Examining Teacher Evaluation Validity and Leadership Decision Making within a Standards-Based Evaluation System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimball, Steven M.; Milanowski, Anthony

2009-01-01

Purpose: The article reports on a study of school leader decision making that examined variation in the validity of teacher evaluation ratings in a school district that has implemented a standards-based teacher evaluation system. Research Methods: Applying mixed methods, the study used teacher evaluation ratings and value-added student achievement…

Methods for comparative evaluation of propulsion system designs for supersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tyson, R. M.; Mairs, R. Y.; Halferty, F. D., Jr.; Moore, B. E.; Chaloff, D.; Knudsen, A. W.

1976-01-01

The propulsion system comparative evaluation study was conducted to define a rapid, approximate method for evaluating the effects of propulsion system changes for an advanced supersonic cruise airplane, and to verify the approximate method by comparing its mission performance results with those from a more detailed analysis. A table look up computer program was developed to determine nacelle drag increments for a range of parametric nacelle shapes and sizes. Aircraft sensitivities to propulsion parameters were defined. Nacelle shapes, installed weights, and installed performance was determined for four study engines selected from the NASA supersonic cruise aircraft research (SCAR) engine studies program. Both rapid evaluation method (using sensitivities) and traditional preliminary design methods were then used to assess the four engines. The method was found to compare well with the more detailed analyses.

Insight into Evaluation Practice: A Content Analysis of Designs and Methods Used in Evaluation Studies Published in North American Evaluation-Focused Journals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christie, Christina A.; Fleischer, Dreolin Nesbitt

2010-01-01

To describe the recent practice of evaluation, specifically method and design choices, the authors performed a content analysis on 117 evaluation studies published in eight North American evaluation-focused journals for a 3-year period (2004-2006). The authors chose this time span because it follows the scientifically based research (SBR)…

[The methods within the evaluation of disease management programmes in control-group designs using the example of diabetes mellitus - a systematic literature review].

PubMed

Drabik, A; Sawicki, P T; Müller, D; Passon, A; Stock, S

2012-08-01

Disease management programmes (DMPs) were implemented in Germany in 2002. Their evaluation is required by law. Beyond the mandatory evaluation, a growing number of published studies evaluate the DMP for diabetes mellitus type 2 in a control-group design. As patients opt into the programme on a voluntary basis it is necessary to adjust the inherent selection bias between groups. The aim of this study is to review published studies which evaluate the diabetes DMP using a control-group design with respect to the methods used. A systematic literature review of electronic databases (PUBMED, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDPILOT) and a hand search of reference lists of the relevant publications was conducted to identify studies evaluating the DMP diabetes mellitus in a control-group design. 8 studies were included in the systematic literature review. 4 studies gathered retrospective claims data from sickness funds, one from physician's records, one study used prospective data from ambulatory care, and 2 studies were based on one patient survey. Methods used for adjustment of selection bias included exact matching, matching using propensity score methods, age-adjusted and sex-separated analysis, and adjustment in a regression model/analysis of covariance. One study did not apply adjustment methods. The intervention period ranged from 1 day to 4 years. Considered outcomes of studies (surrogate parameter, diabetes complications, mortality, quality of life, and claim data) depended on the database. In the evaluation of the DMP diabetes mellitus based on a control-group design neither the database nor the methods used for selection bias adjustment were consistent in the available studies. Effectiveness of DMPs cannot be judged based on this review due to heterogeneity of study designs. To allow for a comprehensive programme evaluation standardised minimum requirements for the evaluation of DMPs in the control group design are required. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Evaluation of temperament scoring methods for beef cattle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to evaluate methods of temperament scoring. Crossbred (n=228) calves were evaluated for temperament by an individual evaluator at weaning by two methods of scoring: 1) pen score (1 to 5 scale, with higher scores indicating increasing degree of nervousness, aggressiven...

Evaluation of streams in selected communities for the application of limited-detail study methods for flood-insurance studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cobb, Ernest D.

1986-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey evaluated 2,349 communities in 1984 for the application of limited-detail flood-insurance study methods, that is, methods with a reduced effort and cost compared to the detailed studies. Limited-detail study methods were found to be appropriate for 1,705 communities, while detailed studies were appropriate for 62 communities and no studies were appropriate for 582 communities. The total length of streams for which limited-detail studies are recommended is 9 ,327 miles with a corresponding cost of $23,007,000. This results in average estimated costs for conducting limited-detail studies of $2,500 per mile of studied stream length. The purpose of the report is to document the limited-detail study methods and the results of the evaluation. (USGS)

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A test case

PubMed Central

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H. S.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: In order to take into account the inherent uncertainties during product usability evaluation, Zhou and Chan [1] proposed a comprehensive method of usability evaluation for products by combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation methods for synthesizing performance data and subjective response data. This method was designed to provide an integrated framework combining the inevitable vague judgments from the multiple stages of the product evaluation process. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the model, this study used a summative usability test case to assess the application and strength of the general fuzzy usability framework. To test the proposed fuzzy usability evaluation framework [1], a standard summative usability test was conducted to benchmark the overall usability of a specific network management software. Based on the test data, the fuzzy method was applied to incorporate both the usability scores and uncertainties involved in the multiple components of the evaluation. Then, with Monte Carlo simulation procedures, confidence intervals were used to compare the reliabilities among the fuzzy approach and two typical conventional methods combining metrics based on percentages. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This case study showed that the fuzzy evaluation technique can be applied successfully for combining summative usability testing data to achieve an overall usability quality for the network software evaluated. Greater differences of confidence interval widths between the method of averaging equally percentage and weighted evaluation method, including the method of weighted percentage averages, verified the strength of the fuzzy method. PMID:28035942

Evaluating an Intelligent Tutoring System for Design Patterns: The DEPTHS Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeremic, Zoran; Jovanovic, Jelena; Gasevic, Dragan

2009-01-01

The evaluation of intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) is an important though often neglected stage of ITS development. There are many evaluation methods available but literature does not provide clear guidelines for the selection of evaluation method(s) to be used in a particular context. This paper describes the evaluation study of DEPTHS, an…

Evaluating IRT- and CTT-Based Methods of Estimating Classification Consistency and Accuracy Indices from Single Administrations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deng, Nina

2011-01-01

Three decision consistency and accuracy (DC/DA) methods, the Livingston and Lewis (LL) method, LEE method, and the Hambleton and Han (HH) method, were evaluated. The purposes of the study were: (1) to evaluate the accuracy and robustness of these methods, especially when their assumptions were not well satisfied, (2) to investigate the "true"…

Current status of quality evaluation of nursing care through director review and reflection from the Nursing Quality Control Centers

PubMed Central

Duan, Xia; Shi, Yan

2014-01-01

Background: The quality evaluation of nursing care is a key link in medical quality management. It is important and worth studying for the nursing supervisors to know the disadvantages during the process of quality evaluation of nursing care and then to improve the whole nursing quality. This study was to provide director insight on the current status of quality evaluation of nursing care from Nursing Quality Control Centers (NQCCs). Material and Methods: This qualitative study used a sample of 12 directors from NQCCs who were recruited from 12 provinces in China to evaluate the current status of quality evaluation of nursing care. Data were collected by in-depth interviews. Content analysis method was used to analyze the data. Results: Four themes emerged from the data: 1) lag of evaluation index; 2) limitations of evaluation content; 3) simplicity of evaluation method; 4) excessive emphasis on terminal quality. Conclusion: It is of great realistic significance to ameliorate nursing quality evaluation criteria, modify the evaluation content based on patient needs-oriented idea, adopt scientific evaluation method to evaluate nursing quality, and scientifically and reasonably draw horizontal comparisons of nursing quality between hospitals, as well as longitudinal comparisons of a hospital’s nursing quality. These methods mentioned above can all enhance a hospital’s core competitiveness and benefit more patients. PMID:25419427

Computerized Analysis of Digital Photographs for Evaluation of Tooth Movement

PubMed Central

Toodehzaeim, Mohammad Hossein; Karandish, Maryam; Karandish, Mohammad Nabi

2015-01-01

Objectives: Various methods have been introduced for evaluation of tooth movement in orthodontics. The challenge is to adopt the most accurate and most beneficial method for patients. This study was designed to introduce analysis of digital photographs with AutoCAD software as a method to evaluate tooth movement and assess the reliability of this method. Materials and Methods: Eighteen patients were evaluated in this study. Three intraoral digital images from the buccal view were captured from each patient in half an hour interval. All the photos were sent to AutoCAD software 2011, calibrated and the distance between canine and molar hooks were measured. The data was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficient. Results: Photographs were found to have high reliability coefficient (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The introduced method is an accurate, efficient and reliable method for evaluation of tooth movement. PMID:26622272

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A test case.

PubMed

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

2017-01-01

In order to take into account the inherent uncertainties during product usability evaluation, Zhou and Chan [1] proposed a comprehensive method of usability evaluation for products by combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation methods for synthesizing performance data and subjective response data. This method was designed to provide an integrated framework combining the inevitable vague judgments from the multiple stages of the product evaluation process. In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the model, this study used a summative usability test case to assess the application and strength of the general fuzzy usability framework. To test the proposed fuzzy usability evaluation framework [1], a standard summative usability test was conducted to benchmark the overall usability of a specific network management software. Based on the test data, the fuzzy method was applied to incorporate both the usability scores and uncertainties involved in the multiple components of the evaluation. Then, with Monte Carlo simulation procedures, confidence intervals were used to compare the reliabilities among the fuzzy approach and two typical conventional methods combining metrics based on percentages. This case study showed that the fuzzy evaluation technique can be applied successfully for combining summative usability testing data to achieve an overall usability quality for the network software evaluated. Greater differences of confidence interval widths between the method of averaging equally percentage and weighted evaluation method, including the method of weighted percentage averages, verified the strength of the fuzzy method.

Self-informant Agreement for Personality and Evaluative Person Descriptors: Comparing Methods for Creating Informant Measures.

PubMed

Simms, Leonard J; Zelazny, Kerry; Yam, Wern How; Gros, Daniel F

2010-05-01

Little attention typically is paid to the way self-report measures are translated for use in self-informant agreement studies. We studied two possible methods for creating informant measures: (a) the traditional method in which self-report items were translated from the first- to the third-person and (b) an alternative meta-perceptual method in which informants were directed to rate their perception of the targets' self-perception. We hypothesized that the latter method would yield stronger self-informant agreement for evaluative personality dimensions measured by indirect item markers. We studied these methods in a sample of 303 undergraduate friendship dyads. Results revealed mean-level differences between methods, similar self-informant agreement across methods, stronger agreement for Big Five dimensions than for evaluative dimensions, and incremental validity for meta-perceptual informant rating methods. Limited power reduced the interpretability of several sparse acquaintanceship effects. We conclude that traditional informant methods are appropriate for most personality traits, but meta-perceptual methods may be more appropriate when personality questionnaire items reflect indirect indicators of the trait being measured, which is particularly likely for evaluative traits.

Self-informant Agreement for Personality and Evaluative Person Descriptors: Comparing Methods for Creating Informant Measures

PubMed Central

Simms, Leonard J.; Zelazny, Kerry; Yam, Wern How; Gros, Daniel F.

2011-01-01

Little attention typically is paid to the way self-report measures are translated for use in self-informant agreement studies. We studied two possible methods for creating informant measures: (a) the traditional method in which self-report items were translated from the first- to the third-person and (b) an alternative meta-perceptual method in which informants were directed to rate their perception of the targets’ self-perception. We hypothesized that the latter method would yield stronger self-informant agreement for evaluative personality dimensions measured by indirect item markers. We studied these methods in a sample of 303 undergraduate friendship dyads. Results revealed mean-level differences between methods, similar self-informant agreement across methods, stronger agreement for Big Five dimensions than for evaluative dimensions, and incremental validity for meta-perceptual informant rating methods. Limited power reduced the interpretability of several sparse acquaintanceship effects. We conclude that traditional informant methods are appropriate for most personality traits, but meta-perceptual methods may be more appropriate when personality questionnaire items reflect indirect indicators of the trait being measured, which is particularly likely for evaluative traits. PMID:21541262

Computerized Analysis of Digital Photographs for Evaluation of Tooth Movement.

PubMed

Toodehzaeim, Mohammad Hossein; Karandish, Maryam; Karandish, Mohammad Nabi

2015-03-01

Various methods have been introduced for evaluation of tooth movement in orthodontics. The challenge is to adopt the most accurate and most beneficial method for patients. This study was designed to introduce analysis of digital photographs with AutoCAD software as a method to evaluate tooth movement and assess the reliability of this method. Eighteen patients were evaluated in this study. Three intraoral digital images from the buccal view were captured from each patient in half an hour interval. All the photos were sent to AutoCAD software 2011, calibrated and the distance between canine and molar hooks were measured. The data was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficient. Photographs were found to have high reliability coefficient (P > 0.05). The introduced method is an accurate, efficient and reliable method for evaluation of tooth movement.

Attitudes of affiliate faculty members toward medical student summative evaluation for clinical clerkships: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Karen E; Fitzpatrick, Caroline; George, David; Lane, Lindsey

2012-01-01

Summative evaluation of medical students is a critical component of the educational process. Despite extensive literature on evaluation, few studies have centered on affiliate faculty members' attitudes toward summative evaluation of students, though it has been suggested that these attitudes influence their effectiveness as evaluators. The objective is to examine affiliate faculty members' attitudes toward clinical clerkship evaluation using primarily qualitative research methods. The study used a nonexperimental research design and employed mixed methods. Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, and a questionnaire from 11 affiliate faculty members. Themes emerging from the data fell into three broad categories: (a) factors that influence grading, (b) consequences of negative evaluations, and (c) disconnections in the grading process. The quantitative portion of the study revealed important discrepancies supporting the use of qualitative methods. The study highlights faculty members' struggles with the evaluative process and emphasizes the need for improvements in evaluation tools and faculty development.

Presenting an Evaluation Model for the Cancer Registry Software.

PubMed

Moghaddasi, Hamid; Asadi, Farkhondeh; Rabiei, Reza; Rahimi, Farough; Shahbodaghi, Reihaneh

2017-12-01

As cancer is increasingly growing, cancer registry is of great importance as the main core of cancer control programs, and many different software has been designed for this purpose. Therefore, establishing a comprehensive evaluation model is essential to evaluate and compare a wide range of such software. In this study, the criteria of the cancer registry software have been determined by studying the documents and two functional software of this field. The evaluation tool was a checklist and in order to validate the model, this checklist was presented to experts in the form of a questionnaire. To analyze the results of validation, an agreed coefficient of %75 was determined in order to apply changes. Finally, when the model was approved, the final version of the evaluation model for the cancer registry software was presented. The evaluation model of this study contains tool and method of evaluation. The evaluation tool is a checklist including the general and specific criteria of the cancer registry software along with their sub-criteria. The evaluation method of this study was chosen as a criteria-based evaluation method based on the findings. The model of this study encompasses various dimensions of cancer registry software and a proper method for evaluating it. The strong point of this evaluation model is the separation between general criteria and the specific ones, while trying to fulfill the comprehensiveness of the criteria. Since this model has been validated, it can be used as a standard to evaluate the cancer registry software.

["I dreamed that I dreamed": some notes on the clinical evaluation of therapist interventions, exemplified by Deserno's case study (session 290)].

PubMed

Berns, U; Hemprich, L

2001-01-01

In No. 8, 48th year, August 1998, of the journal "Psychotherapie--Psychosomatik--Medizinische Psychologie" the tape recorder transcription of the 290th session of a long-term analysis was studied by three methods (BIP, Frames, ZBKT). The paper presented here was stimulated by this publication. From the author's viewpoint substantial clinical aspects of evaluation could be added by applying a clinical evaluation method developed by R. Langs and his corresponding concept of interpretation. Clinical vignettes exemplify the possibility to resolve pathological countertransference by using this evaluation method. With the help of this method the presented transcription of the 290th session is evaluated partially.

Usability Evaluation Methods for Gesture-Based Games: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Simor, Fernando Winckler; Brum, Manoela Rogofski; Schmidt, Jaison Dairon Ebertz; De Marchi, Ana Carolina Bertoletti

2016-01-01

Background Gestural interaction systems are increasingly being used, mainly in games, expanding the idea of entertainment and providing experiences with the purpose of promoting better physical and/or mental health. Therefore, it is necessary to establish mechanisms for evaluating the usability of these interfaces, which make gestures the basis of interaction, to achieve a balance between functionality and ease of use. Objective This study aims to present the results of a systematic review focused on usability evaluation methods for gesture-based games, considering devices with motion-sensing capability. We considered the usability methods used, the common interface issues, and the strategies adopted to build good gesture-based games. Methods The research was centered on four electronic databases: IEEE, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Springer, and Science Direct from September 4 to 21, 2015. Within 1427 studies evaluated, 10 matched the eligibility criteria. As a requirement, we considered studies about gesture-based games, Kinect and/or Wii as devices, and the use of a usability method to evaluate the user interface. Results In the 10 studies found, there was no standardization in the methods because they considered diverse analysis variables. Heterogeneously, authors used different instruments to evaluate gesture-based interfaces and no default approach was proposed. Questionnaires were the most used instruments (70%, 7/10), followed by interviews (30%, 3/10), and observation and video recording (20%, 2/10). Moreover, 60% (6/10) of the studies used gesture-based serious games to evaluate the performance of elderly participants in rehabilitation tasks. This highlights the need for creating an evaluation protocol for older adults to provide a user-friendly interface according to the user’s age and limitations. Conclusions Through this study, we conclude this field is in need of a usability evaluation method for serious games, especially games for older adults, and that the definition of a methodology and a test protocol may offer the user more comfort, welfare, and confidence. PMID:27702737

Nondestructive equipment study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Identification of existing nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) methods that could be used in a low Earth orbit environment; evaluation of each method with respect to the set of criteria called out in the statement of work; selection of the most promising NDE methods for further evaluation; use of selected NDE methods to test samples of pressure vessel materials in a vacuum; pressure testing of a complex monolythic pressure vessel with known flaws using acoustic emissions in a vacuum; and recommendations for further studies based on analysis and testing are covered.

Cross-Continental Reflections on Evaluation Practice: Methods, Use, and Valuing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallemeyn, Leanne M.; Hall, Jori; Friche, Nanna; McReynolds, Clifton

2015-01-01

The evaluation theory tree typology reflects the following three components of evaluation practice: (a) methods, (b) use, and (c) valuing. The purpose of this study was to explore how evaluation practice is conceived as reflected in articles published in the "American Journal of Evaluation" ("AJE") and "Evaluation," a…

Using mixed methods to develop and evaluate complex interventions in palliative care research.

PubMed

Farquhar, Morag C; Ewing, Gail; Booth, Sara

2011-12-01

there is increasing interest in combining qualitative and quantitative research methods to provide comprehensiveness and greater knowledge yield. Mixed methods are valuable in the development and evaluation of complex interventions. They are therefore particularly valuable in palliative care research where the majority of interventions are complex, and the identification of outcomes particularly challenging. this paper aims to introduce the role of mixed methods in the development and evaluation of complex interventions in palliative care, and how they may be used in palliative care research. the paper defines mixed methods and outlines why and how mixed methods are used to develop and evaluate complex interventions, with a pragmatic focus on design and data collection issues and data analysis. Useful texts are signposted and illustrative examples provided of mixed method studies in palliative care, including a detailed worked example of the development and evaluation of a complex intervention in palliative care for breathlessness. Key challenges to conducting mixed methods in palliative care research are identified in relation to data collection, data integration in analysis, costs and dissemination and how these might be addressed. the development and evaluation of complex interventions in palliative care benefit from the application of mixed methods. Mixed methods enable better understanding of whether and how an intervention works (or does not work) and inform the design of subsequent studies. However, they can be challenging: mixed method studies in palliative care will benefit from working with agreed protocols, multidisciplinary teams and engaging staff with appropriate skill sets.

[Discussion on development of four diagnostic information scale for clinical re-evaluation of postmarketing herbs].

PubMed

He, Wei; Xie, Yanming; Wang, Yongyan

2011-12-01

Post-marketing re-evaluation of Chinese herbs can well reflect Chinese medicine characteristics, which is the most easily overlooked the clinical re-evaluation content. Since little attention has been paid to this, study on the clinical trial design method was lost. It is difficult to improving the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, more attention should be paid on re-evaluation of the clinical trial design method point about tcm syndrome such as the type of research program design, the study of Chinese medical information collection scale and statistical analysis methods, so as to improve the clinical trial design method study about tcm syndrome of Chinese herbs postmarketing re-evalutation status.

Evaluation of Training Programs for Rural Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indira, A.

2008-01-01

An Evaluation of the "Impact Assessment of the Training Programs" of a National Level Training Institution in India was conducted using the Kirkpatrick Method (KP Method). The studied Institution takes up research, provides training, offers consultancy and initiates action in the rural sector of India. The evaluation study used a…

A new evaluation tool to obtain practice-based evidence of worksite health promotion programs.

PubMed

Dunet, Diane O; Sparling, Phillip B; Hersey, James; Williams-Piehota, Pamela; Hill, Mary D; Hanssen, Carl; Lawrenz, Frances; Reyes, Michele

2008-10-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the Swift Worksite Assessment and Translation (SWAT) evaluation method to identify promising practices in worksite health promotion programs. The new method complements research studies and evaluation studies of evidence-based practices that promote healthy weight in working adults. We used nationally recognized program evaluation standards of utility, feasibility, accuracy, and propriety as the foundation for our 5-step method: 1) site identification and selection, 2) site visit, 3) post-visit evaluation of promising practices, 4) evaluation capacity building, and 5) translation and dissemination. An independent, outside evaluation team conducted process and summative evaluations of SWAT to determine its efficacy in providing accurate, useful information and its compliance with evaluation standards. The SWAT evaluation approach is feasible in small and medium-sized workplace settings. The independent evaluation team judged SWAT favorably as an evaluation method, noting among its strengths its systematic and detailed procedures and service orientation. Experts in worksite health promotion evaluation concluded that the data obtained by using this evaluation method were sufficient to allow them to make judgments about promising practices. SWAT is a useful, business-friendly approach to systematic, yet rapid, evaluation that comports with program evaluation standards. The method provides a new tool to obtain practice-based evidence of worksite health promotion programs that help prevent obesity and, more broadly, may advance public health goals for chronic disease prevention and health promotion.

A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding School Counseling Program Evaluation: High School Counselors' Methods and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aucoin, Jennifer Mangrum

2013-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods concurrent triangulation study was to examine the program evaluation practices of high school counselors. A total of 294 high school counselors in Texas were assessed using a mixed methods concurrent triangulation design. A researcher-developed survey, the School Counseling Program Evaluation Questionnaire…

Comparing the Effects of Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) and Traditional Method on Learning of Students.

PubMed

Mansoorian, Mohammad Reza; Hosseiny, Marzeih Sadat; Khosravan, Shahla; Alami, Ali; Alaviani, Mehri

2015-06-01

Despite the benefits of the objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) and it appropriateness for evaluating clinical abilities of nursing students , few studies are available on the application of this method in nursing education. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of using OSATS and traditional methods on the students' learning. We also aimed to signify students' views about these two methods and their views about the scores they received in these methods in a medical emergency course. A quasi-experimental study was performed on 45 first semester students in nursing and medical emergencies passing a course on fundamentals of practice. The students were selected by a census method and evaluated by both the OSATS and traditional methods. Data collection was performed using checklists prepared based on the 'text book of nursing procedures checklists' published by Iranian nursing organization and a questionnaire containing learning rate and students' estimation of their received scores. Descriptive statistics as well as paired t-test and independent samples t-test were used in data analysis. The mean of students' score in OSATS was significantly higher than their mean score in traditional method (P = 0.01). Moreover, the mean of self-evaluation score after the traditional method was relatively the same as the score the students received in the exam. However, the mean of self-evaluation score after the OSATS was relatively lower than the scores the students received in the OSATS exam. Most students believed that OSATS can evaluate a wide range of students' knowledge and skills compared to traditional method. Results of this study indicated the better effect of OSATS on learning and its relative superiority in precise assessment of clinical skills compared with the traditional evaluation method. Therefore, we recommend using this method in evaluation of students in practical courses.

Nondestructive evaluation of epoxy-coated reinforcing bars in concrete using bi-electrode half-cell potential techniques.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-01-01

This study evaluated two half-cell mapping methods for nondestructive evaluation of epoxy-coated rebar (ECR) in concrete: the semi-fixed bi-electrode and the moving bi-electrode methods. These methods were expected to provide early detection of corro...

The Usability Evaluation of Fakih Method Based on Technology for Students with Hearing Difficulties: The User's Retrospective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabdan, Muhammad Sayuti Bin; Alias, Norlidah; Jomhari, Nazean; Jamaludin, Khairul Azhar; DeWitt, Dorothy

2014-01-01

The study is aimed at evaluating the FAKIH method based on technology in teaching al-Quran, based on the user's retrospective. The participants of this study were five students selected based on hearing difficulties. The study employed the user evaluation framework. Teacher's journals were used to determine the frequency and percentage of…

75 FR 25867 - National Toxicology Program (NTP) Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-10

... validation studies. NICEATM and ICCVAM work collaboratively to evaluate new and improved test methods... for nomination of test methods for validation studies, and guidelines for submission of test methods... for human and veterinary vaccine post-licensing potency and safety testing. Plenary and breakout...

Study on process evaluation model of students' learning in practical course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jie; Liang, Pei; Shen, Wei-min; Ye, Youxiang

2017-08-01

In practical course teaching based on project object method, the traditional evaluation methods include class attendance, assignments and exams fails to give incentives to undergraduate students to learn innovatively and autonomously. In this paper, the element such as creative innovation, teamwork, document and reporting were put into process evaluation methods, and a process evaluation model was set up. Educational practice shows that the evaluation model makes process evaluation of students' learning more comprehensive, accurate, and fairly.

Comparison of midwifery students' satisfaction with direct observation of procedural skills and current methods in evaluation of procedural skills in Mashhad Nursing and Midwifery School.

PubMed

Hoseini, Bibi Leila; Mazloum, Seyed Reza; Jafarnejad, Farzaneh; Foroughipour, Mohsen

2013-03-01

The clinical evaluation, as one of the most important elements in medical education, must measure students' competencies and abilities. The implementation of any assessment tool is basically dependent on the acceptance of students. This study tried to assess midwifery students' satisfaction with Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) and current clinical evaluation methods. This quasi-experimental study was conducted in the university hospitals affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The subjects comprised 67 undergraduate midwifery students selected by convenience sampling and allocated to control and intervention groups according to the training transposition. Current method was performed in the control group, and DOPS was conducted in the intervention group. The applied tools included DOPS rating scales, logbook, and satisfaction questionnaires with clinical evaluation methods. Validity and reliability of these tools were approved. At the end of training, students' satisfaction with the evaluation methods was assessed by the mentioned tools. The data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics. Satisfaction mean scores of midwifery students with DOPS and current methods were 76.7 ± 12.9 and 62.6 ± 14.7 (out of 100), respectively. DOPS students' satisfaction mean score was significantly higher than the score obtained in current method (P < 0.000). The most satisfactory domains in the current method were "consistence with learning objectives" (71.2 ± 14.9) and "objectiveness" in DOPS (87.9 ± 15.0). In contrast, the least satisfactory domains in the current method were "interested in applying the method" (57.8 ± 26.5) and "number of assessments for each skill" (58.8 ± 25.9) in DOPS method. This study showed that DOPS method is associated with greater students' satisfaction. Since the students' satisfaction with the current method was also acceptable, we recommend combining this new clinical evaluation method with the current method, which covers its weaknesses, to promote the students' satisfaction with clinical evaluation methods in a perfect manner.

Comparison of safety effect estimates obtained from empirical Bayes before-after study, propensity scores-potential outcomes framework, and regression model with cross-sectional data.

PubMed

Wood, Jonathan S; Donnell, Eric T; Porter, Richard J

2015-02-01

A variety of different study designs and analysis methods have been used to evaluate the performance of traffic safety countermeasures. The most common study designs and methods include observational before-after studies using the empirical Bayes method and cross-sectional studies using regression models. The propensity scores-potential outcomes framework has recently been proposed as an alternative traffic safety countermeasure evaluation method to address the challenges associated with selection biases that can be part of cross-sectional studies. Crash modification factors derived from the application of all three methods have not yet been compared. This paper compares the results of retrospective, observational evaluations of a traffic safety countermeasure using both before-after and cross-sectional study designs. The paper describes the strengths and limitations of each method, focusing primarily on how each addresses site selection bias, which is a common issue in observational safety studies. The Safety Edge paving technique, which seeks to mitigate crashes related to roadway departure events, is the countermeasure used in the present study to compare the alternative evaluation methods. The results indicated that all three methods yielded results that were consistent with each other and with previous research. The empirical Bayes results had the smallest standard errors. It is concluded that the propensity scores with potential outcomes framework is a viable alternative analysis method to the empirical Bayes before-after study. It should be considered whenever a before-after study is not possible or practical. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating care from a care ethical perspective:: A pilot study.

PubMed

Kuis, Esther E; Goossensen, Anne

2017-08-01

Care ethical theories provide an excellent opening for evaluation of healthcare practices since searching for (moments of) good care from a moral perspective is central to care ethics. However, a fruitful way to translate care ethical insights into measurable criteria and how to measure these criteria has as yet been unexplored: this study describes one of the first attempts. To investigate whether the emotional touchpoint method is suitable for evaluating care from a care ethical perspective. An adapted version of the emotional touchpoint interview method was used. Touchpoints represent the key moments to the experience of receiving care, where the patient recalls being touched emotionally or cognitively. Participants and research context: Interviews were conducted at three different care settings: a hospital, mental healthcare institution and care facility for older people. A total of 31 participants (29 patients and 2 relatives) took part in the study. Ethical considerations: The research was found not to be subject to the (Dutch) Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act. A three-step care ethical evaluation model was developed and described using two touchpoints as examples. A focus group meeting showed that the method was considered of great value for partaking institutions in comparison with existing methods. Reflection and discussion: Considering existing methods to evaluate quality of care, the touchpoint method belongs to the category of instruments which evaluate the patient experience. The touchpoint method distinguishes itself because no pre-defined categories are used but the values of patients are followed, which is an essential issue from a care ethical perspective. The method portrays the insider perspective of patients and thereby contributes to humanizing care. The touchpoint method is a valuable instrument for evaluating care; it generates evaluation data about the core care ethical principle of responsiveness.

Prevalence of Evaluation Method Courses in Education Leader Doctoral Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepperson, Tara L.

2013-01-01

This exploratory study investigated the prevalence of single evaluation methods courses in doctoral education leadership programs. Analysis of websites of 132 leading U.S. university programs found 62 evaluation methods courses in 54 programs. Content analysis of 49 course catalog descriptions resulted in five categories: survey, planning and…

A Proposed Methodology for Contextualised Evaluation in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nygaard, Claus; Belluigi, Dina Zoe

2011-01-01

This paper aims to inspire stakeholders working with quality of higher education (such as members of study boards, study programme directors, curriculum developers and teachers) to critically consider their evaluation methods in relation to a focus on student learning. We argue that many of the existing methods of evaluation in higher education…

On the evaluation of segmentation editing tools

PubMed Central

Heckel, Frank; Moltz, Jan H.; Meine, Hans; Geisler, Benjamin; Kießling, Andreas; D’Anastasi, Melvin; dos Santos, Daniel Pinto; Theruvath, Ashok Joseph; Hahn, Horst K.

2014-01-01

Abstract. Efficient segmentation editing tools are important components in the segmentation process, as no automatic methods exist that always generate sufficient results. Evaluating segmentation editing algorithms is challenging, because their quality depends on the user’s subjective impression. So far, no established methods for an objective, comprehensive evaluation of such tools exist and, particularly, intermediate segmentation results are not taken into account. We discuss the evaluation of editing algorithms in the context of tumor segmentation in computed tomography. We propose a rating scheme to qualitatively measure the accuracy and efficiency of editing tools in user studies. In order to objectively summarize the overall quality, we propose two scores based on the subjective rating and the quantified segmentation quality over time. Finally, a simulation-based evaluation approach is discussed, which allows a more reproducible evaluation without the need for human input. This automated evaluation complements user studies, allowing a more convincing evaluation, particularly during development, where frequent user studies are not possible. The proposed methods have been used to evaluate two dedicated editing algorithms on 131 representative tumor segmentations. We show how the comparison of editing algorithms benefits from the proposed methods. Our results also show the correlation of the suggested quality score with the qualitative ratings. PMID:26158063

Comparison of two heuristic evaluation methods for evaluating the usability of health information systems.

PubMed

Khajouei, Reza; Hajesmaeel Gohari, Sadrieh; Mirzaee, Moghaddameh

2018-04-01

In addition to following the usual Heuristic Evaluation (HE) method, the usability of health information systems can also be evaluated using a checklist. The objective of this study is to compare the performance of these two methods in identifying usability problems of health information systems. Eight evaluators independently evaluated different parts of a Medical Records Information System using two methods of HE (usual and with a checklist). The two methods were compared in terms of the number of problems identified, problem type, and the severity of identified problems. In all, 192 usability problems were identified by two methods in the Medical Records Information System. This was significantly higher than the number of usability problems identified by the checklist and usual method (148 and 92, respectively) (p < 0.0001). After removing the duplicates, the difference between the number of unique usability problems identified by the checklist method (n = 100) and usual method (n = 44) was significant (p < 0.0001). Differences between the mean severity of the real usability problems (1.83) and those identified by only one of the methods (usual = 2.05, checklist = 1.74) were significant (p = 0.001). This study revealed the potential of the two HE methods for identifying usability problems of health information systems. The results demonstrated that the checklist method had significantly better performance in terms of the number of identified usability problems; however, the performance of the usual method for identifying problems of higher severity was significantly better. Although the checklist method can be more efficient for less experienced evaluators, wherever usability is critical, the checklist should be used with caution in usability evaluations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Core Professionalism Education in Surgery: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Sarıoğlu Büke, Akile; Karabilgin Öztürkçü, Özlem Sürel; Yılmaz, Yusuf; Sayek, İskender

2018-01-01

Background: Professionalism education is one of the major elements of surgical residency education. Aims: To evaluate the studies on core professionalism education programs in surgical professionalism education. Study Design: Systematic review. Methods: This systematic literature review was performed to analyze core professionalism programs for surgical residency education published in English with at least three of the following features: program developmental model/instructional design method, aims and competencies, methods of teaching, methods of assessment, and program evaluation model or method. A total of 27083 articles were retrieved using EBSCOHOST, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and manual search. Results: Eight articles met the selection criteria. The instructional design method was presented in only one article, which described the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation model. Six articles were based on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education criterion, although there was significant variability in content. The most common teaching method was role modeling with scenario- and case-based learning. A wide range of assessment methods for evaluating professionalism education were reported. The Kirkpatrick model was reported in one article as a method for program evaluation. Conclusion: It is suggested that for a core surgical professionalism education program, developmental/instructional design model, aims and competencies, content, teaching methods, assessment methods, and program evaluation methods/models should be well defined, and the content should be comparable. PMID:29553464

Usability Evaluation Methods for Gesture-Based Games: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Simor, Fernando Winckler; Brum, Manoela Rogofski; Schmidt, Jaison Dairon Ebertz; Rieder, Rafael; De Marchi, Ana Carolina Bertoletti

2016-10-04

Gestural interaction systems are increasingly being used, mainly in games, expanding the idea of entertainment and providing experiences with the purpose of promoting better physical and/or mental health. Therefore, it is necessary to establish mechanisms for evaluating the usability of these interfaces, which make gestures the basis of interaction, to achieve a balance between functionality and ease of use. This study aims to present the results of a systematic review focused on usability evaluation methods for gesture-based games, considering devices with motion-sensing capability. We considered the usability methods used, the common interface issues, and the strategies adopted to build good gesture-based games. The research was centered on four electronic databases: IEEE, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Springer, and Science Direct from September 4 to 21, 2015. Within 1427 studies evaluated, 10 matched the eligibility criteria. As a requirement, we considered studies about gesture-based games, Kinect and/or Wii as devices, and the use of a usability method to evaluate the user interface. In the 10 studies found, there was no standardization in the methods because they considered diverse analysis variables. Heterogeneously, authors used different instruments to evaluate gesture-based interfaces and no default approach was proposed. Questionnaires were the most used instruments (70%, 7/10), followed by interviews (30%, 3/10), and observation and video recording (20%, 2/10). Moreover, 60% (6/10) of the studies used gesture-based serious games to evaluate the performance of elderly participants in rehabilitation tasks. This highlights the need for creating an evaluation protocol for older adults to provide a user-friendly interface according to the user's age and limitations. Through this study, we conclude this field is in need of a usability evaluation method for serious games, especially games for older adults, and that the definition of a methodology and a test protocol may offer the user more comfort, welfare, and confidence.

Needs assessment for next generation computer-aided mammography reference image databases and evaluation studies.

PubMed

Horsch, Alexander; Hapfelmeier, Alexander; Elter, Matthias

2011-11-01

Breast cancer is globally a major threat for women's health. Screening and adequate follow-up can significantly reduce the mortality from breast cancer. Human second reading of screening mammograms can increase breast cancer detection rates, whereas this has not been proven for current computer-aided detection systems as "second reader". Critical factors include the detection accuracy of the systems and the screening experience and training of the radiologist with the system. When assessing the performance of systems and system components, the choice of evaluation methods is particularly critical. Core assets herein are reference image databases and statistical methods. We have analyzed characteristics and usage of the currently largest publicly available mammography database, the Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM) from the University of South Florida, in literature indexed in Medline, IEEE Xplore, SpringerLink, and SPIE, with respect to type of computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) (detection, CADe, or diagnostics, CADx), selection of database subsets, choice of evaluation method, and quality of descriptions. 59 publications presenting 106 evaluation studies met our selection criteria. In 54 studies (50.9%), the selection of test items (cases, images, regions of interest) extracted from the DDSM was not reproducible. Only 2 CADx studies, not any CADe studies, used the entire DDSM. The number of test items varies from 100 to 6000. Different statistical evaluation methods are chosen. Most common are train/test (34.9% of the studies), leave-one-out (23.6%), and N-fold cross-validation (18.9%). Database-related terminology tends to be imprecise or ambiguous, especially regarding the term "case". Overall, both the use of the DDSM as data source for evaluation of mammography CAD systems, and the application of statistical evaluation methods were found highly diverse. Results reported from different studies are therefore hardly comparable. Drawbacks of the DDSM (e.g. varying quality of lesion annotations) may contribute to the reasons. But larger bias seems to be caused by authors' own decisions upon study design. RECOMMENDATIONS/CONCLUSION: For future evaluation studies, we derive a set of 13 recommendations concerning the construction and usage of a test database, as well as the application of statistical evaluation methods.

EVALUATION OF METHODS USED TO DESORB THE CONSTITUENTS ADSORBED ON THE CHARCOAL CONTAINED IN AUTOMOTIVE EVAPORATIVE CANISTERS

EPA Science Inventory

This report presents the conclusion of a two-part study with evaluated current extraction methods for anaylizing in automobiles. The second part of this study investigated the use of solvent-free extraction methods such as high pressure C02 soxhlet extraction and vacuum transfer ...

EVALUATION OF METHODS USED TO DESORB THE CONSTITUENTS ADSORBED ON THE CHARCOAL CONTAINED IN AUTOMOTIVE EVAPORATIVE CANISTERS--PART II

EPA Science Inventory

This report presents the conclusion of a two-part study with evaluated current extraction methods for anaylizing in automobiles. The second part of this study investigated the use of solvent-free extraction methods such as high pressure C02 soxhlet extraction and vacuum transfer ...

Improving methods to evaluate the impacts of plant invasions: lessons from 40 years of research

PubMed Central

Stricker, Kerry Bohl; Hagan, Donald; Flory, S. Luke

2015-01-01

Methods used to evaluate the ecological impacts of biological invasions vary widely from broad-scale observational studies to removal experiments in invaded communities and experimental additions in common gardens and greenhouses. Different methods provide information at diverse spatial and temporal scales with varying levels of reliability. Thus, here we provide a synthetic and critical review of the methods used to evaluate the impacts of plant invasions and provide recommendations for future research. We review the types of methods available and report patterns in methods used, including the duration and spatial scale of studies and plant functional groups examined, from 410 peer-reviewed papers published between 1971 and 2011. We found that there has been a marked increase in papers published on plant invasion impacts since 2003 and that more than half of all studies employed observational methods while <5 % included predictive modelling. Most of the studies were temporally and spatially restricted with 51 % of studies lasting <1 year and almost half of all studies conducted in plots or mesocosms <1 m2. There was also a bias in life form studied: more than 60 % of all studies evaluated impacts of invasive forbs and graminoids while <16 % focused on invasive trees. To more effectively quantify invasion impacts, we argue that longer-term experimental research and more studies that use predictive modelling and evaluate impacts of invasions on ecosystem processes and fauna are needed. Combining broad-scale observational studies with experiments and predictive modelling may provide the most insight into invasion impacts for policy makers and land managers seeking to reduce the effects of plant invasions. PMID:25829379

Research on Comprehensive Evaluation Method for Heating Project Based on Analytic Hierarchy Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Shenchao; Yang, Yanchun; Liu, Yude; Zhang, Peng; Li, Siwei

2018-01-01

It is effective to reduce haze in winter by changing the distributed heat supply system. Thus, the studies on comprehensive index system and scientific evaluation method of distributed heat supply project are essential. Firstly, research the influence factors of heating modes, and an index system with multiple dimension including economic, environmental, risk and flexibility was built and all indexes were quantified. Secondly, a comprehensive evaluation method based on AHP was put forward to analyze the proposed multiple and comprehensive index system. Lastly, the case study suggested that supplying heat with electricity has great advantage and promotional value. The comprehensive index system of distributed heating supply project and evaluation method in this paper can evaluate distributed heat supply project effectively and provide scientific support for choosing the distributed heating project.

An Examination of Final Evaluation Methods Used in Master's Level Counseling Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carney, Jamie S.; Cobia, Debra C.; Shannon, David M.

1998-01-01

Reports the findings of a national study examining methods used for final evaluation in master's level counseling programs. Suggests that as faculty review their policies and procedures with regard to student evaluation, these data may provide valuable information concerning methods selection, content, and delivery of feedback to students.…

Analyzing Empirical Evaluations of Non-Experimental Methods in Field Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steiner, Peter M.; Wong, Vivian

2016-01-01

Despite recent emphasis on the use of randomized control trials (RCTs) for evaluating education interventions, in most areas of education research, observational methods remain the dominant approach for assessing program effects. Over the last three decades, the within-study comparison (WSC) design has emerged as a method for evaluating the…

Learning when Serious: Psychophysiological Evaluation of a Technology-Enhanced Learning Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowley, Ben; Fantato, Martino; Jennett, Charlene; Ruskov, Martin; Ravaja, Niklas

2014-01-01

We report an evaluation study for a novel learning platform, motivated by the growing need for methods to do assessment of serious game efficacy. The study was a laboratory experiment combining evaluation methods from the fields of learning assessment and psychophysiology. 15 participants used the TARGET game platform for 25 minutes, while the…

[Research progress on identification and quality evaluation of glues medicines].

PubMed

Li, Hui-Hu; Ren, Gang; Chen, Li-Min; Zhong, Guo-Yue

2018-01-01

Glues medicines is a special kind of traditional Chinese medicine.As the market demand is large, the raw materials are in short supply and lacks proper quality evaluation technology, which causes inconsistent quality of products on the market. Its authentic identification and evaluation stay a problem to be solved. In this paper, the research progress of the methods and techniques of the evaluation of the identification and quality of glues medicines were reviewed. The researches of medicinal glue type identification and quality evaluation mainly concentrated in four aspects of medicinal materials of physical and chemical properties, trace elements, organic chemicals and biological genetic methods and techniques. The methods of physicochemical properties include thermal analysis, gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing electrophoresis, infrared spectroscopy, gel exclusion chromatography, and circular dichroism. The methods including atomic absorption spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, plasma emission spectrometry and visible spectrophotometry were used for the study of the trace elements of glues medicines. The organic chemical composition was studied by methods of composition of amino acids, content detection, odor detection, lipid soluble component, organic acid detection. Methods based on the characteristics of biogenetics include DNA, polypeptide and amino acid sequence difference analysis. Overall, because of relative components similarity of the glues medicines (such as amino acids, proteins and peptides), its authenticity and quality evaluation index is difficult to judge objectively, all sorts of identification evaluation methods have different characteristics, but also their limitations. It indicates that further study should focus on identification of evaluation index and various technology integrated application combining with the characteristics of the production process. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Research on the teaching evaluation reform of agricultural eco-environmental protection specialties under the background of deep integration of production and education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Guosheng

2018-02-01

With the implementation of the personnel training mode of deep integration between production and education, the original evaluation method cannot adapt to the goal of personnel training, so that the traditional teaching evaluation methods need to be reformed urgently. This paper studies and analyzes the four main problems in the teaching evaluation of agricultural eco-environmental protection specialties, and puts forward three measures to reform the teaching evaluation methods: establishing diversified evaluation indexes, establishing diversified evaluation subjects, and establishing diversified evaluation feedback mechanisms.

Invited commentary: Evaluating epidemiologic research methods--the importance of response rate calculation.

PubMed

Harris, M Anne

2010-09-15

Epidemiologic research that uses administrative records (rather than registries or clinical surveys) to identify cases for study has been increasingly restricted because of concerns about privacy, making unbiased population-based research less practicable. In their article, Nattinger et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2010;172(6):637-644) present a method for using administrative data to contact participants that has been well received. However, the methods employed for calculating and reporting response rates require further consideration, particularly the classification of untraceable cases as ineligible. Depending on whether response rates are used to evaluate the potential for bias to influence study results or to evaluate the acceptability of the method of contact, different fractions may be considered. To improve the future study of epidemiologic research methods, a consensus on the calculation and reporting of study response rates should be sought.

A Perspective on Third-Party Providers and Study Tour Programs: A Mixed Method Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hains-Wesson, Rachael; Appleby, Mary

2017-01-01

This article presents an evaluation research outcome that used a mixed method approach. The study evaluated a short-term, study tour unit that was offered as an elective, credit-bearing, work-integrated learning experience for second year undergraduate students at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. The unit of study offered…

Examining mixing methods in an evaluation of a smoking cessation program.

PubMed

Betzner, Anne; Lawrenz, Frances P; Thao, Mao

2016-02-01

Three different methods were used in an evaluation of a smoking cessation study: surveys, focus groups, and phenomenological interviews. The results of each method were analyzed separately and then combined using both a pragmatic and dialectic stance to examine the effects of different approaches to mixing methods. Results show that the further apart the methods are philosophically, the more diverse the findings. Comparisons of decision maker opinions and costs of the different methods are provided along with recommendations for evaluators' uses of different methods. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Evaluation of in-vehicle HMI using occlusion techniques: experimental results and practical implications.

PubMed

Baumann, Martin; Keinath, Andreas; Krems, Josef F; Bengler, Klaus

2004-05-01

Despite the usefulness of new on-board information systems one has to be concerned about the potential distraction effects that they impose on the driver. Therefore, methods and procedures are necessary to assess the visual demand that is connected to the usage of an on-board system. The occlusion-method is considered a strong candidate as a procedure for evaluating display designs with regard to their visual demand. This paper reports results from two experimental studies conducted to further evaluate this method. In the first study, performance in using an in-car navigation system was measured under three conditions: static (parking lot), occlusion (shutter glasses), and driving. The results show that the occlusion-procedure can be used to simulate visual requirements of real traffic conditions. In a second study the occlusion method was compared to a global evaluation criterion based on the total task time. It can be demonstrated that the occlusion method can identify tasks which meet this criterion, but are yet irresolvable under driving conditions. It is concluded that the occlusion technique seems to be a reliable and valid method for evaluating visual and dialogue aspects of in-car information systems.

Data Collection Methods for Evaluating Museum Programs and Exhibitions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Amy Crack; Cohn, Sarah

2015-01-01

Museums often evaluate various aspects of their audiences' experiences, be it what they learn from a program or how they react to an exhibition. Each museum program or exhibition has its own set of goals, which can drive what an evaluator studies and how an evaluation evolves. When designing an evaluation, data collection methods are purposefully…

(PRESENTED NAQC SAN FRANCISCO, CA) COARSE PM METHODS STUDY: STUDY DESIGN AND RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

Comprehensive field studies were conducted to evaluate the performance of sampling methods for measuring the coarse fraction of PM10 in ambient air. Five separate sampling approaches were evaluated at each of three sampling sites. As the primary basis of comparison, a discrete ...

A review of economic evaluations of behavior change interventions: setting an agenda for research methods and practice.

PubMed

Alayli-Goebbels, Adrienne F G; Evers, Silvia M A A; Alexeeva, Daria; Ament, André J H A; de Vries, Nanne K; Tilly, Jan C; Severens, Johan L

2014-06-01

The objective of this study was to review methodological quality of economic evaluations of lifestyle behavior change interventions (LBCIs) and to examine how they address methodological challenges for public health economic evaluation identified in the literature. Pubmed and the NHS economic evaluation database were searched for published studies in six key areas for behavior change: smoking, physical activity, dietary behavior, (illegal) drug use, alcohol use and sexual behavior. From included studies (n = 142), we extracted data on general study characteristics, characteristics of the LBCIs, methodological quality and handling of methodological challenges. Economic evaluation evidence for LBCIs showed a number of weaknesses: methods, study design and characteristics of evaluated interventions were not well reported; methodological quality showed several shortcomings and progress with addressing methodological challenges remained limited. Based on the findings of this review we propose an agenda for improving future evidence to support decision-making. Recommendations for practice include improving reporting of essential study details and increasing adherence with good practice standards. Recommendations for research methods focus on mapping out complex causal pathways for modeling, developing measures to capture broader domains of wellbeing and community outcomes, testing methods for considering equity, identifying relevant non-health sector costs and advancing methods for evidence synthesis. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparative study on the welded structure fatigue strength assessment method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Tao

2018-04-01

Due to the welding structure is widely applied in various industries, especially the pressure container, motorcycle, automobile, aviation, ship industry, such as large crane steel structure, so for welded structure fatigue strength evaluation is particularly important. For welded structure fatigue strength evaluation method mainly has four kinds of, the more from the use of two kinds of welded structure fatigue strength evaluation method, namely the nominal stress method and the hot spot stress evaluation method, comparing from its principle, calculation method for the process analysis and research, compare the similarities and the advantages and disadvantages, the analysis of practical engineering problems to provide the reference for every profession and trade, as well as the future welded structure fatigue strength and life evaluation method put forward outlook.

