessment.

Online peer support interventions for chronic conditions: a scoping review protocol.

PubMed

Munce, Sarah Elizabeth Patricia; Shepherd, John; Perrier, Laure; Allin, Sonya; Sweet, Shane N; Tomasone, Jennifer R; Nelson, Michelle L A; Guilcher, Sara J T; Hossain, Saima; Jaglal, Susan

2017-09-24

Peer support is receiving increasing attention as both an effective and cost-effective intervention method to support the self-management of chronic health conditions. Given that an increasing proportion of Canadians have internet access and the increasing implementation of web-based interventions, online peer support interventions are a promising option to address the burden of chronic diseases. Thus, the specific research question of this scoping review is the following: What is known from the existing literature about the key characteristics of online peer support interventions for adults with chronic conditions? METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will use the methodological frameworks used by Arksey and O'Malley as well as Levac and colleagues for the current scoping review. To be eligible for inclusion, studies must report on adults (≥18 years of age) with one of the Public Health Agency of Canada chronic conditions or HIV/AIDS. We will limit our review to peer support interventions delivered through online formats. All study designs will be included. Only studies published from 2012 onwards will be included to ensure relevance to the current healthcare context and feasibility. Furthermore, only English language studies will be included. Studies will be identified by searching a variety of databases. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles and abstracts identified by the literature search for inclusion (ie, level 1 screening), the full text articles (ie, level 2 screening) and then perform data abstraction. Abstracted data will include study characteristics, participant population, key characteristics of the intervention and outcomes collected. This review will identify the key features of online peer support interventions and could assist in the future development of other online peer support programmes so that effective and sustainable programmes can be developed. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Media Reporting of Health Interventions in New Zealand: A Retrospective Analysis.

PubMed

Robinson, Christian; Cutfield, Nick; Mottershead, John; Sharples, Assoc Prof Katrina; Richards, Rosalina; Kingan, Jason; Ledgard, Celina; Liyanage, Anuja; McLean, Jennifer; Nahab, Fouad; Stewart, Fergus; Strachan, Samuel; Tucker, Kathryn; Zhang, Zhiyuan

2018-04-16

To evaluate New Zealand media articles on their coverage of key issues regarding health interventions and whether it is consistent with available evidence. A retrospective analysis was carried out of all articles published in five New Zealand media sources over a six-week period between 15 October and 26 November 2014. Articles were included if their primary focus was on health interventions involving medications, devices or in-hospital procedures. Articles were assessed for coverage of key issues using a previously validated ten-point criteria. A literature review was done to compare content with scientific evidence. We identified 30 articles for review. Only 4 out of 30 articles covered indications, benefits and risks, and of these 2 were consistent with available evidence (7%, 95% CI (1% to 22%). For articles that discussed at least one of indications, benefits or risks, and there was corresponding evidence available, there was a high level of consistency with the evidence (89%, 95% CI (77% to 95%)). The overall mean value of coverage from the ten point criteria was 51% (95% CI 45% to 58%)). Single questions regarding the potential harm, costs associated with the intervention and the availability of alternative options were particularly poorly covered. They were rated as "satisfactory" in 13%, 23% and 33% of the 30 articles respectively. New Zealand news articles covering medical treatments and interventions are largely consistent with available evidence but are incomplete. Vital information is being consistently missed, especially around the potential harms and costs of medical interventions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

An Integrated Methodology to Assess Compliance with Delphi Survey Key Components of Yoga Interventions for Musculoskeletal Conditions as Applied in a Systematic Review of Fibromyalgia Studies.

PubMed

Fischer-White, Tamara G; Anderson, Joel G; Taylor, Ann Gill

2016-01-01

The objective of this article was to present a methodology incorporating existing guidelines and tools for systematic reviews and to evaluate the Delphi survey 33 key component recommendations of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions as a tool for a systematic review in fibromyalgia studies. Databases searched included PubMed, Ovid Medline, PsychINFO, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ALT HealthWatch, PEDro, and Web of Science. Selected were articles published between November 14, 2004 and November 13, 2014, written in English, reporting original research of yoga interventions for adults with fibromyalgia. Six articles met the inclusion criteria, revealing that three yoga styles ("Relaxing" yoga, Yoga of Awareness, and Hatha yoga) have been assessed in persons with fibromyalgia. Overall, reporting compliance with the 33 key components ranged from 39.4% to 84.8%, with a mean adherence rate of 62.63% ± 17.74. None of the authors used an accepted reporting guideline; specific components of asana, pranayama, relaxation, and mindfulness practices that would have been incorporated into the interventions tested were identified in only 33.33% of the articles reviewed; and none of the articles included detailed, replicable descriptions of the interventions. This systematic review supports the need for comprehensive yoga research guidelines. Findings reveal a lack of reporting of intervention details, the need to report a disease-specific rationale for selection of the particular yoga style used for the intervention, and that a limited number of yoga styles have been investigated in persons with fibromyalgia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interprofessional teamwork and team interventions in chronic care: A systematic review.

PubMed

Körner, Mirjam; Bütof, Sarah; Müller, Christian; Zimmermann, Linda; Becker, Sonja; Bengel, Jürgen

2016-01-01

To identify key features of teamwork and interventions for enhancing interprofessional teamwork (IPT) in chronic care and to develop a framework for further research, we conducted a systematic literature review of IPT in chronic care for the years 2002-2014. Database searches yielded 3217 abstracts, 21 of which fulfilled inclusion criteria. We identified two more studies on the topic by scanning the reference lists of included articles, which resulted in a final total of 23 included studies. The key features identified in the articles (e.g., team member characteristics, common task, communication, cooperation, coordination, responsibility, participation, staff satisfaction, patient satisfaction, and efficiency) were structured in line with the input-process-output model, and evaluated interventions, such as tools, workshops, and changes in team structure, were added to the model. The most frequently evaluated team interventions were complex intervention programs. All but one of the 14 evaluation studies resulted in enhancement of teamwork and/or staff-related, patient-related, and organization-related outcome criteria. To date, there is no consensus about the main features of IPT and the most effective team interventions in chronic care. However, the findings may be used to standardize the implementation and evaluation of IPT and team interventions in practice and for further research.

E-referral Solutions: Successful Experiences, Key Features and Challenges- a Systematic Review.

PubMed

Naseriasl, Mansour; Adham, Davoud; Janati, Ali

2015-06-01

around the world health systems constantly face increasing pressures which arise from many factors, such as an ageing population, patients and providers demands for equipment's and services. In order to respond these challenges and reduction of health system's transactional costs, referral solutions are considered as a key factor. This study was carried out to identify referral solutions that have had successes. relevant studies identified using keywords of referrals, consultation, referral system, referral model, referral project, electronic referral, electronic booking, health system, healthcare, health service and medical care. These searches were conducted using PubMed, ProQuest, Google Scholar, Scopus, Emerald, Web of Knowledge, Springer, Science direct, Mosby's index, SID, Medlib and Iran Doc data bases. 4306 initial articles were obtained and refined step by step. Finally, 27 articles met the inclusion criteria. we identified seventeen e-referral systems developed in UK, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, Scotland, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and U.S. Implemented solutions had variant degrees of successes such as improved access to specialist care, reduced wait times, timeliness and quality of referral communication, accurate health information transfer and integration of health centers and services. each one of referral solutions has both positive and changeable aspects that should be addressed according to sociotechnical conditions. These solutions are mainly formed in a small and localized manner.

Setting Foundations for Developing Disaster Response Metrics.

PubMed

Abir, Mahshid; Bell, Sue Anne; Puppala, Neha; Awad, Osama; Moore, Melinda

2017-08-01

There are few reported efforts to define universal disaster response performance measures. Careful examination of responses to past disasters can inform the development of such measures. As a first step toward this goal, we conducted a literature review to identify key factors in responses to 3 recent events with significant loss of human life and economic impact: the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake; the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami; and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Using the PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD) database, we identified 710 articles and retained 124 after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Seventy-two articles pertained to the Haiti earthquake, 38 to the Indian Ocean tsunami, and 14 to the Bam earthquake. On the basis of this review, we developed an organizational framework for disaster response performance measurement with 5 key disaster response categories: (1) personnel, (2) supplies and equipment, (3) transportation, (4) timeliness and efficiency, and (5) interagency cooperation. Under each of these, and again informed by the literature, we identified subcategories and specific items that could be developed into standardized performance measures. The validity and comprehensiveness of these measures can be tested by applying them to other recent and future disaster responses, after which standardized performance measures can be developed through a consensus process. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:505-509).

Perspectives of Patients, Caregivers and Researchers on Research Priorities in Donation and Transplantation in Canada: A Pilot Workshop.

PubMed

Allard, Julie; Durand, Céline; Anthony, Samantha J; Dumez, Vincent; Hartell, David; Hébert, Marie-Josée; West, Lori J; Wright, Linda; Fortin, Marie-Chantal

2017-02-01

It is vitally important to seek input from key stakeholders to increase the quality and relevance of health-related research and accelerate its adoption into practice. Patients and caregivers have rarely been involved in setting research priorities in the transplantation and donation field. The objectives of this explorative study are: (i) to discuss research priorities within the Canadian National Transplant Research Program during a priority-setting exercise with patients, caregivers, organ donors and researchers and (ii) to compare the identified priorities with research published in 2 prestigious transplantation journals. A pilot workshop attended by 10 patients and caregivers and 5 researchers was held in Montréal (Quebec, Canada) in August 2014 to identify research priorities. Priorities were identified using a thematic analysis of the workshop transcription conducted by multiple coders. These priorities were compared with the topics of research articles published in 2 major transplantation journals between 2012 and 2014. The themes of the 10 research priorities identified by study participants were related to different research domains: social, cultural, and environmental health factors (4); biomedical or clinical (4); and research about health systems and services (2). 26.7% of the research articles published were related to the identified priorities. Thirteen percent looked at ways to improve graft survival and 8.5% looked at the development of tolerance, 2 priorities identified by participants. Fewer than 5% examined the other 8 research priorities identified as important by workshop participants. This is the first study reporting patients' and researchers' priorities in the field of transplantation and donation in Canada. There is a discrepancy between topics that key stakeholders find important and research published in 2 major transplantation journals. The research priorities identified during our initial workshop will be validated through a national survey and workshop.

Curated Collection for Educators: Five Key Papers about the Flipped Classroom Methodology

PubMed Central

Boysen-Osborn, Megan; Cooney, Robert; Mitzman, Jennifer; Misra, Asit; Williams, Jennifer; Dulani, Tina; Gottlieb, Michael

2017-01-01

The flipped classroom (FC) pedagogy is becoming increasingly popular in medical education due to its appeal to the millennial learner and potential benefits in knowledge acquisition. Despite its popularity and effectiveness, the FC educational method is not without challenges. In this article, we identify and summarize several key papers relevant to medical educators interested in exploring the FC teaching methodology. The authors identified an extensive list of papers relevant to FC pedagogy via online discussions within the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Faculty Incubator. This list was augmented by an open call on Twitter (utilizing the #meded, #FOAMed, and #flippedclassroom hashtags) yielding a list of 33 papers. We then conducted a three-round modified Delphi process within the authorship group, which included both junior and senior clinician educators, to identify the most impactful papers for educators interested in FC pedagogy. The three-round modified Delphi process ranked all of the selected papers and selected the five most highly-rated papers for inclusion. The authorship group reviewed and summarized these papers with specific consideration given to their value to junior faculty educators and faculty developers interested in the flipped classroom approach. The list of papers featured in this article serves as a key reading list for junior clinician educators and faculty developers interested in the flipped classroom technique. The associated commentaries contextualize the importance of these papers for medical educators aiming to optimize their understanding and implementation of the flipped classroom methodology in their teaching and through faculty development. PMID:29282445

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

Sleep health education in pediatric community settings: rationale and practical suggestions for incorporating healthy sleep education into pediatric practice.

PubMed

Gruber, Reut; Cassoff, Jamie; Knäuper, Bärbel

2011-06-01

This article offers practical ways to incorporate healthy sleep education into pediatric practice and discusses key questions, barriers, and strategies associated with such efforts. The rationale for incorporating healthy sleep education in pediatric practice settings is presented, and desirable features of sleep education programs that may be implemented in pediatric practice are identified. Potential barriers are reviewed and strategies offered to overcome these barriers, such as developing resources applicable to healthy sleep education and practical information for pediatricians. Key factors regarding effectiveness of such interventional programs and key points relevant to successful healthy sleep education in pediatric practice are highlighted. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Intentions and knowledge shaping local safety policy: A comparison of two Swedish cities.

PubMed

Hanberger, Anders; Lundström, Ulf; Mårald, Gunilla

2015-12-01

This article explores how intentions and knowledge shape two Swedish cities' local safety policy (LSP). The applied framework is derived from the integration of governance and implementation research and the theory of knowledge and its use. The study shows that LSPs are shaped by a mix of intentions and different kinds of knowledge, and intentions and knowledge interplay and intertwine in many ways. Key-persons construct LSPs when they work out solutions to urgent safety problems and take departure in the local context, its pre-conditions, and their experience-based and professional knowledge. The state governs LSP softly through management by objectives in the background, but more often key-actor intentions and commitments, local safety problems, and events initiated and influenced LSPs. The article contributes to a better understanding of conditions for LSPs in multi-level governance. The article can be used to improve governance, identify implementation problems and knowledge needs that will improve LSPs and the overall safety situation in the community. The study has implications for how LSPs should be evaluated; many different evaluation criteria can be appropriate, such as relevance, legitimacy, achievement of key actors' objectives, sustainability of policy solutions, and creation of a local safety culture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Shaping the professional landscape through research, advocacy and education - an Australian perspective.

PubMed

Siemensma, Gemma; Ritchie, Ann; Lewis, Suzanne

2017-06-01

This article is the first in a new series in this regular feature. The intention of the series is to look at important global developments in health science libraries. Librarians will be invited to share with HILJ readers key initiatives in their country or region. These articles should serve as a road map, describing the key changes in the field and exploring factors driving these changes. We initiate this series with an article by three Australian librarians who use research findings to depict the evolving professional landscape in their country. The starting point of their analysis is a report completed in 2011 which looked into likely future workforce and education requirements for health library professionals. The authors trace the achievements since then, most notably in the areas of research, advocacy and education. Clearly, a great deal has been achieved leading to a greater return on investment. The authors maintain that the key to shaping the profession and enhancing the status of librarians is ongoing professional development. To this end, Australia is promoting a systematic, competency based health specialist certification. Finally, they identify trends impacting on health librarianship, such as the growing importance of research data management and consumer health literacy. JM. © 2017 Health Libraries Group.

Patient involvement in diagnosing cancer in primary care: a systematic review of current interventions.

PubMed

Heyhoe, Jane; Reynolds, Caroline; Dunning, Alice; Johnson, Olivia; Howat, Alex; Lawton, Rebecca

2018-03-01

Patients can play a role in achieving an earlier diagnosis of cancer by monitoring and re-appraising symptoms after initially presenting to primary care. It is not clear what interventions exist, or what the components of an intervention to engage patients at this diagnostic stage are. The review had two aims: 1) to identify interventions that involve patients, and 2) to establish key components for engaging patients in the diagnosis of cancer in primary care at the post-presentation stage. Empirical studies and non-empirical articles were identified searching Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase databases, relevant journals, and available key author publication lists. Abstracts and titles were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Qualitative synthesis of empirical research and current opinion from across all articles was used to select, organise, and interpret findings. No interventions were found. Sixteen articles provided suggestions for potential interventions and components important at the post-presentation stage. Factors contributing to patients not always being engaged in assisting with diagnosis, strategies to foster patient involvement, and moderators and benefits to patients and health services (proximal and distal outcomes) were captured in a logic model. There is an absence of interventions involving patients during the post-presentation stage of the diagnostic process. Limited literature was drawn upon to identify potential barriers and facilitators for engaging patients at this diagnostic stage, and to establish possible mechanisms of change and measurable outcomes. Findings can direct future research and the development of interventions. © British Journal of General Practice 2018.

Building Productive Relationships with Young People with SEBD in Transition: The Role of Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Riordan, Zoe

2015-01-01

This article reports a study of the experiences of school leavers with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD), which identified supportive relationships as key elements in young people demonstrating resilience through this transitional period. Almost all the young people involved in the study had access to potential helpers, but few…

Measuring Conditions and Consequences of Tracking in the High School Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archbald, Doug; Keleher, Julia

2008-01-01

Despite a decade of advocacy and advances in technology, data driven decision making remains an elusive vision for most high schools. This article identifies key data systems design needs and presents methods for monitoring, managing, and improving programs. Because of its continuing salience, we focus on the issue of tracking (ability grouping).…

Benchmarking can add up for healthcare accounting.

PubMed

Czarnecki, M T

1994-09-01

In 1993, a healthcare accounting and finance benchmarking survey of hospital and nonhospital organizations gathered statistics about key common performance areas. A low response did not allow for statistically significant findings, but the survey identified performance measures that can be used in healthcare financial management settings. This article explains the benchmarking process and examines some of the 1993 study's findings.

School Evaluation and Consultancy in Italy. Sliding Doors towards Privatisation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serpieri, Roberto; Grimaldi, Emiliano; Vatrella, Sandra

2015-01-01

This article focuses on the increasing centrality assumed by non-educational consultants in the processes of policy design and knowledge production about education in Italy. We identify the recent establishment of the National School Evaluation System as a key policy trajectory and we focus on the case of the last policies to evaluate Italian…

Civil Behavior, Safe-School Planning, and Dress Codes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Studak, Cathryn M.; Workman, Jane E.

2007-01-01

This research examined news reports in order to identify incidents that precipitated dress code revisions. News reports were examined within the framework of rules for civil behavior. Using key words "school dress codes" and "violence," LEXIS/NEXIS was used to access 104 articles from 44 U.S. newspapers from December 3, 2004 to December 2, 2005.…

Media Scrutiny of Higher Education: An Ongoing Challenge and Long-Term Trend

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peyronel, Anthony C.

2004-01-01

Increasing skepticism was identified as a key trend in a recent American Journalism Review assessment of media coverage of higher education. However, this trend is hardly new, as American colleges and universities have been subjected to intense media scrutiny for at least the last two decades. This article examines the frequently adversarial…

Peace Education, Militarism and Neo-Liberalism: Conceptual Reflections with Empirical Findings from the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behr, Hartmut; Megoran, Nick; Carnaffan, Jane

2018-01-01

This article explores 'peace days' in English schools as a form of peace education. From a historical overview of academic discussions on peace education in the US and Great Britain since the First World War, we identify three key factors important for peace education: the "political" context, the "place" in which peace days…

Institutional Boundaries and Common-Pool Resource Management: A Comparative Analysis of Water Management Programs in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heikkila, Tanya

2004-01-01

Policymakers and academics often identify institutional boundaries as one of the factors that shape the capacity of jurisdictions to manage natural resources such as water, forests, and scenic lands. This article examines two key bodies of literature--common-pool resource management theory and local public economy theory--to explain how the…

Formative Interventions in Leadership Development in Early Childhood Education: The Potential of Double Stimulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuttall, Joce; Thomas, Louise; Henderson, Linda

2018-01-01

This article critiques the usefulness of double stimulation, a key concept in Vygotskian analyses of human development, with leaders in early childhood services in Australia. A series of formative interventions was conducted to identify and address systemic tensions that were confounding leaders' attempts to realise a central object of activity in…

Validity of Assessment and Recognition of Non-Formal and Informal Learning Achievements in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaminskiene, Lina; Stasiunaitiene, Egle

2013-01-01

The article identifies the validity of assessment of non-formal and informal learning achievements (NILA) as one of the key factors for encouraging further development of the process of assessing and recognising non-formal and informal learning achievements in higher education. The authors analyse why the recognition of non-formal and informal…

Focus Groups in Qualitative Research: Culturally Sensitive Methodology for the Arabian Gulf?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Andrew

2008-01-01

This article explores whether focus groups can constitute a culturally sensitive method of data gathering for educational leadership, management and related areas in a Gulf-Arab cultural context. Reviewing the literature on focus groups and cross-cultural psychology for the Arab region, it identifies key notions related to societal values such as…

Students' Reflections on the Relationships between Safe Learning Environments, Learning Challenge and Positive Experiences of Learning in a Simulated GP Clinic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, J. E.; Williamson, M. I.; Egan, T. G.

2016-01-01

Learning environments are a significant determinant of student behaviour, achievement and satisfaction. In this article we use students' reflective essays to identify key features of the learning environment that contributed to positive and transformative learning experiences. We explore the relationships between these features, the students'…

Going for the Gold: Identifying Academic-Quality Internet Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Axford, Mary; Renfro, Crystal

2008-01-01

The purpose of this article is to review some of the key directories of Internet resources, with a special focus on those that announce new academic-quality resources. Significant facets of the directories that will be incorporated in the discussion include scope of coverage, update frequency, identification of any e-mail alerts or RSS feeds…

The CLEAR[TM] Problem-Solving Model: Discovering Strengths and Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koehler, Nancy; Seger, Vikki

2011-01-01

This article introduces a unique team approach to planning and positive behavior support. The young person becomes a key participant in solving problems and setting goals for growth. The CLEAR Team Problem Solving model shifts the focus from deficits to strengths and solutions. The goal is to identify how a child's private logic and interpersonal…

Can Creativity Be Assessed? Towards an Evidence-Informed Framework for Assessing and Planning Progress in Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blamires, Mike; Peterson, Andrew

2014-01-01

This article considers the role of constructions of creativity in the classroom and their consequences for learning and, in particular, for the assessment of creativity. Definitions of creativity are examined to identify key implications for supporting the development of children's creativity within the classroom. The implications of assessing…

Every Day We're Shufflin': Empowering Students during In-School Independent Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Katrina W.; Hedrick, Wanda B.; Williams, Lunetta M.

2014-01-01

Research in the field of literacy has identified choice as a key component affecting students' reading habits and their resulting literacy growth. This article discusses an in-school independent reading project in which students are provided the freedom to choose books, use ambient music, and engage in book talks. The children showed increased…

Disrupting Communities of Practice? How "Reluctant" Practitioners View Early Years Workforce Reform in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payler, Jane K.; Locke, Rachel

2013-01-01

This article reports on the views of early years practitioners in England from settings that were identified as "reluctant to engage" with one of the government's key policies, the introduction of Early Years Professional Status (EYPS), to drive forwards workforce reform. Focus groups, interviews and a survey were undertaken in 2009 with…

Action Research as an Approach to Integrating Sustainability into MBA Programs: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benn, Suzanne; Dunphy, Dexter

2009-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory project that employed an action research approach to integrating sustainability into core subjects in the MBA program at an Australian university. It documents the change methodology used, the theoretical basis for this choice, and the project outcomes. It then identifies some key enabling factors and…

Mendel in the Modern Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mike U.; Gericke, Niklas M.

2015-01-01

Mendel is an icon in the history of genetics and part of our common culture and modern biology instruction. The aim of this paper is to summarize the place of Mendel in the modern biology classroom. In the present article we will identify key issues that make Mendel relevant in the classroom today. First, we recount some of the historical…

Reverberating Echoes: Challenging Teacher Candidates to Tell and Learn from Entwined Narrations of Canadian History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Den Heyer, Kent; Abbott, Laurence

2011-01-01

A key challenge confronting teacher educators is to help their students identify perspectives that depart from dominant historical narratives of a nation-state's development so as to potentially derive alternative meanings of shared pasts from marginalized perspectives. In this article, we examine the nature of this challenge both as a theoretical…

Evaluating Potential Bias in Media Coverage of the Public Debate over Acid Rain and Chlorofluorocarbons in the 1980s

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Tiffany Dawn; Moore, Rebecca; Markewitz, Daniel

2012-01-01

This study evaluates media coverage of two important environmental issues from the 1980s (acid rain and chlorofluorocarbons), providing historical context for current media coverage analysis. Focusing on popular magazine articles, this study identifies key characteristics of content and presentation. Content-related characteristics are inclusion…

Key Factors in Planning a Sustainable Energy Future Including Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedstrom, Lars; Saxe, Maria; Folkesson, Anders; Wallmark, Cecilia; Haraldsson, Kristina; Bryngelsson, Marten; Alvfors, Per

2006-01-01

In this article, a number of future energy visions, especially those basing the energy systems on hydrogen, are discussed. Some often missing comparisons between alternatives, from a sustainability perspective, are identified and then performed for energy storage, energy transportation, and energy use in vehicles. It is shown that it is important…

Dancing with the Web: Students Bring Meaning to the Semantic Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Pauline

2012-01-01

This article will discuss the issues concerning the storage, retrieval and use of multimedia technology in dance, and how semantic web technologies can support those requirements. It will identify the key aims and outcomes of four international telematic dance projects, and review the use of reflective practice to engage students in their learning…

The Challenges of Planning Individualized Programmes for Gifted Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senicar, Maruška Željeznov

2016-01-01

Individualized programmes for gifted students are one of the ways in which curricula can be adapted to take account of the identified educational needs of gifted students. Planning is a key phase in ensuring that these programmes are carried out in a high-quality manner. This article explores the challenges faced in the planning of individualized…

Parental Practices and Developmental Challenges of Boys of Color: Opportunities for Early Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbarin, Oscar A.

2015-01-01

The "My Brother's Keeper" Initiative (Obama, 2014) has helped to attract public attention to the vulnerabilities faced by many boys of color (BOC). In this article, I review what is known about the developmental status of BOC, identify key family practices that are critical to their development, and consider the implications of both for…

Critical Analysis to Framework Quality to HR Plan in Bankstown Hospital by SWOT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khudeir, Hamzeh; Khudeir, DUA'A

2017-01-01

This article has recognised the need for fundamental improvements in the HRM department of the Bankstown Hospital. Through the critical analysis and evaluation of internal systems and processes we were able to identify a number of issues as areas where improvement must be facilitated, each with varying degrees of seriousness. The key problem areas…

Image and emotion: from outcomes to brain behavior.

PubMed

Nanda, Upali; Zhu, Xi; Jansen, Ben H

2012-01-01

A systematic review of neuroscience articles on the emotional states of fear, anxiety, and pain to understand how emotional response is linked to the visual characteristics of an image at the level of brain behavior. A number of outcome studies link exposure to visual images (with nature content) to improvements in stress, anxiety, and pain perception. However, an understanding of the underlying perceptual mechanisms has been lacking. In this article, neuroscience studies that use visual images to induce fear, anxiety, or pain are reviewed to gain an understanding of how the brain processes visual images in this context and to explore whether this processing can be linked to specific visual characteristics. The amygdala was identified as one of the key regions of the brain involved in the processing of fear, anxiety, and pain (induced by visual images). Other key areas included the thalamus, insula, and hippocampus. Characteristics of visual images such as the emotional dimension (valence/arousal), subject matter (familiarity, ambiguity, novelty, realism, and facial expressions), and form (sharp and curved contours) were identified as key factors influencing emotional processing. The broad structural properties of an image and overall content were found to have a more pivotal role in the emotional response than the specific details of an image. Insights on specific visual properties were translated to recommendations for what should be incorporated-and avoided-in healthcare environments.

Factors influencing seasonal influenza vaccination behaviour among elderly people: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kan, T; Zhang, J

2018-03-01

To explore the behaviour-related factors influencing influenza vaccination among elderly people using a framework derived from the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). Systematic review. Five databases were searched using predetermined strategies in March 2016, and 1927 citations were identified. Articles were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Key information was extracted from selected studies using a predesigned sheet. Both authors assessed study quality using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) or Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. Thirty-six articles were selected. A new framework was proposed that contributes to shared understanding of factors influencing health behaviour. Possible determinants of influenza vaccination among elderly people were knowledge, health promotion factors, all constructs of the HBM, and some concepts of the TRA. Key factors were threat perception, behavioural beliefs, subjective norms, recommendations, past behaviour and perceived barriers. This is the first systematic review to analyse the factors influencing influenza vaccination behaviour of elderly people using a framework integrating the HBM and the TRA. The framework identified key factors of influenza vaccination and presented the inter-relation of behaviour-related variables. However, further well-designed studies are required to explore the inter-relationships accurately and comprehensively. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical activity intervention in primary care and rheumatology for the management of knee osteoarthritis: A review.

PubMed

Waugh, Esther; King, Lauren; Gakhal, Natasha; Hawker, Gillian; Webster, Fiona; White, Daniel

2018-06-19

Physical activity (PA) is recommended by osteoarthritis (OA) international organizations as an essential component of first-line management of knee OA. Primary care physicians (PCP) and rheumatologists can play a key role in promoting PA but the extent that PA recommendation is occurring in primary and rheumatology care is unclear. This review provides an overview of current practice of PCP- and rheumatology-delivered PA intervention in the United States, Canada and Europe for the management of knee OA and explores barriers to implementing PA intervention in primary and rheumatology care. A search of MEDLINE from 2000-April 2017 was conducted, 848 abstracts were identified from which 22 relevant articles were selected for this review. Overall, recommendation of PA is suboptimal - the majority of studies reported that < 50% of PCPs and rheumatologists make this recommendation to people with knee OA. Key barriers identified were time constraints, lack of patient motivation, PA-specific resources and financial reimbursement, concerns about inadequate training and knowledge for detailed exercise prescription and beliefs about the efficacy of exercise in the management of OA and their role in providing PA intervention. There is a sparsity of data about rheumatology practice and barriers to PA intervention among this group. In summary, this review suggests that there is a notable gap between what clinical guidelines recommend and what is happening in clinical practice. Addressing this practice gap through addressing key barriers provides an opportunity for improving OA care and ultimately, the health and quality of life of people with OA. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Social networking sites and older users - a systematic review.

PubMed

Nef, Tobias; Ganea, Raluca L; Müri, René M; Mosimann, Urs P

2013-07-01

Social networking sites can be beneficial for senior citizens to promote social participation and to enhance intergenerational communication. Particularly for older adults with impaired mobility, social networking sites can help them to connect with family members and other active social networking users. The aim of this systematic review is to give an overview of existing scientific literature on social networking in older users. Computerized databases were searched and 105 articles were identified and screened using exclusion criteria. After exclusion of 87 articles, 18 articles were included, reviewed, classified, and the key findings were extracted. Common findings are identified and critically discussed and possible future research directions are outlined. The main benefit of using social networking sites for older adults is to enter in an intergenerational communication with younger family members (children and grandchildren) that is appreciated by both sides. Identified barriers are privacy concerns, technical difficulties and the fact that current Web design does not take the needs of older users into account. Under the conditions that these problems are carefully addressed, social networking sites have the potential to support today's and tomorrow's communication between older and younger family members.

Defining food literacy: A scoping review.

PubMed

Truman, Emily; Lane, Daniel; Elliott, Charlene

2017-09-01

The term "food literacy" describes the idea of proficiency in food related skills and knowledge. This prevalent term is broadly applied, although its core elements vary from initiative to initiative. In light of its ubiquitous use-but varying definitions-this article establishes the scope of food literacy research by identifying all articles that define 'food literacy', analysing its key conceptualizations, and reporting outcomes/measures of this concept. A scoping review was conducted to identify all articles (academic and grey literature) using the term "food literacy". Databases included Medline, Pubmed, Embase, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Scopus, JSTOR, and Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Of 1049 abstracts, 67 studies were included. From these, data was extracted on country of origin, study type (methodological approach), primary target population, and the primary outcomes relating to food literacy. The majority of definitions of food literacy emphasize the acquisition of critical knowledge (information and understanding) (55%) over functional knowledge (skills, abilities and choices) (8%), although some incorporate both (37%). Thematic analysis of 38 novel definitions of food literacy reveals the prevalence of six themes: skills and behaviours, food/health choices, culture, knowledge, emotions, and food systems. Study outcomes largely focus on knowledge generating measures, with very few focusing on health related outcome measures. Current definitions of food literacy incorporate components of six key themes or domains and attributes of both critical and functional knowledge. Despite this broad definition of the term, most studies aiming to improve food literacy focus on knowledge related outcomes. Few articles address health outcomes, leaving an important gap (and opportunity) for future research in this field. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Highest-Impact Combat Orthopedic and Extremity Injury Articles in the Past 70 Years: A Citation Analysis.

PubMed

Nam, Jason; Do, Woo S; Stinner, Daniel J; Wenke, Joseph C; Orman, Jean A; Kragh, John F

The objective of this study was to identify the most-cited peer-reviewed combat orthopedic and extremity injury articles published during the past 70 years. Orthopedic trauma presents ongoing challenges to both US civilian and military healthcare personnel. Improvements in combat trauma and extremity injury survival and quality of life are the result of advances in orthopedic trauma research. The Web of Science (including Science Citation Index) was searched for the most cited articles related to combat orthopedic trauma, published from 1940 to 2013. The most-cited article was by Owens et al. (Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma, 2007; 137 citations). Between the 1990s and 2000s, there was a 256% increase in the number of highly cited publications. A total of 69% of the articles were on the topics of comorbid vascular trauma (25%), epidemiology (23%), or orthopedic trauma (21%). This study identifies some of the most important contributions to combat orthopedic trauma and research and the areas of greatest scientific interest to the specialty during the past seven decades and highlights key research that has contributed to the evolution of modern combat orthopedic traumatology. 2017.

Definitions for warning signs and signs of severe dengue according to the WHO 2009 classification: Systematic review of literature.

PubMed

Morra, Mostafa Ebraheem; Altibi, Ahmed M A; Iqtadar, Somia; Minh, Le Huu Nhat; Elawady, Sameh Samir; Hallab, Asma; Elshafay, Abdelrahman; Omer, Omer Abedlbagi; Iraqi, Ahmed; Adhikari, Purushottam; Labib, Jonair Hussein; Elhusseiny, Khaled Mosaad; Elgebaly, Ahmed; Yacoub, Sophie; Huong, Le Thi Minh; Hirayama, Kenji; Huy, Nguyen Tien

2018-04-24

Since warning signs and signs of severe dengue are defined differently between studies, we conducted a systematic review on how researchers defined these signs. We conducted an electronic search in Scopus to identify relevant articles, using key words including dengue, "warning signs," "severe dengue," and "classification." A total of 491 articles were identified through this search strategy and were subsequently screened by 2 independent reviewers for definitions of any of the warning or severe signs in the 2009 WHO dengue classification. We included all original articles published in English after 2009, classifying dengue by the 2009 WHO classification or providing the additional definition or criterion of warning signs and severity (besides the information of 2009 WHO). Analysis of the extracted data from 44 articles showed wide variations among definitions and cutoff values used by physicians to classify patients diagnosed with dengue infection. The establishment of clear definitions for warning signs and severity is essential to prevent unnecessary hospitalization and harmonizing the interpretation and comparability of epidemiological studies dedicated to dengue infection. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The status of membrane bioreactor technology.

PubMed

Judd, Simon

2008-02-01

In this article, the current status of membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology for wastewater treatment is reviewed. Fundamental facets of the MBR process and membrane and process configurations are outlined and the advantages and disadvantages over conventional suspended growth-based biotreatment are briefly identified. Key process design and operating parameters are defined and their significance explained. The inter-relationships between these parameters are identified and their implications discussed, with particular reference to impacts on membrane surface fouling and channel clogging. In addition, current understanding of membrane surface fouling and identification of candidate foulants is appraised. Although much interest in this technology exists and its penetration of the market will probably increase significantly, there remains a lack of understanding of key process constraints such as membrane channel clogging, and of the science of membrane cleaning.

Survey data on key climate and environmental drivers of farmers' migration in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

PubMed

Sanfo, Safiétou; Fonta, M William; Boubacar, Ibrahim; Lamers, P A John

2016-12-01

This article describes two datasets generated from various sources in south western Burkina Faso to identify the key climate and environmental drivers that cause farmers to migrate. The survey sampling is random but reasoned and rational. The first dataset from 367 farm households contains data on farmers' perception of climate change risks or hazards, their impacts on farmland productivity and farm households' risk management strategies. The second dataset from 58 farm households contains data on agricultural practices, environmental changes, and environmental migration. Three supplemental Excel sheets show the results of the surveys. Details on the sample as well as further interpretation and discussion of the surveys are available in the associated research article ('Field Facts for Crop Insurance Design: Empirical Evidence from South Western Burkina Faso' (W. M. Fonta, S. Sanfo, B. Ibrahim, B. Barry, 2015) [1]).

Social media best practices in emergency management.

PubMed

Siskey, Ashley; Islam, Tanveer

2016-01-01

Social media platforms have become popular as means of communications in emergency management. Many people use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis including during disaster events. Emergency management agencies (EMAs) need to recognize the value of not only having a presence on social media but also actively engaging stakeholders and the public on these sites. However, identifying best practices for the use of social media in emergency management is still in its infancy. The objective of this article is to begin to create or further define best practices for emergency managers to use social media sites particularly Facebook and Twitter in four key areas: 1) implementation, 2) education, 3) collaboration, and 4) communication. A list of recommendations of best practices is formulated for each key area and results from a nationwide survey on the use of social media by county EMAs are discussed in this article.

Rethinking Sexual Citizenship

PubMed Central

Richardson, Diane

2016-01-01

Over the last two decades sexuality has emerged as a key theme in debates about citizenship, leading to the development of the concept of sexual citizenship. This article reviews this literature and identifies four main areas of critical framing: work that contests the significance of sexuality to citizenship; critiques that focus on the possibilities and limitations of mobilising the language of citizenship in sexual politics; analyses of sexual citizenship in relation to nationalisms and border making; and literature that critically examines western constructions of sexuality and sexual politics underpinning understandings of sexual citizenship. In order to progress the field theoretically, the article seeks to extend critiques of sexual citizenship focusing on two key aspects of its construction: the sexual citizen-subject and spaces of sexual citizenship. It argues for a critical rethink that encompasses a de-centring of a ‘western-centric’ focus in order to advance understandings of how sexual citizenship operates both in the Global North and South. PMID:28490816

Delivering proportionate governance in the era of eHealth

PubMed Central

Sethi, Nayha; Laurie, Graeme T.

2013-01-01

This article advances a principled proportionate governance model (PPGM) that overcomes key impediments to using health records for research. Despite increasing initiatives for maximising benefits of data linkage, significant challenges remain, including a culture of caution around data sharing and linkage, failure to make use of flexibilities within the law and failure to incorporate intelligent iterative design. The article identifies key issues for consideration and posits a flexible and accessible governance model that provides a robust and efficient means of paying due regard to both privacy and the public interests in research. We argue that proportionate governance based on clear guiding principles accurately gauges risks associated with data uses and assigns safeguards accordingly. This requires a clear articulation of roles and responsibilities at all levels of decision-making and effective training for researchers and data custodians. Accordingly, the PPGM encourages and supports defensible judgements about data linkage in the public interest. PMID:24634569

Ethics in Evaluating a Sociotechnical Intervention With Socially Isolated Older Adults.

PubMed

Waycott, Jenny; Morgans, Amee; Pedell, Sonja; Ozanne, Elizabeth; Vetere, Frank; Kulik, Lars; Davis, Hilary

2015-11-01

The purpose of this article is to consider how ethical principles can inform the effective design and implementation of technology-based interventions that aim to promote the well-being of socially isolated older adults. We evaluated a new iPad application with small groups of older adults. In this article, we reflect on the ethical issues encountered at each stage of the research process. Drawing on the ethical principles of beneficence, research merit and integrity, justice, and respect, we identify key issues to consider in the future design and implementation of social isolation interventions that use new technologies. Key issues include (a) providing sufficient support to facilitate ongoing social interactions, (b) managing older adults' expectations, (c) providing encouragement without coercion, and (d) responding to individual needs. We conclude that it is important to report on ethical challenges incurred when evaluating social isolation interventions to inform future research in this important area. © The Author(s) 2015.

The quality of mental disorder information websites: a review.

PubMed

Reavley, Nicola J; Jorm, Anthony F

2011-11-01

This paper reviews studies assessing the quality of websites providing information about mental disorders. The review included 31 articles identified by searching research databases in March 2010. Topics covered included affective disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance use disorders and schizophrenia/psychosis. The largest number of articles (13) reported studies assessing affective disorder information quality. Methodologies varied in site selection and rating methods, with some of limited validity. Most concluded that quality was poor, although quality of affective disorder sites may be improving. There is currently very little understanding of the influence of website quality on user behaviour. Future quality assessments might use the criteria informed by key behaviour change theories. A possible approach to research on websites and user behaviour might be to develop an evaluation framework incorporating strategies from behaviour change models, key mental health literacy elements and health outcomes relevant to mental health promotion. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infection prevention and control.

PubMed

Pegram, Anne; Bloomfield, Jacqueline

2015-03-18

All newly registered graduate nurses are required to have the appropriate knowledge and understanding to perform the skills required for patient care, specifically the competencies identified in the Nursing and Midwifery Council's essential skills clusters. This article focuses on the third essential skills cluster - infection prevention and control. It provides an overview and discussion of the key skills and behaviours that must be demonstrated to meet the standards set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. In doing so, it considers the key principles of infection prevention and control, including local and national policies, standard infection control precautions, risk assessment, standard isolation measures and asepsis.

Clinicopathological effects of pepper (oleoresin capsicum) spray.

PubMed

Yeung, M F; Tang, William Y M

2015-12-01

Pepper (oleoresin capsicum) spray is one of the most common riot-control measures used today. Although not lethal, exposure of pepper spray can cause injury to different organ systems. This review aimed to summarise the major clinicopathological effects of pepper spray in humans. MEDLINE, EMBASE database, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were used to search for terms associated with the clinicopathological effects of pepper spray in humans and those describing the pathophysiology of capsaicin. A phone interview with two individuals recently exposed to pepper spray was also conducted to establish clinical symptoms. Major key words used for the MEDLINE search were "pepper spray", "OC spray", "oleoresin capsicum"; and other key words as "riot control agents", "capsaicin", and "capsaicinoid". We then combined the key words "capsaicin" and "capsaicinoid" with the major key words to narrow down the number of articles. A search with other databases including EMBASE and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was also conducted with the above phrases to identify any additional related articles. All article searches were confined to human study. The bibliography of articles was screened for additional relevant studies including non-indexed reports, and information from these was also recorded. Non-English articles were included in the search. Fifteen articles were considered relevant. Oleoresin capsicum causes almost instantaneous irritative symptoms to the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Dermatological effects include a burning sensation, erythema, and hyperalgesia. Ophthalmic effects involve blepharospasm, conjunctivitis, peri-orbital oedema, and corneal pathology. Following inhalation, a stinging or burning sensation can be felt in the nose with sore throat, chest tightness, or dyspnoea. The major pathophysiology is neurogenic inflammation caused by capsaicinoid in the pepper spray. There is no antidote for oleoresin capsicum. Treatment consists of thorough decontamination, symptom-directed supportive measures, and early detection and treatment of systemic toxicity. Decontamination should be carefully carried out to avoid contamination of the surrounding skin and clothing. Pepper (oleoresin capsicum) spray is an effective riot-control agent and does not cause life-threatening clinical effects in the majority of exposed individuals. Early decontamination minimises the irritant effects.

One hundred years of work design research: Looking back and looking forward.

PubMed

Parker, Sharon K; Morgeson, Frederick P; Johns, Gary

2017-03-01

In this article we take a big picture perspective on work design research. In the first section of the paper we identify influential work design articles and use scientific mapping to identify distinct clusters of research. Pulling this material together, we identify five key work design perspectives that map onto distinct historical developments: (a) sociotechnical systems and autonomous work groups, (b) job characteristics model, (c) job demands-control model, (d) job demands-resources model, and (e) role theory. The grounding of these perspectives in the past is understandable, but we suggest that some of the distinction between clusters is convenient rather than substantive. Thus we also identify contemporary integrative perspectives on work design that build connections across the clusters and we argue that there is scope for further integration. In the second section of the paper, we review the role of Journal of Applied Psychology ( JAP ) in shaping work design research. We conclude that JAP has played a vital role in the advancement of this topic over the last 100 years. Nevertheless, we suspect that to continue to play a leading role in advancing the science and practice of work design, the journal might need to publish research that is broader, more contextualized, and team-oriented. In the third section, we address the impact of work design research on: applied psychology and management, disciplines beyond our own, management thinking, work practice, and national policy agendas. Finally, we draw together observations from our analysis and identify key future directions for the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Improving the utilization of research knowledge in agri-food public health: a mixed-method review of knowledge translation and transfer.

PubMed

Rajić, Andrijana; Young, Ian; McEwen, Scott A

2013-05-01

Knowledge translation and transfer (KTT) aims to increase research utilization and ensure that the best available knowledge is used to inform policy and practice. Many frameworks, methods, and terms are used to describe KTT, and the field has largely developed in the health sector over the past decade. There is a need to review key KTT principles and methods in different sectors and evaluate their potential application in agri-food public health. We conducted a structured mixed-method review of the KTT literature. From 827 citations identified in a comprehensive search, we characterized 160 relevant review articles, case studies, and reports. A thematic analysis was conducted on a prioritized and representative subset of 33 articles to identify key principles and characteristics for ensuring effective KTT. The review steps were conducted by two or more independent reviewers using structured and pretested forms. We identified five key principles for effective KTT that were described within two contexts: to improve research utilization in general and to inform policy-making. To ensure general research uptake, there is a need for the following: (1) relevant and credible research; (2) ongoing interactions between researchers and end-users; (3) organizational support and culture; and (4) monitoring and evaluation. To inform policy-making, (5) researchers must also address the multiple and competing contextual factors of the policy-making process. We also describe 23 recommended and promising KTT methods, including six synthesis (e.g., systematic reviews, mixed-method reviews, and rapid reviews); nine dissemination (e.g., evidence summaries, social media, and policy briefs); and eight exchange methods (e.g., communities of practice, knowledge brokering, and policy dialogues). A brief description, contextual example, and key references are provided for each method. We recommend a wider endorsement of KTT principles and methods in agri-food public health, but there are also important gaps and challenges that should be addressed in the future.

Staying on the Journey: Maintaining a Change Momentum with PB4L "School-Wide"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Sally

2016-01-01

How do schools maintain momentum with change and enter new cycles of growth when they are attempting to do things differently? This article draws on a two-year evaluation of the "Positive Behaviour for Learning School-Wide" initiative to identify key factors that enabled schools to engage in a long-term and iterative change process.…

Assessment Problems and Ensuring of Decent Work in the Russian Regions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonova, Marina V.; Sankova, Larisa V.; Mirzabalaeva, Farida I.; Shchipanova, Dina Ye.; Dorozhkin, Vladimir E.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the research problem is inspired by the need to ensure decent work principles in Russia. The purpose of this article is to develop evaluation methodologies and identify areas to implement key principles of decent work at the regional level in modern Russia. A leading approach to study this problem is the development of a new…

Girls into Physics--Looking Back and Looking Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Clare

2011-01-01

Girls are under-represented in physics post-16. They continue to make up only 22% of those taking A-level Physics, despite the many changes in the educational system over the last 20 years. This article looks at the work the Institute of Physics has undertaken to address the issue. After outlining the key issues that were identified in work…

Research Trends in Mobile Learning in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of Articles (2011-2015)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krull, Greig; Duart, Josep M.