A SIMPLE METHOD FOR EVALUATING DATA FROM AN INTERLABORATORY STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

Large-scale laboratory-and method-performance studies involving more than about 30 laboratories may be evaluated by calculating the HORRAT ratio for each test sample (HORRAT=[experimentally found among-laboratories relative standard deviation] divided by [relative standard deviat...

Evaluating hospital design from an operations management perspective.

PubMed

Vos, Leti; Groothuis, Siebren; van Merode, Godefridus G

2007-12-01

This paper describes an evaluation method for the assessment of hospital building design from the viewpoint of operations management to assure that the building design supports the efficient and effective operating of care processes now and in the future. The different steps of the method are illustrated by a case study. In the case study an experimental design is applied to assess the effect of used logistical concepts, patient mix and technologies. The study shows that the evaluation method provides a valuable tool for the assessment of both functionality and the ability to meet future developments in operational control of a building design.

Economic Evaluation alongside Multinational Studies: A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies

PubMed Central

Oppong, Raymond; Jowett, Sue; Roberts, Tracy E.

2015-01-01

Purpose of the study This study seeks to explore methods for conducting economic evaluations alongside multinational trials by conducting a systematic review of the methods used in practice and the challenges that are typically faced by the researchers who conducted the economic evaluations. Methods A review was conducted for the period 2002 to 2012, with potentially relevant articles identified by searching the Medline, Embase and NHS EED databases. Studies were included if they were full economic evaluations conducted alongside a multinational trial. Results A total of 44 studies out of a possible 2667 met the inclusion criteria. Methods used for the analyses varied between studies, indicating a lack of consensus on how economic evaluation alongside multinational studies should be carried out. The most common challenge appeared to be related to addressing differences between countries, which potentially hinders the generalisability and transferability of results. Other challenges reported included inadequate sample sizes and choosing cost-effectiveness thresholds. Conclusions It is recommended that additional guidelines be developed to aid researchers in this area and that these be based on an understanding of the challenges associated with multinational trials and the strengths and limitations of alternative approaches. Guidelines should focus on ensuring that results will aid decision makers in their individual countries. PMID:26121465

Evaluation of winter pothole patching methods.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and cost-effectiveness of the tow-behind combination : infrared asphalt heater/reclaimer patching method and compare it to the throw and roll and spray injection methods. To : achieve t...

Field Evaluation of Advanced Methods of Subsurface Exploration for Transit Tunneling

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-06-01

This report presents the results of a field evaluation of advanced methods of subsurface exploration on an ongoing urban rapid transit tunneling project. The objective of this study is to evaluate, through a field demonstration project, the feasibili...

Systematic evaluation of implementation fidelity of complex interventions in health and social care

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Evaluation of an implementation process and its fidelity can give insight into the 'black box' of interventions. However, a lack of standardized methods for studying fidelity and implementation process have been reported, which might be one reason for the fact that few prior studies in the field of health service research have systematically evaluated interventions' implementation processes. The aim of this project is to systematically evaluate implementation fidelity and possible factors influencing fidelity of complex interventions in health and social care. Methods A modified version of The Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity will be used as a conceptual model for the evaluation. The modification implies two additional moderating factors: context and recruitment. A systematic evaluation process was developed. Multiple case study method is used to investigate implementation of three complex health service interventions. Each case will be investigated in depth and longitudinally, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Discussion This study is the first attempt to empirically test The Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity. The study can highlight mechanism and factors of importance when implementing complex interventions. Especially the role of the moderating factors on implementation fidelity can be clarified. Trial Registration Supported Employment, SE, among people with severe mental illness -- a randomized controlled trial: NCT00960024. PMID:20815872

75 FR 49930 - Stakeholder Meeting Regarding Re-Evaluation of Currently Approved Total Coliform Analytical Methods

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-16

... Currently Approved Total Coliform Analytical Methods AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION... of currently approved Total Coliform Rule (TCR) analytical methods. At these meetings, stakeholders will be given an opportunity to discuss potential elements of a method re-evaluation study, such as...

Comparison of indoor air sampling and dust collection methods for fungal exposure assessment using quantitative PCR

EPA Science Inventory

Evaluating fungal contamination indoors is complicated because of the many different sampling methods utilized. In this study, fungal contamination was evaluated using five sampling methods and four matrices for results. The five sampling methods were a 48 hour indoor air sample ...

Comparison of micrometeorological techniques in measuring gas emissions from waste lagoons

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, we evaluated and compared the accuracies of two micrometeorological methods using open-path tunable diode laser absorption spectrometers; vertical radial plume mapping method and the inverse dispersion model method. The accuracy of these two methods was evaluated using a 45m x 45m p...

Comparison of micrometeorological techniques in measuring gas emissions from waste lagoons

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, we evaluated and compared the accuracies of two micrometeorological methods using open-path tunable diode laser absorption spectrometers; vertical radial plume mapping method (US EPA OTM-10) and the inverse dispersion model method. The accuracy of these two methods was evaluated usin...

EVALUATION OF A CRYPTOSPORIDIUM INTERNAL STANDARD FOR DETERMINING RECOVERY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY METHOD 1623

EPA Science Inventory

The current benchmark method for detecting Cryptosporidium oocysts in water is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Method 1623. Studies evaluating this method report that recoveries are highly variable and dependent upon laboratory, water sample, and analyst. Ther...

Comparison of heuristic and cognitive walkthrough usability evaluation methods for evaluating health information systems.

PubMed

Khajouei, Reza; Zahiri Esfahani, Misagh; Jahani, Yunes

2017-04-01

There are several user-based and expert-based usability evaluation methods that may perform differently according to the context in which they are used. The objective of this study was to compare 2 expert-based methods, heuristic evaluation (HE) and cognitive walkthrough (CW), for evaluating usability of health care information systems. Five evaluators independently evaluated a medical office management system using HE and CW. We compared the 2 methods in terms of the number of identified usability problems, their severity, and the coverage of each method. In total, 156 problems were identified using the 2 methods. HE identified a significantly higher number of problems related to the "satisfaction" attribute ( P  = .002). The number of problems identified using CW concerning the "learnability" attribute was significantly higher than those identified using HE ( P  = .005). There was no significant difference between the number of problems identified by HE, based on different usability attributes ( P  = .232). Results of CW showed a significant difference between the number of problems related to usability attributes ( P  < .0001). The average severity of problems identified using CW was significantly higher than that of HE ( P  < .0001). This study showed that HE and CW do not differ significantly in terms of the number of usability problems identified, but they differ based on the severity of problems and the coverage of some usability attributes. The results suggest that CW would be the preferred method for evaluating systems intended for novice users and HE for users who have experience with similar systems. However, more studies are needed to support this finding. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Comparison of Computed Tomography and Chest Radiography in the Detection of Rib Fractures in Abused Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wootton-Gorges, Sandra L.; Stein-Wexler, Rebecca; Walton, John W.; Rosas, Angela J.; Coulter, Kevin P.; Rogers, Kristen K.

2008-01-01

Purpose: Chest radiographs (CXR) are the standard method for evaluating rib fractures in abused infants. Computed tomography (CT) is a sensitive method to detect rib fractures. The purpose of this study was to compare CT and CXR in the evaluation of rib fractures in abused infants. Methods: This retrospective study included all 12 abused infants…

System and algorithm for evaluation of human auditory analyzer state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachynskiy, Mykhaylo V.; Azarkhov, Oleksandr Yu.; Shtofel, Dmytro Kh.; Horbatiuk, Svitlana M.; Ławicki, Tomasz; Kalizhanova, Aliya; Smailova, Saule; Askarova, Nursanat

2017-08-01

The paper discusses questions of human auditory state evaluation with technical means. It considers the disadvantages of existing clinical audiometry methods and systems. It is proposed to use method for evaluating of auditory analyzer state by means of pulsometry to get the medical study more objective and efficient. It provides for use of two optoelectronic sensors located on the carotid artery and ear lobe, Using this method the biotechnical system for evaluation and stimulation of human auditory analyzer stare wad developed. Its hardware and software were substantiated. Different modes of simulation in the designed system were tested and the influence of the procedure on a patient was studied.

Clinical assessment of external rotation for the diagnosis of anterior shoulder hyperlaxity.

PubMed

Ropars, M; Fournier, A; Campillo, B; Bonan, I; Delamarche, P; Crétual, A; Thomazeau, H

2010-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate two methods of clinical assessment for external rotation of the shoulder to optimise the diagnosis of hyperlaxity in patients being selected for surgery for stabilisation of chronic anterior instability. External rotation was evaluated in 70 healthy student volunteers by two examiners (intertester study) using two methods of assessment at 15-day intervals (intratester study). The first method used was the protocol described for the Instability Severity Index Score (ISIS). In this case, the subject was evaluated in the sitting position, bilaterally with passive range of motion movements. The shoulder was considered hyperlax if ER1 was greater than 85°. With the second, so-called "elbow on the table" (EOT) method, the subject was evaluated in the decubitus dorsal position, unilaterally with passive range of motion. The subject was considered to be hyperlax if ER1 was greater than 90°. Kappa values for intra- and intertester agreement with the ISIS method were average, while they were satisfactory with the intraclass coefficient (ICC). Kappa values for inter- and intratester agreement with the EOT method were average and good, respectively. This tendency was confirmed by the ICC which went from good to excellent for the two examiners in both series of measurements using the EOT method, showing better reproducibility with this method. Our study confirms that the most reproducible method for assessing external rotation is obtained by unilateral assessment of the patient in the decubitus dorsal position, with passive range of motion. An ER1 of 90° is the necessary threshold for hyperlaxity because of elbow retropulsion with this method, which provides immediate and visual evaluation and eliminates the necessity of goniometry. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Evaluate E-loyalty of sales website: a Fuzzy mathematics method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Ying; Liu, Zhen-Yu; Xiong, Ying-Zi

The study about online consumer loyalty is limited, but how to evaluate the customers' E-loyalty to a sales website is always a noticeable question. By using some methods of fuzzy mathematics, we provide a more accurate way to evaluate E-loyalty of sales website. Moreover, this method can differentiate level and degree of each factor that influences E-loyalty.

Research and development of a field-ready protocol for sampling of phosgene from stationary source emissions: Diethylamine reagent studies. Research report, 11 July 1995--30 September 1996

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

Steger, J.L.; Bursey, J.T.; Merrill, R.G.

1999-03-01

This report presents the results of laboratory studies to develop and evaluate a method for the sampling and analysis of phosgene from stationary sources of air emissions using diethylamine (DEA) in toluene as the collection media. The method extracts stack gas from emission sources and stabilizes the reactive gas for subsequent analysis. DEA was evaluated both in a benchtop study and in a laboratory train spiking study. This report includes results for both the benchtop study and the train spiking study. Benchtop studies to evaluate the suitability of DEA for collecting and analyzing phosgene investigated five variables: storage time, DEAmore » concentration, moisture/pH, phosgene concentration, and sample storage temperature. Prototype sampling train studies were performed to determine if the benchtop chemical studies were transferable to a Modified Method 5 sampling train collecting phosgene in the presence of clean air mixed with typical stack gas components. Four conditions, which varied the moisture and phosgene spike were evaluated in triplicate. In addition to research results, the report includes a detailed draft method for sampling and analysis of phosgene from stationary source emissions.« less

Evaluation Methods for Assessing Users’ Psychological Experiences of Web-Based Psychosocial Interventions: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Howson, Moira; Ritchie, Linda; Carter, Philip D; Parry, David Tudor; Koziol-McLain, Jane

2016-01-01

Background The use of Web-based interventions to deliver mental health and behavior change programs is increasingly popular. They are cost-effective, accessible, and generally effective. Often these interventions concern psychologically sensitive and challenging issues, such as depression or anxiety. The process by which a person receives and experiences therapy is important to understanding therapeutic process and outcomes. While the experience of the patient or client in traditional face-to-face therapy has been evaluated in a number of ways, there appeared to be a gap in the evaluation of patient experiences of therapeutic interventions delivered online. Evaluation of Web-based artifacts has focused either on evaluation of experience from a computer Web-design perspective through usability testing or on evaluation of treatment effectiveness. Neither of these methods focuses on the psychological experience of the person while engaged in the therapeutic process. Objective This study aimed to investigate what methods, if any, have been used to evaluate the in situ psychological experience of users of Web-based self-help psychosocial interventions. Methods A systematic literature review was undertaken of interdisciplinary databases with a focus on health and computer sciences. Studies that met a predetermined search protocol were included. Results Among 21 studies identified that examined psychological experience of the user, only 1 study collected user experience in situ. The most common method of understanding users’ experience was through semistructured interviews conducted posttreatment or questionnaires administrated at the end of an intervention session. The questionnaires were usually based on standardized tools used to assess user experience with traditional face-to-face treatment. Conclusions There is a lack of methods specified in the literature to evaluate the interface between Web-based mental health or behavior change artifacts and users. Main limitations in the research were the nascency of the topic and cross-disciplinary nature of the field. There is a need to develop and deliver methods of understanding users’ psychological experiences while using an intervention. PMID:27363519

A hybrid method for evaluating enterprise architecture implementation.

PubMed

Nikpay, Fatemeh; Ahmad, Rodina; Yin Kia, Chiam

2017-02-01

Enterprise Architecture (EA) implementation evaluation provides a set of methods and practices for evaluating the EA implementation artefacts within an EA implementation project. There are insufficient practices in existing EA evaluation models in terms of considering all EA functions and processes, using structured methods in developing EA implementation, employing matured practices, and using appropriate metrics to achieve proper evaluation. The aim of this research is to develop a hybrid evaluation method that supports achieving the objectives of EA implementation. To attain this aim, the first step is to identify EA implementation evaluation practices. To this end, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted. Second, the proposed hybrid method was developed based on the foundation and information extracted from the SLR, semi-structured interviews with EA practitioners, program theory evaluation and Information Systems (ISs) evaluation. Finally, the proposed method was validated by means of a case study and expert reviews. This research provides a suitable foundation for researchers who wish to extend and continue this research topic with further analysis and exploration, and for practitioners who would like to employ an effective and lightweight evaluation method for EA projects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Intralaminar Progressive Damage and Failure Analysis Using an Efficient Evaluation Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hyder, Imran; Schaefer, Joseph; Justusson, Brian; Wanthal, Steve; Leone, Frank; Rose, Cheryl

2017-01-01

Reducing the timeline for development and certification for composite structures has been a long standing objective of the aerospace industry. This timeline can be further exacerbated when attempting to integrate new fiber-reinforced composite materials due to the large number of testing required at every level of design. computational progressive damage and failure analysis (PDFA) attempts to mitigate this effect; however, new PDFA methods have been slow to be adopted in industry since material model evaluation techniques have not been fully defined. This study presents an efficient evaluation framework which uses a piecewise verification and validation (V&V) approach for PDFA methods. Specifically, the framework is applied to evaluate PDFA research codes within the context of intralaminar damage. Methods are incrementally taken through various V&V exercises specifically tailored to study PDFA intralaminar damage modeling capability. Finally, methods are evaluated against a defined set of success criteria to highlight successes and limitations.

Nursing students’ satisfaction about their field of study

PubMed Central

HAKIM, ASHRAFALSADAT

2014-01-01

Introduction: Nowadays students' opinion is considered as a necessary factor to evaluate quality in universities. This study was performed to evaluate the nursing students' satisfaction about their field of study. Methods: The research population in this study consists of all the students of nursing studying at the second to fourth year of university (72 students). The data were collected from all the studied population. Data collection instrument was a research questionnaire. In this cross-sectional research, nursing students' satisfaction (72 students) in 6 major topics (situation of educational environment, situation of clinical environment, trainers, social image, relation to colleagues and management) was studied. The data were analyzed in SPSS, version 14, using quantitative variables and descriptive statistics including frequency distribution tables and diagrams. Results: The findings indicated that 83.3% of the students had little satisfaction as to the situation of educational environment, 47.2% about situation of clinical environment, 41.7% concerning the theoretical educational method by professors, and 41.7% as to the method of clinical education by clinical trainers. Also 47.2% were not that satisfied with the method of evaluation by the school professors, 80.6% with the method of relationship with colleagues and also 62.5% with the nursing social image. Moreover, findings indicated that 33.3% of the participants in this research were dissatisfied with the method of evaluation by clinical trainers and 50% with the method of nursing management. Conclusion: In the present study, most students had little satisfaction concerning their field of study. So it is necessary to make an attempt for continuous development of quality services. PMID:25512925

Evaluation of background parenchymal enhancement on breast MRI: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Signori, Alessio; Valdora, Francesca; Rossi, Federica; Calabrese, Massimo; Durando, Manuela; Mariscotto, Giovanna; Tagliafico, Alberto

2017-01-01

Objective: To perform a systematic review of the methods used for background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) evaluation on breast MRI. Methods: Studies dealing with BPE assessment on breast MRI were retrieved from major medical libraries independently by four reviewers up to 6 October 2015. The keywords used for database searching are “background parenchymal enhancement”, “parenchymal enhancement”, “MRI” and “breast”. The studies were included if qualitative and/or quantitative methods for BPE assessment were described. Results: Of the 420 studies identified, a total of 52 articles were included in the systematic review. 28 studies performed only a qualitative assessment of BPE, 13 studies performed only a quantitative assessment and 11 studies performed both qualitative and quantitative assessments. A wide heterogeneity was found in the MRI sequences and in the quantitative methods used for BPE assessment. Conclusion: A wide variability exists in the quantitative evaluation of BPE on breast MRI. More studies focused on a reliable and comparable method for quantitative BPE assessment are needed. Advances in knowledge: More studies focused on a quantitative BPE assessment are needed. PMID:27925480

Assessing the reliability of ecotoxicological studies: An overview of current needs and approaches.

PubMed

Moermond, Caroline; Beasley, Amy; Breton, Roger; Junghans, Marion; Laskowski, Ryszard; Solomon, Keith; Zahner, Holly

2017-07-01

In general, reliable studies are well designed and well performed, and enough details on study design and performance are reported to assess the study. For hazard and risk assessment in various legal frameworks, many different types of ecotoxicity studies need to be evaluated for reliability. These studies vary in study design, methodology, quality, and level of detail reported (e.g., reviews, peer-reviewed research papers, or industry-sponsored studies documented under Good Laboratory Practice [GLP] guidelines). Regulators have the responsibility to make sound and verifiable decisions and should evaluate each study for reliability in accordance with scientific principles regardless of whether they were conducted in accordance with GLP and/or standardized methods. Thus, a systematic and transparent approach is needed to evaluate studies for reliability. In this paper, 8 different methods for reliability assessment were compared using a number of attributes: categorical versus numerical scoring methods, use of exclusion and critical criteria, weighting of criteria, whether methods are tested with case studies, domain of applicability, bias toward GLP studies, incorporation of standard guidelines in the evaluation method, number of criteria used, type of criteria considered, and availability of guidance material. Finally, some considerations are given on how to choose a suitable method for assessing reliability of ecotoxicity studies. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:640-651. © 2016 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2016 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Evaluation of methods of temperament scoring for beef cattle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Temperament can negatively affect various production traits, including live weight, ADG, DMI, conception rates and carcass weight. The objective of this research study was to evaluate temperament scoring methods in beef cattle. Crossbred (n = 228) calves were evaluated for temperament at weaning by ...

Comparison of micrometeorological methods using open-path optical instruments for measuring methane emission from agricultural sites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, we evaluated the accuracies of two relatively new micrometeorological methods using open-path tunable diode laser absorption spectrometers: vertical radial plume mapping method (US EPA OTM-10) and the backward Lagragian stochastic method (Wintrax®). We have evaluated the accuracy of t...

Performance of human fecal anaerobe-associated PCR-based assays in a multi-laboratory method evaluation study

EPA Science Inventory

A number of PCR-based methods for detecting human fecal material in environmental waters have been developed over the past decade, but these methods have rarely received independent comparative testing. Here, we evaluated ten of these methods (BacH, BacHum-UCD, B. thetaiotaomic...

Differences in Student Reasoning about Belief-Relevant Arguments: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCrudden, Matthew T.; Barnes, Ashleigh

2016-01-01

This mixed methods study investigated high school students' evaluations of scientific arguments. Myside bias occurs when individuals evaluate belief-consistent information more favorably than belief-inconsistent information. In the quantitative phase, participants (n = 72 males) rated belief-consistent arguments more favorably than…

The Evaluation of HRD: A Critical Study with Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tome, Eduardo

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze critically the most important methods that are used in the evaluation of human resource development (HRD). Design/methodology/approach: The approach is to ask two questions: What are the methods available to define the impact of HRD in the economy? How can we evaluate the evaluations that have been…

Evaluation of the Michigan Public School Academy Initiative: Final Report [and] Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Jerry; Miron, Gary

This is the final report of a one-year evaluation of the Michigan Public School Academy (PSA) initiative. The evaluation involved both formative and summative evaluations and used both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study was conducted between October 1997 and December 1998. Data-collection methods included a charter-school survey and a…

Dynamic Transmission Economic Evaluation of Infectious Disease Interventions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Drake, Tom L; Devine, Angela; Yeung, Shunmay; Day, Nicholas P J; White, Lisa J; Lubell, Yoel

2016-02-01

Economic evaluation using dynamic transmission models is important for capturing the indirect effects of infectious disease interventions. We examine the use of these methods in low- and middle-income countries, where infectious diseases constitute a major burden. This review is comprised of two parts: (1) a summary of dynamic transmission economic evaluations across all disease areas published between 2011 and mid-2014 and (2) an in-depth review of mosquito-borne disease studies focusing on health economic methods and reporting. Studies were identified through a systematic search of the MEDLINE database and supplemented by reference list screening. Fifty-seven studies were eligible for inclusion in the all-disease review. The most common subject disease was HIV/AIDS, followed by malaria. A diverse range of modelling methods, outcome metrics and sensitivity analyses were used, indicating little standardisation. Seventeen studies were included in the mosquito-borne disease review. With notable exceptions, most studies did not employ economic evaluation methods beyond calculating a cost-effectiveness ratio or net benefit. Many did not adhere to health care economic evaluations reporting guidelines, particularly with respect to full model reporting and uncertainty analysis. We present a summary of the state-of-the-art and offer recommendations for improved implementation and reporting of health economic methods in this crossover discipline. © 2016 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Mixed Methods Content Analysis of the Research Literature in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schram, Asta B.

2014-10-01

In recent years, more and more researchers in science education have been turning to the practice of combining qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study. This approach of using mixed methods creates possibilities to study the various issues that science educators encounter in more depth. In this content analysis, I evaluated 18 studies from science education journals as they relate to the definition, design, and overall practice of using mixed methods. I scrutinized a purposeful sample, derived from 3 journals (the International Journal of Science Education, the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, and the Research in Science Education) in terms of the type of data collected, timing, priority, design, the mixing of the 2 data strands in the studies, and the justifications authors provide for using mixed methods. Furthermore, the articles were evaluated in terms of how well they met contemporary definitions for mixed methods research. The studies varied considerably in the use and understanding of mixed methods. A systematic evaluation of the employment of mixed methods methodology was used to identify the studies that best reflected contemporary definitions. A comparison to earlier content analyses of mixed methods research indicates that researchers' knowledge of mixed methods methodology may be increasing. The use of this strategy in science education research calls, however, for an improved methodology, especially concerning the practice of mixing. Suggestions are given on how to best use this approach.

Drug exposure in register-based research—An expert-opinion based evaluation of methods

PubMed Central

Taipale, Heidi; Koponen, Marjaana; Tolppanen, Anna-Maija; Hartikainen, Sirpa; Ahonen, Riitta; Tiihonen, Jari

2017-01-01

Background In register-based pharmacoepidemiological studies, construction of drug exposure periods from drug purchases is a major methodological challenge. Various methods have been applied but their validity is rarely evaluated. Our objective was to conduct an expert-opinion based evaluation of the correctness of drug use periods produced by different methods. Methods Drug use periods were calculated with three fixed methods: time windows, assumption of one Defined Daily Dose (DDD) per day and one tablet per day, and with PRE2DUP that is based on modelling of individual drug purchasing behavior. Expert-opinion based evaluation was conducted with 200 randomly selected purchase histories of warfarin, bisoprolol, simvastatin, risperidone and mirtazapine in the MEDALZ-2005 cohort (28,093 persons with Alzheimer’s disease). Two experts reviewed purchase histories and judged which methods had joined correct purchases and gave correct duration for each of 1000 drug exposure periods. Results The evaluated correctness of drug use periods was 70–94% for PRE2DUP, and depending on grace periods and time window lengths 0–73% for tablet methods, 0–41% for DDD methods and 0–11% for time window methods. The highest rate of evaluated correct solutions for each method class were observed for 1 tablet per day with 180 days grace period (TAB_1_180, 43–73%), and 1 DDD per day with 180 days grace period (1–41%). Time window methods produced at maximum only 11% correct solutions. The best performing fixed method TAB_1_180 reached highest correctness for simvastatin 73% (95% CI 65–81%) whereas 89% (95% CI 84–94%) of PRE2DUP periods were judged as correct. Conclusions This study shows inaccuracy of fixed methods and the urgent need for new data-driven methods. In the expert-opinion based evaluation, the lowest error rates were observed with data-driven method PRE2DUP. PMID:28886089

A Mixed Method Exploration of the Efficacy of the Teacher Evaluation System in Southwestern Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johns, Caroline

2017-01-01

This mixed method study was a practitioner inquiry into the teacher evaluation system that was enacted as a result of Pennsylvania House Bill 1901 (Act 82 of 2012). The study was an effort to gain an in-depth understanding of (a) factors that led to the passage of the Act 82 teacher evaluation policy, (b) what the policy was intended to do, and…

An Evaluation Model Applied to a Mathematics-Methods Program Involving Three Characteristics of Teaching Style and Their Relationship to Pupil Achievement. Teacher Education Forum; Volume 3, Number 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodd, Carol Ann

This study explores a technique for evaluating teacher education programs in terms of teaching competencies, as applied to the Indiana University Mathematics Methods Program (MMP). The evaluation procedures formulated for the study include a process product design in combination with a modification of Pophan's performance test paradigm and Gage's…

Evaluation of the effect of synthetic fibers and nonwoven geotextile reinforcement on the stability of heavy clay embankments.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-04-01

This study evaluates two methods for repairing slope surface failures of clayey soil embankments. One method involves reinforcing the cohesive soils with randomly oriented synthetic fibers; the other method incorporates non-woven geotextiles. The per...

[Comparative study on four kinds of assessment methods of post-marketing safety of Danhong injection].

PubMed

Li, Xuelin; Tang, Jinfa; Meng, Fei; Li, Chunxiao; Xie, Yanming

2011-10-01

To study the adverse reaction of Danhong injection with four kinds of methods, central monitoring method, chart review method, literature study method and spontaneous reporting method, and to compare the differences between them, explore an appropriate method to carry out post-marketing safety evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine injection. Set down the adverse reactions' questionnaire of four kinds of methods, central monitoring method, chart review method, literature study method and collect the information on adverse reactions in a certain period. Danhong injection adverse reaction information from Henan Province spontaneous reporting system was collected with spontaneous reporting method. Carry on data summary and descriptive analysis. Study the adverse reaction of Danhong injection with four methods of central monitoring method, chart review method, literature study method and spontaneous reporting method, the rates of adverse events were 0.993%, 0.336%, 0.515%, 0.067%, respectively. Cyanosis, arrhythmia, hypotension, sweating, erythema, hemorrhage dermatitis, rash, irritability, bleeding gums, toothache, tinnitus, asthma, elevated aminotransferases, constipation, pain are new discovered adverse reactions. The central monitoring method is the appropriate method to carry out post-marketing safety evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine injection, which could objectively reflect the real world of clinical usage.

Changes in Patterns of Teacher Interaction in Primary Classrooms: 1976-96.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galton, Maurice; Hargreaves, Linda; Comber, Chris; Wall, Debbie; Pell, Tony

1999-01-01

Addresses the effectiveness of teaching methods in English primary school classrooms. Evaluates the interventions designed to change primary educators' teaching methods by replicating the Observational Research and Classroom Learning Evaluation (ORACLE) study that was originally conducted in 1976. Compares the results from the original study to…

Performance of forty-one microbial source tracking methods: A twenty-seven lab evaluation study

EPA Science Inventory

The last decade has seen development of numerous new microbial source tracking (MST) methodologies, but many of these have been tested in just a few laboratories with a limited number of fecal samples. This method evaluation study examined the specificity and sensitivity of 43 ...

Full Bayesian evaluation of the safety effects of reducing the posted speed limit in urban residential area.

PubMed

Islam, Md Tazul; El-Basyouny, Karim

2015-07-01

Full Bayesian (FB) before-after evaluation is a newer approach than the empirical Bayesian (EB) evaluation in traffic safety research. While a number of earlier studies have conducted univariate and multivariate FB before-after safety evaluations and compared the results with the EB method, often contradictory conclusions have been drawn. To this end, the objectives of the current study were to (i) perform a before-after safety evaluation using both the univariate and multivariate FB methods in order to enhance our understanding of these methodologies, (ii) perform the EB evaluation and compare the results with those of the FB methods and (iii) apply the FB and EB methods to evaluate the safety effects of reducing the urban residential posted speed limit (PSL) for policy recommendation. In addition to three years of crash data for both the before and after periods, traffic volume, road geometry and other relevant data for both the treated and reference sites were collected and used. According to the model goodness-of-fit criteria, the current study found that the multivariate FB model for crash severities outperformed the univariate FB models. Moreover, in terms of statistical significance of the safety effects, the EB and FB methods led to opposite conclusions when the safety effects were relatively small with high standard deviation. Therefore, caution should be taken in drawing conclusions from the EB method. Based on the FB method, the PSL reduction was found effective in reducing crashes of all severities and thus is recommended for improving safety on urban residential collector roads. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The PneuCarriage Project: A Multi-Centre Comparative Study to Identify the Best Serotyping Methods for Examining Pneumococcal Carriage in Vaccine Evaluation Studies

PubMed Central

Satzke, Catherine; Dunne, Eileen M.; Porter, Barbara D.; Klugman, Keith P.; Mulholland, E. Kim

2015-01-01

Background The pneumococcus is a diverse pathogen whose primary niche is the nasopharynx. Over 90 different serotypes exist, and nasopharyngeal carriage of multiple serotypes is common. Understanding pneumococcal carriage is essential for evaluating the impact of pneumococcal vaccines. Traditional serotyping methods are cumbersome and insufficient for detecting multiple serotype carriage, and there are few data comparing the new methods that have been developed over the past decade. We established the PneuCarriage project, a large, international multi-centre study dedicated to the identification of the best pneumococcal serotyping methods for carriage studies. Methods and Findings Reference sample sets were distributed to 15 research groups for blinded testing. Twenty pneumococcal serotyping methods were used to test 81 laboratory-prepared (spiked) samples. The five top-performing methods were used to test 260 nasopharyngeal (field) samples collected from children in six high-burden countries. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) were determined for the test methods and the reference method (traditional serotyping of >100 colonies from each sample). For the alternate serotyping methods, the overall sensitivity ranged from 1% to 99% (reference method 98%), and PPV from 8% to 100% (reference method 100%), when testing the spiked samples. Fifteen methods had ≥70% sensitivity to detect the dominant (major) serotype, whilst only eight methods had ≥70% sensitivity to detect minor serotypes. For the field samples, the overall sensitivity ranged from 74.2% to 95.8% (reference method 93.8%), and PPV from 82.2% to 96.4% (reference method 99.6%). The microarray had the highest sensitivity (95.8%) and high PPV (93.7%). The major limitation of this study is that not all of the available alternative serotyping methods were included. Conclusions Most methods were able to detect the dominant serotype in a sample, but many performed poorly in detecting the minor serotype populations. Microarray with a culture amplification step was the top-performing method. Results from this comprehensive evaluation will inform future vaccine evaluation and impact studies, particularly in low-income settings, where pneumococcal disease burden remains high. PMID:26575033

Approaches to chronic disease management evaluation in use in Europe: a review of current methods and performance measures.

PubMed

Conklin, Annalijn; Nolte, Ellen; Vrijhoef, Hubertus

2013-01-01

An overview was produced of approaches currently used to evaluate chronic disease management in selected European countries. The study aims to describe the methods and metrics used in Europe as a first to help advance the methodological basis for their assessment. A common template for collection of evaluation methods and performance measures was sent to key informants in twelve European countries; responses were summarized in tables based on template evaluation categories. Extracted data were descriptively analyzed. Approaches to the evaluation of chronic disease management vary widely in objectives, designs, metrics, observation period, and data collection methods. Half of the reported studies used noncontrolled designs. The majority measure clinical process measures, patient behavior and satisfaction, cost and utilization; several also used a range of structural indicators. Effects are usually observed over 1 or 3 years on patient populations with a single, commonly prevalent, chronic disease. There is wide variation within and between European countries on approaches to evaluating chronic disease management in their objectives, designs, indicators, target audiences, and actors involved. This study is the first extensive, international overview of the area reported in the literature.

Quantifying the quality of medical x-ray images: An evaluation based on normal anatomy for lumbar spine and chest radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tingberg, Anders Martin

Optimisation in diagnostic radiology requires accurate methods for determination of patient absorbed dose and clinical image quality. Simple methods for evaluation of clinical image quality are at present scarce and this project aims at developing such methods. Two methods are used and further developed; fulfillment of image criteria (IC) and visual grading analysis (VGA). Clinical image quality descriptors are defined based on these two methods: image criteria score (ICS) and visual grading analysis score (VGAS), respectively. For both methods the basis is the Image Criteria of the ``European Guidelines on Quality Criteria for Diagnostic Radiographic Images''. Both methods have proved to be useful for evaluation of clinical image quality. The two methods complement each other: IC is an absolute method, which means that the quality of images of different patients and produced with different radiographic techniques can be compared with each other. The separating power of IC is, however, weaker than that of VGA. VGA is the best method for comparing images produced with different radiographic techniques and has strong separating power, but the results are relative, since the quality of an image is compared to the quality of a reference image. The usefulness of the two methods has been verified by comparing the results from both of them with results from a generally accepted method for evaluation of clinical image quality, receiver operating characteristics (ROC). The results of the comparison between the two methods based on visibility of anatomical structures and the method based on detection of pathological structures (free-response forced error) indicate that the former two methods can be used for evaluation of clinical image quality as efficiently as the method based on ROC. More studies are, however, needed for us to be able to draw a general conclusion, including studies of other organs, using other radiographic techniques, etc. The results of the experimental evaluation of clinical image quality are compared with physical quantities calculated with a theoretical model based on a voxel phantom, and correlations are found. The results demonstrate that the computer model can be a useful toot in planning further experimental studies.

Innovations for Evaluation Research: Multiform Protocols, Visual Analog Scaling, and the Retrospective Pretest-Posttest Design.

PubMed

Chang, Rong; Little, Todd D

2018-06-01

In this article, we review three innovative methods: multiform protocols, visual analog scaling, and the retrospective pretest-posttest design that can be used in evaluation research. These three techniques have been proposed for decades, but unfortunately, they are still not utilized readily in evaluation research. Our goal is to familiarize researchers with these underutilized research techniques that could reduce personnel effort and costs for data collection while producing better inferences for a study. We begin by discussing their applications and special unique features. We then discuss each technique's strengths and limitations and offer practical tips on how to better implement these methods in evaluation research. We then showcase two recent empirical studies that implement these methods in real-world evaluation research applications.

DC/DC Converter Stability Testing Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Bright L.

2008-01-01

This report presents study results on hybrid DC/DC converter stability testing methods. An input impedance measurement method and a gain/phase margin measurement method were evaluated to be effective to determine front-end oscillation and feedback loop oscillation. In particular, certain channel power levels of converter input noises have been found to have high degree correlation with the gain/phase margins. It becomes a potential new method to evaluate stability levels of all type of DC/DC converters by utilizing the spectral analysis on converter input noises.

Dynamic spiking studies using the DNPH sampling train

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

Steger, J.L.; Knoll, J.E.

1996-12-31

The proposed aldehyde and ketone sampling method using aqueous 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) was evaluated in the laboratory and in the field. The sampling trains studied were based on the train described in SW 846 Method 0011. Nine compounds were evaluated: formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, quinone, acrolein, propionaldeyde, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl ethyl ketone, acetophenone, and isophorone. In the laboratory, the trains were spiked both statistically and dynamically. Laboratory studies also investigated potential interferences to the method. Based on their potential to hydrolyze in acid solution to form formaldehyde, dimethylolurea, saligenin, s-trioxane, hexamethylenetetramine, and paraformaldehyde were investigated. Ten runs were performed using quadruplicate samplingmore » trains. Two of the four trains were dynamically spiked with the nine aldehydes and ketones. The test results were evaluated using the EPA method 301 criteria for method precision (< + pr - 50% relative standard deviation) and bias (correction factor of 1.00 + or - 0.30).« less

ACORN's Accelerated Income Redistribution Project: A Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Fred; Russell, Daniel; Fisher, Robert

2006-01-01

Objective: This study evaluated the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now's (ACORN) efforts to increase the uptake of families claiming the earned income tax credit through door-to-door canvassing and managing free tax preparation clinics in three pilot cities. Method: The mixed-method program evaluation included administrative…

FE-ANN based modeling of 3D Simple Reinforced Concrete Girders for Objective Structural Health Evaluation : Tech Transfer Summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-06-01

The objective of this study was to develop an objective, quantitative method for evaluating damage to bridge girders by using artificial neural networks (ANNs). This evaluation method, which is a supplement to visual inspection, requires only the res...

The PneuCarriage Project: A Multi-Centre Comparative Study to Identify the Best Serotyping Methods for Examining Pneumococcal Carriage in Vaccine Evaluation Studies.

PubMed

Satzke, Catherine; Dunne, Eileen M; Porter, Barbara D; Klugman, Keith P; Mulholland, E Kim

2015-11-01

The pneumococcus is a diverse pathogen whose primary niche is the nasopharynx. Over 90 different serotypes exist, and nasopharyngeal carriage of multiple serotypes is common. Understanding pneumococcal carriage is essential for evaluating the impact of pneumococcal vaccines. Traditional serotyping methods are cumbersome and insufficient for detecting multiple serotype carriage, and there are few data comparing the new methods that have been developed over the past decade. We established the PneuCarriage project, a large, international multi-centre study dedicated to the identification of the best pneumococcal serotyping methods for carriage studies. Reference sample sets were distributed to 15 research groups for blinded testing. Twenty pneumococcal serotyping methods were used to test 81 laboratory-prepared (spiked) samples. The five top-performing methods were used to test 260 nasopharyngeal (field) samples collected from children in six high-burden countries. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) were determined for the test methods and the reference method (traditional serotyping of >100 colonies from each sample). For the alternate serotyping methods, the overall sensitivity ranged from 1% to 99% (reference method 98%), and PPV from 8% to 100% (reference method 100%), when testing the spiked samples. Fifteen methods had ≥70% sensitivity to detect the dominant (major) serotype, whilst only eight methods had ≥70% sensitivity to detect minor serotypes. For the field samples, the overall sensitivity ranged from 74.2% to 95.8% (reference method 93.8%), and PPV from 82.2% to 96.4% (reference method 99.6%). The microarray had the highest sensitivity (95.8%) and high PPV (93.7%). The major limitation of this study is that not all of the available alternative serotyping methods were included. Most methods were able to detect the dominant serotype in a sample, but many performed poorly in detecting the minor serotype populations. Microarray with a culture amplification step was the top-performing method. Results from this comprehensive evaluation will inform future vaccine evaluation and impact studies, particularly in low-income settings, where pneumococcal disease burden remains high.

Survey of Manual Methods of Measurements of Asbestos, Beryllium, Lead, Cadmium, Selenium, and Mercury in Stationary Source Emissions. Environmental Monitoring Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulson, Dale M.; And Others

The purpose of this study is to evaluate existing manual methods for analyzing asbestos, beryllium, lead, cadmium, selenium, and mercury, and from this evaluation to provide the best and most practical set of analytical methods for measuring emissions of these elements from stationary sources. The work in this study was divided into two phases.…

PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF EPA'S PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF FEDERAL REFERENCE METHODS AND FEDERAL EQUIVALENT METHODS FOR COARSE PARTICULATE MATTER

EPA Science Inventory

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of sampling methods for potential use as a Federal Reference Method (FRM) capable of providing an estimate of coarse particle (PMc: particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter between 2.5 µm and 10 µm) ...

Usability evaluation techniques in mobile commerce applications: A systematic review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Azham; Mkpojiogu, Emmanuel O. C.

2016-08-01

Obviously, there are a number of literatures concerning the usability of mobile commerce (m-commerce) applications and related areas, but they do not adequately provide knowledge about usability techniques used in most of the empirical usability evaluation for m-commerce application. Therefore, this paper is aimed at producing the usability techniques frequently used in the aspect of usability evaluation for m-commerce applications. To achieve the stated objective, systematic literature review was employed. Sixty seven papers were downloaded in usability evaluation for m-commerce and related areas; twenty one most relevant studies were selected for review in order to extract the appropriate information. The results from the review shows that heuristic evaluation, formal test and think aloud methods are the most commonly used methods in m-commerce application in comparison to cognitive walkthrough and the informal test methods. Moreover, most of the studies applied control experiment (33.3% of the total studies); other studies that applied case study for usability evaluation are 14.28%. The results from this paper provide additional knowledge to the usability practitioners and research community for the current state and use of usability techniques in m-commerce application.

Plant species classification using flower images—A comparative study of local feature representations

PubMed Central

Seeland, Marco; Rzanny, Michael; Alaqraa, Nedal; Wäldchen, Jana; Mäder, Patrick

2017-01-01

Steady improvements of image description methods induced a growing interest in image-based plant species classification, a task vital to the study of biodiversity and ecological sensitivity. Various techniques have been proposed for general object classification over the past years and several of them have already been studied for plant species classification. However, results of these studies are selective in the evaluated steps of a classification pipeline, in the utilized datasets for evaluation, and in the compared baseline methods. No study is available that evaluates the main competing methods for building an image representation on the same datasets allowing for generalized findings regarding flower-based plant species classification. The aim of this paper is to comparatively evaluate methods, method combinations, and their parameters towards classification accuracy. The investigated methods span from detection, extraction, fusion, pooling, to encoding of local features for quantifying shape and color information of flower images. We selected the flower image datasets Oxford Flower 17 and Oxford Flower 102 as well as our own Jena Flower 30 dataset for our experiments. Findings show large differences among the various studied techniques and that their wisely chosen orchestration allows for high accuracies in species classification. We further found that true local feature detectors in combination with advanced encoding methods yield higher classification results at lower computational costs compared to commonly used dense sampling and spatial pooling methods. Color was found to be an indispensable feature for high classification results, especially while preserving spatial correspondence to gray-level features. In result, our study provides a comprehensive overview of competing techniques and the implications of their main parameters for flower-based plant species classification. PMID:28234999

Measurement methods to assess diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle (DRAM): A systematic review of their measurement properties and meta-analytic reliability generalisation.

PubMed

van de Water, A T M; Benjamin, D R

2016-02-01

Systematic literature review. Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle (DRAM) has been linked with low back pain, abdominal and pelvic dysfunction. Measurement is used to either screen or to monitor DRAM width. Determining which methods are suitable for screening and monitoring DRAM is of clinical value. To identify the best methods to screen for DRAM presence and monitor DRAM width. AMED, Embase, Medline, PubMed and CINAHL databases were searched for measurement property studies of DRAM measurement methods. Population characteristics, measurement methods/procedures and measurement information were extracted from included studies. Quality of all studies was evaluated using 'quality rating criteria'. When possible, reliability generalisation was conducted to provide combined reliability estimations. Thirteen studies evaluated measurement properties of the 'finger width'-method, tape measure, calipers, ultrasound, CT and MRI. Ultrasound was most evaluated. Methodological quality of these studies varied widely. Pearson's correlations of r = 0.66-0.79 were found between calipers and ultrasound measurements. Calipers and ultrasound had Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) of 0.78-0.97 for test-retest, inter- and intra-rater reliability. The 'finger width'-method had weighted Kappa's of 0.73-0.77 for test-retest reliability, but moderate agreement (63%; weighted Kappa = 0.53) between raters. Comparing calipers and ultrasound, low measurement error was found (above the umbilicus), and the methods had good agreement (83%; weighted Kappa = 0.66) for discriminative purposes. The available information support ultrasound and calipers as adequate methods to assess DRAM. For other methods limited measurement information of low to moderate quality is available and further evaluation of their measurement properties is required. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of air quality in Haora River basin using fuzzy multiple-attribute decision making techniques.

PubMed

Singh, Ajit Pratap; Chakrabarti, Sumanta; Kumar, Sumit; Singh, Anjaney

2017-08-01

This paper deals with assessment of air quality in Haora River basin using two techniques. Initially, air quality indices were evaluated using a modified EPA method. The indices were also evaluated using a fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA) method. The results obtained from the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method were compared to that obtained from the modified EPA method. To illustrate the applicability of the methodology proposed herein, a case study has been presented. Air samples have been collected at 10 sampling sites located along Haora River. Six important air pollutants, namely, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, suspended particulate matter (SPM), PM 10 , and lead, were monitored continuously, and air quality maps were generated on the GIS platform. Comparison of the methodologies has clearly highlighted superiority and robustness of the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method in determining air quality indices under study. It has effectively addressed the inherent uncertainties involved in the evaluation, modeling, and interpretation of sampling data, which was beyond the scope of the traditional weighted approaches employed otherwise. The FCA method is robust and prepares a credible platform of air quality evaluation and identification, in face of the uncertainties that remain eclipsed in the traditional approaches like the modified EPA method. The insights gained through the present study are believed to be of pivotal significance in guiding the development and implementation of effective environmental remedial action plans in the study area.

The Evaluation of the Studies Related to the New Curriculum of Physics Course: The Case of Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ergin, Ismet

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to state the points when choosing a method in studies concerning physics course new curriculum by evaluating researches whose topics are secondary physics course curriculum (in Turkey) in terms of subject, objective, method and consequences. 24 researches conducted within the lines of secondary physics course curriculum…

Qualitative Evaluation Methods in Ethics Education: A Systematic Review and Analysis of Best Practices.

PubMed

Watts, Logan L; Todd, E Michelle; Mulhearn, Tyler J; Medeiros, Kelsey E; Mumford, Michael D; Connelly, Shane

2017-01-01

Although qualitative research offers some unique advantages over quantitative research, qualitative methods are rarely employed in the evaluation of ethics education programs and are often criticized for a lack of rigor. This systematic review investigated the use of qualitative methods in studies of ethics education. Following a review of the literature in which 24 studies were identified, each study was coded based on 16 best practices characteristics in qualitative research. General thematic analysis and grounded theory were found to be the dominant approaches used. Researchers are effectively executing a number of best practices, such as using direct data sources, structured data collection instruments, non-leading questioning, and expert raters. However, other best practices were rarely present in the courses reviewed, such as collecting data using multiple sources, methods, raters, and timepoints, evaluating reliability, and employing triangulation analyses to assess convergence. Recommendations are presented for improving future qualitative research studies in ethics education.

Novel methods to estimate antiretroviral adherence: protocol for a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Saberi, Parya; Ming, Kristin; Legnitto, Dominique; Neilands, Torsten B; Gandhi, Monica; Johnson, Mallory O

2018-01-01

Background There is currently no gold standard for assessing antiretroviral (ARV) adherence, so researchers often resort to the most feasible and cost-effective methods possible (eg, self-report), which may be biased or inaccurate. The goal of our study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of innovative and remote methods to estimate ARV adherence, which can potentially be conducted with less time and financial resources in a wide range of clinic and research settings. Here, we describe the research protocol for studying these novel methods and some lessons learned. Methods The 6-month pilot study aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a remotely conducted study to evaluate the correlation between: 1) text-messaged photographs of pharmacy refill dates for refill-based adherence; 2) text-messaged photographs of pills for pill count-based adherence; and 3) home-collected hair sample measures of ARV concentration for pharmacologic-based adherence. Participants were sent monthly automated text messages to collect refill dates and pill counts that were taken and sent via mobile telephone photographs, and hair collection kits every 2 months by mail. At the study end, feasibility was calculated by specific metrics, such as the receipt of hair samples and responses to text messages. Participants completed a quantitative survey and qualitative exit interviews to examine the acceptability of these adherence evaluation methods. The relationship between the 3 novel metrics of adherence and self-reported adherence will be assessed. Discussion Investigators conducting adherence research are often limited to using either self-reported adherence, which is subjective, biased, and often overestimated, or other more complex methods. Here, we describe the protocol for evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of 3 novel and remote methods of estimating adherence, with the aim of evaluating the relationships between them. Additionally, we note the lessons learned from the protocol implementation to date. We expect that these novel measures will be feasible and acceptable. The implications of this research will be the identification and evaluation of innovative and accurate metrics of ARV adherence for future implementation. PMID:29950816

Factors influencing the results of faculty evaluation in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

PubMed Central

Kamali, Farahnaz; Yamani, Nikoo; Changiz, Tahereh; Zoubin, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore factors influencing the results of faculty member evaluation from the viewpoints of faculty members affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative study was done using a conventional content analysis method. Participants were faculty members of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences who, considering maximum variation in sampling, were chosen with a purposive sampling method. Semi-structured interviews were held with 11 faculty members until data saturation was reached. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with conventional content analysis method for theme development. Further, the MAXQDA software was used for data management. RESULTS: The data analysis led to the development of two main themes, namely, “characteristics of the educational system” and “characteristics of the faculty member evaluation system.” The first main theme consists of three categories, i.e. “characteristics of influential people in evaluation,” “features of the courses,” and “background characteristics.” The other theme has the following as its categories: “evaluation methods,” “evaluation tools,” “evaluation process,” and “application of evaluation results.” Each category will have its subcategories. CONCLUSIONS: Many factors affect the evaluation of faculty members that should be taken into account by educational policymakers for improving the quality of the educational process. In addition to the factors that directly influence the educational system, methodological problems in the evaluation system need special attention. PMID:29417073

Nursing students' satisfaction about their field of study.

PubMed

Hakim, Ashrafalsadat

2014-04-01

Nowadays students' opinion is considered as a necessary factor to evaluate quality in universities. This study was performed to evaluate the nursing students' satisfaction about their field of study. The research population in this study consists of all the students of nursing studying at the second to fourth year of university (72 students). The data were collected from all the studied population. Data collection instrument was a research questionnaire. In this cross-sectional research, nursing students' satisfaction (72 students) in 6 major topics (situation of educational environment, situation of clinical environment, trainers, social image, relation to colleagues and management) was studied. The data were analyzed in SPSS, version 14, using quantitative variables and descriptive statistics including frequency distribution tables and diagrams. The findings indicated that 83.3% of the students had little satisfaction as to the situation of educational environment, 47.2% about situation of clinical environment, 41.7% concerning the theoretical educational method by professors, and 41.7% as to the method of clinical education by clinical trainers. Also 47.2% were not that satisfied with the method of evaluation by the school professors, 80.6% with the method of relationship with colleagues and also 62.5% with the nursing social image. Moreover, findings indicated that 33.3% of the participants in this research were dissatisfied with the method of evaluation by clinical trainers and 50% with the method of nursing management. In the present study, most students had little satisfaction concerning their field of study. So it is necessary to make an attempt for continuous development of quality services.

A Study on Project Priority Evaluation Method on Road Slope Disaster Prevention Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekiguchi, Nobuyasu; Ohtsu, Hiroyasu; Izu, Ryuutarou

To improve the safety and security of driving while coping with today's stagnant economy and frequent natural disasters, road slopes should be appropriately managed. To achieve the goals, road managers should establish project priority evaluation methods for each stage of road slope management by clarifying social losses that would result by drops in service levels. It is important that road managers evaluate a project priority properly to manage the road slope effectively. From this viewpoint, this study proposed "project priority evaluation methods" in road slope disaster prevention, which use available slope information at each stage of road slope management under limited funds. In addition, this study investigated the effect of managing it from the high slope of the priority by evaluating a risk of slope failure. In terms of the amount of available information, staged information provision is needed ranging from macroscopic studies, which involves evaluation of the entire route at each stage of decision making, to semi- and microscopic investigations for evaluating slopes, and microscopic investigations for evaluating individual slopes. With limited funds, additional detailed surveys are difficult to perform. It is effective to use the slope risk assessment system, which was constructed to complement detailed data, to extract sites to perform precise investigations.

Evaluating marginal likelihood with thermodynamic integration method and comparison with several other numerical methods

DOE PAGES

Liu, Peigui; Elshall, Ahmed S.; Ye, Ming; ...

2016-02-05

Evaluating marginal likelihood is the most critical and computationally expensive task, when conducting Bayesian model averaging to quantify parametric and model uncertainties. The evaluation is commonly done by using Laplace approximations to evaluate semianalytical expressions of the marginal likelihood or by using Monte Carlo (MC) methods to evaluate arithmetic or harmonic mean of a joint likelihood function. This study introduces a new MC method, i.e., thermodynamic integration, which has not been attempted in environmental modeling. Instead of using samples only from prior parameter space (as in arithmetic mean evaluation) or posterior parameter space (as in harmonic mean evaluation), the thermodynamicmore » integration method uses samples generated gradually from the prior to posterior parameter space. This is done through a path sampling that conducts Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation with different power coefficient values applied to the joint likelihood function. The thermodynamic integration method is evaluated using three analytical functions by comparing the method with two variants of the Laplace approximation method and three MC methods, including the nested sampling method that is recently introduced into environmental modeling. The thermodynamic integration method outperforms the other methods in terms of their accuracy, convergence, and consistency. The thermodynamic integration method is also applied to a synthetic case of groundwater modeling with four alternative models. The application shows that model probabilities obtained using the thermodynamic integration method improves predictive performance of Bayesian model averaging. As a result, the thermodynamic integration method is mathematically rigorous, and its MC implementation is computationally general for a wide range of environmental problems.« less

Modification to the AOAC Sporicidal Activity of Disinfectants Test (Method 966.04): collaborative study.

PubMed

Tomasino, Stephen F; Hamilton, Martin A

2006-01-01

In an effort to improve AOAC Method 966.04, the Sporicidal Activity of Disinfectants Test, selected modifications to the procedure were evaluated in a collaborative study. Method 966.04 is used to generate efficacy data to support the product registration of sporicides and sterilants. The method is a carrier-based test that provides a qualitative measure of product efficacy against spores of Bacillus subtilis and Clostridium sporogenes. The use of garden soil extract and the lack of standard procedures for the enumeration of spores and neutralization of the test chemicals have been considered problematic for many years. The proposed modifications were limited to the B. subtilis and hard surface carrier (porcelain penicylinder) components of the method. The study included the evaluation of a replacement for soil extract nutrient broth and an establishment of a minimum spore titer per carrier, both considered crucial for the improvement and utilization of the method. Additionally, an alternative hard surface material and a neutralization confirmation procedure were evaluated. To determine the equivalence of the proposed alternatives to the standard method, 3 medium/carrier combinations, (1) soil extract nutrient broth/porcelain carrier (current method), (2) nutrient agar amended with 5 microg/mL manganese sulfate/porcelain carrier, and (3) nutrient agar amended with 5 microg/mL manganese sulfate/stainless steel carrier were analyzed for carrier counts, HCI resistance, efficacy, quantitative efficacy, and spore wash-off. The test chemicals used in the study represent 3 chemical classes and are commercially available antimicrobial liquid products: sodium hypochlorite (bleach), glutaraldehyde, and a combination of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Four laboratories participated in the study. The results of the spore titer per carrier, HCI resistance, efficacy, and wash-off studies demonstrate that amended nutrient agar in conjunction with the porcelain is comparable to the current method, soil extract nutrient broth/porcelain. The nutrient agar method is simple, inexpensive, reproducible, and provides an ample supply of high quality spores. Due to the current use of porcelain carriers for testing C. sporogenes, it is advisable to retain the use of porcelain carriers until stainless steel can be evaluated as a replacement carrier material for Clostridium. The evaluation of stainless steel for Clostridium has been initiated by the Study Director. Study Director recommendations for First Action revisions are provided in a modified method.

Designing, Teaching, and Evaluating Two Complementary Mixed Methods Research Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christ, Thomas W.

2009-01-01

Teaching mixed methods research is difficult. This longitudinal explanatory study examined how two classes were designed, taught, and evaluated. Curriculum, Research, and Teaching (EDCS-606) and Mixed Methods Research (EDCS-780) used a research proposal generation process to highlight the importance of the purpose, research question and…

Evaluation of Automated Model Calibration Techniques for Residential Building Energy Simulation

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

Robertson, J.; Polly, B.; Collis, J.

2013-09-01

This simulation study adapts and applies the general framework described in BESTEST-EX (Judkoff et al 2010) for self-testing residential building energy model calibration methods. BEopt/DOE-2.2 is used to evaluate four mathematical calibration methods in the context of monthly, daily, and hourly synthetic utility data for a 1960's-era existing home in a cooling-dominated climate. The home's model inputs are assigned probability distributions representing uncertainty ranges, random selections are made from the uncertainty ranges to define 'explicit' input values, and synthetic utility billing data are generated using the explicit input values. The four calibration methods evaluated in this study are: an ASHRAEmore » 1051-RP-based approach (Reddy and Maor 2006), a simplified simulated annealing optimization approach, a regression metamodeling optimization approach, and a simple output ratio calibration approach. The calibration methods are evaluated for monthly, daily, and hourly cases; various retrofit measures are applied to the calibrated models and the methods are evaluated based on the accuracy of predicted savings, computational cost, repeatability, automation, and ease of implementation.« less

Evaluation of Automated Model Calibration Techniques for Residential Building Energy Simulation

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

and Ben Polly, Joseph Robertson; Polly, Ben; Collis, Jon

2013-09-01

This simulation study adapts and applies the general framework described in BESTEST-EX (Judkoff et al 2010) for self-testing residential building energy model calibration methods. BEopt/DOE-2.2 is used to evaluate four mathematical calibration methods in the context of monthly, daily, and hourly synthetic utility data for a 1960's-era existing home in a cooling-dominated climate. The home's model inputs are assigned probability distributions representing uncertainty ranges, random selections are made from the uncertainty ranges to define "explicit" input values, and synthetic utility billing data are generated using the explicit input values. The four calibration methods evaluated in this study are: an ASHRAEmore » 1051-RP-based approach (Reddy and Maor 2006), a simplified simulated annealing optimization approach, a regression metamodeling optimization approach, and a simple output ratio calibration approach. The calibration methods are evaluated for monthly, daily, and hourly cases; various retrofit measures are applied to the calibrated models and the methods are evaluated based on the accuracy of predicted savings, computational cost, repeatability, automation, and ease of implementation.« less

Development and Evaluation of an Ontology for Guiding Appropriate Antibiotic Prescribing

PubMed Central

Furuya, E. Yoko; Kuperman, Gilad J.; Cimino, James J.; Bakken, Suzanne

2011-01-01

Objectives To develop and apply formal ontology creation methods to the domain of antimicrobial prescribing and to formally evaluate the resulting ontology through intrinsic and extrinsic evaluation studies. Methods We extended existing ontology development methods to create the ontology and implemented the ontology using Protégé-OWL. Correctness of the ontology was assessed using a set of ontology design principles and domain expert review via the laddering technique. We created three artifacts to support the extrinsic evaluation (set of prescribing rules, alerts and an ontology-driven alert module, and a patient database) and evaluated the usefulness of the ontology for performing knowledge management tasks to maintain the ontology and for generating alerts to guide antibiotic prescribing. Results The ontology includes 199 classes, 10 properties, and 1,636 description logic restrictions. Twenty-three Semantic Web Rule Language rules were written to generate three prescribing alerts: 1) antibiotic-microorganism mismatch alert; 2) medication-allergy alert; and 3) non-recommended empiric antibiotic therapy alert. The evaluation studies confirmed the correctness of the ontology, usefulness of the ontology for representing and maintaining antimicrobial treatment knowledge rules, and usefulness of the ontology for generating alerts to provide feedback to clinicians during antibiotic prescribing. Conclusions This study contributes to the understanding of ontology development and evaluation methods and addresses one knowledge gap related to using ontologies as a clinical decision support system component—a need for formal ontology evaluation methods to measure their quality from the perspective of their intrinsic characteristics and their usefulness for specific tasks. PMID:22019377

Student Teachers' Views about Assessment and Evaluation Methods in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogan, Mustafa

2011-01-01

This study aimed to find out assessment and evaluation approaches in a Mathematics Teacher Training Department based on the views and experiences of student teachers. The study used a descriptive survey method, with the research sample consisting of 150 third- and fourth-year Primary Mathematics student teachers. Data were collected using a…

Administrators' Perceptions of Physical Education Teacher Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Jason M.; van der Mars, Hans; Kulinna, Pamela; Amrein-Beardsley, Audrey

2017-01-01

Purpose: Using a mixed methods approach, this study aimed to develop a better understanding of school administrators' perceptions of teacher evaluation systems, specific to physical education (PE). Method: This study used two sources of data collection: (a) a survey sent to administrators (n = 19) in one urban school district and (b) a formal…

Evaluating interactive technology for an evolving case study on learning and satisfaction of graduate nursing students.

PubMed

Vogt, Marjorie A; Schaffner, Barbara H

2016-07-01

Nursing education is challenged to prepare students for complex healthcare needs through the integration of teamwork and informatics. Technology has become an important teaching tool in the blended classroom to enhance group based learning experiences. Faculty evaluation of classroom technologies is imperative prior to adoption. Few studies have directly compared various technologies and their impact on student satisfaction and learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate technology enhanced teaching methods on the learning and satisfaction of graduate students in an advanced pharmacology class using an unfolding case study. After IRB approval, students were randomly assigned to one of three groups: blogging group, wiki group or webinar group. Students completed the evolving case study using the assigned interactive technology. Student names were removed from the case studies. Faculty evaluated the case study using a rubric, while blinded to the assigned technology method used. No significant difference was found on case study grades, the range of grades on the assignment demonstrated little differences between the methods used. Students indicated an overall positive impact related to networking and collaboration on a satisfaction survey. Impact of technology methods needs to be explored in other areas of graduate nursing education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study protocol of a mixed-methods evaluation of a cluster randomized trial to improve the safety of NSAID and antiplatelet prescribing: data-driven quality improvement in primary care.

PubMed

Grant, Aileen; Dreischulte, Tobias; Treweek, Shaun; Guthrie, Bruce

2012-08-28

Trials of complex interventions are criticized for being 'black box', so the UK Medical Research Council recommends carrying out a process evaluation to explain the trial findings. We believe it is good practice to pre-specify and publish process evaluation protocols to set standards and minimize bias. Unlike protocols for trials, little guidance or standards exist for the reporting of process evaluations. This paper presents the mixed-method process evaluation protocol of a cluster randomized trial, drawing on a framework designed by the authors. This mixed-method evaluation is based on four research questions and maps data collection to a logic model of how the data-driven quality improvement in primary care (DQIP) intervention is expected to work. Data collection will be predominately by qualitative case studies in eight to ten of the trial practices, focus groups with patients affected by the intervention and quantitative analysis of routine practice data, trial outcome and questionnaire data and data from the DQIP intervention. We believe that pre-specifying the intentions of a process evaluation can help to minimize bias arising from potentially misleading post-hoc analysis. We recognize it is also important to retain flexibility to examine the unexpected and the unintended. From that perspective, a mixed-methods evaluation allows the combination of exploratory and flexible qualitative work, and more pre-specified quantitative analysis, with each method contributing to the design, implementation and interpretation of the other.As well as strengthening the study the authors hope to stimulate discussion among their academic colleagues about publishing protocols for evaluations of randomized trials of complex interventions. DATA-DRIVEN QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN PRIMARY CARE TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01425502.

Evaluating fossil calibrations for dating phylogenies in light of rates of molecular evolution: a comparison of three approaches.

PubMed

Lukoschek, Vimoksalehi; Scott Keogh, J; Avise, John C

2012-01-01

Evolutionary and biogeographic studies increasingly rely on calibrated molecular clocks to date key events. Although there has been significant recent progress in development of the techniques used for molecular dating, many issues remain. In particular, controversies abound over the appropriate use and placement of fossils for calibrating molecular clocks. Several methods have been proposed for evaluating candidate fossils; however, few studies have compared the results obtained by different approaches. Moreover, no previous study has incorporated the effects of nucleotide saturation from different data types in the evaluation of candidate fossils. In order to address these issues, we compared three approaches for evaluating fossil calibrations: the single-fossil cross-validation method of Near, Meylan, and Shaffer (2005. Assessing concordance of fossil calibration points in molecular clock studies: an example using turtles. Am. Nat. 165:137-146), the empirical fossil coverage method of Marshall (2008. A simple method for bracketing absolute divergence times on molecular phylogenies using multiple fossil calibration points. Am. Nat. 171:726-742), and the Bayesian multicalibration method of Sanders and Lee (2007. Evaluating molecular clock calibrations using Bayesian analyses with soft and hard bounds. Biol. Lett. 3:275-279) and explicitly incorporate the effects of data type (nuclear vs. mitochondrial DNA) for identifying the most reliable or congruent fossil calibrations. We used advanced (Caenophidian) snakes as a case study; however, our results are applicable to any taxonomic group with multiple candidate fossils, provided appropriate taxon sampling and sufficient molecular sequence data are available. We found that data type strongly influenced which fossil calibrations were identified as outliers, regardless of which method was used. Despite the use of complex partitioned models of sequence evolution and multiple calibrations throughout the tree, saturation severely compressed basal branch lengths obtained from mitochondrial DNA compared with nuclear DNA. The effects of mitochondrial saturation were not ameliorated by analyzing a combined nuclear and mitochondrial data set. Although removing the third codon positions from the mitochondrial coding regions did not ameliorate saturation effects in the single-fossil cross-validations, it did in the Bayesian multicalibration analyses. Saturation significantly influenced the fossils that were selected as most reliable for all three methods evaluated. Our findings highlight the need to critically evaluate the fossils selected by data with different rates of nucleotide substitution and how data with different evolutionary rates affect the results of each method for evaluating fossils. Our empirical evaluation demonstrates that the advantages of using multiple independent fossil calibrations significantly outweigh any disadvantages.

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.

Evaluation methodology for comparing memory and communication of analytic processes in visual analytics

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

Ragan, Eric D; Goodall, John R

2014-01-01

Provenance tools can help capture and represent the history of analytic processes. In addition to supporting analytic performance, provenance tools can be used to support memory of the process and communication of the steps to others. Objective evaluation methods are needed to evaluate how well provenance tools support analyst s memory and communication of analytic processes. In this paper, we present several methods for the evaluation of process memory, and we discuss the advantages and limitations of each. We discuss methods for determining a baseline process for comparison, and we describe various methods that can be used to elicit processmore » recall, step ordering, and time estimations. Additionally, we discuss methods for conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses of process memory. By organizing possible memory evaluation methods and providing a meta-analysis of the potential benefits and drawbacks of different approaches, this paper can inform study design and encourage objective evaluation of process memory and communication.« less

A Comparative Evaluation of Analytical Methods to Allocate Individual Marks from a Team Mark

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nepal, Kali

2012-01-01

This study presents a comparative evaluation of analytical methods to allocate individual marks from a team mark. Only the methods that use or can be converted into some form of mathematical equations are analysed. Some of these methods focus primarily on the assessment of the quality of teamwork product (product assessment) while the others put…

A Preliminary Rubric Design to Evaluate Mixed Methods Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burrows, Timothy J.

2013-01-01

With the increase in frequency of the use of mixed methods, both in research publications and in externally funded grants there are increasing calls for a set of standards to assess the quality of mixed methods research. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to conduct a multi-phase analysis to create a preliminary rubric to evaluate mixed…

Defining the methodological challenges and opportunities for an effective science of sociotechnical systems and safety.

PubMed

Waterson, Patrick; Robertson, Michelle M; Cooke, Nancy J; Militello, Laura; Roth, Emilie; Stanton, Neville A

2015-01-01

An important part of the application of sociotechnical systems theory (STS) is the development of methods, tools and techniques to assess human factors and ergonomics workplace requirements. We focus in this paper on describing and evaluating current STS methods for workplace safety, as well as outlining a set of six case studies covering the application of these methods to a range of safety contexts. We also describe an evaluation of the methods in terms of ratings of their ability to address a set of theoretical and practical questions (e.g. the degree to which methods capture static/dynamic aspects of tasks and interactions between system levels). The outcomes from the evaluation highlight a set of gaps relating to the coverage and applicability of current methods for STS and safety (e.g. coverage of external influences on system functioning; method usability). The final sections of the paper describe a set of future challenges, as well as some practical suggestions for tackling these. We provide an up-to-date review of STS methods, a set of case studies illustrating their use and an evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses. The paper concludes with a 'roadmap' for future work.

Evaluation of pier-scour measurement methods and pier-scour predictions with observed scour measurements at selected bridge sites in New Hampshire, 1995-98

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-11-01

In a previous study, 44 of 48 bridge sites examined in New Hampshire were categorized as scour critical. This report summarizes research conducted to evaluate pier-scour measurement methods and predictions at many of these sites. This evaluation incl...

Maintenance Procedure Display: Head Mounted Display (HMD) Evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Milrian; Litaker, Harry L., Jr.; Solem, Jody A.; Holden, Kritina L.; Hoffman, Ronald R.

2007-01-01

A viewgraph presentation describing maintenance procedures for head mounted displays is shown. The topics include: 1) Study Goals; 2) Near Eye Displays (HMDs); 3) Design; 4) Phase I-Evaluation Methods; 5) Phase 1 Results; 6) Improved HMD Mounting; 7) Phase 2 -Evaluation Methods; 8) Phase 2 Preliminary Results; and 9) Next Steps.

Graduate Program Evaluation in the Area Leading Educational, Outlying and Backward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prasetyono, Hendro

2016-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the Bachelor program Educating in the Regions Frontier, Outermost and Disadvantaged (SM-3T). The research location is at the Jakarta State University. The evaluation method used is Cippo consisting of components Context, Input, Process, Product and Outcomes. The method used is qualitative descriptive data analysis…

Issues in Evaluation. Symposium 11. [AHRD Conference, 2001].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2001

This document contains three papers on issues in evaluation. "Evaluation of the Method of Modeling: A Case Study of the Finnish Steel Industry" (Ville Nurmi) describes the method of modeling as an educational strategy to support both specific goal-directed transformative learning focused on work process and learning in workplaces, and it…

Development Of Methodologies Using PhabrOmeter For Fabric Drape Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chengwei

Evaluation of fabric drape is important for textile industry as it reveals the aesthetic and functionality of the cloth and apparel. Although many fabric drape measuring methods have been developed for several decades, they are falling behind the need for fast product development by the industry. To meet the requirement of industries, it is necessary to develop an effective and reliable method to evaluate fabric drape. The purpose of the present study is to determine if PhabrOmeter can be applied to fabric drape evaluation. PhabrOmeter is a fabric sensory performance evaluating instrument which is developed to provide fast and reliable quality testing results. This study was sought to determine the relationship between fabric drape and other fabric attributes. In addition, a series of conventional methods including AATCC standards, ASTM standards and ISO standards were used to characterize the fabric samples. All the data were compared and analyzed with linear correlation method. The results indicate that PhabrOmeter is reliable and effective instrument for fabric drape evaluation. Besides, some effects including fabric structure, testing directions were considered to examine their impact on fabric drape.

Rural school nurse perception of book studies as an effective method for professional development.

PubMed

Gray, Lorali

2014-05-01

School nurses who serve public school districts in rural Northwest Washington face barriers in accessing Continuing Education (CE) for professional development as they often practice in remote, isolated school communities. Acknowledging these barriers, the author discusses the inclusion of book studies within an existing training structure as an innovative method of providing professional development. By utilizing training that is already attended by rural school nurses, CE can be enhanced without incurring additional travel, cost, or training time. The school nurse's perception of the effectiveness of book studies as a CE method was examined per a descriptive, qualitative program evaluation. Over a period of 5 years, evaluation and feedback data from 12 rural school nurses were compiled from nine individual school nurse book study evaluations and one general satisfaction survey. Findings indicated overall school nurse satisfaction and belief that school nurse book studies are an effective and beneficial method for the delivery of professional development--a method that promotes collaborative learning and collegiality, informs practice, and provides insight into the broader health and social issues impacting today's students.

Evaluation of nursing faculty through observation.

PubMed

Crawford, L H

1998-10-01

The purpose of this study was to assess current use and faculty perceptions of classroom observation as a method of faculty evaluation in schools of nursing. Baccalaureate schools of nursing were surveyed to determine current use of classroom observation and its worth from the perception of administrators and faculty. Although most schools used classroom observation as a method of faculty evaluation, further clarification and research is needed in the following areas: purpose of classroom observation; number of observations necessary; weight given to classroom observation in relation to other evaluation methods; and tools used.

Technology selection for ballast water treatment by multi-stakeholders: A multi-attribute decision analysis approach based on the combined weights and extension theory.

PubMed

Ren, Jingzheng

2018-01-01

This objective of this study is to develop a generic multi-attribute decision analysis framework for ranking the technologies for ballast water treatment and determine their grades. An evaluation criteria system consisting of eight criteria in four categories was used to evaluate the technologies for ballast water treatment. The Best-Worst method, which is a subjective weighting method and Criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation method, which is an objective weighting method, were combined to determine the weights of the evaluation criteria. The extension theory was employed to prioritize the technologies for ballast water treatment and determine their grades. An illustrative case including four technologies for ballast water treatment, i.e. Alfa Laval (T 1 ), Hyde (T 2 ), Unitor (T 3 ), and NaOH (T 4 ), were studied by the proposed method, and the Hyde (T 2 ) was recognized as the best technology. Sensitivity analysis was also carried to investigate the effects of the combined coefficients and the weights of the evaluation criteria on the final priority order of the four technologies for ballast water treatment. The sum weighted method and the TOPSIS was also employed to rank the four technologies, and the results determined by these two methods are consistent to that determined by the proposed method in this study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Psychological Hardiness and Coping Style as Risk/Resilience Factors for Health Risk Behaviour

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

205 RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODS Objective/Hypothesis: The objective of the study is to evaluate the utility of a short hardiness-resilience...problems. Study Design & Methods : This research will evaluate the utility of hardiness, as measured by the DRS-15R, as a screening tool for...may take a toll on defense workers. This research points the way to new approaches for early identification of military workers at risk for stress

Problems and challenges of nursing students’ clinical evaluation: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Rafiee, Ghazanfar; Moattari, Marzieh; Nikbakht, Alireza N; Kojuri, Javad; Mousavinasab, Masoud

2014-01-01

Background: The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to explore the views of nursing trainers and students about nursing students’ clinical evaluation problems and drawbacks in Shiraz Nursing and Midwifery School. Materials and Methods: A qualitative exploratory approach was used in this study at Shiraz Nursing and Midwifery School in 2012. A purposeful sample of 8 nursing instructors and 40 nursing students was interviewed and the data on their opinions about the problems of the clinical evaluation were collected through semi-structured deep interviews. Initially, four open-ended questions, which were related to the clinical evaluation status, problems, were used to stimulate discussions in the interview sessions. Content analysis was employed in order to analyze the transcribed data. The recorded interviews were initially transcribed, read, and reread on a number of occasions to get an overall feeling of what the participants were saying. Each line or incident was described, and then a code, which reflected the essence of the participants’ comments, was given. Results: The codes were compared for similarity and differences, merged together, and categorized. Finally, five themes emerged: In appropriate clinical evaluation method, problems of clinical evaluation Process, problems related to clinical instructors, unsuitable programming of clinical education, and organizational shortcomings. Conclusion: Besides focusing on upgrading the current clinical evaluation forms, nursing trainers should improve their knowledge about a complete and comprehensive clinical evaluation. They should also apply other appropriate and objective clinical evaluation methods and tools, and perform a formative and summative clinical evaluation. Also, workload adjustment of the nursing trainers needs revision. Therefore, despite using traditional and sometimes limited evaluation methods for assessing nursing students, a co mprehensive and appropriate evaluation of nursing students’ clinical competencies seems necessary. PMID:24554959

Laboratory evaluation of polychlorinated biphenyls encapsulation methods

EPA Science Inventory

Effectiveness and limitations of the encapsulation method for reducing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) concentrations in indoor air and contaminated surface have been evaluated in the laboratory study. Ten coating materials such as epoxy and polyurethane coatings, latex paint, a...

Evaluation of Fuzzy-Logic Framework for Spatial Statistics Preserving Methods for Estimation of Missing Precipitation Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Sharif, H.; Teegavarapu, R. S.

2012-12-01

Spatial interpolation methods used for estimation of missing precipitation data at a site seldom check for their ability to preserve site and regional statistics. Such statistics are primarily defined by spatial correlations and other site-to-site statistics in a region. Preservation of site and regional statistics represents a means of assessing the validity of missing precipitation estimates at a site. This study evaluates the efficacy of a fuzzy-logic methodology for infilling missing historical daily precipitation data in preserving site and regional statistics. Rain gauge sites in the state of Kentucky, USA, are used as a case study for evaluation of this newly proposed method in comparison to traditional data infilling techniques. Several error and performance measures will be used to evaluate the methods and trade-offs in accuracy of estimation and preservation of site and regional statistics.

Research on uncertainty evaluation measure and method of voltage sag severity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X. N.; Wei, J.; Ye, S. Y.; Chen, B.; Long, C.

2018-01-01

Voltage sag is an inevitable serious problem of power quality in power system. This paper focuses on a general summarization and reviews on the concepts, indices and evaluation methods about voltage sag severity. Considering the complexity and uncertainty of influencing factors, damage degree, the characteristics and requirements of voltage sag severity in the power source-network-load sides, the measure concepts and their existing conditions, evaluation indices and methods of voltage sag severity have been analyzed. Current evaluation techniques, such as stochastic theory, fuzzy logic, as well as their fusion, are reviewed in detail. An index system about voltage sag severity is provided for comprehensive study. The main aim of this paper is to propose thought and method of severity research based on advanced uncertainty theory and uncertainty measure. This study may be considered as a valuable guide for researchers who are interested in the domain of voltage sag severity.

[Critical revision of the available methods for evaluate the body composition in population-based and clinical studies].

PubMed

Rezende, Fabiane; Rosado, Lina; Franceschinni, Sylvia; Rosado, Gilberto; Ribeiro, Rita; Marins, João Carlos Bouzas

2007-12-01

The corporal composition evaluation is extremely important for the individual and population nutritional state diagnosis and for the establishment of appropriate clinical-nutritional conducts. An excess of body fat is frequently associated with important metabolic alterations and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia The availability of methods to assess body composition is essential to evaluate health status of individuals. There are several methods for the corporal composition analysis, and it is important to know the limitation of each one and his/her validity so that the obtained estimates are reliable and correctly interpreted. The purpose of this study was to revise the applicability of some nutritional state indicators and corporal composition evaluation methods, such as corporal mass index, waist circumference and waist-hip relation, skinfold measurements, bioelectrical impedance analysis and near-infrared interactance.

Evaluation of analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activity on Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. Leaf

PubMed Central

Gupta, Richa; Kaur, Jagjit

2015-01-01

Background: Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. is an important medicinal plant of family Boraginaceae. Traditionally, its leaves are used to treat fever, headache, and joint pain but its medicinal activities have not been proven by research. Objective: To evaluate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activity of C. dichotoma G. Forst. leaf extract. Material and Methods: The various extracts of leaf powder were prepared by using soxhlet apparatus. The methanol extract was selected for pharmacological study. To evaluate analgesic activity, Eddy's hot plate method, to study anti-inflammatory activity, carageenan-induced rat paw edema method, and to study antipyretic activity, yeast-induced pyrexia method was used. SD female rats (180-200 g) were used for the study. Results: In all three tests, the methanol extract high dose (400 mg/kg) was found to be highly significant as compared to standard drug. Conclusion: This study proved the traditional uses of plant leaves and concluded the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activity of the leaf methanol extract. PMID:25598647

Core Professionalism Education in Surgery: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Sarıoğlu Büke, Akile; Karabilgin Öztürkçü, Özlem Sürel; Yılmaz, Yusuf; Sayek, İskender

2018-03-15

Professionalism education is one of the major elements of surgical residency education. To evaluate the studies on core professionalism education programs in surgical professionalism education. Systematic review. This systematic literature review was performed to analyze core professionalism programs for surgical residency education published in English with at least three of the following features: program developmental model/instructional design method, aims and competencies, methods of teaching, methods of assessment, and program evaluation model or method. A total of 27083 articles were retrieved using EBSCOHOST, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and manual search. Eight articles met the selection criteria. The instructional design method was presented in only one article, which described the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation model. Six articles were based on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education criterion, although there was significant variability in content. The most common teaching method was role modeling with scenario- and case-based learning. A wide range of assessment methods for evaluating professionalism education were reported. The Kirkpatrick model was reported in one article as a method for program evaluation. It is suggested that for a core surgical professionalism education program, developmental/instructional design model, aims and competencies, content, teaching methods, assessment methods, and program evaluation methods/models should be well defined, and the content should be comparable.

Development of Methods of Evaluating Abilities to Make Plans in New Group Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiriyama, Satoshi

The ability to evaluate something vague which is, for example, originality can be regarded as one of important elements which constitute the ability to make plans. The author has made use of cooperative activities in which every member undertakes each stage of a plan-do-check-cycle in order to develop training methods and evaluating methods of evaluating ability. The members of a CHECK team evaluated activities of a PLAN team and a DO team. The author tried to grasp the abilities of the members of a CHECK team by analyzing results of the evaluation. In addition, the author have made some teachers evaluate a sample in order to study the accuracy of criteria and extracted some challenges.

Methods for the evaluation of alternative disaster warning systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agnew, C. E.; Anderson, R. J., Jr.; Lanen, W. N.

1977-01-01

For each of the methods identified, a theoretical basis is provided and an illustrative example is described. The example includes sufficient realism and detail to enable an analyst to conduct an evaluation of other systems. The methods discussed in the study include equal capability cost analysis, consumers' surplus, and statistical decision theory.

A conversation-based process tracing method for use with naturalistic decisions: an evaluation study.

PubMed

Williamson, J; Ranyard, R; Cuthbert, L

2000-05-01

This study is an evaluation of a process tracing method developed for naturalistic decisions, in this case a consumer choice task. The method is based on Huber et al.'s (1997) Active Information Search (AIS) technique, but develops it by providing spoken rather than written answers to respondents' questions, and by including think aloud instructions. The technique is used within a conversation-based situation, rather than the respondent thinking aloud 'into an empty space', as is conventionally the case in think aloud techniques. The method results in a concurrent verbal protocol as respondents make their decisions, and a retrospective report in the form of a post-decision summary. The method was found to be virtually non-reactive in relation to think aloud, although the variable of Preliminary Attribute Elicitation showed some evidence of reactivity. This was a methodological evaluation, and as such the data reported are essentially descriptive. Nevertheless, the data obtained indicate that the method is capable of producing information about decision processes which could have theoretical importance in terms of evaluating models of decision-making.

Initial Results of an MDO Method Evaluation Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexandrov, Natalia M.; Kodiyalam, Srinivas

1998-01-01

The NASA Langley MDO method evaluation study seeks to arrive at a set of guidelines for using promising MDO methods by accumulating and analyzing computational data for such methods. The data are collected by conducting a series of re- producible experiments. In the first phase of the study, three MDO methods were implemented in the SIGHT: framework and used to solve a set of ten relatively simple problems. In this paper, we comment on the general considerations for conducting method evaluation studies and report some initial results obtained to date. In particular, although the results are not conclusive because of the small initial test set, other formulations, optimality conditions, and sensitivity of solutions to various perturbations. Optimization algorithms are used to solve a particular MDO formulation. It is then appropriate to speak of local convergence rates and of global convergence properties of an optimization algorithm applied to a specific formulation. An analogous distinction exists in the field of partial differential equations. On the one hand, equations are analyzed in terms of regularity, well-posedness, and the existence and unique- ness of solutions. On the other, one considers numerous algorithms for solving differential equations. The area of MDO methods studies MDO formulations combined with optimization algorithms, although at times the distinction is blurred. It is important to

Reducing Physical Risk Factors in Construction Work Through a Participatory Intervention: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Process Evaluation.

PubMed

Ajslev, Jeppe; Brandt, Mikkel; Møller, Jeppe Lykke; Skals, Sebastian; Vinstrup, Jonas; Jakobsen, Markus Due; Sundstrup, Emil; Madeleine, Pascal; Andersen, Lars Louis

2016-05-26

Previous research has shown that reducing physical workload among workers in the construction industry is complicated. In order to address this issue, we developed a process evaluation in a formative mixed-methods design, drawing on existing knowledge of the potential barriers for implementation. We present the design of a mixed-methods process evaluation of the organizational, social, and subjective practices that play roles in the intervention study, integrating technical measurements to detect excessive physical exertion measured with electromyography and accelerometers, video documentation of working tasks, and a 3-phased workshop program. The evaluation is designed in an adapted process evaluation framework, addressing recruitment, reach, fidelity, satisfaction, intervention delivery, intervention received, and context of the intervention companies. Observational studies, interviews, and questionnaires among 80 construction workers organized in 20 work gangs, as well as health and safety staff, contribute to the creation of knowledge about these phenomena. At the time of publication, the process of participant recruitment is underway. Intervention studies are challenging to conduct and evaluate in the construction industry, often because of narrow time frames and ever-changing contexts. The mixed-methods design presents opportunities for obtaining detailed knowledge of the practices intra-acting with the intervention, while offering the opportunity to customize parts of the intervention.

Research on evaluation methods for water regulation ability of dams in the Huai River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, G. H.; Lv, S. F.; Ma, K.

2016-08-01

Water environment protection is a global and urgent problem that requires correct and precise evaluation. Evaluation methods have been studied for many years; however, there is a lack of research on the methods of assessing the water regulation ability of dams. Currently, evaluating the ability of dams has become a practical and significant research orientation because of the global water crisis, and the lack of effective ways to manage a dam's regulation ability has only compounded this. This paper firstly constructs seven evaluation factors and then develops two evaluation approaches to implement the factors according to the features of the problem. Dams of the Yin Shang ecological control section in the Huai He River basin are selected as an example to demonstrate the method. The results show that the evaluation approaches can produce better and more practical suggestions for dam managers.

Factors influencing the results of faculty evaluation in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

PubMed

Kamali, Farahnaz; Yamani, Nikoo; Changiz, Tahereh; Zoubin, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

This study aimed to explore factors influencing the results of faculty member evaluation from the viewpoints of faculty members affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. This qualitative study was done using a conventional content analysis method. Participants were faculty members of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences who, considering maximum variation in sampling, were chosen with a purposive sampling method. Semi-structured interviews were held with 11 faculty members until data saturation was reached. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with conventional content analysis method for theme development. Further, the MAXQDA software was used for data management. The data analysis led to the development of two main themes, namely, "characteristics of the educational system" and "characteristics of the faculty member evaluation system." The first main theme consists of three categories, i.e. "characteristics of influential people in evaluation," "features of the courses," and "background characteristics." The other theme has the following as its categories: "evaluation methods," "evaluation tools," "evaluation process," and "application of evaluation results." Each category will have its subcategories. Many factors affect the evaluation of faculty members that should be taken into account by educational policymakers for improving the quality of the educational process. In addition to the factors that directly influence the educational system, methodological problems in the evaluation system need special attention.

Evaluating the Social Validity of the Early Start Denver Model: A Convergent Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogilvie, Emily; McCrudden, Matthew T.

2017-01-01

An intervention has social validity to the extent that it is socially acceptable to participants and stakeholders. This pilot convergent mixed methods study evaluated parents' perceptions of the social validity of the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), a naturalistic behavioral intervention for children with autism. It focused on whether the parents…

A PILOT STUDY TO EVALUATE METHODS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF EXPOSURE OF SMALL CHILDREN TO PESTICIDES IN THE RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT

EPA Science Inventory

A pilot study was conducted to evaluate methods of assessment of exposure of infants and toddlers to pesticide residues around the household. ine homes with children aged six months to five years were selected on the basis of pesticide indoor and outdoor use. ouse dust was collec...

DETERMINING COARSE PARTICULATE MATTER CONCENTRATIONS: A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF CANDIDATE METHODOLOGIES - STUDY DESIGN AND RESULTS FROM THE RTP EQUIPMENT SHAKEDOWN

EPA Science Inventory

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of candidate sampling methods for potential use as a Federal Reference Method (FRM) capable of providing an estimate of coarse particle (PMc: particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter between 2.5 um and 10 um...

A no-gold-standard technique for objective assessment of quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods

PubMed Central

Jha, Abhinav K; Caffo, Brian; Frey, Eric C

2016-01-01

The objective optimization and evaluation of nuclear-medicine quantitative imaging methods using patient data is highly desirable but often hindered by the lack of a gold standard. Previously, a regression-without-truth (RWT) approach has been proposed for evaluating quantitative imaging methods in the absence of a gold standard, but this approach implicitly assumes that bounds on the distribution of true values are known. Several quantitative imaging methods in nuclear-medicine imaging measure parameters where these bounds are not known, such as the activity concentration in an organ or the volume of a tumor. We extended upon the RWT approach to develop a no-gold-standard (NGS) technique for objectively evaluating such quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods with patient data in the absence of any ground truth. Using the parameters estimated with the NGS technique, a figure of merit, the noise-to-slope ratio (NSR), can be computed, which can rank the methods on the basis of precision. An issue with NGS evaluation techniques is the requirement of a large number of patient studies. To reduce this requirement, the proposed method explored the use of multiple quantitative measurements from the same patient, such as the activity concentration values from different organs in the same patient. The proposed technique was evaluated using rigorous numerical experiments and using data from realistic simulation studies. The numerical experiments demonstrated that the NSR was estimated accurately using the proposed NGS technique when the bounds on the distribution of true values were not precisely known, thus serving as a very reliable metric for ranking the methods on the basis of precision. In the realistic simulation study, the NGS technique was used to rank reconstruction methods for quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) based on their performance on the task of estimating the mean activity concentration within a known volume of interest. Results showed that the proposed technique provided accurate ranking of the reconstruction methods for 97.5% of the 50 noise realizations. Further, the technique was robust to the choice of evaluated reconstruction methods. The simulation study pointed to possible violations of the assumptions made in the NGS technique under clinical scenarios. However, numerical experiments indicated that the NGS technique was robust in ranking methods even when there was some degree of such violation. PMID:26982626

A no-gold-standard technique for objective assessment of quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods.

PubMed

Jha, Abhinav K; Caffo, Brian; Frey, Eric C

2016-04-07

The objective optimization and evaluation of nuclear-medicine quantitative imaging methods using patient data is highly desirable but often hindered by the lack of a gold standard. Previously, a regression-without-truth (RWT) approach has been proposed for evaluating quantitative imaging methods in the absence of a gold standard, but this approach implicitly assumes that bounds on the distribution of true values are known. Several quantitative imaging methods in nuclear-medicine imaging measure parameters where these bounds are not known, such as the activity concentration in an organ or the volume of a tumor. We extended upon the RWT approach to develop a no-gold-standard (NGS) technique for objectively evaluating such quantitative nuclear-medicine imaging methods with patient data in the absence of any ground truth. Using the parameters estimated with the NGS technique, a figure of merit, the noise-to-slope ratio (NSR), can be computed, which can rank the methods on the basis of precision. An issue with NGS evaluation techniques is the requirement of a large number of patient studies. To reduce this requirement, the proposed method explored the use of multiple quantitative measurements from the same patient, such as the activity concentration values from different organs in the same patient. The proposed technique was evaluated using rigorous numerical experiments and using data from realistic simulation studies. The numerical experiments demonstrated that the NSR was estimated accurately using the proposed NGS technique when the bounds on the distribution of true values were not precisely known, thus serving as a very reliable metric for ranking the methods on the basis of precision. In the realistic simulation study, the NGS technique was used to rank reconstruction methods for quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) based on their performance on the task of estimating the mean activity concentration within a known volume of interest. Results showed that the proposed technique provided accurate ranking of the reconstruction methods for 97.5% of the 50 noise realizations. Further, the technique was robust to the choice of evaluated reconstruction methods. The simulation study pointed to possible violations of the assumptions made in the NGS technique under clinical scenarios. However, numerical experiments indicated that the NGS technique was robust in ranking methods even when there was some degree of such violation.

Novel methods to estimate antiretroviral adherence: protocol for a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Saberi, Parya; Ming, Kristin; Legnitto, Dominique; Neilands, Torsten B; Gandhi, Monica; Johnson, Mallory O

2018-01-01

There is currently no gold standard for assessing antiretroviral (ARV) adherence, so researchers often resort to the most feasible and cost-effective methods possible (eg, self-report), which may be biased or inaccurate. The goal of our study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of innovative and remote methods to estimate ARV adherence, which can potentially be conducted with less time and financial resources in a wide range of clinic and research settings. Here, we describe the research protocol for studying these novel methods and some lessons learned. The 6-month pilot study aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a remotely conducted study to evaluate the correlation between: 1) text-messaged photographs of pharmacy refill dates for refill-based adherence; 2) text-messaged photographs of pills for pill count-based adherence; and 3) home-collected hair sample measures of ARV concentration for pharmacologic-based adherence. Participants were sent monthly automated text messages to collect refill dates and pill counts that were taken and sent via mobile telephone photographs, and hair collection kits every 2 months by mail. At the study end, feasibility was calculated by specific metrics, such as the receipt of hair samples and responses to text messages. Participants completed a quantitative survey and qualitative exit interviews to examine the acceptability of these adherence evaluation methods. The relationship between the 3 novel metrics of adherence and self-reported adherence will be assessed. Investigators conducting adherence research are often limited to using either self-reported adherence, which is subjective, biased, and often overestimated, or other more complex methods. Here, we describe the protocol for evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of 3 novel and remote methods of estimating adherence, with the aim of evaluating the relationships between them. Additionally, we note the lessons learned from the protocol implementation to date. We expect that these novel measures will be feasible and acceptable. The implications of this research will be the identification and evaluation of innovative and accurate metrics of ARV adherence for future implementation.

Longitudinal construct validity: establishment of clinical meaning in patient evaluative instruments.

PubMed

Liang, M H

2000-09-01

Although widely used and reported in research for the evaluation of groups, measures of health status and health-related quality of life have had little application in clinical practice for the assessment of individual patients. One of the principal barriers is the demonstration that these measures add clinically significant information to measures of function or symptoms alone. Here, we review the methods for evaluation of construct validity in longitudinal studies and make recommendations for nomenclature, reporting of study results, and future research agenda. Analytical review. The terms "sensitivity" and "responsiveness" have been used interchangeably, and there are few studies that evaluate the extent to which health status or health-related quality-of life measures capture clinically important changes ("responsiveness"). Current methods of evaluating responsiveness are not standardized or evaluated. Approaches for the assessment of a clinically significant or meaningful change are described; rather than normative information, however, standardized transition questions are proposed. They would be reported routinely and as separate axes of description to capture individual perceptions. Research in methods to assess the subject's evaluation of the importance and magnitude of a measured change are critical if health status and health-related quality-of-life measures are to have an impact on patient care.

A Critical Analysis of SocINDEX and Sociological Abstracts Using an Evaluation Method for the Practicing Bibliographer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mellone, James T.

2010-01-01

This study provides a database evaluation method for the practicing bibliographer that is more than a brief review yet less than a controlled experiment. The author establishes evaluation criteria in the context of the bibliographic instruction provided to meet the research requirements of undergraduate sociology majors at Queens College, City…

A Review of Methods and Instruments Used in State and Local School Readiness Evaluations. Issues & Answers. REL 2007-No. 004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Glyn; Scott-Little, Catherine; Amwake, Lynn; Wynn, Lucy

2007-01-01

The report provides detailed information about the methods and instruments used to evaluate school readiness initiatives, discusses important considerations in selecting instruments, and provides resources and recommendations that may be helpful to those who are designing and implementing school readiness evaluations. Study results indicate that…

Correction for FDG PET dose extravasations: Monte Carlo validation and quantitative evaluation of patient studies

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

Silva-Rodríguez, Jesús, E-mail: jesus.silva.rodriguez@sergas.es; Aguiar, Pablo, E-mail: pablo.aguiar.fernandez@sergas.es; Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Complexo Hospitalario Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

Purpose: Current procedure guidelines for whole body [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) state that studies with visible dose extravasations should be rejected for quantification protocols. Our work is focused on the development and validation of methods for estimating extravasated doses in order to correct standard uptake value (SUV) values for this effect in clinical routine. Methods: One thousand three hundred sixty-seven consecutive whole body FDG-PET studies were visually inspected looking for extravasation cases. Two methods for estimating the extravasated dose were proposed and validated in different scenarios using Monte Carlo simulations. All visible extravasations were retrospectively evaluated using a manualmore » ROI based method. In addition, the 50 patients with higher extravasated doses were also evaluated using a threshold-based method. Results: Simulation studies showed that the proposed methods for estimating extravasated doses allow us to compensate the impact of extravasations on SUV values with an error below 5%. The quantitative evaluation of patient studies revealed that paravenous injection is a relatively frequent effect (18%) with a small fraction of patients presenting considerable extravasations ranging from 1% to a maximum of 22% of the injected dose. A criterion based on the extravasated volume and maximum concentration was established in order to identify this fraction of patients that might be corrected for paravenous injection effect. Conclusions: The authors propose the use of a manual ROI based method for estimating the effectively administered FDG dose and then correct SUV quantification in those patients fulfilling the proposed criterion.« less

Toxic Constituents Index: A Toxicity-Calibrated Quantitative Evaluation Approach for the Precise Toxicity Prediction of the Hypertoxic Phytomedicine—Aconite

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ding-kun; Li, Rui-sheng; Han, Xue; Li, Chun-yu; Zhao, Zhi-hao; Zhang, Hai-zhu; Yang, Ming; Wang, Jia-bo; Xiao, Xiao-he

2016-01-01

Complex chemical composition is an important reason for restricting herbal quality evaluation. Despite the multi-components determination method significantly promoted the progress of herbal quality evaluation, however, which mainly concerned the total amount of multiple components and ignored the activity variation between each one, and did not accurately reflect the biological activity of botanical medicines. In this manuscript, we proposed a toxicity calibrated contents determination method for hyper toxic aconite, called toxic constituents index (TCI). Initially, we determined the minimum lethal dose value of mesaconitine (MA), aconitine (AC), and hypaconitine (HA), and established the equation TCI = 100 × (0.3387 ×XMA + 0.4778 ×XAC + 0.1835 ×XHA). Then, 10 batches of aconite were selected and their evaluation results of toxic potency (TP), diester diterpenoid alkaloids (DDAs), and TCI were compared. Linear regression analysis result suggested that the relevance between TCI and TP was the highest and the correlation coefficient R was 0.954. Prediction error values study also indicated that the evaluation results of TCI was highly consistent with that of TP. Moreover, TCI and DDAs were both applied to evaluate 14 batches of aconite samples oriented different origins; from the different evaluation results, we found when the proportion of HA was reached 25% in DDAs, the pharmacopeia method could generate false positive results. All these results testified the accuracy and universality of TCI method. We believe that this study method is rather accurate, simple, and easy operation and it will be of great utility in studies of other foods and herbs. PMID:27378926

Evaluation of a Method for Rapid Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in Dry-Cured Ham Based on Impedanciometry Combined with Chromogenic Agar.