2017-01-01

The potential and use of mobile devices in higher education has been a key issue for educational research and practice since the widespread adoption of these devices. Due to the evolving nature and affordances of mobile technologies, it is an area that requires ongoing investigation. This study aims to identify emerging trends in mobile learning…

Reporting the "Education Revolution": MySchool.edu.au in the Print Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mockler, Nicole

2013-01-01

Launched in January 2010, the MySchool.edu.au website, which ranks and compares schools on the basis of standardised literacy and numeracy tests, has been the subject of intense media coverage. This article examines 34 editorials focused on MySchool, published from October 2009 to August 2010, and identifies three key narratives in operation,…

Understanding Evidence-Based Information for the Early Childhood Field: Tips from RAND's Promising Practices Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattox, Teryn; Kilburn, M. Rebecca

2012-01-01

With the growing and diverse use of the term "evidence-based practice" it can be difficult for policymakers, funders, program officers, and other professionals to separate the good evidence from the flawed. Furthermore, once good evidence has been identified, it can be difficult to know how to use it. This article discusses key issues to consider…

Identifying Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in Students in the School Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allison, Virginia L.; Nativio, Donna G.; Mitchell, Ann M.; Ren, Dianxu; Yuhasz, Janet

2014-01-01

Early detection of mental health problems in school-age children offers the opportunity for prompt referral to treatment which is critical to their success in school. School nurses are in a key position to screen for mental health issues in the school setting. This article discusses how school nurses began a new initiative to use two validated…

Fab! or Drab?: Increasing the Effectiveness of Teaching and Learning in Summer Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Omelicheva, Mariya Y.

2012-01-01

This article reviews the pitfalls and benefits of teaching and learning in summer school and identifies the lack of student interest as the key factor affecting the effectiveness of learning in the summer. The primary goal of this research is to investigate the impact of active learning strategies on generating student interest and improving their…

Developing a City Governance Index: Based on Surveys in Five Major Chinese Cities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yong, Guo; Wenhao, Cheng

2012-01-01

This article explores the establishment of a City Governance Index to evaluate the levels of governance of cities. We identified seven key dimensions of governance and then divided each of them into four stages: input, mechanism, result and effect. Each dimension/stage mix is correlated with indicators that can be measured with both objective and…

Clues from Research: Effective Instructional Strategies Leading to Positive Outcomes for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easterbrooks, Susan R.; Stephenson, Brenda H.

2012-01-01

In 1999, the National Reading Panel investigated arguments regarding how best to teach reading. The members of the panel examined thousands of articles on literacy development and identified six key factors in teaching reading. Further, the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2001 obligated teachers to use scientifically proven practices, or…

Historical Evolution of Assisted Living in the United States, 1979 to the Present

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Keren Brown

2007-01-01

Purpose: This article provides a historical overview of the emergence of assisted living in the United States over a 25-year period to identify goals and key concepts that underpinned the emerging form of care. Design and Methods: The method is historical analysis based on records and my own personal experiences in conceptualizing and implementing…

Di-n-butyl Phthalate (DNBP) and Diisobutyl Phthalate (DiBP) Metabolism in a Human Volunteer after Single Oral Doses [Journal Article

EPA Science Inventory

An individual (male, 36 years, 87 kg) ingested two separate doses of di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) at a rate of ~60 µg/kg. Key monoester and oxidized metabolites were identified and quantified in urine continuously collected until 48 hours post dos...

Looking Back and Looking Forward: A Glimpse of Blended Learning in Higher Education from 2007-2017

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Maurice; Vaughan, Norman; Ghani, Shehzad K.; Atas, Sait; Fairbrother, Michael

2018-01-01

Using an engagement in research approach this article explores the landscape of blended learning in higher education over the last decade by comparing the results of a critical literature review by Vaughan to an instrumental case study that identified key factors that led to the implementation of a blended learning initiative in one medium sized…

Stakeholder understandings of wildfire mitigation: A case of shared and contested meanings

Treesearch

Joseph G. Champ; Jeffrey J. Brooks; Daniel R. Williams

2012-01-01

This article identifies and compares meanings of wildfire risk mitigation for stakeholders in the Front Range of Colorado, USA. We examine the case of a collaborative partnership sponsored by government agencies and directed to decrease hazardous fuels in interface areas. Data were collected by way of key informant interviews and focus groups. The analysis is guided by...

Print News Coverage of School-Based HPV Vaccine Mandate

PubMed Central

Casciotti, Dana; Smith, Katherine C.; Andon, Lindsay; Vernick, Jon; Tsui, Amy; Klassen, Ann C.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND In 2007, legislation was proposed in 24 states and the District of Columbia for school-based HPV vaccine mandates, and mandates were enacted in Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Media coverage of these events was extensive, and media messages both reflected and contributed to controversy surrounding these legislative activities. Messages communicated through the media are an important influence on adolescent and parent understanding of school-based vaccine mandates. METHODS We conducted structured text analysis of newspaper coverage, including quantitative analysis of 169 articles published in mandate jurisdictions from 2005-2009, and qualitative analysis of 63 articles from 2007. Our structured analysis identified topics, key stakeholders and sources, tone, and the presence of conflict. Qualitative thematic analysis identified key messages and issues. RESULTS Media coverage was often incomplete, providing little context about cervical cancer or screening. Skepticism and autonomy concerns were common. Messages reflected conflict and distrust of government activities, which could negatively impact this and other youth-focused public health initiatives. CONCLUSIONS If school health professionals are aware of the potential issues raised in media coverage of school-based health mandates, they will be more able to convey appropriate health education messages, and promote informed decision-making by parents and students. PMID:25099421

Top-100 cited articles on headache disorders: A bibliometric analysis.

PubMed

Park, Kang Min; Park, Bong Soo; Park, Sihyung; Yoon, Dae Young; Bae, Jong Seok

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize the most-cited articles on headache disorders published in journals that have made key contributions in the field. We performed a search of journals and selected the top-100 cited articles by utilizing the Institute for Scientific Information database available under the banner of the Web of Science, which provides the most relevant bibliometric information on scientific articles published since 1950. The top-100 cited articles were published in 20 journals. The most frequently cited journal was Neurology (19 articles), and followed by Cephalagia (15 articles) and Headache (15 articles). Migraine was the most common topic subject (81 articles), and original articles predominated (91 articles). The topics of the classic articles had varied from decade to decade. The most common topic subject was epidemiology (37 articles), followed by pathophysiology (20 articles), treatment (18 articles), review (10 articles), neuroimaging (11 articles), genetics (3 articles), and diagnostic tools (2 articles). The present study has produced a detailed list of the most-cited articles on headache disorders, which is the first such study in this field. This list makes it possible to recognize the classic articles on headache disorders as well as research trends and academic achievements in this field. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Performance Indicators in Spine Surgery.

PubMed

St-Pierre, Godefroy Hardy; Yang, Michael H; Bourget-Murray, Jonathan; Thomas, Ken C; Hurlbert, Robin John; Matthes, Nikolas

2018-02-15

Systematic review. To elucidate how performance indicators are currently used in spine surgery. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has given significant traction to the idea that healthcare must provide value to the patient through the introduction of hospital value-based purchasing. The key to implementing this new paradigm is to measure this value notably through performance indicators. MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched for studies reporting the use of performance indicators specific to spine surgery. We followed the Prisma-P methodology for a systematic review for entries from January 1980 to July 2016. All full text articles were then reviewed to identify any measure of performance published within the article. This measure was then examined as per the three criteria of established standard, exclusion/risk adjustment, and benchmarking to determine if it constituted a performance indicator. The initial search yielded 85 results among which two relevant studies were identified. The extended search gave a total of 865 citations across databases among which 15 new articles were identified. The grey literature search provided five additional reports which in turn led to six additional articles. A total of 27 full text articles and reports were retrieved and reviewed. We were unable to identify performance indicators. The articles presenting a measure of performance were organized based on how many criteria they lacked. We further examined the next steps to be taken to craft the first performance indicator in spine surgery. The science of performance measurement applied to spine surgery is still in its infancy. Current outcome metrics used in clinical settings require refinement to become performance indicators. Current registry work is providing the necessary foundation, but requires benchmarking to truly measure performance. 1.

The use of interprofessional learning and simulation in undergraduate nursing programs to address interprofessional communication and collaboration: An integrative review of the literature.

PubMed

Granheim, Benedikte M; Shaw, Julie M; Mansah, Martha

2018-03-01

To identify how simulation and interprofessional learning are used together in undergraduate nursing programs and undertaken in schools of nursing to address interprofessional communication and collaboration. An integrative literature review. The databases CINAHL, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo and Science Direct were searched to identify articles from 2006 to 2016 that reported on the use of IPL and simulation together in undergraduate nursing education. Whittemore and Knafl's five step process was used to guide the integrative review of quantitative and qualitative literature. Only peer reviewed articles written in English that addressed undergraduate nursing studies, were included in the review. Articles that did not aim to improve communication and collaboration were excluded. All articles selected were examined to determine their contribution to interprofessional learning and simulation in undergraduate nursing knowledge. The faculties of nursing used interprofessional learning and simulation in undergraduate nursing programs that in some cases were connected to a specific course. A total of nine articles, eight research papers and one narrative report, that focused on collaboration and communication were selected for this review. Studies predominantly used nursing and medical student participants. None of the included studies identified prior student experience with interprofessional learning and simulation. Four key themes were identified: communication, collaboration/teamwork, learning in practice and understanding of roles, and communication. This review highlights the identified research relating to the combined teaching strategy of interprofessional learning and simulation that addressed communication and collaboration in undergraduate nursing programs. Further research into the implementation of interprofessional learning and simulation may benefit the emergent challenges. Information drawn from this review can be used in informing education and educational development in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The changing model of big pharma: impact of key trends.

PubMed

Gautam, Ajay; Pan, Xiaogang

2016-03-01

Recent years have seen exciting breakthroughs in biomedical sciences that are producing truly novel therapeutics for unmet patient needs. However, the pharmaceutical industry is also facing significant barriers in the form of pricing and reimbursement, continued patent expirations and challenging market dynamics. In this article, we have analyzed data from the 1995-2015 period, on key aspects such as revenue distribution, research units, portfolio mix and emerging markets to identify four key trends that help to understand the change in strategic focus, realignment of R&D footprint, the shift from primary care toward specialty drugs and biologics and the growth of emerging markets as major revenue drivers for big pharma. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Role for imaging in spondyloarthritis.

PubMed

Ran, Jun; Morelli, John N; Xie, Ruyi; Zhang, Xiaoli; Liang, Xiaoqing; Liu, Xuanlin; Li, Xiaoming

2017-09-01

Despite major progress in the imaging diagnosis of spondyloarthritis (SpA), the relative advantages of various available imaging techniques remain unclear. The aim of this study is to assess the current use of imaging in the diagnosis of SpA and to provide suitable recommendations for the use of imaging as an outcome measure as defined in the Assessment in SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) criteria. A systematic literature search regarding imaging in SpA was performed. Articles were assessed by two reviewers to identify and summarized key information pertaining to imaging in SpA. The search identified 180 relevant articles. Conventional radiography (CR) (17 articles), ultrasound (US) (26 articles), conventional computed tomography (CT) (13 articles), spectral computed tomography (spectral CT) (2 articles), bone scintigraphy (24 articles), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were assessed (98 articles). Sacroiliitis and enthesitis were the major imaging findings in SpA. Multiple studies assessed the feasibility, validity, or differences among imaging modalities for the diagnosis of SpA; however, comprehensive assessments were not available due to a paucity of prospective imaging studies. CR is a widely available, inexpensive initial approach to evaluate patients with suspected SpA. CT enables assessment of structural changes from chronic sacroiliitis including bony erosions, subchondral sclerosis, joint space narrowing, and ankyloses; however, both CR and CT modalities are insensitive for demonstrating early enthesitis and sacroiliitis in SpA. US mainly identifies appendicular enthesitis but is more limited with respect to the sacroiliac joints. Bone scintigraphy can identify sacroiliac joint lesions and semi-quantitatively assess active sacroiliitis. MRI optimally evaluates not only early enthesitis and sacroiliitis of SpA but also chronic structural changes to the sacroiliac joints. More than one modality may be required for diagnostic and assessment of SpA depending upon disease characteristics and evolution. CR is a suitable initial examination while MRI is able to detect both early and late changes of SpA. A combination of CR and MRI is recommended for the diagnosis and assessment of SpA.

Evaluating investment in quality improvement capacity building: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Mery, Gustavo; Dobrow, Mark J; Baker, G Ross; Im, Jennifer; Brown, Adalsteinn

2017-01-01

Purpose Leading health systems have invested in substantial quality improvement (QI) capacity building, but little is known about the aggregate effect of these investments at the health system level. We conducted a systematic review to identify key steps and elements that should be considered for system-level evaluations of investment in QI capacity building. Methods We searched for evaluations of QI capacity building and evaluations of QI training programmes. We included the most relevant indexed databases in the field and a strategic search of the grey literature. The latter included direct electronic scanning of 85 relevant government and institutional websites internationally. Data were extracted regarding evaluation design and common assessment themes and components. Results 48 articles met the inclusion criteria. 46 articles described initiative-level non-economic evaluations of QI capacity building/training, while 2 studies included economic evaluations of QI capacity building/training, also at the initiative level. No system-level QI capacity building/training evaluations were found. We identified 17 evaluation components that fit within 5 overarching dimensions (characteristics of QI training; characteristics of QI activity; individual capacity; organisational capacity and impact) that should be considered in evaluations of QI capacity building. 8 key steps in return-on-investment (ROI) assessments in QI capacity building were identified: (1) planning—stakeholder perspective; (2) planning—temporal perspective; (3) identifying costs; (4) identifying benefits; (5) identifying intangible benefits that will not be included in the ROI estimation; (6) discerning attribution; (7) ROI calculations; (8) sensitivity analysis. Conclusions The literature on QI capacity building evaluation is limited in the number and scope of studies. Our findings, summarised in a Framework to Guide Evaluations of QI Capacity Building, can be used to start closing this knowledge gap. PMID:28219957

Qualities of the medical school dean: insights from the literature.

PubMed

Rich, Eugene C; Magrane, Diane; Kirch, Darrell G

2008-05-01

To review the literature and resources for professional development of medical school executives in order to identify the characteristics proposed as relevant to medical school deanship. In 2006, the authors conducted a PubMed search using the key words leadership, dean, medical school, and academic medical center to identify relevant publications since 1995. Articles were excluded that that did not address the roles and responsibilities of the North American medical school dean. Articles gleaned through review of materials from relevant executive development programs and interviews with leaders involved in these programs were added. Both management skills (e.g., institutional assessment, strategic planning, financial stewardship, recruitment and retention of talent) and leadership skills (e.g., visioning, maximizing values, building constituency) are commonly cited as important deans of contemporary medical schools. Key content knowledge (e.g., academic medical center governance, expectations of clinicians and scientists, process of medical education) and certain attitudes (e.g., commitment to the success of others, appreciation of institutional culture) are also noted to be valuable qualities for medical school deans. The literature review identifies a number of areas of knowledge and skill consistently affirmed by scholars as important to success for medical school deans. These characteristics can provide a basic foundation for needs assessment and professional development activities of academic medical executives preparing for and entering medical school deanships, and they can also provide insight to those charged with selecting their next dean.

Mind the Gap. A systematic review to identify usability and safety challenges and practices during electronic health record implementation.

PubMed

Ratwani, Raj; Fairbanks, Terry; Savage, Erica; Adams, Katie; Wittie, Michael; Boone, Edna; Hayden, Andrew; Barnes, Janey; Hettinger, Zach; Gettinger, Andrew

2016-11-16

Decisions made during electronic health record (EHR) implementations profoundly affect usability and safety. This study aims to identify gaps between the current literature and key stakeholders' perceptions of usability and safety practices and the challenges encountered during the implementation of EHRs. Two approaches were used: a literature review and interviews with key stakeholders. We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify usability and safety challenges and best practices during implementation. A total of 55 articles were reviewed through searches of PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. We used a qualitative approach to identify key stakeholders' perceptions; semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse set of health IT stakeholders to understand their current practices and challenges related to usability during implementation. We used a grounded theory approach: data were coded, sorted, and emerging themes were identified. Conclusions from both sources of data were compared to identify areas of misalignment. We identified six emerging themes from the literature and stakeholder interviews: cost and resources, risk assessment, governance and consensus building, customization, clinical workflow and usability testing, and training. Across these themes, there were misalignments between the literature and stakeholder perspectives, indicating major gaps. Major gaps identified from each of six emerging themes are discussed as critical areas for future research, opportunities for new stakeholder initiatives, and opportunities to better disseminate resources to improve the implementation of EHRs. Our analysis identified practices and challenges across six different emerging themes, illustrated important gaps, and results suggest critical areas for future research and dissemination to improve EHR implementation.

Theorizing Land Cover and Land Use Changes: The Case of Tropical Deforestation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Robert

2004-01-01

This article addresses land-cover and land-use dynamics from the perspective of regional science and economic geography. It first provides an account of the so-called spatially explicit model, which has emerged in recent years as a key empirical approach to the issue. The article uses this discussion as a springboard to evaluate the potential utility of von Thuenen to the discourse on land-cover and land-use change. After identifying shortcomings of current theoretical approaches to land use in mainly urban models, the article filters a discussion of deforestation through the lens of bid-rent and assesses its effectiveness in helping us comprehend the destruction of tropical forest in the Amazon basin. The article considers the adjustments that would have to be made to existing theory to make it more useful to the empirical issues.

Contrast media induced nephropathy: a literature review of the available evidence and recommendations for practice.

PubMed

Deek, Hiba; Newton, Phillip; Sheerin, Noella; Noureddine, Samar; Davidson, Patricia M

2014-11-01

Contrast media induced nephropathy (CIN) is a sudden compromise of renal function 24-48 h after administering contrast medium during a CT scan or angiography. CIN accounts for 10% of hospital acquired renal failure and is ranked the third cause of acquiring this condition. Identifying patients at risk through proper screening can reduce the occurrence of this condition. This review paper aims to critique current evidence, provide a better understanding of CIN, inform nursing practice and make recommendations for bedside nurses and future research. An integrative review of the literature was made using the key terms: "contrast media", "nephritis", "nephropathy", "contrast media induced nephropathy scores", "acute kidney failure", "acute renal failure" and "acute kidney injury". MeSH key terms used in some databases were: "prevention and control", "acute kidney failure" and "treatment". Databases searched included Medline, CINAHL and Academic Search Complete, and references of relevant articles were also assessed. The search included all articles between the years 2000 and 2013. Sixty-seven articles were obtained as a result of the search, including RCTs, systematic reviews, and retrospective studies. Contrast media induced nephropathy is an iatrogenic complication occurring secondary to diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. At times it is unavoidable but a systematic method of risk assessment should be adopted to identify high risk patients for tailored and targeted approaches to management interventions. As the use of contrast media is increasing for diagnostic purposes, it is important that nurses be aware of the risk factors for CIN, identify and monitor high risk patients to prevent deterioration in renal function when possible. Copyright © 2014 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors That Impact the Success of Interorganizational Health Promotion Collaborations: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Seaton, Cherisse L; Holm, Nikolai; Bottorff, Joan L; Jones-Bricker, Margaret; Errey, Sally; Caperchione, Cristina M; Lamont, Sonia; Johnson, Steven T; Healy, Theresa

2018-05-01

To explore published empirical literature in order to identify factors that facilitate or inhibit collaborative approaches for health promotion using a scoping review methodology. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, and Academic Search Complete for articles published between January 2001 and October 2015 was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. To be included studies had to: be an original research article, published in English, involve at least 2 organizations in a health promotion partnership, and identify factors contributing to or constraining the success of an established (or prior) partnership. Studies were excluded if they focused on primary care collaboration or organizations jointly lobbying for a cause. Data extraction was completed by 2 members of the author team using a summary chart to extract information relevant to the factors that facilitated or constrained collaboration success. NVivo 10 was used to code article content into the thematic categories identified in the data extraction. Twenty-five studies across 8 countries were identified. Several key factors contributed to collaborative effectiveness, including a shared vision, leadership, member characteristics, organizational commitment, available resources, clear roles/responsibilities, trust/clear communication, and engagement of the target population. In general, the findings were consistent with previous reviews; however, additional novel themes did emerge.

Comparison of AIHA ISO 9001-based occupational health and safety management system guidance document with a manufacturer's occupational health and safety assessment instrument.

PubMed

Dyjack, D T; Levine, S P; Holtshouser, J L; Schork, M A

1998-06-01

Numerous manufacturing and service organizations have integrated or are considering integration of their respective occupational health and safety management and audit systems into the International Organization for Standardization-based (ISO) audit-driven Quality Management Systems (ISO 9000) or Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14000) models. Companies considering one of these options will likely need to identify and evaluate several key factors before embarking on such efforts. The purpose of this article is to identify and address the key factors through a case study approach. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons of the key features of the American Industrial Hygiene Association ISO-9001 harmonized Occupational Health and Safety Management System with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. management and audit system were conducted. The comparisons showed that the two management systems and their respective audit protocols, although structured differently, were not substantially statistically dissimilar in content. The authors recommend that future studies continue to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various audit protocols. Ideally, these studies would identify those audit outcome measures that can be reliably correlated with health and safety performance.

Almost 40 years investigating near-death experiences: an overview of mainstream scientific journals.

PubMed

Sleutjes, Adriana; Moreira-Almeida, Alexander; Greyson, Bruce

2014-11-01

This article reviews mainstream scientific publications on near-death experiences (NDEs). We searched near-death experience in titles, key words, and abstracts at the Web of Knowledge database published between 1945 and 2013. We identified 266 relevant documents, the oldest from 1977. There was a strong predominance of opinion articles (book reviews, commentaries, and editorials), review articles, phenomenological description articles, and articles that originated in the United States. Since 2000, the number of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies has increased; there has been a diversification in the countries that have published on the subject and more articles that discuss the implications of NDEs for the mind-brain relationship. The results indicate that most scholarly publications on NDEs are recent, usually have no original empirical data, and are concentrated in North America and Western Europe. Future studies should focus on increasing the cultural diversity in the field and on testing explanatory hypotheses based on high-quality empirical data.

The role of advanced nursing in lung cancer: A framework based development.

PubMed

Serena, A; Castellani, P; Fucina, N; Griesser, A-C; Jeanmonod, J; Peters, S; Eicher, M

2015-12-01

Advanced Practice Lung Cancer Nurses (APLCN) are well-established in several countries but their role has yet to be established in Switzerland. Developing an innovative nursing role requires a structured approach to guide successful implementation and to meet the overarching goal of improved nursing sensitive patient outcomes. The "Participatory, Evidence-based, Patient-focused process, for guiding the development, implementation, and evaluation of advanced practice nursing" (PEPPA framework) is one approach that was developed in the context of the Canadian health system. The purpose of this article is to describe the development of an APLCN model at a Swiss Academic Medical Center as part of a specialized Thoracic Cancer Center and to evaluate the applicability of PEPPA framework in this process. In order to develop and implement the APLCN role, we applied the first seven phases of the PEPPA framework. This article spreads the applicability of the PEPPA framework for an APLCN development. This framework allowed us to i) identify key components of an APLCN model responsive to lung cancer patients' health needs, ii) identify role facilitators and barriers, iii) implement the APLCN role and iv) design a feasibility study of this new role. The PEPPA framework provides a structured process for implementing novel Advanced Practice Nursing roles in a local context, particularly where such roles are in their infancy. Two key points in the process include assessing patients' health needs and involving key stakeholders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of international health electives on medical student learning and career choice: results of a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Jeffrey, Jessica; Dumont, Rebecca A; Kim, Gloria Y; Kuo, Tony

2011-01-01

The present study reviewed the published literature to examine the effects of international health electives (IHEs) on medical student learning and career choice. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify key English-language articles on IHEs, using PubMed journal databases for the period 1990--2009. Article inclusion for this review was vetted by a rigorous evaluation of each article's study methods, content, and data quality. Pooled or aggregate information from 11 key articles, including information on type and duration of IHE, study and comparison group characteristics, and measured outcomes such as self-reported changes in cultural competency, clinical skills, and specialty choice, were extracted and summarized. Findings suggest that having IHE experiences contributed to a more well-rounded training for medical students; students reported being more culturally competent and were more likely to choose a primary care specialty and/or a public service career. Although IHE experiences appear to have educational benefits, the quality and availability of these electives vary by institution. Barriers to ensuring that students attain a safe and rich experience include the lack of consistent categorical funding, safety concerns when traveling, and limited faculty experience and resources to support and guide students during their rotations abroad.

The challenges and benefits of job sharing in palliative care education.

PubMed

Cooper, J; Spencer, D

This article examines the authors' experience of job sharing a post in palliative care education. It discusses the concept of job sharing and examines factors such as power sharing, compatibility and other people's perception of the job sharing role. Effective communication is identified as a key issue. Benefits such as reduced professional isolation, increased job satisfaction and the opportunity to offer the knowledge and skills of two people are highlighted. The authors identify the factors which they consider to be crucial to the success of job sharing.

Improvement of Selected Logistics Processes Using Quality Engineering Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zasadzień, Michał; Žarnovský, Jozef

2018-03-01

Increase in the number of orders, the increasing quality requirements and the speed of order preparation require implementation of new solutions and improvement of logistics processes. Any disruption that occurs during execution of an order often leads to customer dissatisfaction, as well as loss of his/her confidence. The article presents a case study of the use of quality engineering methods and tools to improve the e-commerce logistic process. This made it possible to identify and prioritize key issues, identify their causes, and formulate improvement and prevention measures.

Toward Mentoring in Palliative Social Work: A Narrative Review of Mentoring Programs in Social Work.

PubMed

Toh, Ying Pin; Karthik, R; Teo, Chia Chia; Suppiah, Sarasvathy; Cheung, Siew Li; Krishna, Lalit

2018-03-01

Mentoring by an experienced practitioner enhances professional well-being, promotes resilience, and provides a means of addressing poor job satisfaction and high burnout rates among medical social workers. This is a crucial source of support for social workers working in fields with high risk of compassion fatigue and burnout like palliative care. Implementing such a program, however, is hindered by differences in understanding and application of mentoring practice. This narrative review of mentoring practice in social work seeks to identify key elements and common approaches within successful mentoring programs in social work that could be adapted to guide the design of new mentoring programs in medical social work. Methodology and Data Sources: A literature search of mentoring programs in social work between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015, using Pubmed, CINAHL, OVID, ERIC, Scopus, Cochrane and ScienceDirect databases, involving a senior experienced mentor and undergraduate and/or junior postgraduates, was carried out. A total of 1302 abstracts were retrieved, 22 full-text articles were analyzed, and 8 articles were included. Thematic analysis of the included articles revealed 7 themes pertaining to the mentoring process, outcomes and barriers, and the characteristics of mentoring relationships, mentors, mentees, and host organizations. Common themes in prevailing mentoring practices help identify key elements for the design of an effective mentoring program in medical social work. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings upon clinical practice in palliative care and on sustaining such a program.

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Treatment of Muscle Impairment: Critical Review and Recommendations for Clinical Practice

PubMed Central

Houghton, Pamela; Anthony, Joseph; Rennie, Sandy; Shay, Barbara L.; Hoens, Alison M.

2017-01-01

Purpose: In response to requests from physiotherapists for guidance on optimal stimulation of muscle using neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), a review, synthesis, and extraction of key data from the literature was undertaken by six Canadian physical therapy (PT) educators, clinicians, and researchers in the field of electrophysical agents. The objective was to identify commonly treated conditions for which there was a substantial body of literature from which to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of NMES. Included studies had to apply NMES with visible and tetanic muscle contractions. Method: Four electronic databases (CINAHL, Embase, PUBMED, and SCOPUS) were searched for relevant literature published between database inceptions until May 2015. Additional articles were identified from bibliographies of the systematic reviews and from personal collections. Results: The extracted data were synthesized using a consensus process among the authors to provide recommendations for optimal stimulation parameters and application techniques to address muscle impairments associated with the following conditions: stroke (upper or lower extremity; both acute and chronic), anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, patellofemoral pain syndrome, knee osteoarthritis, and total knee arthroplasty as well as critical illness and advanced disease states. Summaries of key details from each study incorporated into the review were also developed. The final sections of the article outline the recommended terminology for describing practice using electrical currents and provide tips for safe and effective clinical practice using NMES. Conclusion: This article provides physiotherapists with a resource to enable evidence-informed, effective use of NMES for PT practice. PMID:29162949

Arterial complications of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

PubMed

Eagleton, Matthew J

2016-12-01

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a relatively rare genetic syndrome that occurs owing to disorders in the metabolism of fibrillary collagen. These defects affect the soft connective tissues resulting in abnormalities in the skin, joints, hollow organs, and blood vessels. Patients with these defects frequently present at a young age with spontaneous arterial complications involving the medium-sized arteries. Complications involving the hollow organs, such as spontaneous colonic perforation, are observed as well. Given the fragility of the soft tissue, open and endovascular intervention on patients with vascular EDS is fraught with high complication rates. A PubMed search was performed to identify manuscripts published related to vascular EDS. This search included more than 747 articles. These findings were cross-referenced using key terms, including endovascular, embolization, surgery, genetics, pathophysiology, connective tissue disorders, vascular complications, systematic review, type III collagen, and COL3A1. The references in key articles and review articles were evaluated for additional resources not identified in the PubMed search. Care must be taken to balance the risk of intervention vs the risk of continued observation. Life-threatening hemorrhage, however, mandates intervention. With careful, altered approaches to tissue handling, endovascular approaches may provide a safer option for managing the arterial complications observed in patients with vascular EDS. Additional hope may also be found in the use of pharmacologic agents that reduce the incidence and severity of the arterial complications. Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

ANCA: Anharmonic Conformational Analysis of Biomolecular Simulations.

PubMed

Parvatikar, Akash; Vacaliuc, Gabriel S; Ramanathan, Arvind; Chennubhotla, S Chakra

2018-05-08

Anharmonicity in time-dependent conformational fluctuations is noted to be a key feature of functional dynamics of biomolecules. Although anharmonic events are rare, long-timescale (μs-ms and beyond) simulations facilitate probing of such events. We have previously developed quasi-anharmonic analysis to resolve higher-order spatial correlations and characterize anharmonicity in biomolecular simulations. In this article, we have extended this toolbox to resolve higher-order temporal correlations and built a scalable Python package called anharmonic conformational analysis (ANCA). ANCA has modules to: 1) measure anharmonicity in the form of higher-order statistics and its variation as a function of time, 2) output a storyboard representation of the simulations to identify key anharmonic conformational events, and 3) identify putative anharmonic conformational substates and visualization of transitions between these substates. Copyright © 2018 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family medicine around the world: overview by region

PubMed Central

Arya, Neil; Gibson, Christine; Ponka, David; Haq, Cynthia; Hansel, Stephanie; Dahlman, Bruce; Rouleau, Katherine

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective To demonstrate how family medicine has been recognized and integrated into primary health care systems in contrasting contexts around the world and to provide an overview of how family physicians are trained and certified. Composition of the committee Since 2012, the College of Family Physicians of Canada has hosted the Besrour Conferences to reflect on its role in advancing the discipline of family medicine globally. The Besrour Papers Working Group, which was struck at the 2013 conference, was tasked with developing a series of papers to highlight the key issues, lessons learned, and outcomes emerging from the various activities of the Besrour collaboration. The working group comprised members of various academic departments of family medicine in Canada and abroad who attended the conferences. Methods An initial search was conducted in PubMed using a family medicine hedge of MeSH terms, text words, and family medicine journals, combined with text words and terms representing low- and middle-income countries and the concept of family medicine training programs. A second search was completed using only family medicine terms in the CAB Direct and World Bank databases. Subsequent PubMed searches were conducted to identify articles about specific conditions or services based on suggestions from the authors of the articles selected from the second search. Additional articles were identified through reference lists of key articles and through Google searches. We then attempted to verify and augment the information through colleagues and partners. Report The scope of family medicine and the nature of family medicine training vary considerably worldwide. Challenges include limited capacity, incomplete understanding of roles, and variability of standards and recognition. Opportunities for advancement might include technology, collaboration, changes in pedagogy, flexible training methods, and system-wide support. PMID:28615392

Assessment of the Impact of Cotrimoxazole Prophylaxis on Key Outcomes Among HIV-Infected Adults in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Hassani, Ahmed Saadani; Marston, Barbara J.; Kaplan, Jonathan E.

2016-01-01

Background Cotrimoxazole (CTX) prophylaxis is among the key interventions provided to HIV-infected individuals in resource-limited settings. We conducted a systematic review of the available evidence. Methods MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health, CINAHL, SOCA, and African Index Medicus (AIM) were used to identify articles relevant to the CTX prophylaxis intervention from 1995 to 2014. Included articles addressed impact of CTX prophylaxis on the outcomes of mortality, morbidity, retention in care, quality of life, and/or prevention of ongoing HIV transmission. We rated the quality of evidence in individual articles and assessed the overall quality of the body of evidence, the expected impact, and the cost effectiveness (CE) for each outcome. Results Of the initial 1418 identified articles, 42 met all inclusion criteria. These included 9 randomized controlled trials, 26 observational studies, 2 systematic reviews with meta-analysis, 1 other systematic review, and 4 CE studies. The overall quality of evidence was rated as “good” and the expected impact “high” for both mortality and morbidity. The overall quality of evidence from the 4 studies addressing retention in care was rated as “poor,” and the expected impact on retention was rated as “uncertain.” The 4 assessed CE studies showed that provision of CTX prophylaxis is cost effective and sometimes cost saving. No studies addressed impact on quality of life or HIV transmission. Conclusions CTX prophylaxis is a cost-effective intervention with expected high impact on morbidity and mortality reduction in HIV-infected adults in resource-limited settings. Benefits are seen in both pre-antiretroviral therapy and antiretroviral therapy populations. PMID:25768865

Development of Performance Dashboards in Healthcare Sector: Key Practical Issues.

PubMed

Ghazisaeidi, Marjan; Safdari, Reza; Torabi, Mashallah; Mirzaee, Mahboobeh; Farzi, Jebraeil; Goodini, Azadeh

2015-10-01

Static nature of performance reporting systems in health care sector has resulted in inconsistent, incomparable, time consuming, and static performance reports that are not able to transparently reflect a round picture of performance and effectively support healthcare managers' decision makings. So, the healthcare sector needs interactive performance management tools such as performance dashboards to measure, monitor, and manage performance more effectively. The aim of this article was to identify key issues that need to be addressed for developing high-quality performance dashboards in healthcare sector. A literature review was established to search electronic research databases, e-journals collections, and printed journals, books, dissertations, and theses for relevant articles. The search strategy interchangeably used the terms of "dashboard", "performance measurement system", and "executive information system" with the term of "design" combined with operator "AND". Search results (n=250) were adjusted for duplications, screened based on their abstract relevancy and full-text availability (n=147) and then assessed for eligibility (n=40). Eligible articles were included if they had explicitly focused on dashboards, performance measurement systems or executive information systems design. Finally, 28 relevant articles included in the study. Creating high-quality performance dashboards requires addressing both performance measurement and executive information systems design issues. Covering these two fields, identified contents were categorized to four main domains: KPIs development, Data Sources and data generation, Integration of dashboards to source systems, and Information presentation issues. This study implies the main steps to develop dashboards for the purpose of performance management. Performance dashboards developed on performance measurement and executive information systems principles and supported by proper back-end infrastructure will result in creation of dynamic reports that help healthcare managers to consistently measure the performance, continuously detect outliers, deeply analyze causes of poor performance, and effectively plan for the future.

Mind the Gap

PubMed Central

Fairbanks, Terry; Savage, Erica; Adams, Katie; Wittie, Michael; Boone, Edna; Hayden, Andrew; Barnes, Janey; Hettinger, Zach; Gettinger, Andrew

2016-01-01

Summary Objective Decisions made during electronic health record (EHR) implementations profoundly affect usability and safety. This study aims to identify gaps between the current literature and key stakeholders’ perceptions of usability and safety practices and the challenges encountered during the implementation of EHRs. Materials and Methods Two approaches were used: a literature review and interviews with key stakeholders. We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify usability and safety challenges and best practices during implementation. A total of 55 articles were reviewed through searches of PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. We used a qualitative approach to identify key stakeholders’ perceptions; semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse set of health IT stakeholders to understand their current practices and challenges related to usability during implementation. We used a grounded theory approach: data were coded, sorted, and emerging themes were identified. Conclusions from both sources of data were compared to identify areas of misalignment. Results We identified six emerging themes from the literature and stakeholder interviews: cost and resources, risk assessment, governance and consensus building, customization, clinical work-flow and usability testing, and training. Across these themes, there were misalignments between the literature and stakeholder perspectives, indicating major gaps. Discussion Major gaps identified from each of six emerging themes are discussed as critical areas for future research, opportunities for new stakeholder initiatives, and opportunities to better disseminate resources to improve the implementation of EHRs. Conclusion Our analysis identified practices and challenges across six different emerging themes, illustrated important gaps, and results suggest critical areas for future research and dissemination to improve EHR implementation. PMID:27847961

Determinants of quality management systems implementation in hospitals.

PubMed

Wardhani, Viera; Utarini, Adi; van Dijk, Jitse Pieter; Post, Doeke; Groothoff, Johan Willem

2009-03-01

To identify the problems and facilitating factors in the implementation of quality management system (QMS) in hospitals through a systematic review. A search strategy was performed on the Medline database for articles written in English published between 1992 and early 2006. Using the thesaurus terms 'Total Quality Management' and 'Quality Assurance Health Care', combined with the term 'hospital' and 'implement*', we identified 533 publications. The screening process was based on empirical articles describing organization-wide QMS implementation. Fourteen empirical articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were reviewed in this paper. An organization culture emphasizing standards and values associated with affiliation, teamwork and innovation, assumption of change and risk taking, play as the key success factor in QMS implementation. This culture needs to be supported by sufficient technical competence to apply a scientific problem-solving approach. A clear distribution of QMS function within the organizational structure is more important than establishing a formal quality structure. In addition to management leadership, physician involvement also plays an important role in implementing QMS. Six supporting and limiting factors determining QMS implementation are identified in this review. These are the organization culture, design, leadership for quality, physician involvement, quality structure and technical competence.

Etiology and sequelae of root resorption.

PubMed

Vlaskalic, V; Boyd, R L; Baumrind, S

1998-06-01

This article reviews the current status of investigation into apical root resorption within the context of orthodontic treatment. Treatment and patient factors that have traditionally been investigated are discussed, along with the results of current research in this area. The need for rethinking traditional research strategies in the quest for identifying both control and causative mechanisms is explored. Finally, proposals for key areas of future interest are highlighted.

Feasibility of flow studies at NICA/MPD

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

Geraksiev, N. S., E-mail: nikolay.geraksiev@gmail.com; Collaboration: MPD Collaboration

In the light of recent developments in heavy ion physic, anisotropic flow measurements play a key role in a better understanding of the hot and dense barionic matter. In the presented article a short introduction to the proposed NICA/MPD project is given, as well as a brief description of the event-plane method used to estimate the elliptic flow of reconstructed and identified hadrons (p, π, Λ)

Accounts receivable reports: underutilized mining tools.

PubMed

Wallace, R

1999-01-01

There is gold to be found in accounts receivable reports for those willing to mine the data. The key is to know how to interpret the information buried within the numbers and use it to recover monies owed. This article identifies seven reports that should be staples in every organization committed to improving its overall collection performance. Also included are tips on understanding reports and implementing changes.

APA Summit on Medical Student Education Task Force on Informatics and Technology: Steps to Enhance the Use of Technology in Education through Faculty Development, Funding and Change Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilty, Donald M.; Benjamin, Sheldon; Briscoe, Gregory; Hales, Deborah J.; Boland, Robert J.; Luo, John S.; Chan, Carlyle H.; Kennedy, Robert S.; Karlinsky, Harry; Gordon, Daniel B.; Yellowlees, Peter M.; Yager, Joel

2006-01-01

Objective: This article provides an overview of how trainees, faculty, and institutions use technology for acquiring knowledge, skills, and attitudes for practicing modern medicine. Method: The authors reviewed the literature on medical education, technology, and change, and identify the key themes and make recommendations for implementing…

A systematic review of social, economic and diplomatic aspects of short-term medical missions.

PubMed

Caldron, Paul H; Impens, Ann; Pavlova, Milena; Groot, Wim

2015-09-15

Short-term medical missions (STMMs) represent a grass-roots form of aid, transferring medical services rather than funds or equipment. The objective of this paper is to review empirical studies on social, economic and diplomatic aspects of STMMs. A systematic literature review was conducted by searching PubMed and EBSCOhost for articles published from 1947-2014 about medical missions to lower and middle income countries (LMICs). Publications focused on military, disaster and dental service trips were excluded. A data extraction process was used to identify publications relevant to our objective stated above. PubMed and EBSCOhost searches provided 4138 and 3262 articles respectively for review. Most articles that provide useful information have appeared in the current millennium and are found in focused surgical journals. Little attention is paid to aspects of volunteerism, altruism and philanthropy related to STMM activity in the literature reviewed (1 article). Evidence of professionalization remains scarce, although elements including guidelines and tactical instructions have been emerging (27 articles). Information on costs (10 articles) and commentary on the relevance of market forces (1 article) are limited. Analyses of spill-over effects, i.e., changing attitudes of physicians or their communities towards aid, and characterizations of STMMs as meaningful foreign aid or strategic diplomacy are few (4 articles). The literature on key social, economic and diplomatic aspects of STMMs and their consequences is sparse. Guidelines, tactical instructions and attempts at outcome measures are emerging that may better professionalize the otherwise unregulated activity. A broader discussion of these key aspects may lead to improved accountability and intercultural professionalism to accompany medical professionalism in STMM activity.

Top-Cited Articles in Problem-Based Learning: A Bibliometric Analysis and Quality of Evidence Assessment.

PubMed

Azer, Samy A

2017-04-01

The aims of this study were to identify characteristics of the top-cited articles in problem-based learning (PBL) and assess the quality of evidence provided by these articles. The most frequently cited articles on PBL were searched in April 2015 in the Science Citation Index Expanded database (List A) and Google Scholar database (List B). Eligible articles identified were reviewed for key characteristics. The Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine guidelines were used in assessing the level of evidence. The number of citations varied (62 to 923 on List A and 218 to 2,859 on List B). Countries that contributed the majority of articles in both lists were the United States, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Canada. No significant correlations were found between number of citations and number of years since published (p=0.451), number of authors (p=0.144), females in authorship (p=0.189), non-medical authors (p=0.869), number of institutions (p=0.452), and number of grants (p=0.143), but a strong correlation was found with number of countries involved (p=0.007). Application of the Oxford hierarchy of evidence showed that 36 articles were at levels 4 and 5 of evidence. This study found that research articles represented approximately one-third of PBL articles assessed and reported mainly on questionnaire-based studies. The most highly cited articles occupied top-ranking positions in the journals in which they were published. The lower level of evidence observed in most top-cited articles may reflect the significance of innovative ideas or content of these articles. These findings have implications for dental educators and dental researchers.

Reconsidering Emotion Dysregulation.

PubMed

D'Agostino, Alessandra; Covanti, Serena; Rossi Monti, Mario; Starcevic, Vladan

2017-12-01

This article aims to review the concept of emotion dysregulation, focusing on issues related to its definition, meanings and role in psychiatric disorders. Articles on emotion dysregulation published until May 2016 were identified through electronic database searches. Although there is no agreement about the definition of emotion dysregulation, the following five overlapping, not mutually exclusive dimensions of emotion dysregulation were identified: decreased emotional awareness, inadequate emotional reactivity, intense experience and expression of emotions, emotional rigidity and cognitive reappraisal difficulty. These dimensions characterise a number of psychiatric disorders in various proportions, with borderline personality disorder and eating disorders seemingly more affected than other conditions. The present review contributes to the literature by identifying the key components of emotion dysregulation and by showing how these permeate various forms of psychopathology. It also makes suggestions for improving research endeavours. Better understanding of the various dimensions of emotion dysregulation will have implications for clinical practice. Future research needs to address emotion dysregulation in all its multifaceted complexity so that it becomes clearer what the concept encompasses.

Perspectives of Patients, Caregivers and Researchers on Research Priorities in Donation and Transplantation in Canada: A Pilot Workshop

PubMed Central

Allard, Julie; Durand, Céline; Anthony, Samantha J.; Dumez, Vincent; Hartell, David; Hébert, Marie-Josée; West, Lori J.; Wright, Linda; Fortin, Marie-Chantal

2017-01-01

Background It is vitally important to seek input from key stakeholders to increase the quality and relevance of health-related research and accelerate its adoption into practice. Patients and caregivers have rarely been involved in setting research priorities in the transplantation and donation field. The objectives of this explorative study are: (i) to discuss research priorities within the Canadian National Transplant Research Program during a priority-setting exercise with patients, caregivers, organ donors and researchers and (ii) to compare the identified priorities with research published in 2 prestigious transplantation journals. Methods A pilot workshop attended by 10 patients and caregivers and 5 researchers was held in Montréal (Quebec, Canada) in August 2014 to identify research priorities. Priorities were identified using a thematic analysis of the workshop transcription conducted by multiple coders. These priorities were compared with the topics of research articles published in 2 major transplantation journals between 2012 and 2014. Results The themes of the 10 research priorities identified by study participants were related to different research domains: social, cultural, and environmental health factors (4); biomedical or clinical (4); and research about health systems and services (2). 26.7% of the research articles published were related to the identified priorities. Thirteen percent looked at ways to improve graft survival and 8.5% looked at the development of tolerance, 2 priorities identified by participants. Fewer than 5% examined the other 8 research priorities identified as important by workshop participants. Conclusions This is the first study reporting patients' and researchers' priorities in the field of transplantation and donation in Canada. There is a discrepancy between topics that key stakeholders find important and research published in 2 major transplantation journals. The research priorities identified during our initial workshop will be validated through a national survey and workshop. PMID:28361111

Learning lessons from drugs that have recently entered the market.

PubMed

Teague, Simon J

2011-05-01

Which projects in the drug discovery field are most likely to be successful? In this article, I provide guidelines for answering this question by examining recent drug market entrants in detail, in particular their route of administration, trial design, novelty, therapeutic target and toxicities. I identify targets, trials and organizations as the key issues that are currently leading to the poor productivity in the pharmaceutical industry. Here, I outline some solutions and reasons for optimism, and suggest that the key determinants for success in drug discovery can be defined by studying recently launched drugs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patient and public engagement in priority setting: A systematic rapid review of the literature.