PubMed

Labrador, Mirian; Rota, María C; Pérez, Consuelo; Herrera, Antonio; Bayarri, Susana

2018-05-01

The food industry is in need of rapid, reliable methodologies for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat products, as an alternative to the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 11290-1 reference method. The aim of this study was to evaluate impedanciometry combined with chromogenic agar culture for the detection of L. monocytogenes in dry-cured ham. The experimental setup consisted in assaying four strains of L. monocytogenes and two strains of Listeria innocua in pure culture. The method was evaluated according to the ISO 16140:2003 standard through a comparative study with the ISO reference method with 119 samples of dry-cured ham. Significant determination coefficients ( R 2 of up to 0.99) for all strains assayed in pure culture were obtained. The comparative study results had 100% accuracy, 100% specificity, and 100% sensitivity. Impedanciometry followed by chromogenic agar culture was capable of detecting 1 CFU/25 g of food. L. monocytogenes was not detected in the 65 commercial samples tested. The method evaluated herein represents a promising alternative for the food industry in its efforts to control L. monocytogenes. Overall analysis time is shorter and the method permits a straightforward analysis of a large number of samples with reliable results.

Participatory evaluation (I)--sharing lessons from fieldwork in Asia.

PubMed

Crishna, B

2007-05-01

There is a need to study methodologies for evaluating social development projects. Traditional methods of evaluation are often not able to capture or measure the 'spirit of change' in people, which is the very essence of human development. Using participatory methodologies is a positive way to ensure that evaluations encourage an understanding of the value of critical analysis among service providers and other stakeholders. Participatory evaluation provides a systematic process of learning through experiences. Practical experiences of conducting a number of evaluation studies in social development projects have led the author to develop four basic principles of participatory evaluation strategies. This has been further conceptualized through an extensive literature search. The article develops and shares these principles through descriptions of field experiences in Asia. The article illustrates that the role of any evaluation remains a learning process, one which promotes a climate of reflection and self-assessment. It shows how using participatory methods can create this environment of learning. However, one needs to keep in mind that participatory evaluation takes time, and that the role and calibre of the facilitator are crucial. Participatory evaluation methods have been recommended for social development projects to ensure that stakeholders remain in control of their own lives and decisions.

Educational research methods for researching innovations in teaching, learning and assessment: The nursing lecturer as researcher.

PubMed

Marks-Maran, Diane

2015-11-01

The author, who has had previous experience as a nurse researcher, has been engaged in helping nurse lecturers to undertake evaluation research studies into innovations in their teaching, learning and assessment methods. In order to undertake this work successfully, it was important to move from thinking like a nurse researcher to thinking like an educational researcher and developing the role of the nursing lecturer as researcher of their teaching. This article explores the difference between evaluation and evaluation research and argues for the need to use educational research methods when undertaking evaluation research into innovations in teaching, learning and assessment. A new model for educational evaluation research is presented together with two case examples of the model in use. The model has been tested on over 30 research studies into innovations in teaching, learning and assessment over the past 8 years. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Objective evaluation of reconstruction methods for quantitative SPECT imaging in the absence of ground truth.

PubMed

Jha, Abhinav K; Song, Na; Caffo, Brian; Frey, Eric C

2015-04-13

Quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging is emerging as an important tool in clinical studies and biomedical research. There is thus a need for optimization and evaluation of systems and algorithms that are being developed for quantitative SPECT imaging. An appropriate objective method to evaluate these systems is by comparing their performance in the end task that is required in quantitative SPECT imaging, such as estimating the mean activity concentration in a volume of interest (VOI) in a patient image. This objective evaluation can be performed if the true value of the estimated parameter is known, i.e. we have a gold standard. However, very rarely is this gold standard known in human studies. Thus, no-gold-standard techniques to optimize and evaluate systems and algorithms in the absence of gold standard are required. In this work, we developed a no-gold-standard technique to objectively evaluate reconstruction methods used in quantitative SPECT when the parameter to be estimated is the mean activity concentration in a VOI. We studied the performance of the technique with realistic simulated image data generated from an object database consisting of five phantom anatomies with all possible combinations of five sets of organ uptakes, where each anatomy consisted of eight different organ VOIs. Results indicate that the method provided accurate ranking of the reconstruction methods. We also demonstrated the application of consistency checks to test the no-gold-standard output.

Validation of rapid descriptive sensory methods against conventional descriptive analyses: A systematic review.

PubMed

Aguiar, Lorena Andrade de; Melo, Lauro; de Lacerda de Oliveira, Lívia

2018-04-03

A major drawback of conventional descriptive profile (CDP) in sensory evaluation is the long time spent in panel training. Rapid descriptive methods (RDM) have increased significantly. Some of them have been compared with CDP for validation. In Health Sciences, systematic reviews (SR) are performed to evaluate validation of diagnostic tests in relation to a gold standard method. SR present a well-defined protocol to summarize research evidence and to evaluate the quality of the studies with determined criteria. We adapted SR protocol to evaluate the validation of RDM against CDP as satisfactory procedures to obtain food characterization. We used "Population Intervention Comparison Outcome Study - PICOS" framework to design the research in which "Population" was food/ beverages; "intervention" were RDM, "Comparison" was CDP as gold standard, "Outcome" was the ability of RDM to generate similar descriptive profiles in comparison with CDP and "Studies" was sensory descriptive analyses. The proportion of studies concluding for similarity of the RDM with CDP ranged from 0% to 100%. Low and moderate risk of bias were reached by 87% and 13% of the studies, respectively, supporting the conclusions of SR. RDM with semi-trained assessors and evaluation of individual attributes presented higher percentages of concordance with CDP.

Measurement and evaluation practices of factors that contribute to effective health promotion collaboration functioning: A scoping review.

PubMed

Stolp, Sean; Bottorff, Joan L; Seaton, Cherisse L; Jones-Bricker, Margaret; Oliffe, John L; Johnson, Steven T; Errey, Sally; Medhurst, Kerensa; Lamont, Sonia

2017-04-01

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify promising factors that underpin effective health promotion collaborations, measurement approaches, and evaluation practices. Measurement approaches and evaluation practices employed in 14 English-language articles published between January 2001 and October 2015 were considered. Data extraction included research design, health focus of the collaboration, factors being evaluated, how factors were conceptualized and measured, and outcome measures. Studies were methodologically diverse employing either quantitative methods (n=9), mixed methods (n=4), or qualitative methods (n=1). In total, these 14 studies examined 113 factors, 88 of which were only measured once. Leadership was the most commonly studied factor but was conceptualized differently across studies. Six factors were significantly associated with outcome measures across studies; leadership (n=3), gender (n=2), trust (n=2), length of the collaboration (n=2), budget (n=2) and changes in organizational model (n=2). Since factors were often conceptualized differently, drawing conclusions about their impact on collaborative functioning remains difficult. The use of reliable and validated tools would strengthen evaluation of health promotion collaborations and would support and enhance the effectiveness of collaboration. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Ranking of physiotherapeutic evaluation methods as outcome measures of stifle functionality in dogs.

PubMed

Hyytiäinen, Heli K; Mölsä, Sari H; Junnila, Jouni T; Laitinen-Vapaavuori, Outi M; Hielm-Björkman, Anna K

2013-04-08

Various physiotherapeutic evaluation methods are used to assess the functionality of dogs with stifle problems. Neither validity nor sensitivity of these methods has been investigated. This study aimed to determine the most valid and sensitive physiotherapeutic evaluation methods for assessing functional capacity in hind limbs of dogs with stifle problems and to serve as a basis for developing an indexed test for these dogs. A group of 43 dogs with unilateral surgically treated cranial cruciate ligament deficiency and osteoarthritic findings was used to test different physiotherapeutic evaluation methods. Twenty-one healthy dogs served as the control group and were used to determine normal variation in static weight bearing and range of motion.The protocol consisted of 14 different evaluation methods: visual evaluation of lameness, visual evaluation of diagonal movement, visual evaluation of functional active range of motion and difference in thrust of hind limbs via functional tests (sit-to-move and lie-to-move), movement in stairs, evaluation of hind limb muscle atrophy, manual evaluation of hind limb static weight bearing, quantitative measurement of static weight bearing of hind limbs with bathroom scales, and passive range of motion of hind limb stifle (flexion and extension) and tarsal (flexion and extension) joints using a universal goniometer. The results were compared with those from an orthopaedic examination, force plate analysis, radiographic evaluation, and a conclusive assessment. Congruity of the methods was assessed with a combination of three statistical approaches (Fisher's exact test and two differently calculated proportions of agreeing observations), and the components were ranked from best to worst. Sensitivities of all of the physiotherapeutic evaluation methods against each standard were calculated. Evaluation of asymmetry in a sitting and lying position, assessment of muscle atrophy, manual and measured static weight bearing, and measurement of stifle passive range of motion were the most valid and sensitive physiotherapeutic evaluation methods. Ranking of the various physiotherapeutic evaluation methods was accomplished. Several of these methods can be considered valid and sensitive when examining the functionality of dogs with stifle problems.

Ranking of physiotherapeutic evaluation methods as outcome measures of stifle functionality in dogs

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Various physiotherapeutic evaluation methods are used to assess the functionality of dogs with stifle problems. Neither validity nor sensitivity of these methods has been investigated. This study aimed to determine the most valid and sensitive physiotherapeutic evaluation methods for assessing functional capacity in hind limbs of dogs with stifle problems and to serve as a basis for developing an indexed test for these dogs. A group of 43 dogs with unilateral surgically treated cranial cruciate ligament deficiency and osteoarthritic findings was used to test different physiotherapeutic evaluation methods. Twenty-one healthy dogs served as the control group and were used to determine normal variation in static weight bearing and range of motion. The protocol consisted of 14 different evaluation methods: visual evaluation of lameness, visual evaluation of diagonal movement, visual evaluation of functional active range of motion and difference in thrust of hind limbs via functional tests (sit-to-move and lie-to-move), movement in stairs, evaluation of hind limb muscle atrophy, manual evaluation of hind limb static weight bearing, quantitative measurement of static weight bearing of hind limbs with bathroom scales, and passive range of motion of hind limb stifle (flexion and extension) and tarsal (flexion and extension) joints using a universal goniometer. The results were compared with those from an orthopaedic examination, force plate analysis, radiographic evaluation, and a conclusive assessment. Congruity of the methods was assessed with a combination of three statistical approaches (Fisher’s exact test and two differently calculated proportions of agreeing observations), and the components were ranked from best to worst. Sensitivities of all of the physiotherapeutic evaluation methods against each standard were calculated. Results Evaluation of asymmetry in a sitting and lying position, assessment of muscle atrophy, manual and measured static weight bearing, and measurement of stifle passive range of motion were the most valid and sensitive physiotherapeutic evaluation methods. Conclusions Ranking of the various physiotherapeutic evaluation methods was accomplished. Several of these methods can be considered valid and sensitive when examining the functionality of dogs with stifle problems. PMID:23566355

Evaluating Work-Based Learning: Insights from an Illuminative Evaluation Study of Work-Based Learning in a Vocational Qualification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Rensburg, Estelle

2008-01-01

This article outlines an illuminative evaluation study of the work-based module in a vocational qualification in Animal Health offered for the paraveterinary industry by a distance education institution in South Africa. In illuminative evaluation, a programme is studied by qualitative methods to gain an in-depth understanding of its…

Evaluating the economic benefits of nonmotorized transportation : case studies and methods for the nonmotorized transportation pilot program communities.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-01

This report examines potential methods for evaluating the economic benefits from nonmotorized transportation investments. The variety of potential economic benefits of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and programming investments discussed includ...

OPTIMIZING USABILITY OF AN ECONOMIC DECISION SUPPORT TOOL: PROTOTYPE OF THE EQUIPT TOOL.

PubMed

Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Präger, Maximilian; Jones, Teresa; Józwiak-Hagymásy, Judit; Muñoz, Celia; Lester-George, Adam; Pokhrel, Subhash; López-Nicolás, Ángel; Trapero-Bertran, Marta; Evers, Silvia M A A; de Vries, Hein

2018-01-01

Economic decision-support tools can provide valuable information for tobacco control stakeholders, but their usability may impact the adoption of such tools. This study aims to illustrate a mixed-method usability evaluation of an economic decision-support tool for tobacco control, using the EQUIPT ROI tool prototype as a case study. A cross-sectional mixed methods design was used, including a heuristic evaluation, a thinking aloud approach, and a questionnaire testing and exploring the usability of the Return of Investment tool. A total of sixty-six users evaluated the tool (thinking aloud) and completed the questionnaire. For the heuristic evaluation, four experts evaluated the interface. In total twenty-one percent of the respondents perceived good usability. A total of 118 usability problems were identified, from which twenty-six problems were categorized as most severe, indicating high priority to fix them before implementation. Combining user-based and expert-based evaluation methods is recommended as these were shown to identify unique usability problems. The evaluation provides input to optimize usability of a decision-support tool, and may serve as a vantage point for other developers to conduct usability evaluations to refine similar tools before wide-scale implementation. Such studies could reduce implementation gaps by optimizing usability, enhancing in turn the research impact of such interventions.

"Tracking of Ideas": A Method to Evaluate the Integration of Ideas in Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Budd, Julia M.

2018-01-01

Evaluating cross-disciplinary collaboration has generally been undertaken using disciplinary standards. However, this practice is increasingly being found to be inadequate due to the often contradictory nature of the methods used. It has been suggested that methods that consider the unique integrative nature of these studies be employed. This…

Evaluation of the Technical Adequacy of Three Methods for Identifying Specific Learning Disabilities Based on Cognitive Discrepancies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuebing, Karla K.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Branum-Martin, Lee; Francis, David J.

2012-01-01

This study used simulation techniques to evaluate the technical adequacy of three methods for the identification of specific learning disabilities via patterns of strengths and weaknesses in cognitive processing. Latent and observed data were generated and the decision-making process of each method was applied to assess concordance in…

Development and preliminary evaluation of a new anatomically based prosthetic alignment method for below-knee prosthesis.

PubMed

Tafti, Nahid; Karimlou, Masoud; Mardani, Mohammad Ali; Jafarpisheh, Amir Salar; Aminian, Gholam Reza; Safari, Reza

2018-04-20

The objectives of current study were to a) assess similarities and relationships between anatomical landmark-based angles and distances of lower limbs in unilateral transtibial amputees and b) develop and evaluate a new anatomically based static prosthetic alignment method. First sub-study assessed the anthropometrical differences and relationships between the lower limbs in the photographs taken from amputees. Data were analysed via paired t-test and regression analysis. Results show no significant differences in frontal and transverse planes. In the sagittal plane, the anthropometric parameters of the amputated limb were significantly correlated to the corresponding variables of the sound limb. The results served as bases for the development of a new prosthetic alignment method. The method was evaluated on a single subject study. Prosthetic alignment carried out by an experienced prosthetist was compared with such alignment adjusted by an inexperienced prosthetist but with the use of the developed method. In sagittal and frontal planes, the socket angle was tuned with respect to the shin angle, and the position of the prosthetic foot was tuned in relation to the pelvic landmarks. Further study is needed to assess the proposed method on a larger sample of amputees and prosthetists.

Facilitating children's views of therapy: an analysis of the use of play-based techniques to evaluate clinical practice.

PubMed

Jäger, Jessica

2013-07-01

This article reports on a follow-up study exploring the use of play-based evaluation methods to facilitate children's views of therapy. The development and piloting of these techniques, with 12 children in the author's own practice, was previously reported in this journal. It was argued that play-based evaluation methods reduce the power imbalance inherent in adult researcher/interviewer-child relationships and provide children with meaningful ways to share their views. In this article, follow-up research into play-based evaluations with 20 children and 7 different play therapists is drawn upon to explore in greater depth the strengths and weaknesses of these techniques. The study shows that play-based evaluation techniques are important and flexible methods for facilitating children's views of child therapy. It is argued that those play therapists who incorporate their therapeutic skills effectively, maintain flexibility and sensitively attune to the child during the evaluation session, enable the child to explore their views most fully.

In vitro evaluation of antioxidant activity of Cordia dichotoma (Forst f.) bark

PubMed Central

Nariya, Pankaj B.; Bhalodia, Nayan R.; Shukla, Vinay J.; Acharya, Rabinarayan; Nariya, Mukesh B.

2013-01-01

Cordia dichotoma Forst. f. bark, identified as botanical source of Shleshmataka in Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia. Present investigation was undertaken to evaluate possible antioxidant potential of methanolic and butanol extract of C. dichotoma bark. In vitro antioxidant activity of methanolic and butanol extract was determined by 1,1, diphenyl–2, picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. The extracts were also evaluated for their phenolic contents and antioxidant activity. Phenolic content was measured using Folin–Ciocalteu reagent and was calculated as Gallic acid equivalents. Antiradical activity of methanolic extract was measured by DPPH assay and was compared to ascorbic acid and ferric reducing power of the extract was evaluated by Oyaizu method. In the present study three in vitro models were used to evaluate antioxidant activity. The first two methods were for direct measurement of radical scavenging activity and remaining one method evaluated the reducing power. The present study revealed that the C. dichotoma bark has significant radical scavenging activity. PMID:24049418

In vitro evaluation of antioxidant activity of Cordia dichotoma (Forst f.) bark.

PubMed

Nariya, Pankaj B; Bhalodia, Nayan R; Shukla, Vinay J; Acharya, Rabinarayan; Nariya, Mukesh B

2013-01-01

Cordia dichotoma Forst. f. bark, identified as botanical source of Shleshmataka in Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia. Present investigation was undertaken to evaluate possible antioxidant potential of methanolic and butanol extract of C. dichotoma bark. In vitro antioxidant activity of methanolic and butanol extract was determined by 1,1, diphenyl-2, picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. The extracts were also evaluated for their phenolic contents and antioxidant activity. Phenolic content was measured using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and was calculated as Gallic acid equivalents. Antiradical activity of methanolic extract was measured by DPPH assay and was compared to ascorbic acid and ferric reducing power of the extract was evaluated by Oyaizu method. In the present study three in vitro models were used to evaluate antioxidant activity. The first two methods were for direct measurement of radical scavenging activity and remaining one method evaluated the reducing power. The present study revealed that the C. dichotoma bark has significant radical scavenging activity.

Climate-dependence of ecosystem services in a nature reserve in northern China

PubMed Central

Fang, Jiaohui; Song, Huali; Zhang, Yiran; Li, Yanran

2018-01-01

Evaluation of ecosystem services has become a hotspot in terms of research focus, but uncertainties over appropriate methods remain. Evaluation can be based on the unit price of services (services value method) or the unit price of the area (area value method). The former takes meteorological factors into account, while the latter does not. This study uses Kunyu Mountain Nature Reserve as a study site at which to test the effects of climate on the ecosystem services. Measured data and remote sensing imagery processed in a geographic information system were combined to evaluate gas regulation and soil conservation, and the influence of meteorological factors on ecosystem services. Results were used to analyze the appropriateness of the area value method. Our results show that the value of ecosystem services is significantly affected by meteorological factors, especially precipitation. Use of the area value method (which ignores the impacts of meteorological factors) could considerably impede the accuracy of ecosystem services evaluation. Results were also compared with the valuation obtained using the modified equivalent value factor (MEVF) method, which is a modified area value method that considers changes in meteorological conditions. We found that MEVF still underestimates the value of ecosystem services, although it can reflect to some extent the annual variation in meteorological factors. Our findings contribute to increasing the accuracy of evaluation of ecosystem services. PMID:29438427

Climate-dependence of ecosystem services in a nature reserve in northern China.

PubMed

Fang, Jiaohui; Song, Huali; Zhang, Yiran; Li, Yanran; Liu, Jian

2018-01-01

Evaluation of ecosystem services has become a hotspot in terms of research focus, but uncertainties over appropriate methods remain. Evaluation can be based on the unit price of services (services value method) or the unit price of the area (area value method). The former takes meteorological factors into account, while the latter does not. This study uses Kunyu Mountain Nature Reserve as a study site at which to test the effects of climate on the ecosystem services. Measured data and remote sensing imagery processed in a geographic information system were combined to evaluate gas regulation and soil conservation, and the influence of meteorological factors on ecosystem services. Results were used to analyze the appropriateness of the area value method. Our results show that the value of ecosystem services is significantly affected by meteorological factors, especially precipitation. Use of the area value method (which ignores the impacts of meteorological factors) could considerably impede the accuracy of ecosystem services evaluation. Results were also compared with the valuation obtained using the modified equivalent value factor (MEVF) method, which is a modified area value method that considers changes in meteorological conditions. We found that MEVF still underestimates the value of ecosystem services, although it can reflect to some extent the annual variation in meteorological factors. Our findings contribute to increasing the accuracy of evaluation of ecosystem services.

Method of evaluation of process of red blood cell sedimentation based on photometry of droplet samples.

PubMed

Aristov, Alexander; Nosova, Ekaterina

2017-04-01

The paper focuses on research aimed at creating and testing a new approach to evaluate the processes of aggregation and sedimentation of red blood cells for purpose of its use in clinical laboratory diagnostics. The proposed method is based on photometric analysis of blood sample formed as a sessile drop. The results of clinical approbation of this method are given in the paper. Analysis of the processes occurring in the sample in the form of sessile drop during the process of blood cells sedimentation is described. The results of experimental studies to evaluate the effect of the droplet sample focusing properties on light radiation transmittance are presented. It is shown that this method significantly reduces the sample volume and provides sufficiently high sensitivity to the studied processes.

Costing evidence for health care decision-making in Austria: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Mayer, Susanne; Kiss, Noemi; Łaszewska, Agata

2017-01-01

Background With rising healthcare costs comes an increasing demand for evidence-informed resource allocation using economic evaluations worldwide. Furthermore, standardization of costing and reporting methods both at international and national levels are imperative to make economic evaluations a valid tool for decision-making. The aim of this review is to assess the availability and consistency of costing evidence that could be used for decision-making in Austria. It describes systematically the current economic evaluation and costing studies landscape focusing on the applied costing methods and their reporting standards. Findings are discussed in terms of their likely impacts on evidence-based decision-making and potential suggestions for areas of development. Methods A systematic literature review of English and German language peer-reviewed as well as grey literature (2004–2015) was conducted to identify Austrian economic analyses. The databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, SSCI, EconLit, NHS EED and Scopus were searched. Publication and study characteristics, costing methods, reporting standards and valuation sources were systematically synthesised and assessed. Results A total of 93 studies were included. 87% were journal articles, 13% were reports. 41% of all studies were full economic evaluations, mostly cost-effectiveness analyses. Based on relevant standards the most commonly observed limitations were that 60% of the studies did not clearly state an analytical perspective, 25% of the studies did not provide the year of costing, 27% did not comprehensively list all valuation sources, and 38% did not report all applied unit costs. Conclusion There are substantial inconsistencies in the costing methods and reporting standards in economic analyses in Austria, which may contribute to a low acceptance and lack of interest in economic evaluation-informed decision making. To improve comparability and quality of future studies, national costing guidelines should be updated with more specific methodological guidance and a national reference cost library should be set up to allow harmonisation of valuation methods. PMID:28806728

Northwest Montana/North Idaho transmission corridor study: a computer-assisted corridor location and impact evaluation assessment

Treesearch

Timothy J. Murray; Daniel J. Bisenius; Jay G. Marcotte

1979-01-01

A computer-assisted method was used to locate and evaluate approximately 1,200 miles of alternative corridors within an 8,000 square mile study region. The method involved in-depth impact analyses for nine major location criteria or determinant models. Regional "experts" from the Rocky Mountain area participated with BPA in developing model structure....

Laboratory Study of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Contamination and Mitigation in Buildings -- Part 4. Evaluation of the Activated Metal Treatment System (AMTS) for On-site Destruction of PCBs

EPA Science Inventory

This is the fourth, also the last, report of the report series entitled “Laboratory Study of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Contamination and Mitigation in Buildings.” This report evaluates the performance of an on-site PCB destruction method, known as the AMTS method...

Laboratory Study of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Contamination and Mitigation in Buildings -- Part 4. Evaluation of the Activated Metal Treatment System (AMTS) for On-site Destruction of PCBs

EPA Science Inventory

This is the fourth, also the last, report of the report series entitled “Laboratory Study of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Contamination and Mitigation in Buildings.” This report evaluates the performance of an on-site PCB destruction method, known as the AMTS method, developed ...

Applying Program Theory-Driven Approach to Design and Evaluate a Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Su-ching; Wu, Ming-sui

2016-01-01

This study was the first year of a two-year project which applied a program theory-driven approach to evaluating the impact of teachers' professional development interventions on students' learning by using a mix of methods, qualitative inquiry, and quasi-experimental design. The current study was to show the results of using the method of…

A Study to Determine the Effectiveness of Letter Evaluation as a Learning Device in Business Correspondence Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, William Henry

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a letter-evaluation method would be as effective as the traditional letter-writing method when applied in a college level business correspondence class. One hundred twenty-nine Brigham Young University students were divided into two experimental and two control groups, and categorized according to…

An evaluation of methods used to teach quality improvement to undergraduate healthcare students to inform curriculum development within preregistration nurse education: a protocol for systematic review and narrative synthesis.

PubMed

Armstrong, Lorraine; Lauder, William; Shepherd, Ashley

2015-01-14

Despite criticism, quality improvement (QI) continues to drive political and educational priorities within health care. Until recently, QI educational interventions have varied, targeting mainly postgraduates, middle management and the medical profession. However, there is now consensus within the UK, USA and beyond to integrate QI explicitly into nurse education, and faculties may require redesign of their QI curriculum to achieve this. Whilst growth in QI preregistration nurse education is emerging, little empirical evidence exists to determine such effects. Furthermore, previous healthcare studies evaluating QI educational interventions lend little in the way of support and have instead been subject to criticism. They reveal methodological weakness such as no reporting of theoretical underpinnings, insufficient intervention description, poor evaluation methods, little clinical or patient impact and lack of sustainability. This study aims therefore to identify, evaluate and synthesise teaching methods used within the undergraduate population to aid development of QI curriculum within preregistration nurse education. A systematic review of the literature will be conducted. Electronic databases, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Psychological Information (PsychINFO), Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), will be searched alongside reference list scanning and a grey literature search. Peer-reviewed studies from 2000-2014 will be identified using key terms quality improvement, education, curriculum, training, undergraduate, teaching methods, students and evaluation. Studies describing a QI themed educational intervention aimed at undergraduate healthcare students will be included and data extracted using a modified version of the Reporting of Primary Studies in Education (REPOSE) Guidelines. Studies will be judged for quality and relevance using the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre's (EPPI) Weight of Evidence framework and a narrative synthesis of the findings provided. This study aims to identify, evaluate and synthesise the teaching methods used in quality improvement education for undergraduate healthcare students where currently this is lacking. This will enable nursing faculty to adopt the most effective methods when developing QI education within their curriculum. Prospero CRD42014013847.

Ignitability test method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bement, Laurence J.; Schimmel, Morry L.

1989-01-01

To overcome serious weaknesses in determining the performance of initiating devices, a novel 'ignitability test method', representing actual design interfaces and ignition materials, has been developed. Ignition device output consists of heat, light, gas an burning particles. Past research methods have evaluated these parameters individually. This paper describes the development and demonstration of an ignitability test method combining all these parameters, and the quantitative assessment of the ignition performance of two widely used percussion primers, the M42C1-PA101 and the M42C2-793. The ignition materials used for this evaluation were several powder, granule and pellet sizes of black powder and boron-potassium nitrate. This test method should be useful for performance evaluation of all initiator types, quality assurance, evaluation of ignition interfaces, and service life studies of initiators and ignition materials.

Evaluation Studies of Robotic Rollators by the User Perspective: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Werner, Christian; Ullrich, Phoebe; Geravand, Milad; Peer, Angelika; Hauer, Klaus

2016-01-01

Robotic rollators enhance the basic functions of established devices by technically advanced physical, cognitive, or sensory support to increase autonomy in persons with severe impairment. In the evaluation of such ambient assisted living solutions, both the technical and user perspectives are important to prove usability, effectiveness and safety, and to ensure adequate device application. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the methodology of studies evaluating robotic rollators with focus on the user perspective and to give recommendations for future evaluation studies. A systematic literature search up to December 31, 2014, was conducted based on the Cochrane Review methodology using the electronic databases PubMed and IEEE Xplore. Articles were selected according to the following inclusion criteria: evaluation studies of robotic rollators documenting human-robot interaction, no case reports, published in English language. Twenty-eight studies were identified that met the predefined inclusion criteria. Large heterogeneity in the definitions of the target user group, study populations, study designs and assessment methods was found across the included studies. No generic methodology to evaluate robotic rollators could be identified. We found major methodological shortcomings related to insufficient sample descriptions and sample sizes, and lack of appropriate, standardized and validated assessment methods. Long-term use in habitual environment was also not evaluated. Apart from the heterogeneity, methodological deficits in most of the identified studies became apparent. Recommendations for future evaluation studies include: clear definition of target user group, adequate selection of subjects, inclusion of other assistive mobility devices for comparison, evaluation of the habitual use of advanced prototypes, adequate assessment strategy with established, standardized and validated methods, and statistical analysis of study results. Assessment strategies may additionally focus on specific functionalities of the robotic rollators allowing an individually tailored assessment of innovative features to document their added value. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Evaluating the effectiveness of behavior change techniques in health-related behavior: a scoping review of methods used.

PubMed

Michie, Susan; West, Robert; Sheals, Kate; Godinho, Cristina A

2018-03-01

Behavior change interventions typically contain multiple potentially active components: behavior change techniques (BCTs). Identifying which specific BCTs or BCT combinations have the potential to be effective for a given behavior in a given context presents a major challenge. The aim of this study was to review the methods that have been used to identify effective BCTs for given behaviors in given contexts and evaluate their strengths and limitations. A scoping review was conducted of studies that had sought to identify effective BCTs. Articles referring to "behavio(u)r change technique(s)" in the abstract/text were located, and ones that involved identification of effective BCTs were selected. The methods reported were coded. The methods were analyzed in general terms using "PASS" criteria: Practicability (facility to apply the method appropriately), Applicability (facility to generalize from findings to contexts and populations of interest), Sensitivity (facility to identify effective BCTs), and Specificity (facility to rule out ineffective BCTs). A sample of 10% of the studies reviewed was then evaluated using these criteria to assess how far the strengths and limitations identified in principle were borne out in practice. One hundred and thirty-five studies were identified. The methods used in those studies were experimental manipulation of BCTs, observational studies comparing outcomes in the presence or absence of BCTs, meta-analyses of BCT comparisons, meta-regressions evaluating effect sizes with and without specific BCTs, reviews of BCTs found in effective interventions, and meta-classification and regression trees. The limitations of each method meant that only weak conclusions could be drawn regarding the effectiveness of specific BCTs or BCT combinations. Methods for identifying effective BCTs linked to target behavior and context all have important inherent limitations. A strategy needs to be developed that can systematically combine the strengths of the different methods and that can link these constructs in an ontology of behavior change interventions.

Using evaluation methods to guide the development of a tobacco-use prevention curriculum for youth: a case study.

PubMed

Bridge, P D; Gallagher, R E; Berry-Bobovski, L C

2000-01-01

Fundamental to the development of educational programs and curricula is the evaluation of processes and outcomes. Unfortunately, many otherwise well-designed programs do not incorporate stringent evaluation methods and are limited in measuring program development and effectiveness. Using an advertising lesson in a school-based tobacco-use prevention curriculum as a case study, the authors examine the role of evaluation in the development, implementation, and enhancement of the curricular lesson. A four-phase formative and summative evaluation design was developed to divide the program-evaluation continuum into a structured process that would aid in the management of the evaluation, as well as assess curricular components. Formative and summative evaluation can provide important guidance in the development, implementation, and enhancement of educational curricula. Evaluation strategies identified unexpected barriers and allowed the project team to make necessary "time-relevant" curricular adjustments during each stage of the process.

Defining the methodological challenges and opportunities for an effective science of sociotechnical systems and safety

PubMed Central

Waterson, Patrick; Robertson, Michelle M.; Cooke, Nancy J.; Militello, Laura; Roth, Emilie; Stanton, Neville A.

2015-01-01

An important part of the application of sociotechnical systems theory (STS) is the development of methods, tools and techniques to assess human factors and ergonomics workplace requirements. We focus in this paper on describing and evaluating current STS methods for workplace safety, as well as outlining a set of six case studies covering the application of these methods to a range of safety contexts. We also describe an evaluation of the methods in terms of ratings of their ability to address a set of theoretical and practical questions (e.g. the degree to which methods capture static/dynamic aspects of tasks and interactions between system levels). The outcomes from the evaluation highlight a set of gaps relating to the coverage and applicability of current methods for STS and safety (e.g. coverage of external influences on system functioning; method usability). The final sections of the paper describe a set of future challenges, as well as some practical suggestions for tackling these. Practitioner Summary: We provide an up-to-date review of STS methods, a set of case studies illustrating their use and an evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses. The paper concludes with a ‘roadmap’ for future work. PMID:25832121

The MIXED framework: A novel approach to evaluating mixed-methods rigor.

PubMed

Eckhardt, Ann L; DeVon, Holli A

2017-10-01

Evaluation of rigor in mixed-methods (MM) research is a persistent challenge due to the combination of inconsistent philosophical paradigms, the use of multiple research methods which require different skill sets, and the need to combine research at different points in the research process. Researchers have proposed a variety of ways to thoroughly evaluate MM research, but each method fails to provide a framework that is useful for the consumer of research. In contrast, the MIXED framework is meant to bridge the gap between an academic exercise and practical assessment of a published work. The MIXED framework (methods, inference, expertise, evaluation, and design) borrows from previously published frameworks to create a useful tool for the evaluation of a published study. The MIXED framework uses an experimental eight-item scale that allows for comprehensive integrated assessment of MM rigor in published manuscripts. Mixed methods are becoming increasingly prevalent in nursing and healthcare research requiring researchers and consumers to address issues unique to MM such as evaluation of rigor. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluating Teachers' Professional Development Initiatives: Towards an Extended Evaluative Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merchie, Emmelien; Tuytens, Melissa; Devos, Geert; Vanderlinde, Ruben

2018-01-01

Evaluating teachers' professional development initiatives (PDI) is one of the main challenges for the teacher professionalisation field. Although different studies have focused on the effectiveness of PDI, the obtained effects and evaluative methods have been found to be widely divergent. By means of a narrative review, this study provides an…

Evaluation of Turkish and Mathematics Curricula According to Value-Based Evaluation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duman, Serap Nur; Akbas, Oktay

2017-01-01

This study evaluated secondary school seventh-grade Turkish and mathematics programs using the Context-Input-Process-Product Evaluation Model based on student, teacher, and inspector views. The convergent parallel mixed method design was used in the study. Student values were identified using the scales for socio-level identification, traditional…

An Evaluation of the Private High School Curriculum in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslan, Dolgun

2016-01-01

This study aims at evaluating curricula of private high schools in line with opinions of teachers working at the related high schools, and identifying any related problems. Screening model is used as a quantitative research method in the study. The "element-based curriculum evaluation model" is taken as basis for evaluation of the…

Evaluation of Computer Simulations for Teaching Apparel Merchandising Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jolly, Laura D.; Sisler, Grovalynn

1988-01-01

The study developed and evaluated computer simulations for teaching apparel merchandising concepts. Evaluation results indicated that teaching method (computer simulation versus case study) does not significantly affect cognitive learning. Student attitudes varied, however, according to topic (profitable merchandising analysis versus retailing…

Use of Intermediate Endpoints in the Economic Evaluation of New Treatments for Advanced Cancer and Methods Adopted When Suitable Overall Survival Data are Not Available.

PubMed

Beauchemin, Catherine; Lapierre, Marie-Ève; Letarte, Nathalie; Yelle, Louise; Lachaine, Jean

2016-09-01

This study assessed the use of intermediate endpoints in the economic evaluation of new treatments for advanced cancer and the methodological approaches adopted when overall survival (OS) data are unavailable or of limited use. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify economic evaluations of treatments for advanced cancer published between 2003 and 2013. Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses expressed in cost per life-year gained and cost per quality-adjusted life-year using an intermediate endpoint as an outcome measure were eligible. Characteristics of selected studies were extracted and comprised population, treatment of interest, comparator, line of treatment, study perspective, and time horizon. Use of intermediate endpoints and methods adopted when OS data were lacking were analyzed. In total, 7219 studies were identified and 100 fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Intermediate endpoints mostly used were progression-free survival and time to progression, accounting for 92 % of included studies. OS data were unavailable for analysis in nearly 25 % of economic evaluations. In the absence of OS data, studies most commonly assumed an equal risk of death for all treatment groups. Other methods included use of indirect comparison based on numerous assumptions, use of a proxy for OS, consultation with clinical experts, and use of published external information from different treatment settings. Intermediate endpoints are widely used in the economic evaluation of new treatments for advanced cancer in order to estimate OS. Currently, different methods are used in the absence of suitable OS data and the choice of an appropriate method depends on many factors including the data availability.

Traversing the many paths of workflow research: developing a conceptual framework of workflow terminology through a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Novak, Laurie L; Johnson, Kevin B; Lorenzi, Nancy M

2010-01-01

The objective of this review was to describe methods used to study and model workflow. The authors included studies set in a variety of industries using qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Of the 6221 matching abstracts, 127 articles were included in the final corpus. The authors collected data from each article on researcher perspective, study type, methods type, specific methods, approaches to evaluating quality of results, definition of workflow and dependent variables. Ethnographic observation and interviews were the most frequently used methods. Long study durations revealed the large time commitment required for descriptive workflow research. The most frequently discussed technique for evaluating quality of study results was triangulation. The definition of the term “workflow” and choice of methods for studying workflow varied widely across research areas and researcher perspectives. The authors developed a conceptual framework of workflow-related terminology for use in future research and present this model for use by other researchers. PMID:20442143

A Mixed Methods Program Evaluation on the Effectiveness of a School Redesign Model on Teacher Empowerment and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costa, Ann Marie

2012-01-01

A recent law in a New England state allowed public schools to operate with increased flexibility and autonomy through the authorization of the creation of Innovation Schools. This project study, a program evaluation using a convergent parallel mixed methods research design, allowed for a comprehensive evaluation of the first Innovation School…

Design and Implementation of a Multi-Strategy, Collegewide Program of Evaluation and Planning: The Mercy College Self-Study Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraetzer, Mary C.; And Others

The rationale, strategies, and methods of The Mercy College Self-Study Project are considered, and evaluation instruments are provided. This program of institutional evaluation and planning was initiated in 1980 and consists of: standardized surveys, a 10-year longitudinal (panel) study, and academic department self-studies. Questionnaires…

Cumulative Risk and Impact Modeling on Environmental Chemical and Social Stressors.

PubMed

Huang, Hongtai; Wang, Aolin; Morello-Frosch, Rachel; Lam, Juleen; Sirota, Marina; Padula, Amy; Woodruff, Tracey J

2018-03-01

The goal of this review is to identify cumulative modeling methods used to evaluate combined effects of exposures to environmental chemicals and social stressors. The specific review question is: What are the existing quantitative methods used to examine the cumulative impacts of exposures to environmental chemical and social stressors on health? There has been an increase in literature that evaluates combined effects of exposures to environmental chemicals and social stressors on health using regression models; very few studies applied other data mining and machine learning techniques to this problem. The majority of studies we identified used regression models to evaluate combined effects of multiple environmental and social stressors. With proper study design and appropriate modeling assumptions, additional data mining methods may be useful to examine combined effects of environmental and social stressors.

Soybean Resistance to White Mold: Evaluation of Soybean Germplasm Under Different Conditions and Validation of QTL

PubMed Central

Kandel, Ramkrishna; Chen, Charles Y.; Grau, Craig R.; Dorrance, Ann E.; Liu, Jean Q.; Wang, Yang; Wang, Dechun

2018-01-01

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) white mold (SWM), caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib) de Barry), is a devastating fungal disease in the Upper Midwest of the United States and southern Canada. Various methods exist to evaluate for SWM resistance and many quantitative trait loci (QTL) with minor effect governing SWM resistance have been identified in prior studies. This study aimed to predict field resistance to SWM using low-cost and efficient greenhouse inoculation methods and to confirm the QTL reported in previous studies. Three related but independent studies were conducted in the field, greenhouse, and laboratory to evaluate for SWM resistance. The first study evaluated 66 soybean plant introductions (PIs) with known field resistance to SWM using the greenhouse drop-mycelium inoculation method. These 66 PIs were significantly (P < 0.043) different for resistance to SWM. However, year was highly significant (P < 0.00001), while PI x year interaction was not significant (P < 0.623). The second study compared plant mortality (PM) of 35 soybean breeding lines or varieties in greenhouse inoculation methods with disease severity index (DSI) in field evaluations. Moderate correlation (r) between PM under drop-mycelium method and DSI in field trials (r = 0.65, p < 0.0001) was obtained. The PM under spray-mycelium was also correlated significantly with DSI from field trials (r = 0.51, p < 0.0018). Likewise, significant correlation (r = 0.62, p < 0.0001) was obtained between PM across greenhouse inoculation methods and DSI across field trials. These findings suggest that greenhouse inoculation methods could predict the field resistance to SWM. The third study attempted to validate 33 QTL reported in prior studies using seven populations that comprised a total of 392 F4 : 6 lines derived from crosses involving a partially resistant cultivar “Skylla,” five partially resistant PIs, and a known susceptible cultivar “E00290.” The estimates of broad-sense heritability (h2) ranged from 0.39 to 0.66 in the populations. Of the seven populations, four had h2 estimates that were significantly different from zero (p < 0.05). Single marker analysis across populations and inoculation methods identified 11 significant SSRs (p < 0.05) corresponding to 10 QTL identified by prior studies. Thus, these five new PIs could be used as new sources of resistant alleles to develop SWM resistant commercial cultivars. PMID:29731761

What is the quality of economic evaluations of non-drug therapies? A systematic review and critical appraisal of economic evaluations of radiotherapy for cancer.

PubMed

Barbieri, M; Weatherly, H L A; Ara, R; Basarir, H; Sculpher, M; Adams, R; Ahmed, H; Coles, C; Guerrero-Urbano, T; Nutting, C; Powell, M

2014-10-01

Breast, cervical and colorectal cancers are the three most frequent cancers in women, while lung, prostate and colorectal cancers are the most frequent in men. Much attention has been given to the economic evaluation of pharmaceuticals for treatment of cancer by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK and similar authorities internationally, while economic analysis developed for other types of anti-cancer interventions, including radiotherapy and surgery, are less common. Our objective was to review methods used in published cost-effectiveness studies evaluating radiotherapy for breast, cervical, colorectal, head and neck and prostate cancer, and to compare the economic evaluation methods applied with those defined in the guidelines used by the NICE technology appraisal programme. A systematic search of seven databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CDSR, NHSEED, HTA, DARE, EconLit) as well as research registers, the NICE website and conference proceedings was conducted in July 2012. Only economic evaluations of radiotherapy interventions in individuals diagnosed with cancer that included quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) or life-years (LYs) were included. Included studies were appraised on the basis of satisfying essential, preferred and UK-specific methods requirements, building on the NICE Reference Case for economic evaluations and on other methods guidelines. A total of 29 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria (breast 14, colorectal 2, prostate 10, cervical 0, head and neck 3). Only two studies were conducted in the UK (13 in the USA). Among essential methods criteria, the main issue was that only three (10%) of the studies used clinical-effectiveness estimates identified through systematic review of the literature. Similarly, only eight (28%) studies sourced health-related quality-of-life data directly from patients with the condition of interest. Other essential criteria (e.g. clear description of comparators, patient group indication and appropriate time horizon) were generally fulfilled, while most of the UK-specific requirements were not met. Based on this review there is a dearth of up-to-date, robust evidence on the cost effectiveness of radiotherapy in cancer suitable to support decision making in the UK. Studies selected did not fully satisfy essential method standards currently recommended by NICE.

Evaluating Creative Thinking of Rn-Bsn Students in the Course of Clinical Case Study and Practicum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ku, Ya-Lie

2015-01-01

This case study evaluated creative thinking of RN-BSN students in the course of clinical case study and practicum. Study design used quantitative and qualitative evaluations of creative thinking of RN-BSN students by triangulation method in the course of clinical case study and practicum. Sixty RN-BSN students self-perceived the changing levels of…

Evaluating the effectiveness of clinical medical librarian programs: a systematic review of the literature*

PubMed Central

Wagner, Kay Cimpl; Byrd, Gary D.

2004-01-01

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine if a systematic review of the evidence from thirty years of literature evaluating clinical medical librarian (CML) programs could help clarify the effectiveness of this outreach service model. Methods: A descriptive review of the CML literature describes the general characteristics of these services as they have been implemented, primarily in teaching-hospital settings. Comprehensive searches for CML studies using quantitative or qualitative evaluation methods were conducted in the medical, allied health, librarianship, and social sciences literature. Findings: Thirty-five studies published between 1974 and 2001 met the review criteria. Most (30) evaluated single, active programs and used descriptive research methods (e.g., use statistics or surveys/questionnaires). A weighted average of 89% of users in twelve studies found CML services useful and of high quality, and 65% of users in another overlapping, but not identical, twelve studies said these services contributed to improved patient care. Conclusions: The total amount of research evidence for CML program effectiveness is not great and most of it is descriptive rather than comparative or analytically qualitative. Standards are needed to consistently evaluate CML or informationist programs in the future. A carefully structured multiprogram study including three to five of the best current programs is needed to define the true value of these services. PMID:14762460

Meta-analysis of haplotype-association studies: comparison of methods and empirical evaluation of the literature

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Meta-analysis is a popular methodology in several fields of medical research, including genetic association studies. However, the methods used for meta-analysis of association studies that report haplotypes have not been studied in detail. In this work, methods for performing meta-analysis of haplotype association studies are summarized, compared and presented in a unified framework along with an empirical evaluation of the literature. Results We present multivariate methods that use summary-based data as well as methods that use binary and count data in a generalized linear mixed model framework (logistic regression, multinomial regression and Poisson regression). The methods presented here avoid the inflation of the type I error rate that could be the result of the traditional approach of comparing a haplotype against the remaining ones, whereas, they can be fitted using standard software. Moreover, formal global tests are presented for assessing the statistical significance of the overall association. Although the methods presented here assume that the haplotypes are directly observed, they can be easily extended to allow for such an uncertainty by weighting the haplotypes by their probability. Conclusions An empirical evaluation of the published literature and a comparison against the meta-analyses that use single nucleotide polymorphisms, suggests that the studies reporting meta-analysis of haplotypes contain approximately half of the included studies and produce significant results twice more often. We show that this excess of statistically significant results, stems from the sub-optimal method of analysis used and, in approximately half of the cases, the statistical significance is refuted if the data are properly re-analyzed. Illustrative examples of code are given in Stata and it is anticipated that the methods developed in this work will be widely applied in the meta-analysis of haplotype association studies. PMID:21247440

A Consistency Evaluation and Calibration Method for Piezoelectric Transmitters.

PubMed

Zhang, Kai; Tan, Baohai; Liu, Xianping

2017-04-28

Array transducer and transducer combination technologies are evolving rapidly. While adapting transmitter combination technologies, the parameter consistencies between each transmitter are extremely important because they can determine a combined effort directly. This study presents a consistency evaluation and calibration method for piezoelectric transmitters by using impedance analyzers. Firstly, electronic parameters of transmitters that can be measured by impedance analyzers are introduced. A variety of transmitter acoustic energies that are caused by these parameter differences are then analyzed and certified and, thereafter, transmitter consistency is evaluated. Lastly, based on the evaluations, consistency can be calibrated by changing the corresponding excitation voltage. Acoustic experiments show that this method accurately evaluates and calibrates transducer consistencies, and is easy to realize.

Advanced Cardiac Life Support Training by Problem-Based Method: Effect on the Trainee's Skills, Knowledge and Evaluation of Trainers.

PubMed

Hosseini, Seyed Kianoosh; Ghalamkari, Marziyeh; Yousefshahi, Fardin; Mireskandari, Seyed Mohammad; Rezaei Hamami, Mohsen

2013-10-28

Cardiopulmonary-cerebral resuscitation (CPCR) training is essential for all hospital workers, especially junior residents who might become the manager of the resuscitation team. In our center, the traditional CPCR knowledge training curriculum for junior residents up to 5 years ago was lecture-based and had some faults. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a problem-based method on residents' CPCR knowledge and skills as well as their evaluation of their CPCR trainers. This study, conducted at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, included 290 first-year residents in 2009-2010 - who were trained via a problem-based method (the problem-based group) - and 160 first-year residents in 2003-2004 - who were trained via a lecture-based method (the lecture-based group). Other educational techniques and facilities were similar. The participants self-evaluated their own CPCR knowledge and skills pre and post workshop and also assessed their trainers' efficacy post workshop by completing special questionnaires. The problem-based group, trained via the problem-based method, had higher self-assessment scores of CPCR knowledge and skills post workshop: the difference as regards the mean scores between the problem-based and lecture-based groups was 32.36 ± 19.23 vs. 22.33 ± 20.35 for knowledge (p value = 0.003) and 10.13 ± 7.17 vs. 8.19 ± 8.45 for skills (p value = 0.043). The residents' evaluation of their trainers was similar between the two study groups (p value = 0.193), with the mean scores being 15.90 ± 2.59 and 15.46 ± 2.90 in the problem-based and lecture-based groups - respectively. The problem-based method increased our residents' self-evaluation score of their own CPCR knowledge and skills.