PubMed

Manafò, Elizabeth; Petermann, Lisa; Vandall-Walker, Virginia; Mason-Lai, Ping

2018-01-01

Current research suggests that while patients are becoming more engaged across the health delivery spectrum, this involvement occurs most often at the pre-preparation stage to identify 'high-level' priorities in health ecosystem priority setting, and at the preparation phase for health research. The purpose of this systematic rapid review of the literature is to describe the evidence that does exist in relation to patient and public engagement priority setting in both health ecosystem and health research. HealthStar (via OVID); CINAHL; Proquest Databases; and Scholar's Portal. i) published in English; ii) published within the timeframe of 2007-Current (10 years) unless the report/article was formative in synthesizing key considerations of patient engagement in health ecosystem and health research priority setting; iii) conducted in Canada, the US, Europe, UK, Australia/New Zealand, or Scandinavian countries. i) Is the research valid, sound, and applicable?; ii) what outcomes can we potentially expect if we implement the findings from this research?; iii) will the target population (i.e., health researchers and practitioners) be able to use this research?. A summary of findings from each of the respective processes was synthesized to highlight key information that would support decision-making for researchers when determining the best priority setting process to apply for their specific patient-oriented research. Seventy articles from the UK, US, Canada, Netherlands and Australia were selected for review. Results were organized into two tiers of public and patient engagement in prioritization: Tier 1-Deliberative and Tier 2-Consultative. Highly structured patient and public engagement planning activities include the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships (UK), Dialogue Method (Netherlands), Global Evidence Mapping (Australia), and the Deep Inclusion Method/CHoosing All Together (US). The critical study limitations include challenges in comprehensively identifying the patient engagement literature for review, bias in article selection due to the identified scope, missed information due to a more limited use of exhaustive search strategies (e.g., in-depth hand searching), and the heterogeneity of reported study findings. The four public and patient engagement priority setting processes identified were successful in setting priorities that are inclusive and objectively based, specific to the priorities of stakeholders engaged in the process. The processes were robust, strategic and aimed to promote equity in patient voices. Key limitations identified a lack of evaluation data on the success and extent in which patients were engaged. Issues pertaining to feasibility of stakeholder engagement, coordination, communication and limited resources were also considered.

"Journal of Geography" Key Words: Trends and Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Jerry T.; Brysch, Carmen P.; Collins, Larianne

2015-01-01

The "Journal of Geography" has used key words since 1990 to help readers and researchers seek out work of particular interest. Key words generally supplement article titles and are hopefully chosen with care. The focus of this article is the "Journal of Geography" key word, its presence, timing, and frequency. Using a…

Approach to osteomyelitis treatment with antibiotic loaded PMMA.

PubMed

Wentao, Zhang; Lei, Guangyu; Liu, Yang; Wang, Wei; Song, Tao; Fan, Jinzhu

2017-01-01

To reduce the incidence of osteomyelitis infection, local antibiotic impregnated delivery systems are commonly used as a promising and effective approach to deliver high antibiotic concentrations at the infection site. The objective of this review was to provide a literature review regarding approach to osteomyelitis treatment with antibiotic loaded PMMA. Literature study regarding osteomyelitis treatment with antibiotic loaded carriers using key terms Antibiotic, osteomyelitis, biodegradable PMMA through published articles. Hands searching of bibliographies of identified articles were also undertaken. We concluded that Antibiotic-impregnated PMMA beads are useful options for the treatment of osteomyelitis for prolonged drug therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assistive devices for balance and mobility: benefits, demands, and adverse consequences.

PubMed

Bateni, Hamid; Maki, Brian E

2005-01-01

To provide information on the advantages and possible disadvantages of using canes and walkers. English-language articles were identified by searching MEDLINE and PubMed (1966-May 2003) for key words cane or walker , excluding articles unrelated to mobility aids. Bibliographies were reviewed and ISI Web of Science citation searches were run to identify additional references. Over 1000 articles were selected for further evaluation. We extracted all studies of single-tip canes or pickup walkers addressing: (1) functional, biomechanic, or neuromotor benefits; (2) biomechanic, attentional, neuromotor, metabolic, or physiologic demands; and (3) falls, injuries, or other problems. We included approximately 10% of the articles originally identified. The methodology of each selected article, and findings relevant to the benefits, demands, or adverse effects of cane or walker use were summarized. Findings were synthesized by considering their relation to basic biomechanic principles. Some biomechanic findings appear to support the clinical view that canes and walkers can improve balance and mobility for older adults and people with other clinical conditions. However, a large proportion of users experience difficulties, and the use of such devices is associated with increased risk of falling. A small number of studies have characterized some of the specific demands and problems associated with using mobility aids. Clinical and biomechanic evaluations of canes and walkers confirm that these devices can improve balance and mobility. However, they can also interfere with ones ability to maintain balance in certain situations, and the strength and metabolic demands can be excessive. More research is needed to identify and solve specific problems. Such research may lead to improved designs and guidelines for safer use of canes and walkers.

Negated bio-events: analysis and identification

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Negation occurs frequently in scientific literature, especially in biomedical literature. It has previously been reported that around 13% of sentences found in biomedical research articles contain negation. Historically, the main motivation for identifying negated events has been to ensure their exclusion from lists of extracted interactions. However, recently, there has been a growing interest in negative results, which has resulted in negation detection being identified as a key challenge in biomedical relation extraction. In this article, we focus on the problem of identifying negated bio-events, given gold standard event annotations. Results We have conducted a detailed analysis of three open access bio-event corpora containing negation information (i.e., GENIA Event, BioInfer and BioNLP’09 ST), and have identified the main types of negated bio-events. We have analysed the key aspects of a machine learning solution to the problem of detecting negated events, including selection of negation cues, feature engineering and the choice of learning algorithm. Combining the best solutions for each aspect of the problem, we propose a novel framework for the identification of negated bio-events. We have evaluated our system on each of the three open access corpora mentioned above. The performance of the system significantly surpasses the best results previously reported on the BioNLP’09 ST corpus, and achieves even better results on the GENIA Event and BioInfer corpora, both of which contain more varied and complex events. Conclusions Recently, in the field of biomedical text mining, the development and enhancement of event-based systems has received significant interest. The ability to identify negated events is a key performance element for these systems. We have conducted the first detailed study on the analysis and identification of negated bio-events. Our proposed framework can be integrated with state-of-the-art event extraction systems. The resulting systems will be able to extract bio-events with attached polarities from textual documents, which can serve as the foundation for more elaborate systems that are able to detect mutually contradicting bio-events. PMID:23323936

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

Capellen, J.; Svec, H.J.; Sage, C.R.

This report covers the year 1973, and lists approximately 8,000 articles of interest to mass spectroscopists. This report consists of three sections, a Bibliography section, an Author Index section and a Key Word Out of Context Index (KWOC Index) section. The Bibliography section lists the authors, the title and the publication data for each article. The Author Index lists the authors' names and the reference numbers of their articles. The KWOC Index lists the key words, the reference numbers of the articles in which the key word appears and the first 100 characters of the title.

Erectile dysfunction: physiology, causes and patient management.

PubMed

Steggall, Martin J

This article examines the prevalence, causes, identification, assessment and treatment options for men with erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is thought to affect one in ten men across the UK and is often a consequence of pathology and/or pharmacology. Treatment can be offered to all patients, but the keys to management are identification, accurate assessment and focused therapy. Nurses are well placed to identify and support men who have this distressing problem.

Translations from Kommunist, Number 10, 1977

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-08-31

Committee, Moscow, published 18 times a year. 14. Abstracts The report contains articles on political, economic , military and social developments and...problems within the USSR and as they relate to communist and other countries. M< Key words and Document Analysis . 17o. Descriptors USSR Political...Science Sociology Propaganda Economics 17b. Identifiers/Open-Ended Terms 17«. COSATI Fl. Id/Group 5D, 5K, 5C It. Availability Statement

Print news coverage of school-based human papillomavirus vaccine mandates.

PubMed

Casciotti, Dana M; Smith, Katherine C; Andon, Lindsay; Vernick, Jon; Tsui, Amy; Klassen, Ann C

2014-02-01

In 2007, legislation was proposed in 24 states and the District of Columbia for school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine mandates, and mandates were enacted in Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Media coverage of these events was extensive, and media messages both reflected and contributed to controversy surrounding these legislative activities. Messages communicated through the media are an important influence on adolescent and parent understanding of school-based vaccine mandates. We conducted structured text analysis of newspaper coverage, including quantitative analysis of 169 articles published in mandate jurisdictions from 2005 to 2009, and qualitative analysis of 63 articles from 2007. Our structured analysis identified topics, key stakeholders and sources, tone, and the presence of conflict. Qualitative thematic analysis identified key messages and issues. Media coverage was often incomplete, providing little context about cervical cancer or screening. Skepticism and autonomy concerns were common. Messages reflected conflict and distrust of government activities, which could negatively impact this and other youth-focused public health initiatives. If school health professionals are aware of the potential issues raised in media coverage of school-based health mandates, they will be more able to convey appropriate health education messages and promote informed decision-making by parents and students. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Cellular phone collateral damage: A review of burns associated with lithium battery powered mobile devices.

PubMed

Mankowski, Peter J; Kanevsky, Jonathan; Bakirtzian, Parseh; Cugno, Sabrina

2016-06-01

The spontaneous destruction of lithium battery powered cellphones has raised concern about the safety of these devices. We present a case report and review of the literature of burn injuries sustained in association with cellular phone usage. A Medline search was performed to identify articles describing cellular phone associated thermal injuries using key search words including "burn," "burn injury," "cellular phone," "cellphone," "thermal injury," and "telephone." Articles were reviewed for etiology, location, severity and treatment. We also present a case of a burn to the upper thigh resulting from cellular phone battery malfunction. Six case reports were identified detailing burn injuries obtained from cellphone use. Half of these cases occurred from battery malfunction with second degree being the most common severity. All cases were managed conservatively except one case, which required excision and primary closure. Lithium powered cellular phones are susceptible to overheating and destruction from inadequate heat dissipation during thermal runaway. This process can be initiated by local short-circuiting from direct contact with a low resistance conductor such as keys or coins. We reinforce the importance of safe cell phone battery practices including avoiding overcharging and direct skin exposure to minimize thermal injury risk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

ABCs of SLEEPING: A review of the evidence behind pediatric sleep practice recommendations.

PubMed

Allen, Stephanie L; Howlett, Melissa D; Coulombe, J Aimée; Corkum, Penny V

2016-10-01

The ABCs of SLEEPING mnemonic was developed to serve as an organizing framework for common pediatric sleep recommendations. The mnemonic stands for 1) age appropriate bedtimes and wake-times with consistency, 2) schedules and routines, 3) location, 4) exercise and diet, 5) no electronics in the bedroom or before bed, 6) positivity 7) independence when falling asleep and 8) needs of child met during the day, 9) equal great sleep. This review examines the empirical evidence behind the practices and recommendations captured by the ABCs of SLEEPING mnemonic for children aged 1 to 12. A search was conducted of key electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, & EMBASE) to identify English articles that included the concepts of sleep, insomnia, and/or bedtime. 77 articles were eligible for inclusion and were coded to extract key details and findings regarding the relations between sleep practices identified in the ABCs of SLEEPING mnemonic and sleep outcomes. Findings provided preliminary support for many of the recommendations that are commonly made to families regarding healthy sleep practices. However, more robust investigations are needed to better understand the causal contributions of healthy sleep practices to the onset and maintenance of children's sleep problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reported credibility techniques in higher education evaluation studies that use qualitative methods: A research synthesis.

PubMed

Liao, Hongjing; Hitchcock, John

2018-06-01

This synthesis study examined the reported use of credibility techniques in higher education evaluation articles that use qualitative methods. The sample included 118 articles published in six leading higher education evaluation journals from 2003 to 2012. Mixed methods approaches were used to identify key credibility techniques reported across the articles, document the frequency of these techniques, and describe their use and properties. Two broad sets of techniques were of interest: primary design techniques (i.e., basic), such as sampling/participant recruitment strategies, data collection methods, analytic details, and additional qualitative credibility techniques (e.g., member checking, negative case analyses, peer debriefing). The majority of evaluation articles reported use of primary techniques although there was wide variation in the amount of supporting detail; most of the articles did not describe the use of additional credibility techniques. This suggests that editors of evaluation journals should encourage the reporting of qualitative design details and authors should develop strategies yielding fuller methodological description. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The concept of ''equity'' in health-promotion articles by Nordic authors - a matter of some confusion and misconception.

PubMed

Povlsen, Lene; Borup, Ina K; Fosse, Elisabeth

2011-03-01

This paper focuses on equity in health, one of the key principles of the Ottawa Charter. It aims at analysing and discussing how the concept was defined, applied, and integrated in health-promotion articles by authors with a Nordic affiliation. Abstracts were first identified by the search word ''health promotion'' as a key word. The search was limited to 1986-2008 and abstracts written in English by authors with a Nordic affiliation. Abstracts/articles for the present study were subsequently selected from these abstracts using the search word ''equity'' and analysed by quantitative and qualitative content analysis. A majority of the 18 articles in the study did not include any proper definition of the term ''equity in health''. Most articles dealt with health in general or ''Health for All'' aspects and did not focus on specific strategies for vulnerable individuals or groups. The theoretical papers had a clear focus on equity aspects even though the concept of equity was sometimes included in an implicit way. In contrast, most papers reporting empirical studies did not specifically target equity aspects. Instead, the analysis gave the impression that many authors used the term ''equity'' synonymously with ''equality in health''. The findings may indicate that the concept of ''equity in health'' has been attenuated or even forgotten by Nordic health-promotion researchers and needs to be re-established as a strong concern within health promotion.

Training Load and Fatigue Marker Associations with Injury and Illness: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies.

PubMed

Jones, Christopher M; Griffiths, Peter C; Mellalieu, Stephen D

2017-05-01

Coaches, sport scientists, clinicians and medical personnel face a constant challenge to prescribe sufficient training load to produce training adaption while minimising fatigue, performance inhibition and risk of injury/illness. The aim of this review was to investigate the relationship between injury and illness and longitudinal training load and fatigue markers in sporting populations. Systematic searches of the Web of Science and PubMed online databases to August 2015 were conducted for articles reporting relationships between training load/fatigue measures and injury/illness in athlete populations. From the initial 5943 articles identified, 2863 duplicates were removed, followed by a further 2833 articles from title and abstract selection. Manual searching of the reference lists of the remaining 247 articles, together with use of the Google Scholar 'cited by' tool, yielded 205 extra articles deemed worthy of assessment. Sixty-eight studies were subsequently selected for inclusion in this study, of which 45 investigated injury only, 17 investigated illness only, and 6 investigated both injury and illness. This systematic review highlighted a number of key findings, including disparity within the literature regarding the use of various terminologies such as training load, fatigue, injury and illness. Athletes are at an increased risk of injury/illness at key stages in their training and competition, including periods of training load intensification and periods of accumulated training loads. Further investigation of individual athlete characteristics is required due to their impact on internal training load and, therefore, susceptibility to injury/illness.

Quality assurance in transnational higher education: a case study of the tropEd network

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Introduction Transnational or cross-border higher education has rapidly expanded since the 1980s. Together with that expansion issues on quality assurance came to the forefront. This article aims to identify key issues regarding quality assurance of transnational higher education and discusses the quality assurance of the tropEd Network for International Health in Higher Education in relation to these key issues. Methods Literature review and review of documents. Results From the literature the following key issues regarding transnational quality assurance were identified and explored: comparability of quality assurance frameworks, true collaboration versus erosion of national education sovereignty, accreditation agencies and transparency. The tropEd network developed a transnational quality assurance framework for the network. The network accredits modules through a rigorous process which has been accepted by major stakeholders. This process was a participatory learning process and at the same time the process worked positive for the relations between the institutions. Discussion The development of the quality assurance framework and the process provides a potential example for others. PMID:23537108

[Bilingual guides: a strategy to decrease cultural barriers to health care access in the Wayuu communities of Maicao, Colombia].

PubMed

Patiño-Londoño, Sandra Yaneth; Mignone, Javier; Castro-Arroyave, Diana María; Valencia, Natalia Gómez; Rojas Arbeláez, Carlos Alberto

2016-01-01

The article examines the use of bilingual guides to decrease cultural barriers to health care access in the Wayuu indigenous communities of Colombia. Within a larger project on HIV carried out between 2012 and 2014, 24 interviews were conducted with key actors in the administrative and health areas, including Wayuu bilingual guides. As a result of the qualitative analysis, the study identified three cultural barriers to health care access: a) language; b) the Wayuu worldview regarding the body, health, and illness; and c) information about sexual and reproductive health and HIV not adapted to the Wayuu culture. The study identifies the bilingual guides as key actors in reducing these barriers and concludes with a discussion of the role of the guides, the tensions inherent to their work, and the complexity of their contributions as cultural mediators.

Contrasting faith-based and traditional substance abuse treatment programs.

PubMed

Neff, James Alan; Shorkey, Clayton T; Windsor, Liliane Cambraia

2006-01-01

This article (a) discusses the definition of faith-based substance abuse treatment programs, (b) juxtaposes Durkheim's theory regarding religion with treatment process model to highlight key dimensions of faith-based and traditional programs, and (c) presents results from a study of seven programs to identify key program dimensions and to identify differences/similarities between program types. Focus group/Concept Mapping techniques yielded a clear "spiritual activities, beliefs, and rituals" dimension, rated as significantly more important to faith-based programs. Faith-based program staff also rated "structure and discipline" as more important and "work readiness" as less important. No differences were found for "group activities/cohesion" and "role modeling/mentoring," "safe, supportive environment," and "traditional treatment modalities." Programs showed substantial similarities with regard to core social processes of treatment such as mentoring, role modeling, and social cohesion. Implications are considered for further research on treatment engagement, retention, and other outcomes.

Measuring Patients' Experience of Rehabilitation Services Across the Care Continuum. Part II: Key Dimensions.

PubMed

McMurray, Josephine; McNeil, Heather; Lafortune, Claire; Black, Samantha; Prorok, Jeanette; Stolee, Paul

2016-01-01

To identify key dimensions of patients' experience across the rehabilitative care system and to recommend a framework to develop survey items that measure the rehabilitative care experience. Data were sourced from a literature review that searched MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL (Ebsco), and PsycINFO (APA PsycNET) databases from 2004 to 2014, the reference lists of the final accepted articles, and hand searches of relevant journals. Four reviewers performed the screening process on 2472 articles; 33 were included for analysis. Interrater reliability was confirmed through 2 rounds of title review and 1 round of abstract review, with an average κ score of .69. The final sample of 33 accepted articles was imported into a qualitative data analysis software application. Multiple levels of coding and a constant comparative methodology generated 6 themes. There were 502 discreet survey questions measuring patient experience that were categorized using the following dimensions: rehabilitative care ecosystem, client and informal caregiver engagement, patient and health care provider relation, pain and functional status, group and individual identity, and open ended. The most common survey questions examine the care delivery ecosystem (37%), the engagement of clients and their informal caregivers (24.9%), and the quality of relations between providers and patients (21.7%). Examination of patient's functional status and management of pain yielded (15.3%) of the instruments' questions. Currently available instruments and questions that measure patients' experience in rehabilitative care are unable to assess the performance of rehabilitative delivery systems that aspire to integrate care across the continuum. However, question panels derived from our 6 key themes may measure the key concepts that define rehabilitative care and facilitate measurement of patient experience at the system level. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors that influence career progression among postdoctoral clinical academics: a scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Ranieri, Veronica; Barratt, Helen; Fulop, Naomi; Rees, Geraint

2016-10-21

The future of academic medicine is uncertain. Concerns regarding the future availability of qualified and willing trainee clinical academics have been raised worldwide. Of significant concern is our failure to retain postdoctoral trainee clinical academics, who are likely to be our next generation of leaders in scientific discovery. To review the literature about factors that may influence postdoctoral career progression in early career clinical academics. This study employed a scoping review method. Three reviewers separately assessed whether the articles found fit the inclusion criteria. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar (1991-2015). The review encompassed a broad search of English language studies published anytime up to November 2015. All articles were eligible for inclusion, including research papers employing either quantitative or qualitative methods, as well as editorials and other summary articles. Data extracted from included publications were charted according to author(s), sample population, study design, key findings, country of origin and year of publication. Our review identified 6 key influences: intrinsic motivation, work-life balance, inclusiveness, work environment, mentorship and availability of funding. It also detected significant gaps within the literature about these influences. Three key steps are proposed to help support postdoctoral trainee clinical academics. These focus on ensuring that researchers feel encouraged in their workplace, involved in collaborative dialogue with key stakeholders and able to access reliable information regarding their chosen career pathway. Finally, we highlight recommendations for future research. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Big data science: A literature review of nursing research exemplars.

PubMed

Westra, Bonnie L; Sylvia, Martha; Weinfurter, Elizabeth F; Pruinelli, Lisiane; Park, Jung In; Dodd, Dianna; Keenan, Gail M; Senk, Patricia; Richesson, Rachel L; Baukner, Vicki; Cruz, Christopher; Gao, Grace; Whittenburg, Luann; Delaney, Connie W

Big data and cutting-edge analytic methods in nursing research challenge nurse scientists to extend the data sources and analytic methods used for discovering and translating knowledge. The purpose of this study was to identify, analyze, and synthesize exemplars of big data nursing research applied to practice and disseminated in key nursing informatics, general biomedical informatics, and nursing research journals. A literature review of studies published between 2009 and 2015. There were 650 journal articles identified in 17 key nursing informatics, general biomedical informatics, and nursing research journals in the Web of Science database. After screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria, 17 studies published in 18 articles were identified as big data nursing research applied to practice. Nurses clearly are beginning to conduct big data research applied to practice. These studies represent multiple data sources and settings. Although numerous analytic methods were used, the fundamental issue remains to define the types of analyses consistent with big data analytic methods. There are needs to increase the visibility of big data and data science research conducted by nurse scientists, further examine the use of state of the science in data analytics, and continue to expand the availability and use of a variety of scientific, governmental, and industry data resources. A major implication of this literature review is whether nursing faculty and preparation of future scientists (PhD programs) are prepared for big data and data science. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Relational Impact of Multiple Sclerosis: An Integrative Review of the Literature Using a Cognitive Analytic Framework.

PubMed

Blundell Jones, Joanna; Walsh, Sue; Isaac, Claire

2017-12-01

This integrative literature review uses cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) theory to examine the impact of a chronic illness, multiple sclerosis (MS), on relationships and mental health. Electronic searches were conducted in six medical and social science databases. Thirty-eight articles met inclusion criteria, and also satisfied quality criteria. Articles revealed that MS-related demands change care needs and alter relationships. Using a CAT framework, the MS literature was analysed, and five key patterns of relating to oneself and to others were identified. A diagrammatic formulation is proposed that interconnects these patterns with wellbeing and suggests potential "exits" to improve mental health, for example, assisting families to minimise overprotection. Application of CAT analysis to the literature clarifies relational processes that may affect mental health among individuals with MS, which hopefully will inform how services assist in reducing unhelpful patterns and improve coping. Further investigation of the identified patterns is needed.

The effects of workplace physical activity interventions in men: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wong, Jason Y L; Gilson, Nicholas D; van Uffelen, Jannique G Z; Brown, Wendy J

2012-07-01

The workplace is cited as a promising setting for physical activity (PA) promotion, but workplace PA interventions tend not to specifically target men. The aim of this article was to review the literature on workplace PA interventions for men and to identify key issues for future intervention development. Articles targeting PA at the workplace were located through a structured database search. Information on intervention strategies and PA outcomes were extracted. Only 13 studies (10.5%) reviewed focused on men, of which 5 showed significant increases in PA. These studies used generic, multicomponent, health promotion strategies with a variety of timeframes, self-report PA measures, and PA outcomes. The systematic review identified that evidence on the effectiveness of workplace PA interventions for men is equivocal and highlighted methodological concerns. Future research should use reliable and valid measures of PA and interventions that focus specifically on men's needs and PA preferences.

Institutionalization of community action projects to reduce alcohol-use related problems: systematic facilitators.

PubMed

Holder, H D; Moore, R S

2000-01-01

This article reviews papers from a recent conference on community action research in order to identify factors that contribute to long-term maintenance, sustainability, or institutionalization of community project interventions. The descriptions of long-term outcomes and aftereffects of projects that emerged in the conference are valuable because relatively few instances of institutionalization have been documented in the scientific literature. After a general theoretical discussion of institutionalization in communities, the article identifies characteristics of successful community action programs that outlived their original funding. These characteristics include honoring community values and cultural relevance, cultivating key leader support, and utilizing indigenous staff. They also include developing local resources, maintaining flexibility, and leveraging prior success. The paper concludes by noting that aiming for policy and structural changes is a goal for an institutionalization of measures positively affecting desired health outcomes, even if the programs which created them are not themselves sustained.

Health-related quality of life assessment among patients with inflammatory bowel diseases after surgery – review

PubMed Central

Formanowicz, Dorota; Gmerek, Łukasz; Krokowicz, Piotr

2016-01-01

Aim of the work was to review systematically the published literature addressing whether quality of life (QoL) and health-related QoL (HRQoL) are influenced by surgery among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Electronic databases and published articles were searched to identify relevant studies published in the years 1990–2015. Then, a multistep selection was undertaken to identify articles that met specific selection criteria, such us specific key-words (IBD, HRQoL, ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD), and surgery), and the population was assessed (studies concerning patients < 18 years old were excluded). The review included 27 studies that were evaluated in the context of the influence of surgery on QoL and HRQoL. Concluding, with the increase in the incidence of IBD, monitoring of QoL is an important indicator of the health effects at each stage of the surgical treatment. PMID:28337230

Social power, product conspicuousness, and the demand for luxury brand counterfeit products.

PubMed

Bian, Xuemei; Haque, Sadia; Smith, Andrew

2015-03-01

The aim of this article is twofold: (1) to achieve a better understanding of the psychological determinants of the demand for luxury brand counterfeit products (LBCP) through exploring the effects of social power; (2) to extend power literature by identifying boundary conditions of the relationship between social power and compensatory consumption identified by Rucker and Galinsky (2008, J. Consum. Res., 35, 257-267) and Rucker and Galinsky (2009, J. Exp. Soc. Psychol., 45, 549-555). Findings from three experiments demonstrate that social power holds key insights into understanding consumers' purchase propensity for LBCP; product conspicuousness moderates the effects of social power on purchase propensity for status products; these moderation effects are only observed when the status products are LBCP but not genuine products. This article, therefore, contributes to the literature regarding the demand for counterfeits as well as the social power and compensatory consumption literature. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Nurse practitioners in aged care: documentary analysis of successful project proposals.

PubMed

Clark, Shannon J; Parker, Rhian M; Davey, Rachel

2014-11-01

Meeting the primary health care needs of an aging population is an increasing challenge for many Western nations. In Australia, the federal government introduced a program to develop, test, and evaluate nurse practitioner models in aged care settings. In this article, we present a documentary analysis of 32 project proposals awarded funding under the Nurse Practitioner-Aged Care Models of Practice Program. Successfully funded models were diverse and were operated by a range of organizations across Australia. We identified three key priorities as underlying the proposed models: "The right care," "in the right place," and "at the right time." In this article, we explore how these priorities were presented by different applicants in different ways. Through the presentation of their models, the program's applicants identified and proposed to address current gaps in health services. Applicants contrasted their proposed models with available services to create persuasive and competitive applications for funding. © The Author(s) 2014.

Preceptor skills and characteristics: considerations for preceptor education.

PubMed

Shinners, Jean S; Franqueiro, Tammy

2015-05-01

The onboarding and retention of new graduate RNs continues to be a critical focus for both nursing as a profession and for health care organizations. A comprehensive residency program, with preceptor engagement playing a key role, is essential to the success of these new nurses in transition. With a focus on preceptor education, this article provides an analysis of the preceptor experience from the perspective of new graduate RNs and how their feedback provided the foundation for preceptor education. The article outlines opinions and recommendations for preceptor development, provided by a convenience sample of new graduate nurses from a multisite, postresidency evaluation survey. The purpose of the analysis was two-fold: (a) to identify preceptor skills and characteristics for presentation at the 2nd annual American Academy for Preceptor Advancement conference and (b) to ensure that the identified skills and characteristics provide the foundation for preceptor education in a national residency program. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

An Individual Perspective on Risk in a DC (Usually 401(k)) Environment.

PubMed

Rappaport, Anna M

2016-01-01

Traditional benefit packages once typically included defined benefit (DB) pension plans and focused on identifying the key financial risks facing employees, deciding which were more serious and developing strategies to protect employees from those risks. Today, defined contribution (DC) plans often are the primary retirement security vehicle, and much of the risk protection has been taken out of the benefits package. This article focuses on some of the risks facing employees, identifies which are covered by the typical 401(k) plan and which are not and provides ideas for managing risks not covered directly by the typical plan. There is substantial focus on long-term disability and longevity. The discussion spans savings and payout periods and suggests some ideas for the future, including greater integration of 401(k) plans with risk protection approaches. The article does not focus on investment risk and options.

Bisphosphonates and atypical subtrochanteric fractures of the femur

PubMed Central

Kharwadkar, N.; Mayne, B.; Lawrence, J. E.

2017-01-01

Objectives Bisphosphonates are widely used as first-line treatment for primary and secondary prevention of fragility fractures. Whilst they have proved effective in this role, there is growing concern over their long-term use, with much evidence linking bisphosphonate-related suppression of bone remodelling to an increased risk of atypical subtrochanteric fractures of the femur (AFFs). The objective of this article is to review this evidence, while presenting the current available strategies for the management of AFFs. Methods We present an evaluation of current literature relating to the pathogenesis and treatment of AFFs in the context of bisphosphonate use. Results Six broad themes relating to the pathogenesis and management of bisphosphonate-related AFFs are presented. The key themes in fracture pathogenesis are: bone microdamage accumulation; altered bone mineralisation and altered collagen formation. The key themes in fracture management are: medical therapy and surgical therapy. In addition, primary prevention strategies for AFFs are discussed. Conclusions This article presents current knowledge about the relationship between bisphosphonates and the development of AFFs, and highlights key areas for future research. In particular, studies aimed at identifying at-risk subpopulations and organising surveillance for those on long-term therapy will be crucial in both increasing our understanding of the condition, and improving population outcomes. Cite this article: N. Kharwadkar, B. Mayne, J. E. Lawrence, V. Khanduja. Bisphosphonates and atypical subtrochanteric fractures of the femur. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:144–153. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.63.BJR-2016-0125.R1. PMID:28288986

Antidepressant Use and Incident Urinary Incontinence: A Literature Review.

PubMed

Dane, Kathryn E; Gatewood, Sharon B S; Peron, Emily P

2016-03-01

To review available data examining antidepressant use and incident urinary incontinence (UI). PubMed was used to conduct the literature search for this review. In the primary search, the term "antidepressive agents" was searched as a medical subject heading, a pharmacological action, and a keyword phrase. This choice was made so that any relevant articles would include complete results for antidepressive agents. "Antidepressive agents" was combined with the key phrase "drug-induced urinary incontinence" to complete this primary search. Relevant articles published in English and examining human subjects were included. The study authors determined appropriateness of articles for inclusion, focusing on those examining antidepressant-associated UI. This literature review identified three cohort studies and 11 case reports examining various associations between antidepressant use and incident UI. All 11 case reports and 1 cohort study reviewed suggest an association between antidepressant use and incident UI. It remains unclear which drugs are most problematic and which patients are at greatest risk, and more data are needed to confirm an association, especially in older adults. Comprehensive medication reviews should be employed by pharmacists to identify potential medication-related causes of UI.

Cultural Diversity in Nursing Education: Perils, Pitfalls, and Pearls

PubMed Central

Bednarz, Hedi; Schim, Stephanie; Doorenbos, Ardith

2010-01-01

Increasing diversity in the classroom challenges nursing educators to identify issues that complicate teaching (perils), analyze barriers for themselves and their students (pitfalls), and select new strategies for working with nontraditional students (pearls). This article identifies concerns arising from attitudes and values within nursing and common approaches to diversity education, and then discusses key issues in nursing education that relate to human nature, culture, faculty workload, and student demographics. Finally, some strategies are proposed for increasing the effectiveness of professional preparation with diverse students through a focus on culturally congruent education and development of faculty cultural competence. PMID:20143759

Cultural diversity in nursing education: perils, pitfalls, and pearls.

PubMed

Bednarz, Hedi; Schim, Stephanie; Doorenbos, Ardith

2010-05-01

Increasing diversity in the classroom challenges nursing educators to identify issues that complicate teaching (perils), analyze barriers for themselves and their students (pitfalls), and select new strategies for working with nontraditional students (pearls). This article identifies concerns arising from attitudes and values within nursing and common approaches to diversity education, and then discusses key issues in nursing education that relate to human nature, culture, faculty workload, and student demographics. Finally, some strategies are proposed for increasing the effectiveness of professional preparation with diverse students through a focus on culturally congruent education and development of faculty cultural competence.

Undergraduates talk about their choice to study physics at university: what was key to their participation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodd, Melissa; Reiss, Michael; Mujtaba, Tamjid

2013-07-01

Background . The research on which this article is based was commissioned because of concerns about perceived shortages of willing and able young people choosing to study physics at university. Purpose This article reports on first year physics undergraduates' narratives of why they are studying physics and uses these narratives to identify reasons for their choice. Design and method Narrative-style interviewing with a purposive sample of first year undergraduates yielded data that revealed complexities around decision making, including choice of university course. Analysis of the texts was informed by psychoanalytical notions rooted in the work of Sigmund Freud. These psychoanalytical notions were used both in generating the interview data - the undergraduate volunteer interviewees were conceptualised as 'defended subjects' - and in analysing these interviews in order to conjecture how unconscious forces might figure in young people's decision making. Results After analysing the interviews with physics undergraduates, with respect to the question 'why are they reading physics?', the claim is that identification with a key adult is an important element in an individual's participation. On the other hand, we discerned no evidence that experience of the sorts of innovation typically designed to increase physics uptake - for example 'fun projects' or competitions - had been key with respect to a desire to read physics. Conclusion Attempts to recruit more students to university to study physics should note that a young person who identifies with a significant adult associated with physics, typically a teacher or family member, is in a good position to believe that physics is a subject that is worth studying.

Getting Clearer About Surgical Innovation: A New Definition and a New Tool to Support Responsible Practice.

PubMed

Hutchison, Katrina; Rogers, Wendy; Eyers, Anthony; Lotz, Mianna

2015-12-01

This article presents an original definition of surgical innovation and a practical tool for identifying planned innovations. These will support the responsible introduction of surgical innovations. Frameworks developed for the safer introduction of surgical innovations rely upon identifying cases of innovation; oversight cannot occur unless innovations are identified. However, there is no consensus among surgeons about which interventions they consider innovative; existing definitions are vague and impractical. Using conceptual analysis, this article synthesizes findings from relevant literature, and from qualitative research with surgeons, to develop an original definition of surgical innovation and a tool for prospectively identifying planned surgical innovations. The tool has been developed in light of feedback from health care professionals, surgeons, and policy makers. This definition of innovation distinguishes between variations, introduction of established interventions, and innovations in surgical techniques or use of devices. It can be applied easily and consistently, is sensitive to the key features of innovation (newness and degree of change), is prospective, and focuses on features relevant to safety and evaluation. The accompanying tool is deliberately broad so that appropriate supports may, if necessary, be provided each time that a surgeon does something "new." The definition presented in this article overcomes a number of practical challenges. The definition and tool will be of value in supporting responsible surgical innovation, in particular, through the prospective identification of planned innovations.

Applications of functional data analysis: A systematic review.

PubMed

Ullah, Shahid; Finch, Caroline F

2013-03-19

Functional data analysis (FDA) is increasingly being used to better analyze, model and predict time series data. Key aspects of FDA include the choice of smoothing technique, data reduction, adjustment for clustering, functional linear modeling and forecasting methods. A systematic review using 11 electronic databases was conducted to identify FDA application studies published in the peer-review literature during 1995-2010. Papers reporting methodological considerations only were excluded, as were non-English articles. In total, 84 FDA application articles were identified; 75.0% of the reviewed articles have been published since 2005. Application of FDA has appeared in a large number of publications across various fields of sciences; the majority is related to biomedicine applications (21.4%). Overall, 72 studies (85.7%) provided information about the type of smoothing techniques used, with B-spline smoothing (29.8%) being the most popular. Functional principal component analysis (FPCA) for extracting information from functional data was reported in 51 (60.7%) studies. One-quarter (25.0%) of the published studies used functional linear models to describe relationships between explanatory and outcome variables and only 8.3% used FDA for forecasting time series data. Despite its clear benefits for analyzing time series data, full appreciation of the key features and value of FDA have been limited to date, though the applications show its relevance to many public health and biomedical problems. Wider application of FDA to all studies involving correlated measurements should allow better modeling of, and predictions from, such data in the future especially as FDA makes no a priori age and time effects assumptions.

Applications of functional data analysis: A systematic review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Functional data analysis (FDA) is increasingly being used to better analyze, model and predict time series data. Key aspects of FDA include the choice of smoothing technique, data reduction, adjustment for clustering, functional linear modeling and forecasting methods. Methods A systematic review using 11 electronic databases was conducted to identify FDA application studies published in the peer-review literature during 1995–2010. Papers reporting methodological considerations only were excluded, as were non-English articles. Results In total, 84 FDA application articles were identified; 75.0% of the reviewed articles have been published since 2005. Application of FDA has appeared in a large number of publications across various fields of sciences; the majority is related to biomedicine applications (21.4%). Overall, 72 studies (85.7%) provided information about the type of smoothing techniques used, with B-spline smoothing (29.8%) being the most popular. Functional principal component analysis (FPCA) for extracting information from functional data was reported in 51 (60.7%) studies. One-quarter (25.0%) of the published studies used functional linear models to describe relationships between explanatory and outcome variables and only 8.3% used FDA for forecasting time series data. Conclusions Despite its clear benefits for analyzing time series data, full appreciation of the key features and value of FDA have been limited to date, though the applications show its relevance to many public health and biomedical problems. Wider application of FDA to all studies involving correlated measurements should allow better modeling of, and predictions from, such data in the future especially as FDA makes no a priori age and time effects assumptions. PMID:23510439

Publication analysis of the contact lens field: what are the current topics of interest?

PubMed

Cardona, Genís; Sanz, Joan P

2015-01-01

To determine the main current research interests of scientists working in the contact lens field. All articles published in the 2011 issues of all journals included in the Journal Citation Reports subject category Ophthalmology were inspected to expose those papers related to the contact lens field. Information regarding source journal was obtained and authorship details were recorded to determine the top most prolific authors, institutions and countries. A comprehensive list of key words was compiled to generate a two-dimensional term map in which the frequency of occurrence of a particular term is defined by label size and the distance between two terms is an indication of the relatedness of these terms, based on their co-occurrences within groups of key words. Clusters of related terms were also identified. Visual examination of all articles uncovered a total of 156 papers, published in 28 different journals. Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, Eye & Contact Lens and Optometry and Vision Science had 27 articles each. The most prolific authors and institutions revealed the predominance of countries with long research tradition in the contact lens field. Ten different word clusters or areas of interest were identified, including both traditional, yet unresolved issues (e.g., comfort or dry eye), and the latest research efforts (e.g., myopia control). These findings, which revealed contact lenses to be a fertile area of research, may be of relevance to new researchers as well as to those interested in exploring the latest research trends in this scientific discipline. Copyright © 2013 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

A writer's guide to education scholarship: Quantitative methodologies for medical education research (part 1).

PubMed

Thoma, Brent; Camorlinga, Paola; Chan, Teresa M; Hall, Andrew Koch; Murnaghan, Aleisha; Sherbino, Jonathan

2018-01-01

Quantitative research is one of the many research methods used to help educators advance their understanding of questions in medical education. However, little research has been done on how to succeed in publishing in this area. We conducted a scoping review to identify key recommendations and reporting guidelines for quantitative educational research and scholarship. Medline, ERIC, and Google Scholar were searched for English-language articles published between 2006 and January 2016 using the search terms, "research design," "quantitative," "quantitative methods," and "medical education." A hand search was completed for additional references during the full-text review. Titles/abstracts were reviewed by two authors (BT, PC) and included if they focused on quantitative research in medical education and outlined reporting guidelines, or provided recommendations on conducting quantitative research. One hundred articles were reviewed in parallel with the first 30 used for calibration and the subsequent 70 to calculate Cohen's kappa coefficient. Two reviewers (BT, PC) conducted a full text review and extracted recommendations and reporting guidelines. A simple thematic analysis summarized the extracted recommendations. Sixty-one articles were reviewed in full, and 157 recommendations were extracted. The thematic analysis identified 86 items, 14 categories, and 3 themes. Fourteen quality evaluation tools and reporting guidelines were found. Discussion This paper provides guidance for junior researchers in the form of key quality markers and reporting guidelines. We hope that quantitative researchers in medical education will be informed by the results and that further work will be done to refine the list of recommendations.

Discussing disease progression and end-of-life decisions.

PubMed

Baile, W F; Glober, G A; Lenzi, R; Beale, E A; Kudelka, A P

1999-07-01

Because most patients now want to know the truth about their diagnosis and prognosis, the ability to discuss the cancer diagnosis, disease recurrence, or treatment failure, and to solicit patients' views about resuscitation or hospice care, are important verbal skills for oncologists and other oncology health care providers. Moreover, the ability to clearly articulate a treatment plan or elicit patient preferences for treatment are a prerequisite to informed consent. Despite these imperatives, clinicians do not routinely receive training in key communication skills that could enable them to accomplish these tasks. A body of literature is available, however, that identifies communication strategies that can (1) facilitate the establishment of a close rapport with the patient, (2) identify the patient's information preferences, (3) ensure comprehension of key knowledge and information, (4) address the patient's emotions in a supportive fashion, (5) elicit the patient's key concerns, and (6) involve the patient in the treatment plan. In this article, we use dialogues between a physician and a hypothetical patient with advanced ovarian cancer to illustrate how communication techniques can be applied to accomplish these goals. We identify important benefits of the use of these techniques for both the physician and patient, and pose several questions regarding the training of physicians in this area.

Bringing Back the Social History

PubMed Central

Pierce, Mary Clyde; Kaczor, Kim; Thompson, Richard

2014-01-01

The social environment of the child is a key determinant of the child’s current and future health. Factors in the child’s family environment, both protective and harmful, have profound impact on the child’s long-term health, brain development, and mortality. Adverse childhood experiences, and specifically, child maltreatment, are directly linked to increased risk for harm, poor outcomes, ill-health as adults, and even death during childhood or early adulthood. Therefore, it is important to obtain a detailed social history from the first medical visit with the dual goals of identifying strengths to reinforce and weaknesses to address. Screening is paramount in order to foster healthy parenting and help identify areas needing intervention. Occasionally, serious problems are uncovered indicating the child is at significant risk for maltreatment. By addressing these risks openly and directly before serious or permanent harm occurs, child maltreatment and its potentially life-altering consequences (for all) may be prevented. The social history may very well be the best all-around tool available for promoting the child’s future health and well-being. It is a key first step in identifying social needs of the child and family so that they may benefit from intervention. This article focuses on key social history elements known to increase a child’s risk of maltreatment and provides case examples. PMID:25242704

Identification of the key bitter compounds in our daily diet is a prerequisite for the understanding of the hTAS2R gene polymorphisms affecting food choice.

PubMed

Hofmann, Thomas

2009-07-01

In order to decode genetic variations affecting food choice and to determine whether to accept or to reject certain food products, it is a necessary prerequisite to deorphanize the hTAS2R/ligand pairs using the key bitter compounds in foods as stimuli rather than doing this either by using artificial molcules, to which the normal consumer had never been exposed, or by using food-born molecules which do not at all contribute to the overall bitterness. Therefore, the chemical structure of the most active bitter molecules in foods needs to be unequivocally determined in order to be sure that hTAS2R polymorphisms are related to the key molecules which really contribute to the overall bitterness perception of food products. As most studies focused primarily on quantitatively predominating compounds, rather than selecting the target compounds to be identified with regard to taste-activity, it seems that yet unknown components play a key role in evoking the bitter taste of food products. Driven by the need to discover the key players inducing the food taste, the research area "sensomics" made tremendous efforts in recent years to map the sensometabolome and to identify the most intense taste-active metabolites in fresh and processed foods. The present article summarizes recent studies on the identification of orphan key bitter stimuli in fresh, fermented, and thermally processed foods using carrots, cheese, and roasted coffee as examples.

Automated confidence ranked classification of randomized controlled trial articles: an aid to evidence-based medicine

PubMed Central

Smalheiser, Neil R; McDonagh, Marian S; Yu, Clement; Adams, Clive E; Davis, John M; Yu, Philip S

2015-01-01

Objective: For many literature review tasks, including systematic review (SR) and other aspects of evidence-based medicine, it is important to know whether an article describes a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Current manual annotation is not complete or flexible enough for the SR process. In this work, highly accurate machine learning predictive models were built that include confidence predictions of whether an article is an RCT. Materials and Methods: The LibSVM classifier was used with forward selection of potential feature sets on a large human-related subset of MEDLINE to create a classification model requiring only the citation, abstract, and MeSH terms for each article. Results: The model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.973 and mean squared error of 0.013 on the held out year 2011 data. Accurate confidence estimates were confirmed on a manually reviewed set of test articles. A second model not requiring MeSH terms was also created, and performs almost as well. Discussion: Both models accurately rank and predict article RCT confidence. Using the model and the manually reviewed samples, it is estimated that about 8000 (3%) additional RCTs can be identified in MEDLINE, and that 5% of articles tagged as RCTs in Medline may not be identified. Conclusion: Retagging human-related studies with a continuously valued RCT confidence is potentially more useful for article ranking and review than a simple yes/no prediction. The automated RCT tagging tool should offer significant savings of time and effort during the process of writing SRs, and is a key component of a multistep text mining pipeline that we are building to streamline SR workflow. In addition, the model may be useful for identifying errors in MEDLINE publication types. The RCT confidence predictions described here have been made available to users as a web service with a user query form front end at: http://arrowsmith.psych.uic.edu/cgi-bin/arrowsmith_uic/RCT_Tagger.cgi. PMID:25656516

A typology of primary care workforce innovations in the United States since 2000.

PubMed

Friedman, Asia; Hahn, Karissa A; Etz, Rebecca; Rehwinkel-Morfe, Anna M; Miller, William L; Nutting, Paul A; Jaén, Carlos R; Shaw, Eric K; Crabtree, Benjamin F

2014-02-01

Innovative workforce models are being developed and implemented to meet the changing demands of primary care. A literature review was conducted to construct a typology of workforce models used by primary care practices. Ovid Medline, CINAHL, and PsycInfo were used to identify published descriptions of the primary care workforce that deviated from what would be expected in the typical practice in the year 2000. Expert consultants identified additional articles that would not show up in a regular computerized search. Full texts of relevant articles were read and matrices for sorting articles were developed. Each article was reviewed and assigned to one of 18 cells in the matrices. Articles within each cell were then read again to identify patterns and develop an understanding of the full spectrum of workforce innovation within each category. This synthesis led to the development of a typology of workforce innovations represented in the literature. Many workforce innovations added personnel to existing practices, whereas others sought to retrain existing personnel or even develop roles outside the traditional practice. Most of these sought to minimize the impact on the existing practice roles and functions, particularly that of physicians. The synthesis also identified recent innovations which attempted to fundamentally transform the existing practice, with transformation being defined as a change in practice members' governing variables or values in regard to their workforce role. Most conceptualizations of the primary care workforce described in the literature do not reflect the level of innovation needed to meet the needs of the burgeoning numbers of patients with complex health issues, the necessity for roles and identities of physicians to change, and the call for fundamentally redesigned practices. However, we identified 5 key workforce innovation concepts that emerged from the literature: team care, population focus, additional resource support, creating workforce connections, and role change.