Specific guidelines for assessing and improving the methodological quality of economic evaluations of newborn screening

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Economic evaluation of newborn screening poses specific methodological challenges. Amongst others, these challenges refer to the use of quality adjusted life years (QALYs) in newborns, and which costs and outcomes need to be considered in a full evaluation of newborn screening programmes. Because of the increasing scale and scope of such programmes, a better understanding of the methods of high-quality economic evaluations may be crucial for both producers/authors and consumers/reviewers of newborn screening-related economic evaluations. The aim of this study was therefore to develop specific guidelines designed to assess and improve the methodological quality of economic evaluations in newborn screening. Methods To develop the guidelines, existing guidelines for assessing the quality of economic evaluations were identified through a literature search, and were reviewed and consolidated using a deductive iterative approach. In a subsequent test phase, these guidelines were applied to various economic evaluations which acted as case studies. Results The guidelines for assessing and improving the methodological quality of economic evaluations in newborn screening are organized into 11 categories: “bibliographic details”, “study question and design”, “modelling”, “health outcomes”, “costs”, “discounting”, “presentation of results”, “sensitivity analyses”, “discussion”, “conclusions”, and “commentary”. Conclusions The application of the guidelines highlights important issues regarding newborn screening-related economic evaluations, and underscores the need for such issues to be afforded greater consideration in future economic evaluations. The variety in methodological quality detected by this study reveals the need for specific guidelines on the appropriate methods for conducting sound economic evaluations in newborn screening. PMID:22947299

Simple, Low-Cost Data Collection Methods for Agricultural Field Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koenig, Richard T.; Winger, Marlon; Kitchen, Boyd

2000-01-01

Summarizes relatively simple and inexpensive methods for collecting data from agricultural field studies. Describes methods involving on-farm testing, crop yield measurement, quality evaluations, weed control effectiveness, plant nutrient status, and other measures. Contains 29 references illustrating how these methods were used to conduct…

An Exploratory Analysis for the Selection and Implementation of Advanced Manufacturing Technology by Fuzzy Multi-criteria Decision Making Methods: A Comparative Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nath, Surajit; Sarkar, Bijan

2017-08-01

Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMTs) offer opportunities for the manufacturing organizations to excel their competitiveness and in turn their effectiveness in manufacturing. Proper selection and evaluation of AMTs is the most significant task in today's modern world. But this involves a lot of uncertainty and vagueness as it requires many conflicting criteria to deal with. So the task of selection and evaluation of AMTs becomes very tedious for the evaluators as they are not able to provide crisp data for the criteria. Different Fuzzy Multi-criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods help greatly in dealing with this problem. This paper focuses on the application of two very much potential Fuzzy MCDM methods namely COPRAS-G, EVAMIX and a comparative study between them on some rarely mentioned criteria. Each of the two methods is very powerful evaluation tool and has beauty in its own. Although, performance wise these two methods are almost at same level, but, the approach of each one of them are quite unique. This uniqueness is revealed by introducing a numerical example of selection of AMT.

Early economic evaluation of emerging health technologies: protocol of a systematic review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The concept of early health technology assessment, discussed well over a decade, has now been collaboratively implemented by industry, government, and academia to select and expedite the development of emerging technologies that may address the needs of patients and health systems. Early economic evaluation is essential to assess the value of emerging technologies, but empirical data to inform the current practice of early evaluation is limited. We propose a systematic review of early economic evaluation studies in order to better understand the current practice. Methods/design This protocol describes a systematic review of economic evaluation studies of regulated health technologies in which the evaluation is conducted prior to regulatory approval and when the technology effectiveness is not well established. Included studies must report an economic evaluation, defined as the comparative analysis of alternatives with respect to their associated costs and health consequences, and must evaluate some regulated health technology such as pharmaceuticals, biologics, high-risk medical devices, or biomarkers. We will conduct the literature search on multiple databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination Databases, and EconLit. Additional citations will be identified via scanning reference lists and author searching. We suspect that many early economic evaluation studies are unpublished, especially those conducted for internal use only. Additionally, we use a chain-referral sampling approach to identify authors of unpublished studies who work in technology discovery and development, starting out with our contact lists and authors who published relevant studies. Citation screening and full-text review will be conducted by pairs of reviewers. Abstracted data will include those related to the decision context and decision problem of the early evaluation, evaluation methods (e.g., data sources, methods, and assumptions used to identify, measure, and value the likely effectiveness and the costs and consequences of the new technology, handling of uncertainty), and whether the study results adequately address the main study question or objective. Data will be summarized overall and stratified by publication status. Discussion This study is timely to inform early economic evaluation practice, given the international trend in early health technology assessment initiatives. PMID:25055987

Evaluation of an automatic brain segmentation method developed for neonates on adult MR brain images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moeskops, Pim; Viergever, Max A.; Benders, Manon J. N. L.; Išgum, Ivana

2015-03-01

Automatic brain tissue segmentation is of clinical relevance in images acquired at all ages. The literature presents a clear distinction between methods developed for MR images of infants, and methods developed for images of adults. The aim of this work is to evaluate a method developed for neonatal images in the segmentation of adult images. The evaluated method employs supervised voxel classification in subsequent stages, exploiting spatial and intensity information. Evaluation was performed using images available within the MRBrainS13 challenge. The obtained average Dice coefficients were 85.77% for grey matter, 88.66% for white matter, 81.08% for cerebrospinal fluid, 95.65% for cerebrum, and 96.92% for intracranial cavity, currently resulting in the best overall ranking. The possibility of applying the same method to neonatal as well as adult images can be of great value in cross-sectional studies that include a wide age range.

[Comparison of the antioxidant properties of selected parts of raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and blackberry (Rubus fruticosus)

PubMed

Zielonka-Brzezicka, Joanna; Nowak, Anna; Zielińska, Magdalena; Klimowicz, Adam

Antioxidants contained in plant raw materials prevent oxidative stress, and reduce the degenerative effects of free radical reactions and damage caused by UV radiation. Antioxidant activity is exhibited, for example, in raspberry (Rubus idaeus), and blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), which have a high content of tannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, vitamins and minerals. The raw plant material consisted of fresh and dried leaves and fruits of raspberries and blackberries harvested in 2014. This material was extracted using a Soxhlet apparatus and by an ultrasound-assisted technique. To evaluate antioxidant activity DPPH and FRAP methods were used in the first year and DPPH and ABTS methods in the second year of the study. The highest antioxidant activity, evaluated by the DPPH method in 2015, was demonstrated by both raspberry and blackberry fresh leaf extracts, whereas the highest reductive ability, assessed by FRAP, was demonstrated in fresh and dried blackberry leaves. In the next year of the study (2016), the activity of samples evaluated using the DPPH method did not differ significantly, with the exception of fresh raspberry leaf. In this year, the highest antioxidant properties, assessed using the ABTS method, were shown by extracts made of fresh blackberry leaves and fruits, and dried blackberry leaves. All the studied material, both ethanolic leaves and fruit extracts of raspberry and blackberry, reduced free radicals, which was examined using three methods of evaluation of the antioxidative properties (DPPH, FRAP and ABTS). The storage of ethanolic extracts at ambient temperature had no significant impact on the activity reduction of the evaluated plant material. The antioxidant activity of most examined extracts remained consistently high, which may be reflected in the use of the studied materials as sources of antioxidants in the cosmetics and pharmaceuticals industries.

Comparative Evaluations of Randomly Selected Four Point-of-Care Glucometer Devices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Wolde, Mistire; Tarekegn, Getahun; Kebede, Tedla

2018-05-01

Point-of-care glucometer (PoCG) devices play a significant role in self-monitoring of the blood sugar level, particularly in the follow-up of high blood sugar therapeutic response. The aim of this study was to evaluate blood glucose test results performed with four randomly selected glucometers on diabetes and control subjects versus standard wet chemistry (hexokinase) methods in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on randomly selected 200 study participants (100 participants with diabetes and 100 healthy controls). Four randomly selected PoCG devices (CareSens N, DIAVUE Prudential, On Call Extra, i-QARE DS-W) were evaluated against hexokinase method and ISO 15197:2003 and ISO 15197:2013 standards. The minimum and maximum blood sugar values were recorded by CareSens N (21 mg/dl) and hexokinase method (498.8 mg/dl), respectively. The mean sugar values of all PoCG devices except On Call Extra showed significant differences compared with the reference hexokinase method. Meanwhile, all four PoCG devices had strong positive relationship (>80%) with the reference method (hexokinase). On the other hand, none of the four PoCG devices fulfilled the minimum accuracy measurement set by ISO 15197:2003 and ISO 15197:2013 standards. In addition, the linear regression analysis revealed that all four selected PoCG overestimated the glucose concentrations. The overall evaluation of the selected four PoCG measurements were poorly correlated with standard reference method. Therefore, before introducing PoCG devices to the market, there should be a standardized evaluation platform for validation. Further similar large-scale studies on other PoCG devices also need to be undertaken.

Gender counts: A systematic review of evaluations of gender-integrated health interventions in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Schriver, Brittany; Mandal, Mahua; Muralidharan, Arundati; Nwosu, Anthony; Dayal, Radhika; Das, Madhumita; Fehringer, Jessica

2017-11-01

As a result of new global priorities, there is a growing need for high-quality evaluations of gender-integrated health programmes. This systematic review examined 99 peer-reviewed articles on evaluations of gender-integrated (accommodating and transformative) health programmes with regard to their theory of change (ToC), study design, gender integration in data collection, analysis, and gender measures used. Half of the evaluations explicitly described a ToC or conceptual framework (n = 50) that guided strategies for their interventions. Over half (61%) of the evaluations used quantitative methods exclusively; 11% used qualitative methods exclusively; and 28% used mixed methods. Qualitative methods were not commonly detailed. Evaluations of transformative interventions were less likely than those of accommodating interventions to employ randomised control trials. Two-thirds of the reviewed evaluations reported including at least one specific gender-related outcome (n = 18 accommodating, n = 44 transformative). To strengthen evaluations of gender-integrated programmes, we recommend use of ToCs, explicitly including gender in the ToC, use of gender-sensitive measures, mixed-method designs, in-depth descriptions of qualitative methods, and attention to gender-related factors in data collection logistics. We also recommend further research to develop valid and reliable gender measures that are globally relevant.

Development and evaluation of an ontology for guiding appropriate antibiotic prescribing.

PubMed

Bright, Tiffani J; Yoko Furuya, E; Kuperman, Gilad J; Cimino, James J; Bakken, Suzanne

2012-02-01

To develop and apply formal ontology creation methods to the domain of antimicrobial prescribing and to formally evaluate the resulting ontology through intrinsic and extrinsic evaluation studies. We extended existing ontology development methods to create the ontology and implemented the ontology using Protégé-OWL. Correctness of the ontology was assessed using a set of ontology design principles and domain expert review via the laddering technique. We created three artifacts to support the extrinsic evaluation (set of prescribing rules, alerts and an ontology-driven alert module, and a patient database) and evaluated the usefulness of the ontology for performing knowledge management tasks to maintain the ontology and for generating alerts to guide antibiotic prescribing. The ontology includes 199 classes, 10 properties, and 1636 description logic restrictions. Twenty-three Semantic Web Rule Language rules were written to generate three prescribing alerts: (1) antibiotic-microorganism mismatch alert; (2) medication-allergy alert; and (3) non-recommended empiric antibiotic therapy alert. The evaluation studies confirmed the correctness of the ontology, usefulness of the ontology for representing and maintaining antimicrobial treatment knowledge rules, and usefulness of the ontology for generating alerts to provide feedback to clinicians during antibiotic prescribing. This study contributes to the understanding of ontology development and evaluation methods and addresses one knowledge gap related to using ontologies as a clinical decision support system component-a need for formal ontology evaluation methods to measure their quality from the perspective of their intrinsic characteristics and their usefulness for specific tasks. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study on an Air Quality Evaluation Model for Beijing City Under Haze-Fog Pollution Based on New Ambient Air Quality Standards

PubMed Central

Li, Li; Liu, Dong-Jun

2014-01-01

Since 2012, China has been facing haze-fog weather conditions, and haze-fog pollution and PM2.5 have become hot topics. It is very necessary to evaluate and analyze the ecological status of the air environment of China, which is of great significance for environmental protection measures. In this study the current situation of haze-fog pollution in China was analyzed first, and the new Ambient Air Quality Standards were introduced. For the issue of air quality evaluation, a comprehensive evaluation model based on an entropy weighting method and nearest neighbor method was developed. The entropy weighting method was used to determine the weights of indicators, and the nearest neighbor method was utilized to evaluate the air quality levels. Then the comprehensive evaluation model was applied into the practical evaluation problems of air quality in Beijing to analyze the haze-fog pollution. Two simulation experiments were implemented in this study. One experiment included the indicator of PM2.5 and was carried out based on the new Ambient Air Quality Standards (GB 3095-2012); the other experiment excluded PM2.5 and was carried out based on the old Ambient Air Quality Standards (GB 3095-1996). Their results were compared, and the simulation results showed that PM2.5 was an important indicator for air quality and the evaluation results of the new Air Quality Standards were more scientific than the old ones. The haze-fog pollution situation in Beijing City was also analyzed based on these results, and the corresponding management measures were suggested. PMID:25170682

Methods for a Rapid Systematic Review and Metaanalysis in Evaluating Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors for Premature Ejaculation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martyn-St. James, Marrissa; Cooper, Katy; Kaltenthaler, Eva

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a rapid systematic review method in which randomised controlled trial (RCT) data was extracted from existing reviews and subsequent RCTs. The method enabled: identification of RCTs not included by existing reviews; cross-checking RCT data for consistency where there was more than one review; double data…

Pecky rot in incense-cedar: evaluation of five scaling methods.

Treesearch

James M. Cahill; W.Y. Pong; D.L. Weyermann

1987-01-01

A sample of 58 logs was used to evaluate five methods of making scale deduc-tions for pecky rot in incense-cedar (Libocedrus decurrens Torr.) logs. Bias and ac-curacy were computed for three Scribner and two cubic scaling methods. The lumber yield of sound incense-cedar logs, as measured in a product recovery study, was used as the basis for...

Assessing Change in the Teaching Practice of Faculty in a Faculty Development Program for Primary Care Physicians: Toward a Mixed Method Evaluation Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinheiro, Sandro O.; Rohrer, Jonathan D.; Heimann, C. F. Larry

This paper describes a mixed method evaluation study that was developed to assess faculty teaching behavior change in a faculty development fellowship program for community-based hospital faculty. Principles of adult learning were taught to faculty participants over the fellowship period. These included instruction in teaching methods, group…

Experimental study of assistant aids and new nursing method in nursing care work.

PubMed

Motegi, Nobuyuki; Matsuda, Fumiko; Takeuchi, Yuriko; Misawa, Tetsuo

2012-01-01

This study seeks to evaluate the effect of regular and new nursing methods in nursing care work. Nursing care work often causes low back pain in nursing care worker. The principle of not lifting when transferring patients has been proposed as one way to prevent low back pain. This principle incorporates the use of the patient's strength and assistant aids. A sliding seats and transfer boards have been proposed as assistant aids for the transferring patients. It is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of these assistant aids in preventing low back pain. Ten subjects performed two tasks in this experiment. Five were nursing experienced persons and five were the inexperienced. EMG results indicated that the new nursing method was less stressful than the methods. A questionnaire revealed that the new method was evaluated more highly than the regular method. Based on these results, we propose that a sliding seats and transfer boards be used in nursing care work.

Evaluation of soil erosion risk using Analytic Network Process and GIS: a case study from Spanish mountain olive plantations.

PubMed

Nekhay, Olexandr; Arriaza, Manuel; Boerboom, Luc

2009-07-01

The study presents an approach that combined objective information such as sampling or experimental data with subjective information such as expert opinions. This combined approach was based on the Analytic Network Process method. It was applied to evaluate soil erosion risk and overcomes one of the drawbacks of USLE/RUSLE soil erosion models, namely that they do not consider interactions among soil erosion factors. Another advantage of this method is that it can be used if there are insufficient experimental data. The lack of experimental data can be compensated for through the use of expert evaluations. As an example of the proposed approach, the risk of soil erosion was evaluated in olive groves in Southern Spain, showing the potential of the ANP method for modelling a complex physical process like soil erosion.

A study on reliability of power customer in distribution network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Liyuan; Ouyang, Sen; Chen, Danling; Ma, Shaohua; Wang, Xin

2017-05-01

The existing power supply reliability index system is oriented to power system without considering actual electricity availability in customer side. In addition, it is unable to reflect outage or customer’s equipment shutdown caused by instantaneous interruption and power quality problem. This paper thus makes a systematic study on reliability of power customer. By comparing with power supply reliability, reliability of power customer is defined and extracted its evaluation requirements. An indexes system, consisting of seven customer indexes and two contrast indexes, are designed to describe reliability of power customer from continuity and availability. In order to comprehensively and quantitatively evaluate reliability of power customer in distribution networks, reliability evaluation method is proposed based on improved entropy method and the punishment weighting principle. Practical application has proved that reliability index system and evaluation method for power customer is reasonable and effective.

Methods for assessing reliability and validity for a measurement tool: a case study and critique using the WHO haemoglobin colour scale.

PubMed

White, Sarah A; van den Broek, Nynke R

2004-05-30

Before introducing a new measurement tool it is necessary to evaluate its performance. Several statistical methods have been developed, or used, to evaluate the reliability and validity of a new assessment method in such circumstances. In this paper we review some commonly used methods. Data from a study that was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of a specific measurement tool (the WHO Colour Scale) is then used to illustrate the application of these methods. The WHO Colour Scale was developed under the auspices of the WHO to provide a simple portable and reliable method of detecting anaemia. This Colour Scale is a discrete interval scale, whereas the actual haemoglobin values it is used to estimate are on a continuous interval scale and can be measured accurately using electrical laboratory equipment. The methods we consider are: linear regression, correlation coefficients, paired t-tests plotting differences against mean values and deriving limits of agreement; kappa and weighted kappa statistics, sensitivity and specificity, an intraclass correlation coefficient and the repeatability coefficient. We note that although the definition and properties of each of these methods is well established inappropriate methods continue to be used in medical literature for assessing reliability and validity, as evidenced in the context of the evaluation of the WHO Colour Scale. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Utility of Vibratory Stimulation for Reducing Intraoral Injection Pain.

PubMed

Erdogan, Ozgur; Sinsawat, Anatachai; Pawa, Sudeep; Rintanalert, Duangtawan; Vuddhakanok, Suchada

2018-01-01

Intraoral local anesthesia injection is often perceived as a painful and anxiety-causing dental procedure. Vibration stimulus is one of the nonpharmacologic methods used to reduce unwanted sensations of local anesthesia injection. This clinical study evaluated the effectiveness of a recently introduced vibratory stimulation device in intraoral local anesthesia administration. Thirty-two subjects underwent 2 maxillary local anesthesia injections in 2 different sessions: 1 with conventional techniques and 1 with the aid of a vibratory stimulation device (DentalVibe). The pain levels were evaluated with a visual analog scale and the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale. The subjects were asked to choose the preferred method for future injections. The data were evaluated statistically. There were no significant differences between the 2 injection methods with regard to either pain evaluation method. The preference of the subjects regarding future injection technique was evenly distributed between the groups. The vibratory stimulation device used in this study did not provide any reduction in pain level associated with maxillary infiltration local anesthesia administration.

Correction for FDG PET dose extravasations: Monte Carlo validation and quantitative evaluation of patient studies.

PubMed

Silva-Rodríguez, Jesús; Aguiar, Pablo; Sánchez, Manuel; Mosquera, Javier; Luna-Vega, Víctor; Cortés, Julia; Garrido, Miguel; Pombar, Miguel; Ruibal, Alvaro

2014-05-01

Current procedure guidelines for whole body [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) state that studies with visible dose extravasations should be rejected for quantification protocols. Our work is focused on the development and validation of methods for estimating extravasated doses in order to correct standard uptake value (SUV) values for this effect in clinical routine. One thousand three hundred sixty-seven consecutive whole body FDG-PET studies were visually inspected looking for extravasation cases. Two methods for estimating the extravasated dose were proposed and validated in different scenarios using Monte Carlo simulations. All visible extravasations were retrospectively evaluated using a manual ROI based method. In addition, the 50 patients with higher extravasated doses were also evaluated using a threshold-based method. Simulation studies showed that the proposed methods for estimating extravasated doses allow us to compensate the impact of extravasations on SUV values with an error below 5%. The quantitative evaluation of patient studies revealed that paravenous injection is a relatively frequent effect (18%) with a small fraction of patients presenting considerable extravasations ranging from 1% to a maximum of 22% of the injected dose. A criterion based on the extravasated volume and maximum concentration was established in order to identify this fraction of patients that might be corrected for paravenous injection effect. The authors propose the use of a manual ROI based method for estimating the effectively administered FDG dose and then correct SUV quantification in those patients fulfilling the proposed criterion.

Assessing Technical Competence in Surgical Trainees: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Szasz, Peter; Louridas, Marisa; Harris, Kenneth A; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Grantcharov, Teodor P

2015-06-01

To systematically examine the literature describing the methods by which technical competence is assessed in surgical trainees. The last decade has witnessed an evolution away from time-based surgical education. In response, governing bodies worldwide have implemented competency-based education paradigms. The definition of competence, however, remains elusive, and the impact of these education initiatives in terms of assessment methods remains unclear. A systematic review examining the methods by which technical competence is assessed was conducted by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane database of systematic reviews. Abstracts of retrieved studies were reviewed and those meeting inclusion criteria were selected for full review. Data were retrieved in a systematic manner, the validity and reliability of the assessment methods was evaluated, and quality was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation classification. Of the 6814 studies identified, 85 studies involving 2369 surgical residents were included in this review. The methods used to assess technical competence were categorized into 5 groups; Likert scales (37), benchmarks (31), binary outcomes (11), novel tools (4), and surrogate outcomes (2). Their validity and reliability were mostly previously established. The overall Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation for randomized controlled trials was high and low for the observational studies. The definition of technical competence continues to be debated within the medical literature. The methods used to evaluate technical competence predominantly include instruments that were originally created to assess technical skill. Very few studies identify standard setting approaches that differentiate competent versus noncompetent performers; subsequently, this has been identified as an area with great research potential.

Evaluation of Nurses' Acceptance of Screen Display Methods with Temporarily Non-Display for Privacy Protection.

PubMed

Niimi, Yukari; Ota, Katsumasa; Ikegami, Chikako

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore nurses' acceptance of a screen display method that temporarily hides patient information for privacy protection. Using a questionnaire, we asked nurses to evaluate the display method from the viewpoints of safety and efficiency with respect to 22 personal information items. The nurses were favorably interested in introducing the display method into their hospital system; however, their acceptance varied.

MULTI-SITE EVALUATIONS OF CANDIDATE METHODOLOGIES FOR DETERMINING COARSE PARTICULATE (PM 10-2.5) CONCENTRATIONS: AUGUST 2005 UPDATED REPORT REGARDING SECOND-GENERATION AND NEW PM 10-2.5 SAMPLERS

EPA Science Inventory

Multi-site field studies were conducted to evaluate the performance of sampling methods for measuring the coarse fraction of PM10 (PM10 2.5) in ambient air. The field studies involved the use of both time-integrated filter-based and direct continuous methods. Despite operationa...

Using marketing research methods to evaluate a stage-specific intervention.

PubMed

Poscente, Neila; Rothstein, Marsha; Irvine, M Jane

2002-01-01

To show how marketing methods can be used to distribute and evaluate a health promotion intervention. Mass media promotion was used to communicate a physical activity resource. Brief telephone interviews were used to screen callers and recruit participants into a controlled trial. Follow-up was conducted 3 months later. Information was gained about the attitudes and motivation of callers. The majority of participants (study and control) made significant changes in their activity levels. The study demonstrated that even when mass media channels are used, market segmentation can be achieved and program evaluation conducted.

Advantage of population pharmacokinetic method for evaluating the bioequivalence and accuracy of parameter estimation of pidotimod.

PubMed

Huang, Jihan; Li, Mengying; Lv, Yinghua; Yang, Juan; Xu, Ling; Wang, Jingjing; Chen, Junchao; Wang, Kun; He, Yingchun; Zheng, Qingshan

2016-09-01

This study was aimed at exploring the accuracy of population pharmacokinetic method in evaluating the bioequivalence of pidotimod with sparse data profiles and whether this method is suitable for bioequivalence evaluation in special populations such as children with fewer samplings. Methods In this single-dose, two-period crossover study, 20 healthy male Chinese volunteers were randomized 1 : 1 to receive either the test or reference formulation, with a 1-week washout before receiving the alternative formulation. Noncompartmental and population compartmental pharmacokinetic analyses were conducted. Simulated data were analyzed to graphically evaluate the model and the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the two pidotimod formulations. Various sparse sampling scenarios were generated from the real bioequivalence clinical trial data and evaluated by population pharmacokinetic method. The 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for AUC0-12h, AUC0-∞, and Cmax were 97.3 - 118.7%, 96.9 - 118.7%, and 95.1 - 109.8%, respectively, within the 80 - 125% range for bioequivalence using noncompartmental analysis. The population compartmental pharmacokinetics of pidotimod were described using a one-compartment model with first-order absorption and lag time. In the comparison of estimations in different dataset, the estimation of random three- and< fixed four-point sampling strategies can provide results similar to those obtained through rich sampling. The nonlinear mixed-effects model requires fewer data points. Moreover, compared with the noncompartmental analysis method, the pharmacokinetic parameters can be more accurately estimated using nonlinear mixed-effects model. The population pharmacokinetic modeling method was used to assess the bioequivalence of two pidotimod formulations with relatively few sampling points and further validated the bioequivalence of the two formulations. This method may provide useful information for regulating bioequivalence evaluation in special populations.

A Primer on Health Economic Evaluations in Thoracic Oncology.

PubMed

Whittington, Melanie D; Atherly, Adam J; Bocsi, Gregary T; Camidge, D Ross

2016-08-01

There is growing interest for economic evaluation in oncology to illustrate the value of multiple new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. As these analyses have started to move from specialist publications into mainstream medical literature, the wider medical audience consuming this information may need additional education to evaluate it appropriately. Here we review standard practices in economic evaluation, illustrating the different methods with thoracic oncology examples where possible. When interpreting and conducting health economic studies, it is important to appraise the method, perspective, time horizon, modeling technique, discount rate, and sensitivity analysis. Guidance on how to do this is provided. To provide a method to evaluate this literature, a literature search was conducted in spring 2015 to identify economic evaluations published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. Articles were reviewed for their study design, and areas for improvement were noted. Suggested improvements include using more rigorous sensitivity analyses, adopting a standard approach to reporting results, and conducting complete economic evaluations. Researchers should design high-quality studies to ensure the validity of the results, and consumers of this research should interpret these studies critically on the basis of a full understanding of the methodologies used before considering any of the conclusions. As advancements occur on both the research and consumer sides, this literature can be further developed to promote the best use of resources for this field. Copyright © 2016 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Coda Phase Delay Method for Determining Temperature Ratios in Windy Environments

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

Albert, Sarah; Bowman, Daniel; Rodgers, Arthur

2017-07-01

We evaluate the acoustic coda phase delay method for estimating changes in atmospheric phenomena in realistic environments. Previous studies verifying the method took place in an environment with negligible wind. The equation for effective sound speed, which the method is based upon, shows that the influence of wind is equal to the square of temperature. Under normal conditions, wind is significant and therefore cannot be ignored. Results from this study con rm the previous statement. The acoustic coda phase delay method breaks down in non-ideal environments, namely those where wind speed and direction varies across small distances. We suggest thatmore » future studies make use of gradiometry to better understand the effect of wind on the acoustic coda and subsequent phase delays.« less

Evaluation of catchment delineation methods for the medium-resolution National Hydrography Dataset

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnston, Craig M.; Dewald, Thomas G.; Bondelid, Timothy R.; Worstell, Bruce B.; McKay, Lucinda D.; Rea, Alan; Moore, Richard B.; Goodall, Jonathan L.

2009-01-01

Different methods for determining catchments (incremental drainage areas) for stream segments of the medium-resolution (1:100,000-scale) National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) were evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The NHD is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that contains information about surface-water features (such as lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers) of the United States. The need for NHD catchments was driven primarily by the goal to estimate NHD streamflow and velocity to support water-quality modeling. The application of catchments for this purpose also demonstrates the broader value of NHD catchments for supporting landscape characterization and analysis. Five catchment delineation methods were evaluated. Four of the methods use topographic information for the delineation of the NHD catchments. These methods include the Raster Seeding Method; two variants of a method first used in a USGS New England study-one used the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) and the other did not-termed the 'New England Methods'; and the Outlet Matching Method. For these topographically based methods, the elevation data source was the 30-meter (m) resolution National Elevation Dataset (NED), as this was the highest resolution available for the conterminous United States and Hawaii. The fifth method evaluated, the Thiessen Polygon Method, uses distance to the nearest NHD stream segments to determine catchment boundaries. Catchments were generated using each method for NHD stream segments within six hydrologically and geographically distinct Subbasins to evaluate the applicability of the method across the United States. The five methods were evaluated by comparing the resulting catchments with the boundaries and the computed area measurements available from several verification datasets that were developed independently using manual methods. The results of the evaluation indicated that the two New England Methods provided the most accurate catchment boundaries. The New England Method with the WBD provided the most accurate results. The time and cost to implement and apply these automated methods were also considered in ultimately selecting the methods used to produce NHD catchments for the conterminous United States and Hawaii. This study was conducted by a joint USGS-USEPA team during the 2-year period that ended in September 2004. During the following 2-year period ending in the fall of 2006, the New England Methods were used to produce NHD catchments as part of a multiagency effort to generate the NHD streamflow and velocity estimates for a suite of integrated geospatial products known as 'NHDPlus.'

The quadrant method measuring four points is as a reliable and accurate as the quadrant method in the evaluation after anatomical double-bundle ACL reconstruction.

PubMed

Mochizuki, Yuta; Kaneko, Takao; Kawahara, Keisuke; Toyoda, Shinya; Kono, Norihiko; Hada, Masaru; Ikegami, Hiroyasu; Musha, Yoshiro

2017-11-20

The quadrant method was described by Bernard et al. and it has been widely used for postoperative evaluation of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The purpose of this research is to further develop the quadrant method measuring four points, which we named four-point quadrant method, and to compare with the quadrant method. Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) analyses were performed in 25 patients who underwent double-bundle ACL reconstruction using the outside-in technique. The four points in this study's quadrant method were defined as point1-highest, point2-deepest, point3-lowest, and point4-shallowest, in femoral tunnel position. Value of depth and height in each point was measured. Antero-medial (AM) tunnel is (depth1, height2) and postero-lateral (PL) tunnel is (depth3, height4) in this four-point quadrant method. The 3D-CT images were evaluated independently by 2 orthopaedic surgeons. A second measurement was performed by both observers after a 4-week interval. Intra- and inter-observer reliability was calculated by means of intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Also, the accuracy of the method was evaluated against the quadrant method. Intra-observer reliability was almost perfect for both AM and PL tunnel (ICC > 0.81). Inter-observer reliability of AM tunnel was substantial (ICC > 0.61) and that of PL tunnel was almost perfect (ICC > 0.81). The AM tunnel position was 0.13% deep, 0.58% high and PL tunnel position was 0.01% shallow, 0.13% low compared to quadrant method. The four-point quadrant method was found to have high intra- and inter-observer reliability and accuracy. This method can evaluate the tunnel position regardless of the shape and morphology of the bone tunnel aperture for use of comparison and can provide measurement that can be compared with various reconstruction methods. The four-point quadrant method of this study is considered to have clinical relevance in that it is a detailed and accurate tool for evaluating femoral tunnel position after ACL reconstruction. Case series, Level IV.

Inter-rater Agreement of End-of-shift Evaluations Based on a Single Encounter

PubMed Central

Warrington, Steven; Beeson, Michael; Bradford, Amber

2017-01-01

Introduction End-of-shift evaluation (ESE) forms, also known as daily encounter cards, represent a subset of encounter-based assessment forms. Encounter cards have become prevalent for formative evaluation, with some suggesting a potential for summative evaluation. Our objective was to evaluate the inter-rater agreement of ESE forms using a single scripted encounter at a conference of emergency medicine (EM) educators. Methods Following institutional review board exemption, we created a scripted video simulating an encounter between an intern and a patient with an ankle injury. That video was shown during a lecture at the Council of EM Residency Director’s Academic Assembly with attendees asked to evaluate the “resident” using one of eight possible ESE forms randomly distributed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results with Fleiss’ kappa to evaluate inter-rater agreement. Results Most of the 324 respondents were leadership in residency programs (66%), with a range of 29–47 responses per evaluation form. Few individuals (5%) felt they were experts in assessing residents based on EM milestones. Fleiss’ kappa ranged from 0.157 – 0.308 and did not perform much better in two post-hoc subgroup analyses. Conclusion The kappa ranges found show only slight to fair inter-rater agreement and raise concerns about the use of ESE forms in assessment of EM residents. Despite limitations present in this study, these results and a lack of other studies on inter-rater agreement of encounter cards should prompt further studies of such methods of assessment. Additionally, EM educators should focus research on methods to improve inter-rater agreement of ESE forms or other evaluating other methods of assessment of EM residents. PMID:28435505

Assessment of optional sediment transport functions via the complex watershed simulation model SWAT

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool 2012 (SWAT2012) offers four sediment routing methods as optional alternatives to the default simplified Bagnold method. Previous studies compared only one of these alternative sediment routing methods with the default method. The proposed study evaluated the impac...

An evaluation of exact matching and propensity score methods as applied in a comparative effectiveness study of inhaled corticosteroids in asthma

PubMed Central

Burden, Anne; Roche, Nicolas; Miglio, Cristiana; Hillyer, Elizabeth V; Postma, Dirkje S; Herings, Ron MC; Overbeek, Jetty A; Khalid, Javaria Mona; van Eickels, Daniela; Price, David B

2017-01-01

Background Cohort matching and regression modeling are used in observational studies to control for confounding factors when estimating treatment effects. Our objective was to evaluate exact matching and propensity score methods by applying them in a 1-year pre–post historical database study to investigate asthma-related outcomes by treatment. Methods We drew on longitudinal medical record data in the PHARMO database for asthma patients prescribed the treatments to be compared (ciclesonide and fine-particle inhaled corticosteroid [ICS]). Propensity score methods that we evaluated were propensity score matching (PSM) using two different algorithms, the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), covariate adjustment using the propensity score, and propensity score stratification. We defined balance, using standardized differences, as differences of <10% between cohorts. Results Of 4064 eligible patients, 1382 (34%) were prescribed ciclesonide and 2682 (66%) fine-particle ICS. The IPTW and propensity score-based methods retained more patients (96%–100%) than exact matching (90%); exact matching selected less severe patients. Standardized differences were >10% for four variables in the exact-matched dataset and <10% for both PSM algorithms and the weighted pseudo-dataset used in the IPTW method. With all methods, ciclesonide was associated with better 1-year asthma-related outcomes, at one-third the prescribed dose, than fine-particle ICS; results varied slightly by method, but direction and statistical significance remained the same. Conclusion We found that each method has its particular strengths, and we recommend at least two methods be applied for each matched cohort study to evaluate the robustness of the findings. Balance diagnostics should be applied with all methods to check the balance of confounders between treatment cohorts. If exact matching is used, the calculation of a propensity score could be useful to identify variables that require balancing, thereby informing the choice of matching criteria together with clinical considerations. PMID:28356782

Evaluating the Good Ontology Design Guideline (GoodOD) with the Ontology Quality Requirements and Evaluation Method and Metrics (OQuaRE)

PubMed Central

Duque-Ramos, Astrid; Boeker, Martin; Jansen, Ludger; Schulz, Stefan; Iniesta, Miguela; Fernández-Breis, Jesualdo Tomás

2014-01-01

Objective To (1) evaluate the GoodOD guideline for ontology development by applying the OQuaRE evaluation method and metrics to the ontology artefacts that were produced by students in a randomized controlled trial, and (2) informally compare the OQuaRE evaluation method with gold standard and competency questions based evaluation methods, respectively. Background In the last decades many methods for ontology construction and ontology evaluation have been proposed. However, none of them has become a standard and there is no empirical evidence of comparative evaluation of such methods. This paper brings together GoodOD and OQuaRE. GoodOD is a guideline for developing robust ontologies. It was previously evaluated in a randomized controlled trial employing metrics based on gold standard ontologies and competency questions as outcome parameters. OQuaRE is a method for ontology quality evaluation which adapts the SQuaRE standard for software product quality to ontologies and has been successfully used for evaluating the quality of ontologies. Methods In this paper, we evaluate the effect of training in ontology construction based on the GoodOD guideline within the OQuaRE quality evaluation framework and compare the results with those obtained for the previous studies based on the same data. Results Our results show a significant effect of the GoodOD training over developed ontologies by topics: (a) a highly significant effect was detected in three topics from the analysis of the ontologies of untrained and trained students; (b) both positive and negative training effects with respect to the gold standard were found for five topics. Conclusion The GoodOD guideline had a significant effect over the quality of the ontologies developed. Our results show that GoodOD ontologies can be effectively evaluated using OQuaRE and that OQuaRE is able to provide additional useful information about the quality of the GoodOD ontologies. PMID:25148262

A two-question method for assessing gender categories in the social and medical sciences.

PubMed

Tate, Charlotte Chuck; Ledbetter, Jay N; Youssef, Cris P

2013-01-01

Three studies (N = 990) assessed the statistical reliability of two methods of determining gender identity that can capture transgender spectrum identities (i.e., current gender identities different from birth-assigned gender categories). Study 1 evaluated a single question with four response options (female, male, transgender, other) on university students. The missing data rate was higher than the valid response rates for transgender and other options using this method. Study 2 evaluated a method of asking two separate questions (i.e., one for current identity and another for birth-assigned category), with response options specific to each. Results showed no missing data and two times the transgender spectrum response rate compared to Study 1. Study 3 showed that the two-question method also worked in community samples, producing near-zero missing data. The two-question method also identified cisgender identities (same birth-assigned and current gender identity), making it a dynamic and desirable measurement tool for the social and medical sciences.

The Utility of Pitch Elevation in the Evaluation of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: Preliminary Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malandraki, Georgia A.; Hind, Jacqueline A.; Gangnon, Ronald; Logemann, Jeri A.; Robbins, JoAnne

2011-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of a pitch elevation task in the assessment of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Method: This study was a pilot prospective cohort study including 40 consecutive patients (16 male and 24 female) who were referred by their physician for a swallowing evaluation. Patients were evaluated with a noninstrumental clinical…

Designs of Empirical Evaluations of Nonexperimental Methods in Field Settings.

PubMed

Wong, Vivian C; Steiner, Peter M

2018-01-01

Over the last three decades, a research design has emerged to evaluate the performance of nonexperimental (NE) designs and design features in field settings. It is called the within-study comparison (WSC) approach or the design replication study. In the traditional WSC design, treatment effects from a randomized experiment are compared to those produced by an NE approach that shares the same target population. The nonexperiment may be a quasi-experimental design, such as a regression-discontinuity or an interrupted time-series design, or an observational study approach that includes matching methods, standard regression adjustments, and difference-in-differences methods. The goals of the WSC are to determine whether the nonexperiment can replicate results from a randomized experiment (which provides the causal benchmark estimate), and the contexts and conditions under which these methods work in practice. This article presents a coherent theory of the design and implementation of WSCs for evaluating NE methods. It introduces and identifies the multiple purposes of WSCs, required design components, common threats to validity, design variants, and causal estimands of interest in WSCs. It highlights two general approaches for empirical evaluations of methods in field settings, WSC designs with independent and dependent benchmark and NE arms. This article highlights advantages and disadvantages for each approach, and conditions and contexts under which each approach is optimal for addressing methodological questions.

Damage evaluation and repair methods for prestressed concrete bridge members

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanafelt, G. O.; Horn, W. B.

1980-11-01

The types of accidental damage occurring and the severity and frequency of their occurrence are summarized. Practices and equipment used for assessing damage and making repairs are presented and evaluated. Guidelines for inspection, assessing damage, and selection of repair methods are given. Methods of repair includes adding external prestress, a metal sleeve splice, and splicing broken strands or rods. The findings of this study suggest that in some instances better repair techniques should be used. The findings of this study also indicate that proper selection of repair methods may reduce the number of damaged girders presently being replaced. Plausible methods of repair requiring additional research are identified and techniques for testing are outlined.

Evaluation of Sub Query Performance in SQL Server

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oktavia, Tanty; Sujarwo, Surya

2014-03-01

The paper explores several sub query methods used in a query and their impact on the query performance. The study uses experimental approach to evaluate the performance of each sub query methods combined with indexing strategy. The sub query methods consist of in, exists, relational operator and relational operator combined with top operator. The experimental shows that using relational operator combined with indexing strategy in sub query has greater performance compared with using same method without indexing strategy and also other methods. In summary, for application that emphasized on the performance of retrieving data from database, it better to use relational operator combined with indexing strategy. This study is done on Microsoft SQL Server 2012.

Online market research panel members as controls in case-control studies to investigate gastrointestinal disease outbreaks: early experiences and lessons learnt from the UK.

PubMed

Mook, P; McCormick, J; Kanagarajah, S; Adak, G K; Cleary, P; Elson, R; Gobin, M; Hawker, J; Inns, T; Sinclair, C; Trienekens, S C M; Vivancos, R; McCarthy, N D

2018-03-01

Established methods of recruiting population controls for case-control studies to investigate gastrointestinal disease outbreaks can be time consuming, resulting in delays in identifying the source or vehicle of infection. After an initial evaluation of using online market research panel members as controls in a case-control study to investigate a Salmonella outbreak in 2013, this method was applied in four further studies in the UK between 2014 and 2016. We used data from all five studies and interviews with members of each outbreak control team and market research panel provider to review operational issues, evaluate risk of bias in this approach and consider methods to reduce confounding and bias. The investigators of each outbreak reported likely time and cost savings from using market research controls. There were systematic differences between case and control groups in some studies but no evidence that conclusions on the likely source or vehicle of infection were incorrect. Potential selection biases introduced by using this sampling frame and the low response rate are unclear. Methods that might reduce confounding and some bias should be balanced with concerns for overmatching. Further evaluation of this approach using comparisons with traditional methods and population-based exposure survey data is recommended.

Evaluation method of the performance of kinetic inhibitor for clathrate hydrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muraoka, M.; Susuki, N.; Yamamoto, Y.

2016-12-01

As a part of a Japanese National hydrate research program (MH21, funded by METI), we study the formation of tetrahydrofuran (THF) clathrate hydrate from polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) aqueous solution as a function of growth rate V and adsorbed PVP concentration c using the unidirectional growth technique. This study aims to propose a simple method for evaluating the performance of kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHIs) for the clathrate hydrate-aqueous solution system. The degree of super cooling ΔT calculated from the growth-induced interface shift under steady-state conditions was used for evaluating the KHIs performance. Using this method, a single experimental run can be completed within 3.5 h of the compulsory nucleation by setting V = 5 μm s-1. We believe this method is useful for screening various KHIs and clarifying the inhibition mechanism of KHIs.

Publication bias in dermatology systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

PubMed

Atakpo, Paul; Vassar, Matt

2016-05-01

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses in dermatology provide high-level evidence for clinicians and policy makers that influence clinical decision making and treatment guidelines. One methodological problem with systematic reviews is the under representation of unpublished studies. This problem is due in part to publication bias. Omission of statistically non-significant data from meta-analyses may result in overestimation of treatment effect sizes which may lead to clinical consequences. Our goal was to assess whether systematic reviewers in dermatology evaluate and report publication bias. Further, we wanted to conduct our own evaluation of publication bias on meta-analyses that failed to do so. Our study considered systematic reviews and meta-analyses from ten dermatology journals from 2006 to 2016. A PubMed search was conducted, and all full-text articles that met our inclusion criteria were retrieved and coded by the primary author. 293 articles were included in our analysis. Additionally, we formally evaluated publication bias in meta-analyses that failed to do so using trim and fill and cumulative meta-analysis by precision methods. Publication bias was mentioned in 107 articles (36.5%) and was formally evaluated in 64 articles (21.8%). Visual inspection of a funnel plot was the most common method of evaluating publication bias. Publication bias was present in 45 articles (15.3%), not present in 57 articles (19.5%) and not determined in 191 articles (65.2%). Using the trim and fill method, 7 meta-analyses (33.33%) showed evidence of publication bias. Although the trim and fill method only found evidence of publication bias in 7 meta-analyses, the cumulative meta-analysis by precision method found evidence of publication bias in 15 meta-analyses (71.4%). Many of the reviews in our study did not mention or evaluate publication bias. Further, of the 42 articles that stated following PRISMA reporting guidelines, 19 (45.2%) evaluated for publication bias. In comparison to other studies, we found that systematic reviews in dermatology were less likely to evaluate for publication bias. Evaluating and reporting the likelihood of publication bias should be standard practice in systematic reviews when appropriate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Model and Method of Evaluative Accounts: Development Impact of the National Literacy Mission (NLM of India).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhola, H. S.

2002-01-01

Studied the developmental impact of the National Literacy Mission of India, providing an evaluative account based on 97 evaluation studies. Compared findings with those from a 27-study synthesis of studies of effects of adult literacy efforts in Africa. Findings show the impact of literacy on the development of nations. (SLD)

An evaluation of automatic coronary artery calcium scoring methods with cardiac CT using the orCaScore framework.

PubMed

Wolterink, Jelmer M; Leiner, Tim; de Vos, Bob D; Coatrieux, Jean-Louis; Kelm, B Michael; Kondo, Satoshi; Salgado, Rodrigo A; Shahzad, Rahil; Shu, Huazhong; Snoeren, Miranda; Takx, Richard A P; van Vliet, Lucas J; van Walsum, Theo; Willems, Tineke P; Yang, Guanyu; Zheng, Yefeng; Viergever, Max A; Išgum, Ivana

2016-05-01

The amount of coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a strong and independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. In clinical practice, CAC is manually identified and automatically quantified in cardiac CT using commercially available software. This is a tedious and time-consuming process in large-scale studies. Therefore, a number of automatic methods that require no interaction and semiautomatic methods that require very limited interaction for the identification of CAC in cardiac CT have been proposed. Thus far, a comparison of their performance has been lacking. The objective of this study was to perform an independent evaluation of (semi)automatic methods for CAC scoring in cardiac CT using a publicly available standardized framework. Cardiac CT exams of 72 patients distributed over four CVD risk categories were provided for (semi)automatic CAC scoring. Each exam consisted of a noncontrast-enhanced calcium scoring CT (CSCT) and a corresponding coronary CT angiography (CCTA) scan. The exams were acquired in four different hospitals using state-of-the-art equipment from four major CT scanner vendors. The data were divided into 32 training exams and 40 test exams. A reference standard for CAC in CSCT was defined by consensus of two experts following a clinical protocol. The framework organizers evaluated the performance of (semi)automatic methods on test CSCT scans, per lesion, artery, and patient. Five (semi)automatic methods were evaluated. Four methods used both CSCT and CCTA to identify CAC, and one method used only CSCT. The evaluated methods correctly detected between 52% and 94% of CAC lesions with positive predictive values between 65% and 96%. Lesions in distal coronary arteries were most commonly missed and aortic calcifications close to the coronary ostia were the most common false positive errors. The majority (between 88% and 98%) of correctly identified CAC lesions were assigned to the correct artery. Linearly weighted Cohen's kappa for patient CVD risk categorization by the evaluated methods ranged from 0.80 to 1.00. A publicly available standardized framework for the evaluation of (semi)automatic methods for CAC identification in cardiac CT is described. An evaluation of five (semi)automatic methods within this framework shows that automatic per patient CVD risk categorization is feasible. CAC lesions at ambiguous locations such as the coronary ostia remain challenging, but their detection had limited impact on CVD risk determination.

Implications of cost-effectiveness analysis of medical technology. background paper number 5. four common x-ray procedures: problems and prospects for economic evaluation

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

Wagner, J.L.; Krieger, M.J.

This paper is about the economic evaluation of diagnostic procedures. The issue of economic evaluation is explored in the context of four common diagnostic X-ray procedures: the chest X-ray, the skull X-ray, the barium enema study, and the excretory urogram. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part summarizes the different evaluative models underlying studies of the four diagnostic X-ray procedures and to lay out the strengths and weaknesses of each method. The second part contains four separate chapters summarizing what is known about the utilization, costs, risks, and benefits of each procedure, with particular emphasis on themore » evaluative methods employed.« less

Evaluation of the confusion matrix method in the validation of an automated system for measuring feeding behaviour of cattle.

PubMed

Ruuska, Salla; Hämäläinen, Wilhelmiina; Kajava, Sari; Mughal, Mikaela; Matilainen, Pekka; Mononen, Jaakko

2018-03-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate empirically confusion matrices in device validation. We compared the confusion matrix method to linear regression and error indices in the validation of a device measuring feeding behaviour of dairy cattle. In addition, we studied how to extract additional information on classification errors with confusion probabilities. The data consisted of 12 h behaviour measurements from five dairy cows; feeding and other behaviour were detected simultaneously with a device and from video recordings. The resulting 216 000 pairs of classifications were used to construct confusion matrices and calculate performance measures. In addition, hourly durations of each behaviour were calculated and the accuracy of measurements was evaluated with linear regression and error indices. All three validation methods agreed when the behaviour was detected very accurately or inaccurately. Otherwise, in the intermediate cases, the confusion matrix method and error indices produced relatively concordant results, but the linear regression method often disagreed with them. Our study supports the use of confusion matrix analysis in validation since it is robust to any data distribution and type of relationship, it makes a stringent evaluation of validity, and it offers extra information on the type and sources of errors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a Cubature Kalman Filtering-Based Phase Unwrapping Method for Differential Interferograms with High Noise in Coal Mining Areas

PubMed Central

Liu, Wanli; Bian, Zhengfu; Liu, Zhenguo; Zhang, Qiuzhao

2015-01-01

Differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar has been shown to be effective for monitoring subsidence in coal mining areas. Phase unwrapping can have a dramatic influence on the monitoring result. In this paper, a filtering-based phase unwrapping algorithm in combination with path-following is introduced to unwrap differential interferograms with high noise in mining areas. It can perform simultaneous noise filtering and phase unwrapping so that the pre-filtering steps can be omitted, thus usually retaining more details and improving the detectable deformation. For the method, the nonlinear measurement model of phase unwrapping is processed using a simplified Cubature Kalman filtering, which is an effective and efficient tool used in many nonlinear fields. Three case studies are designed to evaluate the performance of the method. In Case 1, two tests are designed to evaluate the performance of the method under different factors including the number of multi-looks and path-guiding indexes. The result demonstrates that the unwrapped results are sensitive to the number of multi-looks and that the Fisher Distance is the most suitable path-guiding index for our study. Two case studies are then designed to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed phase unwrapping method based on Cubature Kalman filtering. The results indicate that, compared with the popular Minimum Cost Flow method, the Cubature Kalman filtering-based phase unwrapping can achieve promising results without pre-filtering and is an appropriate method for coal mining areas with high noise. PMID:26153776

Evaluation of Health Equity Impact of Structural Policies: Overview of Research Methods Used in the SOPHIE Project.