Cirque du Monde as a health intervention: perceptions of medical students and social circus experts.

PubMed

Fournier, Cynthia; Drouin, Mélodie-Anne; Marcoux, Jérémie; Garel, Patricia; Bochud, Emmanuel; Théberge, Julie; Aubertin, Patrice; Favreau, Gil; Fleet, Richard

2014-11-01

To present Cirque du Soleil's social circus program, Cirque du Monde, to explore its potential as a primary health care tool for family physicians. A review of the literature in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, LaPresse, Eureka, Google Scholar, and Érudit using the key words circus, social circus, Cirque du Monde, and Cirque du Soleil; a Montreal-based initiative, Espace Transition, modeled on Cirque du Monde; and personal communication with Cirque du Soleil's Social Circus Training Advisor. The first 50 articles or websites identified for each key word in each of the databases were examined on the basis of their titles and abstracts in the case of articles, and on the basis of their titles and page content in the case of websites. Articles and websites that explored an aspect of social circuses or that described an intervention that involved circuses were then retained for analysis. Because all literature on social circuses was searched, no criterion for year of publication was used. No articles on the social circus as a health intervention were found. One study on the use of the circus as an intervention in schools was identified. It demonstrated an increase in self-esteem in the children who took part. One study on the use of the circus in a First Nations community was found; it contained nonspecific, qualitative findings. The other articles identified were merely descriptions of social circuses. One website was identified on the use of the social circus to help youth who had been treated in a hospital setting for major psychiatric disorders to re-enter the community. The team in the pediatric psychiatry department at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, the children's hospital in Montreal, Que, was contacted; they were leading this project, called Espace Transition. The unpublished preliminary findings of its pilot project demonstrate substantial improvements in overall patient functioning. According to Cirque du Soleil, there are several projects under way around the world researching the therapeutic value of social circuses. Cirque du Monde is able to reach a marginalized population that is otherwise difficult for the health system to reach. This program has therapeutic potential because of its target population, its promotion of healthy habits, and the support that it offers through the group and its workers. Cirque du Soleil is investing heavily in this project. The lack of literature yielding robust data on the social circus is therefore an important issue. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Cirque du Monde as a health intervention

PubMed Central

Fournier, Cynthia; Drouin, Mélodie-Anne; Marcoux, Jérémie; Garel, Patricia; Bochud, Emmanuel; Théberge, Julie; Aubertin, Patrice; Favreau, Gil; Fleet, Richard

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To present Cirque du Soleil’s social circus program, Cirque du Monde, to explore its potential as a primary health care tool for family physicians. Data sources A review of the literature in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, LaPresse, Eureka, Google Scholar, and Érudit using the key words circus, social circus, Cirque du Monde, and Cirque du Soleil; a Montreal-based initiative, Espace Transition, modeled on Cirque du Monde; and personal communication with Cirque du Soleil’s Social Circus Training Advisor. Study selection The first 50 articles or websites identified for each key word in each of the databases were examined on the basis of their titles and abstracts in the case of articles, and on the basis of their titles and page content in the case of websites. Articles and websites that explored an aspect of social circuses or that described an intervention that involved circuses were then retained for analysis. Because all literature on social circuses was searched, no criterion for year of publication was used. Synthesis No articles on the social circus as a health intervention were found. One study on the use of the circus as an intervention in schools was identified. It demonstrated an increase in self-esteem in the children who took part. One study on the use of the circus in a First Nations community was found; it contained nonspecific, qualitative findings. The other articles identified were merely descriptions of social circuses. One website was identified on the use of the social circus to help youth who had been treated in a hospital setting for major psychiatric disorders to re-enter the community. The team in the pediatric psychiatry department at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, the children’s hospital in Montreal, Que, was contacted; they were leading this project, called Espace Transition. The unpublished preliminary findings of its pilot project demonstrate substantial improvements in overall patient functioning. According to Cirque du Soleil, there are several projects under way around the world researching the therapeutic value of social circuses. Conclusion Cirque du Monde is able to reach a marginalized population that is otherwise difficult for the health system to reach. This program has therapeutic potential because of its target population, its promotion of healthy habits, and the support that it offers through the group and its workers. Cirque du Soleil is investing heavily in this project. The lack of literature yielding robust data on the social circus is therefore an important issue. PMID:25392449

Physical activity of adults with mental retardation: review and research needs.

PubMed

Temple, Viviene A; Frey, Georgia C; Stanish, Heidi I

2006-01-01

To characterize physical activity levels of adults with mental retardation and identify limitations in published research. Key word searches for "mental retardation," "intellectual disability," "learning disability," or "developmental disability" combined with "physical activity" or "habitual exercise" identified articles from MEDLINE, Academic Search Elite, Psych Articles, Health Source, and SPORT Discus. This produced a total of 801 citations. Published English-language literature that quantitatively measured physical activity levels of adults with mental retardation was included in this review. Fourteen articles met this criterion. Characteristics of participants, study design, outcome measures, methods of analyses, and findings in terms of percentages, step counts, and accelerometer output were extracted. Data were synthesized to identify the percentage of adults with mental retardation who met published health-related physical activity criteria and compare them with adults without mental retardation and to examine study limitations. The studies with the greatest rigor indicate that one-third of adults or fewer with mental retardation were sufficiently active to achieve health benefits. However, data are insufficient to determine whether adults with mental retardation are less active than the general community. Future research would be enhanced by including appropriately powered representative samples, by including comparison groups, by validating physical activity questionnaires, and by determining the accuracy of proxy respondents.

The Experience of Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Ethnography

PubMed Central

Soundy, Andrew

2014-01-01

There has been little attempt to summarise and synthesise qualitative studies concerning the experience and perception of living with Parkinson's disease. Bringing this information together would provide a background to understand the importance of an individual's social identity on their well-being and hope. Three primary aims were identified (a) understanding the importance of social identity and meaningful activities on individuals' well-being, (b) identifying factors and strategies that influence well-being and hope, and (c) establishing a model that relates to an individual's hope and well-being. Three stages were undertaken including a traditional electronic search, a critical appraisal of articles, and a synthesis of studies. Qualitative articles were included that considered the experience of living with Parkinson's disease. Thirty seven articles were located and included in the review. Five themes were identified and the themes were used to inform development of a new model of hope enablement. The current review furthered understanding of how physical symptoms and the experience of Parkinson's disease affect the individual's well-being and hope. Social identity was established as a key factor that influenced an individual's well-being. Being able to maintain, retain, or develop social identities was essential for the well-being and hope of individuals with Parkinson's disease. Understanding the factors which prevent or can facilitate this is essential. PMID:25525623

Factors That Influence the Practice of Elective Induction of Labor

PubMed Central

Moore, Jennifer; Low, Lisa Kane

2012-01-01

Elective induction of labor has been linked to increased rates of prematurity and rising rates of cesarean birth. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate current trends in induction of labor scholarship focusing on evidence-based factors that influence the practice of elective induction. A key word search was conducted to identify studies on the practice of elective induction of labor. Analysis of the findings included clustering and identification of recurrent themes among the articles with 3 categories being identified. Under each category, the words/phrases were further clustered until a construct could be named. A total of 49 articles met inclusion criteria: 7 patient, 6 maternity care provider, and 4 organization factors emerged. Only 4 of the articles identified were evidence based. Patient factors were divided into preferences/convenience, communication, fear, pressure/influence, trust, external influences, and technology. Provider factors were then divided into practice preferences/convenience, lack of information, financial incentives, fear, patient desire/demand, and technology. Organization factors were divided into lack of enforcement/accountability, hospital culture, scheduling of staff, and market share issues. Currently, there is limited data-based information focused on factors that influence elective induction of labor. Despite patient and provider convenience/preferences being cited in the literature, the evidence does not support this practice. PMID:22843006

Factors that influence the practice of elective induction of labor: what does the evidence tell us?

PubMed

Moore, Jennifer; Low, Lisa Kane

2012-01-01

Elective induction of labor has been linked to increased rates of prematurity and rising rates of cesarean birth. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate current trends in induction of labor scholarship focusing on evidence-based factors that influence the practice of elective induction. A key word search was conducted to identify studies on the practice of elective induction of labor. Analysis of the findings included clustering and identification of recurrent themes among the articles with 3 categories being identified. Under each category, the words/phrases were further clustered until a construct could be named. A total of 49 articles met inclusion criteria: 7 patient, 6 maternity care provider, and 4 organization factors emerged. Only 4 of the articles identified were evidence based. Patient factors were divided into preferences/convenience, communication, fear, pressure/influence, trust, external influences, and technology. Provider factors were then divided into practice preferences/convenience, lack of information, financial incentives, fear, patient desire/demand, and technology. Organization factors were divided into lack of enforcement/accountability, hospital culture, scheduling of staff, and market share issues. Currently, there is limited data-based information focused on factors that influence elective induction of labor. Despite patient and provider convenience/preferences being cited in the literature, the evidence does not support this practice.

Built environment assessment: Multidisciplinary perspectives.

PubMed

Glanz, Karen; Handy, Susan L; Henderson, Kathryn E; Slater, Sandy J; Davis, Erica L; Powell, Lisa M

2016-12-01

As obesity has become increasingly widespread, scientists seek better ways to assess and modify built and social environments to positively impact health. The applicable methods and concepts draw on multiple disciplines and require collaboration and cross-learning. This paper describes the results of an expert team׳s analysis of how key disciplinary perspectives contribute to environmental context-based assessment related to obesity, identifies gaps, and suggests opportunities to encourage effective advances in this arena. A team of experts representing diverse disciplines convened in 2013 to discuss the contributions of their respective disciplines to assessing built environments relevant to obesity prevention. The disciplines include urban planning, public health nutrition, exercise science, physical activity research, public health and epidemiology, behavioral and social sciences, and economics. Each expert identified key concepts and measures from their discipline, and applications to built environment assessment and action. A selective review of published literature and internet-based information was conducted in 2013 and 2014. The key points that are highlighted in this article were identified in 2014-2015 through discussion, debate and consensus-building among the team of experts. Results focus on the various disciplines׳ perspectives and tools, recommendations, progress and gaps. There has been significant progress in collaboration across key disciplines that contribute to studies of built environments and obesity, but important gaps remain. Using lessons from interprofessional education and team science, along with appreciation of and attention to other disciplines׳ contributions, can promote more effective cross-disciplinary collaboration in obesity prevention.

Measuring social inclusion--a key outcome in global mental health.

PubMed

Baumgartner, Joy Noel; Burns, Jonathan K

2014-04-01

Social inclusion is increasingly recognized as a key outcome for evaluating global mental health programmes and interventions. Whereas social inclusion as an outcome is not a new concept in the field of mental health, its measurement has been hampered by varying definitions, concepts and instruments. To move the field forward, this paper reviews the currently available instruments which measure social inclusion and are reported in the literature, realizing that no single measure will be appropriate for all studies or contexts. A systematic literature search of English language peer-reviewed articles published through February 2013 was undertaken to identify scales specifically developed to measure social inclusion or social/community integration among populations with mental disorders. Five instruments were identified through the search criteria. The scales are discussed in terms of their theoretical underpinnings, domains and/or key items and their potential for use in global settings. Whereas numerous reviewed abstracts discussed mental health and social inclusion or social integration, very few were concerned with direct measurement of the construct. All identified scales were developed in high-income countries with limited attention paid to how the scale could be adapted for cross-cultural use. Social inclusion is increasingly highlighted as a key outcome for global mental health policies and programmes, yet its measurement is underdeveloped. There is need for a global cross-cultural measure that has been developed and tested in diverse settings. However, until that need is met, some of the scales presented here may be amenable to adaptation.

Supervised toothbrushing programs in primary schools and early childhood settings: A scoping review.

PubMed

Dickson-Swift, V; Kenny, A; Gussy, M; de Silva, A M; Farmer, J; Bracksley-O'Grady, S

2017-12-01

In this article we report the findings of a scoping review that aimed to identify and summarise the range of programs and guidelines available for toothbrushing programs in schools and early childhood settings. Dental caries is one of the most common preventable diseases affecting children worldwide. Untreated caries can impact on child health and wellbeing, development, socialisation and school attendance. Supervised toothbrushing programs in schools and other early childhood settings can be effective in improving the oral health of young children. There is limited understanding of the salient issues to consider when developing such programs or how they are best implemented in real world settings. A scoping review methodology was utilised to provide a summary of the guidelines and programs available. Key search terms were developed, mapped and utilised to identify guidelines and programs across 6 databases and key search engines. We located 26 programs and guidelines that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the review. These were collated and summarised across key countries and critical aspects of program development and implementation were identified. Toothbrush type and storage, toothpaste strength and method of dispensing, toothbrush storage, staff training and parental consent are key considerations that varied widely. Guidelines for supervised toothbrushing programs vary within and across countries due to differences in water fluoridation and availability of low fluoride toothpastes. The results of this review provide critical information to be considered when establishing and implementing toothbrushing programs in these settings. Copyright© 2017 Dennis Barber Ltd.

Sugar-sweetened beverages coverage in the British media: an analysis of public health advocacy versus pro-industry messaging

PubMed Central

Elliott-Green, Alex; Hyseni, Lirije; Lloyd-Williams, Ffion; Bromley, Helen; Capewell, Simon

2016-01-01

Objectives To assess the extent of media-based public health advocacy versus pro-industry messaging regarding sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Design We conducted a systematic analysis to identify and examine all articles regarding SSBs published in all mainstream British print newspapers and their online news websites from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014. We initially conducted a brief literature search to develop appropriate search terms and categorisations for grouping and analysing the articles. Articles were then coded according to the publishing newspaper, article type, topic, prominence and slant (pro-SSB or anti-SSB). A contextual analysis was undertaken to examine key messages in the articles. Results We identified 374 articles published during 2014. The majority of articles (81%) suggested that SSBs are unhealthy. Messaging from experts, campaign groups and health organisations was fairly consistent about the detrimental effects of SSB on health. However, relatively few articles assessed any approaches or solutions to potentially combat the problems associated with SSBs. Only one-quarter (24%) suggested any policy change. Meanwhile, articles concerning the food industry produced consistent messages emphasising consumer choice and individual responsibility for making choices regarding SSB consumption, and promoting and advertising their products. The food industry thus often managed to avoid association with the negative press that their products were receiving. Conclusions SSBs were frequently published in mainstream British print newspapers and their online news websites during 2014. Public health media advocacy was prominent throughout, with a growing consensus that sugary drinks are bad for people's health. However, the challenge for public health will be to mobilise supportive public opinion to help implement effective regulatory policies. Only then will our population's excess consumption of SSBs come under control. PMID:27436666

Anesthetic Implications of Ebola Patient Management: A Review of the Literature and Policies.

PubMed

Missair, Andres; Marino, Michael J; Vu, Catherine N; Gutierrez, Juan; Missair, Alfredo; Osman, Brian; Gebhard, Ralf E

2015-09-01

As of mid-October 2014, the ongoing Ebola epidemic in Western Africa has affected approximately 10,000 patients, approached a 50% mortality rate, and crossed political and geographic borders without precedent. The disease has spread throughout Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. Isolated cases have arrived in urban centers in Europe and North America. The exponential growth, currently unabated, highlights the urgent need for effective and immediate management protocols for the various health care subspecialties that may care for Ebola virus disease patients. We conducted a comprehensive review of the literature to identify key areas of anesthetic care affected by this disease. The serious potential for "high-risk exposure" and "direct contact" (as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) of anesthesiologists caring for Ebola patients prompted this urgent investigation. A search was conducted using MEDLINE/PubMed, MeSH, Cochrane Review, and Google Scholar. Key words included "anesthesia" and/or "ebola" combined with "surgery," "intubation," "laryngoscopy," "bronchoscopy," "stethoscope," "ventilation," "ventilator," "phlebotomy," "venous cannulation," "operating room," "personal protection," "equipment," "aerosol," "respiratory failure," or "needle stick." No language or date limits were applied. We also included secondary-source data from government organizations and scientific societies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, American Society of Anesthesiologists, and American College of Surgeons. Articles were reviewed for primary-source data related to inpatient management of Ebola cases as well as evidence-based management guidelines and protocols for the care of Ebola patients in the operative room, infection control, and health care worker personal protection. Two hundred thirty-six articles were identified using the aforementioned terminology in the scientific database search engines. Twenty articles met search criteria for information related to inpatient Ebola virus disease management or animal virology studies as primary or secondary sources. In addition, 9 articles met search criteria as tertiary sources, representing published guidelines. The recommendations developed in this article are based on these 29 source documents. Anesthesia-specific literature regarding the care of Ebola patients is very limited. Secondary-source guidelines and policies represent the majority of available information. Data from controlled animal experiments and tuberculosis patient research provide some evidence for the existing recommendations and identify future guideline considerations.

Invited address: James Joyce, Alice in Wonderland, The Rolling Stones, and criminal careers.

PubMed

Piquero, Alex R

2011-07-01

The study of criminal careers generally, and patterns of continuity and change in criminal offending in particular, has been a long-standing interest to social scientists across many disciplines. This article provides readers with an overview of this line of research. After an introduction to the criminal career perspective, the article presents several 'facts' that have emerged from criminal career studies. This material segues into a discussion of theories based on criminal careers research as well as a related discussion of the emerging methods and trends in the area. The article closes with some observations about public policy with respect to criminal careers knowledge and identifies some neglected research needs. A key summary conclusion is that the processes associated with continuity and change are not mutually exclusive, but instead are important and complimentary aspects of criminal careers research.

Global Nursing-a literature review in the field of education and practice.

PubMed

Kraft, Mia; Kästel, Anne; Eriksson, Henrik; Hedman, Ann-Marie Rydholm

2017-07-01

To describe key findings of Global Nursing in empirical nursing studies. A literature review using descriptive data synthesis of peer-reviewed articles in the field of nursing education and practice. This review of Cinahl Complete, PubMed, PsycINFO and Scopus was undertaken using the search strategy "global nursing". Independent title/abstract and full-text screening was undertaken, identifying original articles written in English. A total of 472 titles and 170 abstracts were read through. Seventy-three articles were included for full-text review. Twenty published studies of Global Nursing with multiple research methodologies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Findings were described with five categories. Global Nursing Arena, Global Nursing Working Environments, Global Nursing Workforce Management, Global Nursing Competencies and Global Nursing Networking were shown to be crucial when Global Nursing was addressed in the literature.

Ophthalmology and vision science research: Part 3: avoiding writer's block--understanding the ABCs of a good research paper.

PubMed

McGhee, Charles N J; Gilhotra, Amardeep K

2005-12-01

Completion of a scientific manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed journal is a daunting task for clinicians and scientists early in their careers. In an ongoing series, this third article is the first of 2 related articles that deal with the basics of producing a high-quality research manuscript. Although ophthalmology and vision science are the principal focus of this series, the general concepts essential to producing a quality manuscript are applicable to diverse fields of research. This article highlights the exponential growth in the scientific literature over the past 40 years, considers why it is important to publish completed research, and discusses the necessity of identifying the key messages of the research, and their context, in relation to the published literature. The ethics of publishing biomedical research and scientific misconduct, such as duplicate publication or plagiarism, are outlined. To avoid later conflict, there is a critical need for coworkers to carefully address authorship order and inclusion early in the manuscript process. Internationally agreed guidelines are identified to guide this process. The importance of choosing the correct journal for a specific article and the nature of basic citation indices are discussed. The article concludes by elaborating and contrasting different scientific writing styles and emphasizing the considerable importance of developing a representative title and applying clarity and appropriate structure to the abstract.

Integration of Latino/a cultural values into palliative health care: a culture centered model.

PubMed

Adames, Hector Y; Chavez-Dueñas, Nayeli Y; Fuentes, Milton A; Salas, Silvia P; Perez-Chavez, Jessica G

2014-04-01

Culture helps us grapple with, understand, and navigate the dying process. Although often overlooked, cultural values play a critical and influential role in palliative care. The purpose of the present study was two-fold: one, to review whether Latino/a cultural values have been integrated into the palliative care literature for Latinos/as; two, identify publications that provide recommendations on how palliative care providers can integrate Latino/a cultural values into the end-of-life care. A comprehensive systematic review on the area of Latino/a cultural values in palliative care was conducted via an electronic literature search of publications between 1930-2013. Five articles were identified for reviewing, discussing, or mentioning Latino/a cultural values and palliative care. Only one article specifically addressed Latino/a cultural values in palliative care. The four remaining articles discuss or mention cultural values; however, the cultural values were not the main focus of each article's thesis. The results of the current study highlight the lack of literature specifically addressing the importance of integrating Latino/a cultural values into the delivery of palliative care. As a result, this article introduces the Culture-Centered Palliative Care Model (CCPC). The article defines five key traditional Latino/a cultural values (i.e., familismo, personalismo, respeto, confianza, and dignidad), discusses the influence of each value on palliative health care, and ends with practical recommendations for service providers. Special attention is given to the stages of acculturation and ethnic identity.

A literature review of learning collaboratives in mental health care: used but untested.

PubMed

Nadeem, Erum; Olin, S Serene; Hill, Laura Campbell; Hoagwood, Kimberly Eaton; Horwitz, Sarah McCue

2014-09-01

Policy makers have increasingly turned to learning collaboratives (LCs) as a strategy for improving usual care through the dissemination of evidence-based practices. The purpose of this review was to characterize the state of the evidence for use of LCs in mental health care. A systematic search of major academic databases for peer-reviewed articles on LCs in mental health care generated 421 unique articles across a range of disciplines; 28 mental health articles were selected for full-text review, and 20 articles representing 16 distinct studies met criteria for final inclusion. Articles were coded to identify the LC components reported, the focus of the research, and key findings. Most of the articles included assessments of provider- or patient-level variables at baseline and post-LC. Only one study included a comparison condition. LC targets ranged widely, from use of a depression screening tool to implementation of evidence-based treatments. Fourteen crosscutting LC components (for example, in-person learning sessions, phone meetings, data reporting, leadership involvement, and training in quality improvement methods) were identified. The LCs reviewed reported including, on average, seven components, most commonly in-person learning sessions, plan-do-study-act cycles, multidisciplinary quality improvement teams, and data collection for quality improvement. LCs are being used widely in mental health care, although there is minimal evidence of their effectiveness and unclear reporting in regard to specific components. Rigorous observational and controlled research studies on the impact of LCs on targeted provider- and patient-level outcomes are greatly needed.

A comprehensive audit of nursing record keeping practice.

PubMed

Griffiths, Paul; Debbage, Samantha; Smith, Alison

Good quality record keeping is essential to safe and effective patient care. To ensure that high standards of record keeping are maintained, regular clinical audit should be undertaken. This article describes an audit and re-audit of nursing record keeping at Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The article demonstrates improving audit data in 2005 and 2006 and describes how audit and the resulting recommendations and action plans can result in real improvements in the quality of record keeping. The keys to success in this ongoing audit programme are identified as stakeholder involvement, support from the senior nurses in the organization and the use of the data for both local and trust-wide purposes.

Evaluating investment in quality improvement capacity building: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mery, Gustavo; Dobrow, Mark J; Baker, G Ross; Im, Jennifer; Brown, Adalsteinn

2017-02-20

Leading health systems have invested in substantial quality improvement (QI) capacity building, but little is known about the aggregate effect of these investments at the health system level. We conducted a systematic review to identify key steps and elements that should be considered for system-level evaluations of investment in QI capacity building. We searched for evaluations of QI capacity building and evaluations of QI training programmes. We included the most relevant indexed databases in the field and a strategic search of the grey literature. The latter included direct electronic scanning of 85 relevant government and institutional websites internationally. Data were extracted regarding evaluation design and common assessment themes and components. 48 articles met the inclusion criteria. 46 articles described initiative-level non-economic evaluations of QI capacity building/training, while 2 studies included economic evaluations of QI capacity building/training, also at the initiative level. No system-level QI capacity building/training evaluations were found. We identified 17 evaluation components that fit within 5 overarching dimensions (characteristics of QI training; characteristics of QI activity; individual capacity; organisational capacity and impact) that should be considered in evaluations of QI capacity building. 8 key steps in return-on-investment (ROI) assessments in QI capacity building were identified: (1) planning-stakeholder perspective; (2) planning-temporal perspective; (3) identifying costs; (4) identifying benefits; (5) identifying intangible benefits that will not be included in the ROI estimation; (6) discerning attribution; (7) ROI calculations; (8) sensitivity analysis. The literature on QI capacity building evaluation is limited in the number and scope of studies. Our findings, summarised in a Framework to Guide Evaluations of QI Capacity Building , can be used to start closing this knowledge gap. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Implementing communication and decision-making interventions directed at goals of care: a theory-led scoping review.

PubMed

Cummings, Amanda; Lund, Susi; Campling, Natasha; May, Carl R; Richardson, Alison; Myall, Michelle

2017-10-06

To identify the factors that promote and inhibit the implementation of interventions that improve communication and decision-making directed at goals of care in the event of acute clinical deterioration. A scoping review was undertaken based on the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley for conducting this type of review. Searches were carried out in Medline and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) to identify peer-reviewed papers and in Google to identify grey literature. Searches were limited to those published in the English language from 2000 onwards. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and only papers that had a specific focus on implementation in practice were selected. Data extracted were treated as qualitative and subjected to directed content analysis. A theory-informed coding framework using Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) was applied to characterise and explain implementation processes. Searches identified 2619 citations, 43 of which met the inclusion criteria. Analysis generated six themes fundamental to successful implementation of goals of care interventions: (1) input into development; (2) key clinical proponents; (3) training and education; (4) intervention workability and functionality; (5) setting and context; and (6) perceived value and appraisal. A broad and diverse literature focusing on implementation of goals of care interventions was identified. Our review recognised these interventions as both complex and contentious in nature, making their incorporation into routine clinical practice dependent on a number of factors. Implementing such interventions presents challenges at individual, organisational and systems levels, which make them difficult to introduce and embed. We have identified a series of factors that influence successful implementation and our analysis has distilled key learning points, conceptualised as a set of propositions, we consider relevant to implementing other complex and contentious interventions. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Globalization and social determinants of health: Promoting health equity in global governance (part 3 of 3).

PubMed

Labonté, Ronald; Schrecker, Ted

2007-06-19

This article is the third in a three-part review of research on globalization and the social determinants of health (SDH). In the first article of the series, we identified and defended an economically oriented definition of globalization and addressed a number of important conceptual and metholodogical issues. In the second article, we identified and described seven key clusters of pathways relevant to globalization's influence on SDH. This discussion provided the basis for the premise from which we begin this article: interventions to reduce health inequities by way of SDH are inextricably linked with social protection, economic management and development strategy. Reflecting this insight, and against the background of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), we focus on the asymmetrical distribution of gains, losses and power that is characteristic of globalization in its current form and identify a number of areas for innovation on the part of the international community: making more resources available for health systems, as part of the more general task of expanding and improving development assistance; expanding debt relief and taking poverty reduction more seriously; reforming the international trade regime; considering the implications of health as a human right; and protecting the policy space available to national governments to address social determinants of health, notably with respect to the hypermobility of financial capital. We conclude by suggesting that responses to globalization's effects on social determinants of health can be classified with reference to two contrasting visions of the future, reflecting quite distinct values.

[Technostress in Communication and Technology Society: Scoping Literature Review from the Web of Science].

PubMed

Cuervo Carabel, Tatiana; Orviz Martínez, Natalia; Arce García, Sergio; Fernández Suárez, Iván

To perform a scoping review on the state of the art of technostress, an emerging risks associated with the growing use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in society. a scoping review on technostress at work was performed using the Web of Science (WoS), using the key term "technostress work". The search was completed with a literature review of the selected articles. A total of 58 articles were identified, of which 30 were selected for full-text in-depth review. The manual search of the bibliography allowed us to analyze an additional 14 articles. Most of articles focus on the analysis on the precipitating and alleviating factors of technostress in workers, as well as the main consequences of the materialization of this risk on worker performance. There is a lack of empirical studies that allow organizations to establish strategies to adequately manage technostress. there is a need to delve further into technostress through empirical studies that are not only focused on proposing theoretical models for its conceptualization or identifying its consequences in organizations, but on proposing management strategies that reduce the impact of this new labor reality. Future lines of research are proposed to understand and adequately manage technostress in workers. Copyright belongs to the Societat Catalana de Salut Laboral.

Mapping human dimensions of climate change research in the Canadian Arctic.

PubMed

Ford, James D; Bolton, Kenyon; Shirley, Jamal; Pearce, Tristan; Tremblay, Martin; Westlake, Michael

2012-12-01

This study maps current understanding and research trends on the human dimensions of climate change (HDCC) in the eastern and central Canadian Arctic. Developing a systematic literature review methodology, 117 peer reviewed articles are identified and examined using quantitative and qualitative methods. The research highlights the rapid expansion of HDCC studies over the last decade. Early scholarship was dominated by work documenting Inuit observations of climate change, with research employing vulnerability concepts and terminology now common. Adaptation studies which seek to identify and evaluate opportunities to reduce vulnerability to climate change and take advantage of new opportunities remain in their infancy. Over the last 5 years there has been an increase social science-led research, with many studies employing key principles of community-based research. We currently have baseline understanding of climate change impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability in the region, but key gaps are evident. Future research needs to target significant geographic disparities in understanding, consider risks and opportunities posed by climate change outside of the subsistence hunting sector, complement case study research with regional analyses, and focus on identifying and characterizing sustainable and feasible adaptation interventions.

Bibliometric Characteristics of Articles on Key Competences Indexed in ERIC from 1990 to 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buscà Donet, Francesc; Ambròs Pallares, Alba; Burset Burillo, Sílvia

2017-01-01

This paper analyses the bibliometric characteristics of 616 journal articles on key competences indexed in ERIC in a 23-year-period following documentary analysis. This observation method allowed us to highlight key elements like the population, educational level, topics, etc. to focus whether this literature contributes towards implementing…

Identifying key features of early stressful experiences that produce stress vulnerability and resilience in primates

PubMed Central

Parker, Karen J.; Maestripieri, Dario

2010-01-01

This article examines the complex role of early stressful experiences in producing both vulnerability and resilience to later stress-related psychopathology in a variety of primate models of human development. Two types of models are reviewed: Parental Separation Models (e.g., isolate-rearing, peer-rearing, parental separations, and stress inoculation) and Maternal Behavior Models (e.g., foraging demands, variation in maternal style, and maternal abuse). Based on empirical evidence, it is argued that early life stress exposure does not increase adult vulnerability to stress-related psychopathology as a linear function, as is generally believed, but instead reflects a quadratic function. Features of early stress exposure including the type, duration, frequency, ecological validity, sensory modality, and developmental timing, within and between species, are identified to better understand how early stressful experiences alter neurobiological systems to produce such diverse developmental outcomes. This article concludes by identifying gaps in our current knowledge, providing directions for future research, and discussing the translational implications of these primate models for human development and psychopathology. PMID:20851145

Music, affect, method, data: reflections on the Carroll versus Kivy debate.

PubMed

Konecni, Vladimir J

2013-01-01

The comprehensive exchange between Noel Carroll and Peter Kivy, which took place in 2007, addressed key issues in the relationship between music and affect. More than in any prior philosophical debate on this topic, experimental psychologists' methods and data played a significant role. However, to a nontrivial extent, the findings-perhaps especially the dubious-were misconstrued or misused, usually without acknowledging the existence of contrary data-based opinion within the psychology of music itself. Therefore, one objective of the present article is to identify the specific problematic features and shed light on the broader context shared by the two disciplines. A complementary goal is to examine contributions to philosophers' transgressions by music psychologists' insufficiently conscientious reporting, frequent overgeneralizations, and unawareness of philosophers' critical arguments. Another objective is to examine the current status of key concepts-the relevant music, basic emotions, mood, expression, induction, movement and dance, and methods (including introspection and experimental procedures)-thus perhaps enabling the discussion of music and affect to proceed with fewer misunderstandings. Finally, the article moves beyond the initial debate and builds on a remarkable agreement of philosophical and psychological opinion on a key issue (the induction of non-basic emotions by absolute music) to reach a new conceptual ground.

Reforms from the ground up: a review of community-based forest management in tropical developing countries.

PubMed

Tole, Lise

2010-06-01

After an initial burst of enthusiasm in the 1990 s, community-based forest management (CBFM) is increasingly being viewed with a critical eye. Evidence suggests that many programs have failed to promote their stated objectives of sustainability, efficiency, equity, democratic participation and poverty reduction. A large volume of academic literature now exists on CBFM, examining both the success and failure of such initiatives in a wide variety of countries. Through analysis of key themes, concepts and issues in CBFM, this article provides a review of CBFM initiatives in tropical developing countries for policymakers, practitioners and planners wishing to gain an understanding of this wide-ranging, interdisciplinary academic literature. The article identifies key institutions and incentives that appear to significantly affect the success or failure of CBFM initiatives. In particular, it reports that consideration of institutional and socioeconomic factors along with personal characteristics of key stakeholders such as beliefs, attitudes, financial resources and skills are important determinants of CBFM outcomes. However, local incentive structures also appear to be important. There is increasing recognition in the literature of the need to consider the conditions under which local politicians entrusted with carrying out CBFM initiatives will deem it worthwhile to invest their scarce time and resources on environmental governance.

Reforms from the Ground Up: A Review of Community-Based Forest Management in Tropical Developing Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tole, Lise

2010-06-01

After an initial burst of enthusiasm in the 1990s, community-based forest management (CBFM) is increasingly being viewed with a critical eye. Evidence suggests that many programs have failed to promote their stated objectives of sustainability, efficiency, equity, democratic participation and poverty reduction. A large volume of academic literature now exists on CBFM, examining both the success and failure of such initiatives in a wide variety of countries. Through analysis of key themes, concepts and issues in CBFM, this article provides a review of CBFM initiatives in tropical developing countries for policymakers, practitioners and planners wishing to gain an understanding of this wide-ranging, interdisciplinary academic literature. The article identifies key institutions and incentives that appear to significantly affect the success or failure of CBFM initiatives. In particular, it reports that consideration of institutional and socioeconomic factors along with personal characteristics of key stakeholders such as beliefs, attitudes, financial resources and skills are important determinants of CBFM outcomes. However, local incentive structures also appear to be important. There is increasing recognition in the literature of the need to consider the conditions under which local politicians entrusted with carrying out CBFM initiatives will deem it worthwhile to invest their scarce time and resources on environmental governance.

Redesigning a Ministry of Health's organizational structure: exploring implementation challenges through Botswana's experiences.

PubMed

Seitio-Kgokgwe, Onalenna; Gauld, Robin D C; Hill, Philip C; Barnett, Pauline

2016-04-01

The Botswana's Ministry of Health redesigned and adopted a new organizational structure in 2005, which was poorly implemented. This article explores factors that influenced the implementation of this organizational structure. This article draws from data collected through in-depth interviews with 54 purposively selected key informants comprising policy makers, senior managers and staff of the Ministry of Health (N = 40) and senior officers from various stakeholder organizations (N = 14). Participants generally felt that the review of the Ministry of Health organizational structure was important. The previous structure was considered obsolete with fragmented functions that limited the overall performance of the health system. The new organizational structure was viewed to be aligned to current national priorities with potential to positively influence performance. Some key weaknesses identified included lack of consultation and information sharing with workers during the restructuring process, which affected the understanding of their new roles, failure to mobilize key resources to support implementation of the new structure and inadequate monitoring of the implementation process. Redesigning an organizational structure is a major change. There is a need for effective and sustained leadership to plan, direct, coordinate, monitor and evaluate the implementation phase of the reform. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Technologic Distractions (Part 1): Summary of Approaches to Manage Alert Quantity With Intent to Reduce Alert Fatigue and Suggestions for Alert Fatigue Metrics.

PubMed

Kane-Gill, Sandra L; O'Connor, Michael F; Rothschild, Jeffrey M; Selby, Nicholas M; McLean, Barbara; Bonafide, Christopher P; Cvach, Maria M; Hu, Xiao; Konkani, Avinash; Pelter, Michele M; Winters, Bradford D

2017-09-01

To provide ICU clinicians with evidence-based guidance on tested interventions that reduce or prevent alert fatigue within clinical decision support systems. Systematic review of PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, and CINAHL for relevant literature from 1966 to February 2017. Focus on critically ill patients and included evaluations in other patient care settings, as well. Identified interventions designed to reduce or prevent alert fatigue within clinical decision support systems. Study selection was based on one primary key question to identify effective interventions that attempted to reduce alert fatigue and three secondary key questions that covered the negative effects of alert fatigue, potential unintended consequences of efforts to reduce alert fatigue, and ideal alert quantity. Data were abstracted by two reviewers independently using a standardized abstraction tool. Surveys, meeting abstracts, "gray" literature, studies not available in English, and studies with non-original data were excluded. For the primary key question, articles were excluded if they did not provide a comparator as key question 1 was designed as a problem, intervention, comparison, and outcome question. We anticipated that reduction in alert fatigue, including the concept of desensitization may not be directly measured and thus considered interventions that reduced alert quantity as a surrogate marker for alert fatigue. Twenty-six articles met the inclusion criteria. Approaches for managing alert fatigue in the ICU are provided as a result of reviewing tested interventions that reduced alert quantity with the anticipated effect of reducing fatigue. Suggested alert management strategies include prioritizing alerts, developing sophisticated alerts, customizing commercially available alerts, and including end user opinion in alert selection. Alert fatigue itself is studied less frequently, as an outcome, and there is a need for more precise evaluation. Standardized metrics for alert fatigue is needed to advance the field. Suggestions for standardized metrics are provided in this document.

Food environment and obesity.

PubMed

Mattes, Richard; Foster, Gary D

2014-12-01

The food environment plays an important and often dominant role in food choice, eating patterns, and ultimately, energy intake. The Obesity Society and the American Society for Nutrition jointly sponsored a series of reviews on topics of interest to both memberships. The goal was to consider the state of understanding on selected issues related to the food environment and obesity and to identify key knowledge gaps. The first article (not necessarily of importance) targeted energy density (ED) and focuses on the role of ED in the regulation of energy intake and body weight. It offers recommendations for prioritizing research. The second article addresses economic factors and examines food and beverage purchases as a function of price changes. It concludes that targeted food taxes and subsidies alone are unlikely to substantially affect obesity. The third article concerns sweetened beverages and points out the difficulty in establishing the strength of the association between intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain and obesity. In the fourth article, the contributions of palatability and variety to eating behavior and weight are reviewed. Article five explores the influence of portion size on energy intake and weight management. It finds that consumers generally tend to eat proportionally more as portion size increases. The sixth article focuses on the efficacy and effectiveness of eating frequency manipulations for body weight management and finds that such manipulations have consistently yielded null results. Finally, article seven identifies several limitations of the existing literature regarding neighborhood access to healthy foods. This series of reviews addresses important questions regarding the contribution of the food environment to obesity. Independent of physiological/genetic determinants, factors such as ED, cost, food form, palatability, variety, portion size, eating frequency, and access to healthy food are each evaluated for their role in the etiology of obesity and metabolic health. This series of reviews also identifies important gaps in knowledge. © 2014 The Obesity Society and American Society for Nutrition.

Analytical and Clinical Performance of Blood Glucose Monitors

PubMed Central

Boren, Suzanne Austin; Clarke, William L.

2010-01-01

Background The objective of this study was to understand the level of performance of blood glucose monitors as assessed in the published literature. Methods Medline from January 2000 to October 2009 and reference lists of included articles were searched to identify eligible studies. Key information was abstracted from eligible studies: blood glucose meters tested, blood sample, meter operators, setting, sample of people (number, diabetes type, age, sex, and race), duration of diabetes, years using a glucose meter, insulin use, recommendations followed, performance evaluation measures, and specific factors affecting the accuracy evaluation of blood glucose monitors. Results Thirty-one articles were included in this review. Articles were categorized as review articles of blood glucose accuracy (6 articles), original studies that reported the performance of blood glucose meters in laboratory settings (14 articles) or clinical settings (9 articles), and simulation studies (2 articles). A variety of performance evaluation measures were used in the studies. The authors did not identify any studies that demonstrated a difference in clinical outcomes. Examples of analytical tools used in the description of accuracy (e.g., correlation coefficient, linear regression equations, and International Organization for Standardization standards) and how these traditional measures can complicate the achievement of target blood glucose levels for the patient were presented. The benefits of using error grid analysis to quantify the clinical accuracy of patient-determined blood glucose values were discussed. Conclusions When examining blood glucose monitor performance in the real world, it is important to consider if an improvement in analytical accuracy would lead to improved clinical outcomes for patients. There are several examples of how analytical tools used in the description of self-monitoring of blood glucose accuracy could be irrelevant to treatment decisions. PMID:20167171

Locating and parsing bibliographic references in HTML medical articles

PubMed Central

Zou, Jie; Le, Daniel; Thoma, George R.

2010-01-01

The set of references that typically appear toward the end of journal articles is sometimes, though not always, a field in bibliographic (citation) databases. But even if references do not constitute such a field, they can be useful as a preprocessing step in the automated extraction of other bibliographic data from articles, as well as in computer-assisted indexing of articles. Automation in data extraction and indexing to minimize human labor is key to the affordable creation and maintenance of large bibliographic databases. Extracting the components of references, such as author names, article title, journal name, publication date and other entities, is therefore a valuable and sometimes necessary task. This paper describes a two-step process using statistical machine learning algorithms, to first locate the references in HTML medical articles and then to parse them. Reference locating identifies the reference section in an article and then decomposes it into individual references. We formulate this step as a two-class classification problem based on text and geometric features. An evaluation conducted on 500 articles drawn from 100 medical journals achieves near-perfect precision and recall rates for locating references. Reference parsing identifies the components of each reference. For this second step, we implement and compare two algorithms. One relies on sequence statistics and trains a Conditional Random Field. The other focuses on local feature statistics and trains a Support Vector Machine to classify each individual word, followed by a search algorithm that systematically corrects low confidence labels if the label sequence violates a set of predefined rules. The overall performance of these two reference-parsing algorithms is about the same: above 99% accuracy at the word level, and over 97% accuracy at the chunk level. PMID:20640222

Locating and parsing bibliographic references in HTML medical articles.

PubMed

Zou, Jie; Le, Daniel; Thoma, George R

2010-06-01

The set of references that typically appear toward the end of journal articles is sometimes, though not always, a field in bibliographic (citation) databases. But even if references do not constitute such a field, they can be useful as a preprocessing step in the automated extraction of other bibliographic data from articles, as well as in computer-assisted indexing of articles. Automation in data extraction and indexing to minimize human labor is key to the affordable creation and maintenance of large bibliographic databases. Extracting the components of references, such as author names, article title, journal name, publication date and other entities, is therefore a valuable and sometimes necessary task. This paper describes a two-step process using statistical machine learning algorithms, to first locate the references in HTML medical articles and then to parse them. Reference locating identifies the reference section in an article and then decomposes it into individual references. We formulate this step as a two-class classification problem based on text and geometric features. An evaluation conducted on 500 articles drawn from 100 medical journals achieves near-perfect precision and recall rates for locating references. Reference parsing identifies the components of each reference. For this second step, we implement and compare two algorithms. One relies on sequence statistics and trains a Conditional Random Field. The other focuses on local feature statistics and trains a Support Vector Machine to classify each individual word, followed by a search algorithm that systematically corrects low confidence labels if the label sequence violates a set of predefined rules. The overall performance of these two reference-parsing algorithms is about the same: above 99% accuracy at the word level, and over 97% accuracy at the chunk level.

Review of the History of Non-traumatic Spinal Cord Dysfunction.

PubMed

New, Peter Wayne; Biering-Sørensen, Fin

2017-01-01

Background: The incidence of non-traumatic spinal cord dysfunction (SCDys) is reported to be higher than traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in many countries. No formal review of the history of SCDys has been published. Objective: This article aims to identify key highlights in the history of SCDys. Method: An electronic literature search was conducted (January 2017) using MEDLINE (1946-2016) and Embase (1974-2016) databases for publications regarding the history of SCDys. Publications on the history of SCI and a selection of neurology textbooks and books on the history of neurology were reviewed for potentially relevant references. The focus of the literature search was on identifying publications that detail key highlights regarding the history of the diagnosis and management of the most common SCDys conditions, as well as those of historical significance. Results: The electronic search of MEDLINE and Embase identified 11 relevant publications. The majority of publications included were identified from the authors' libraries and a selection of books on neurology and the history of neurology. Conclusions: This review outlines the history of SCDys, taking a broader historical perspective and covering the increasing awareness of the role of the spinal cord and knowledge of neuroanatomy. Key milestones in the history of the diagnosis and management of the most common SCDys conditions are presented. An appreciation of the history of SCDys increases our understanding of the large number of people who contributed to our current knowledge of these conditions and in some situations helps guide efforts regarding prevention of SCDys.

A systematic review of validated methods for identifying anaphylaxis, including anaphylactic shock and angioneurotic edema, using administrative and claims data.

PubMed

Schneider, Gary; Kachroo, Sumesh; Jones, Natalie; Crean, Sheila; Rotella, Philip; Avetisyan, Ruzan; Reynolds, Matthew W

2012-01-01

The Food and Drug Administration's Mini-Sentinel pilot program initially aims to conduct active surveillance to refine safety signals that emerge for marketed medical products. A key facet of this surveillance is to develop and understand the validity of algorithms for identifying health outcomes of interest from administrative and claims data. This article summarizes the process and findings of the algorithm review of anaphylaxis. PubMed and Iowa Drug Information Service searches were conducted to identify citations applicable to the anaphylaxis health outcome of interest. Level 1 abstract reviews and Level 2 full-text reviews were conducted to find articles using administrative and claims data to identify anaphylaxis and including validation estimates of the coding algorithms. Our search revealed limited literature focusing on anaphylaxis that provided administrative and claims data-based algorithms and validation estimates. Only four studies identified via literature searches provided validated algorithms; however, two additional studies were identified by Mini-Sentinel collaborators and were incorporated. The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes varied, as did the positive predictive value, depending on the cohort characteristics and the specific codes used to identify anaphylaxis. Research needs to be conducted on designing validation studies to test anaphylaxis algorithms and estimating their predictive power, sensitivity, and specificity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Community-based organizations in the health sector: A scoping review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Community-based organizations are important health system stakeholders as they provide numerous, often highly valued programs and services to the members of their community. However, community-based organizations are described using diverse terminology and concepts from across a range of disciplines. To better understand the literature related to community-based organizations in the health sector (i.e., those working in health systems or more broadly to address population or public health issues), we conducted a scoping review by using an iterative process to identify existing literature, conceptually map it, and identify gaps and areas for future inquiry. We searched 18 databases and conducted citation searches using 15 articles to identify relevant literature. All search results were reviewed in duplicate and were included if they addressed the key characteristics of community-based organizations or networks of community-based organizations. We then coded all included articles based on the country focus, type of literature, source of literature, academic discipline, disease sector, terminology used to describe organizations and topics discussed. We identified 186 articles addressing topics related to the key characteristics of community-based organizations and/or networks of community-based organizations. The literature is largely focused on high-income countries and on mental health and addictions, HIV/AIDS or general/unspecified populations. A large number of different terms have been used in the literature to describe community-based organizations and the literature addresses a range of topics about them (mandate, structure, revenue sources and type and skills or skill mix of staff), the involvement of community members in organizations, how organizations contribute to community organizing and development and how they function in networks with each other and with government (e.g., in policy networks). Given the range of terms used to describe community-based organizations, this scoping review can be used to further map their meanings/definitions to develop a more comprehensive typology and understanding of community-based organizations. This information can be used in further investigations about the ways in which community-based organizations can be engaged in health system decision-making and the mechanisms available for facilitating or supporting their engagement. PMID:23171160

Community-based organizations in the health sector: a scoping review.

PubMed

Wilson, Michael G; Lavis, John N; Guta, Adrian

2012-11-21

Community-based organizations are important health system stakeholders as they provide numerous, often highly valued programs and services to the members of their community. However, community-based organizations are described using diverse terminology and concepts from across a range of disciplines. To better understand the literature related to community-based organizations in the health sector (i.e., those working in health systems or more broadly to address population or public health issues), we conducted a scoping review by using an iterative process to identify existing literature, conceptually map it, and identify gaps and areas for future inquiry.We searched 18 databases and conducted citation searches using 15 articles to identify relevant literature. All search results were reviewed in duplicate and were included if they addressed the key characteristics of community-based organizations or networks of community-based organizations. We then coded all included articles based on the country focus, type of literature, source of literature, academic discipline, disease sector, terminology used to describe organizations and topics discussed. We identified 186 articles addressing topics related to the key characteristics of community-based organizations and/or networks of community-based organizations. The literature is largely focused on high-income countries and on mental health and addictions, HIV/AIDS or general/unspecified populations. A large number of different terms have been used in the literature to describe community-based organizations and the literature addresses a range of topics about them (mandate, structure, revenue sources and type and skills or skill mix of staff), the involvement of community members in organizations, how organizations contribute to community organizing and development and how they function in networks with each other and with government (e.g., in policy networks).Given the range of terms used to describe community-based organizations, this scoping review can be used to further map their meanings/definitions to develop a more comprehensive typology and understanding of community-based organizations. This information can be used in further investigations about the ways in which community-based organizations can be engaged in health system decision-making and the mechanisms available for facilitating or supporting their engagement.

Patient and public engagement in priority setting: A systematic rapid review of the literature

PubMed Central

Vandall-Walker, Virginia; Mason-Lai, Ping

2018-01-01

Background Current research suggests that while patients are becoming more engaged across the health delivery spectrum, this involvement occurs most often at the pre-preparation stage to identify ‘high-level’ priorities in health ecosystem priority setting, and at the preparation phase for health research. Objective The purpose of this systematic rapid review of the literature is to describe the evidence that does exist in relation to patient and public engagement priority setting in both health ecosystem and health research. Data sources HealthStar (via OVID); CINAHL; Proquest Databases; and Scholar’s Portal. Study eligibility criteria i) published in English; ii) published within the timeframe of 2007—Current (10 years) unless the report/article was formative in synthesizing key considerations of patient engagement in health ecosystem and health research priority setting; iii) conducted in Canada, the US, Europe, UK, Australia/New Zealand, or Scandinavian countries. Study appraisal and synthesis i) Is the research valid, sound, and applicable?; ii) what outcomes can we potentially expect if we implement the findings from this research?; iii) will the target population (i.e., health researchers and practitioners) be able to use this research?. A summary of findings from each of the respective processes was synthesized to highlight key information that would support decision-making for researchers when determining the best priority setting process to apply for their specific patient-oriented research. Results Seventy articles from the UK, US, Canada, Netherlands and Australia were selected for review. Results were organized into two tiers of public and patient engagement in prioritization: Tier 1—Deliberative and Tier 2—Consultative. Highly structured patient and public engagement planning activities include the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnerships (UK), Dialogue Method (Netherlands), Global Evidence Mapping (Australia), and the Deep Inclusion Method/CHoosing All Together (US). Limitations The critical study limitations include challenges in comprehensively identifying the patient engagement literature for review, bias in article selection due to the identified scope, missed information due to a more limited use of exhaustive search strategies (e.g., in-depth hand searching), and the heterogeneity of reported study findings. Conclusion The four public and patient engagement priority setting processes identified were successful in setting priorities that are inclusive and objectively based, specific to the priorities of stakeholders engaged in the process. The processes were robust, strategic and aimed to promote equity in patient voices. Key limitations identified a lack of evaluation data on the success and extent in which patients were engaged. Issues pertaining to feasibility of stakeholder engagement, coordination, communication and limited resources were also considered. PMID:29499043

Review: An urgent need for research on factors impacting adherence to and retention in care among HIV-positive youth and adolescents from key populations

PubMed Central

Lall, Priya; Lim, Sin How; Khairuddin, Norliana; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba

2015-01-01

Introduction The 50% increase in HIV-related deaths in youth and adolescents (aged 10–24) from 2005 to 2012 highlights the need to improve HIV treatment and care in this population, including treatment adherence and retention. Youth and adolescents from key populations or young key populations (YKP) in particular are highly stigmatized and may face additional barrier(s) in adhering to HIV treatment and services. We reviewed the current knowledge on treatment adherence and retention in HIV care among YKP to identify gaps in the literature and suggest future directions to improve HIV care for YKP. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature search for YKP and their adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and retention in HIV care on PsycInfo (Ovid), PubMed and Google Scholar using combinations of the keywords HIV/AIDS, ART, adolescents, young adults, adherence (or compliance), retention, men who have sex with men, transgender, injection drug users, people who inject drugs and prisoners. We included empirical studies on key populations defined by WHO; included the terms youth and adolescents and/or aged between 10 and 24; examined adherence to or retention in HIV care; and published in English-language journals. All articles were coded using NVivo. Results and discussion The systematic search yielded 10 articles on YKP and 16 articles on behaviourally infected youth and adolescents from 1999 to 2014. We found no studies reporting on youth and adolescents identified as sex workers, transgender people and prisoners. From existing literature, adherence to ART was reported to be influenced by age, access to healthcare, the burden of multiple vulnerabilities, policy involving risk behaviours and mental health. A combination of two or more of these factors negatively impacted adherence to ART among YKP. Collectively, these studies demonstrated that future programmes need to be tailored specifically to YKP to ensure adherence. Conclusions There is an urgent need for more systematic research in YKP. Current limited evidence suggests that healthcare delivery should be tailored to the unique needs of YKP. Thus, research on YKP could be used to inform future interventions to improve access to treatment and management of co-morbidities related to HIV, to ease the transition from paediatric to adult care and to increase uptake of secondary prevention methods. PMID:25724503

Development of Performance Dashboards in Healthcare Sector: Key Practical Issues

PubMed Central

Ghazisaeidi, Marjan; Safdari, Reza; Torabi, Mashallah; Mirzaee, Mahboobeh; Farzi, Jebraeil; Goodini, Azadeh

2015-01-01

Background: Static nature of performance reporting systems in health care sector has resulted in inconsistent, incomparable, time consuming, and static performance reports that are not able to transparently reflect a round picture of performance and effectively support healthcare managers’ decision makings. So, the healthcare sector needs interactive performance management tools such as performance dashboards to measure, monitor, and manage performance more effectively. The aim of this article was to identify key issues that need to be addressed for developing high-quality performance dashboards in healthcare sector. Methods: A literature review was established to search electronic research databases, e-journals collections, and printed journals, books, dissertations, and theses for relevant articles. The search strategy interchangeably used the terms of “dashboard”, “performance measurement system”, and “executive information system” with the term of “design” combined with operator “AND”. Search results (n=250) were adjusted for duplications, screened based on their abstract relevancy and full-text availability (n=147) and then assessed for eligibility (n=40). Eligible articles were included if they had explicitly focused on dashboards, performance measurement systems or executive information systems design. Finally, 28 relevant articles included in the study. Results: Creating high-quality performance dashboards requires addressing both performance measurement and executive information systems design issues. Covering these two fields, identified contents were categorized to four main domains: KPIs development, Data Sources and data generation, Integration of dashboards to source systems, and Information presentation issues. Conclusion: This study implies the main steps to develop dashboards for the purpose of performance management. Performance dashboards developed on performance measurement and executive information systems principles and supported by proper back-end infrastructure will result in creation of dynamic reports that help healthcare managers to consistently measure the performance, continuously detect outliers, deeply analyze causes of poor performance, and effectively plan for the future. PMID:26635442

Redox Proteomics: A Key Tool for New Insights into Protein Modification with Relevance to Disease.

PubMed

Butterfield, D Allan; Perluigi, Marzia

2017-03-01

Oxidatively modified proteins are characterized by elevations in protein-resident carbonyls or 3-nitrotyrosine, measures of protein oxidation, or protein bound reactive alkenals such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, a measure of lipid peroxidation. Oxidatively modified proteins nearly always have altered structure and function. Redox proteomics is that branch of proteomics used to identify oxidized proteins and determine the extent and location of oxidative modifications in the proteomes of interest. This technique nearly always employs mass spectrometry as the major platform to achieve the goals of identifying the target proteins. Once identified, oxidatively modified proteins can be placed in specific molecular pathways to provide insights into protein oxidation and human disease. Both original research and review articles are included in this Forum on Redox Proteomics. The topics related to redox proteomics range from basic chemistry of sulfur radical-induced redox modifications in proteins, to the thiol secretome and inflammatory network, to reversible thiol oxidation in proteomes, to the role of glutamine synthetase in peripheral and central environments on inflammation and insulin resistance, to bioanalytical aspects of tyrosine nitrated proteins, to protein oxidation in human smokers and models thereof, and to Alzheimer disease, including articles on the brain ubiquitinylome and the "triangle of death" composed of oxidatively modified proteins involved in energy metabolism, mammalian target of rampamycin activation, and the proteostasis network. This Forum on Redox Proteomics is both timely and a critically important resource to highlight one of the key tools needed to better understand protein structure and function in oxidative environments in health and disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 26, 277-279.

The U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2): a case study in designing a nonmedical case management program for severely wounded, injured, and ill service members and their families.

PubMed

Hudak, Ronald P; Morrison, Christine; Carstensen, Mary; Rice, James S; Jurgersen, Brent R

2009-06-01

This case study describes the innovative and unique U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2), which provides nonmedical case management to the most severely wounded, injured, and ill soldiers and their families. The study describes the program and identifies the features for a successful nonmedical case management program of an identified population who has complex medical needs. Although the article focuses primarily on the role of the AW2 advocate, key components of the program are discussed, including successful initiatives as well as areas that required adjustment. The lessons learned are identified as well as recommendations for future nonmedical case management initiatives.

Therapist tips for the brief behavioural activation therapy for depression - revised (BATD-R) treatment manual practical wisdom and clinical nuance

PubMed Central

CASSAR, Joanne; ROSS, Joanne; DAHNE, Jennifer; EWER, Philippa; TEESSON, Maree; HOPKO, Derek; LEJUEZ, Carl W.

2018-01-01

Objective This article aims to provide supportive guidance for clinicians using the brief behavioral activation treatment for depression - revised (BATD-R) manual. Expanding upon key points less explicitly addressed in the treatment manual, the goal is to convey practical wisdom and clinical nuance beyond that available in the manual, thereby enhancing therapist comfort with the approach and improving treatment delivery. Methods In preparation for a randomised control trial of behavioural activation treatment for depression among substance users (the Activate Study), Professor Carl Lejuez, an author on the manual, provided training to our research team. This occurred over four days in May 2013 at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre in Sydney, Australia and involved in-depth discussion about treatment delivery, often addressing important issues implied but not addressed in-depth in the manual. Reflections were discussed throughout training and subsequently collated into key themes. Results Intricacies associated with treatment delivery were identified. Seven key themes emerged, covering: provision of the treatment rationale; therapeutic alliance and self-disclosure; behaviour monitoring; values; angles and steps; contracts; and drawing from other therapeutic approaches. A detailed discussion of how to approach these themes in treatment forms the basis of this article. Conclusions The current article seeks to guide therapists and provide a supplement to the BATD-R manual that will enhance the flexibility and accessibility for therapists utilising this treatment. The suggestions made are useful for straightforward cases of depression and more complicated comorbid presentations, serving as a useful complement for therapists using the manual. PMID:29720886

Good documentation practice in clinical research

PubMed Central

Bargaje, Chitra

2011-01-01

One of the most common inspection findings in investigator site inspections is lack of reliable, accurate and adequate source documentation. This also happens to be the most common pitfall identified during sponsor audits. The importance of good documentation practice needs to be emphasized to investigator sites to ensure that the study results are built on the foundation of credible and valid data. This article focuses on the key principles of good documentation practice and offers suggestions for improvement. PMID:21731856

Good documentation practice in clinical research.

PubMed

Bargaje, Chitra

2011-04-01

One of the most common inspection findings in investigator site inspections is lack of reliable, accurate and adequate source documentation. This also happens to be the most common pitfall identified during sponsor audits. The importance of good documentation practice needs to be emphasized to investigator sites to ensure that the study results are built on the foundation of credible and valid data. This article focuses on the key principles of good documentation practice and offers suggestions for improvement.

Towards an HIV cure: a global scientific strategy.

PubMed

Deeks, Steven G; Autran, Brigitte; Berkhout, Ben; Benkirane, Monsef; Cairns, Scott; Chomont, Nicolas; Chun, Tae-Wook; Churchill, Melissa; Di Mascio, Michele; Katlama, Christine; Lafeuillade, Alain; Landay, Alan; Lederman, Michael; Lewin, Sharon R; Maldarelli, Frank; Margolis, David; Markowitz, Martin; Martinez-Picado, Javier; Mullins, James I; Mellors, John; Moreno, Santiago; O'Doherty, Una; Palmer, Sarah; Penicaud, Marie-Capucine; Peterlin, Matija; Poli, Guido; Routy, Jean-Pierre; Rouzioux, Christine; Silvestri, Guido; Stevenson, Mario; Telenti, Amalio; Van Lint, Carine; Verdin, Eric; Woolfrey, Ann; Zaia, John; Barré-Sinoussi, Françoise

2012-07-20

Given the limitations of antiretroviral therapy and recent advances in our understanding of HIV persistence during effective treatment, there is a growing recognition that a cure for HIV infection is both needed and feasible. The International AIDS Society convened a group of international experts to develop a scientific strategy for research towards an HIV cure. Several priorities for basic, translational and clinical research were identified. This Opinion article summarizes the group's recommended key goals for the international community.

Sales compensation governance: the last frontier of corporate reform.

PubMed

Gundy, Peter R; Gaeta, Elizabeth C

2004-01-01

The area of sales compensation has remained relatively untouched by recent pressures for compensation reform. This article highlights some of the ways that sales organizations stumble in managing their compensation programs, and why it takes more than a simple tactical fix to address these problems effectively. The authors describe a more structured governance framework that not only identifies and resolves key sales compensation issues, but ultimately safeguards the effectiveness and financial integrity of the sales organization itself.

Improving pulmonary rehabilitation services.

PubMed

Beckford, Katy

The Clinical Audit of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services in England and Wales was the first national audit of pulmonary rehabilitation services in England and Wales. Forming part of the National Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Audit Programme, it was commissioned by Healthcare Quality Improvement Programme and conducted by the Royal College of Physicians and British Thoracic Society. The audit was undertaken to geographically map pulmonary rehabilitation services and identify how they can improve. This article summarises the key findings of the audit, and its recommendations.

Hot air ablowin! 'Media-speak', social conflict, and the Australian 'decoupled' wind farm controversy.

PubMed

Hindmarsh, Richard

2014-04-01

In work in science, technology, and society social conflict around wind farms has a growing profile, not least because it draws our attention to two key interrelated themes: 'science, technology and governance' and 'socio-technological systems'. In this article on Australian wind farm development and siting, these themes are highlighted in contexts of sustainability, legitimacy, and competency for policy effectiveness. There is enduring social conflict around wind farms at the local community level, but little government understanding of this conflict or willingness to respond adequately to resolve it. This article examines the conflict through the lens of print media analysis. A key finding of the five identified is that people seeing wind farms as spoiling a sense of place is a primary cause of enduring social conflict at the local community level around wind farms, alongside significant environmental issues and inadequate community engagement; this finding also indicates a central reason for the highly problematic state of Australian wind energy transitions. In turn, by identifying this problematic situation as one of a significantly 'decoupled' and 'dysfunctional' condition of the Australian socio-technological wind farm development and siting system, I suggest remedies including those of a deliberative nature that also respond to the Habermas-Mouffe debate. These inform a socio-technical siting approach or pathway to better respect and navigate contested landscapes for enhanced renewable energy transitions at the local level.

Fast image matching algorithm based on projection characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Lijuan; Yue, Xiaobo; Zhou, Lijun

2011-06-01

Based on analyzing the traditional template matching algorithm, this paper identified the key factors restricting the speed of matching and put forward a brand new fast matching algorithm based on projection. Projecting the grayscale image, this algorithm converts the two-dimensional information of the image into one-dimensional one, and then matches and identifies through one-dimensional correlation, meanwhile, because of normalization has been done, when the image brightness or signal amplitude increasing in proportion, it could also perform correct matching. Experimental results show that the projection characteristics based image registration method proposed in this article could greatly improve the matching speed, which ensuring the matching accuracy as well.

Obesity Prevention and Weight Maintenance After Loss.

PubMed

German, Alexander James

2016-09-01

Obesity is one of the most prevalent medical diseases in pets. Outcomes are often disappointing; many animals either fail to reach target weight or regain weight. This article discusses managing obesity, focusing on prevention. It gives guidance on establishing monitoring programs that use regular body weight and condition assessments to identify animals at risk of inappropriate weight gain, enabling early intervention. Weight management in obese animals is a lifelong process. Regular weight and body condition monitoring are key to identifying animals that rebound early, while continuing to feed a therapeutic weight loss diet can help prevent it from happening. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Capellen, J.; Svec, H.J.; Sage, C.R.

This report covers the year 1972, and lists approximately 10,000 articles of interest to mass spectroscopists. This two-volume report consists of three sections. Vol. II contains the Key Word Out of Context Index (KWOC Index) section. The KWOC Index lists the key words, the reference numbers of the articles in which the key word appears, and the first 100 characters of the title. (auth)

Using RUFDATA to guide a logic model for a quality assurance process in an undergraduate university program.

PubMed

Sherman, Paul David

2016-04-01

This article presents a framework to identify key mechanisms for developing a logic model blueprint that can be used for an impending comprehensive evaluation of an undergraduate degree program in a Canadian university. The evaluation is a requirement of a comprehensive quality assurance process mandated by the university. A modified RUFDATA (Saunders, 2000) evaluation model is applied as an initiating framework to assist in decision making to provide a guide for conceptualizing a logic model for the quality assurance process. This article will show how an educational evaluation is strengthened by employing a RUFDATA reflective process in exploring key elements of the evaluation process, and then translating this information into a logic model format that could serve to offer a more focussed pathway for the quality assurance activities. Using preliminary program evaluation data from two key stakeholders of the undergraduate program as well as an audit of the curriculum's course syllabi, a case is made for, (1) the importance of inclusivity of key stakeholders participation in the design of the evaluation process to enrich the authenticity and accuracy of program participants' feedback, and (2) the diversification of data collection methods to ensure that stakeholders' narrative feedback is given ample exposure. It is suggested that the modified RUFDATA/logic model framework be applied to all academic programs at the university undergoing the quality assurance process at the same time so that economies of scale may be realized. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The reporting of observational research studies in dermatology journals: a literature-based study.

PubMed

Langan, Sinéad; Schmitt, Jochen; Coenraads, Pieter-Jan; Svensson, Ake; von Elm, Erik; Williams, Hywel

2010-05-01

To assess the quality of reporting in observational studies in dermatology. Five dermatology journals-the Archives of Dermatology, the British Journal of Dermatology, the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, and Acta Dermato-Venereologica. Cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies published as original articles during the period January 2005 through December 2007. Studies were identified with a literature search of PubMed combining the journal title and the term epidemiological studies (free text) and by hand searching all of the issues of each journal to identify relevant articles. All articles were extracted by 2 reviewers independently using standardized checklists based on the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) recommendations. The number and proportion of reported STROBE items were analyzed for each article. The proportion of studies with good reporting for each item was also assessed. A total of 138 articles were included and analyzed. Reporting quality was very mixed. Key areas that were infrequently reported included sample size calculations (n = 10 [7%]), missing data (n = 8 [6%]), losses to follow-up (n = 17 [12%]), and statistical methods (n = 19 [14%]). Only 13 studies (9%) explained the role of funders in the research. The quality of reporting was similar across study designs for "critical" questions with the exception of reporting of participant details, which was better reported in cohort studies (96%) compared with cross-sectional (80%) and case-control (70%) studies. It is difficult to judge the quality of dermatological research unless it is reported well. This study has identified a clear need to improve the quality of reporting of observational studies in dermatology. We recommend that dermatology journals adopt the STROBE criteria.

What Should You Know about Blood Disorders in Women?

MedlinePlus

... Articles & Key Findings About Us Do you have heavy periods? This fact sheet talks about the symptoms ... Bleeding Disorders in Women Facts Signs and Symptoms Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Research Articles & Key Findings Free Materials ...

The association between exposure to interpersonal violence and suicide among women: a systematic review.

PubMed

MacIsaac, Michael B; Bugeja, Lyndal C; Jelinek, George A

2017-02-01

To review the association between exposure to interpersonal violence and suicide among women. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol (PRISMA-P), this review examined articles identified by using the key terms 'interpersonal violence', 'suicide' and 'death'. Of 5,536 articles identified, 38 met the a priori inclusion criteria. These required that studies examined interpersonal violence, included women and completed suicide was a measured outcome. Thirty-eight studies were identified. These examined suicides among women exposed to interpersonal violence as a victim (n=27) or perpetrator (n=14). A history of interpersonal violence was identified in 3.5-62.5% of female suicides, with many articles finding victims of abuse have an increased risk of death from suicide. Females perpetrating violence may also be at increased the risk of death from suicide. However, several papers have questioned these associations. Further, the contribution of mental illness to this association is unclear. Although the association between suicide and interpersonal violence requires further investigation, being a victim or perpetrator of violence appears to be associated with risk of suicide. Future research should focus on the impact that the type of violence, victim-perpetrator relationship and proximity of violence has on the risk of death from suicide. Implications for Public Health: There may be significant opportunity for targeted suicide prevention strategies among women who have been victims or perpetrators of interpersonal violence. © 2016 The Authors.

What are they thinking? Facilitating clinical reasoning through longitudinal patient exposure in rural practice.

PubMed

Campbell, David; Walters, Lucie; Couper, Ian; Greacen, Jane

2017-12-01

  This article reports the findings from an international research workshop, held over 2 days in October 2014 in Bairnsdale, Australia, which brought together 19 clinician teachers and medical educators who work in rural primary care. The objectives of the workshop were to clarify and identify the key aspects of the development of clinical reasoning in students and junior doctors, particularly as a result of longitudinal immersion in rural community practice.   Delegates were asked to prepare a 55-word vignette related to their experience of teaching clinical reasoning, and these case studies formed the basis of identification of key issues, further refined via a modified Delphi process.   The workshop identified four key themes: the patient’s story, the learner’s reasoning, the context of learning, and the role of the supervisor. Exposure to undifferentiated patient presentations is increasingly common in medical education, particularly in longitudinal integrated placements.   This research explored clinicians’ perspectives of how students develop their clinical reasoning: by learning from patients, from their supervisors and by understanding the context of their clinical interactions.  .

Methods to systematically review and meta-analyse observational studies: a systematic scoping review of recommendations.

PubMed

Mueller, Monika; D'Addario, Maddalena; Egger, Matthias; Cevallos, Myriam; Dekkers, Olaf; Mugglin, Catrina; Scott, Pippa

2018-05-21

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies are frequently performed, but no widely accepted guidance is available at present. We performed a systematic scoping review of published methodological recommendations on how to systematically review and meta-analyse observational studies. We searched online databases and websites and contacted experts in the field to locate potentially eligible articles. We included articles that provided any type of recommendation on how to conduct systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies. We extracted and summarised recommendations on pre-defined key items: protocol development, research question, search strategy, study eligibility, data extraction, dealing with different study designs, risk of bias assessment, publication bias, heterogeneity, statistical analysis. We summarised recommendations by key item, identifying areas of agreement and disagreement as well as areas where recommendations were missing or scarce. The searches identified 2461 articles of which 93 were eligible. Many recommendations for reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies were transferred from guidance developed for reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs. Although there was substantial agreement in some methodological areas there was also considerable disagreement on how evidence synthesis of observational studies should be conducted. Conflicting recommendations were seen on topics such as the inclusion of different study designs in systematic reviews and meta-analyses, the use of quality scales to assess the risk of bias, and the choice of model (e.g. fixed vs. random effects) for meta-analysis. There is a need for sound methodological guidance on how to conduct systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies, which critically considers areas in which there are conflicting recommendations.

The Top 100 Articles in the Medical Informatics: a Bibliometric Analysis.

PubMed

Nadri, Hamed; Rahimi, Bahlol; Timpka, Toomas; Sedghi, Shahram

2017-08-19

The number of citations that a research paper receives can be used as a measure of its scientific impact. The objective of this study was to identify and to examine the characteristics of top 100 cited articles in the field of Medical Informatics based on data acquired from the Thomson Reuters' Web of Science (WOS) in October, 2016. The data was collected using two procedures: first we included articles published in the 24 journals listed in the "Medical Informatics" category; second, we retrieved articles using the key words: "informatics", "medical informatics", "biomedical informatics", "clinical informatics" and "health informatics". After removing duplicate records, articles were ranked by the number of citations they received. When the 100 top cited articles had been identified, we collected the following information for each record: all WOS database citations, year of publication, journal, author names, authors' affiliation, country of origin and topics indexed for each record. Citations for the top 100 articles ranged from 346 to 7875, and citations per year ranged from 11.12 to 525. The majority of articles were published in the 2000s (n=43) and 1990s (n=38). Articles were published across 10 journals, most commonly Statistics in medicine (n=71) and Medical decision making (n=28). The articles had an average of 2.47 authors. Statistics and biostatistics modeling was the most common topic (n=71), followed by artificial intelligence (n=12), and medical errors (n=3), other topics included data mining, diagnosis, bioinformatics, information retrieval, and medical imaging. Our bibliometric analysis illustrated a historical perspective on the progress of scientific research on Medical Informatics. Moreover, the findings of the current study provide an insight on the frequency of citations for top cited articles published in Medical Informatics as well as quality of the works, journals, and the trends steering Medical Informatics.

Residents-as-Teachers Publications: What Can Programs Learn From the Literature When Starting a New or Refining an Established Curriculum?

PubMed

Bree, Kelly K; Whicker, Shari A; Fromme, H Barrett; Paik, Steve; Greenberg, Larrie

2014-06-01

Teaching residents how to teach is a critical part of resident education because residents are often the major teachers of medical students. The importance of formal residents-as-teachers (RAT) curricula has been emphasized throughout the literature, yet not all residency programs have such a curriculum in place. The purpose of our study was to (1) review the medical education literature for established RAT curricula, (2) assess published curricula's reproducibility, (3) evaluate the type of outcomes achieved using the Kirkpatrick model of evaluation, and (4) identify curricula that training programs could feasibly adopt. We performed a literature review using PubMed, Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Embase. Key search words included residents, residents as teachers, teaching, internship and residency, and curriculum. In addition, a search of MedEdPORTAL was performed using the same key terms. Articles were evaluated based on the reproducibility of curricula and the assessment tools. Evaluation of educational outcomes was performed using the Kirkpatrick model. Thirty-nine articles were deemed appropriate for review. Interventions and evaluation techniques varied greatly. Only 1 article from the literature was deemed to have both curricula and assessments that would be fully reproducible by other programs. A literature review on RAT curricula found few articles that would be easily reproduced for residency programs that want to start or improve their own RAT curricula. It also demonstrated the difficulty and lack of rigorous outcome measurements for most curricula.

New Heroines of Labour: Domesticating Post-feminism and Neoliberal Capitalism in Russia.

PubMed

Salmenniemi, Suvi; Adamson, Maria

2015-02-01

In recent years, post-feminism has become an important element of popular media culture and the object of feminist cultural critique. This article explores how post-feminism is domesticated in Russia through popular self-help literature aimed at a female audience. Drawing on a close reading of self-help texts by three best-selling Russian authors, the article examines how post-feminism is made intelligible to the Russian audience and how it articulates with other symbolic frameworks. It identifies labour as a key trope through which post-feminism is domesticated and argues that the texts invite women to invest time and energy in the labour of personality, the labour of femininity and the labour of sexuality in order to become 'valuable subjects'. The article demonstrates that the domestication of post-feminism also involves the domestication of neoliberal capitalism in Russia, and highlights how popular psychology, neoliberal capitalism and post-feminism are symbiotically related.

Stylistic analysis of headlines in science journalism: A case study of New Scientist.

PubMed

Molek-Kozakowska, Katarzyna

2017-11-01

This article explores science journalism in the context of the media competition for readers' attention. It offers a qualitative stylistic perspective on how popular journalism colonizes science communication. It examines a sample of 400 headlines collected over the period of 15 months from the ranking of five 'most-read' articles on the website of the international magazine New Scientist. Dominant lexical properties of the sample are first identified through frequency and keyness survey and then analysed qualitatively from the perspective of the stylistic projection of newsworthiness. The analysis illustrates various degrees of stylistic 'hybridity' in online popularization of scientific research. Stylistic patterns that celebrate, domesticate or personalize science coverage (characteristic of popular journalism) are intertwined with devices that foreground tentativeness, precision and informativeness (characteristic of science communication). The article reflects on the implications of including various proportions of academic and popular styles in science journalism.

A characterization of pain in racially and ethnically diverse older adults: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Lavin, Robert; Park, Juyoung

2014-04-01

This article presents a critical review of the influence of interracial and ethnic variation on pain prevalence, intensity, interference/function/disability, and treatment in older adults. A search of scientific databases published from 1900 to 2011, using key words associated with pain, geriatrics, and race/ethnicity, identified 180 articles, of which 27 empirical studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the retained articles, 17 reported that race/ethnicity was a statistically significant factor at p < .05. Minority older adults reported a higher prevalence of pain and higher pain intensity, and variable responses regarding function/disability compared with responses by non-Hispanic White older adults. Minority older adults were less likely to receive prescription pharmacologic treatments and surgery, and they were more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine treatments. There are interracial/ethnic differences in pain assessment and treatment interventions among older adults.

[Methodological limitations and recommendations in publications on migrant population health in Spain].

PubMed

Monge, Susana; Ronda, Elena; Pons-Vigués, Mariona; Vives Cases, Carmen; Malmusi, Davide; Gil-González, Diana

2015-01-01

Our objective was to describe the methodological limitations and recommendations identified by authors of original articles on immigration and health in Spain. A literature review was conducted of original articles published in Spanish or English between 1998 and 2012 combining keywords on immigration and health. A total of 311 articles were included; of these, 176 (56.6%) mentioned limitations, and 15 (4.8%) made recommendations. The most frequently mentioned limitations included the following: reduced sample sizes; internal validity and sample representativeness issues, with under- or overrepresentation of specific groups; problems of validity of the collected information and missing data mostly related to measurement tools; and absence of key variables for adjustment or stratification. Based on these results, a series of recommendations are proposed to minimise common limitations and advance the quality of scientific production on immigration and health in our setting. Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Temporal trends in inflammatory bowel disease publications over a 19-years period.

PubMed

Weintraub, Yael; Mimouni, Francis B; Cohen, Shlomi

2014-11-28

To determine whether temporal changes occurred in the pediatric vs adult inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), both in terms of number and type of yearly published articles. We aimed to evaluate all PubMed-registered articles related to the field of IBD from January 1, 1993 and until December 31, 2011. We searched for articles using the key words "inflammatory bowel disease" or "Crohn's disease" or "ulcerative colitis" or "undetermined colitis", using the age filters of "child" or "adult". We repeated the search according to the total number per year of articles per type of article, for each year of the specified period. We studied randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, case reports, meta-analyses, letters to the editor, reviews, systematic reviews, practice guidelines, and editorials. We identified 44645 articles over the 19 year-period. There were 8687 pediatric-tagged articles vs 19750 adult-tagged articles. Thus 16208 articles were unaccounted and not assigned a "pediatric" or "adult" tag by PubMed. There was an approximately 3-fold significant increase in all articles recorded both in pediatric and adult articles. This significant increase was true for nearly every category of article but the number of clinical trials, meta-analysis, and randomized controlled trials increased proportionally more than the number of "lower quality" articles such as editorials or letters to the editor. Very few guidelines were published every year. There is a yearly linear increase in publications related to IBD. Relatively, there are more and more clinical trials and higher quality articles.

Psychological approaches for the nursing management of chronic pain: part 2.

PubMed

Richardson, Clifford; Adams, Nicola; Poole, Helen

2006-09-01

The aim of this article was to present the ways that nurses can integrate psychological approaches into their management of chronic pain conditions using a biopsychosocial framework. Communication, the importance of the patient-practitioner interaction, the role of education and provision of information, reassurance and reduction of anxiety and the use of coping strategies training in the management of chronic pain are reviewed alongside the key skills of nursing. This is the second part of a two-part article. Part 1 was a discussion of psychosocial factors associated with chronic pain conditions and the psychological approaches used in the management of these conditions. It is identified that key nursing skills often equate to the requirements of the psychological approaches, therefore specific techniques from a cognitive-behavioural framework can be readily applied, integrated and used by nurses in the management of chronic pain conditions. Commonly utilized nursing skills are similar to those required for cognitive-behavioural therapy. It is reasonable to assume therefore that nurses can and should be involved in effectively managing the psychological aspects associated with chronic pain conditions.

[Participation in health: systematization of the articles published in Brazilian journals--1988/2005].

PubMed

Cavalcanti, Maria de Lourdes Tavares; Cabral, Marta Henriques de Pina; Antunes, Ludmila Rodrigues

2012-07-01

This is a study involving the revision of 107 papers on participation in health, published in 25 Public Health journals, with a view to systematize its main focus points and identify the options for the participation of society in the health system. Bibliographic research was conducted using key words, and the reading of abstracts of articles published in national public health journals linked to the CAPES portal between 1988 and 2005. The articles selected were read and categorized according to methodological and thematic aspects. Three dimensions were identified: the main dimension emphasizes participation as a strategy for the enhancing of citizenship and recognition of the right to health; the second refers to participation as a strategy for democratization of the State and strengthening of the health system, including participation in political, managerial and inspection decisions; in the third dimension of community participation, individuals, families and the community share the responsibility for health with the State. In the works examined the participation in the health system is still in progress and highlights its importance as an incentive for social capital; however, some authors point to difficulties for effective participation in accordance with legal propositions.

Career planning and mentorship: a few key considerations for trainees.

PubMed

Badawy, Sherif M

2017-01-01

Publishing and securing funding are considered our "academic currency", and therefore, both should be emphasized during training, both residency and fellowship. Trainees should make an effort to find funding opportunities at or outside of their institutions and try to identify their short- and long-term goals. Establishing a track record of publications can help trainees get hired, funded, and promoted as junior faculty, and effective networking and mentorship are critical determinants of academic success. Given the positive effects of mentorship, trainees should understand what comprises a good mentor-mentee relationship and how to optimize the mentoring process. The objective of this article is to discuss few key considerations for trainees in residency or fellowship regarding mentorship and career planning in academic medicine.

Reporting Guidelines for Survey Research: An Analysis of Published Guidance and Reporting Practices

PubMed Central

Bennett, Carol; Khangura, Sara; Brehaut, Jamie C.; Graham, Ian D.; Moher, David; Potter, Beth K.; M. Grimshaw, Jeremy

2011-01-01

Background Research needs to be reported transparently so readers can critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of the design, conduct, and analysis of studies. Reporting guidelines have been developed to inform reporting for a variety of study designs. The objective of this study was to identify whether there is a need to develop a reporting guideline for survey research. Methods and Findings We conducted a three-part project: (1) a systematic review of the literature (including “Instructions to Authors” from the top five journals of 33 medical specialties and top 15 general and internal medicine journals) to identify guidance for reporting survey research; (2) a systematic review of evidence on the quality of reporting of surveys; and (3) a review of reporting of key quality criteria for survey research in 117 recently published reports of self-administered surveys. Fewer than 7% of medical journals (n = 165) provided guidance to authors on survey research despite a majority having published survey-based studies in recent years. We identified four published checklists for conducting or reporting survey research, none of which were validated. We identified eight previous reviews of survey reporting quality, which focused on issues of non-response and accessibility of questionnaires. Our own review of 117 published survey studies revealed that many items were poorly reported: few studies provided the survey or core questions (35%), reported the validity or reliability of the instrument (19%), defined the response rate (25%), discussed the representativeness of the sample (11%), or identified how missing data were handled (11%). Conclusions There is limited guidance and no consensus regarding the optimal reporting of survey research. The majority of key reporting criteria are poorly reported in peer-reviewed survey research articles. Our findings highlight the need for clear and consistent reporting guidelines specific to survey research. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:21829330

Developing a Research Agenda for Integrating Palliative Care into Critical Care and Pulmonary Practice To Improve Patient and Family Outcomes

PubMed Central

Reinke, Lynn F.; Cox, Christopher; Kross, Erin K.; Benzo, Roberto P.; Curtis, J. Randall

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Palliative care is a medical specialty and philosophy of care that focuses on reducing suffering among patients with serious illness and their family members, regardless of disease diagnosis or prognosis. As critical illness or moderate to severe pulmonary disease confers significant disease-related symptom burdens, palliative care and palliative care specialists can aid in reducing symptom burden and improving quality of life among these patients and their family members. Objective: The objective of this article is to review the existing gaps in evidence for palliative care in pulmonary disease and critical illness and to use an interdisciplinary working group convened by the National Institutes of Health and the National Palliative Care Research Center to develop a research agenda to address these gaps. Methods: We completed a narrative review of the literature concerning the integration of palliative care into pulmonary and/or critical care. The review was based on recent systematic reviews on these topics as well as a summary of relevant articles identified through hand search. We used this review to identify gaps in current knowledge and develop a research agenda for the future. Results: We identified key areas of need and knowledge gaps that should be addressed to improve palliative care for patients with pulmonary and critical illness. These areas include developing and validating patient- and family-centered outcomes, identifying the key components of palliative care that are effective and cost-effective, developing and evaluating different models of palliative care delivery, and determining the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of palliative care interventions. Conclusions: The goal of this research agenda is to encourage researchers, clinicians, healthcare systems, and research funders to identify research that can address these gaps and improve the lives of patients with pulmonary and critical illness and their family members. PMID:28379812

Identifying socioeconomic, epidemiological and operational scenarios for tuberculosis control in Brazil: an ecological study.

PubMed

Pelissari, Daniele Maria; Rocha, Marli Souza; Bartholomay, Patricia; Sanchez, Mauro Niskier; Duarte, Elisabeth Carmen; Arakaki-Sanchez, Denise; Dantas, Cíntia Oliveira; Jacobs, Marina Gasino; Andrade, Kleydson Bonfim; Codenotti, Stefano Barbosa; Andrade, Elaine Silva Nascimento; Araújo, Wildo Navegantes de; Costa, Fernanda Dockhorn; Ramalho, Walter Massa; Diaz-Quijano, Fredi Alexander

2018-06-06

To identify scenarios based on socioeconomic, epidemiological and operational healthcare factors associated with tuberculosis incidence in Brazil. Ecological study. The study was based on new patients with tuberculosis and epidemiological/operational variables of the disease from the Brazilian National Information System for Notifiable Diseases and the Mortality Information System. We also analysed socioeconomic and demographic variables. The units of analysis were the Brazilian municipalities, which in 2015 numbered 5570 but 5 were excluded due to the absence of socioeconomic information. Tuberculosis incidence rate in 2015. We evaluated as independent variables the socioeconomic (2010), epidemiological and operational healthcare indicators of tuberculosis (2014 or 2015) using negative binomial regression. Municipalities were clustered by the k-means method considering the variables identified in multiple regression models. We identified two clusters according to socioeconomic variables associated with the tuberculosis incidence rate (unemployment rate and household crowding): a higher socioeconomic scenario (n=3482 municipalities) with a mean tuberculosis incidence rate of 16.3/100 000 population and a lower socioeconomic scenario (2083 municipalities) with a mean tuberculosis incidence rate of 22.1/100 000 population. In a second stage of clusterisation, we defined four subgroups in each of the socioeconomic scenarios using epidemiological and operational variables such as tuberculosis mortality rate, AIDS case detection rate and proportion of vulnerable population among patients with tuberculosis. Some of the subscenarios identified were characterised by fragility in their information systems, while others were characterised by the concentration of tuberculosis cases in key populations. Clustering municipalities in scenarios allowed us to classify them according to the socioeconomic, epidemiological and operational variables associated with tuberculosis risk. This classification can support targeted evidence-based decisions such as monitoring data quality for improving the information system or establishing integrative social protective policies for key populations. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

"Let Me Keep My Dead Husband's Sperm": Ethical Issues in Posthumous Reproduction.

PubMed

Panagiotopoulou, Nikoletta; Karavolos, Stamatios

2015-01-01

The feasibility of posthumous reproduction when the surviving partner is female has brought to light many ethical, moral, social, and legal issues. This review aims to summarize these issues and to assist clinicians who may be faced with such requests. A question list, used for health technologies assessment, was utilized in a question-answer approach as the review methodology. Of the 1,208 publications identified through a comprehensive literature search in biomedical, psychological, and ethical databases, 31 articles included arguments related to one or more questions from the predefined question set. Key stakeholders identified include the deceased, the requesting party, the resultant child, the physician, and society. Key ethical issues relevant to posthumous reproduction include the four traditional pillars of medical ethics--autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice--as well as the stakeholders' rights and sociocultural attitudes. The ethical framework formulated by these issues has been incorporated in a clinical ethics decision-making tool that could prove useful to clinicians and decision makers. Copyright 2015 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights reserved.

Post-cardiac arrest syndrome: epidemiology, pathophysiology, treatment, and prognostication. A Scientific Statement from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation; the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee; the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia; the Council on Cardiopulmonary, Perioperative, and Critical Care; the Council on Clinical Cardiology; the Council on Stroke.

PubMed

Nolan, Jerry P; Neumar, Robert W; Adrie, Christophe; Aibiki, Mayuki; Berg, Robert A; Böttiger, Bernd W; Callaway, Clifton; Clark, Robert S B; Geocadin, Romergryko G; Jauch, Edward C; Kern, Karl B; Laurent, Ivan; Longstreth, W T; Merchant, Raina M; Morley, Peter; Morrison, Laurie J; Nadkarni, Vinay; Peberdy, Mary Ann; Rivers, Emanuel P; Rodriguez-Nunez, Antonio; Sellke, Frank W; Spaulding, Christian; Sunde, Kjetil; Hoek, Terry Vanden

2008-12-01

To review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, treatment and prognostication in relation to the post-cardiac arrest syndrome. Relevant articles were identified using PubMed, EMBASE and an American Heart Association EndNote master resuscitation reference library, supplemented by hand searches of key papers. Writing groups comprising international experts were assigned to each section. Drafts of the document were circulated to all authors for comment and amendment. The 4 key components of post-cardiac arrest syndrome were identified as (1) post-cardiac arrest brain injury, (2) post-cardiac arrest myocardial dysfunction, (3) systemic ischaemia/reperfusion response, and (4) persistent precipitating pathology. A growing body of knowledge suggests that the individual components of the post-cardiac arrest syndrome are potentially treatable.

Youth with Behavioral Health Disorders Aging Out of Foster Care: a Systematic Review and Implications for Policy, Research, and Practice.

PubMed

Kang-Yi, Christina D; Adams, Danielle R

2017-01-01

This systematic review aimed to (1) identify and summarize empirical studies on youth with behavioral health disorders aging out of foster care and (2) address implications for behavioral health policy, research, and practice. We identified previous studies by searching PubMed, PsycINFO, EBSCO, and ISI Citation Indexes and obtaining references from key experts in the child welfare field. A total of 28 full articles published between 1991 and 2014 were reviewed and summarized into the key areas including systems of care, disability type, transition practice area, study methods, study sample, transition outcome measures, study analysis, and study findings. Considering how fast youth who have behavioral health disorders fall through the crack as they exit foster care, one cannot understate the importance of incorporating timely and appropriate transition planning and care coordination for youth who have behavioral health disorders aging out of foster care into the usual case management performed by behavioral health systems and service providers.

Key principles of community-based natural resource management: a synthesis and interpretation of identified effective approaches for managing the commons.

PubMed

Gruber, James S

2010-01-01

This article examines recent research on approaches to community-based environmental and natural resource management and reviews the commonalities and differences between these interdisciplinary and multistakeholder initiatives. To identify the most effective characteristics of Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), I collected a multiplicity of perspectives from research teams and then grouped findings into a matrix of organizational principles and key characteristics. The matrix was initially vetted (or "field tested") by applying numerous case studies that were previously submitted to the World Bank International Workshop on CBNRM. These practitioner case studies were then compared and contrasted with the findings of the research teams. It is hoped that the developed matrix may be useful to researchers in further focusing research, understanding core characteristics of effective and sustainable CBNRM, providing practitioners with a framework for developing new CBNRM initiatives for managing the commons, and providing a potential resource for academic institutions during their evaluation of their practitioner-focused environmental management and leadership curriculum.

Images of health insurance in popular film: the dissolving critique.

PubMed

Pendo, Elizabeth A

2004-01-01

Several recent films have villainized the health-insurance industry as a central element of their plots. This Article examines three of those films: Critical Care, The Rainmaker, and John Q. It analyzes these films through the context of the consumer backlash against managed care that began in the 1990s and shows how these films reflect the consumer sentiment regarding health-insurance companies and the cost controlling strategies they employ. In addition, the Article identifies three key premises about health insurance in the films that, although exaggerated and incomplete, have significant factual support. Ultimately, the author argues that, despite their passionately critical and liberal tone, these films actually put forward solutions that are highly individualist and conservative, rather than inclusive and systemic.

Influence of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus on Women's Nutritional Beliefs and Lifestyle Choices for Themselves and Their Families.