PubMed

Kunst, Anton E

2017-07-01

This article briefly assesses the research methods that were applied in the SOPHIE project to evaluate the impact of structural policies on population health and health inequalities. The evaluation of structural policies is one of the key methodological challenges in today's public health. The experience in the SOPHIE project was that mixed methods are essential to identify, understand, and predict the health impact of structural policies. On the one hand, quantitative studies that included spatial comparisons or time trend analyses, preferably in a quasi-experimental design, showed that some structural policies were associated with improved population health and smaller health inequalities. On the other hand, qualitative studies, often inspired by realist approaches, were important to understand how these policies could have achieved the observed impact and why they would succeed in some settings but fail in others. This review ends with five recommendations for future studies that aim to evaluate, understand, and predict how health inequalities can be reduced through structural policies.

A school-based interdisciplinary approach to promote health and academic achievement among children in a deprived neighborhood: study protocol for a mixed-methods evaluation.

PubMed

Abrahamse, Mariëlle E; Jonkman, Caroline S; Harting, Janneke

2018-04-10

The large number of children that grow up in poverty is concerning, especially given the negative developmental outcomes that can persist into adulthood. Poverty has been found as a risk factor to negatively affect academic achievement and health outcomes in children. Interdisciplinary interventions can be an effective way to promote health and academic achievement. The present study aims to evaluate a school-based interdisciplinary approach on child health, poverty, and academic achievement using a mixed-method design. Generally taken, outcomes of this study increase the knowledge about effective ways to give disadvantaged children equal chances early in their lives. An observational study with a mixed-methods design including both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods will be used to evaluate the interdisciplinary approach. The overall research project exists of three study parts including a longitudinal study, a cross-sectional study, and a process evaluation. Using a multi-source approach we will assess child health as the primary outcome. Child poverty and child academic achievement will be assessed as secondary outcomes. The process evaluation will observe the program's effects on the school environment and the program's implementation in order to obtain more knowledge on how to disseminate the interdisciplinary approach to other schools and neighborhoods. The implementation of a school-based interdisciplinary approach via primary schools combining the cross-sectoral domains health, poverty, and academic achievement is innovative and a step forward to reach an ethnic minority population. However, the large variety of the interventions and activities within the approach can limit the validity of the study. Including a process evaluation will therefore help to improve the interpretation of our findings. In order to contribute to policy and practice focusing on decreasing the unequal chances of children growing up in deprived neighborhoods, it is important to study whether the intervention leads to positive developmental outcomes in children. ( NTR 6571 ) (retrospectively registered on August 4, 2017).

Informing the Discussion on Evaluator Training: A Look at Evaluators' Course Taking and Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christie, Christina A.; Quiñones, Patricia; Fierro, Leslie

2014-01-01

This classification study examines evaluators' coursework training as a way of understanding evaluation practice. Data regarding courses that span methods and evaluation topics were collected from evaluation practitioners. Using latent class analysis, we establish four distinct classes of evaluator course-taking patterns: quantitative,…

Formative Qualitative Evaluation for "Exploratory" ITS Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Tom

1993-01-01

Discusses evaluation methods applicable to exploratory research areas, provides an overview of qualitative and formative methods for exploratory research on intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) and describes an exploratory study in ITS knowledge acquisition which involved working with three educators to build an ITS for high school physics.…

An integrated pavement data management and feedback system (PAMS) : evaluation of pavement condition rating procedure.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-08-01

This report describes an evaluation of a method for use in the Highway Needs Study pavement condition rating. The methods by which the Department generates and manages pavement condition data in the overall process of providing a network of highways ...

Evaluation of Jacobian determinants by Monte Carlo methods: Application to the quasiclassical approximation in molecular scattering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labudde, R. A.

1971-01-01

A technique is described which can be used to evaluate Jacobian determinants which occur in classical mechanical and quasiclassical approximation descriptions of molecular scattering. The method may be valuable in the study of reactive scattering using the quasiclassical approximation.

The Effect of Active Learning Methodologies on the Teaching of Pharmaceutical Care in a Brazilian Pharmacy Faculty

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background In recent years, pharmacists have been involved in expanded patient care responsibilities, for example patient counseling in self-medication, medication review and pharmaceutical care, which require graduates to develop the necessary competences. Consequently, reorientation of pharmacy education has become necessary. As such, active learning strategies have been introduced into classrooms to increase problem-solving and critical thinking skills of students. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and perceptions of competency of students in a new pharmaceutical care course that uses active learning methodologies. Methods This pharmaceutical care course was conducted in the first semester of 2014, in the Federal University of Sergipe. In the pharmaceutical care course, active learning methods were used, consisting of dialogic classroom expository, simulation and case studies. Student learning was evaluated using classroom tests and instruments that evaluated the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice. Furthermore, students' satisfaction with the course was evaluated. Results Thirty-three students completed the four evaluations used in the course (i.e., a discursive written exam, seminars, OSCE, and virtual patient); 25 were female (75.75%), and the median age was 23.43 (SD 2.82) years. The overall mean of student scores, in all evaluation methods was 7.97 (SD 0.59) on a scale of 0 to 10 points, and student performance on the virtual patient method was statistically superior to other methods. With respect to the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice, a comparison of pre- and post-test scores revealed statistically significant improvement for all evaluated competences. At the end of the semester, the students presented positive opinions of the pharmaceutical care course. Conclusions The results suggest that an active learning course can enhance the learning of pharmaceutical care competences. In future studies it will be necessary to compare active learning to traditional methods. PMID:25969991

Veterinary and human vaccine evaluation methods

PubMed Central

Knight-Jones, T. J. D.; Edmond, K.; Gubbins, S.; Paton, D. J.

2014-01-01

Despite the universal importance of vaccines, approaches to human and veterinary vaccine evaluation differ markedly. For human vaccines, vaccine efficacy is the proportion of vaccinated individuals protected by the vaccine against a defined outcome under ideal conditions, whereas for veterinary vaccines the term is used for a range of measures of vaccine protection. The evaluation of vaccine effectiveness, vaccine protection assessed under routine programme conditions, is largely limited to human vaccines. Challenge studies under controlled conditions and sero-conversion studies are widely used when evaluating veterinary vaccines, whereas human vaccines are generally evaluated in terms of protection against natural challenge assessed in trials or post-marketing observational studies. Although challenge studies provide a standardized platform on which to compare different vaccines, they do not capture the variation that occurs under field conditions. Field studies of vaccine effectiveness are needed to assess the performance of a vaccination programme. However, if vaccination is performed without central co-ordination, as is often the case for veterinary vaccines, evaluation will be limited. This paper reviews approaches to veterinary vaccine evaluation in comparison to evaluation methods used for human vaccines. Foot-and-mouth disease has been used to illustrate the veterinary approach. Recommendations are made for standardization of terminology and for rigorous evaluation of veterinary vaccines. PMID:24741009

Evaluating a physician leadership development program - a mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Throgmorton, Cheryl; Mitchell, Trey; Morley, Tom; Snyder, Marijo

2016-05-16

Purpose - With the extent of change in healthcare today, organizations need strong physician leaders. To compensate for the lack of physician leadership education, many organizations are sending physicians to external leadership programs or developing in-house leadership programs targeted specifically to physicians. The purpose of this paper is to outline the evaluation strategy and outcomes of the inaugural year of a Physician Leadership Academy (PLA) developed and implemented at a Michigan-based regional healthcare system. Design/methodology/approach - The authors applied the theoretical framework of Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation and used surveys, observations, activity tracking, and interviews to evaluate the program outcomes. The authors applied grounded theory techniques to the interview data. Findings - The program met targeted outcomes across all four levels of evaluation. Interview themes focused on the significance of increasing self-awareness, building relationships, applying new skills, and building confidence. Research limitations/implications - While only one example, this study illustrates the importance of developing the evaluation strategy as part of the program design. Qualitative research methods, often lacking from learning evaluation design, uncover rich themes of impact. The study supports how a PLA program can enhance physician learning, engagement, and relationship building throughout and after the program. Physician leaders' partnership with organization development and learning professionals yield results with impact to individuals, groups, and the organization. Originality/value - Few studies provide an in-depth review of evaluation methods and outcomes of physician leadership development programs. Healthcare organizations seeking to develop similar in-house programs may benefit applying the evaluation strategy outlined in this study.

[Selection of risk and diagnosis in diabetic polyneuropathy. Validation of method of new systems].

PubMed

Jurado, Jerónimo; Caula, Jacinto; Pou i Torelló, Josep Maria

2006-06-30

In a previous study we developed a specific algorithm, the polyneuropathy selection method (PSM) with 4 parameters (age, HDL-C, HbA1c, and retinopathy), to select patients at risk of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). We also developed a simplified method for DPN diagnosis: outpatient polyneuropathy diagnosis (OPD), with 4 variables (symptoms and 3 objective tests). To confirm the validity of conventional tests for DPN diagnosis; to validate the discriminatory power of the PSM and the diagnostic value of OPD by evaluating their relationship to electrodiagnosis studies and objective clinical neurological assessment; and to evaluate the correlation of DPN and pro-inflammatory status. Cross-sectional, crossed association for PSM validation. Paired samples for OPD validation. Primary care in 3 counties. Random sample of 75 subjects from the type-2 diabetes census for PSM evaluation. Thirty DPN patients and 30 non-DPN patients (from 2 DM2 sub-groups in our earlier study) for OPD evaluation. The gold standard for DPN diagnosis will be studied by means of a clinical neurological study (symptoms, physical examination, and sensitivity tests) and electrodiagnosis studies (sensitivity and motor EMG). Risks of neuropathy, macroangiopathy and pro-inflammatory status (PCR, TNF soluble fraction and total TGF-beta1) will be studied in every subject. Electrodiagnosis studies should confirm the validity of conventional tests for DPN diagnosis. PSM and OPD will be valid methods for selecting patients at risk and diagnosing DPN. There will be a significant relationship between DPN and pro-inflammatory tests.

An Evaluation of the Relationship between Classroom Practices and Mathematics Motivation from Student and Teacher Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Jinsong

2011-01-01

This study evaluated the relationships between classroom practices and mathematics motivation. The evaluation was given in a specific context, namely eighth grade in U.S. middle schools. Using quantitative methods, the study adopted data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 and compared classroom practices…

Pharmaceutical and analytical evaluation of triphalaguggulkalpa tablets

PubMed Central

Savarikar, Shreeram S.; Barbhind, Maneesha M.; Halde, Umakant K.; Kulkarni, Alpana P.

2011-01-01

Aim of the Study: Development of standardized, synergistic, safe and effective traditional herbal formulations with robust scientific evidence can offer faster and more economical alternatives for the treatment of disease. The main objective was to develop a method of preparation of guggulkalpa tablets so that the tablets meet the criteria of efficacy, stability, and safety. Materials and Methods: Triphalaguggulkalpa tablet, described in sharangdharsanhita and containing guggul and triphala powder, was used as a model drug. Preliminary experiments on marketed triphalaguggulkalpa tablets exhibited delayed in vitro disintegration that indicated probable delayed in vivo disintegration. The study involved preparation of triphalaguggulkalpa tablets by Ayurvedic text methods and by wet granulation, dry granulation, and direct compression method. The tablets were evaluated for loss on drying, volatile oil content, % solubility, and steroidal content. The tablets were evaluated for performance tests like weight variation, disintegration, and hardness. Results: It was observed that triphalaguggulkalpa tablets, prepared by direct compression method, complied with the hardness and disintegration tests, whereas tablets prepared by Ayurvedic text methods failed. Conclusion: Direct compression is the best method of preparing triphalaguggulkalpa tablets. PMID:21731383

The quality of dietary intake methodology and reporting in child and adolescent obesity intervention trials: a systematic review.

PubMed

Burrows, T; Golley, R K; Khambalia, A; McNaughton, S A; Magarey, A; Rosenkranz, R R; Alllman-Farinelli, M; Rangan, A M; Truby, H; Collins, C

2012-12-01

Assessing dietary intake is important in evaluating childhood obesity intervention effectiveness. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the dietary intake methods and reporting in intervention studies that included a dietary component to treat overweight or obese children. A systematic review of studies published in the English language, between 1985 and August 2010 in health databases. The search identified 2,295 papers, of which 335 were retrieved and 31 met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-three studies reported energy intake as an outcome measure, 20 reported macronutrient intakes and 10 studies reported food intake outcomes. The most common dietary method employed was the food diary (n = 13), followed by 24-h recall (n = 5), food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) (n = 4) and dietary questionnaire (n = 4). The quality of the dietary intake methods reporting was rated as 'poor' in 15 studies (52%) and only 3 were rated as 'excellent'. The reporting quality of FFQs tended to be higher than food diaries/recalls. Deficiencies in the quality of dietary intake methods reporting in child obesity studies were identified. Use of a dietary intake methods reporting checklist is recommended. This will enable the quality of dietary intake results to be evaluated, and an increased ability to replicate study methodology by other researchers. © 2012 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2012 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Automated Bone Segmentation and Surface Evaluation of a Small Animal Model of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Ramme, Austin J; Voss, Kevin; Lesporis, Jurinus; Lendhey, Matin S; Coughlin, Thomas R; Strauss, Eric J; Kennedy, Oran D

2017-05-01

MicroCT imaging allows for noninvasive microstructural evaluation of mineralized bone tissue, and is essential in studies of small animal models of bone and joint diseases. Automatic segmentation and evaluation of articular surfaces is challenging. Here, we present a novel method to create knee joint surface models, for the evaluation of PTOA-related joint changes in the rat using an atlas-based diffeomorphic registration to automatically isolate bone from surrounding tissues. As validation, two independent raters manually segment datasets and the resulting segmentations were compared to our novel automatic segmentation process. Data were evaluated using label map volumes, overlap metrics, Euclidean distance mapping, and a time trial. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to compare methods, and were greater than 0.90. Total overlap, union overlap, and mean overlap were calculated to compare the automatic and manual methods and ranged from 0.85 to 0.99. A Euclidean distance comparison was also performed and showed no measurable difference between manual and automatic segmentations. Furthermore, our new method was 18 times faster than manual segmentation. Overall, this study describes a reliable, accurate, and automatic segmentation method for mineralized knee structures from microCT images, and will allow for efficient assessment of bony changes in small animal models of PTOA.

A fuzzy MCDM model with objective and subjective weights for evaluating service quality in hotel industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoraghi, Nima; Amiri, Maghsoud; Talebi, Golnaz; Zowghi, Mahdi

2013-12-01

This paper presents a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (FMCDM) model by integrating both subjective and objective weights for ranking and evaluating the service quality in hotels. The objective method selects weights of criteria through mathematical calculation, while the subjective method uses judgments of decision makers. In this paper, we use a combination of weights obtained by both approaches in evaluating service quality in hotel industries. A real case study that considered ranking five hotels is illustrated. Examples are shown to indicate capabilities of the proposed method.

Review of Comprehensive Evaluation Methods for Power Quality and Its Trend in New Generation Energy System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ruihua; Wang, Rong; Liu, Qunying; Yang, Li; Xi, Chuan; Wang, Wei; Li, Lingzhou; Zhao, Zhoufang; Zhou, Ying

2018-02-01

With China’s new energy generation grid connected capacity being in the forefront of the world and the uncertainty of new energy sources, such as wind energy and solar energy, it is be of great significance to study scientific and comprehensive assessment of power quality. On the foundation of analysizing the current power quality index systematically and objectively, the new energy grid power quality analysis method and comprehensive evaluation method, this paper tentatively explored the trend of the new generation of energy system power quality comprehensive evaluation.

38 CFR 1.17 - Evaluation of studies relating to health effects of radiation exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... health effects of radiation exposure. (a) From time to time, the Secretary shall publish evaluations of... paragraph a valid study is one which: (i) Has adequately described the study design and methods of data... studies affecting epidemiological assessments including case series, correlational studies and studies...

38 CFR 1.17 - Evaluation of studies relating to health effects of radiation exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... health effects of radiation exposure. (a) From time to time, the Secretary shall publish evaluations of... paragraph a valid study is one which: (i) Has adequately described the study design and methods of data... studies affecting epidemiological assessments including case series, correlational studies and studies...

38 CFR 1.17 - Evaluation of studies relating to health effects of radiation exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... health effects of radiation exposure. (a) From time to time, the Secretary shall publish evaluations of... paragraph a valid study is one which: (i) Has adequately described the study design and methods of data... studies affecting epidemiological assessments including case series, correlational studies and studies...

38 CFR 1.17 - Evaluation of studies relating to health effects of radiation exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... health effects of radiation exposure. (a) From time to time, the Secretary shall publish evaluations of... paragraph a valid study is one which: (i) Has adequately described the study design and methods of data... studies affecting epidemiological assessments including case series, correlational studies and studies...

38 CFR 1.17 - Evaluation of studies relating to health effects of radiation exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... health effects of radiation exposure. (a) From time to time, the Secretary shall publish evaluations of... paragraph a valid study is one which: (i) Has adequately described the study design and methods of data... studies affecting epidemiological assessments including case series, correlational studies and studies...

Proposal of a method for evaluating tsunami risk using response-surface methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukutani, Y.

2017-12-01

Information on probabilistic tsunami inundation hazards is needed to define and evaluate tsunami risk. Several methods for calculating these hazards have been proposed (e.g. Løvholt et al. (2012), Thio (2012), Fukutani et al. (2014), Goda et al. (2015)). However, these methods are inefficient, and their calculation cost is high, since they require multiple tsunami numerical simulations, therefore lacking versatility. In this study, we proposed a simpler method for tsunami risk evaluation using response-surface methodology. Kotani et al. (2016) proposed an evaluation method for the probabilistic distribution of tsunami wave-height using a response-surface methodology. We expanded their study and developed a probabilistic distribution of tsunami inundation depth. We set the depth (x1) and the slip (x2) of an earthquake fault as explanatory variables and tsunami inundation depth (y) as an object variable. Subsequently, tsunami risk could be evaluated by conducting a Monte Carlo simulation, assuming that the generation probability of an earthquake follows a Poisson distribution, the probability distribution of tsunami inundation depth follows the distribution derived from a response-surface, and the damage probability of a target follows a log normal distribution. We applied the proposed method to a wood building located on the coast of Tokyo Bay. We implemented a regression analysis based on the results of 25 tsunami numerical calculations and developed a response-surface, which was defined as y=ax1+bx2+c (a:0.2615, b:3.1763, c=-1.1802). We assumed proper probabilistic distribution for earthquake generation, inundation height, and vulnerability. Based on these probabilistic distributions, we conducted Monte Carlo simulations of 1,000,000 years. We clarified that the expected damage probability of the studied wood building is 22.5%, assuming that an earthquake occurs. The proposed method is therefore a useful and simple way to evaluate tsunami risk using a response-surface and Monte Carlo simulation without conducting multiple tsunami numerical simulations.

Study on evaluation methods for Rayleigh wave dispersion characteristic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shi, L.; Tao, X.; Kayen, R.; Shi, H.; Yan, S.

2005-01-01

The evaluation of Rayleigh wave dispersion characteristic is the key step for detecting S-wave velocity structure. By comparing the dispersion curves directly with the spectra analysis of surface waves (SASW) method, rather than comparing the S-wave velocity structure, the validity and precision of microtremor-array method (MAM) can be evaluated more objectively. The results from the China - US joint surface wave investigation in 26 sites in Tangshan, China, show that the MAM has the same precision with SASW method in 83% of the 26 sites. The MAM is valid for Rayleigh wave dispersion characteristic testing and has great application potentiality for site S-wave velocity structure detection.

Adding a Time-Series Design Element to the Success Case Method to Improve Methodological Rigor: An Application for Nonprofit Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coryn, Chris L. S.; Schroter, Daniela C.; Hanssen, Carl E.

2009-01-01

Brinkerhoff's Success Case Method (SCM) was developed with the specific purpose of assessing the impact of organizational interventions (e.g., training and coaching) on business goals by analyzing extreme groups using case study techniques and storytelling. As an efficient and cost-effective method of evaluative inquiry, SCM is attractive in other…

The use of individualized contract plans as a method of performance evaluation for allied health faculty.

PubMed

Mitcham, M D; Vericella, B J

1985-11-01

Results from a two-year study of the individualized contract plan (ICP) approach to faculty evaluation indicate this is a workable method of performance evaluation for allied health faculty. The ICP was found to be individualized, systematic, flexible, and objective. Faculty members and department chairpersons differed in their perception of the effectiveness of the ICP, but both groups supported its continued use. Five major recommendations were made regarding the continued use of the ICP as a method of faculty performance evaluation: (1) separate evaluation and professional development aspects, (2) link results to the institutional reward structure, (3) administer the ICP uniformly among departments, (4) develop a monitoring mechanism, and (5) foster open communication among all participants in the system.

Study on the application of ambient vibration tests to evaluate the effectiveness of seismic retrofitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Li; Takaaki, Ohkubo; Guang-hui, Li

2018-03-01

In recent years, earthquakes have occurred frequently, and the seismic performance of existing school buildings has become particularly important. The main method for improving the seismic resistance of existing buildings is reinforcement. However, there are few effective methods to evaluate the effect of reinforcement. Ambient vibration measurement experiments were conducted before and after seismic retrofitting using wireless measurement system and the changes of vibration characteristics were compared. The changes of acceleration response spectrum, natural periods and vibration modes indicate that the wireless vibration measurement system can be effectively applied to evaluate the effect of seismic retrofitting. The method can evaluate the effect of seismic retrofitting qualitatively, it is difficult to evaluate the effect of seismic retrofitting quantitatively at this stage.

A Consistency Evaluation and Calibration Method for Piezoelectric Transmitters

PubMed Central

Zhang, Kai; Tan, Baohai; Liu, Xianping

2017-01-01

Array transducer and transducer combination technologies are evolving rapidly. While adapting transmitter combination technologies, the parameter consistencies between each transmitter are extremely important because they can determine a combined effort directly. This study presents a consistency evaluation and calibration method for piezoelectric transmitters by using impedance analyzers. Firstly, electronic parameters of transmitters that can be measured by impedance analyzers are introduced. A variety of transmitter acoustic energies that are caused by these parameter differences are then analyzed and certified and, thereafter, transmitter consistency is evaluated. Lastly, based on the evaluations, consistency can be calibrated by changing the corresponding excitation voltage. Acoustic experiments show that this method accurately evaluates and calibrates transducer consistencies, and is easy to realize. PMID:28452947

Vocational Education Outcomes: An Evaluative Bibliography of Empirical Studies. Bibliography Series No. 49.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolland, Kathleen A.

As part of a project designed to identify appropriate and feasible methods of evaluating vocational education with respect to its outcomes, this bibliography contains descriptive and evaluative annotations of a selection of empirical studies of vocational education outcomes. Following a technical introduction discussing the methodological issues…

Connecting Theory to Practice: Evaluating a Brain-Based Writing Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffee, Dale T.

2007-01-01

This 10 week longitudinal evaluation study evaluated a brain-based learning curriculum proposed by Smilkstein (2003) by comparing student performance in a traditional basic writing curriculum with NHLP-oriented basic writing curriculum. The study included two classes each of experimental and traditional methods. Results of the data, gathered by…

Accuracy Evaluation of the Unified P-Value from Combining Correlated P-Values

PubMed Central

Alves, Gelio; Yu, Yi-Kuo

2014-01-01

Meta-analysis methods that combine -values into a single unified -value are frequently employed to improve confidence in hypothesis testing. An assumption made by most meta-analysis methods is that the -values to be combined are independent, which may not always be true. To investigate the accuracy of the unified -value from combining correlated -values, we have evaluated a family of statistical methods that combine: independent, weighted independent, correlated, and weighted correlated -values. Statistical accuracy evaluation by combining simulated correlated -values showed that correlation among -values can have a significant effect on the accuracy of the combined -value obtained. Among the statistical methods evaluated those that weight -values compute more accurate combined -values than those that do not. Also, statistical methods that utilize the correlation information have the best performance, producing significantly more accurate combined -values. In our study we have demonstrated that statistical methods that combine -values based on the assumption of independence can produce inaccurate -values when combining correlated -values, even when the -values are only weakly correlated. Therefore, to prevent from drawing false conclusions during hypothesis testing, our study advises caution be used when interpreting the -value obtained from combining -values of unknown correlation. However, when the correlation information is available, the weighting-capable statistical method, first introduced by Brown and recently modified by Hou, seems to perform the best amongst the methods investigated. PMID:24663491

Correlation between safety assessments in the driver-car interaction design process.

PubMed

Broström, Robert; Bengtsson, Peter; Axelsson, Jakob

2011-05-01

With the functional revolution in modern cars, evaluation methods to be used in all phases of driver-car interaction design have gained importance. It is crucial for car manufacturers to discover and solve safety issues early in the interaction design process. A current problem is thus to find a correlation between the formative methods that are used during development and the summative methods that are used when the product has reached the customer. This paper investigates the correlation between efficiency metrics from summative and formative evaluations, where the results of two studies on sound and navigation system tasks are compared. The first, an analysis of the J.D. Power and Associates APEAL survey, consists of answers given by about two thousand customers. The second, an expert evaluation study, was done by six evaluators who assessed the layouts by task completion time, TLX and Nielsen heuristics. The results show a high degree of correlation between the studies in terms of task efficiency, i.e. between customer ratings and task completion time, and customer ratings and TLX. However, no correlation was observed between Nielsen heuristics and customer ratings, task completion time or TLX. The results of the studies introduce a possibility to develop a usability evaluation framework that includes both formative and summative approaches, as the results show a high degree of consistency between the different methodologies. Hence, combining a quantitative approach with the expert evaluation method, such as task completion time, should be more useful for driver-car interaction design. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Online survey software as a data collection tool for medical education: A case study on lesson plan assessment.

PubMed

Kimiafar, Khalil; Sarbaz, Masoumeh; Sheikhtaheri, Abbas

2016-01-01

Background: There are no general strategies or tools to evaluate daily lesson plans; however, assessments conducted using traditional methods usually include course plans. This study aimed to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of online survey software in collecting data on education in medical fields and the application of such softwares to evaluate students' views and modification of lesson plans. Methods: After investigating the available online survey software, esurveypro was selected for assessing daily lesson plans. After using the software for one semester, a questionnaire was prepared to assess the advantages and disadvantages of this method and students' views in a cross-sectional study. Results: The majority of the students (51.7%) rated the evaluation of classes per session (lesson plans) using the online survey as useful or very useful. About 51% (n=36) of the students considered this method effective in improving the management of each session, 67.1% (n=47) considered it effective in improving the management of sessions for the next semester, and 51.4% (n=36) said it had a high impact on improving the educational content of subsequent sessions. Finally, 61.4% (n=43) students expressed high and very high levels of satisfaction with using an online survey at each session. Conclusion: The use of online surveys may be appropriate to improve lesson plans and educational planning at different levels. This method can be used for other evaluations and for assessing people's opinions at different levels of an educational system.

Morphometrical study on senile larynx.

PubMed

Zieliński, R

2001-01-01

The aim of the study was a morphometrical macroscopic evaluation of senile larynges, according to its usefulness in ORL diagnostic and operational methods. Larynx preparations were taken from cadavers of both sexes, of age 65 and over, about 24 hours after death. Clinically important laryngeal diameters were collected using common morphometrical methods. A few body features were also being gathered. Computer statistical methods were used in data assessment, including basic statistics and linear correlations between diameters and between diameters and body features. The data presented in the study may be very helpful in evaluation of diagnostic methods. It may also help in selection of right operational tool' sizes, the most appropriate operational technique choice, preoperative preparations and designing and building virtual and plastic models for physicians' training.

A new integrated evaluation method of heavy metals pollution control during melting and sintering of MSWI fly ash.

PubMed

Li, Rundong; Li, Yanlong; Yang, Tianhua; Wang, Lei; Wang, Weiyun

2015-05-30

Evaluations of technologies for heavy metal control mainly examine the residual and leaching rates of a single heavy metal, such that developed evaluation method have no coordination or uniqueness and are therefore unsuitable for hazard control effect evaluation. An overall pollution toxicity index (OPTI) was established in this paper, based on the developed index, an integrated evaluation method of heavy metal pollution control was established. Application of this method in the melting and sintering of fly ash revealed the following results: The integrated control efficiency of the melting process was higher in all instances than that of the sintering process. The lowest integrated control efficiency of melting was 56.2%, and the highest integrated control efficiency of sintering was 46.6%. Using the same technology, higher integrated control efficiency conditions were all achieved with lower temperatures and shorter times. This study demonstrated the unification and consistency of this method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurement properties of existing clinical assessment methods evaluating scapular positioning and function. A systematic review.

PubMed

Larsen, Camilla Marie; Juul-Kristensen, Birgit; Lund, Hans; Søgaard, Karen

2014-10-01

The aims were to compile a schematic overview of clinical scapular assessment methods and critically appraise the methodological quality of the involved studies. A systematic, computer-assisted literature search using Medline, CINAHL, SportDiscus and EMBASE was performed from inception to October 2013. Reference lists in articles were also screened for publications. From 50 articles, 54 method names were identified and categorized into three groups: (1) Static positioning assessment (n = 19); (2) Semi-dynamic (n = 13); and (3) Dynamic functional assessment (n = 22). Fifteen studies were excluded for evaluation due to no/few clinimetric results, leaving 35 studies for evaluation. Graded according to the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN checklist), the methodological quality in the reliability and validity domains was "fair" (57%) to "poor" (43%), with only one study rated as "good". The reliability domain was most often investigated. Few of the assessment methods in the included studies that had "fair" or "good" measurement property ratings demonstrated acceptable results for both reliability and validity. We found a substantially larger number of clinical scapular assessment methods than previously reported. Using the COSMIN checklist the methodological quality of the included measurement properties in the reliability and validity domains were in general "fair" to "poor". None were examined for all three domains: (1) reliability; (2) validity; and (3) responsiveness. Observational evaluation systems and assessment of scapular upward rotation seem suitably evidence-based for clinical use. Future studies should test and improve the clinimetric properties, and especially diagnostic accuracy and responsiveness, to increase utility for clinical practice.

An evaluation of exact matching and propensity score methods as applied in a comparative effectiveness study of inhaled corticosteroids in asthma.

PubMed

Burden, Anne; Roche, Nicolas; Miglio, Cristiana; Hillyer, Elizabeth V; Postma, Dirkje S; Herings, Ron Mc; Overbeek, Jetty A; Khalid, Javaria Mona; van Eickels, Daniela; Price, David B

2017-01-01

Cohort matching and regression modeling are used in observational studies to control for confounding factors when estimating treatment effects. Our objective was to evaluate exact matching and propensity score methods by applying them in a 1-year pre-post historical database study to investigate asthma-related outcomes by treatment. We drew on longitudinal medical record data in the PHARMO database for asthma patients prescribed the treatments to be compared (ciclesonide and fine-particle inhaled corticosteroid [ICS]). Propensity score methods that we evaluated were propensity score matching (PSM) using two different algorithms, the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), covariate adjustment using the propensity score, and propensity score stratification. We defined balance, using standardized differences, as differences of <10% between cohorts. Of 4064 eligible patients, 1382 (34%) were prescribed ciclesonide and 2682 (66%) fine-particle ICS. The IPTW and propensity score-based methods retained more patients (96%-100%) than exact matching (90%); exact matching selected less severe patients. Standardized differences were >10% for four variables in the exact-matched dataset and <10% for both PSM algorithms and the weighted pseudo-dataset used in the IPTW method. With all methods, ciclesonide was associated with better 1-year asthma-related outcomes, at one-third the prescribed dose, than fine-particle ICS; results varied slightly by method, but direction and statistical significance remained the same. We found that each method has its particular strengths, and we recommend at least two methods be applied for each matched cohort study to evaluate the robustness of the findings. Balance diagnostics should be applied with all methods to check the balance of confounders between treatment cohorts. If exact matching is used, the calculation of a propensity score could be useful to identify variables that require balancing, thereby informing the choice of matching criteria together with clinical considerations.

Evaluation of a standard test method for screening fuels in soils

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

Sorini, S.S.; Schabron, J.F.

1996-12-31

A new screening method for fuel contamination in soils was recently developed as American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Method D-5831-95, Standard Test Method for Screening Fuels in Soils. This method uses low-toxicity chemicals and can be sued to screen organic- rich soils, as well as being fast, easy, and inexpensive to perform. Fuels containing aromatic compounds, such as diesel fuel and gasoline, as well as other aromatic-containing hydrocarbon materials, such as motor oil, crude oil, and cola oil, can be determined. The screening method for fuels in soils was evaluated by conducting a Collaborative study on the method.more » In the Collaborative study, a sand and an organic soil spiked with various concentrations of diesel fuel were tested. Data from the Collaborative study were used to determine the reproducibility (between participants) and repeatability (within participants) precision of the method for screening the test materials. The Collaborative study data also provide information on the performance of portable field equipment (patent pending) versus laboratory equipment for performing the screening method and a comparison of diesel concentration values determined using the screening method versus a laboratory method.« less

An improved filter elution and cell culture assay procedure for evaluating public groundwater systems for culturable enteroviruses.

PubMed

Dahling, Daniel R

2002-01-01

Large-scale virus studies of groundwater systems require practical and sensitive procedures for both sample processing and viral assay. Filter adsorption-elution procedures have traditionally been used to process large-volume water samples for viruses. In this study, five filter elution procedures using cartridge filters were evaluated for their effectiveness in processing samples. Of the five procedures tested, the third method, which incorporated two separate beef extract elutions (one being an overnight filter immersion in beef extract), recovered 95% of seeded poliovirus compared with recoveries of 36 to 70% for the other methods. For viral enumeration, an expanded roller bottle quantal assay was evaluated using seeded poliovirus. This cytopathic-based method was considerably more sensitive than the standard plaque assay method. The roller bottle system was more economical than the plaque assay for the evaluation of comparable samples. Using roller bottles required less time and manipulation than the plaque procedure and greatly facilitated the examination of large numbers of samples. The combination of the improved filter elution procedure and the roller bottle assay for viral analysis makes large-scale virus studies of groundwater systems practical. This procedure was subsequently field tested during a groundwater study in which large-volume samples (exceeding 800 L) were processed through the filters.

Evaluation method based on the image correlation for laser jamming image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Che, Jinxi; Li, Zhongmin; Gao, Bo

2013-09-01

The jamming effectiveness evaluation of infrared imaging system is an important part of electro-optical countermeasure. The infrared imaging devices in the military are widely used in the searching, tracking and guidance and so many other fields. At the same time, with the continuous development of laser technology, research of laser interference and damage effect developed continuously, laser has been used to disturbing the infrared imaging device. Therefore, the effect evaluation of the infrared imaging system by laser has become a meaningful problem to be solved. The information that the infrared imaging system ultimately present to the user is an image, so the evaluation on jamming effect can be made from the point of assessment of image quality. The image contains two aspects of the information, the light amplitude and light phase, so the image correlation can accurately perform the difference between the original image and disturbed image. In the paper, the evaluation method of digital image correlation, the assessment method of image quality based on Fourier transform, the estimate method of image quality based on error statistic and the evaluation method of based on peak signal noise ratio are analysed. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are analysed. Moreover, the infrared disturbing images of the experiment result, in which the thermal infrared imager was interfered by laser, were analysed by using these methods. The results show that the methods can better reflect the jamming effects of the infrared imaging system by laser. Furthermore, there is good consistence between evaluation results by using the methods and the results of subjective visual evaluation. And it also provides well repeatability and convenient quantitative analysis. The feasibility of the methods to evaluate the jamming effect was proved. It has some extent reference value for the studying and developing on electro-optical countermeasures equipments and effectiveness evaluation.

Systematic review of methods for evaluating healthcare research economic impact

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The economic benefits of healthcare research require study so that appropriate resources can be allocated to this research, particularly in developing countries. As a first step, we performed a systematic review to identify the methods used to assess the economic impact of healthcare research, and the outcomes. Method An electronic search was conducted in relevant databases using a combination of specific keywords. In addition, 21 relevant Web sites were identified. Results The initial search yielded 8,416 articles. After studying titles, abstracts, and full texts, 18 articles were included in the analysis. Eleven other reports were found on Web sites. We found that the outcomes assessed as healthcare research payback included direct cost-savings, cost reductions in healthcare delivery systems, benefits from commercial advancement, and outcomes associated with improved health status. Two methods were used to study healthcare research payback: macro-economic studies, which examine the relationship between research studies and economic outcome at the aggregated level, and case studies, which examine specific research projects to assess economic impact. Conclusions Our study shows that different methods and outcomes can be used to assess the economic impacts of healthcare research. There is no unique methodological approach for the economic evaluation of such research. In our systematic search we found no research that had evaluated the economic return of research in low and middle income countries. We therefore recommend a consensus on practical guidelines at international level on the basis of more comprehensive methodologies (such as Canadian Academic of Health Science and payback frameworks) in order to build capacity, arrange for necessary informative infrastructures and promote necessary skills for economic evaluation studies. PMID:20196839

Selection and Reporting of Statistical Methods to Assess Reliability of a Diagnostic Test: Conformity to Recommended Methods in a Peer-Reviewed Journal

PubMed Central

Park, Ji Eun; Han, Kyunghwa; Sung, Yu Sub; Chung, Mi Sun; Koo, Hyun Jung; Yoon, Hee Mang; Choi, Young Jun; Lee, Seung Soo; Kim, Kyung Won; Shin, Youngbin; An, Suah; Cho, Hyo-Min

2017-01-01

Objective To evaluate the frequency and adequacy of statistical analyses in a general radiology journal when reporting a reliability analysis for a diagnostic test. Materials and Methods Sixty-three studies of diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) and 36 studies reporting reliability analyses published in the Korean Journal of Radiology between 2012 and 2016 were analyzed. Studies were judged using the methodological guidelines of the Radiological Society of North America-Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers Alliance (RSNA-QIBA), and COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) initiative. DTA studies were evaluated by nine editorial board members of the journal. Reliability studies were evaluated by study reviewers experienced with reliability analysis. Results Thirty-one (49.2%) of the 63 DTA studies did not include a reliability analysis when deemed necessary. Among the 36 reliability studies, proper statistical methods were used in all (5/5) studies dealing with dichotomous/nominal data, 46.7% (7/15) of studies dealing with ordinal data, and 95.2% (20/21) of studies dealing with continuous data. Statistical methods were described in sufficient detail regarding weighted kappa in 28.6% (2/7) of studies and regarding the model and assumptions of intraclass correlation coefficient in 35.3% (6/17) and 29.4% (5/17) of studies, respectively. Reliability parameters were used as if they were agreement parameters in 23.1% (3/13) of studies. Reproducibility and repeatability were used incorrectly in 20% (3/15) of studies. Conclusion Greater attention to the importance of reporting reliability, thorough description of the related statistical methods, efforts not to neglect agreement parameters, and better use of relevant terminology is necessary. PMID:29089821

Operator performance evaluation using multi criteria decision making methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rani, Ruzanita Mat; Ismail, Wan Rosmanira; Razali, Siti Fatihah

2014-06-01

Operator performance evaluation is a very important operation in labor-intensive manufacturing industry because the company's productivity depends on the performance of its operators. The aims of operator performance evaluation are to give feedback to operators on their performance, to increase company's productivity and to identify strengths and weaknesses of each operator. In this paper, six multi criteria decision making methods; Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), fuzzy AHP (FAHP), ELECTRE, PROMETHEE II, Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) are used to evaluate the operators' performance and to rank the operators. The performance evaluation is based on six main criteria; competency, experience and skill, teamwork and time punctuality, personal characteristics, capability and outcome. The study was conducted at one of the SME food manufacturing companies in Selangor. From the study, it is found that AHP and FAHP yielded the "outcome" criteria as the most important criteria. The results of operator performance evaluation showed that the same operator is ranked the first using all six methods.

Are Teacher Course Evaluations Biased against Faculty That Teach Quantitative Methods Courses?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royal, Kenneth D.; Stockdale, Myrah R.

2015-01-01

The present study investigated graduate students' responses to teacher/course evaluations (TCE) to determine if students' responses were inherently biased against faculty who teach quantitative methods courses. Item response theory (IRT) and Differential Item Functioning (DIF) techniques were utilized for data analysis. Results indicate students…

EVALUATION OF METHODS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF DIESEL-GENERATED FINE PARTICULATE MATTER: PHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

A multi-phase instrument comparison study was conducted on two different diesel engines on a dynamometer to compare commonly used particulate matter (PM) measurement techniques while sampling the same diesel exhaust aerosol and to evaluate inter- and intra-method variability. In...

Edge gradients evaluation for 2D hybrid finite volume method model

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, a two-dimensional depth-integrated hydrodynamic model was developed using FVM on a hybrid unstructured collocated mesh system. To alleviate the negative effects of mesh irregularity and non-uniformity, a conservative evaluation method for edge gradients based on the second-order Tayl...

An Evaluation of Health Information and Wellness Priorities among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris-Paxton, Angela A.; Van Lingen, Johanna M.; Elkonin, Diane

2017-01-01

Objective: A critical evaluation of a salutogenic, wellness education programme was conducted with a group of first-year socioeconomically disadvantaged higher education students, in order to assess the value they placed on health information and wellness priorities. Methods: This study took a mixed-methods approach utilising a…

Do Different Training Conditions Facilitate Team Implementation? A Quasi-Experimental Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Karina; Randall, Raymond; Christensen, Karl B.

2017-01-01

A mixed methods approach was applied to examine the effects of a naturally occurring teamwork intervention supported with training. The first objective was to integrate qualitative process evaluation and quantitative effect evaluation to examine "how" and "why" the training influence intervention outcomes. The intervention (N =…

An evaluation of recruitment methods utilized for a clinical trial with periodontal and diabetes enrollment criteria: the Diabetes and Periodontal Therapy Trial

PubMed Central

Schoenfeld, Elinor R; Hyman, Leslie; Simpson, Leslie Long; Michalowicz, Bryan; Reddy, Michael; Gelato, Marie; Hou, Wei; Engebretson, Steven P; Hytner, Catherine; Lenton, Pat

2014-01-01

Background Diabetes and its complications are a major United States public health concern. Methods The Diabetes and Periodontal Therapy Trial (DPTT) evaluated whether non-surgical treatment of periodontal disease influenced diabetes management among persons with Type 2 diabetes and periodontitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate DPTT’s many recruitment strategies in terms of enrollment success. Results/Conclusion Targeted recruitment strategies were more effective in identifying individuals who met periodontal and diabetes eligibility criteria. Individuals eligible for a baseline visit/enrollment were more often male, had a younger age at diabetes diagnosis, a longer diabetes duration, more often Hispanic and less often African–American. Tracking and evaluating recruitment sources during study enrollment optimized recruitment methods to enroll a diverse participant population based upon gender, race and ethnicity. PMID:25574373

Problems in Evaluating Adult Literacy Programmes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajyalakshmi, C.

1980-01-01

The study of the Functional Literacy Program in India encountered problems of opposition to evaluation, inappropriate respondents, and difficulties in contacting participants, which point to changes that should be made in the evaluation methods. (SK)

Study Of Nondestructive Techniques For Testing Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, D.; Kautz, H.; Draper, S.; Bansal, N.; Bowles, K.; Bashyam, M.; Bishop, C.

1995-01-01

Study evaluates some nondestructive methods for characterizing ceramic-, metal-, and polymer-matrix composite materials. Results demonstrated utility of two ultrasonic methods for obtaining quantitative data on microstructural anomalies in composite materials.

Economic evaluations on centralisation of specialised healthcare services: a systematic review of methods

PubMed Central

Bhattarai, Nawaraj; McMeekin, Peter; Price, Christopher; Vale, Luke

2016-01-01

Objective To systematically review and appraise the quality of economic evaluations assessing centralisation of specialised healthcare services. Methods A systematic review to identify economic evaluations on centralisation of any specialised healthcare service. Full economic evaluations comparing costs and consequences of centralisation of any specialised healthcare service were eligible for inclusion. Methodological characteristics of included studies were appraised using checklists adapted from recommended guidelines. Results A total of 64 full-text articles met the inclusion criteria. Two studies were conducted in the UK. Most of the studies used volume of activity as a proxy measure of centralisation. The methods used to assess centralisation were heterogeneous. Studies differed in terms of study design used and aspect of centralisation they considered. There were major limitations in studies. Only 12 studies reported the study perspective. Charges which are not true representation of costs were used by 17 studies to assess cost outcomes. Only 10 reported the detailed breakdown of the cost components used in their analysis. Discounting was necessary in 14 studies but was reported only in 7 studies. Sensitivity analyses were included by less than one-third of the studies. The applicability of the identified studies to a setting other than the one they were conducted in is questionable, given variations in the organisation of services and healthcare costs. Centralisation as a concept has also been variably and narrowly defined as activity of specific services which may not reflect the wider aspects of centralisation. Conclusions Confounded and biased information coming from studies without standardised methods may mislead decision-makers towards making wrong decisions on centralisation. It is important to improve the methodology and reporting of economic evaluations in order to provide more robust and transferable evidence. Wider aspects of healthcare centralisation should be considered in the estimates of costs and health outcomes. PMID:27154484

Overall Performance Evaluation of Tubular Scraper Conveyors Using a TOPSIS-Based Multiattribute Decision-Making Method

PubMed Central

Yao, Yanping; Kou, Ziming; Meng, Wenjun; Han, Gang

2014-01-01

Properly evaluating the overall performance of tubular scraper conveyors (TSCs) can increase their overall efficiency and reduce economic investments, but such methods have rarely been studied. This study evaluated the overall performance of TSCs based on the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). Three conveyors of the same type produced in the same factory were investigated. Their scraper space, material filling coefficient, and vibration coefficient of the traction components were evaluated. A mathematical model of the multiattribute decision matrix was constructed; a weighted judgment matrix was obtained using the DELPHI method. The linguistic positive-ideal solution (LPIS), the linguistic negative-ideal solution (LNIS), and the distance from each solution to the LPIS and the LNIS, that is, the approximation degrees, were calculated. The optimal solution was determined by ordering the approximation degrees for each solution. The TOPSIS-based results were compared with the measurement results provided by the manufacturer. The ordering result based on the three evaluated parameters was highly consistent with the result provided by the manufacturer. The TOPSIS-based method serves as a suitable evaluation tool for the overall performance of TSCs. It facilitates the optimal deployment of TSCs for industrial purposes. PMID:24991646

A new method for calculating ecological flow: Distribution flow method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Guangming; Yi, Ran; Chang, Jianbo; Shu, Caiwen; Yin, Zhi; Han, Shasha; Feng, Zhiyong; Lyu, Yiwei

2018-04-01

A distribution flow method (DFM) and its ecological flow index and evaluation grade standard are proposed to study the ecological flow of rivers based on broadening kernel density estimation. The proposed DFM and its ecological flow index and evaluation grade standard are applied into the calculation of ecological flow in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and compared with traditional calculation method of hydrological ecological flow, method of flow evaluation, and calculation result of fish ecological flow. Results show that the DFM considers the intra- and inter-annual variations in natural runoff, thereby reducing the influence of extreme flow and uneven flow distributions during the year. This method also satisfies the actual runoff demand of river ecosystems, demonstrates superiority over the traditional hydrological methods, and shows a high space-time applicability and application value.

A strategy for evaluating pathway analysis methods.

PubMed

Yu, Chenggang; Woo, Hyung Jun; Yu, Xueping; Oyama, Tatsuya; Wallqvist, Anders; Reifman, Jaques

2017-10-13

Researchers have previously developed a multitude of methods designed to identify biological pathways associated with specific clinical or experimental conditions of interest, with the aim of facilitating biological interpretation of high-throughput data. Before practically applying such pathway analysis (PA) methods, we must first evaluate their performance and reliability, using datasets where the pathways perturbed by the conditions of interest have been well characterized in advance. However, such 'ground truths' (or gold standards) are often unavailable. Furthermore, previous evaluation strategies that have focused on defining 'true answers' are unable to systematically and objectively assess PA methods under a wide range of conditions. In this work, we propose a novel strategy for evaluating PA methods independently of any gold standard, either established or assumed. The strategy involves the use of two mutually complementary metrics, recall and discrimination. Recall measures the consistency of the perturbed pathways identified by applying a particular analysis method to an original large dataset and those identified by the same method to a sub-dataset of the original dataset. In contrast, discrimination measures specificity-the degree to which the perturbed pathways identified by a particular method to a dataset from one experiment differ from those identifying by the same method to a dataset from a different experiment. We used these metrics and 24 datasets to evaluate six widely used PA methods. The results highlighted the common challenge in reliably identifying significant pathways from small datasets. Importantly, we confirmed the effectiveness of our proposed dual-metric strategy by showing that previous comparative studies corroborate the performance evaluations of the six methods obtained by our strategy. Unlike any previously proposed strategy for evaluating the performance of PA methods, our dual-metric strategy does not rely on any ground truth, either established or assumed, of the pathways perturbed by a specific clinical or experimental condition. As such, our strategy allows researchers to systematically and objectively evaluate pathway analysis methods by employing any number of datasets for a variety of conditions.

Evaluation of analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activity on Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. Leaf.