PubMed

Nnedu, Cordelia Chinwe; Gayle, Lynette; Popoola, Sola

2015-12-01

The aim of this research was to examine the impact of type 1 diabetes on women's nutritional beliefs and their lifestyle choices both for themselves and for their families. The data sources used were the online databases of OVID, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsyINFO, PsyARTICLE, ERIC, Health Source Nursing/Academic edition, and the Centers for Disease Control from January 2000 to 2012. The concentration of the search was to identify literature with the key words "nutrition," "lifestyle," or "women with type 1 diabetes." The researchers found 28 data-based research articles that examined women with type 1 diabetes. The articles were individually scrutinized for relevance and limited to English language articles. Data concerning the nutritional beliefs, lifestyle choices, andfamily dynamics among women with DM1 were extracted. The research articles consisted of 19 qualitative studies, 7 quantitative studies, and 2 theory-testing studies. The themefor the studies included, but was not limited to, birth size, eating disorders, complications of diabetes mellitus, theory testing, documentations of effectiveness, estimations of carbohydrates, weight, changes during pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus, and their educational preferences. This integrative review described the effects of DM1 on women's nutritional belief and lifestyle choices. Results demonstrated the importance of education and follow-ups; however, future studies are needed to identify factors that contribute to noncompliance and waysfor patients to comprehend the seriousness of complications that can arise from type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Ureteral endometriosis: A systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Palla, Viktoria-Varvara; Karaolanis, Georgios; Katafigiotis, Ioannis; Anastasiou, Ioannis

2017-01-01

Introduction: Ureteral endometriosis is a rare disease affecting women of childbearing age which presents with nonspecific symptoms and it may result in severe morbidity. The aim of this study was to review evidence about incidence, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of ureteral endometriosis. Materials and Methods: PubMed Central database was searched to identify studies reporting cases of ureteral endometriosis. “Ureter” or “Ureteral” and “Endometriosis” were used as key words. Database was searched for articles published since 1996, in English without restrictions regarding the study design. Results: From 420 studies obtained through database search, 104 articles were finally included in this review, including a total of 1384 patients with ureteral endometriosis. Data regarding age, location, pathological findings, and interventions were extracted. Mean patients' age was 38.6 years, whereas the therapeutic arsenal included hormonal, endoscopic, and/or surgical treatment. Conclusions: Ureteral endometriosis represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the clinicians and high clinical suspicion is needed to identify it. PMID:29021650

Managing Alzheimer dementia tomorrow.

PubMed

Rosenthal, Thomas C; Khotianov, Natan

2003-01-01

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are the first drugs to alter the devastating effects of Alzheimer disease. The next generation of drugs will prevent the beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles or block enzymes that lead to neuron destruction. Effective use of these medications will require early identification of patients at risk. Using the PubMed service of the National Library of Medicine, all English language articles published in 2000, 2001 and the first half of 2002 with a key word of 'dementia' were reviewed for articles that described the emerging pathophysiologic model for Alzheimer disease. Standardized clinical screening tools, such as the mini-mental status examination and the clock test, administered longitudinally and correlated with family observations, can identify many at-risk patients. Genetic testing can identify a known mutation in 70% of patients who have a high family incidence of Alzheimer disease but awaits effective prevention before being useful. The molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer disease will eventually lead to prevention. Today, these patients benefit from nutritional support and lifestyle enhancement encouraged through a continuous primary care relationship.

Prevalence of medical workplace violence and the shortage of secondary and tertiary interventions among healthcare workers in China.

PubMed

Hall, Brian J; Xiong, Peng; Chang, Kay; Yin, Ming; Sui, Xin-Ru

2018-06-01

Medical workplace violence (MWV) is a key occupational hazard facing medical professionals worldwide. MWV involves incident where medical staff are abused, threatened and assaulted. MWV affects the health and well-being of medical staff exposed, causes significant erosion of patient-physician trust and leads to poorer health outcomes for patients. In China, the prevalence of MWV appears to be rising. Laws were enacted to keep medical staff safe, but clear surveillance and enforcement is needed to improve the condition. In the current essay, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify secondary and tertiary prevention programmes designed to ameliorate psychological suffering following MWV. This review identified only 10 published studies. A critical gap in the intervention literature exists with regard to addressing the public health burden of MWV. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Game playing.

PubMed

Rosin, Christopher D

2014-03-01

Game playing has been a core domain of artificial intelligence research since the beginnings of the field. Game playing provides clearly defined arenas within which computational approaches can be readily compared to human expertise through head-to-head competition and other benchmarks. Game playing research has identified several simple core algorithms that provide successful foundations, with development focused on the challenges of defeating human experts in specific games. Key developments include minimax search in chess, machine learning from self-play in backgammon, and Monte Carlo tree search in Go. These approaches have generalized successfully to additional games. While computers have surpassed human expertise in a wide variety of games, open challenges remain and research focuses on identifying and developing new successful algorithmic foundations. WIREs Cogn Sci 2014, 5:193-205. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1278 CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The author has declared no conflicts of interest for this article. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The distinction between key ideas in teaching school physics and key ideas in the discipline of physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Zongyi

2001-05-01

The distinction between key ideas in teaching a high school science and key ideas in the corresponding discipline of science has been largely ignored in scholarly discourse about what science teachers should teach and about what they should know. This article clarifies this distinction through exploring how and why key ideas in teaching high school physics differ from key ideas in the discipline of physics. Its theoretical underpinnings include Dewey's (1902/1990) distinction between the psychological and the logical and Harré's (1986) epistemology of science. It analyzes how and why the key ideas in teaching color, the speed of light, and light interference at the high school level differ from the key ideas at the disciplinary level. The thesis is that key ideas in teaching high school physics can differ from key ideas in the discipline in some significant ways, and that the differences manifest Dewey's distinction. As a result, the article challenges the assumption of equating key ideas in teaching a high school science with key ideas in the corresponding discipline of science, and the assumption that having a college degree in science is sufficient to teach high school science. Furthermore, the article expands the concept of pedagogical content knowledge by arguing that key ideas in teaching high school physics constitute an essential component.

Media reporting of ProtecT: a disconnect in information dissemination?

PubMed

Westerman, M E; Bhindi, B; Choo, R; Gettman, M T; Karnes, R J; Klotz, L; Boorjian, S A

2017-12-01

Given the central role of the media in disseminating information to the public, we analyzed news coverage of the recent publication from ProtecT to assess views on treatment, the level of detail presented and degree of bias. We applied a predefined search strategy to identify all news articles reporting on ProtecT within 30 days of its publication. Articles were independently assessed by two urologists and two lay persons using five-point Likert scales. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were used. Of 33 unique articles identified, 20 (61%) conveyed negative views on definitive treatment for localized prostate cancer (PCa), while 29 (88%) expressed favorable views of active surveillance/monitoring (AM). Nevertheless, fewer than half of the articles described what AM entails (n=15; 46%) or the rate of treatment in the AM arm (n=12; 36%). Moreover, while 32 (97%) articles highlighted the absence of a difference in cancer-specific mortality at 10 years, only 17 (52%) mentioned the need for longer follow-up. A total of 17 (52%) articles had a notable degree of perceived bias (⩾4/5 on Likert scale), with shorter articles (P=0.02), articles covering few content areas (P=0.03) and articles that did not detail what AM entails (P=0.003) containing significantly increased bias. The majority of news articles regarding ProtecT presented an adverse view of definitive treatment for localized PCa relative to AM, but failed to highlight key nuances of the trial. Healthcare professionals and the lay public should be cautious in acquiring medical news through the general media. Additionally, the urologic community must continue to improve the quality of disseminated information, for example, through proactively engaging with the media, through social media and/or through participation in continuing education lecture series, so as to guide the knowledge translation process, especially upon publication of such potentially influential studies.

Globalization and social determinants of health: Promoting health equity in global governance (part 3 of 3)

PubMed Central

Labonté, Ronald; Schrecker, Ted

2007-01-01

This article is the third in a three-part review of research on globalization and the social determinants of health (SDH). In the first article of the series, we identified and defended an economically oriented definition of globalization and addressed a number of important conceptual and metholodogical issues. In the second article, we identified and described seven key clusters of pathways relevant to globalization's influence on SDH. This discussion provided the basis for the premise from which we begin this article: interventions to reduce health inequities by way of SDH are inextricably linked with social protection, economic management and development strategy. Reflecting this insight, and against the background of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), we focus on the asymmetrical distribution of gains, losses and power that is characteristic of globalization in its current form and identify a number of areas for innovation on the part of the international community: making more resources available for health systems, as part of the more general task of expanding and improving development assistance; expanding debt relief and taking poverty reduction more seriously; reforming the international trade regime; considering the implications of health as a human right; and protecting the policy space available to national governments to address social determinants of health, notably with respect to the hypermobility of financial capital. We conclude by suggesting that responses to globalization's effects on social determinants of health can be classified with reference to two contrasting visions of the future, reflecting quite distinct values. PMID:17578570

Night work and the reproductive health of women: an integrated literature review.

PubMed

Chau, Yu Moon; West, Sandra; Mapedzahama, Virginia

2014-01-01

The aim of this review was to synthesize current evidence on the effects of night work on the major stages of women's reproductive health, specifically the menstrual cycle, fertility, pregnancy, and menopause. Current understanding suggests that night work (work that causes disruption of a worker's circadian [day/night] rhythms) adversely affects workers' health and well-being. A complex relationship exists between circadian rhythms and reproductive hormones, and this may potentially increase the vulnerability of women to the detrimental effect of night work, including during menopause. A systematic search was conducted (March-May 2011) via CINAHL, MEDLINE, Sociological Abstracts, and Business Source Premier for primary research studies written in English using the key words "shift-work" and "female/women." Findings of identified articles were themed to pregnancy, fertility, aspects of menstrual cycles, and menopause. Twenty articles were identified, (13 articles concerning pregnancy, 3 addressing fertility, and 4 addressing aspects of the menstrual cycle) but no studies addressing menopause were located. All identified articles demonstrated problematic approaches to the determination of night-work exposure. Evidence of the impact of night work on female reproductive health as presented in the current literature is inconclusive. Moreover, available evidence needs to be interpreted with caution, given the various limitations and inconsistencies among the studies in the measurement of night-work exposure and shift-work patterns. Studies that focus specifically on night work are needed to facilitate an understanding of the impact of circadian disruption on the reproductive health of women undertaking night work. © 2013 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

A systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses of drugs for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

PubMed

Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Evers, Silvia M; Ben Sedrine, Wafa; Kanis, John A; Ramaekers, Bram; Reginster, Jean-Yves; Silverman, Stuart; Wyers, Caroline E; Boonen, Annelies

2015-03-01

Given the limited availability of healthcare resources and the recent introduction of new anti-osteoporosis drugs, the interest in the cost effectiveness of drugs in postmenopausal osteoporosis remains and even increases. This study aims to identify all recent economic evaluations on drugs for postmenopausal osteoporosis, to critically appraise the reporting quality, and to summarize the results. A literature search using Medline, the National Health Service Economic Evaluation database and the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry was undertaken to identify original articles published between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2013. Studies that assessed cost effectiveness of drugs in postmenopausal osteoporosis were included. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement was used to assess the quality of reporting of these articles. Of 1,794 articles identified, 39 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. They were conducted in 14 different countries and nine active interventions were assessed. When compared with no treatment, active osteoporotic drugs were generally cost effective in postmenopausal women aged over 60-65 years with low bone mass, especially those with prior vertebral fractures. Key drivers of cost effectiveness included individual fracture risk, medication adherence, selected comparators and country-specific analyses. Quality of reporting varied between studies with an average score of 17.9 out of 24 (range 7-21.5). This review found a substantial number of published cost-effectiveness analyses of drugs in osteoporosis in the last 6 years. Results and critical appraisal of these articles can help decision makers when prioritizing health interventions and can inform the development of future economic evaluations.

Towards an HIV cure: a global scientific strategy

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Given the limitations of antiretroviral therapy and recent advances in our understanding of HIV persistence during effective treatment, there is a growing recognition that a cure for HIV infection is both needed and feasible. The International AIDS Society convened a group of international experts to develop a scientific strategy for research towards an HIV cure. Several priorities for basic, translational and clinical research were identified. This Opinion article summarizes the group’s recommended key goals for the international community. PMID:22814509

Just How Much Does That Cost, Anyway? An Analysis of the Financial Costs and Benefits of the No-Fly List

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

easier and more streamlined airport security checkpoint experience. Having outlined the key aspects of the no-fly list, the article will now turn...attempts to fly, he/she is stopped at the airport by local law enforcement and airport security . Having identified how many false positives there are in a...activities: the cost of the passenger being detained at the airport and missing his/her flight; the cost of airport security /personnel detaining the

Twelve essential tools for living the life of whole person health care.

PubMed

Schlitz, Marilyn; Valentina, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

The integration of body, mind, and spirit has become a key dimension of health education and disease prevention and treatment; however, our health care system remains primarily disease centered. Finding simple steps to help each of us find our own balance can improve our lives, our work, and our relationships. On the basis of interviews with health care experts at the leading edge of the new model of medicine, this article identifies simple tools to improve the health of patients and caregivers.

Synthesis of qualitative research and evidence-based nursing.

PubMed

Flemming, Kate

Evidence-based nursing is central to nursing practice. Systematic reviews have played a key part in providing evidence for decision making in nursing. Traditionally, these have consisted of syntheses of randomised controlled trials. New approaches to combining research include the synthesis of qualitative research. This article discusses the development of research synthesis as a method for creating evidence of effectiveness identified in quantitative research; more effective use of primary data; enhancing the generalizability of qualitative research; the identification of future nursing research topics.

Methodical foundations of the preparation of highly valued personnel for high-rise construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaeva, Svetlana; Belyantseva, Oksana; Safonova, Nataliya; Vasilyeva, Olga

2018-03-01

When carrying out design and survey and construction and installation works for such an innovative type of activity as high-rise construction, the problem of personnel qualification becomes urgent. The article poses a research problem, identifies the main reasons for the need for training highly qualified specialists in construction, and suggests areas for improving training. The expediency of development of mentoring system was proved, the corresponding model of interaction between educational institutions and construction enterprises was offered, key interaction effects were evaluated.

Modern Trends of Additional Professional Education Development for Mineral Resource Extracting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisova, Olga; Frolova, Victoria; Merzlikina, Elena

2017-11-01

The article contains the results of development of additional professional education research, including the field of mineral resource extracting in Russia. The paper describes the levels of education received in Russian Federation and determines the place and role of additional professional education among them. Key factors influencing the development of additional professional education are identified. As a result of the research, the authors proved the necessity of introducing additional professional education programs on educational Internet platforms for mineral resource extracting.

Systematic Review of Factors Influencing Farmers' Market Use Overall and among Low-Income Populations.

PubMed

Freedman, Darcy A; Vaudrin, Nicole; Schneider, Christine; Trapl, Erika; Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam; Taggart, Morgan; Ariel Cascio, M; Walsh, Colleen; Flocke, Susan

2016-07-01

Recent evidence indicates a widening gap in fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption between high- and low-income Americans. This gap is related, in part, to decreased access to food retailers that sell fresh F/V in low-income communities. Farmers' markets are identified as a strategy for improving F/V consumption by increasing access to these foods. The aim of this systematic review was to examine literature published from 1994 to 2014 to identify facilitators and barriers of farmers' markets use, particularly among low-income consumers. Peer-reviewed literature was identified in Ebsco Host (Academic Search Complete). Inclusion criteria for abstract review was primary research focused on farmers' market use identifying 87 studies for full-text review. Full-text review identified articles focused on facilitators and/or barriers of farmers' market use resulting in 49 articles. At least two reviewers completed review of all articles. Of the 49 articles, 39% specified inclusion of low-income consumers and fewer than 15% focused on racial and ethnic minorities. Few studies were guided by theory and/or used standardized metrics. Results indicate farmers' market use is influenced by multiple economic, service delivery, spatial-temporal, social, and personal factors. Among studies that included low-income populations (n=19), key barriers to farmers' market use were perceptions that food assistance benefits were not accepted, belief that food variety at farmers' markets was limited, lack of access to transportation, lack of racial/ethnic diversity in the market space, and mismatch between markets and personal lifestyles. There is wide variation in study design and reporting standards and infrequent use of standardized measures limiting comparisons across studies. There is a need to establish valid and reliable metrics and reporting standards for evaluating farmers' markets. Findings may inform interventions, programs, and policies to promote farmers' market use. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction in the last 10 years: A Scopus-based literature analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Jiajun; Yao, Min; Zhao, Yunhua; Jin, Xiya; Li, Yuanbing; Huang, Lihong

2012-12-25

To identify global research trends in the use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction. We performed a bibliometric analysis of studies on the use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction published during 2002-2011, retrieved from Scopus, using the key words of acupuncture and cerebral infarction or ischemic stroke. peer-reviewed articles on the use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction indexed in Scopus and published between 2002 and 2011; types of publications were original research articles, reviews, meeting abstracts, proceedings papers, book chapters, editorial material, and news items. articles that required manual searching or telephone access; documents that were not published in the public domain; and corrected papers. (a) Annual publication output; (b) language of publication; (c) type of publication; (d) key words of publication; (e) publication by research field; (f) publication by journal; (g) publication by country and institution; (h) publication by author; (i) most-cited papers between 2002 and 2006; and (j) most-cited papers between 2007 and 2011. A total of 160 publications on the use of acupuncture to treat cerebral infarction from 2002-2011 were retrieved from Scopus. The number of publications increased gradually over the 10-year study period; most were written in Chinese or English. Articles and reviews constituted the major types. The most frequent key word used was acupuncture. The most prolific journals in this area were Zhongguo Zhen Jiu and the Chinese Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation. Of the 160 publications retrieved, half came from Chinese authors and institutions. Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine was the most prolific research institute. Two papers were cited 30 times; they were published in 2002 and 2009, respectively. In the field of neuroscience, there is little literature on acupuncture for cerebral infarction. The most-cited papers were cited 30 times in the past 3 years. We believe that, with advances in the study of mechanisms in neurobiology, research on acupuncture will also advance and will become the concern of more scholars.

A descriptive and historical review of bibliometrics with applications to medical sciences.

PubMed

Thompson, Dennis F; Walker, Cheri K

2015-06-01

The discipline of bibliometrics involves the application of mathematical and statistical methods to scholarly publications. The first attempts at systematic data collection were provided by Alfred Lotka and Samuel Bradford, who subsequently established the foundational laws of bibliometrics. Eugene Garfield ushered in the modern era of bibliometrics with the routine use of citation analysis and systematized processing. Key elements of bibliometric analysis include database coverage, consistency and accuracy of the data, data fields, search options, and analysis and use of metrics. A number of bibliometric applications are currently being used in medical science and health care. Bibliometric parameters and indexes may be increasingly used by grant funding sources as measures of research success. Universities may build benchmarking standards from bibliometric data to determine academic achievement through promotion and tenure guidelines in the future. This article reviews the history, definition, laws, and elements of bibliometric principles and provides examples of bibliometric applications to the broader health care community. To accomplish this, the Medline (1966-2014) and Web of Science (1945-2014) databases were searched to identify relevant articles; select articles were also cross-referenced. Articles selected were those that provided background, history, descriptive analysis, and application of bibliometric principles and metrics to medical science and health care. No attempt was made to cover all areas exhaustively; rather, key articles were chosen that illustrate bibliometric concepts and enhance the reader's knowledge. It is important that faculty and researchers understand the limitations and appropriate uses of bibliometric data. Bibliometrics has considerable potential as a research area for health care scientists and practitioners that can be used to discover new information about academic trends, pharmacotherapy, disease, and broader health sciences trends. © 2015 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Does self-efficacy influence recovery and well-being in osteoarthritis patients undergoing joint replacement? A systematic review.

PubMed

Magklara, Eleni; Burton, Christopher R; Morrison, Val

2014-09-01

To investigate the role of self-efficacy in functional recovery and well-being outcomes in osteoarthritis patients, undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery. Studies were identified using MEDLINE via PUB med, PsycINFO and CINAHL from inception to July 2013. Three search strategies that combined key terms of 'self-efficacy', 'functional recovery', 'well-being' and 'joint replacement' were applied. Titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility and, accordingly, potentially eligible studies were retrieved for review. Included studies were assessed in terms of their quality, and data were extracted by two independent reviewers. A narrative synthesis of results was conducted. In total, 836 articles were identified and after electronic de-duplication, 708 articles remained. After screening 15 articles were retrieved as potentially eligible and eight articles were included in the review. Of the eight studies (n = 967 patients), seven had a prospective design and all studies were considered of good quality. No fully conclusive evidence for the influence of self-efficacy upon functional recovery outcomes was found. When the timing of self-efficacy measurement was examined, post-operative self-efficacy was found to be related to functional recovery outcomes. Presurgical self-efficacy was the least consistent predictor of functional outcomes while postoperative self-efficacy was more consistently associated with recovery outcomes such as longer distance ambulation, exercise repetition and frequency, walking speed and disability. © The Author(s) 2014.

An Integrative Review of Psychosocial Concerns Among Young African American Breast Cancer Survivors.

PubMed

Nolan, Timiya S; Frank, Jennifer; Gisiger-Camata, Silvia; Meneses, Karen

African American (AA) women are more likely to be given a diagnosis of breast cancer at an early age, experience morbidity after treatment, and exhibit disparities in survivorship. Although psychosocial well-being is largely studied among breast cancer survivors, data are sparse regarding young AA survivors. This integrative review examined psychosocial concerns in survivorship among young AA survivors using a quality-of-life framework. PubMed, CINHAL, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and Scopus were searched for articles exploring psychosocial well-being in young AA survivors. The search yielded 237 articles that were retrieved and reviewed for relevance. Of these, 16 articles were selected based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Data were evaluated and synthesized based on the quality-of-life model. Selected articles omitted the study of several psychological subconstructs and identified existing psychosocial concerns that require mitigation. The review revealed key areas of psychosocial concerns among young AA survivors including ongoing anxiety/depression, cognitive changes, and relationships. Identified gaps include paucity of research with young AA survivors and their residual psychosocial concerns. Review findings indicate a need to increase survivorship research on young AA survivors. Researchers, clinicians, and young AA survivors must partner in efforts to understand psychosocial concerns and translate findings into clinical practice (ie, use of psychosocial distress tools, distress de-escalation protocols, and individualized survivorship care plans) toward reduction of quality-of-life health disparities among young AA survivors.

Cervical Cancer Screening Among Arab Women in the United States: An Integrative Review.

PubMed

Abboud, Sarah; De Penning, Emily; Brawner, Bridgette M; Menon, Usha; Glanz, Karen; Sommers, Marilyn S

2017-01-01

Arab American women are an ethnic minority and immigrant population in the United States with unique and nuanced sociocultural factors that influence preventive health behaviors. The aims of this article are to evaluate and synthesize the existing evidence on cervical cancer screening behaviors, as well as determine factors that influence these behaviors, among Arab American women.
. Extensive literature searches were performed using PubMed, CINAHL®, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane databases; articles published through October 2015 were sought. 
. Of 17 articles, 14 explicitly identified Arab and/or Muslim women and cervical cancer screening in either the title or the abstract; the remaining three focused on cancer attitudes and behaviors in Arab Americans in general but measured cervical cancer screening. Eleven articles reported different aspects of one intervention. Because of methodologic heterogeneity, the current authors synthesized results narratively.
. Key factors influencing cervical cancer screening were identified as the following. Cervical cancer screening rates among Arab American women are comparable to other ethnic minorities and lower than non-Hispanic White women. Findings are inconsistent regarding factors influencing cervical cancer screening behaviors in this underrepresented group. 
. Significant need exists for more research to better understand cervical cancer prevention behaviors in this group to inform culturally relevant interventions. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in increasing cervical cancer screening awareness and recommendations for Arab American women.

A social marketing approach to building a behavioral intervention for congenital cytomegalovirus.

PubMed

Bate, Sheri Lewis; Cannon, Michael J

2011-05-01

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common congenital infection in the United States, causing permanent disabilities in more than 5,500 children born each year. In the absence of a vaccine, a promising means of prevention is through a behavioral intervention that educates women about CMV and promotes adherence to hygiene guidelines during pregnancy. Although effective behavioral interventions have been identified for other infectious diseases with similar transmission modes, current research has not yet identified an effective intervention for CMV. One way to gather evidence and identify key elements of a successful CMV intervention is through a social marketing approach. This article describes a five-step process for applying social marketing principles to the research and development, implementation, and evaluation of a CMV behavioral intervention.

Patient-reported outcome measures for systemic lupus erythematosus clinical trials: a review of content validity, face validity and psychometric performance.

PubMed

Holloway, Laura; Humphrey, Louise; Heron, Louise; Pilling, Claire; Kitchen, Helen; Højbjerre, Lise; Strandberg-Larsen, Martin; Hansen, Brian Bekker

2014-07-22

Despite overall progress in treatment of autoimmune diseases, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) experience many inflammatory symptoms representing an unmet medical need. This study aimed to create a conceptual model of the humanistic and economic burden of SLE, and review the patient-reported outcomes (PROs) used to measure such concepts in SLE clinical trials. A conceptual model for SLE was developed from structured review of published articles from 2007 to August 2013 identified from literature databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, EconLit) plus other sources (PROLabels, FDA/EMA websites, Clinicaltrials.gov). PROs targeting key symptoms/impacts were identified from the literature. They were reviewed in the context of available guidance and assessed for face and content validity and psychometric properties to determine appropriateness for use in SLE trials. The conceptual model identified fatigue, pain, cognition, daily activities, emotional well-being, physical/social functioning and work productivity as key SLE concepts. Of the 68 articles reviewed, 38 reported PRO data. From these and the other sources, 15 PROs were selected for review, including SLE-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures (n = 5), work productivity (n = 1), and generic measures of fatigue (n = 3), pain (n = 2), depression (n = 2) and HRQoL (n = 2). The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue Scale (FACIT-Fatigue), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-SF) and LupusQoL demonstrated the strongest face validity, conceptual coverage and psychometric properties measuring key concepts in the conceptual model. All PROs reviewed, except for three Lupus-specific measures, lacked qualitative SLE patient involvement during development. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Short Form [36 item] Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2), EuroQoL 5-dimensions (EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L) and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: Lupus (WPAI:Lupus) showed suitability for SLE economic models. Based on the identification of key symptoms and impacts of SLE using a scientifically sound conceptual model, we conclude that SLE is a condition associated with high unmet need and considerable burden to patients. This review highlights the availability and need for disease-specific and generic patient-reported measures of relevant domains of disease signs and symptoms, HRQoL and work productivity, providing useful insight for SLE clinical trial design.

What works in implementation of integrated care programs for older adults with complex needs? A realist review

PubMed Central

Kirst, Maritt; Im, Jennifer; Burns, Tim; Baker, G. Ross; Goldhar, Jodeme; O'Campo, Patricia; Wojtak, Anne; Wodchis, Walter P

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose A realist review of the evaluative evidence was conducted on integrated care (IC) programs for older adults to identify key processes that lead to the success or failure of these programs in achieving outcomes such as reduced healthcare utilization, improved patient health, and improved patient and caregiver experience. Data sources International academic literature was searched in 12 indexed, electronic databases and gray literature through internet searches, to identify evaluative studies. Study selection Inclusion criteria included evaluative literature on integrated, long-stay health and social care programs, published between January 1980 and July 2015, in English. Data extraction Data were extracted on the study purpose, period, setting, design, population, sample size, outcomes, and study results, as well as explanations of mechanisms and contextual factors influencing outcomes. Results of data synthesis A total of 65 articles, representing 28 IC programs, were included in the review. Two context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOcs) were identified: (i) trusting multidisciplinary team relationships and (ii) provider commitment to and understanding of the model. Contextual factors such as strong leadership that sets clear goals and establishes an organizational culture in support of the program, along with joint governance structures, supported team collaboration and subsequent successful implementation. Furthermore, time to build an infrastructure to implement and flexibility in implementation, emerged as key processes instrumental to success of these programs. Conclusions This review included a wide range of international evidence, and identified key processes for successful implementation of IC programs that should be considered by program planners, leaders and evaluators. PMID:28992156

Addressing Pediatric Obesity in Ambulatory Care: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?

PubMed

Lenders, Carine M; Manders, Aaron J; Perdomo, Joanna E; Ireland, Kathy A; Barlow, Sarah E

2016-06-01

Since the "2007 summary report of child and adolescent overweight and obesity treatment" published by Barlow, many obesity intervention studies have been conducted in pediatric ambulatory care. Although several meta-analyses have been published in the interim, many studies were excluded because of the focus and criteria of these meta-analyses. Therefore, the primary goal of this article was to identify randomized case-control trials conducted in the primary care setting and to report on treatment approaches, challenges, and successes. We have developed four themes for our discussion and provide a brief summary of our findings. Finally, we identified major gaps and potential solutions and describe several urgent key action items.

Multi-agent system as a new approach to effective chronic heart failure management: key considerations.

PubMed

Mohammadzadeh, Niloofar; Safdari, Reza; Rahimi, Azin

2013-09-01

Given the importance of the follow-up of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients to reduce common causes of re-admission and deterioration of their status that lead to imposing spiritual and physical costs on patients and society, modern technology tools should be used to the best advantage. The aim of this article is to explain key points which should be considered in designing an appropriate multi-agent system to improve CHF management. In this literature review articles were searched with keywords like multi-agent system, heart failure, chronic disease management in Science Direct, Google Scholar and PubMed databases without regard to the year of publications. Agents are an innovation in the field of artificial intelligence. Because agents are capable of solving complex and dynamic health problems, to take full advantage of e-Health, the healthcare system must take steps to make use of this technology. Key factors in CHF management through a multi-agent system approach must be considered such as organization, confidentiality in general aspects and design and architecture points in specific aspects. Note that use of agent systems only with a technical view is associated with many problems. Hence, in delivering healthcare to CHF patients, considering social and human aspects is essential. It is obvious that identifying and resolving technical and non-technical challenges is vital in the successful implementation of this technology.

Multi-Agent System as a New Approach to Effective Chronic Heart Failure Management: Key Considerations

PubMed Central

Mohammadzadeh, Niloofar; Rahimi, Azin

2013-01-01

Objectives Given the importance of the follow-up of chronic heart failure (CHF) patients to reduce common causes of re-admission and deterioration of their status that lead to imposing spiritual and physical costs on patients and society, modern technology tools should be used to the best advantage. The aim of this article is to explain key points which should be considered in designing an appropriate multi-agent system to improve CHF management. Methods In this literature review articles were searched with keywords like multi-agent system, heart failure, chronic disease management in Science Direct, Google Scholar and PubMed databases without regard to the year of publications. Results Agents are an innovation in the field of artificial intelligence. Because agents are capable of solving complex and dynamic health problems, to take full advantage of e-Health, the healthcare system must take steps to make use of this technology. Key factors in CHF management through a multi-agent system approach must be considered such as organization, confidentiality in general aspects and design and architecture points in specific aspects. Conclusions Note that use of agent systems only with a technical view is associated with many problems. Hence, in delivering healthcare to CHF patients, considering social and human aspects is essential. It is obvious that identifying and resolving technical and non-technical challenges is vital in the successful implementation of this technology. PMID:24195010

From surveillance to action: early gains from the National Violent Death Reporting System.

PubMed

Campbell, R; Weis, M A; Millet, L; Powell, V; Hull-Jilly, D; Hackman, H

2006-12-01

Drawing from the experiences of individual state programs that currently participate in the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), this article reviews some of the practical benefits that may accrue from the introduction of violent death surveillance systems. As a state-based surveillance system that uses multiple data sources and relies upon multiple stakeholders, the NVDRS program has fostered an array of initiatives within and among individual state programs. State-based initiatives highlighted in this article were selected on the basis of a purposive sampling strategy intended to illustrate key aspects of program development. The NVDRS state programs are in Alaska, California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The NVDRS has helped to build alliances and collaborative efforts between key stakeholders, facilitated the recognition of violent death as a public health problem through outreach and media attention, acted as a catalyst for new projects, enhanced surveillance of special populations and utility for evaluation, and identified key circumstances that will target interventions in state prevention planning. The NVDRS has implemented data collection efforts and is beginning to produce and analyze findings. In the process of implementing the data collection system and publicizing findings, state NVDRS programs are realizing other gains that strengthen their surveillance efforts. The use of data for prevention purposes will be the ultimate indicator of program success.

Academic Primer Series: Five Key Papers about Study Designs in Medical Education.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Michael; Chan, Teresa M; Fredette, Jenna; Messman, Anne; Robinson, Daniel W; Cooney, Robert; Boysen-Osborn, Megan; Sherbino, Jonathan

2017-06-01

A proper understanding of study design is essential to creating successful studies. This is also important when reading or peer reviewing publications. In this article, we aimed to identify and summarize key papers that would be helpful for faculty members interested in learning more about study design in medical education research. The online discussions of the 2016-2017 Academic Life in Emergency Medicine Faculty Incubator program included a robust and vigorous discussion about education study design, which highlighted a number of papers on that topic. We augmented this list of papers with further suggestions by expert mentors. Via this process, we created a list of 29 papers in total on the topic of medical education study design. After gathering these papers, our authorship group engaged in a modified Delphi approach to build consensus on the papers that were most valuable for the understanding of proper study design in medical education. We selected the top five most highly rated papers on the topic domain of study design as determined by our study group. We subsequently summarized these papers with respect to their relevance to junior faculty members and to faculty developers. This article summarizes five key papers addressing study design in medical education with discussions and applications for junior faculty members and faculty developers. These papers provide a basis upon which junior faculty members might build for developing and analyzing studies.

Performance of visual inspection with acetic acid for cervical cancer screening: a qualitative summary of evidence to date.

PubMed

Gaffikin, Lynne; Lauterbach, Margo; Blumenthal, Paul D

2003-08-01

Developing countries often lack the necessary resources to use the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear as a screening tool for cervical abnormalities. Because the burden of cervical cancer is highest in such low-resource settings, alternative techniques have been sought. Recently, interest in visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) has increased. Numerous studies have been conducted on its accuracy and its ability to detect cervical lesions when compared with other techniques, both conventional and nonconventional. This review summarizes key findings from the literature to provide researchers and policymakers with an up-to-date summary on VIA. PubMed was used to identify relevant journal articles published between 1982 and 2002. Key words were cervical cancer screening, visual inspection, VIA (visual inspection with acetic acid), DVI (direct visual inspection), AAT (acetic acid test), and cervicoscopy. Studies were eligible for review only if they involved analysis of primary VIA data (ie, not review articles); studies involving magnification devices were excluded. Fifteen studies were reviewed in total; key results were extracted and a summary analysis was performed for sensitivity and specificity parameters. When reported, sensitivity ranged between 66% and 96% and specificity between 64% and 98%. Authors comparing VIA with cytology noted that the overall usefulness of VIA compares favorably with that of the Pap test. The reported findings reviewed here suggest that VIA has the potential to be a cervical cancer screening tool, especially in low resource settings. Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians. After completion of this article, the reader will be able to describe how visual inspection of the cervix for cervical cancer screening (VIA) is performed, to summarize the current literature on VIA, and to list potential advantages of VIA.

Development of the Aboriginal Communication Assessment After Brain Injury (ACAABI): A screening tool for identifying acquired communication disorders in Aboriginal Australians.

PubMed

Armstrong, Elizabeth M; Ciccone, Natalie; Hersh, Deborah; Katzenellebogen, Judith; Coffin, Juli; Thompson, Sandra; Flicker, Leon; Hayward, Colleen; Woods, Deborah; McAllister, Meaghan

2017-06-01

Acquired communication disorders (ACD), following stroke and traumatic brain injury, may not be correctly identified in Aboriginal Australians due to a lack of linguistically and culturally appropriate assessment tools. Within this paper we explore key issues that were considered in the development of the Aboriginal Communication Assessment After Brain Injury (ACAABI) - a screening tool designed to assess the presence of ACD in Aboriginal populations. A literature review and consultation with key stakeholders were undertaken to explore directions needed to develop a new tool, based on existing tools and recommendations for future developments. The literature searches revealed no existing screening tool for ACD in these populations, but identified tools in the areas of cognition and social-emotional wellbeing. Articles retrieved described details of the content and style of these tools, with recommendations for the development and administration of a new tool. The findings from the interview and focus group views were consistent with the approach recommended in the literature. There is a need for a screening tool for ACD to be developed but any tool must be informed by knowledge of Aboriginal language, culture and community input in order to be acceptable and valid.

Sugar-sweetened beverages coverage in the British media: an analysis of public health advocacy versus pro-industry messaging.

PubMed

Elliott-Green, Alex; Hyseni, Lirije; Lloyd-Williams, Ffion; Bromley, Helen; Capewell, Simon

2016-07-19

To assess the extent of media-based public health advocacy versus pro-industry messaging regarding sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). We conducted a systematic analysis to identify and examine all articles regarding SSBs published in all mainstream British print newspapers and their online news websites from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014. We initially conducted a brief literature search to develop appropriate search terms and categorisations for grouping and analysing the articles. Articles were then coded according to the publishing newspaper, article type, topic, prominence and slant (pro-SSB or anti-SSB). A contextual analysis was undertaken to examine key messages in the articles. We identified 374 articles published during 2014. The majority of articles (81%) suggested that SSBs are unhealthy. Messaging from experts, campaign groups and health organisations was fairly consistent about the detrimental effects of SSB on health. However, relatively few articles assessed any approaches or solutions to potentially combat the problems associated with SSBs. Only one-quarter (24%) suggested any policy change. Meanwhile, articles concerning the food industry produced consistent messages emphasising consumer choice and individual responsibility for making choices regarding SSB consumption, and promoting and advertising their products. The food industry thus often managed to avoid association with the negative press that their products were receiving. SSBs were frequently published in mainstream British print newspapers and their online news websites during 2014. Public health media advocacy was prominent throughout, with a growing consensus that sugary drinks are bad for people's health. However, the challenge for public health will be to mobilise supportive public opinion to help implement effective regulatory policies. Only then will our population's excess consumption of SSBs come under control. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

A mixed-methods study identifying key intervention targets to improve participation in daily living activities in primary Sjögren's syndrome patients.

PubMed

Hackett, Katie L; Deane, Katherine H O; Newton, Julia L; Deary, Vincent; Bowman, Simon; Rapley, Tim; Ng, Wan-Fai

2018-02-06

Functional ability and participation in life situations are compromised in many primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) patients. This study aims to identify the key barriers and priorities to participation in daily living activities, in order to develop potential future interventions. Group concept mapping (GCM), a semi-quantitative, mixed-methods, approach was used to identify and structure ideas from UK PSS patients, adults living with a PSS patient (AHMs) and health care professionals (HCPs). Brainstorming generated ideas, which were summarised into a final set of statements. Participants individually arranged these statements into themes and rated each statement for importance. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis were applied to sorted and rated data to produce visual representations of the ideas (concept maps), enabling identification of agreed priority areas for interventions. 121 patients, 43 AHMs and 67 HCPs took part. 463 ideas were distilled down to 94 statements. These statements were grouped into seven clusters; 'Patient empowerment', 'Symptoms', 'Wellbeing', 'Access and coordination of healthcare', 'Knowledge and support', 'Public awareness and support' and 'Family and friends'. Patient empowerment and Symptoms were rated as priority conceptual themes. Important statements within priority clusters indicate patients should be taken seriously and supported to self-manage symptoms of oral and ocular dryness, fatigue, pain and poor sleep. Our data highlighted that in addition to managing PSS symptoms; interventions aiming to improve patient empowerment, general wellbeing, access to healthcare, patient education and social support are important to facilitate improved participation in daily living activities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Knowledge management practices in healthcare settings: a systematic review.

PubMed

Karamitri, Ioanna; Talias, Michael A; Bellali, Thalia

2017-01-01

Knowledge is an intangible asset in Organizations, and provides a comparative advantage to those who possess it. Hospitals are complex organizations with unique characteristics because of the heterogeneity of health professionals' orientation, the composite networking and the decision-making processes. A deeper understanding of knowledge management (KM) could streamline productivity and coordinate the use of resources more efficient. We conducted a systematic literature search of peer-reviewed papers that described key elements of KM using three databases (Medline, Cinahl and Health Source: nursing/academic edition) for a 10-year period (1/1/2004-25/11/2014). The included articles were subjected to qualitative content analysis. We retrieved 604 articles of which 20 articles were eligible for analysis. Most of the studies (n=13) used a qualitative methodology. The total sample size was 2155 participants. The key elements that arose were as follows: perceptions of KM, synthesis, dissemination, collaboration, means of KM and leadership. Moreover, this study identified barriers for KM implementation, like time restrictions and limited skills. Healthcare managers ought to cultivate a knowledge environment, operate as role models, provide the tools for KM and reward people who act as knowledge brokers. Opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing should be encouraged. Successful KM should be patient-centered to gain its maximum value. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Communication attitudes in children who stutter: A meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Guttormsen, Linn Stokke; Kefalianos, Elaina; Næss, Kari-Anne B

2015-12-01

This article presents a meta-analytic review of differences in communication attitudes between children who stutter (CWS) and children who do not stutter (CWNS). To be included in this review, the studies had to include a group of CWS and CWNS between the ages of 3-18 years and a measurement of communication attitudes. The journal articles were identified by using the key words stutter*, speech disfluenc*, fluency disorder*, and stammer* cross-referenced to awareness*, reaction*, attitude*, KiddyCAT, CAT, A-19 Scale, PASS and OASES. A total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. The results showed that CWS exhibit more negative communication attitudes than CWNS from the preschool years. The differences between the groups increased with age, but were not influenced by gender. The results indicate that negative communication attitudes can be an effect of stuttering. Key issues requiring further investigation are whether communication attitudes differ as a function of age at stuttering onset and whether communication attitudes influence the development of stuttering. After reading this article, the reader will be able to: (a) summarise empirical findings with regard to the relationship between communication attitudes and childhood stuttering; (b) describe the different instruments used to measure communication attitudes; (c) discuss the relationship between communication attitudes, age and gender. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying psychosocial predictors of medication non-adherence following acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Crawshaw, Jacob; Auyeung, Vivian; Norton, Sam; Weinman, John

2016-11-01

Medication non-adherence following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is associated with poor clinical outcomes. A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken to identify psychosocial factors associated with medication adherence in patients with ACS. A search of electronic databases (Cochrane Library, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, CINAHL, ASSIA, OpenGrey, EthOS and WorldCat) was undertaken to identify relevant articles published in English between 2000 and 2014. Articles were screened against our inclusion criteria and data on study design, sample characteristics, predictors, outcomes, analyses, key findings and study limitations were abstracted. Our search identified 3609 records, of which 17 articles met our inclusion criteria (15 independent studies). Eight out of ten studies found an association between depression and non-adherence. A meta-analysis revealed that depressed patients were twice as likely to be non-adherent compared to patients without depression (OR=2.00, 95% CI 1.57-3.33, p=0.015). Type D personality was found to predict non-adherence in both studies in which it was measured. Three out of three studies reported that treatment beliefs based on the Necessity-Concerns Framework predicted medication non-adherence and there was some evidence that social support was associated with better adherence. There was insufficient data to meta-analyse all other psychosocial factors identified. There was some evidence that psychosocial factors, particularly depression, were associated with medication adherence following ACS. Targeting depressive symptoms, screening for Type D personality, challenging maladaptive treatment beliefs, and providing better social support for patients may be useful strategies to improve medication adherence. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Struggle for Comprehensive Education in the Netherlands: The Representation of Secondary School Innovation in Dutch Newspaper Articles in the 1970s

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amsing, Hilda T. A.; Greveling, Linda; Dekker, Jeroen J. H.

2013-01-01

This article focuses on how Dutch newspapers represented the debate in the Netherlands in the 1970s on comprehensive education and thus influenced the Dutch Middle School experiment. Wiborg's identification of key factors of success in Scandinavia was used as a point of reference. The article shows that these key factors did not exist in the…

Academic Primer Series: Five Key Papers for Consulting Clinician Educators.

PubMed

Chan, Teresa M; Gottlieb, Michael; Quinn, Antonia; London, Kory; Conlon, Lauren W; Ankel, Felix

2017-02-01

Clinician educators are often asked to perform consultations for colleagues. Invitations to consult and advise others on local problems can help foster great collaborations between centers, and allows for an exchange of ideas between programs. In this article, the authors identify and summarize several key papers to assist emerging clinician educators with the consultation process. A consensus-building process was used to generate a list of key papers that describe the importance and significance of educational consulting, informed by social media sources. A three-round voting methodology, akin to a Delphi study, determined the most impactful papers from the larger list. Summaries of the five most highly rated papers on education consultation are presented in this paper. These papers were determined by a mixed group of junior and senior faculty members, who have summarized these papers with respect to their relevance for their peer groups. Five key papers on the educational consultation process are presented in this paper. These papers offer background and perspective to help junior faculty gain a grasp of consultation processes.

Total Force Fitness in units part 1: military demand-resource model.

PubMed

Bates, Mark J; Fallesen, Jon J; Huey, Wesley S; Packard, Gary A; Ryan, Diane M; Burke, C Shawn; Smith, David G; Watola, Daniel J; Pinder, Evette D; Yosick, Todd M; Estrada, Armando X; Crepeau, Loring; Bowles, Stephen V

2013-11-01

The military unit is a critical center of gravity in the military's efforts to enhance resilience and the health of the force. The purpose of this article is to augment the military's Total Force Fitness (TFF) guidance with a framework of TFF in units. The framework is based on a Military Demand-Resource model that highlights the dynamic interactions across demands, resources, and outcomes. A joint team of subject-matter experts identified key variables representing unit fitness demands, resources, and outcomes. The resulting framework informs and supports leaders, support agencies, and enterprise efforts to strengthen TFF in units by (1) identifying TFF unit variables aligned with current evidence and operational practices, (2) standardizing communication about TFF in units across the Department of Defense enterprise in a variety of military organizational contexts, (3) improving current resources including evidence-based actions for leaders, (4) identifying and addressing of gaps, and (5) directing future research for enhancing TFF in units. These goals are intended to inform and enhance Service efforts to develop Service-specific TFF models, as well as provide the conceptual foundation for a follow-on article about TFF metrics for units. Reprint & Copyright © 2013 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Ethical issues associated with medical tourism in Africa.

PubMed

Mogaka, John J O; Mupara, Lucia; Tsoka-Gwegweni, Joyce M

2017-01-01

Global disparities in medical technologies, laws, economic inequities, and social-cultural differences drive medical tourism (MT), the practice of travelling to consume healthcare that is either too delayed, unavailable, unaffordable or legally proscribed at home. Africa is simultaneously a source and destination for MT. MT however, presents a new and challenging health ethics frontier, being largely unregulated and characterized by policy contradictions, minority discrimination and conflict of interest among role-players. This article assesses the level of knowledge of MT and its associated ethical issues in Africa; it also identifies critical research gaps on the subject in the region. Exploratory design guided by Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) framework was used. Key search terms and prior determined exclusion/inclusion criteria were used to identify relevant literature sources. Fifty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria. Distributive justice, healthcare resource allocation, experimental treatments and organ transplant were the most common ethical issues of medical tourism in Africa. The dearth of robust engagement of MT and healthcare ethics, as identified through this review, calls for more rigorous research on this subject. Although the bulk of the medical tourism industry is driven by global legal disparities based on ethical considerations, little attention has been given to this subject.

Post-Thalamic Stroke Movement Disorders: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Gupta, Navnika; Pandey, Sanjay

2018-06-05

After a stroke, movement disorders are rare manifestations mainly affecting the deep structures of the brain like the basal ganglia (44%) and thalamus (37%), although there have been case studies of movement disorders in strokes affecting the cerebral cortex also. This review aims to delineate the various movement disorders seen in association with thalamic strokes and tries to identify the location of the nuclei affected in each of the described movement disorders. Cases were identified through a search of PubMed database using different search terms related to post-thalamic stroke movement disorders and a secondary search of references of identified articles. We reviewed 2,520 research articles and only 86 papers met the inclusion criteria. Cases were included if they met criteria for post-thalamic stroke movement disorders. Case-cohort studies were also reviewed and will be discussed further. Key Messages: The most common post-stroke abnormal movement disorder reported in our review was dystonia followed by hemiataxia. There was a higher association between ischaemic stroke and movement disorder. Acute onset movement disorders were more common than delayed. The posterolateral thalamus was most commonly involved in post-thalamic stroke movement disorders. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Cybersecurity in healthcare: A systematic review of modern threats and trends.

PubMed

Kruse, Clemens Scott; Frederick, Benjamin; Jacobson, Taylor; Monticone, D Kyle

2017-01-01

The adoption of healthcare technology is arduous, and it requires planning and implementation time. Healthcare organizations are vulnerable to modern trends and threats because it has not kept up with threats. The objective of this systematic review is to identify cybersecurity trends, including ransomware, and identify possible solutions by querying academic literature. The reviewers conducted three separate searches through the CINAHL and PubMed (MEDLINE) and the Nursing and Allied Health Source via ProQuest databases. Using key words with Boolean operators, database filters, and hand screening, we identified 31 articles that met the objective of the review. The analysis of 31 articles showed the healthcare industry lags behind in security. Like other industries, healthcare should clearly define cybersecurity duties, establish clear procedures for upgrading software and handling a data breach, use VLANs and deauthentication and cloud-based computing, and to train their users not to open suspicious code. The healthcare industry is a prime target for medical information theft as it lags behind other leading industries in securing vital data. It is imperative that time and funding is invested in maintaining and ensuring the protection of healthcare technology and the confidentially of patient information from unauthorized access.

Ethical Challenges and Solutions Regarding Delirium Studies in Palliative Care

PubMed Central

Sweet, Lisa; Adamis, Dimitrios; Meagher, David; Davis, Daniel; Currow, David; Bush, Shirley H.; Barnes, Christopher; Hartwick, Michael; Agar, Meera; Simon, Jessica; Breitbart, William; MacDonald, Neil; Lawlor, Peter G.

2014-01-01

Context Delirium occurs commonly in settings of palliative care (PC), in which patient vulnerability in the unique context of end-of-life care and delirium-associated impairment of decision-making capacity may together present many ethical challenges. Objectives Based on deliberations at the Studies to Understand Delirium in Palliative Care Settings (SUNDIPS) meeting and an associated literature review, this article discusses ethical issues central to the conduct of research on delirious PC patients. Methods Together with an analysis of the ethical deliberations at the SUNDIPS meeting, we conducted a narrative literature review by key words searching of relevant databases and a subsequent hand search of initially identified articles. We also reviewed statements of relevance to delirium research in major national and international ethics guidelines. Results Key issues identified include the inclusion of PC patients in delirium research, capacity determination, and the mandate to respect patient autonomy and ensure maintenance of patient dignity. Proposed solutions include designing informed consent statements that are clear, concise, and free of complex phraseology; use of concise, yet accurate, capacity assessment instruments with a minimally burdensome schedule; and use of PC friendly consent models, such as facilitated, deferred, experienced, advance, and proxy models. Conclusion Delirium research in PC patients must meet the common standards for such research in any setting. Certain features unique to PC establish a need for extra diligence in meeting these standards and the employment of assessments, consent procedures, and patient-family interactions that are clearly grounded on the tenets of PC. PMID:24388124

Co-occurring medical conditions in adults with Down syndrome: A systematic review toward the development of health care guidelines.

PubMed

Capone, George T; Chicoine, Brian; Bulova, Peter; Stephens, Mary; Hart, Sarah; Crissman, Blythe; Videlefsky, Andrea; Myers, Katherine; Roizen, Nancy; Esbensen, Anna; Peterson, Moya; Santoro, Stephanie; Woodward, Jason; Martin, Barry; Smith, David

2018-01-01

Adults with Down syndrome (DS) represent a unique population who are in need of clinical guidelines to address their medical care. The United States Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) has developed criteria for prioritizing conditions of public health importance with the potential for providing screening recommendations to improve clinical care. The quality of existing evidence needed to inform clinical guidelines has not been previously reviewed. Using the National Library of Medicine (NLM) database PubMed, we first identified 18 peer reviewed articles that addressed co-occurring medical conditions in adults with DS. Those conditions discussed in over half of the articles were prioritized for further review. Second, we performed detailed literature searches on these specific conditions. To inform the search strategy and review process a series of key questions were formulated a priori. The quality of available evidence was then graded and knowledge gaps were identified. The number of participating adults and the design of clinical studies varied by condition and were often inadequate for answering all of our key questions. We provide data on thyroid disease, cervical spine disease, hearing impairment, overweight-obesity, sleep apnea, congenital heart disease, and osteopenia-osteoporosis. Minimal evidence demonstrates massive gaps in our clinical knowledge that compromises clinical decision-making and management of these medically complex individuals. The development of evidence-based clinical guidance will require an expanded clinical knowledge-base in order to move forward. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Systematic Review and Taxonomy of Published Quality Criteria Related to the Evaluation of User-Facing eHealth Programs.

PubMed

Baumel, Amit; Birnbaum, Michael L; Sucala, Madalina

2017-08-01

The purpose of this review was to identify and classify key criteria concepts related to the evaluation of user-facing eHealth programs. In line with the PRISMA statement methodology, computer searches of relevant databases were conducted for studies published between January 1, 2000 and March 1, 2016 that contained explicit quality criteria related to mHealth and eHealth products. Reference lists of included articles, review articles, and grey literature (e.g., books, websites) were searched for additional sources. A team of nine experts led by the first author was gathered to support the classification of these criteria. Identified criteria were extracted, grouped and organized using an inductive thematic analysis. Eighty-four sources - emanating from 26 different courtiers - were included in this review. The team extracted 454 criteria that were grouped into 11 quality domains, 58 criteria concepts and 134 concepts' sub-groups. Quality domains were: Usability, Visual Design, User Engagement, Content, Behavior Change/Persuasive Design, Influence of Social Presence, Therapeutic Alliance, Classification, Credibility/Accountability, and Privacy/Security. Findings suggest that authors around the globe agree on key criteria concepts when evaluating user-facing eHealth products. The high proportion of new published criteria in the second half of this review time-frame (2008-2016), and more specifically, the high proportion of criteria relating to persuasive design, therapeutic alliance and privacy/security within this time-frame, points to the advancements made in recent years within this field.

Considering context in quality improvement interventions and implementation: concepts, frameworks, and application.

PubMed

McDonald, Kathryn M

2013-01-01

Growing consensus within the health care field suggests that context matters and needs more concerted study for helping those who implement and conduct research on quality improvement interventions. Health care delivery system decision makers require information about whether an intervention tested in one context will work in another with some differences from the original site. We aimed to define key terms, enumerate candidate domains for the study of context, provide examples from the pediatric quality improvement literature, and identify potential measures for selected contexts. Key sources include the organizational literature, broad evaluation frameworks, and a recent project in the patient safety area on context sensitivity. The article concludes with limitations and next steps for developments in this area. Copyright © 2013 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Borrowed beauty? Understanding identity in Asian facial cosmetic surgery.

PubMed

Aquino, Yves Saint James; Steinkamp, Norbert

2016-09-01

This review aims to identify (1) sources of knowledge and (2) important themes of the ethical debate related to surgical alteration of facial features in East Asians. This article integrates narrative and systematic review methods. In March 2014, we searched databases including PubMed, Philosopher's Index, Web of Science, Sociological Abstracts, and Communication Abstracts using key terms "cosmetic surgery," "ethnic*," "ethics," "Asia*," and "Western*." The study included all types of papers written in English that discuss the debate on rhinoplasty and blepharoplasty in East Asians. No limit was put on date of publication. Combining both narrative and systematic review methods, a total of 31 articles were critically appraised on their contribution to ethical reflection founded on the debates regarding the surgical alteration of Asian features. Sources of knowledge were drawn from four main disciplines, including the humanities, medicine or surgery, communications, and economics. Focusing on cosmetic surgery perceived as a westernising practice, the key debate themes included authenticity of identity, interpersonal relationships and socio-economic utility in the context of Asian culture. The study shows how cosmetic surgery of ethnic features plays an important role in understanding female identity in the Asian context. Based on the debate themes authenticity of identity, interpersonal relationships, and socio-economic utility, this article argues that identity should be understood as less individualistic and more as relational and transformational in the Asian context. In addition, this article also proposes to consider cosmetic surgery of Asian features as an interplay of cultural imperialism and cultural nationalism, which can both be a source of social pressure to modify one's appearance.

Development of hospital disaster resilience: conceptual framework and potential measurement.

PubMed

Zhong, Shuang; Clark, Michele; Hou, Xiang-Yu; Zang, Yu-Li; Fitzgerald, Gerard

2014-11-01

Despite 'hospital resilience' gaining prominence in recent years, it remains poorly defined. This article aims to define hospital resilience, build a preliminary conceptual framework and highlight possible approaches to measurement. Searches were conducted of the commonly used health databases to identify relevant literature and reports. Search terms included 'resilience and framework or model' or 'evaluation or assess or measure and hospital and disaster or emergency or mass casualty and resilience or capacity or preparedness or response or safety'. Articles were retrieved that focussed on disaster resilience frameworks and the evaluation of various hospital capacities. A total of 1480 potentially eligible publications were retrieved initially but the final analysis was conducted on 47 articles, which appeared to contribute to the study objectives. Four disaster resilience frameworks and 11 evaluation instruments of hospital disaster capacity were included. Hospital resilience is a comprehensive concept derived from existing disaster resilience frameworks. It has four key domains: hospital safety; disaster preparedness and resources; continuity of essential medical services; recovery and adaptation. These domains were categorised according to four criteria, namely, robustness, redundancy, resourcefulness and rapidity. A conceptual understanding of hospital resilience is essential for an intellectual basis for an integrated approach to system development. This article (1) defines hospital resilience; (2) constructs conceptual framework (including key domains); (3) proposes comprehensive measures for possible inclusion in an evaluation instrument; and (4) develops a matrix of critical issues to enhance hospital resilience to cope with future disasters. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Systematic review A systematic review of metabolite profiling in gestational diabetes mellitus

PubMed Central

Huynh, Jennifer; Xiong, Grace; Bentley-Lewis, Rhonda

2014-01-01

Aims/hypothesis Gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes during, as well as subsequent to, pregnancy, including increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Because of the importance of early risk stratification in preventing these complications, improved first-trimester biomarker determination for diagnosing gestational diabetes would enhance our ability to optimise both maternal and fetal health. Metabolomic profiling, the systematic study of small molecule products of biochemical pathways, has shown promise in the identification of key metabolites associated with the pathogenesis of several metabolic diseases, including gestational diabetes. This article provides a systematic review of the current state of research on biomarkers and gestational diabetes and discusses the clinical relevance of metabolomics in the prediction, diagnosis and management of gestational diabetes. Methods We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE (PubMed) up to the end of February 2014 using the key term combinations of ‘metabolomics,’ ‘metabonomics,’ ‘nuclear magnetic spectroscopy,’ ‘mass spectrometry,’ ‘metabolic profiling’ and ‘amino acid profile’ combined (AND) with ‘gestational diabetes’. Additional articles were identified through searching the reference lists from included studies. Quality assessment of included articles was conducted through the use of QUADOMICS. Results This systematic review included 17 articles. The biomarkers most consistently associated with gestational diabetes were asymmetric dimethylarginine and NEFAs. After QUADOMICS analysis, 13 of the 17 included studies were classified as ‘high quality’. Conclusions/interpretation Existing metabolomic studies of gestational diabetes present inconsistent findings regarding metabolite profile characteristics. Further studies are needed in larger, more racially/ethnically diverse populations. PMID:25193282

Autologous blood injection for treatment of chronic recurrent TMJ dislocation: is it successful? Is it safe enough? A systematic review.

PubMed

Varedi, Payam; Bohluli, Behnam

2015-09-01

The purpose of this article is to review the English literature about the efficacy and safety of autologous blood injection in treating patients suffering from chronic recurrent temporomandibular joint dislocation. In this article, we highlight the key trials and recent directions about this modality and discuss about the mechanism, advantages, and disadvantages of this approach. A literature search was performed using PubMed, Medline, and Ovid Medline databases to identify articles reporting on the injection of autologous blood for treatment of chronic recurrent dislocation of temporomandibular joint. Other references cited in the retrieved reports, as well as the "related articles" tool in PubMed Medline, were also checked to improve the search and, if relevant, were included in the study. The search was restricted to articles published in the English language. Seven studies meeting the inclusion criteria were reviewed. The selected articles included four prospective clinical trials and three case report articles. There are a few articles about the clinical use of autologous blood for treating patients with chronic recurrent temporomandibular joint dislocation. Reviewing of the literature shows that there are successful results about this modality, but there are still some concerns about it in terms of the effect of the injected blood on the articular cartilage and formation of fibrous or bony ankylosis.

Proposed Mode of Action for Acrolein Respiratory Toxicity Associated with Inhaled Tobacco Smoke.

PubMed

Yeager, R Philip; Kushman, Mary; Chemerynski, Susan; Weil, Roxana; Fu, Xin; White, Marcella; Callahan-Lyon, Priscilla; Rosenfeldt, Hans

2016-06-01

This article presents a mode of action (MOA) analysis that identifies key mechanisms in the respiratory toxicity of inhaled acrolein and proposes key acrolein-related toxic events resulting from the inhalation of tobacco smoke. Smoking causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and acrolein has been previously linked to the majority of smoking-induced noncancer respiratory toxicity. In contrast to previous MOA analyses for acrolein, this MOA focuses on the toxicity of acrolein in the lower respiratory system, reflecting the exposure that smokers experience upon tobacco smoke inhalation. The key mechanisms of acrolein toxicity identified in this proposed MOA include (1) acrolein chemical reactivity with proteins and other macromolecules of cells lining the respiratory tract, (2) cellular oxidative stress, including compromise of the important anti-oxidant glutathione, (3) chronic inflammation, (4) necrotic cell death leading to a feedback loop where necrosis-induced inflammation leads to more necrosis and oxidative damage and vice versa, (5) tissue remodeling and destruction, and (6) loss of lung elasticity and enlarged lung airspaces. From these mechanisms, the proposed MOA analysis identifies the key cellular processes in acrolein respiratory toxicity that consistently occur with the development of COPD: inflammation and necrosis in the middle and lower regions of the respiratory tract. Moreover, the acrolein exposures that occur as a result of smoking are well above exposures that induce both inflammation and necrosis in laboratory animals, highlighting the importance of the role of acrolein in smoking-related respiratory disease. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

What Are the Key Elements of Educational Interventions for Lay Carers of Patients With Advanced Disease? A Systematic Literature Search and Narrative Review of Structural Components, Processes and Modes of Delivery.

PubMed

Farquhar, Morag; Penfold, Clarissa; Walter, Fiona M; Kuhn, Isla; Benson, John

2016-07-01

Educating carers about symptom management may help meet patient and carer needs in relation to distressing symptoms in advanced disease. Reviews of the effectiveness of carer interventions exist, but few have focused on educational interventions and none on the key elements that comprise them but which could inform evidence-based design. To identify the key elements (structural components, processes, and delivery modes) of educational interventions for carers of patients with advanced disease. We systematically searched seven databases, applied inclusion and exclusion criteria, conducted quality appraisal, extracted data, and performed a narrative analysis. We included 62 articles related to 49 interventions. Two main delivery modes were identified: personnel-delivered interventions and stand-alone resources. Personnel-delivered interventions targeted individuals or groups, the former conducted at single or multiple time points, and the latter delivered as series. Just more than half targeted carers rather than patient-carer dyads. Most were developed for cancer; few focused purely on symptom management. Stand-alone resources were rare. Methods to evaluate interventions ranged from postintervention evaluations to fully powered randomized controlled trials but of variable quality. Published evaluations of educational interventions for carers in advanced disease are limited, particularly for non-cancer conditions. Key elements for consideration in developing such interventions were identified; however, lack of reporting of reasons for nonparticipation or dropout from interventions limits understanding of the contribution of these elements to interventions' effectiveness. When developing personnel-delivered interventions for carers in advanced disease, consideration of the disease (and, therefore, caring) trajectory, intervention accessibility (timing, location, and transport), and respite provision may be helpful. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Beyond Citation Rates: A Real-Time Impact Analysis of Health Professions Education Research Using Altmetrics.

PubMed

Maggio, Lauren A; Meyer, Holly S; Artino, Anthony R

2017-10-01

To complement traditional citation-based metrics, which take years to accrue and indicate only academic attention, academia has begun considering altmetrics or alternative metrics, which provide timely feedback on an article's impact by tracking its dissemination via nontraditional outlets, such as blogs and social media, across audiences. This article describes altmetrics and examines altmetrics attention, outlets used, and top article characteristics for health professions education (HPE) research. Using Altmetric Explorer, a tool to search altmetrics activity, the authors searched for HPE articles that had at least one altmetrics event (e.g., an article was tweeted or featured in a news story) between 2011 and 2015. Retrieved articles were analyzed using descriptive statistics. In addition, the 10 articles with the highest Altmetric Attention Scores were identified and their key characteristics extracted. The authors analyzed 6,265 articles with at least one altmetrics event from 13 journals. Articles appeared in 14 altmetrics outlets. Mendeley (161,470 saves), Twitter (37,537 tweets), and Facebook (1,650 posts) were most popular. The number of HPE articles with altmetrics attention increased 145%, from 539 published in 2011 to 1,321 in 2015. In 2015, 50% or more of the articles in 5 journals received altmetrics attention. Themes for articles with the most altmetrics attention included social media or social networking; three such articles were written as tips or guides. Increasing altmetrics attention signals interest in HPE research and the need for further investigation. Knowledge of popular and underused outlets may help investigators strategically share research for broader dissemination.

Millennium Development Goal 1: poverty, hunger and decent work in Southeast Asia.

PubMed

Renwick, Neil

2011-01-01

This article considers three questions: 1) what progress has been made in achieving MDG1 targets?; 2) what challenges remain?; and 3) what more could and should be done? To examine these questions, the article assesses the progress of Southeast Asia in seeking to achieve MDG1. It argues that the region is 'on track' to achieve MDG 1 targets, although significant challenges such as inequality remain. Economic growth, significant structural change and incorporation into global value chains have contributed to MDG progress. However, this is a double-edged sword as exposure to global economic turbulence can increase. The longer-term reduction of poverty, inequality and social exclusion is a question of empowerment of local producers within value chains-a shift in economic power and control through pro-poor strategies strong enough to effect substantive structural change. The article outlines key concepts; identifies the main characteristics of Southeast Asian poverty; outlines what more needs to be done; and concludes by reprising the article's findings and weighing the prospects for 2010-15 and beyond.

[Severe mental illness in mothers and congenital malformations in newborns: a meta-analysis].

PubMed

Pereira, Priscila Krauss; Lima, Lúcia Abelha; Magnanini, Mônica Maria Ferreira; Legay, Leticia Fortes; Lovisi, Giovanni Marcos

2011-12-01

The risk of congenital malformations appears to be higher in infants of mothers with mental disorders as compared to those of mothers with no history of psychiatric illness. This article presents a meta-analysis of studies on the association between maternal mental illness and congenital malformations. The review consisted of an article search in the MEDLINE, ISIWEB, Scopus, and SciELO databases, using the following key words: "mental disorders" OR "mental health" OR "psychotic disorders" OR "schizophrenia" AND "congenital abnormalities" OR "birth defects". A total of 108 studies were identified, and five articles were selected according to the established criteria. These articles were included in a meta-analysis, involving a total of 4,194 children of mothers with mental illness and 249,548 children of mothers with no such disorders. Pooled relative risk showed a significant association between exposure to mental illness in mothers and risk of malformations in newborns (RR = 2.06, 95%CI: 1.46-2.67). The study highlights the relationship between maternal mental health during pregnancy and its effects on the infant's health.

It took two decades for private payor contracts to erode the bottom line: plan on a 2+ year comeback--here's how, Part V.

PubMed

Noyes, Penny

2008-01-01

Parts I through IV of this article series covered getting organized, financial analysis, negotiating strategies, and solutions for a handful of lopsided contract provisions. This last article in the series offers some final contract provisions that if accepted "as is" in the payors' or networks' proposed agreements will afford the payers with too much control over key financial, administrative, and clinical issues related to serving patients covered under the contract. Among those discussed in this article are: medical necessity, confidentiality, term/termination/evergreen, favored nation, products to be included in the agreement, EOB and ID card identifiers, and "drafted jointly" issues. You may not win on all of these, but to not request these changes is an implied acceptance of the agreement terms, perpetuating the unfairness. Ask yourself as you read through this last article, "If my deal-breaker changes are not made, am I ready to walk?" There is no right or wrong answer, but if it is '"yes," then your negotiating power just increased tremendously.

How to assess vision.

PubMed

Marsden, Janet

2016-09-21

Rationale and key points An objective assessment of the patient's vision is important to assess variation from 'normal' vision in acute and community settings, to establish a baseline before examination and treatment in the emergency department, and to assess any changes during ophthalmic outpatient appointments. » Vision is one of the essential senses that permits people to make sense of the world. » Visual assessment does not only involve measuring central visual acuity, it also involves assessing the consequences of reduced vision. » Assessment of vision in children is crucial to identify issues that might affect vision and visual development, and to optimise lifelong vision. » Untreatable loss of vision is not an inevitable consequence of ageing. » Timely and repeated assessment of vision over life can reduce the incidence of falls, prevent injury and optimise independence. Reflective activity 'How to' articles can help update you practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of: 1. How this article might change your practice when assessing people holistically. 2. How you could use this article to educate your colleagues in the assessment of vision.

Indeterminacy, EPR and Bell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seno Chibeni, Silvio

2001-01-01

This article seeks to clarify certain key theoretical, conceptual and philosophical issues in the foundations of microphysics which, to judge from certain recent publications, continue to cause misunderstandings. In particular, we examine the Heisenberg indeterminacy relations, underlining that they are not univocally interpretable and that, at least in the interpretation following directly from the quantum formalism, they are not the target of Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen's criticism. We try to identify the essential goal and premises of this famous argument, with the help of a simple example. Finally, we examine briefly the Bell inequalities, emphasizing that, given their generality, the net consequence of their experimental violation cannot be circumvented neither by the abandonment of determinism nor by any local realistic reinterpretation of measurement results, as attempted in an article recently published in this journal.

Experimental estimation of migration and transfer of organic substances from consumer articles to cotton wipes: Evaluation of underlying mechanisms.

PubMed

Clausen, Per Axel; Spaan, Suzanne; Brouwer, Derk H; Marquart, Hans; le Feber, Maaike; Engel, Roel; Geerts, Lieve; Jensen, Keld Alstrup; Kofoed-Sørensen, Vivi; Hansen, Brian; De Brouwere, Katleen

2016-01-01

The aim of this work was to identify the key mechanisms governing transport of organic chemical substances from consumer articles to cotton wipes. The results were used to establish a mechanistic model to improve assessment of dermal contact exposure. Four types of PVC flooring, 10 types of textiles and one type of inkjet printed paper were used to establish the mechanisms and model. Kinetic extraction studies in methanol demonstrated existence of matrix diffusion and indicated the presence of a substance surface layer on some articles. Consequently, the proposed substance transfer model considers mechanical transport from a surface film and matrix diffusion in an article with a known initial total substance concentration. The estimated chemical substance transfer values to cotton wipes were comparable to the literature data (relative transfer ∼ 2%), whereas relative transfer efficiencies from spiked substrates were high (∼ 50%). For consumer articles, high correlation (r(2)=0.92) was observed between predicted and measured transfer efficiencies, but concentrations were overpredicted by a factor of 10. Adjusting the relative transfer from about 50% used in the model to about 2.5% removed overprediction. Further studies are required to confirm the model for generic use.

Dementia ascertainment using existing data in UK longitudinal and cohort studies: a systematic review of methodology.

PubMed

Sibbett, Ruth A; Russ, Tom C; Deary, Ian J; Starr, John M

2017-07-03

Studies investigating the risk factors for or causation of dementia must consider subjects prior to disease onset. To overcome the limitations of prospective studies and self-reported recall of information, the use of existing data is key. This review provides a narrative account of dementia ascertainment methods using sources of existing data. The literature search was performed using: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychInfo and Web of Science. Included articles reported a UK-based study of dementia in which cases were ascertained using existing data. Existing data included that which was routinely collected and that which was collected for previous research. After removing duplicates, abstracts were screened and the remaining articles were included for full-text review. A quality tool was used to evaluate the description of the ascertainment methodology. Of the 3545 abstracts screened, 360 articles were selected for full-text review. 47 articles were included for final consideration. Data sources for ascertainment included: death records, national datasets, research databases and hospital records among others. 36 articles used existing data alone for ascertainment, of which 27 used only a single data source. The most frequently used source was a research database. Quality scores ranged from 7/16 to 16/16. Quality scores were better for articles with dementia ascertainment as an outcome. Some papers performed validation studies of dementia ascertainment and most indicated that observed rates of dementia were lower than expected. We identified a lack of consistency in dementia ascertainment methodology using existing data. With no data source identified as a "gold-standard", we suggest the use of multiple sources. Where possible, studies should access records with evidence to confirm the diagnosis. Studies should also calculate the dementia ascertainment rate for the population being studied to enable a comparison with an expected rate.

The Resource Identification Initiative: A Cultural Shift in Publishing.

PubMed

Bandrowski, Anita; Brush, Matthew; Grethe, Jeffery S; Haendel, Melissa A; Kennedy, David N; Hill, Sean; Hof, Patrick R; Martone, Maryann E; Pols, Maaike; Tan, Serena C; Washington, Nicole; Zudilova-Seinstra, Elena; Vasilevsky, Nicole

2016-01-01

A central tenet in support of research reproducibility is the ability to uniquely identify research resources, i.e., reagents, tools, and materials that are used to perform experiments. However, current reporting practices for research resources are insufficient to identify the exact resources that are reported or to answer basic questions such as "How did other studies use resource X?" To address this issue, the Resource Identification Initiative was launched as a pilot project to improve the reporting standards for research resources in the Methods sections of articles and thereby improve identifiability and scientific reproducibility. The pilot engaged over 25 biomedical journal editors from most major publishers, as well as scientists and funding officials. Authors were asked to include Research Resource Identifiers (RRIDs) in their articles prior to publication for three resource types: antibodies, model organisms, and tools (i.e., software and databases). RRIDs are assigned by an authoritative database, for example, a model organism database for each type of resource. To make it easier for authors to obtain RRIDs, resources were aggregated from the appropriate databases and their RRIDs made available in a central Web portal (http://scicrunch.org/resources). RRIDs meet three key criteria: they are machine-readable, free to generate and access, and are consistent across publishers and journals. The pilot was launched in February of 2014 and over 300 articles have appeared that report RRIDs. The number of journals participating has expanded from the original 25 to more than 40, with RRIDs appearing in 62 different journals to date. Here we present an overview of the pilot project and its outcomes to date. We show that authors are able to identify resources and are supportive of the goals of the project. Identifiability of the resources post-pilot showed a dramatic improvement for all three resource types, suggesting that the project has had a significant impact on identifiability of research resources. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Bobath (NDT) concept in adult neurological rehabilitation: what is the state of the knowledge? A scoping review. Part I: conceptual perspectives.

PubMed

Vaughan-Graham, Julie; Cott, Cheryl; Wright, F Virginia

2015-01-01

The study's purpose was to describe the range of knowledge pertaining to the Bobath concept/NDT in adult neurological rehabilitation, synthesize the findings, identify knowledge gaps and develop empirically based recommendations for future research. This article explores the conceptual literature. A scoping review of research and non-research articles published from 2007 to 2012. Two independent reviewers selected studies based on a systematic procedure. Inclusion criteria for studies were: electronically accessible English language literature with Bobath and/or neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT) as the subject heading in the title/keyword/abstract/intervention comparison with respect to adult neurological conditions. Data were abstracted and summarized with respect to study purpose, defining and operationalizing the Bobath concept, therapist demographics, recruitment, discussion and conclusions. Of the 33 publications identified, 14 publications sought to define the theoretical foundations and identify key aspects of clinical practice of the contemporary Bobath concept. The publications comprised three theoretical papers, four surveys, a Delphi reported through two papers, one qualitative study, three letters to the editor and one editorial. Knowledge derived from review of the conceptual literature provides clinicians with an updated Bobath clinical framework as well as identifying aspects of Bobath clinical practice that require careful consideration in future effectiveness studies. Implications for Rehabilitation The integration of posture and movement with respect to the quality of task performance remains a cornerstone of the redefined Bobath concept. A key fundamental principle of the clinical application of the Bobath concept since its inception is the selective manipulation of sensory information, namely, facilitation, to positively affect motor control and perception in persons post-central nervous system lesion. This is an aspect of Bobath clinical practice that requires further investigation. Study and treatment fidelity issues such as therapist expertise, the use of treatment logs to document individualized clinical practice, as well as therapist supervision and evaluation require careful consideration in the implementation of Bobath effectiveness studies such that causality can be determined.

Teaching ethics and professionalism in plastic surgery: a systematic review.

PubMed

de Blacam, Catherine; Vercler, Christian J

2014-04-01

Maintenance of the highest ethical and professional standards in plastic surgery is in the best interests of our profession and the public whom we serve. Both the American Board of Medical Specialties and the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education mandate training in ethics and professionalism for all residents. Presently there is no gold standard in ethics and professionalism education. A systematic review on teaching ethics and professionalism in plastic surgery was performed for all articles from inception to May 23, 2013 in MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and ERIC. References of relevant publications were searched for additional papers. Key journals were hand searched and relevant conference proceedings were also reviewed. Duplicate and non-English articles were excluded. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to find articles that described a curriculum in ethics and/or professionalism in plastic surgery. Two hundred twenty-seven relevant articles were identified. One hundred seventy-four did not meet inclusion criteria based on screening of the title, and 39 of those did not meet inclusion criteria based on screening of the abstract or introductory paragraph. Of the 14 identified for full text review, only 2 articles described a set curriculum in ethics and/or professionalism in plastic surgery training and reported outcomes. A paucity of data exists regarding the structure, content, or relevant measures that can be applied to assess outcomes of a curriculum to teach ethics and professionalism to plastic surgery trainees. Endeavors to teach ethics and professionalism to plastic surgery trainees must rigorously document the process and outcomes to facilitate the maintenance of our profession.

Russian Quality Assessment System in Education: Key Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolotov, V.; Valdman, I.; Kovaleva, G.; Pinskaya, M.

2015-01-01

This article examines key lessons learned by Russia while developing national assessment system in education. It shows that reforms are more likely to succeed backed with sustained political support, clearly defined goals or priorities, gradual introduction, and open discussion with stakeholders. [This article was translated by Lucy Gunderson.

Cost effectiveness of fecal DNA screening for colorectal cancer: a systematic review and quality appraisal of the literature.

PubMed

Skally, Mairead; Hanly, Paul; Sharp, Linda

2013-06-01

Fecal DNA (fDNA) testing is a noninvasive potential alternative to current colorectal cancer screening tests. We conducted a systematic review and quality assessment of studies of cost-effectiveness of fDNA as a colorectal cancer screening tool (compared with no screening and other screening modalities), and identified key variables that impinged on cost-effectiveness. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination for cost-effectiveness studies of fDNA-based screening, published in English by September 2011. Studies that undertook an economic evaluation of fDNA, using either a cost-effectiveness or cost-utility analysis, compared with other relevant screening modalities and/or no screening were included. Additional inclusion criteria related to the presentation of data pertaining to model variables including time horizon, costs, fDNA performance characteristics, screening uptake, and comparators. A total of 369 articles were initially identified for review. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven articles were included in the final review. Data was abstracted on key descriptor variables including screening scenarios, time horizon, costs, test performance characteristics, screening uptake, comparators, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Quality assessment was undertaken using a standard checklist for economic evaluations. Studies cited by cost-effectiveness articles as the source of data on fDNA test performance characteristics were also reviewed. Seven cost-effectiveness studies were included, from the USA (4), Canada (1), Israel (1), and Taiwan (1). Markov models (5), a partially observable Markov decision process model (1) and MISCAN and SimCRC (1) microsimulation models were used. All studies took a third-party payer perspective and one included, in addition, a societal perspective. Comparator screening tests, screening intervals, and specific fDNA tests varied between studies. fDNA sensitivity and specificity parameters were derived from 12 research studies and one meta-analysis. Outcomes assessed were life-years gained and quality-adjusted life-years gained. fDNA was cost-effective when compared with no screening in six studies. Compared with other screening modalities, fDNA was not considered cost-effective in any of the base-case analyses: in five studies it was dominated by all alternatives considered. Sensitivity analyses identified cost, compliance, and test parameters as key influential parameters. In general, poor presentation of "study design" and "data collection" details lowered the quality of included articles. Although the literature searches were designed for high sensitivity, the possibility cannot be excluded that some eligible studies may have been missed. Reports (such as Health Technology Assessments produced by government agencies) and other forms of grey literature were excluded because they are difficult to identify systematically and/or may not report methods and results in sufficient detail for assessment. On the basis of the available (albeit limited) evidence, while fDNA is cost-effective when compared with no screening, it is currently dominated by most of the other available screening options. Cost and test performance appear to be the main influences on cost-effectiveness.

Community and consumer participation in Australian health services--an overview of organisational commitment and participation processes.

PubMed

Johnson, A; Silburn, K

2000-01-01

This article briefly describes recent initiatives to improve consumer participation in health services that have led to the establishment of the National Resource Centre for Consumer Participation in Health. The results of a component of the needs assessment undertaken by the newly established Centre are presented. They provide a 'snapshot' of the types of feedback and participation processes mainly being utilised by Australian health services at the different levels of seeking information, information sharing and consultation, partnership, delegated power and consumer control. They also allow identification of the organisational commitment made by Australian health services to support a more coordinated approach to community and consumer feedback and participation at different levels of health services such as particular emphasis on determining the presence of community and consumer participation in key organisational statements, specific consumer policies and plans, identifiable leadership, inclusion into job descriptions, allocation of resources, and staff development and consumer training. Discussion centres around four key observations and some of the key perceived external barriers.

What do we know about developing patient portals? a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Otte-Trojel, Terese; de Bont, Antoinette; Rundall, Thomas G; van de Klundert, Joris

2016-04-01

Numerous articles have reported on the development of patient portals, including development problems and solutions. We review these articles to inform future patient portal development efforts and to provide a summary of the evidence base that can guide future research. We performed a systematic review of relevant literature to answer 5 questions: (1) What categories of problems related to patient portal development have been defined? (2) What causal factors have been identified by problem analysis and diagnosis? (3) What solutions have been proposed to ameliorate these causal factors? (4) Which proposed solutions have been implemented and in which organizational contexts? (5) Have implemented solutions been evaluated and what learning has been generated? Through searches on PubMed, ScienceDirect and LISTA, we included 109 articles. We identified 5 main problem categories: achieving patient engagement, provider engagement, appropriate data governance, security and interoperability, and a sustainable business model. Further, we identified key factors contributing to these problems as well as solutions proposed to ameliorate them. While about half (45) of the 109 articles proposed solutions, fewer than half of these solutions (18) were implemented, and even fewer (5) were evaluated to generate learning about their effects. Few studies systematically report on the patient portal development processes. As a result, the review does not provide an evidence base for portal development. Our findings support a set of recommendations for advancement of the evidence base: future research should build on existing evidence, draw on principles from design sciences conveyed in the problem-solving cycle, and seek to produce evidence within various different organizational contexts. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Bridging knowledge, policies and practices across the ageing and disability fields: a protocol for a scoping review to inform the development of a taxonomy.

PubMed

Nalder, Emily Joan; Putnam, Michelle; Salvador-Carulla, Luis; Spindel, Andria; Batliwalla, Zinnia; Lenton, Erica

2017-10-25

Bridging is a term used to describe activities, or tasks, used to promote collaboration and knowledge exchange across fields. This paper reports the protocol for a scoping review which aims to identify and characterise peer reviewed evidence describing bridging activities, between the ageing and disability fields. The purpose is to clarify the concepts underpinning bridging to inform the development of a taxonomy, and identify research strengths and gaps. A scoping review will be conducted. We will search Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts and the Cochrane Library, to identify peer reviewed publications (reviews, experimental, observational, qualitative designs and expert commentaries) describing bridging activities. Grey literature, and articles not published in English will be excluded. Two investigators will independently complete article selection and data abstraction to minimise bias. A data extraction form will be iteratively developed and information from each publication will be extracted: (1) bibliographic, (2) methodological, (3) demographic, and (4) bridging information. Qualitative content analysis will be used to describe key concepts related to bridging. To our knowledge, this will be the first scoping review to describe bridging of ageing and disability knowledge, services and policies. The findings will inform the development of a taxonomy to define models of bridging that can be implemented and further evaluated to enable integrated care and improve systems and services for those ageing with disability. Ethics is not required because this is a scoping review of published literature. Findings will be disseminated through stakeholder meetings, conference presentations and peer reviewed publication. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Pre-employment physical capacity testing as a predictor for musculoskeletal injury in paramedics: A review of the literature.

PubMed

Jenkins, Natasha; Smith, Gavin; Stewart, Scott; Kamphuis, Catherine

2016-11-22

Workplace injuries place a significant physical, social and financial burden on organisations globally. Paramedics provide emergency management of workplace injuries, and are subjected to heightened injury risk as a direct consequence of providing such care. This review aims to identify the current evidence reporting workplace musculoskeletal injury generally, and to relate this to pre-employment physical capacity testing within the paramedic industry specifically. A search of the electronic databases (Ovid Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, NIOSHTIC-2, RILOSH, CISDOC and HSELINE) was completed using the keywords musculoskeletal, workplace, injury, industrial, accident, pre-employment physical capacity testing, paramedic, emergency service employee, firefighter, and police. Articles were excluded if they did not describe pre-employment physical capacity testing, musculoskeletal injuries, or were not available in English. The electronic literature search identified 765 articles, following application of exclusion criteria: based on title/abstract of article (669); no relevance (62) or unavailable in English (4), 30 articles were included in this review.The review identified that physical fitness, gender, age, equipment and demographic variables were key factors in the current high rate of paramedic workplace injury. However, there is little evidence available to quantify the relationship between pre-employment physical capacity testing and subsequent injury amongst the paramedic cohort. Despite evidence suggesting that pre-employment physical capacity testing scores may be predictive of subsequent musculoskeletal injury in paramedics, there are currently no studies in this area. Quantifying the potential association between factors affecting the conduct of paramedic work and the type of injuries that result requires examination through future research.

What do we know about developing patient portals? a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

de Bont, Antoinette; Rundall, Thomas G; van de Klundert, Joris

2016-01-01

Objective Numerous articles have reported on the development of patient portals, including development problems and solutions. We review these articles to inform future patient portal development efforts and to provide a summary of the evidence base that can guide future research. Materials and Methods We performed a systematic review of relevant literature to answer 5 questions: (1) What categories of problems related to patient portal development have been defined? (2) What causal factors have been identified by problem analysis and diagnosis? (3) What solutions have been proposed to ameliorate these causal factors? (4) Which proposed solutions have been implemented and in which organizational contexts? (5) Have implemented solutions been evaluated and what learning has been generated? Through searches on PubMed, ScienceDirect and LISTA, we included 109 articles. Results We identified 5 main problem categories: achieving patient engagement, provider engagement, appropriate data governance, security and interoperability, and a sustainable business model. Further, we identified key factors contributing to these problems as well as solutions proposed to ameliorate them. While about half (45) of the 109 articles proposed solutions, fewer than half of these solutions (18) were implemented, and even fewer (5) were evaluated to generate learning about their effects. Discussion Few studies systematically report on the patient portal development processes. As a result, the review does not provide an evidence base for portal development. Conclusion Our findings support a set of recommendations for advancement of the evidence base: future research should build on existing evidence, draw on principles from design sciences conveyed in the problem-solving cycle, and seek to produce evidence within various different organizational contexts. PMID:26335985

The 100 Most Cited Articles in Facial Trauma: A Bibliometric Analysis.

PubMed

Tahim, Arpan; Patel, Kush; Bridle, Christopher; Holmes, Simon

2016-11-01

The number of citations an article receives has been used as a marker of its influence within a surgical specialty. Currently, there is limited citation analysis in oral and maxillofacial trauma surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the 100 most cited articles in facial trauma surgery and their characteristics. Articles were identified from the Science Citation Index of the Institute for Scientific Information using the Thomson Reuters Web of Science search engine. All articles until 2015 were included. Then, the 100 most cited articles were assessed for title, author, journal, country of origin, and number of citations. A citation index (number of citations received per year) also was calculated. The 100 most cited articles in facial trauma received 9,933 citations (range, 66 to 297). They were published from 1942 through 2008, with 1990 through 1999 being the commonest decade. Articles were cited on average 4.6 times per year. Articles were published in 28 different journals, with impact factors ranging from 0.94 to 35.3. Most articles were observational research studies. These findings reflect the attention that articles have received during the past half century in oral and maxillofacial trauma research, shedding light on often-read articles in this field. In addition to current bibliometric indices, it could provide a useful evidence base for facial surgeons, represent key educational material for aspiring trainees, and be used to help guide future research efforts. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Key Relation Extraction from Biomedical Publications.

PubMed

Huang, Lan; Wang, Ye; Gong, Leiguang; Kulikowski, Casimir; Bai, Tian

2017-01-01

Within the large body of biomedical knowledge, recent findings and discoveries are most often presented as research articles. Their number has been increasing sharply since the turn of the century, presenting ever-growing challenges for search and discovery of knowledge and information related to specific topics of interest, even with the help of advanced online search tools. This is especially true when the goal of a search is to find or discover key relations between important concepts or topic words. We have developed an innovative method for extracting key relations between concepts from abstracts of articles. The method focuses on relations between keywords or topic words in the articles. Early experiments with the method on PubMed publications have shown promising results in searching and discovering keywords and their relationships that are strongly related to the main topic of an article.

Biosynthesis of abscisic acid in fungi: Identification of a sesquiterpene cyclase as the key enzyme in Botrytis cinerea.

PubMed

Izquierdo-Bueno, Inmaculada; González-Rodríguez, Victoria E; Simon, Adeline; Dalmais, Bérengère; Pradier, Jean-Marc; Le Pêcheur, Pascal; Mercier, Alex; Walker, Anne-Sophie; Garrido, Carlos; Collado, Isidro González; Viaud, Muriel

2018-04-30

While abscisic acid (ABA) is known as a hormone produced by plants through the carotenoid pathway, a small number of phytopathogenic fungi are also able to produce this sesquiterpene but they use a distinct pathway that starts with the cyclization of farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) into 2Z,4E-α-ionylideneethane which is then subjected to several oxidation steps. To identify the sesquiterpene cyclase (STC) responsible for the biosynthesis of ABA in fungi, we conducted a genomic approach in Botrytis cinerea. The genome of the ABA-overproducing strain ATCC58025 was fully sequenced and five STC-coding genes were identified. Among them, Bcstc5 exhibits an expression profile concomitant with ABA production. Gene inactivation, complementation and chemical analysis demonstrated that BcStc5/BcAba5 is the key enzyme responsible for the key step of ABA biosynthesis in fungi. Unlike what is observed for most of the fungal secondary metabolism genes, the key enzyme-coding gene Bcstc5/Bcaba5 is not clustered with the other biosynthetic genes i.e. Bcaba1 to Bcaba4 that are responsible for the oxidative transformation of 2Z,4E-α-ionylideneethane. Finally, our study revealed that the presence of the Bcaba genes among Botrytis species is rare and that the majority of them do not possess the ability to produce ABA. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A framework for mentoring of medical students: thematic analysis of mentoring programmes between 2000 and 2015.

PubMed

Tan, Yin Shuen; Teo, Shao Wen Amanda; Pei, Yiying; Sng, Julia Huina; Yap, Hong Wei; Toh, Ying Pin; Krishna, Lalit K R

2018-03-17

A consistent mentoring approach is key to unlocking the full benefits of mentoring, ensuring effective oversight of mentoring relationships and preventing abuse of mentoring. Yet consistency in mentoring between senior clinicians and medical students (novice mentoring) which dominate mentoring processes in medical schools is difficult to achieve particularly when mentors practice in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical schools. To facilitate a consistent approach to mentoring this review scrutinizes common aspects of mentoring in undergraduate and postgraduate medical schools to forward a framework for novice mentoring in medical schools. Four authors preformed independent literature searches of novice mentoring guidelines and programmes in undergraduate and postgraduate medical schools using ERIC, PubMed, CINAHL, OVID and Science Direct databases. 25,605 abstracts were retrieved, 162 full-text articles were reviewed and 34 articles were included. The 4 themes were identified-preparation, initiating and supporting the mentoring process and the obstacles to effective mentoring. These themes highlight 2 key elements of an effective mentoring framework-flexibility and structure. Flexibility refers to meeting the individual and changing needs of mentees. Structure concerns ensuring consistency to the mentoring process and compliance with prevailing codes of conduct and standards of practice.

Wide-Open: Accelerating public data release by automating detection of overdue datasets

PubMed Central

Poon, Hoifung; Howe, Bill

2017-01-01

Open data is a vital pillar of open science and a key enabler for reproducibility, data reuse, and novel discoveries. Enforcement of open-data policies, however, largely relies on manual efforts, which invariably lag behind the increasingly automated generation of biological data. To address this problem, we developed a general approach to automatically identify datasets overdue for public release by applying text mining to identify dataset references in published articles and parse query results from repositories to determine if the datasets remain private. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach on 2 popular National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) repositories: Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Sequence Read Archive (SRA). Our Wide-Open system identified a large number of overdue datasets, which spurred administrators to respond directly by releasing 400 datasets in one week. PMID:28594819

Wide-Open: Accelerating public data release by automating detection of overdue datasets.

PubMed

Grechkin, Maxim; Poon, Hoifung; Howe, Bill

2017-06-01

Open data is a vital pillar of open science and a key enabler for reproducibility, data reuse, and novel discoveries. Enforcement of open-data policies, however, largely relies on manual efforts, which invariably lag behind the increasingly automated generation of biological data. To address this problem, we developed a general approach to automatically identify datasets overdue for public release by applying text mining to identify dataset references in published articles and parse query results from repositories to determine if the datasets remain private. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach on 2 popular National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) repositories: Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Sequence Read Archive (SRA). Our Wide-Open system identified a large number of overdue datasets, which spurred administrators to respond directly by releasing 400 datasets in one week.