PubMed

Gupta, Richa; Kaur, Jagjit

2015-01-01

Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. is an important medicinal plant of family Boraginaceae. Traditionally, its leaves are used to treat fever, headache, and joint pain but its medicinal activities have not been proven by research. To evaluate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activity of C. dichotoma G. Forst. leaf extract. The various extracts of leaf powder were prepared by using soxhlet apparatus. The methanol extract was selected for pharmacological study. To evaluate analgesic activity, Eddy's hot plate method, to study anti-inflammatory activity, carageenan-induced rat paw edema method, and to study antipyretic activity, yeast-induced pyrexia method was used. SD female rats (180-200 g) were used for the study. In all three tests, the methanol extract high dose (400 mg/kg) was found to be highly significant as compared to standard drug. This study proved the traditional uses of plant leaves and concluded the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic activity of the leaf methanol extract.

Costing evidence for health care decision-making in Austria: A systematic review.

PubMed

Mayer, Susanne; Kiss, Noemi; Łaszewska, Agata; Simon, Judit

2017-01-01

With rising healthcare costs comes an increasing demand for evidence-informed resource allocation using economic evaluations worldwide. Furthermore, standardization of costing and reporting methods both at international and national levels are imperative to make economic evaluations a valid tool for decision-making. The aim of this review is to assess the availability and consistency of costing evidence that could be used for decision-making in Austria. It describes systematically the current economic evaluation and costing studies landscape focusing on the applied costing methods and their reporting standards. Findings are discussed in terms of their likely impacts on evidence-based decision-making and potential suggestions for areas of development. A systematic literature review of English and German language peer-reviewed as well as grey literature (2004-2015) was conducted to identify Austrian economic analyses. The databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, SSCI, EconLit, NHS EED and Scopus were searched. Publication and study characteristics, costing methods, reporting standards and valuation sources were systematically synthesised and assessed. A total of 93 studies were included. 87% were journal articles, 13% were reports. 41% of all studies were full economic evaluations, mostly cost-effectiveness analyses. Based on relevant standards the most commonly observed limitations were that 60% of the studies did not clearly state an analytical perspective, 25% of the studies did not provide the year of costing, 27% did not comprehensively list all valuation sources, and 38% did not report all applied unit costs. There are substantial inconsistencies in the costing methods and reporting standards in economic analyses in Austria, which may contribute to a low acceptance and lack of interest in economic evaluation-informed decision making. To improve comparability and quality of future studies, national costing guidelines should be updated with more specific methodological guidance and a national reference cost library should be set up to allow harmonisation of valuation methods.

Evaluation of radiographic interpretation competence of veterinary students in Finland.

PubMed

Koskinen, Heli I; Snellman, Marjatta

2009-01-01

In the evaluation of the clinical competence of veterinary students, many different definitions and methods are approved. Due to the increasing discussion of the quality of outcomes produced by newly graduated veterinarians, methods for the evaluation of clinical competencies should also be evaluated. In this study, this was done by comparing two qualitative evaluation schemes: the well-known structure of observed learning outcome (SOLO) taxonomy and a modification of this taxonomy. A case-based final radiologic examination was selected and the investigation was performed by classifying students' outcomes. These classes were finally put next to original (quantitative) scores and the statistical calculations were initiated. Significant correlations between taxonomies (0.53) and the modified taxonomy and original scores (0.66) were found and some qualitative similarities between evaluation methods were observed. In addition, some supplements were recommended for the structure of evaluation schemes, especially for the structure of the modified SOLO taxonomy.

Dental students' evaluations of an interactive histology software.

PubMed

Rosas, Cristian; Rubí, Rafael; Donoso, Manuel; Uribe, Sergio

2012-11-01

This study assessed dental students' evaluations of a new Interactive Histology Software (IHS) developed by the authors and compared students' assessment of the extent to which this new software, as well as other histology teaching methods, supported their learning. The IHS is a computer-based tool for histology learning that presents high-resolution images of histology basics as well as specific oral histologies at different magnifications and with text labels. Survey data were collected from 204 first-year dental students at the Universidad Austral de Chile. The survey consisted of questions for the respondents to evaluate the characteristics of the IHS and the contribution of various teaching methods to their histology learning. The response rate was 85 percent. Student evaluations were positive for the design, usability, and theoretical-practical integration of the IHS, and the students reported they would recommend the method to future students. The students continued to value traditional teaching methods for histological lab work and did not think this new technology would replace traditional methods. With respect to the contribution of each teaching method to students' learning, no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) were found for an evaluation of IHS, light microscopy, and slide presentations. However, these student assessments were significantly more positive than the evaluations of other digital or printed materials. Overall, the students evaluated the IHS very positively in terms of method quality and contribution to their learning; they also evaluated use of light microscopy and teacher slide presentations positively.

Student perceptions of evaluation in undergraduate medical education: A qualitative study from one medical school

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Evaluation is an integral part of medical education. Despite a wide use of various evaluation tools, little is known about student perceptions regarding the purpose and desired consequences of evaluation. Such knowledge is important to facilitate interpretation of evaluation results. The aims of this study were to elicit student views on the purpose of evaluation, indicators of teaching quality, evaluation tools and possible consequences drawn from evaluation data. Methods This qualitative study involved 17 undergraduate medical students in Years 3 and 4 participating in 3 focus group interviews. Content analysis was conducted by two different researchers. Results Evaluation was viewed as a means to facilitate improvements within medical education. Teaching quality was believed to be dependent on content, process, teacher and student characteristics as well as learning outcome, with an emphasis on the latter. Students preferred online evaluations over paper-and-pencil forms and suggested circulating results among all faculty and students. Students strongly favoured the allocation of rewards and incentives for good teaching to individual teachers. Conclusions In addition to assessing structural aspects of teaching, evaluation tools need to adequately address learning outcome. The use of reliable and valid evaluation methods is a prerequisite for resource allocation to individual teachers based on evaluation results. PMID:22726271

Evaluation of alternative snowplowable markers and snowplowing procedures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate viable alternatives to the currently approved snowplowable raised pavement marker and alternative methods and equipment used to snowplow roadways. The study included evaluating any potential durable an...

Portfolio assessment and evaluation: implications and guidelines for clinical nursing education.

PubMed

Chabeli, M M

2002-08-01

With the advent of Outcomes-Based Education in South Africa, the quality of nursing education is debatable, especially with regard to the assessment and evaluation of clinical nursing education, which is complex and renders the validity and reliability of the methods used questionable. This paper seeks to explore and describe the use of portfolio assessment and evaluation, its implications and guidelines for its effective use in nursing education. Firstly, the concepts of assessment, evaluation, portfolio and alternative methods of evaluation are defined. Secondly, a comparison of the characteristics of the old (traditional) methods and the new alternative methods of evaluation is made. Thirdly, through deductive analysis, synthesis and inference, implications and guidelines for the effective use of portfolio assessment and evaluation are described. In view of the qualitative, descriptive and exploratory nature of the study, a focus group interview with twenty students following a post-basic degree at a university in Gauteng regarding their perceptions on the use of portfolio assessment and evaluation method in clinical nursing education was used. A descriptive method of qualitative data analysis of open coding in accordance with Tesch's protocol (in Creswell 1994:155) was used. Resultant implications and guidelines were conceptualised and described within the existing theoretical framework. Principles of trustworthiness were maintained as described by (Lincoln & Guba 1985:290-327). Ethical considerations were in accordance with DENOSA's standards of research (1998:7).

Quantitative method of medication system interface evaluation.

PubMed

Pingenot, Alleene Anne; Shanteau, James; Pingenot, James D F

2007-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop a quantitative method of evaluating the user interface for medication system software. A detailed task analysis provided a description of user goals and essential activity. A structural fault analysis was used to develop a detailed description of the system interface. Nurses experienced with use of the system under evaluation provided estimates of failure rates for each point in this simplified fault tree. Means of estimated failure rates provided quantitative data for fault analysis. Authors note that, although failures of steps in the program were frequent, participants reported numerous methods of working around these failures so that overall system failure was rare. However, frequent process failure can affect the time required for processing medications, making a system inefficient. This method of interface analysis, called Software Efficiency Evaluation and Fault Identification Method, provides quantitative information with which prototypes can be compared and problems within an interface identified.

Comparison of Metabolomics Approaches for Evaluating the Variability of Complex Botanical Preparations: Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) as a Case Study.

PubMed

Kellogg, Joshua J; Graf, Tyler N; Paine, Mary F; McCune, Jeannine S; Kvalheim, Olav M; Oberlies, Nicholas H; Cech, Nadja B

2017-05-26

A challenge that must be addressed when conducting studies with complex natural products is how to evaluate their complexity and variability. Traditional methods of quantifying a single or a small range of metabolites may not capture the full chemical complexity of multiple samples. Different metabolomics approaches were evaluated to discern how they facilitated comparison of the chemical composition of commercial green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze] products, with the goal of capturing the variability of commercially used products and selecting representative products for in vitro or clinical evaluation. Three metabolomic-related methods-untargeted ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), targeted UPLC-MS, and untargeted, quantitative 1 HNMR-were employed to characterize 34 commercially available green tea samples. Of these methods, untargeted UPLC-MS was most effective at discriminating between green tea, green tea supplement, and non-green-tea products. A method using reproduced correlation coefficients calculated from principal component analysis models was developed to quantitatively compare differences among samples. The obtained results demonstrated the utility of metabolomics employing UPLC-MS data for evaluating similarities and differences between complex botanical products.

Methods to evaluate functional nerve recovery in adult rats: walking track analysis, video analysis and the withdrawal reflex.

PubMed

Dijkstra, J R; Meek, M F; Robinson, P H; Gramsbergen, A

2000-03-15

The aim of this study was to compare different methods for the evaluation of functional nerve recovery. Three groups of adult male Wistar rats were studied. In group A, a 12-mm gap between nerve ends was bridged by an autologous nerve graft; in rats of group B we performed a crush lesion of the sciatic nerve and group C consisted of non-operated control rats. The withdrawal reflex, elicited by an electric stimulus, was used to evaluate the recovery of sensory nerve function. To investigate motor nerve recovery we analyzed the walking pattern. Three different methods were used to obtain data for footprint analysis: photographic paper with thickened film developer on the paws, normal white paper with finger paint, and video recordings. The footprints were used to calculate the sciatic function index (SFI). From the video recordings, we also analyzed stepcycles. The withdrawal reflex is a convenient and reproducible test for the evaluation of global sensory nerve recovery. Recording walking movements on video and the analysis of footplacing is a perfect although time-consuming method for the evaluation of functional aspects of motor nerve recovery.

The Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (Dematel) and Analytic Network Process (ANP) for Safety Management System Evaluation Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolita, Lisa; Surarso, Bayu; Gernowo, Rahmat

2018-02-01

In order to improve airport safety management system (SMS) performance, an evaluation system is required to improve on current shortcomings and maximize safety. This study suggests the integration of the DEMATEL and ANP methods in decision making processes by analyzing causal relations between the relevant criteria and taking effective analysis-based decision. The DEMATEL method builds on the ANP method in identifying the interdependencies between criteria. The input data consists of questionnaire data obtained online and then stored in an online database. Furthermore, the questionnaire data is processed using DEMATEL and ANP methods to obtain the results of determining the relationship between criteria and criteria that need to be evaluated. The study cases on this evaluation system were Adi Sutjipto International Airport, Yogyakarta (JOG); Ahmad Yani International Airport, Semarang (SRG); and Adi Sumarmo International Airport, Surakarta (SOC). The integration grades SMS performance criterion weights in a descending order as follow: safety and destination policy, safety risk management, healthcare, and safety awareness. Sturges' formula classified the results into nine grades. JOG and SMG airports were in grade 8, while SOG airport was in grade 7.

Mirage events & driver haptic steering alerts in a motion-base driving simulator: A method for selecting an optimal HMI.

PubMed

Talamonti, Walter; Tijerina, Louis; Blommer, Mike; Swaminathan, Radhakrishnan; Curry, Reates; Ellis, R Darin

2017-11-01

This paper describes a new method, a 'mirage scenario,' to support formative evaluation of driver alerting or warning displays for manual and automated driving. This method provides driving contexts (e.g., various Times-To-Collision (TTCs) to a lead vehicle) briefly presented and then removed. In the present study, during each mirage event, a haptic steering display was evaluated. This haptic display indicated a steering response may be initiated to drive around an obstacle ahead. A motion-base simulator was used in a 32-participant study to present vehicle motion cues similar to the actual application. Surprise was neither present nor of concern, as it would be for a summative evaluation of a forward collision warning system. Furthermore, no collision avoidance maneuvers were performed, thereby reducing the risk of simulator sickness. This paper illustrates the mirage scenario procedures, the rating methods and definitions used with the mirage scenario, and analysis of the ratings obtained, together with a multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT) approach to evaluate and select among alternative designs for future summative evaluation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pilot evaluation of a method to assess prescribers' information processing of medication alerts.

PubMed

Russ, Alissa L; Melton, Brittany L; Daggy, Joanne K; Saleem, Jason J

2017-02-01

Prescribers commonly receive alerts during medication ordering. Prescribers work in a complex, time-pressured environment; to enhance the effectiveness of safety alerts, the effort needed to cognitively process these alerts should be minimized. Methods to evaluate the extent to which computerized alerts support prescribers' information processing are lacking. To develop a methodological protocol to assess the extent to which alerts support prescribers' information processing at-a-glance; specifically, the incorporation of information into their working memory. We hypothesized that the method would be feasible and that we would be able to detect a significant difference in prescribers' information processing with a revised alert display that incorporates warning design guidelines compared to the original alert display. A counterbalanced, within-subject study was conducted with 20 prescribers in a human-computer interaction laboratory. We tested a single alert that was displayed in two different ways. Prescribers were informed that an alert would appear for 10s. After the alert was shown, a white screen was displayed, and prescribers were asked to verbally describe what they saw; indicate how many total warnings; and describe anything else they remembered about the alert. We measured information processing via the accuracy of prescribers' free recall and their ability to identify that three warning messages were present. Two analysts independently evaluated participants' responses against a comprehensive catalog of alert elements and then discussed discrepancies until reaching consensus. This feasibility study demonstrated that the method seemed to be effective for evaluating prescribers' information processing of medication alert displays. With this method, we were able to detect significant differences in prescribers' recall of alert information. The proportion of total data elements that prescribers were able to accurately recall was significantly greater for the revised versus original alert display (p=0.006). With the revised display, more prescribers accurately reported that three warnings were shown (p=0.002). The methodological protocol was feasible for evaluating the alert display and yielded important findings on prescribers' information processing. Study methods supplement traditional usability evaluation methods and may be useful for evaluating information processing of other healthcare technologies. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Automated detection of hospital outbreaks: A systematic review of methods

PubMed Central

Buckeridge, David L.; Lepelletier, Didier

2017-01-01

Objectives Several automated algorithms for epidemiological surveillance in hospitals have been proposed. However, the usefulness of these methods to detect nosocomial outbreaks remains unclear. The goal of this review was to describe outbreak detection algorithms that have been tested within hospitals, consider how they were evaluated, and synthesize their results. Methods We developed a search query using keywords associated with hospital outbreak detection and searched the MEDLINE database. To ensure the highest sensitivity, no limitations were initially imposed on publication languages and dates, although we subsequently excluded studies published before 2000. Every study that described a method to detect outbreaks within hospitals was included, without any exclusion based on study design. Additional studies were identified through citations in retrieved studies. Results Twenty-nine studies were included. The detection algorithms were grouped into 5 categories: simple thresholds (n = 6), statistical process control (n = 12), scan statistics (n = 6), traditional statistical models (n = 6), and data mining methods (n = 4). The evaluation of the algorithms was often solely descriptive (n = 15), but more complex epidemiological criteria were also investigated (n = 10). The performance measures varied widely between studies: e.g., the sensitivity of an algorithm in a real world setting could vary between 17 and 100%. Conclusion Even if outbreak detection algorithms are useful complementary tools for traditional surveillance, the heterogeneity in results among published studies does not support quantitative synthesis of their performance. A standardized framework should be followed when evaluating outbreak detection methods to allow comparison of algorithms across studies and synthesis of results. PMID:28441422

Marginal and Internal Adaptation of Zirconia Crowns: A Comparative Study of Assessment Methods.

PubMed

Cunali, Rafael Schlögel; Saab, Rafaella Caramori; Correr, Gisele Maria; Cunha, Leonardo Fernandes da; Ornaghi, Bárbara Pick; Ritter, André V; Gonzaga, Carla Castiglia

2017-01-01

Marginal and internal adaptation is critical for the success of indirect restorations. New imaging systems make it possible to evaluate these parameters with precision and non-destructively. This study evaluated the marginal and internal adaptation of zirconia copings fabricated with two different systems using both silicone replica and microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) assessment methods. A metal master model, representing a preparation for an all-ceramic full crown, was digitally scanned and polycrystalline zirconia copings were fabricated with either Ceramill Zi (Amann-Girrbach) or inCoris Zi (Dentslpy-Sirona), n=10. For each coping, marginal and internal gaps were evaluated by silicone replica and micro-CT assessment methods. Four assessment points of each replica cross-section and micro-CT image were evaluated using imaging software: marginal gap (MG), axial wall (AW), axio-occlusal angle (AO) and mid-occlusal wall (MO). Data were statistically analyzed by factorial ANOVA and Tukey test (a=0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the methods for MG and AW. For AO, there were significant differences between methods for Amann copings, while for Dentsply-Sirona copings similar values were observed. For MO, both methods presented statistically significant differences. A positive correlation was observed determined by the two assessment methods for MG values. In conclusion, the assessment method influenced the evaluation of marginal and internal adaptation of zirconia copings. Micro-CT showed lower marginal and internal gap values when compared to the silicone replica technique, although the difference was not always statistically significant. Marginal gap and axial wall assessment points showed the lower gap values, regardless of ceramic system and assessment method used.

Methods for systematic reviews of health economic evaluations: a systematic review, comparison, and synthesis of method literature.

PubMed

Mathes, Tim; Walgenbach, Maren; Antoine, Sunya-Lee; Pieper, Dawid; Eikermann, Michaela

2014-10-01

The quality of systematic reviews of health economic evaluations (SR-HE) is often limited because of methodological shortcomings. One reason for this poor quality is that there are no established standards for the preparation of SR-HE. The objective of this study is to compare existing methods and suggest best practices for the preparation of SR-HE. To identify the relevant methodological literature on SR-HE, a systematic literature search was performed in Embase, Medline, the National Health System Economic Evaluation Database, the Health Technology Assessment Database, and the Cochrane methodology register, and webpages of international health technology assessment agencies were searched. The study selection was performed independently by 2 reviewers. Data were extracted by one reviewer and verified by a second reviewer. On the basis of the overlaps in the recommendations for the methods of SR-HE in the included papers, suggestions for best practices for the preparation of SR-HE were developed. Nineteen relevant publications were identified. The recommendations within them often differed. However, for most process steps there was some overlap between recommendations for the methods of preparation. The overlaps were taken as basis on which to develop suggestions for the following process steps of preparation: defining the research question, developing eligibility criteria, conducting a literature search, selecting studies, assessing the methodological study quality, assessing transferability, and synthesizing data. The differences in the proposed recommendations are not always explainable by the focus on certain evaluation types, target audiences, or integration in the decision process. Currently, there seem to be no standard methods for the preparation of SR-HE. The suggestions presented here can contribute to the harmonization of methods for the preparation of SR-HE. © The Author(s) 2014.

A Comparative Analysis of Pitch Detection Methods Under the Influence of Different Noise Conditions.

PubMed

Sukhostat, Lyudmila; Imamverdiyev, Yadigar

2015-07-01

Pitch is one of the most important components in various speech processing systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate different pitch detection methods in terms of various noise conditions. Prospective study. For evaluation of pitch detection algorithms, time-domain, frequency-domain, and hybrid methods were considered by using Keele and CSTR speech databases. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Experiments have shown that BaNa method achieves the highest pitch detection accuracy. The development of methods for pitch detection, which are robust to additive noise at different signal-to-noise ratio, is an important field of research with many opportunities for enhancement the modern methods. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the appropriateness of antimicrobial treatment in hospitalized patients: a comparison of three methods.

PubMed

Reisfeld, S; Assaly, M; Tannous, E; Amarney, K; Stein, M

2018-06-01

Approximately 20-50% of antimicrobial therapy in hospitalized patients is considered inappropriate, which may be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The best method for evaluation of appropriateness is not well defined. To evaluate the rate of appropriate antimicrobial therapy in a secondary hospital using three different methods, and determine the rate of agreement between the different methods. A point prevalence study included all adult hospitalized patients receiving systemic antimicrobial therapy during 2016, screened on a single day. Clinical, laboratory and therapeutic data were collected from patient files, and appropriateness was rated with a qualitative evaluation by expert opinion. In addition, a quantitative evaluation was performed according to 11 quality indicators (QIs) rated for each patient. A strict definition of appropriateness was fulfilled if six essential QIs were met, and a lenient definition was fulfilled if at least five QIs were met. Agreement between methods was analysed using kappa statistic. Among 106 patients included, rates of appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy ranged from 20% to 75%, depending on the method of evaluation. Very low agreement was found between the strict definition and expert opinion (kappa=0.068), and medium agreement was found between the lenient definition and expert opinion (kappa=0.45). Rates of appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy varied between evaluation methods, with low to moderate agreement between the different methods. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Sharing Stories youth theatre program: an interactive theatre and drama-based strategy for sexual health promotion among multicultural youth.

PubMed

Roberts, Meagan; Lobo, Roanna; Sorenson, Anne

2017-03-01

Issue addressed Rates of sexually transmissible infections among young people are high, and there is a need for innovative, youth-focused sexual health promotion programs. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Sharing Stories youth theatre program, which uses interactive theatre and drama-based strategies to engage and educate multicultural youth on sexual health issues. The effectiveness of using drama-based evaluation methods is also discussed. Methods The youth theatre program participants were 18 multicultural youth from South East Asian, African and Middle Eastern backgrounds aged between 14 and 21 years. Four sexual health drama scenarios and a sexual health questionnaire were used to measure changes in knowledge and attitudes. Results Participants reported being confident talking to and supporting their friends with regards to safe sex messages, improved their sexual health knowledge and demonstrated a positive shift in their attitudes towards sexual health. Drama-based evaluation methods were effective in engaging multicultural youth and worked well across the cultures and age groups. Conclusions Theatre and drama-based sexual health promotion strategies are an effective method for up-skilling young people from multicultural backgrounds to be peer educators and good communicators of sexual health information. Drama-based evaluation methods are engaging for young people and an effective way of collecting data from culturally diverse youth. So what? This study recommends incorporating interactive and arts-based strategies into sexual health promotion programs for multicultural youth. It also provides guidance for health promotion practitioners evaluating an arts-based health promotion program using arts-based data collection methods.

Assessing resident's knowledge and communication skills using four different evaluation tools.

PubMed

Nuovo, Jim; Bertakis, Klea D; Azari, Rahman

2006-07-01

This study assesses the relationship between 4 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) outcome project measures for interpersonal and communication skills and medical knowledge; specifically, monthly performance evaluations, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), the American Board of Family Practice in-training examination (ABFP-ITE) and the Davis observation code (DOC) practice style profiles. Based on previous work, we have DOC scoring for 29 residents from the University of California, Davis Department of Family and Community Medicine. For all these residents we also had the results of monthly performance evaluations, 2 required OSCE exercises, and the results of 3 American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) ITEs. Data for each of these measures were abstracted for each resident. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess the presence or lack of correlation between each of these evaluation methods. There is little correlation between various evaluation methods used to assess medical knowledge, and there is also little correlation between various evaluation methods used to assess communication skills. The outcome project remains a 'work in progress', with the need for larger studies to assess the value of different assessment measures of resident competence. It is unlikely that DOC will become a useful evaluation tool.

Comparison of Control Group Generating Methods.

PubMed

Szekér, Szabolcs; Fogarassy, György; Vathy-Fogarassy, Ágnes

2017-01-01

Retrospective studies suffer from drawbacks such as selection bias. As the selection of the control group has a significant impact on the evaluation of the results, it is very important to find the proper method to generate the most appropriate control group. In this paper we suggest two nearest neighbors based control group selection methods that aim to achieve good matching between the individuals of case and control groups. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is evaluated by runtime and accuracy tests and the results are compared to the classical stratified sampling method.

Estimating Durability of Reinforced Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varlamov, A. A.; Shapovalov, E. L.; Gavrilov, V. B.

2017-11-01

In this article we propose to use the methods of fracture mechanics to evaluate concrete durability. To evaluate concrete crack resistance characteristics of concrete directly in the structure in order to implement the methods of fracture mechanics, we have developed special methods. Various experimental studies have been carried out to determine the crack resistance characteristics and the concrete modulus of elasticity during its operating. A comparison was carried out for the results obtained with the use of the proposed methods and those obtained with the standard methods for determining the concrete crack resistance characteristics.

Method of evaluating the impact of ERP implementation critical success factors - a case study in oil and gas industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gajic, Gordana; Stankovski, Stevan; Ostojic, Gordana; Tesic, Zdravko; Miladinovic, Ljubomir

2014-01-01

The so far implemented enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have in many cases failed to meet the requirements regarding the business process control, decrease of business costs and increase of company profit margin. Therefore, there is a real need for an evaluation of the influence of ERP on the company's performance indicators. Proposed in this article is an advanced model for the evaluation of the success of ERP implementation on organisational and operational performance indicators in oil-gas companies. The recommended method establishes a correlation between a process-based method, a scorecard model and ERP critical success factors. The method was verified and tested on two case studies in oil-gas companies using the following procedure: the model was developed, tested and implemented in a pilot gas-oil company, while the results were implemented and verified in another gas-oil company.

Economic Evaluation of Obesity Prevention in Early Childhood: Methods, Limitations and Recommendations.

PubMed

Döring, Nora; Mayer, Susanne; Rasmussen, Finn; Sonntag, Diana

2016-09-13

Despite methodological advances in the field of economic evaluations of interventions, economic evaluations of obesity prevention programmes in early childhood are seldom conducted. The aim of the present study was to explore existing methods and applications of economic evaluations, examining their limitations and making recommendations for future cost-effectiveness assessments. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, the British National Health Service Economic Evaluation Databases and EconLit. Eligible studies included trial-based or simulation-based cost-effectiveness analyses of obesity prevention programmes targeting preschool children and/or their parents. The quality of included studies was assessed. Of the six studies included, five were intervention studies and one was based on a simulation approach conducted on secondary data. We identified three main conceptual and methodological limitations of their economic evaluations: Insufficient conceptual approach considering the complexity of childhood obesity, inadequate measurement of effects of interventions, and lack of valid instruments to measure child-related quality of life and costs. Despite the need for economic evaluations of obesity prevention programmes in early childhood, only a few studies of varying quality have been conducted. Moreover, due to methodological and conceptual weaknesses, they offer only limited information for policy makers and intervention providers. We elaborate reasons for the limitations of these studies and offer guidance for designing better economic evaluations of early obesity prevention.

Economic Evaluation of Obesity Prevention in Early Childhood: Methods, Limitations and Recommendations

PubMed Central

Döring, Nora; Mayer, Susanne; Rasmussen, Finn; Sonntag, Diana

2016-01-01

Despite methodological advances in the field of economic evaluations of interventions, economic evaluations of obesity prevention programmes in early childhood are seldom conducted. The aim of the present study was to explore existing methods and applications of economic evaluations, examining their limitations and making recommendations for future cost-effectiveness assessments. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, the British National Health Service Economic Evaluation Databases and EconLit. Eligible studies included trial-based or simulation-based cost-effectiveness analyses of obesity prevention programmes targeting preschool children and/or their parents. The quality of included studies was assessed. Of the six studies included, five were intervention studies and one was based on a simulation approach conducted on secondary data. We identified three main conceptual and methodological limitations of their economic evaluations: Insufficient conceptual approach considering the complexity of childhood obesity, inadequate measurement of effects of interventions, and lack of valid instruments to measure child-related quality of life and costs. Despite the need for economic evaluations of obesity prevention programmes in early childhood, only a few studies of varying quality have been conducted. Moreover, due to methodological and conceptual weaknesses, they offer only limited information for policy makers and intervention providers. We elaborate reasons for the limitations of these studies and offer guidance for designing better economic evaluations of early obesity prevention. PMID:27649218

Methodology for the evaluation of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program.

PubMed

Gibbs, L; Staiger, P K; Townsend, M; Macfarlane, S; Gold, L; Block, K; Johnson, B; Kulas, J; Waters, E

2013-04-01

Community and school cooking and gardening programs have recently increased internationally. However, despite promising indications, there is limited evidence of their effectiveness. This paper presents the evaluation framework and methods negotiated and developed to meet the information needs of all stakeholders for the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden (SAKG) program, a combined cooking and gardening program implemented in selectively funded primary schools across Australia. The evaluation used multiple aligned theoretical frameworks and models, including a public health ecological approach, principles of effective health promotion and models of experiential learning. The evaluation is a non-randomised comparison of six schools receiving the program (intervention) and six comparison schools (all government-funded primary schools) in urban and rural areas of Victoria, Australia. A mixed-methods approach was used, relying on qualitative measures to understand changes in school cultures and the experiential impacts on children, families, teachers, parents and volunteers, and quantitative measures at baseline and 1 year follow up to provide supporting information regarding patterns of change. The evaluation study design addressed the limitations of many existing evaluation studies of cooking or garden programs. The multistrand approach to the mixed methodology maintained the rigour of the respective methods and provided an opportunity to explore complexity in the findings. Limited sensitivity of some of the quantitative measures was identified, as well as the potential for bias in the coding of the open-ended questions. The SAKG evaluation methodology will address the need for appropriate evaluation approaches for school-based kitchen garden programs. It demonstrates the feasibility of a meaningful, comprehensive evaluation of school-based programs and also demonstrates the central role qualitative methods can have in a mixed-method evaluation. So what? This paper contributes to debate about appropriate evaluation approaches to meet the information needs of all stakeholders and will support the sharing of measures and potential comparisons between program outcomes for comparable population groups and settings.

Boar taint detection: A comparison of three sensory protocols.

PubMed

Trautmann, Johanna; Meier-Dinkel, Lisa; Gertheiss, Jan; Mörlein, Daniel

2016-01-01

While recent studies state an important role of human sensory methods for daily routine control of so-called boar taint, the evaluation of different heating methods is still incomplete. This study investigated three common heating methods (microwave (MW), hot-water (HW), hot-iron (HI)) for boar fat evaluation. The comparison was carried out on 72 samples with a 10-person sensory panel. The heating method significantly affected the probability of a deviant rating. Compared to an assumed 'gold standard' (chemical analysis), the performance was best for HI when both sensitivity and specificity were considered. The results show the superiority of the panel result compared to individual assessors. However, the consistency of the individual sensory ratings was not significantly different between MW, HW, and HI. The three protocols showed only fair to moderate agreement. Concluding from the present results, the hot-iron method appears to be advantageous for boar taint evaluation as compared to microwave and hot-water. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Using a mixed-methods design to examine nurse practitioner integration in British Columbia.

PubMed

Sangster-Gormley, Esther; Griffith, Janessa; Schreiber, Rita; Borycki, Elizabeth

2015-07-01

To discuss and provide examples of how mixed-methods research was used to evaluate the integration of nurse practitioners (NPs) into a Canadian province. Legislation enabling NPs to practise in British Columbia (BC) was enacted in 2005. This research evaluated the integration of NPs and their effect on the BC healthcare system. Data were collected using surveys, focus groups, participant interviews and case studies over three years. Data sources and methods were triangulated to determine how the findings addressed the research questions. The challenges and benefits of using the multiphase design are highlighted in the paper. The multiphase mixed-methods research design was selected because of its applicability to evaluation research. The design proved to be robust and flexible in answering research questions. As sub-studies within the multiphase design are often published separately, it can be difficult for researchers to find examples. This paper highlights ways that a multiphase mixed-methods design can be conducted for researchers unfamiliar with the process.

A systematic evaluation of normalization methods in quantitative label-free proteomics.

PubMed

Välikangas, Tommi; Suomi, Tomi; Elo, Laura L

2018-01-01

To date, mass spectrometry (MS) data remain inherently biased as a result of reasons ranging from sample handling to differences caused by the instrumentation. Normalization is the process that aims to account for the bias and make samples more comparable. The selection of a proper normalization method is a pivotal task for the reliability of the downstream analysis and results. Many normalization methods commonly used in proteomics have been adapted from the DNA microarray techniques. Previous studies comparing normalization methods in proteomics have focused mainly on intragroup variation. In this study, several popular and widely used normalization methods representing different strategies in normalization are evaluated using three spike-in and one experimental mouse label-free proteomic data sets. The normalization methods are evaluated in terms of their ability to reduce variation between technical replicates, their effect on differential expression analysis and their effect on the estimation of logarithmic fold changes. Additionally, we examined whether normalizing the whole data globally or in segments for the differential expression analysis has an effect on the performance of the normalization methods. We found that variance stabilization normalization (Vsn) reduced variation the most between technical replicates in all examined data sets. Vsn also performed consistently well in the differential expression analysis. Linear regression normalization and local regression normalization performed also systematically well. Finally, we discuss the choice of a normalization method and some qualities of a suitable normalization method in the light of the results of our evaluation. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

[Abdomen specific bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) methods for evaluation of abdominal fat distribution].

PubMed

Ida, Midori; Hirata, Masakazu; Hosoda, Kiminori; Nakao, Kazuwa

2013-02-01

Two novel bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) methods have been developed recently for evaluation of intra-abdominal fat accumulation. Both methods use electrodes that are placed on abdominal wall and allow evaluation of intra-abdominal fat area (IAFA) easily without radiation exposure. Of these, "abdominal BIA" method measures impedance distribution along abdominal anterior-posterior axis, and IAFA by BIA method(BIA-IAFA) is calculated from waist circumference and the voltage occurring at the flank. Dual BIA method measures impedance of trunk and body surface at the abdominal level and calculates BIA-IAFA from transverse and antero-posterior diameters of the abdomen and the impedance of trunk and abdominal surface. BIA-IAFA by these two BIA methods correlated well with IAFA measured by abdominal CT (CT-IAFA) with correlatipn coefficient of 0.88 (n = 91, p < 0.0001) for the former, and 0.861 (n = 469, p < 0.01) for the latter. These new BIA methods are useful for evaluating abdominal adiposity in clinical study and routine clinical practice of metabolic syndrome and obesity.

Preliminary Evaluation of Method to Monitor Landfills Resilience against Methane Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chusna, Noor Amalia; Maryono, Maryono

2018-02-01

Methane emission from landfill sites contribute to global warming and un-proper methane treatment can pose an explosion hazard. Stakeholder and government in the cities in Indonesia been found significant difficulties to monitor the resilience of landfill from methane emission. Moreover, the management of methane gas has always been a challenging issue for long waste management service and operations. Landfills are a significant contributor to anthropogenic methane emissions. This study conducted preliminary evaluation of method to manage methane gas emission by assessing LandGem and IPCC method. From the preliminary evaluation, this study found that the IPCC method is based on the availability of current and historical country specific data regarding the waste disposed of in landfills while from the LandGEM method is an automated tool for estimating emission rates for total landfill gas this method account total gas of methane, carbon dioxide and other. The method can be used either with specific data to estimate emissions in the site or default parameters if no site-specific data are available. Both of method could be utilize to monitor the methane emission from landfill site in cities of Central Java.

Evaluating the Good Ontology Design Guideline (GoodOD) with the ontology quality requirements and evaluation method and metrics (OQuaRE).

PubMed

Duque-Ramos, Astrid; Boeker, Martin; Jansen, Ludger; Schulz, Stefan; Iniesta, Miguela; Fernández-Breis, Jesualdo Tomás

2014-01-01

To (1) evaluate the GoodOD guideline for ontology development by applying the OQuaRE evaluation method and metrics to the ontology artefacts that were produced by students in a randomized controlled trial, and (2) informally compare the OQuaRE evaluation method with gold standard and competency questions based evaluation methods, respectively. In the last decades many methods for ontology construction and ontology evaluation have been proposed. However, none of them has become a standard and there is no empirical evidence of comparative evaluation of such methods. This paper brings together GoodOD and OQuaRE. GoodOD is a guideline for developing robust ontologies. It was previously evaluated in a randomized controlled trial employing metrics based on gold standard ontologies and competency questions as outcome parameters. OQuaRE is a method for ontology quality evaluation which adapts the SQuaRE standard for software product quality to ontologies and has been successfully used for evaluating the quality of ontologies. In this paper, we evaluate the effect of training in ontology construction based on the GoodOD guideline within the OQuaRE quality evaluation framework and compare the results with those obtained for the previous studies based on the same data. Our results show a significant effect of the GoodOD training over developed ontologies by topics: (a) a highly significant effect was detected in three topics from the analysis of the ontologies of untrained and trained students; (b) both positive and negative training effects with respect to the gold standard were found for five topics. The GoodOD guideline had a significant effect over the quality of the ontologies developed. Our results show that GoodOD ontologies can be effectively evaluated using OQuaRE and that OQuaRE is able to provide additional useful information about the quality of the GoodOD ontologies.

Validation and Comparison of Two Sampling Methods to Assess Dermal Exposure to Drilling Fluids and Crude Oil

PubMed Central

Galea, Karen S.; McGonagle, Carolyn; Sleeuwenhoek, Anne; Todd, David; Jiménez, Araceli Sánchez

2014-01-01

Dermal exposure to drilling fluids and crude oil is an exposure route of concern. However, there have been no published studies describing sampling methods or reporting dermal exposure measurements. We describe a study that aimed to evaluate a wipe sampling method to assess dermal exposure to an oil-based drilling fluid and crude oil, as well as to investigate the feasibility of using an interception cotton glove sampler for exposure on the hands/wrists. A direct comparison of the wipe and interception methods was also completed using pigs’ trotters as a surrogate for human skin and a direct surface contact exposure scenario. Overall, acceptable recovery and sampling efficiencies were reported for both methods, and both methods had satisfactory storage stability at 1 and 7 days, although there appeared to be some loss over 14 days. The methods’ comparison study revealed significantly higher removal of both fluids from the metal surface with the glove samples compared with the wipe samples (on average 2.5 times higher). Both evaluated sampling methods were found to be suitable for assessing dermal exposure to oil-based drilling fluids and crude oil; however, the comparison study clearly illustrates that glove samplers may overestimate the amount of fluid transferred to the skin. Further comparison of the two dermal sampling methods using additional exposure situations such as immersion or deposition, as well as a field evaluation, is warranted to confirm their appropriateness and suitability in the working environment. PMID:24598941

Validity and consistency assessment of accident analysis methods in the petroleum industry.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Omran; Mortazavi, Seyed Bagher; Khavanin, Ali; Mokarami, Hamidreza

2017-11-17

Accident analysis is the main aspect of accident investigation. It includes the method of connecting different causes in a procedural way. Therefore, it is important to use valid and reliable methods for the investigation of different causal factors of accidents, especially the noteworthy ones. This study aimed to prominently assess the accuracy (sensitivity index [SI]) and consistency of the six most commonly used accident analysis methods in the petroleum industry. In order to evaluate the methods of accident analysis, two real case studies (process safety and personal accident) from the petroleum industry were analyzed by 10 assessors. The accuracy and consistency of these methods were then evaluated. The assessors were trained in the workshop of accident analysis methods. The systematic cause analysis technique and bowtie methods gained the greatest SI scores for both personal and process safety accidents, respectively. The best average results of the consistency in a single method (based on 10 independent assessors) were in the region of 70%. This study confirmed that the application of methods with pre-defined causes and a logic tree could enhance the sensitivity and consistency of accident analysis.

Evaluating School Facilities in Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ornstein, Sheila Walbe; Moreira, Nanci Saraiva

2008-01-01

Brazil's Sao Paulo Metropolitan Region is conducting a performance evaluation pilot study at three schools serving disadvantaged populations. The objective is first to test methods which can facilitate Post Occupancy Evaluations (POEs) and then to carry out the evaluations. The preliminary results are provided below.

Prospects for Public Library Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van House, Nancy A.; Childers, Thomas

1991-01-01

Discusses methods of evaluation that can be used to measure public library effectiveness, based on a conference sponsored by the Council on Library Resources. Topics discussed include the Public Library Effectiveness Study (PLES), quantitative and qualitative evaluation, using evaluative information for resource acquisition and resource…

The Evaluation of Health Education Program (HEP) of 9th Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Polat; Gürol, Mehmet

2016-01-01

The main purpose of evaluation is to improve the quality of program. So, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the Health Education Program of 9th graders (HEP) with Educational Criticism Model of Eisner. The study was conducted with the qualitative research method. A holistic single case design was employed in this study. The typical case…

Evaluation of health promotion in schools: a realistic evaluation approach using mixed methods

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Schools are key settings for health promotion (HP) but the development of suitable approaches for evaluating HP in schools is still a major topic of discussion. This article presents a research protocol of a program developed to evaluate HP. After reviewing HP evaluation issues, the various possible approaches are analyzed and the importance of a realistic evaluation framework and a mixed methods (MM) design are demonstrated. Methods/Design The design is based on a systemic approach to evaluation, taking into account the mechanisms, context and outcomes, as defined in realistic evaluation, adjusted to our own French context using an MM approach. The characteristics of the design are illustrated through the evaluation of a nationwide HP program in French primary schools designed to enhance children's social, emotional and physical health by improving teachers' HP practices and promoting a healthy school environment. An embedded MM design is used in which a qualitative data set plays a supportive, secondary role in a study based primarily on a different quantitative data set. The way the qualitative and quantitative approaches are combined through the entire evaluation framework is detailed. Discussion This study is a contribution towards the development of suitable approaches for evaluating HP programs in schools. The systemic approach of the evaluation carried out in this research is appropriate since it takes account of the limitations of traditional evaluation approaches and considers suggestions made by the HP research community. PMID:20109202

Multicriteria Personnel Selection by the Modified Fuzzy VIKOR Method

PubMed Central

Alguliyev, Rasim M.; Aliguliyev, Ramiz M.; Mahmudova, Rasmiyya S.

2015-01-01

Personnel evaluation is an important process in human resource management. The multicriteria nature and the presence of both qualitative and quantitative factors make it considerably more complex. In this study, a fuzzy hybrid multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) model is proposed to personnel evaluation. This model solves personnel evaluation problem in a fuzzy environment where both criteria and weights could be fuzzy sets. The triangular fuzzy numbers are used to evaluate the suitability of personnel and the approximate reasoning of linguistic values. For evaluation, we have selected five information culture criteria. The weights of the criteria were calculated using worst-case method. After that, modified fuzzy VIKOR is proposed to rank the alternatives. The outcome of this research is ranking and selecting best alternative with the help of fuzzy VIKOR and modified fuzzy VIKOR techniques. A comparative analysis of results by fuzzy VIKOR and modified fuzzy VIKOR methods is presented. Experiments showed that the proposed modified fuzzy VIKOR method has some advantages over fuzzy VIKOR method. Firstly, from a computational complexity point of view, the presented model is effective. Secondly, compared to fuzzy VIKOR method, it has high acceptable advantage compared to fuzzy VIKOR method. PMID:26516634

Towards standardized assessment of endoscope optical performance: geometric distortion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Quanzeng; Desai, Viraj N.; Ngo, Ying Z.; Cheng, Wei-Chung; Pfefer, Joshua

2013-12-01

Technological advances in endoscopes, such as capsule, ultrathin and disposable devices, promise significant improvements in safety, clinical effectiveness and patient acceptance. Unfortunately, the industry lacks test methods for preclinical evaluation of key optical performance characteristics (OPCs) of endoscopic devices that are quantitative, objective and well-validated. As a result, it is difficult for researchers and developers to compare image quality and evaluate equivalence to, or improvement upon, prior technologies. While endoscope OPCs include resolution, field of view, and depth of field, among others, our focus in this paper is geometric image distortion. We reviewed specific test methods for distortion and then developed an objective, quantitative test method based on well-defined experimental and data processing steps to evaluate radial distortion in the full field of view of an endoscopic imaging system. Our measurements and analyses showed that a second-degree polynomial equation could well describe the radial distortion curve of a traditional endoscope. The distortion evaluation method was effective for correcting the image and can be used to explain other widely accepted evaluation methods such as picture height distortion. Development of consensus standards based on promising test methods for image quality assessment, such as the method studied here, will facilitate clinical implementation of innovative endoscopic devices.

Ohio's Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation Program: a Study of Data Collection and Evaluation Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sperry, S. L.

1982-01-01

The planning process for a statewide reclamation plan of Ohio abandoned minelands in response to the Federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 included: (1) the development of a screening and ranking methodology; (2) the establishment of a statewide review of major watersheds affected by mining; (3) the development of an immediate action process; and (4) a prototypical study of a priority watershed demonstrating the data collection, analysis, display and evaluation to be used for the remaining state watersheds. Historical methods for satisfying map information analysis and evaluation, as well as current methodologies being used were discussed. Various computer mapping and analysis programs were examined for their usability in evaluating the priority reclamation sites. Hand methods were chosen over automated procedures; intuitive evaluation was the primary reason.

A Computational Method to Determine Glucose Infusion Rates for Isoglycemic Intravenous Glucose Infusion Study.

PubMed

Choi, Karam; Lee, Jung Chan; Oh, Tae Jung; Kim, Myeungseon; Kim, Hee Chan; Cho, Young Min; Kim, Sungwan

2016-01-01

The results of the isoglycemic intravenous glucose infusion (IIGI) study need to mimic the dynamic glucose profiles during the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to accurately calculate the incretin effect. The glucose infusion rates during IIGI studies have historically been determined by experienced research personnel using the manual ad-hoc method. In this study, a computational method was developed to automatically determine the infusion rates for IIGI study based on a glucose-dynamics model. To evaluate the computational method, 18 subjects with normal glucose tolerance underwent a 75 g OGTT. One-week later, Group 1 (n = 9) and Group 2 (n = 9) underwent IIGI studies using the ad-hoc method and the computational method, respectively. Both methods were evaluated using correlation coefficient, mean absolute relative difference (MARD), and root mean square error (RMSE) between the glucose profiles from the OGTT and the IIGI study. The computational method exhibited significantly higher correlation (0.95 ± 0.03 versus 0.86 ± 0.10, P = 0.019), lower MARD (8.72 ± 1.83% versus 13.11 ± 3.66%, P = 0.002), and lower RMSE (10.33 ± 1.99 mg/dL versus 16.84 ± 4.43 mg/dL, P = 0.002) than the ad-hoc method. The computational method can facilitate IIGI study, and enhance its accuracy and stability. Using this computational method, a high-quality IIGI study can be accomplished without the need for experienced personnel.

Towards the Real-Time Evaluation of Collaborative Activities: Integration of an Automatic Rater of Collaboration Quality in the Classroom from the Teacher's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chounta, Irene-Angelica; Avouris, Nikolaos

2016-01-01

This paper presents the integration of a real time evaluation method of collaboration quality in a monitoring application that supports teachers in class orchestration. The method is implemented as an automatic rater of collaboration quality and studied in a real time scenario of use. We argue that automatic and semi-automatic methods which…

Experiments of the selection of a method evaluating the fire resistance of some materials based on macromolecular compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoica, Steln; Sebe, Mircea Octavian

1987-01-01

A comparative experimental study on the application of various tests for the evaluation of the fire-resistant properties of plastic materials is presented. On the basis of the results obtained conclusions are drawn on the advantages and disadvantages of the methods used, and a preferred test method is picked, i.e., the introduction of fire retardant materials into the polymers.

Evaluation of the environmental impact of Brownfield remediation options: comparison of two life cycle assessment-based evaluation tools.

PubMed

Cappuyns, Valérie; Kessen, Bram

2012-01-01

The choice between different options for the remediation of a contaminated site traditionally relies on economical, technical and regulatory criteria without consideration of the environmental impact of the soil remediation process itself. In the present study, the environmental impact assessment of two potential soil remediation techniques (excavation and off-site cleaning and in situ steam extraction) was performed using two life cycle assessment (LCA)-based evaluation tools, namely the REC (risk reduction, environmental merit and cost) method and the ReCiPe method. The comparison and evaluation of the different tools used to estimate the environmental impact of Brownfield remediation was based on a case study which consisted of the remediation of a former oil and fat processing plant. For the environmental impact assessment, both the REC and ReCiPe methods result in a single score for the environmental impact of the soil remediation process and allow the same conclusion to be drawn: excavation and off-site cleaning has a more pronounced environmental impact than in situ soil remediation by means of steam extraction. The ReCiPe method takes into account more impact categories, but is also more complex to work with and needs more input data. Within the routine evaluation of soil remediation alternatives, a detailed LCA evaluation will often be too time consuming and costly and the estimation of the environmental impact with the REC method will in most cases be sufficient. The case study worked out in this paper wants to provide a basis for a more sounded selection of soil remediation technologies based on a more detailed assessment of the secondary impact of soil remediation.

Qualitative and Semiquantitative Assessment of Exposure to Engineered Nanomaterials within the French EpiNano Program: Inter- and Intramethod Reliability Study.