New Heroines of Labour: Domesticating Post-feminism and Neoliberal Capitalism in Russia

PubMed Central

Salmenniemi, Suvi; Adamson, Maria

2015-01-01

In recent years, post-feminism has become an important element of popular media culture and the object of feminist cultural critique. This article explores how post-feminism is domesticated in Russia through popular self-help literature aimed at a female audience. Drawing on a close reading of self-help texts by three best-selling Russian authors, the article examines how post-feminism is made intelligible to the Russian audience and how it articulates with other symbolic frameworks. It identifies labour as a key trope through which post-feminism is domesticated and argues that the texts invite women to invest time and energy in the labour of personality, the labour of femininity and the labour of sexuality in order to become ‘valuable subjects’. The article demonstrates that the domestication of post-feminism also involves the domestication of neoliberal capitalism in Russia, and highlights how popular psychology, neoliberal capitalism and post-feminism are symbiotically related. PMID:26663947

Twenty-five years of education in psychology and psychology in education.

PubMed

Rozensky, Ronald H; Grus, Catherine L; Fouad, Nadya A; McDaniel, Susan H

2017-11-01

This article is part of a special issue of the American Psychologist celebrating the American Psychological Association's (APA's) 125th anniversary. The article reviews the last quarter century (1991-2016) of accomplishments by psychology's education and training community and APA's Education Directorate. The purpose is to highlight key trends and developments over the past quarter century that illustrate ways the Directorate sought to advance education in psychology and psychology in education, as the Directorate's mission statement says. The focus of the Directorate has been on building a cooperative culture across psychology's broad education and training community. Specifically APA has (a) promoted quality education-from prekindergarten through lifelong learning, (b) encouraged accountability through guidelines and standards for education and training, and (c) supported the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge to enhance health, education, and well-being. After identifying challenges and progress, the article discusses the future of the field of psychology and the preparation of its workforce of tomorrow. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Service delivery innovation for hospital emergency management using rich organizational modelling.

PubMed

Dhakal, Yogit; Bhuiyan, Moshiur; Prasad, Pwc; Krishna, Aneesh

2018-04-01

The purpose of this article is to identify and assess service delivery issues within a hospital emergency department and propose an improved model to address them. Possible solutions and options to these issues are explored to determine the one that best fits the context. In this article, we have analysed the emergency department's organizational models through i* strategic dependency and rational modelling technique before proposing updated models that could potentially drive business process efficiencies. The results produced by the models, framework and improved patient journey in the emergency department were evaluated against the statistical data revealed from a reputed government organization related to health, to ensure that the key elements of the issues such as wait time, stay time/throughput, workload and human resource are resolved. The result of the evaluation was taken as a basis to determine the success of the project. Based on these results, the article recommends implementing the concept on actual scenario, where a positive result is achievable.

Culturally Relevant Palliative and End-of-Life Care for U.S. Indigenous Populations: An Integrative Review.

PubMed

Isaacson, Mary J; Lynch, Anna R

2018-03-01

American Indians/Alaska Natives (AIs/ANs) have higher rates of chronic illness and lack access to palliative/end-of-life (EOL) care. This integrative review ascertained the state of the science on culturally acceptable palliative/EOL care options for Indigenous persons in the United States. Databases searched: CINAHL, PubMed/MEDLINE, SocINDEX, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, ERIC, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, and EBSCO Discovery Service 1880s-Present. Key terms used: palliative care, EOL care, and AI/AN. peer-reviewed articles published in English. Findings/Results: Twenty-nine articles were identified, 17 remained that described culturally specific palliative/EOL care for AIs/ANs. Synthesis revealed four themes: Communication, Cultural Awareness/Sensitivity, Community Guidance for Palliative/EOL Care Programs, Barriers and two subthemes: Trust/Respect and Mistrust. Limitations are lack of research funding, geographic isolation, and stringent government requirements. Palliative/EOL care must draw on a different set of skills that honor care beyond cure provided in a culturally sensitive manner.

An unsettled bargain? Mothers’ perceptions of justice and fairness in paid work

PubMed Central

Yerkes, Mara A.; Martin, Bill; Baxter, Janeen; Rose, Judy

2017-01-01

Mothers’ return to work following childbirth is widely recognized as a key stage in establishing employment arrangements that disadvantage them in the long run. This article investigates why mothers accept these unequal arrangements using data from a qualitative study of 109 Australian mothers. It focuses on mothers’ perceptions of the fairness and justice of the flexibility of arrangements they commonly enter into upon return to work. The article draws attention to the importance of different justice frameworks, distributive, procedural and interactional, in understanding women’s acceptance of gender inequality in paid work. The results indicate that most mothers view their workplace arrangements as fair, consistent with a distributive justice framework. Many women also place great importance on interactional justice, particularly in their experiences in negotiating flexibility. The article also identifies differences across employment type with women in jobs with career prospects more likely to invoke interactional justice frameworks than women in jobs with few career prospects. PMID:28690425

Encouraging choice, serendipity and experimentation: experiences from Griffith University library (G11) extension and Gumurrii Centre.

PubMed

Legerton, Graham

2013-09-01

The refurbishment and extension of existing university buildings is a critical consideration for many universities. This article details an architect's perspective of an innovative and collaborative design approach to transforming an existing library into a futuristic and student-centric interactive learning environment. The design is responsive to people, place, the community and the environment, due, in part, to the enhanced physical permeability of the building. Associated user-group forums comprised the end user client, the university's facilities body, the builder, lead architectural consultants, the Centre for Indigenous Students (Gumurrii Centre) and architectural sub-consultants. This article discusses five key design moves--"triangulate", "unique geometries and spaces", "learning aviary", "sky lounge" and "understanding flexibility". It goes on to discuss these elements in relation to designing spaces to enhance interprofessional education and collaboration. In summary, this article identifies how it is possible to maximise the value and characteristics of an existing library whilst creating a series of innovative spaces that offer choice, encourage serendipity and embrace experimentation.

Developmental issues in underage drinking research.

PubMed

To better understand underage drinking and how it can be prevented, research is being conducted in a wide variety of disciplines--focusing on aspects such as risk and protective factors, biological processes underlying human development, and the impact of socioenvironmental and pharmacologic influences on these mechanisms. This article examines underage drinking from a developmental perspective, which seeks to identify critical developmental periods during which interventions may be especially useful. These critical periods can provide key opportunities to redirect the course of development and alter the life course trajectory of the individual.

Managing innovation: lessons from the cardiac-pacing industry.

PubMed

Gobeli, D H; Rudelius, W

1985-01-01

In this article, the authors argue that innovation is a surefire way for a firm to increase its sales and market share. This, in turn, can stimulate American industries and make American firms more competitive in international markets. Through their study of the cardiac-pacing industry, they draw conclusions about what factors contribute to a successful innovation in other industries besides medical electronics. They identify general patterns and stages of the innovation process, key roles top management must fill in an organization, and effective policies that foster important innovations.

Refeeding syndrome.

PubMed

Fuentebella, Judy; Kerner, John A

2009-10-01

Refeeding syndrome (RFS) is the result of aggressive enteral or parenteral feeding in a malnourished patient, with hypophosphatemia being the hallmark of this phenomenon. Other metabolic abnormalities, such as hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia, may also occur, along with sodium and fluid retention. The metabolic changes that occur in RFS can be severe enough to cause cardiorespiratory failure and death. This article reviews the pathophysiology, the clinical manifestations, and the management of RFS. The key to prevention is identifying patients at risk and being aware of the potential complications involved in rapidly reintroducing feeds to a malnourished patient.

Bioterrorism and the nervous system.

PubMed

Han, M H; Zunt, J R

2003-11-01

Recent events of war, terrorist attacks, and mail-borne anthrax exposure have produced increasing awareness of potential bioterrorism attacks in the United States and other parts of the world. Physicians and healthcare personnel play a key role in identifying potential bioterrorist attacks. Early recognition and preparedness for bioterrorism-associated illnesses is especially important for neurologists because most bioterrorism agents can directly or indirectly affect the nervous system. This article reviews the neurologic manifestations, diagnosis, and treatments of syndromes caused by potential bioterrorism agents, as well as the potential side effects of vaccines against some of these agents.

Kinetic scale turbulence and dissipation in the solar wind: key observational results and future outlook

PubMed Central

Goldstein, M. L.; Wicks, R. T.; Perri, S.; Sahraoui, F.

2015-01-01

Turbulence is ubiquitous in the solar wind. Turbulence causes kinetic and magnetic energy to cascade to small scales where they are eventually dissipated, adding heat to the plasma. The details of how this occurs are not well understood. This article reviews the evidence for turbulent dissipation and examines various diagnostics for identifying solar wind regions where dissipation is occurring. We also discuss how future missions will further enhance our understanding of the importance of turbulence to solar wind dynamics. PMID:25848084

Osteoarthritis subpopulations and implications for clinical trial design

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Treatment guidelines for osteoarthritis have stressed the need for research on clinical predictors of response to different treatments. However, identifying such clinical predictors of response is less easy than it seems, and there is not a given classification of osteoarthritis subpopulations. This review article highlights the key methodical issues when analyzing and designing clinical studies to detect important subgroups with respect to treatment effect. In addition, we discuss the main osteoarthritis subpopulations and give examples of how specific treatment effects in these subpopulations have been assessed. PMID:21470393

The three modern faces of mercury.

PubMed Central

Clarkson, Thomas W

2002-01-01

The three modern "faces" of mercury are our perceptions of risk from the exposure of billions of people to methyl mercury in fish, mercury vapor from amalgam tooth fillings, and ethyl mercury in the form of thimerosal added as an antiseptic to widely used vaccines. In this article I review human exposure to and the toxicology of each of these three species of mercury. Mechanisms of action are discussed where possible. Key gaps in our current knowledge are identified from the points of view both of risk assessment and of mechanisms of action. PMID:11834460

Dietary supplement labeling and advertising claims: are clinical studies on the full product required?

PubMed

Villafranco, John E; Bond, Katie

2009-01-01

Whether labeling and advertising claims for multi-ingredient dietary supplements may be based on the testing of individual, key ingredients--rather than the actual product--has caused a good deal of confusion. This confusion stems from the dearth of case law and the open-endedness of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance on this issue. Nevertheless, the relevant regulatory guidance, case law and self-regulatory case law--when assessed together--indicate that the law allows and even protects "key ingredient claims" (i.e., claims based on efficacy testing of key ingredients in the absence of full product testing). This article provides an overview of the relevant substantiation requirements for dietary supplement claims and then reviews FTC's and FDA's guidance on key ingredient claims; relevant case law; use of key ingredient claims in the advertising of other consumer products; and the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau, Inc.'s (NAD's) approach to evaluating key ingredient claims for dietary supplements. This article concludes that key ingredient claims--provided they are presented in a truthful and non-deceptive manner--are permissible, and should be upheld in litigation and cases subject to industry self-regulation. This article further concludes that the NAD's approach to key ingredient claims provides practical guidance for crafting and substantiating dietary supplement key ingredient claims.

Innovations in health service organization and delivery in northern rural and remote regions: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Mitton, Craig; Dionne, Francois; Masucci, Lisa; Wong, Sabrina; Law, Susan

2011-01-01

To identify and review innovations relevant to improving access, quality, efficiency and/or effectiveness in the organization and delivery of health care services in rural and remote areas. Literature review. Key bibliographic databases that index health research were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. Other databases relevant to Arctic health were also accessed. Abstracts were assessed for relevancy and full articles were reviewed and categorized according to emergent themes. Many innovations in delivering services to rural and remote areas were identified, particularly in the public health realm. These innovations were grouped into 4 key themes: organizational structure of health services; utilization of telehealth and ehealth; medical transportation; and public health challenges. Despite the challenges facing rural and remote regions, there is a distinctly positive message from this broad literature review. Evidence-based initiatives exist across a range of areas - which include operational efficiency and integration, access to care, organizational structure, public health, continuing education and workforce composition - that have the potential to positively impact health care quality and health-related outcomes.

A patient-focused framework integrating self-management and informatics.

PubMed

Knight, Elizabeth P; Shea, Kimberly

2014-03-01

This article introduces a framework to (a) guide chronic illness self-management interventions through the integration of self-management and nursing informatics, (b) focus self-management research, and (c) promote ethical, patient-empowering technology use by practicing nurses. Existing theory and research focusing on chronic illness, self-management, health-enabling technology, and nursing informatics were reviewed and examined and key concepts were identified. A care paradigm focusing on concordance, rather than compliance, served as the overall guiding principle. This framework identifies key relationships among self-management (patient behaviors), health force (patient characteristics), and patient-defined goals. The role of health-enabling technology supporting these relationships is explored in the context of nursing informatics. The Empowerment Informatics framework can guide intervention design and evaluation and support practicing nurses' ethical use of technology as part of self-management support. Nurses worldwide provide support to patients who are living with chronic illnesses. As pressures related to cost and access to care increase, technology-enabled self-management interventions will become increasingly common. This patient-focused framework can guide nursing practice using technology that prioritizes patient needs. © 2013 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Interagency collaboration models for people with mental ill health in contact with the police: a systematic scoping review.

PubMed

Parker, Adwoa; Scantlebury, Arabella; Booth, Alison; MacBryde, Jillian Catherine; Scott, William J; Wright, Kath; McDaid, Catriona

2018-03-27

To identify existing evidence on interagency collaboration between law enforcement, emergency services, statutory services and third sector agencies regarding people with mental ill health. Systematic scoping review. Scoping reviews map particular research areas to identify research gaps. ASSIA, CENTRAL, the Cochrane Library databases, Criminal Justice Abstracts, ERIC, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PROSPERO and Social Care Online and Social Sciences Citation Index were searched up to 2017, as were grey literature and hand searches. Eligible articles were empirical evaluations or descriptions of models of interagency collaboration between the police and other agencies. Screening and data extraction were undertaken independently by two researchers. Arksey's framework was used to collate and map included studies. One hundred and twenty-five studies were included. The majority of articles were of descriptions of models (28%), mixed methods evaluations of models (18%) and single service evaluations (14%). The most frequently reported outcomes (52%) were 'organisational or service level outcomes' (eg, arrest rates). Most articles (53%) focused on adults with mental ill health, whereas others focused on adult offenders with mental ill health (17.4%). Thirteen models of interagency collaboration were described, each involving between 2 and 13 agencies. Frequently reported models were 'prearrest diversion' of people with mental ill health (34%), 'coresponse' involving joint response by police officers paired with mental health professionals (28.6%) and 'jail diversion' following arrest (23.8%). We identified 13 different interagency collaboration models catering for a range of mental health-related interactions. All but one of these models involved the police and mental health services or professionals. Several models have sufficient literature to warrant full systematic reviews of their effectiveness, whereas others need robust evaluation, by randomised controlled trial where appropriate. Future evaluations should focus on health-related outcomes and the impact on key stakeholders. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Carers' needs in advanced heart failure: A systematic narrative review.

PubMed

Doherty, Leanne C; Fitzsimons, Donna; McIlfatrick, Sonja J

2016-06-01

Informal caregivers play a pivotal role in the care of people living with advanced heart failure, however, carers' needs have not been clearly identified. The aim of this study is to explore the evidence on palliative care needs expressed by carers of people with heart failure. Five electronic databases (CINAHL PLUS, EMBASE, Medline, PsychInfo and SCOPUS) were systematically searched and articles published January 2003-June 2014 with a qualitative methodology focusing on the palliative care needs of carers of people living with heart failure were included. Data was systematically extracted from 15 articles using an inductive methodology for the thematic analysis. Ten broad categories emerged from which three key areas of support needs were identified; psychosocial support to maintain a sense of normalcy; support with daily living; support navigating the healthcare system. The articles were predominantly published in the UK and USA with a total sample size across all articles of 270, the majority of which were older female spouses. Results included a combination of carers, patients and professionals thoughts, however data was extracted for carers only. Carer's needs initiate when the patient is diagnosed and continue throughout the disease into bereavement. These needs are continuously prioritised and reprioritised depending on the patients' medical stability. A holistic approach is needed to support these carers, incorporating heart failure and palliative care specialties. Further research is warranted to explore different methods of delivering support and information and to evaluate whether these reduce carer burden. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.

Psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis: Is all inflammation the same?

PubMed

Coates, Laura C; FitzGerald, Oliver; Helliwell, Philip S; Paul, Carle

2016-12-01

To review the pathophysiology, co-morbidities, and therapeutic options for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in order to further understand the similarities and differences in treatment paradigms in the management of each disease. New targets for individualized therapeutic decisions are also identified with the aim of improving therapeutic outcome and reducing toxicity. Using the PubMed database, we searched literature published from 2000 to 2015 using combinations of the key words "psoriasis," "psoriatic arthritis," "rheumatoid arthritis," "pathogenesis," "immunomodulation," and "treatment." This was a non-systematic review and there were no formal inclusion and exclusion criteria. Abstracts identified in the search were screened for relevance and articles considered appropriate evaluated further. References within these selected articles were also screened. Information was extracted from 198 articles for inclusion in this report. There was no formal data synthesis. Articles were reviewed and summarized according to disease area (psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis). The pathophysiology of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis involves chronic inflammation mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines. Dysfunction in integrated signaling pathways affecting different constituents of the immune system result in varying clinical features in the three diseases. Co-morbidities, including cardiovascular disease, malignancies, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are increased. Increased understanding of the immunopathogenesis allowed development of targeted treatments; however, despite a variety of potentially predictive genetic, protein and cellular biomarkers, there is still significant unmet need in these three inflammatory disorders. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Best interests of adults who lack capacity part 2: key considerations.

PubMed

Griffith, Richard

Last month's article discussed the key concepts underpinning the notion of best interests. In this article the author discusses the requirements for determining the best interests of an adult who lacks capacity under the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and its code of practice (Department for Constitutional Affairs 2007).

Key Understandings in School Mathematics: 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Anne

2010-01-01

This article is the first in a series which draws on findings from Nunes, Watson and Bryant (2009): "Key understandings in school mathematics: a report to the Nuffield Foundation." The Nuffield report is soundly based on research about how children learn some of the concepts involved in mathematics. In this series of articles the author takes key…

Key Understandings in School Mathematics: 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Anne

2010-01-01

This article is the third in a series which draws on findings from Nunes, Watson and Bryant (2009): "Key understandings in school mathematics: a report to the Nuffield Foundation". In this article the author focuses on what learners have to understand and learn in order to do secondary mathematics well in general terms. She is assuming a…

The top 50 cited articles on chordomas.

PubMed

Ikpeze, Tochukwu; Mesfin, Addisu

2018-03-01

Chordomas are rare malignant primary tumors of the spine. In the mobile spine and sacrum an en-bloc resection is associated with decreased rates of recurrence. Our objective was to identify the top cited articles in chordoma research and to further analyze characteristics of these articles. In March 2017, we used ISI Web of Science (v5.11, Thomas Reuter, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA) to search for the following key word: "chordoma". Articles were searched from 1900 to 2017. Articles were ranked based on number of citations. The results were evaluated to determine articles most clinically relevant to the management of chordomas. The top 50 articles that met the search criteria were further characterized on the basis of: title, author, citation density, journal of publication, year (and decade) of publication, institution and country of origin and paper topic. A total of 1,043 articles matched the search criteria. The most influential 50 articles were cited 65 to 290 times. The articles were published between 1926 and 2012, and all articles were published in English. Thirty-three publications (66%) originated from the United States and seven (14%) from Italy. Cancer accounted for the most frequent (n=9) destination journal followed by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (n=4). A total of 41 institutions contributed to the top 50 articles. The most common article types were: clinical 44% (n=22), papers that combined clinical and pathology findings 18% (n=9) and basic science research 14% (n=7). The top 50 cited articles on chordomas are predominantly clinical papers, arising from the United States and most frequently published in Cancer and Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery .

Classification of maxillectomy defects: a systematic review and criteria necessary for a universal description.

PubMed

Bidra, Avinash S; Jacob, Rhonda F; Taylor, Thomas D

2012-04-01

Maxillectomy defects are complex and involve a number of anatomic structures. Several maxillectomy defect classifications have been proposed with no universal acceptance among surgeons and prosthodontists. Established criteria for describing the maxillectomy defect are lacking. This systematic review aimed to evaluate classification systems in the available literature, to provide a critical appraisal, and to identify the criteria necessary for a universal description of maxillectomy and midfacial defects. An electronic search of the English language literature between the periods of 1974 and June 2011 was performed by using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases with predetermined inclusion criteria. Key terms included in the search were maxillectomy classification, maxillary resection classification, maxillary removal classification, maxillary reconstruction classification, midfacial defect classification, and midfacial reconstruction classification. This was supplemented by a manual search of selected journals. After application of predetermined exclusion criteria, the final list of articles was reviewed in-depth to provide a critical appraisal and identify criteria for a universal description of a maxillectomy defect. The electronic database search yielded 261 titles. Systematic application of inclusion and exclusion criteria resulted in identification of 14 maxillectomy and midfacial defect classification systems. From these articles, 6 different criteria were identified as necessary for a universal description of a maxillectomy defect. Multiple deficiencies were noted in each classification system. Though most articles described the superior-inferior extent of the defect, only a small number of articles described the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral extent of the defect. Few articles listed dental status and soft palate involvement when describing maxillectomy defects. No classification system has accurately described the maxillectomy defect, based on criteria that satisfy both surgical and prosthodontic needs. The 6 criteria identified in this systematic review for a universal description of a maxillectomy defect are: 1) dental status; 2) oroantral/nasal communication status; 3) soft palate and other contiguous structure involvement; 4) superior-inferior extent; 5) anterior-posterior extent; and 6) medial-lateral extent of the defect. A criteria-based description appears more objective and amenable for universal use than a classification-based description. Copyright © 2012 The Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Practitioner-Driven Research Agenda for Syndromic Surveillance.

PubMed

Hopkins, Richard S; Tong, Catherine C; Burkom, Howard S; Akkina, Judy E; Berezowski, John; Shigematsu, Mika; Finley, Patrick D; Painter, Ian; Gamache, Roland; Vilas, Victor J Del Rio; Streichert, Laura C

Syndromic surveillance has expanded since 2001 in both scope and geographic reach and has benefited from research studies adapted from numerous disciplines. The practice of syndromic surveillance continues to evolve rapidly. The International Society for Disease Surveillance solicited input from its global surveillance network on key research questions, with the goal of improving syndromic surveillance practice. A workgroup of syndromic surveillance subject matter experts was convened from February to June 2016 to review and categorize the proposed topics. The workgroup identified 12 topic areas in 4 syndromic surveillance categories: informatics, analytics, systems research, and communications. This article details the context of each topic and its implications for public health. This research agenda can help catalyze the research that public health practitioners identified as most important.

Flowering time control and applications in plant breeding.

PubMed

Jung, Christian; Müller, Andreas E

2009-10-01

Shifting the seasonal timing of reproduction is a major goal of plant breeding efforts to produce novel varieties that are better adapted to local environments and changing climatic conditions. The key regulators of floral transition have been studied extensively in model species, and in recent years a growing number of related genes have been identified in crop species, with some notable exceptions. These sequences and variants thereof, as well as several major genes which were only identified in crop species, can now be used by breeders as molecular markers and for targeted genetic modification of flowering time. This article reviews the major floral regulatory pathways and discusses current and novel strategies for altering bolting and flowering behavior in crop plants.

Addressing pediatric obesity in ambulatory care: where are we and where are we going?

PubMed Central

Manders, Aaron J.; Perdomo, Joanna E.; Ireland, Kathy A.; Barlow, Sarah E.

2017-01-01

Since the “2007 summary report of child and adolescent overweight and obesity treatment” published by Barlow, many obesity intervention studies have been conducted in pediatric ambulatory care. Although several meta-analyses have been published in the interim, many studies were excluded because of the focus and criteria of these meta-analyses. Therefore, the primary goal of this article was to identify randomized case-control trials conducted in the primary care setting and to report on treatment approaches, challenges, and successes. We have developed four themes for our discussion and provide a brief summary of our findings. Finally, we identified major gaps and potential solutions, and describe several urgent key action items. PMID:27048522

HIV epidemic among key populations in west Africa.

PubMed

Djomand, Gaston; Quaye, Silas; Sullivan, Patrick S

2014-09-01

Globally, HIV infection remains a significant issue for key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers. A review of recent articles was conducted for west African countries to assess the burden of disease among female sex workers and MSM, access to services and identify barriers to implementation of services for key populations. In west Africa, key populations engage in high-risk practices for the acquisition of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Available HIV prevalence data fluctuate across and within countries for both MSM and female sex workers and may be five to ten times as high as that of the general population. HIV prevalence varied from 15.9% in The Gambia to 68% in Benin among female sex workers, whereas it ranged from 9.8% in The Gambia to 34.9% in Nigeria for MSM. Yet, important data gaps exist, including key populations size estimations in several countries as well as HIV prevalence, incidence and other biomarkers of HIV risk. Because of sociocultural, legal, political and economic challenges, exacerbated by a poor health system infrastructure, the HIV response is not strategically directed toward programs for key populations in countries with concentrated epidemics. Noteworthy is the low coverage of prevention care and treatment interventions offered to key populations. Sufficient planning and political will with legal and structural frameworks that reconcile public health and human rights are needed to prioritize HIV prevention, care and treatment programming for key populations programs in west Africa.

Telehealth services in rural and remote Australia: a systematic review of models of care and factors influencing success and sustainability.

PubMed

Bradford, Natalie K; Caffery, Liam J; Smith, Anthony C

2016-01-01

With the escalating costs of health care, issues with recruitment and retention of health practitioners in rural areas, and poor economies of scale, the question of delivering people to services or services to people is a dilemma for health authorities around the world. People living in rural areas have poorer health outcomes compared to their urban counterparts, and the problem of how to provide health care and deliver services in rural locations is an ongoing challenge. Telehealth services can efficiently and effectively improve access to healthcare for people living in rural and remote areas of Australia. However, telehealth services are not mainstream or routinely available in many rural and remote locations. The barriers to integration of telehealth into mainstream practice have been well described, but not the factors that may influence the success and sustainability of a service. Our aim was to collate, review and synthesise the available literature regarding telehealth services in rural and remote locations of Australia, and to identify the factors associated with their sustained success. A systematic literature review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was undertaken. Electronic databases were searched for potentially relevant articles. Reference lists of retrieved articles and the grey literature were also searched. Searches identified 970 potentially eligible articles published between 1988 and 2015. Studies and manuscripts of any type were included if they described telehealth services (store-and-forward or real-time videoconferencing) to provide clinical service or education and training related to health care in rural or remote locations of Australia. Data were extracted according to pre-defined criteria and checked for completeness and accuracy by a second reviewer. Any disagreements were resolved with discussion with a third researcher. All articles were appraised for quality and levels of evidence. Data were collated and grouped into categories including clinical speciality, disciplines involved, geographical location and the role of the service. Data relating to the success or sustainability of services were grouped thematically. Inclusion criteria were met by 116 articles that described 72 discrete telehealth services. Telehealth services in rural and remote Australia are described and we have identified six key factors associated with the success and sustainability of services: vision, ownership, adaptability, economics, efficiency and equipment. Telehealth has the potential to address many of the key challenges to providing health in Australia, with its substantial land area and widely dispersed population. This review collates information regarding the telehealth services in Australia and describes models of care and characteristics of successful and sustainable services. We identified a wide variety of telehealth services being provided in rural and remote areas of Australia. There is great potential to increase this number by scaling up and replicating successful services. This review provides information for policy makers, governments and public and private health services that wish to integrate telehealth into routine practice and for telehealth providers to enhance the sustainability of their service.

Nursing workforce policy and the economic crisis: a global overview.

PubMed

Buchan, James; O'May, Fiona; Dussault, Gilles

2013-09-01

To assess the impact of the global financial crisis on the nursing workforce and identify appropriate policy responses. This article draws from international data sources (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] and World Health Organization), from national data sources (nursing regulatory authorities), and the literature to provide a context in which to examine trends in labor market and health spending indicators, nurse employment, and nurse migration patterns. A variable impact of the crisis at the country level was shown by different changes in unemployment rates and funding of the health sector. Some evidence was obtained of reductions in nurse staffing in a small number of countries. A significant and variable change in the patterns of nurse migration also was observed. The crisis has had a variable impact; nursing shortages are likely to reappear in some OECD countries. Policy responses will have to take account of the changed economic reality in many countries. This article highlights key trends and issues for the global nursing workforce; it then identifies policy interventions appropriate to the new economic realities in many OECD countries. © 2013 Sigma Theta Tau International.

A Conceptual Framework for the Evaluation of Emergency Risk Communications

PubMed Central

Lin, Leesa; Gamhewage, Gaya M.

2017-01-01

Objectives. To articulate a conceptual framework in support of evaluation activities in emergency risk communications (ERC). Methods. The framework proposed is based on a systematic review of the scientific literature (2001–2016) combined with data derived from a series of semistructured interviews with experts and practitioners in ERC, and it is designed to support local, national, and international public health organizations in implementing evaluation studies in ERC. Results. We identified a list of ERC outcomes from the full-text review of 152 articles and categorized these into 3 groups, depending upon the level at which the outcome was measured: (1) information environment, (2) population, and (3) public health system. We analyzed interviewees’ data from 18 interviews to identify practices and processes related to the effectiveness of ERC and included these as key structural components and processes in the developed evaluation framework. Conclusions. Researchers and public health practitioners interested in the evaluation of ERC can use the conceptual framework described in this article to guide the development of evaluation studies and methods for assessing communication outcomes related to public health emergencies. PMID:28892436

A Conceptual Framework for the Evaluation of Emergency Risk Communications.

PubMed

Savoia, Elena; Lin, Leesa; Gamhewage, Gaya M

2017-09-01

To articulate a conceptual framework in support of evaluation activities in emergency risk communications (ERC). The framework proposed is based on a systematic review of the scientific literature (2001-2016) combined with data derived from a series of semistructured interviews with experts and practitioners in ERC, and it is designed to support local, national, and international public health organizations in implementing evaluation studies in ERC. We identified a list of ERC outcomes from the full-text review of 152 articles and categorized these into 3 groups, depending upon the level at which the outcome was measured: (1) information environment, (2) population, and (3) public health system. We analyzed interviewees' data from 18 interviews to identify practices and processes related to the effectiveness of ERC and included these as key structural components and processes in the developed evaluation framework. Researchers and public health practitioners interested in the evaluation of ERC can use the conceptual framework described in this article to guide the development of evaluation studies and methods for assessing communication outcomes related to public health emergencies.

Data on a Laves phase intermetallic matrix composite in situ toughened by ductile precipitates.

PubMed

Knowles, Alexander J; Bhowmik, Ayan; Purkayastha, Surajit; Jones, Nicholas G; Giuliani, Finn; Clegg, William J; Dye, David; Stone, Howard J

2017-10-01

The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled "Laves phase intermetallic matrix composite in situ toughened by ductile precipitates" (Knowles et al.) [1]. The composite comprised a Fe 2 (Mo, Ti) matrix with bcc (Mo, Ti) precipitated laths produced in situ by an aging heat treatment, which was shown to confer a toughening effect (Knowles et al.) [1]. Here, details are given on a focused ion beam (FIB) slice and view experiment performed on the composite so as to determine that the 3D morphology of the bcc (Mo, Ti) precipitates were laths rather than needles. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (S(TEM)) micrographs of the microstructure as well as energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) maps are presented that identify the elemental partitioning between the C14 Laves matrix and the bcc laths, with Mo rejected from the matrix into laths. A TEM selected area diffraction pattern (SADP) and key is provided that was used to validate the orientation relation between the matrix and laths identified in (Knowles et al.) [1] along with details of the transformation matrix determined.

Health promotion training in dental and oral health degrees: a scoping review.

PubMed

Bracksley-O'Grady, Stacey A; Dickson-Swift, Virginia A; Anderson, Karen S; Gussy, Mark G

2015-05-01

Dental diseases are a major burden on health; however, they are largely preventable. Dental treatment alone will not eradicate dental disease with a shift to prevention required. Prevention of dental diseases is a role of dental professionals, with most countries having formalized health promotion competencies for dental and oral health graduates. In spite of this, there may be minimal health promotion being undertaken in clinical practice. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review to identify some published studies on health promotion training in dental and oral health degrees. Key search terms were developed and used to search selected databases, which identified 84 articles. Four articles met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the review. Of these studies, the type of oral health promotion tasks and instructions received before the tasks varied. However, for all studies the health promotion content was focused on health education. In terms of evaluation of outcomes, only two studies evaluated the health promotion content using student reflections. More good-quality information on health promotions training is needed to inform practice.

Using Normalization Process Theory in feasibility studies and process evaluations of complex healthcare interventions: a systematic review.

PubMed

May, Carl R; Cummings, Amanda; Girling, Melissa; Bracher, Mike; Mair, Frances S; May, Christine M; Murray, Elizabeth; Myall, Michelle; Rapley, Tim; Finch, Tracy

2018-06-07

Normalization Process Theory (NPT) identifies, characterises and explains key mechanisms that promote and inhibit the implementation, embedding and integration of new health techniques, technologies and other complex interventions. A large body of literature that employs NPT to inform feasibility studies and process evaluations of complex healthcare interventions has now emerged. The aims of this review were to review this literature; to identify and characterise the uses and limits of NPT in research on the implementation and integration of healthcare interventions; and to explore NPT's contribution to understanding the dynamics of these processes. A qualitative systematic review was conducted. We searched Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar for articles with empirical data in peer-reviewed journals that cited either key papers presenting and developing NPT, or the NPT Online Toolkit ( www.normalizationprocess.org ). We included in the review only articles that used NPT as the primary approach to collection, analysis or reporting of data in studies of the implementation of healthcare techniques, technologies or other interventions. A structured data extraction instrument was used, and data were analysed qualitatively. Searches revealed 3322 citations. We show that after eliminating 2337 duplicates and broken or junk URLs, 985 were screened as titles and abstracts. Of these, 101 were excluded because they did not fit the inclusion criteria for the review. This left 884 articles for full-text screening. Of these, 754 did not fit the inclusion criteria for the review. This left 130 papers presenting results from 108 identifiable studies to be included in the review. NPT appears to provide researchers and practitioners with a conceptual vocabulary for rigorous studies of implementation processes. It identifies, characterises and explains empirically identifiable mechanisms that motivate and shape implementation processes. Taken together, these mean that analyses using NPT can effectively assist in the explanation of the success or failure of specific implementation projects. Ten percent of papers included critiques of some aspect of NPT, with those that did mainly focusing on its terminology. However, two studies critiqued NPT emphasis on agency, and one study critiqued NPT for its normative focus. This review demonstrates that researchers found NPT useful and applied it across a wide range of interventions. It has been effectively used to aid intervention development and implementation planning as well as evaluating and understanding implementation processes themselves. In particular, NPT appears to have offered a valuable set of conceptual tools to aid understanding of implementation as a dynamic process.

A systematic review of clinical audit in companion animal veterinary medicine.

PubMed

Rose, Nicole; Toews, Lorraine; Pang, Daniel S J

2016-02-26

Clinical audit is a quality improvement process with the goal of continuously improving quality of patient care as assessed by explicit criteria. In human medicine clinical audit has become an integral and required component of the standard of care. In contrast, in veterinary medicine there appear to have been a limited number of clinical audits published, indicating that while clinical audit is recognised, its adoption in veterinary medicine is still in its infancy. A systematic review was designed to report and evaluate the veterinary literature on clinical audit in companion animal species (dog, cat, horse). A systematic search of English and French articles using Proquest Dissertations and Theses database (February 6, 2014), CAB Abstracts (March 21, 2014 and April 4, 2014), Scopus (March 21, 2014), Web of Science Citation index (March 21, 2014) and OVID Medline (March 21, 2014) was performed. Included articles were those either discussing clinical audit (such as review articles and editorials) or reporting parts of, or complete, audit cycles. The majority of articles describing clinical audit were reviews. From 89 articles identified, twenty-one articles were included and available for review. Twelve articles were reviews of clinical audit in veterinary medicine, five articles included at least one veterinary clinical audit, one thesis was identified, one report was of a veterinary clinical audit website and two articles reported incomplete clinical audits. There was no indication of an increase in the number of published clinical audits since the first report in 1998. However, there was evidence of article misclassification, with studies fulfilling the criteria of clinical audit not appropriately recognised. Quality of study design and reporting of findings varied considerably, with information missing on key components, including duration of study, changes in practice implemented between audits, development of explicit criteria and appropriate statistical analyses. Available evidence suggests the application and reporting of clinical audit in veterinary medicine is sporadic despite the potential to improve patient care, though the true incidence of clinical audit reporting is likely to be underestimated due to incorrect indexing. Reporting standards of clinical audits are highly variable, limiting evaluation, application and repeatability of published work.

Identification of TOEFAZ1-interacting proteins reveals key regulators of Trypanosoma brucei cytokinesis.

PubMed

Hilton, Nicholas A; Sladewski, Thomas E; Perry, Jenna A; Pataki, Zemplen; Sinclair-Davis, Amy N; Muniz, Richard S; Tran, Holly L; Wurster, Jenna I; Seo, Jiwon; de Graffenried, Christopher L

2018-05-21

The protist parasite Trypanosoma brucei is an obligate extracellular pathogen that retains its highly-polarized morphology during cell division and has evolved a novel cytokinetic process independent of non-muscle myosin II. The polo-like kinase homolog TbPLK is essential for transmission of cell polarity during division and for cytokinesis. We previously identified a putative TbPLK substrate named Tip of the Extending FAZ 1 (TOEFAZ1) as an essential kinetoplastid-specific component of the T. brucei cytokinetic machinery. We performed a proximity-dependent biotinylation (BioID) screen using TOEFAZ1 as a means to identify additional proteins that are involved in cytokinesis. Using quantitative proteomic methods, we identified nearly 500 TOEFAZ1-proximal proteins and characterized 59 in further detail. Among the candidates, we identified an essential putative phosphatase that regulates the expression level and localization of both TOEFAZ1 and TbPLK, a previously uncharacterized protein that is necessary for the assembly of a new cell posterior, and a microtubule plus-end directed orphan kinesin that is required for completing cleavage furrow ingression. The identification of these proteins provides new insight into T. brucei cytokinesis and establishes TOEFAZ1 as a key component of this essential and uniquely-configured process in kinetoplastids. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Developing a comprehensive definition of sustainability.

PubMed

Moore, Julia E; Mascarenhas, Alekhya; Bain, Julie; Straus, Sharon E

2017-09-02

Understanding sustainability is one of the significant implementation science challenges. One of the big challenges in researching sustainability is the lack of consistent definitions in the literature. Most implementation studies do not present a definition of sustainability, even when assessing sustainability. The aim of the current study was to systematically develop a comprehensive definition of sustainability based on definitions already used in the literature. We searched for knowledge syntheses of sustainability and abstracted sustainability definitions from the articles identified through any relevant systematic and scoping reviews. The constructs in the abstracted sustainability definitions were mapped to an existing definition. The comprehensive definition of sustainability was revised to include emerging constructs. We identified four knowledge syntheses of sustainability, which identified 209 original articles. Of the 209 articles, 24 (11.5%) included a definition of sustainability. These definitions were mapped to three constructs from an existing definition, and nine new constructs emerged. We reviewed all constructs and created a revised definition: (1) after a defined period of time, (2) a program, clinical intervention, and/or implementation strategies continue to be delivered and/or (3) individual behavior change (i.e., clinician, patient) is maintained; (4) the program and individual behavior change may evolve or adapt while (5) continuing to produce benefits for individuals/systems. All 24 definitions were remapped to the comprehensive definition (percent agreement among three coders was 94%). Of the 24 definitions, 17 described the continued delivery of a program (70.8%), 17 mentioned continued outcomes (70.8%), 13 mentioned time (54.2%), 8 addressed the individual maintenance of a behavior change (33.3%), and 6 described the evolution or adaptation (25.0%). We drew from over 200 studies to identify 24 existing definitions of sustainability. Based on these definitions, we identified five key sustainability constructs, which can be used as the basis for future research on sustainability. Our next step is to identify sustainability frameworks and develop a meta-framework using a concept mapping approach to consolidate the factors and considerations across sustainability frameworks.

Optimizing the management of depression: primary care experience.

PubMed

Cameron, Catherine; Habert, Jeff; Anand, Leena; Furtado, Melissa

2014-12-01

This article is intended to identify some of the most important challenges faced by family physicians when treating MDD and to provide practical solutions. Key issues, reviewed from a primary care view point will include: treating to remission (and not just response), identification of high-risk groups, diagnosis, acute treatment approaches (including pharmacotherapy and the management of related side effects), the use of psychotherapy and somatic therapies, assessment of the adequacy of treatment including the assessment of remission, response measurement, optimal follow-up care throughout the phase of treatment, the key components of patient education and strategies for partial/limited response to the first-line antidepressant (switching, augmentation and combination strategies), how to provide support for improved treatment adherence, and approaches to prevent the recurrence of depressive episodes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smart textiles: Challenges and opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherenack, Kunigunde; van Pieterson, Liesbeth

2012-11-01

Smart textiles research represents a new model for generating creative and novel solutions for integrating electronics into unusual environments and will result in new discoveries that push the boundaries of science forward. A key driver for smart textiles research is the fact that both textile and electronics fabrication processes are capable of functionalizing large-area surfaces at very high speeds. In this article we review the history of smart textiles development, introducing the main trends and technological challenges faced in this field. Then, we identify key challenges that are the focus of ongoing research. We then proceed to discuss fundamentals of smart textiles: textile fabrication methods and textile interconnect lines, textile sensor, and output device components and integration of commercial components into textile architectures. Next we discuss representative smart textile systems and finally provide our outlook over the field and a prediction for the future.

Molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction in integrin-mediated cell-matrix adhesion

PubMed Central

Li, Zhenhai; Lee, Hyunjung; Zhu, Cheng

2016-01-01

Cell-matrix adhesion complexes are multi-protein structures linking the extracellular matrix (ECM) to the cytoskeleton. They are essential to both cell motility and function by bidirectionally sensing and transmitting mechanical and biochemical stimulations. Several types of cell-matrix adhesions have been identified and they share many key molecular components, such as integrins and actin-integrin linkers. Mechanochemical coupling between ECM molecules and the actin cytoskeleton has been observed from the single cell to the single molecule level and from immune cells to neuronal cells. However, the mechanisms underlying force regulation of integrin-mediated mechanotransduction still need to be elucidated. In this review article, we focus on integrin-mediated adhesions and discuss force regulation of cell-matrix adhesions and key adaptor molecules, three different force-dependent behaviors, and molecular mechanisms for mechanochemical coupling in force regulation. PMID:27720950

Improving policy and practice to promote equity and social justice - a qualitative comparative analysis building on key learnings from a twinning exchange between England and the US.

PubMed

Blanchard, Claire; Narle, Ginder; Gibbs, Martin; Ruddock, Charmaine; Grady, Michael; Brookes, Chris; Hopkins, Trevor; Norwood, Jayne

2013-12-01

Community health promotion interventions, targeted at marginalised populations and focusing on addressing the social determinants of health (SDH) to reduce health inequalities and addressing the processes of exclusion, are an important strategy to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promote the health of underprivileged and under-resourced groups. This article builds on key lessons learnt from a learning exchange between Communities for Health in England and the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health across the US (REACH US) communities that are tackling health inequities. It presents a qualitative analysis further capturing information about specific community interventions involved in the exchange and identifying lessons learnt. This exchange was led by a partnership between the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the International Union for Health Promotion and Education, the Department of Health of England, Health Action Partnership International, and Learning for Public Health West Midlands. These efforts provide interesting insights for further research, priority areas of action for policy and practice to address the SDH and to promote and sustain equity and social justice globally. The article highlights some key lessons about the use of data, assets-based community interventions and the importance of good leadership in times of crisis and adversity. Whilst complex and time-consuming to arrange, such programmes have the potential to offer other countries including the global south new insights and perspectives that will in turn contribute to the SDH field and provide concrete strategies and actions that effectively reduce inequities and promote the health of our societies. The key learnings have the potential to contribute to the global community and growing documentation on evidence of effective efforts in the reduction of health inequities.

Critical roles of orthopaedic surgeon leadership in healthcare systems to improve orthopaedic surgical patient safety.

PubMed

Kuo, Calvin C; Robb, William J

2013-06-01

The prevention of medical and surgical harm remains an important public health problem despite increased awareness and implementation of safety programs. Successful introduction and maintenance of surgical safety programs require both surgeon leadership and collaborative surgeon-hospital alignment. Documentation of success of such surgical safety programs in orthopaedic practice is limited. We describe the scope of orthopaedic surgical patient safety issues, define critical elements of orthopaedic surgical safety, and outline leadership roles for orthopaedic surgeons needed to establish and sustain a culture of safety in contemporary healthcare systems. We identified the most common causes of preventable surgical harm based on adverse and sentinel surgical events reported to The Joint Commission. A comprehensive literature review through a MEDLINE(®) database search (January 1982 through April 2012) to identify pertinent orthopaedic surgical safety articles found 14 articles. Where gaps in orthopaedic literature were identified, the review was supplemented by 22 nonorthopaedic surgical references. Our final review included 36 articles. Six important surgical safety program elements needed to eliminate preventable surgical harm were identified: (1) effective surgical team communication, (2) proper informed consent, (3) implementation and regular use of surgical checklists, (4) proper surgical site/procedure identification, (5) reduction of surgical team distractions, and (6) routine surgical data collection and analysis to improve the safety and quality of surgical patient care. Successful surgical safety programs require a culture of safety supported by all six key surgical safety program elements, active surgeon champions, and collaborative hospital and/or administrative support designed to enhance surgical safety and improve surgical patient outcomes. Further research measuring improvements from such surgical safety systems in orthopaedic care is needed.

Help Seeking Behavior of Women with Self-Discovered Breast Cancer Symptoms: A Meta-Ethnographic Synthesis of Patient Delay

PubMed Central

Khakbazan, Zohreh; Taghipour, Ali; Latifnejad Roudsari, Robab; Mohammadi, Eesa

2014-01-01

Background and Objective Patient delay makes a critical contribution to late diagnosis and poor survival in cases of breast cancer. Identifying the factors that influence patient delay could provide information for adopting strategies that shorten this delay. The aim of this meta-ethnography was to synthesize existing qualitative evidence in order to gain a new understanding of help seeking behavior in women with self-discovered breast cancer symptoms and to determine the factors that influence patient delay. Methods The design was a meta-ethnography approach. A systematic search of the articles was performed in different databases including Elsevier, PubMed, ProQuest and SCOPUS. Qualitative studies with a focus on help seeking behaviors in women with self-discovered breast cancer symptoms and patient delay, published in the English language between 1990 and 2013 were included. The quality appraisal of the articles was carried out using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative research checklist and 13 articles met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis was conducted according to Noblit and Hare’s meta-ethnographic approach (1988), through reciprocal translational analysis and lines-of-argument. Findings The synthesis led to identification of eight repeated key concepts including: symptom detection, initial symptom interpretation, symptom monitoring, social interaction, emotional reaction, priority of medical help, appraisal of health services and personal-environmental factors. Symptom interpretation is identified as the important step of the help seeking process and which changed across the process through active monitoring of their symptoms, social interactions and emotional reactions. The perceived seriousness of the situation, priority to receive medical attention, perceived inaccessibility and unacceptability of the health care system influenced women’s decision-making about utilizing health services. Conclusion Help seeking processes are influenced by multiple factors. Educational programs aimed at correcting misunderstandings, erroneous social beliefs and improving self-awareness could provide key strategies to improve health policy which would reduce patient delay. PMID:25470732