PubMed

Guseva Canu, Irina; Jezewski-Serra, Delphine; Delabre, Laurène; Ducamp, Stéphane; Iwatsubo, Yuriko; Audignon-Durand, Sabine; Ducros, Cécile; Radauceanu, Anca; Durand, Catherine; Witschger, Olivier; Flahaut, Emmanuel

2017-01-01

The relatively recent development of industries working with nanomaterials has created challenges for exposure assessment. In this article, we propose a relatively simple approach to assessing nanomaterial exposures for the purposes of epidemiological studies of workers in these industries. This method consists of an onsite industrial hygiene visit of facilities carried out individually and a description of workstations where nano-objects and their agglomerates and aggregates (NOAA) are present using a standardized tool, the Onsite technical logbook. To assess its reliability, we implemented this approach for assessing exposure to NOAA in workplaces at seven workstations which synthesize and functionalize carbon nanotubes. The prediction of exposure to NOAA using this method exhibited substantial agreement with that of the reference method, the latter being based on an onsite group visit, an expert's report and exposure measurements (Cohen kappa = 0.70, sensitivity = 0.88, specificity = 0.92). Intramethod comparison of results for exposure prediction showed moderate agreement between the three evaluators (two program team evaluators and one external evaluator) (weighted Fleiss kappa = 0.60, P = 0.003). Interevaluator reliability of the semiquantitative exposure characterization results was excellent between the two evaluators from the program team (Spearman rho = 0.93, P = 0.03) and fair when these two evaluators' results were compared with the external evaluator's results. The project was undertaken within the framework of the French epidemiological surveillance program EpiNano. This study allowed a first reliability assessment of the EpiNano method. However, to further validate this method a comparison with robust quantitative exposure measurement data is necessary. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Standardizing the evaluation criteria on treatment outcomes of mandibular implant overdentures: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Kim, Ha-Young; Shin, Sang-Wan

2014-01-01

PURPOSE The aim of this review was to analyze the evaluation criteria on mandibular implant overdentures through a systematic review and suggest standardized evaluation criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted by PubMed search strategy and hand-searching of relevant journals from included studies considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Randomized clinical trials (RCT) and clinical trial studies comparing attachment systems on mandibular implant overdentures until December, 2011 were selected. Twenty nine studies were finally selected and the data about evaluation methods were collected. RESULTS Evaluation criteria could be classified into 4 groups (implant survival, peri-implant tissue evaluation, prosthetic evaluation, and patient satisfaction). Among 29 studies, 21 studies presented implant survival rate, while any studies reporting implant failure did not present cumulative implant survival rate. Seventeen studies evaluating peri-implant tissue status presented following items as evaluation criteria; marginal bone level (14), plaque Index (13), probing depth (8), bleeding index (8), attachment gingiva level (8), gingival index (6), amount of keratinized gingiva (1). Eighteen studies evaluating prosthetic maintenance and complication also presented following items as evaluation criteria; loose matrix (17), female detachment (15), denture fracture (15), denture relining (14), abutment fracture (14), abutment screw loosening (11), and occlusal adjustment (9). Atypical questionnaire (9), Visual analog scales (VAS) (4), and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) (1) were used as the format of criteria to evaluate patients satisfaction in 14 studies. CONCLUSION For evaluation of implant overdenture, it is necessary to include cumulative survival rate for implant evaluation. It is suggested that peri-implant tissue evaluation criteria include marginal bone level, plaque index, bleeding index, probing depth, and attached gingiva level. It is also suggested that prosthetic evaluation criteria include loose matrix, female detachment, denture fracture, denture relining, abutment fracture, abutment screw loosening, and occlusal adjustment. Finally standardized criteria like OHIP-EDENT or VAS are required for patient satisfaction. PMID:25352954

Reduction of bias and variance for evaluation of computer-aided diagnostic schemes.

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Doi, Kunio

2006-04-01

Computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) schemes have been developed to assist radiologists in detecting various lesions in medical images. In addition to the development, an equally important problem is the reliable evaluation of the performance levels of various CAD schemes. It is good to see that more and more investigators are employing more reliable evaluation methods such as leave-one-out and cross validation, instead of less reliable methods such as resubstitution, for assessing their CAD schemes. However, the common applications of leave-one-out and cross-validation evaluation methods do not necessarily imply that the estimated performance levels are accurate and precise. Pitfalls often occur in the use of leave-one-out and cross-validation evaluation methods, and they lead to unreliable estimation of performance levels. In this study, we first identified a number of typical pitfalls for the evaluation of CAD schemes, and conducted a Monte Carlo simulation experiment for each of the pitfalls to demonstrate quantitatively the extent of bias and/or variance caused by the pitfall. Our experimental results indicate that considerable bias and variance may exist in the estimated performance levels of CAD schemes if one employs various flawed leave-one-out and cross-validation evaluation methods. In addition, for promoting and utilizing a high standard for reliable evaluation of CAD schemes, we attempt to make recommendations, whenever possible, for overcoming these pitfalls. We believe that, with the recommended evaluation methods, we can considerably reduce the bias and variance in the estimated performance levels of CAD schemes.

AACCI Approved Methods Technical Committee Report: Collaborative study on a method for determining the water holding capacity of pulse flours and their protein materials (AACCI Method 56-37.01)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A method for determining water holding capacity (WHC) of pulse flours and protein materials has been developed and subjected to an interlaboratory study. Eleven participants analyzed twelve blind duplicates of six different samples in a collaborative study to evaluate the repeatability and reproduci...

Assessing Statistical Change Indices in Selected Social Work Intervention Research Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ham, Amanda D.; Huggins-Hoyt, Kimberly Y.; Pettus, Joelle

2016-01-01

Objectives: This study examined how evaluation and intervention research (IR) studies assessed statistical change to ascertain effectiveness. Methods: Studies from six core social work journals (2009-2013) were reviewed (N = 1,380). Fifty-two evaluation (n= 27) and intervention (n = 25) studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies were…

Model‐based economic evaluations in smoking cessation and their transferability to new contexts: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Berg, Marrit L.; Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Evers, Silvia; de Kinderen, Reina J. A.; Kulchaitanaroaj, Puttarin

2017-01-01

Abstract Aims To identify different types of models used in economic evaluations of smoking cessation, analyse the quality of the included models examining their attributes and ascertain their transferability to a new context. Methods A systematic review of the literature on the economic evaluation of smoking cessation interventions published between 1996 and April 2015, identified via Medline, EMBASE, National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Health Technology Assessment (HTA). The checklist‐based quality of the included studies and transferability scores was based on the European Network of Health Economic Evaluation Databases (EURONHEED) criteria. Studies that were not in smoking cessation, not original research, not a model‐based economic evaluation, that did not consider adult population and not from a high‐income country were excluded. Findings Among the 64 economic evaluations included in the review, the state‐transition Markov model was the most frequently used method (n = 30/64), with quality adjusted life years (QALY) being the most frequently used outcome measure in a life‐time horizon. A small number of the included studies (13 of 64) were eligible for EURONHEED transferability checklist. The overall transferability scores ranged from 0.50 to 0.97, with an average score of 0.75. The average score per section was 0.69 (range = 0.35–0.92). The relative transferability of the studies could not be established due to a limitation present in the EURONHEED method. Conclusion All existing economic evaluations in smoking cessation lack in one or more key study attributes necessary to be fully transferable to a new context. PMID:28060453

The research on user behavior evaluation method for network state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chengyuan; Xu, Haishui

2017-08-01

Based on the correlation between user behavior and network running state, this paper proposes a method of user behavior evaluation based on network state. Based on the analysis and evaluation methods in other fields of study, we introduce the theory and tools of data mining. Based on the network status information provided by the trusted network view, the user behavior data and the network state data are analysed. Finally, we construct the user behavior evaluation index and weight, and on this basis, we can accurately quantify the influence degree of the specific behavior of different users on the change of network running state, so as to provide the basis for user behavior control decision.

Automated detection of hospital outbreaks: A systematic review of methods.

PubMed

Leclère, Brice; Buckeridge, David L; Boëlle, Pierre-Yves; Astagneau, Pascal; Lepelletier, Didier

2017-01-01

Several automated algorithms for epidemiological surveillance in hospitals have been proposed. However, the usefulness of these methods to detect nosocomial outbreaks remains unclear. The goal of this review was to describe outbreak detection algorithms that have been tested within hospitals, consider how they were evaluated, and synthesize their results. We developed a search query using keywords associated with hospital outbreak detection and searched the MEDLINE database. To ensure the highest sensitivity, no limitations were initially imposed on publication languages and dates, although we subsequently excluded studies published before 2000. Every study that described a method to detect outbreaks within hospitals was included, without any exclusion based on study design. Additional studies were identified through citations in retrieved studies. Twenty-nine studies were included. The detection algorithms were grouped into 5 categories: simple thresholds (n = 6), statistical process control (n = 12), scan statistics (n = 6), traditional statistical models (n = 6), and data mining methods (n = 4). The evaluation of the algorithms was often solely descriptive (n = 15), but more complex epidemiological criteria were also investigated (n = 10). The performance measures varied widely between studies: e.g., the sensitivity of an algorithm in a real world setting could vary between 17 and 100%. Even if outbreak detection algorithms are useful complementary tools for traditional surveillance, the heterogeneity in results among published studies does not support quantitative synthesis of their performance. A standardized framework should be followed when evaluating outbreak detection methods to allow comparison of algorithms across studies and synthesis of results.

Methods for the evaluation of hospital cooperation activities (Systematic review protocol).

PubMed

Rotter, Thomas; Popa, Daniela; Riley, Beatrice; Ellermann, Tim; Ryll, Ulrike; Burazeri, Genc; Daemen, Piet; Peeters, Guy; Brand, Helmut

2012-02-10

Hospital partnerships, mergers and cooperatives are arrangements frequently seen as a means of improving health service delivery. Many of the assumptions used in planning hospital cooperatives are not stated clearly and are often based on limited or poor scientific evidence. This is a protocol for a systematic review, following the Cochrane EPOC methodology. The review aims to document, catalogue and synthesize the existing literature on the reported methods for the evaluation of hospital cooperation activities as well as methods of hospital cooperation. We will search the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, the Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and bibliographic databases including PubMed (via NLM), Web of Science, NHS EED, Business Source Premier (via EBSCO) and Global Health for publications that report on methods for evaluating hospital cooperatives, strategic partnerships, mergers, alliances, networks and related activities and methods used for such partnerships. The method proposed by the Cochrane EPOC group regarding randomized study designs, controlled clinical trials, controlled before and after studies, and interrupted time series will be followed. In addition, we will also include cohort, case-control studies, and relevant non-comparative publications such as case reports. We will categorize and analyze the review findings according to the study design employed, the study quality (low versus high quality studies) and the method reported in the primary studies. We will present the results of studies in tabular form. Overall, the systematic review aims to identify, assess and synthesize the evidence to underpin hospital cooperation activities as defined in this protocol. As a result, the review will provide an evidence base for partnerships, alliances or other fields of cooperation in a hospital setting. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42011001579.

Evaluation of local site effect from microtremor measurements in Babol City, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezaei, Sadegh; Choobbasti, Asskar Janalizadeh

2018-03-01

Every year, numerous casualties and a large deal of financial losses are incurred due to earthquake events. The losses incurred by an earthquake vary depending on local site effect. Therefore, in order to conquer drastic effects of an earthquake, one should evaluate urban districts in terms of the local site effect. One of the methods for evaluating the local site effect is microtremor measurement and analysis. Aiming at evaluation of local site effect across the city of Babol, the study area was gridded and microtremor measurements were performed with an appropriate distribution. The acquired data was analyzed through the horizontal-to-vertical noise ratio (HVNR) method, and fundamental frequency and associated amplitude of the H/V peak were obtained. The results indicate that fundamental frequency of the study area is generally lower than 1.25 Hz, which is acceptably in agreement with the findings of previous studies. Also, in order to constrain and validate the seismostratigraphic model obtained with this method, the results were compared with geotechnical, geological, and seismic data. Comparing the results of different methods, it was observed that the presented geophysical method can successfully determine the values of fundamental frequency across the study area as well as local site effect. Using the data obtained from the analysis of microtremor, a microzonation map of fundamental frequency across the city of Babol was prepared. This map has numerous applications in designing high-rise building and urban development plans.

The use of think-aloud and instant data analysis in evaluation research: Exemplar and lessons learned.

PubMed

Joe, Jonathan; Chaudhuri, Shomir; Le, Thai; Thompson, Hilaire; Demiris, George

2015-08-01

While health information technologies have become increasingly popular, many have not been formally tested to ascertain their usability. Traditional rigorous methods take significant amounts of time and manpower to evaluate the usability of a system. In this paper, we evaluate the use of instant data analysis (IDA) as developed by Kjeldskov et al. to perform usability testing on a tool designed for older adults and caregivers. The IDA method is attractive because it takes significantly less time and manpower than the traditional usability testing methods. In this paper we demonstrate how IDA was used to evaluate usability of a multifunctional wellness tool, discuss study results and lessons learned while using this method. We also present findings from an extension of the method which allows the grouping of similar usability problems in an efficient manner. We found that the IDA method is a quick, relatively easy approach to identifying and ranking usability issues among health information technologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Student Engagement Assessment in Colorado State University's Warner College of Natural Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holman, Debra Kaye

2013-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to conduct a participatory program evaluation of student engagement assessment in Colorado State University's (CSU) Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR). The college requested the evaluation after completing two pilot studies of undergraduate engagement which led them to consider establishing the…

Entropy of Linkography: Evaluating the Creativity of Short Animation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Shyan-Bin; Chou, Huey-Wen; Chen, Yui-Liang

2013-01-01

There are important research issues surrounding the best methods for evaluating creativity of animation. This study proposed an approach to evaluate the creativity of short animation by adopting Linkography. This article reported the results of two experiments performed to test this approach. In study 1, participants identified as impressive a set…

"Evaluation as Illumination: A New Approach to the Study of Innovatory Programs". Occasional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parlett, Malcolm; Hamilton, David

Conventional approaches to program evaluation have followed the experimental and psychometric traditions dominant in educational research. Their aim (unfulfilled) of achieving fully objective methods had led to studies that are artificial and restricted in scope. Illuminative evaluation is introduced as a total re-appraisal of the rationale and…

Effectiveness of the Teacher Performance Evaluation Methods Practiced by Managers of Public Schools in the Directorate of Education in Southern Jordan Valley/Jordan from the Point of View of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Tarawneh, Sabri; Al-Oshaibat, Hussein; Ismail, Hairul Al-Nizam

2016-01-01

This study identifies the efficiency of the teacher performance evaluation methods used by government school principals in South Ghour or the hollows educational department from the perspective of teachers. This study dealt with the approaches used by government school principals in the domains of planning assessment, working with the teacher,…

Comparative Analyses of the Teaching Methods and Evaluation Practices in English Subject at Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and General Certificate of Education (GCE O-Level) in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behlol, Malik Ghulam; Anwar, Mohammad

2011-01-01

The study was conducted to compare the teaching methods and evaluation practices in English subject at secondary school certificate (SSC) and general certificate of education GCE-O-level in Pakistan. The population of the study was students, teachers and experts at SSC and 0-level in the Punjab province. Purposive and random sampling techniques…

Study on a pattern classification method of soil quality based on simplified learning sample dataset

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, Jiahua; Liu, S.; Hu, Y.; Tian, Y.

2011-01-01

Based on the massive soil information in current soil quality grade evaluation, this paper constructed an intelligent classification approach of soil quality grade depending on classical sampling techniques and disordered multiclassification Logistic regression model. As a case study to determine the learning sample capacity under certain confidence level and estimation accuracy, and use c-means algorithm to automatically extract the simplified learning sample dataset from the cultivated soil quality grade evaluation database for the study area, Long chuan county in Guangdong province, a disordered Logistic classifier model was then built and the calculation analysis steps of soil quality grade intelligent classification were given. The result indicated that the soil quality grade can be effectively learned and predicted by the extracted simplified dataset through this method, which changed the traditional method for soil quality grade evaluation. ?? 2011 IEEE.

Clinical Laboratory Evaluation of Electronic Cigarettes/Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems: Methodological Challenges

PubMed Central

Blank, Melissa D.; Breland, Alison B.; Cobb, Caroline O.; Spindle, Tory; Ramôa, Carolina; Eissenberg, Thomas

2017-01-01

Objective Evaluating electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) in the clinical laboratory is critical to understanding their effects. However, laboratory evaluation of ECIGs can be challenging, as they are a novel, varied, and evolving class of products. The objective of this paper is to describe some methodological challenges to the clinical laboratory evaluation of ECIGs. Methods The authors gathered information about challenges involved in the laboratory evaluation of ECIGs. Challenges were categorized and solutions provided when possible. Results Methods used to study combustible cigarettes may need to be adapted to account for ECIG novelty and differences within the class. Challenges to ECIG evaluation can include issues related to 1) identification of ECIG devices and liquids, 2) determination of short -term ECIG abstinence, 3) measurement of use behavior, and 4) assessment of dependence. These challenges are discussed, and some suggestions to inform ECIG evaluation using clinical laboratory methods are provided. Conclusions Awareness of challenges and developing, validating, and reporting methods used to address them aids interpretation of results and replication efforts, thus enhancing the rigor of science used to protect public health through appropriate, empirically-based, ECIG regulation. PMID:28819633

In-situ culvert rehabilitation : synthesis study and field evaluation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-06-01

This synthesis study evaluated culvert rehabilitation (repair) methods involving trenchless technologies that may be appropriate for use in Utah. This report is not intended as a replacement for installation manuals provided by the manufacturers but ...

Effects of auditing patient safety in hospital care: design of a mixed-method evaluation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Auditing of patient safety aims at early detection of risks of adverse events and is intended to encourage the continuous improvement of patient safety. The auditing should be an independent, objective assurance and consulting system. Auditing helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance. Audits are broadly conducted in hospitals, but little is known about their effects on the behaviour of healthcare professionals and patient safety outcomes. This study was initiated to evaluate the effects of patient safety auditing in hospital care and to explore the processes and mechanisms underlying these effects. Methods and design Our study aims to evaluate an audit system to monitor and improve patient safety in a hospital setting. We are using a mixed-method evaluation with a before-and-after study design in eight departments of one university hospital in the period October 2011–July 2014. We measure several outcomes 3 months before the audit and 15 months after the audit. The primary outcomes are adverse events and complications. The secondary outcomes are experiences of patients, the standardised mortality ratio, prolonged hospital stay, patient safety culture, and team climate. We use medical record reviews, questionnaires, hospital administrative data, and observations to assess the outcomes. A process evaluation will be used to find out which components of internal auditing determine the effects. Discussion We report a study protocol of an effect and process evaluation to determine whether auditing improves patient safety in hospital care. Because auditing is a complex intervention targeted on several levels, we are using a combination of methods to collect qualitative and quantitative data about patient safety at the patient, professional, and department levels. This study is relevant for hospitals that want to early detect unsafe care and improve patient safety continuously. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR3343 PMID:23800253

Evaluating methods of inferring gene regulatory networks highlights their lack of performance for single cell gene expression data.

PubMed

Chen, Shuonan; Mar, Jessica C

2018-06-19

A fundamental fact in biology states that genes do not operate in isolation, and yet, methods that infer regulatory networks for single cell gene expression data have been slow to emerge. With single cell sequencing methods now becoming accessible, general network inference algorithms that were initially developed for data collected from bulk samples may not be suitable for single cells. Meanwhile, although methods that are specific for single cell data are now emerging, whether they have improved performance over general methods is unknown. In this study, we evaluate the applicability of five general methods and three single cell methods for inferring gene regulatory networks from both experimental single cell gene expression data and in silico simulated data. Standard evaluation metrics using ROC curves and Precision-Recall curves against reference sets sourced from the literature demonstrated that most of the methods performed poorly when they were applied to either experimental single cell data, or simulated single cell data, which demonstrates their lack of performance for this task. Using default settings, network methods were applied to the same datasets. Comparisons of the learned networks highlighted the uniqueness of some predicted edges for each method. The fact that different methods infer networks that vary substantially reflects the underlying mathematical rationale and assumptions that distinguish network methods from each other. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of network modeling algorithms applied to experimental single cell gene expression data and in silico simulated datasets where the network structure is known. Comparisons demonstrate that most of these assessed network methods are not able to predict network structures from single cell expression data accurately, even if they are specifically developed for single cell methods. Also, single cell methods, which usually depend on more elaborative algorithms, in general have less similarity to each other in the sets of edges detected. The results from this study emphasize the importance for developing more accurate optimized network modeling methods that are compatible for single cell data. Newly-developed single cell methods may uniquely capture particular features of potential gene-gene relationships, and caution should be taken when we interpret these results.

Criteria for quantitative and qualitative data integration: mixed-methods research methodology.

PubMed

Lee, Seonah; Smith, Carrol A M

2012-05-01

Many studies have emphasized the need and importance of a mixed-methods approach for evaluation of clinical information systems. However, those studies had no criteria to guide integration of multiple data sets. Integrating different data sets serves to actualize the paradigm that a mixed-methods approach argues; thus, we require criteria that provide the right direction to integrate quantitative and qualitative data. The first author used a set of criteria organized from a literature search for integration of multiple data sets from mixed-methods research. The purpose of this article was to reorganize the identified criteria. Through critical appraisal of the reasons for designing mixed-methods research, three criteria resulted: validation, complementarity, and discrepancy. In applying the criteria to empirical data of a previous mixed methods study, integration of quantitative and qualitative data was achieved in a systematic manner. It helped us obtain a better organized understanding of the results. The criteria of this article offer the potential to produce insightful analyses of mixed-methods evaluations of health information systems.

Unidirectional Expiratory Valve Method to Assess Maximal Inspiratory Pressure in Individuals without Artificial Airway.

PubMed

Grams, Samantha Torres; Kimoto, Karen Yumi Mota; Azevedo, Elen Moda de Oliveira; Lança, Marina; Albuquerque, André Luis Pereira de; Brito, Christina May Moran de; Yamaguti, Wellington Pereira

2015-01-01

Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (MIP) is considered an effective method to estimate strength of inspiratory muscles, but still leads to false positive diagnosis. Although MIP assessment with unidirectional expiratory valve method has been used in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation, no previous studies investigated the application of this method in subjects without artificial airway. This study aimed to compare the MIP values assessed by standard method (MIPsta) and by unidirectional expiratory valve method (MIPuni) in subjects with spontaneous breathing without artificial airway. MIPuni reproducibility was also evaluated. This was a crossover design study, and 31 subjects performed MIPsta and MIPuni in a random order. MIPsta measured MIP maintaining negative pressure for at least one second after forceful expiration. MIPuni evaluated MIP using a unidirectional expiratory valve attached to a face mask and was conducted by two evaluators (A and B) at two moments (Tests 1 and 2) to determine interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility of MIP values. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC[2,1]) was used to determine intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility. The mean values for MIPuni were 14.3% higher (-117.3 ± 24.8 cmH2O) than the mean values for MIPsta (-102.5 ± 23.9 cmH2O) (p<0.001). Interobserver reproducibility assessment showed very high correlation for Test 1 (ICC[2,1] = 0.91), and high correlation for Test 2 (ICC[2,1] = 0.88). The assessment of the intraobserver reproducibility showed high correlation for evaluator A (ICC[2,1] = 0.86) and evaluator B (ICC[2,1] = 0.77). MIPuni presented higher values when compared with MIPsta and proved to be reproducible in subjects with spontaneous breathing without artificial airway.

Evaluating candidate reactions to selection practices using organisational justice theory.

PubMed

Patterson, Fiona; Zibarras, Lara; Carr, Victoria; Irish, Bill; Gregory, Simon

2011-03-01

This study aimed to examine candidate reactions to selection practices in postgraduate medical training using organisational justice theory. We carried out three independent cross-sectional studies using samples from three consecutive annual recruitment rounds. Data were gathered from candidates applying for entry into UK general practice (GP) training during 2007, 2008 and 2009. Participants completed an evaluation questionnaire immediately after the short-listing stage and after the selection centre (interview) stage. Participants were doctors applying for GP training in the UK. Main outcome measures were participants' evaluations of the selection methods and perceptions of the overall fairness of each selection stage (short-listing and selection centre). A total of 23,855 evaluation questionnaires were completed (6893 in 2007, 10,497 in 2008 and 6465 in 2009). Absolute levels of perceptions of fairness of all the selection methods at both the short-listing and selection centre stages were consistently high over the 3years. Similarly, all selection methods were considered to be job-related by candidates. However, in general, candidates considered the selection centre stage to be significantly fairer than the short-listing stage. Of all the selection methods, the simulated patient consultation completed at the selection centre stage was rated as the most job-relevant. This is the first study to use a model of organisational justice theory to evaluate candidate reactions during selection into postgraduate specialty training. The high-fidelity selection methods are consistently viewed as more job-relevant and fairer by candidates. This has important implications for the design of recruitment systems for all specialties and, potentially, for medical school admissions. Using this approach, recruiters can systematically compare perceptions of the fairness and job relevance of various selection methods. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Selection of Suitable DNA Extraction Methods for Genetically Modified Maize 3272, and Development and Evaluation of an Event-Specific Quantitative PCR Method for 3272.

PubMed

Takabatake, Reona; Masubuchi, Tomoko; Futo, Satoshi; Minegishi, Yasutaka; Noguchi, Akio; Kondo, Kazunari; Teshima, Reiko; Kurashima, Takeyo; Mano, Junichi; Kitta, Kazumi

2016-01-01

A novel real-time PCR-based analytical method was developed for the event-specific quantification of a genetically modified (GM) maize, 3272. We first attempted to obtain genome DNA from this maize using a DNeasy Plant Maxi kit and a DNeasy Plant Mini kit, which have been widely utilized in our previous studies, but DNA extraction yields from 3272 were markedly lower than those from non-GM maize seeds. However, lowering of DNA extraction yields was not observed with GM quicker or Genomic-tip 20/G. We chose GM quicker for evaluation of the quantitative method. We prepared a standard plasmid for 3272 quantification. The conversion factor (Cf), which is required to calculate the amount of a genetically modified organism (GMO), was experimentally determined for two real-time PCR instruments, the Applied Biosystems 7900HT (the ABI 7900) and the Applied Biosystems 7500 (the ABI7500). The determined Cf values were 0.60 and 0.59 for the ABI 7900 and the ABI 7500, respectively. To evaluate the developed method, a blind test was conducted as part of an interlaboratory study. The trueness and precision were evaluated as the bias and reproducibility of the relative standard deviation (RSDr). The determined values were similar to those in our previous validation studies. The limit of quantitation for the method was estimated to be 0.5% or less, and we concluded that the developed method would be suitable and practical for detection and quantification of 3272.

Empirical evaluation of data normalization methods for molecular classification.

PubMed

Huang, Huei-Chung; Qin, Li-Xuan

2018-01-01

Data artifacts due to variations in experimental handling are ubiquitous in microarray studies, and they can lead to biased and irreproducible findings. A popular approach to correct for such artifacts is through post hoc data adjustment such as data normalization. Statistical methods for data normalization have been developed and evaluated primarily for the discovery of individual molecular biomarkers. Their performance has rarely been studied for the development of multi-marker molecular classifiers-an increasingly important application of microarrays in the era of personalized medicine. In this study, we set out to evaluate the performance of three commonly used methods for data normalization in the context of molecular classification, using extensive simulations based on re-sampling from a unique pair of microRNA microarray datasets for the same set of samples. The data and code for our simulations are freely available as R packages at GitHub. In the presence of confounding handling effects, all three normalization methods tended to improve the accuracy of the classifier when evaluated in an independent test data. The level of improvement and the relative performance among the normalization methods depended on the relative level of molecular signal, the distributional pattern of handling effects (e.g., location shift vs scale change), and the statistical method used for building the classifier. In addition, cross-validation was associated with biased estimation of classification accuracy in the over-optimistic direction for all three normalization methods. Normalization may improve the accuracy of molecular classification for data with confounding handling effects; however, it cannot circumvent the over-optimistic findings associated with cross-validation for assessing classification accuracy.

Truancy Interventions: A Review of the Research Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutphen, Richard D.; Ford, Janet P.; Flaherty, Chris

2010-01-01

Objectives: This article presents a systematic review of the literature on evaluative studies of truancy interventions. Method: Included studies evaluating truancy interventions appearing in peer-reviewed academic journals from 1990 to 2007. Findings: In total, 16 studies were assessed. Eight studies used group comparison designs and eight studies…

Develop a new testing and evaluation protocol to assess flexbase performance using strength of soil binder.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

This research involved a detailed laboratory study of a new test method for evaluating road base materials based on : the strength of the soil binder. In this test method, small test specimens (5.0in length and 0.75in square cross : section) of binde...

A Strengths-Based Group Intervention for Women Who Experienced Child Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker-Williams, Hayley J.; Fouché, Ansie

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study evaluated the benefits of a ''survivor to thriver'' strengths-based group intervention program to facilitate posttraumatic growth in women survivors of child sexual abuse. Method: A quasi-experimental, one group, pretest, posttest, time-delay design was employed using qualitative methods to evaluate the benefits of the…

A Systematic Review of Methods for Evaluating Rating Quality in Language Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wind, Stefanie A.; Peterson, Meghan E.

2018-01-01

The use of assessments that require rater judgment (i.e., rater-mediated assessments) has become increasingly popular in high-stakes language assessments worldwide. Using a systematic literature review, the purpose of this study is to identify and explore the dominant methods for evaluating rating quality within the context of research on…

Sequence Matters but How Exactly? A Method for Evaluating Activity Sequences from Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doroudi, Shayan; Holstein, Kenneth; Aleven, Vincent; Brunskill, Emma

2016-01-01

How should a wide variety of educational activities be sequenced to maximize student learning? Although some experimental studies have addressed this question, educational data mining methods may be able to evaluate a wider range of possibilities and better handle many simultaneous sequencing constraints. We introduce Sequencing Constraint…

Comparing Propensity Score Methods in Balancing Covariates and Recovering Impact in Small Sample Educational Program Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Clement A.; Tang, Yun

2013-01-01

Propensity score applications are often used to evaluate educational program impact. However, various options are available to estimate both propensity scores and construct comparison groups. This study used a student achievement dataset with commonly available covariates to compare different propensity scoring estimation methods (logistic…

DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA AND METHODS FOR EVALUATING TRAINER AIRCRAFT EFFECTIVENESS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KUSEWITT, J.B.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DEVELOP A METHOD FOR DETERMINING OBJECTIVE MEASURES OF TRAINER AIRCRAFT EFFECTIVENESS TO EVALUATE PROGRAM ALTERNATIVES FOR TRAINING PILOTS FOR FLEET FIGHTER AND ATTACK-TYPE AIRCRAFT. THE TRAINING SYLLABUS WAS BASED ON AVERAGE STUDENT ABILITY. THE BASIC PROBLEM WAS TO ESTABLISH QUANTITATIVE TIME-DIFFICULTY…

Methods for evaluating information in managing the enterprise on the basis of a hybrid three-tier system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasil'ev, V. A.; Dobrynina, N. V.

2017-01-01

The article presents data on the influence of information upon the functioning of complex systems in the process of ensuring their effective management. Ways and methods for evaluating multidimensional information that reduce time and resources, improve the validity of the studied system management decisions, were proposed.

Personality and Student Performance on Evaluation Methods Used in Business Administration Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakhal, Sawsen; Sévigny, Serge; Frenette, Éric

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to verify whether personality (Big Five model) influences performance on the evaluation methods used in business administration courses. A sample of 169 students enrolled in two compulsory undergraduate business courses responded to an online questionnaire. As it is difficult within the same course to assess…

Development of practical diagnostic methods for monitoring rice bacterial panicle blight disease and evaluation of rice germplasm for resistance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A study was initiated to understand Burkholderia glumae, the major causal agent for bacterial panicle blight disease of rice; to develop practical diagnostic methods for monitoring the disease; and to evaluate rice germplasm for resistance. Burkholderia glumae was frequently isolated from infected p...

Development of practical diagnostic methods for monitoring rice bacterial panicle blight disease and evaluation of rice germplasm for resistance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A study was initiated to understand Burkholderia glumae (major causal agent for bacterial panicle blight disease of rice) to develop practical diagnostic methods for monitoring the disease; and to evaluate rice germplasm for resistance. B. glumae was frequently isolated from symptomatic panicles on...

An in vitro screening method to evaluate chemicals as potential chemotherapeutants to control Aeromonas hydrophila infection in channel catfish

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Using catfish gill cells G1B and four chemicals (hydrogen peroxide, sodium chloride, potassium permanganate, and D-mannose), the feasibility of using an in vitro screening method to identify potential effective chemotherapeutants was evaluated in this study. In vitro screening results revealed that,...

Research Knowledge Transfer through Business-Driven Student Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sas, Corina

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a knowledge transfer method that capitalizes on both research and teaching dimensions of academic work. It also aims to propose a framework for evaluating the impact of such a method on the involved stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach: The case study outlines and evaluates the six-stage…

Acoustic evaluation of standing trees : recent research development

Treesearch

Xiping Wang; Robert J. Ross; Peter Carter

2005-01-01

This paper presents some research results from recent trial studies on measuring acoustic velocities on standing trees of five softwood species. The relationships between tree velocities measured by time of flight method and log velocities measured by resonance method were evaluated. Theoretical and empirical models were developed for adjusting observed tree velocity...

DETERMINING COARSE PARTICULATE MATTER CONCENTRATIONS: A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF CANDIDATE METHODOLOGIES UNDER WINTERTIME CONDITIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of sampling methods for potential use as a Federal Reference Method (FRM) capable of providing an estimate of coarse particle (PMc: particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter between 2.5 um and 10 um) mass con...

Measurement of facial movements with Photoshop software during treatment of facial nerve palsy*

PubMed Central

Pourmomeny, Abbas Ali; Zadmehr, Hassan; Hossaini, Mohsen

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: Evaluating the function of facial nerve is essential in order to determine the influences of various treatment methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate and assess the agreement of Photoshop scaling system versus the facial grading system (FGS). METHODS: In this semi-experimental study, thirty subjects with facial nerve paralysis were recruited. The evaluation of all patients before and after the treatment was performed by FGS and Photoshop measurements. RESULTS: The mean values of FGS before and after the treatment were 35 ± 25 and 67 ± 24, respectively (p < 0.001). In Photoshop assessment, mean changes of face expressions in the impaired side relative to the normal side in rest position and three main movements of the face were 3.4 ± 0.55 and 4.04 ± 0.49 millimeter before and after the treatment, respectively (p < 0.001). Spearman's correlation coefficient between different values in the two methods was 0.66 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating the facial nerve palsy using Photoshop was more objective than using FGS. Therefore, it may be recommended to use this method instead. PMID:22973325

Evaluating markers for the early detection of cancer: overview of study designs and methods.

PubMed

Baker, Stuart G; Kramer, Barnett S; McIntosh, Martin; Patterson, Blossom H; Shyr, Yu; Skates, Steven

2006-01-01

The field of cancer biomarker development has been evolving rapidly. New developments both in the biologic and statistical realms are providing increasing opportunities for evaluation of markers for both early detection and diagnosis of cancer. To review the major conceptual and methodological issues in cancer biomarker evaluation, with an emphasis on recent developments in statistical methods together with practical recommendations. We organized this review by type of study: preliminary performance, retrospective performance, prospective performance and cancer screening evaluation. For each type of study, we discuss methodologic issues, provide examples and discuss strengths and limitations. Preliminary performance studies are useful for quickly winnowing down the number of candidate markers; however their results may not apply to the ultimate target population, asymptomatic subjects. If stored specimens from cohort studies with clinical cancer endpoints are available, retrospective studies provide a quick and valid way to evaluate performance of the markers or changes in the markers prior to the onset of clinical symptoms. Prospective studies have a restricted role because they require large sample sizes, and, if the endpoint is cancer on biopsy, there may be bias due to overdiagnosis. Cancer screening studies require very large sample sizes and long follow-up, but are necessary for evaluating the marker as a trigger of early intervention.

Does classroom-based Crew Resource Management training improve patient safety culture? A systematic review

PubMed Central

de Bruijne, Martine C; Zwijnenberg, Nicolien C; Jansma, Elise P; van Dyck, Cathy; Wagner, Cordula

2014-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the evidence of the effectiveness of classroom-based Crew Resource Management training on safety culture by a systematic review of literature. Methods: Studies were identified in PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Educational Resources Information Center up to 19 December 2012. The Methods Guide for Comparative Effectiveness Reviews was used to assess the risk of bias in the individual studies. Results: In total, 22 manuscripts were included for review. Training settings, study designs, and evaluation methods varied widely. Most studies reporting only a selection of culture dimensions found mainly positive results, whereas studies reporting all safety culture dimensions of the particular survey found mixed results. On average, studies were at moderate risk of bias. Conclusion: Evidence of the effectiveness of Crew Resource Management training in health care on safety culture is scarce and the validity of most studies is limited. The results underline the necessity of more valid study designs, preferably using triangulation methods. PMID:26770720

Automated Text Analysis Based on Skip-Gram Model for Food Evaluation in Predicting Consumer Acceptance

PubMed Central

Kim, Augustine Yongwhi; Choi, Hoduk

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate food taste, smell, and characteristics from consumers' online reviews. Several studies in food sensory evaluation have been presented for consumer acceptance. However, these studies need taste descriptive word lexicon, and they are not suitable for analyzing large number of evaluators to predict consumer acceptance. In this paper, an automated text analysis method for food evaluation is presented to analyze and compare recently introduced two jjampong ramen types (mixed seafood noodles). To avoid building a sensory word lexicon, consumers' reviews are collected from SNS. Then, by training word embedding model with acquired reviews, words in the large amount of review text are converted into vectors. Based on these words represented as vectors, inference is performed to evaluate taste and smell of two jjampong ramen types. Finally, the reliability and merits of the proposed food evaluation method are confirmed by a comparison with the results from an actual consumer preference taste evaluation. PMID:29606960

Automated Text Analysis Based on Skip-Gram Model for Food Evaluation in Predicting Consumer Acceptance.

PubMed

Kim, Augustine Yongwhi; Ha, Jin Gwan; Choi, Hoduk; Moon, Hyeonjoon

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate food taste, smell, and characteristics from consumers' online reviews. Several studies in food sensory evaluation have been presented for consumer acceptance. However, these studies need taste descriptive word lexicon, and they are not suitable for analyzing large number of evaluators to predict consumer acceptance. In this paper, an automated text analysis method for food evaluation is presented to analyze and compare recently introduced two jjampong ramen types (mixed seafood noodles). To avoid building a sensory word lexicon, consumers' reviews are collected from SNS. Then, by training word embedding model with acquired reviews, words in the large amount of review text are converted into vectors. Based on these words represented as vectors, inference is performed to evaluate taste and smell of two jjampong ramen types. Finally, the reliability and merits of the proposed food evaluation method are confirmed by a comparison with the results from an actual consumer preference taste evaluation.

Implementing living room theatre activities for people with dementia on nursing home wards: a process evaluation study.

PubMed

van Haeften-van Dijk, A Marijke; van Weert, Julia C M; Dröes, Rose-Marie

2015-01-01

A new communication method, the 'Veder Method', was implemented in the Netherlands. This method uses theatrical stimuli in combination with proven person-centred communication methods. Care staff was trained to apply the Veder Method in a 'living room theatre activity' for people with dementia. This study evaluates the implementation of the Veder Method on psychogeriatric nursing home wards. Facilitators and barriers to train staff and implement the Veder Method in psychogeriatric nursing homes were identified by conducting semi-structured interviews with 12 stakeholders who were involved in the implementation, and five focus groups with 35 trained care staff. The interviews and focus groups were transcribed verbatim, and two independent researchers analysed the content of the transcripts. The Implementation Process Evaluation (IPE) Framework was used to categorize the data and the 7s-model to contextualize the qualitative findings. A structured overview of facilitators and barriers in different stages of the implementation process is presented. Positive reactions in residents and more reciprocity in caregiver-resident contact motivated trained care staff to work with the Veder Method. An action plan, executive support, the visibility of the method in the organization and a pioneer group that initiated implementation were essential for successful implementation. High work pressure for the care staff was a hindering factor. Respondents experienced the added value of the Veder Method. The facilitators and barriers to implementation we identified in this study can help to implement and disseminate the successful Veder Method and other person-centred communication methods in psychogeriatric nursing homes effectively.

Validation and comparison of two sampling methods to assess dermal exposure to drilling fluids and crude oil.

PubMed

Galea, Karen S; McGonagle, Carolyn; Sleeuwenhoek, Anne; Todd, David; Jiménez, Araceli Sánchez

2014-06-01

Dermal exposure to drilling fluids and crude oil is an exposure route of concern. However, there have been no published studies describing sampling methods or reporting dermal exposure measurements. We describe a study that aimed to evaluate a wipe sampling method to assess dermal exposure to an oil-based drilling fluid and crude oil, as well as to investigate the feasibility of using an interception cotton glove sampler for exposure on the hands/wrists. A direct comparison of the wipe and interception methods was also completed using pigs' trotters as a surrogate for human skin and a direct surface contact exposure scenario. Overall, acceptable recovery and sampling efficiencies were reported for both methods, and both methods had satisfactory storage stability at 1 and 7 days, although there appeared to be some loss over 14 days. The methods' comparison study revealed significantly higher removal of both fluids from the metal surface with the glove samples compared with the wipe samples (on average 2.5 times higher). Both evaluated sampling methods were found to be suitable for assessing dermal exposure to oil-based drilling fluids and crude oil; however, the comparison study clearly illustrates that glove samplers may overestimate the amount of fluid transferred to the skin. Further comparison of the two dermal sampling methods using additional exposure situations such as immersion or deposition, as well as a field evaluation, is warranted to confirm their appropriateness and suitability in the working environment. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

[How can the impact of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in the Austrian healthcare system be assessed? Design of a conceptual framework].

PubMed

Schumacher, I; Zechmeister, I

2012-04-01

In Austria research in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has been conducted since the 1990s. Research in HTA aims at supporting an adequate and efficient use of health care resources in order to sustain a publicly financed and solidary health care system. Ultimately, HTA research should result in better health of the population. Research results should provide independent information for decision makers. For legitimizing further research resources and for prioritizing future HTA research and guaranteeing the value of future research, HTA research needs itself to undergo evaluation. Aim of the study is to design a conceptual framework for evaluating the impact of HTA research in Austria on the basis of the existing literature. An already existing review which presents methods and concepts how to evaluate HTA-impact was updated by a systematic research including literature of the years 2004-January 2010. Results were analysed in regard to 4 categories: definition of the term impact, target groups and system levels, operationalisation of indicators and evaluation methods. Overall, 19 publications were included. Referring to the 4 categories, an explanation of impact has to take into account HTAs multidisciplinary setting and needs a context related definition. Target groups, system levels, indicators and methods depend on the impact defined. Studies investigated direct and indirect impact and were focused on different target groups like physicians, nurses and decision makers on the micro-, and meso level, as well as politicians and reimbursement institutions on the macro level. Except for one reference all studies applied already known and mostly qualitative methods for measuring the impact of HTA research. Thus, an appropriate pool of instruments seems to be available. There is a lack of information about validity of applied methods and indicators. By adapting adequate methods and concepts a conceptual framework for the Austrian HTA-Impact evaluation has been designed. The paper presents an overview of existing methods for the evaluation of the HTA research. This has been used to identify useful approaches for measuring the HTA-impact in Austria. By providing a context sensitive framework for impact evaluation in Austria the Austrian HTA-research contributes to the international trend of impact-evaluation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Quantitative T1 and T2* carotid atherosclerotic plaque imaging using a three-dimensional multi-echo phase-sensitive inversion recovery sequence: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Yasuhiro; Maruyama, Hirotoshi; Toyomaru, Kanako; Nishizaka, Yuri; Fukamatsu, Masahiro

2018-06-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used to detect carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Although it is important to evaluate vulnerable carotid plaques containing lipids and intra-plaque hemorrhages (IPHs) using T 1 -weighted images, the image contrast changes depending on the imaging settings. Moreover, to distinguish between a thrombus and a hemorrhage, it is useful to evaluate the iron content of the plaque using both T 1 -weighted and T 2 *-weighted images. Therefore, a quantitative evaluation of carotid atherosclerotic plaques using T 1 and T 2 * values may be necessary for the accurate evaluation of plaque components. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the multi-echo phase-sensitive inversion recovery (mPSIR) sequence can improve T 1 contrast while simultaneously providing accurate T 1 and T 2 * values of an IPH. T 1 and T 2 * values measured using mPSIR were compared to values from conventional methods in phantom and in vivo studies. In the phantom study, the T 1 and T 2 * values estimated using mPSIR were linearly correlated with those of conventional methods. In the in vivo study, mPSIR demonstrated higher T 1 contrast between the IPH phantom and sternocleidomastoid muscle than the conventional method. Moreover, the T 1 and T 2 * values of the blood vessel wall and sternocleidomastoid muscle estimated using mPSIR were correlated with values measured by conventional methods and with values reported previously. The mPSIR sequence improved T 1 contrast while simultaneously providing accurate T 1 and T 2 * values of the neck region. Although further study is required to evaluate the clinical utility, mPSIR may improve carotid atherosclerotic plaque detection and provide detailed information about plaque components.

The evaluation of student-centredness of teaching and learning: a new mixed-methods approach

PubMed Central

Lemos, Ana R.; Sandars, John E.; Alves, Palmira

2014-01-01

Objectives The aim of the study was to develop and consider the usefulness of a new mixed-methods approach to evaluate the student-centredness of teaching and learning on undergraduate medical courses. An essential paradigm for the evaluation was the coherence between how teachers conceptualise their practice (espoused theories) and their actual practice (theories-in-use). Methods The context was a module within an integrated basic sciences course in an undergraduate medical degree programme. The programme had an explicit intention of providing a student-centred curriculum. A content analysis framework based on Weimer’s dimensions of student-centred teaching was used to analyze data collected from individual interviews with seven teachers to identify espoused theories and 34h of classroom observations and one student focus group to identify theories-in-use. The interviewees were identified by purposeful sampling. The findings from the three methods were triangulated to evaluate the student-centredness of teaching and learning on the course. Results Different, but complementary, perspectives of the student-centredness of teaching and learning were identified by each method. The triangulation of the findings revealed coherence between the teachers’ espoused theories and theories-in-use. Conclusions A mixed-methods approach that combined classroom observations with interviews from a purposeful sample of teachers and students offered a useful evaluation of the extent of student-centredness of teaching and learning of this basic science course. Our case study suggests that this new approach is applicable to other courses in medical education. PMID:25341225

Comparative evaluation of ultrasound scanner accuracy in distance measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Branca, F. P.; Sciuto, S. A.; Scorza, A.

2012-10-01

The aim of the present study is to develop and compare two different automatic methods for accuracy evaluation in ultrasound phantom measurements on B-mode images: both of them give as a result the relative error e between measured distances, performed by 14 brand new ultrasound medical scanners, and nominal distances, among nylon wires embedded in a reference test object. The first method is based on a least squares estimation, while the second one applies the mean value of the same distance evaluated at different locations in ultrasound image (same distance method). Results for both of them are proposed and explained.

Benchmarking Data Sets for the Evaluation of Virtual Ligand Screening Methods: Review and Perspectives.

PubMed

Lagarde, Nathalie; Zagury, Jean-François; Montes, Matthieu

2015-07-27

Virtual screening methods are commonly used nowadays in drug discovery processes. However, to ensure their reliability, they have to be carefully evaluated. The evaluation of these methods is often realized in a retrospective way, notably by studying the enrichment of benchmarking data sets. To this purpose, numerous benchmarking data sets were developed over the years, and the resulting improvements led to the availability of high quality benchmarking data sets. However, some points still have to be considered in the selection of the active compounds, decoys, and protein structures to obtain optimal benchmarking data sets.

Evaluation of DuPont Qualicon Bax System PCR assay for yeast and mold.

PubMed

Wallace, F Morgan; Burns, Frank; Fleck, Lois; Andaloro, Bridget; Farnum, Andrew; Tice, George; Ruebl, Joanne

2010-01-01

Evaluations were conducted to test the performance of the BAX System PCR assay which was certified as Performance Tested Method 010902 for screening yeast and mold in yogurt, corn starch, and milk-based powdered infant formula. Method comparison studies performed on samples with low-level inoculates showed that the BAX System demonstrates a sensitivity equivalent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Bacteriological Analytical Manual culture method, but with a significantly shorter time to obtain results. Tests to evaluate inclusivity and exclusivity returned no false-negative and no false-positive results on a diverse panel of isolates, and tests for lot-to-lot variability and tablet stability demonstrated consistent performance. Ruggedness studies determined that none of the factors examined affected the performance of the assay.

[Studies on HPLC fingerprint chromatogram of Folium Fici Microcarpa].

PubMed

Fang, Zhi-Jian; Dai, Zhen; Li, Shu-Yuan

2008-10-01

To establish a sensitive and specific method for quality control of Folium Fici Microcarpa, HPLC method was applied for studies on the fingerprint chromatogram of Folium Fici Microcarpa. Isovitexin was used as reference substance to evaluate the chromatogram of 10 samples from different regions and 12 samples collected in different months. The result revealed that all the chromatographic peaks were seperated efficiently. There were 17 common peaks showed in the fingerprint chromatogram. The method of fingerprint chromatogram with characteristic and specificity will be used to identify the quality and evaluate different origins and collection period of Folium Fici Microcarpa.

Emlen funnel experiments revisited: methods update for studying compass orientation in songbirds.

PubMed

Bianco, Giuseppe; Ilieva, Mihaela; Veibäck, Clas; Öfjäll, Kristoffer; Gadomska, Alicja; Hendeby, Gustaf; Felsberg, Michael; Gustafsson, Fredrik; Åkesson, Susanne

2016-10-01

Migratory songbirds carry an inherited capacity to migrate several thousand kilometers each year crossing continental landmasses and barriers between distant breeding sites and wintering areas. How individual songbirds manage with extreme precision to find their way is still largely unknown. The functional characteristics of biological compasses used by songbird migrants has mainly been investigated by recording the birds directed migratory activity in circular cages, so-called Emlen funnels. This method is 50 years old and has not received major updates over the past decades. The aim of this work was to compare the results from newly developed digital methods with the established manual methods to evaluate songbird migratory activity and orientation in circular cages.We performed orientation experiments using the European robin ( Erithacus rubecula ) using modified Emlen funnels equipped with thermal paper and simultaneously recorded the songbird movements from above. We evaluated and compared the results obtained with five different methods. Two methods have been commonly used in songbirds' orientation experiments; the other three methods were developed for this study and were based either on evaluation of the thermal paper using automated image analysis, or on the analysis of videos recorded during the experiment.The methods used to evaluate scratches produced by the claws of birds on the thermal papers presented some differences compared with the video analyses. These differences were caused mainly by differences in scatter, as any movement of the bird along the sloping walls of the funnel was recorded on the thermal paper, whereas video evaluations allowed us to detect single takeoff attempts by the birds and to consider only this behavior in the orientation analyses. Using computer vision, we were also able to identify and separately evaluate different behaviors that were impossible to record by the thermal paper.The traditional Emlen funnel is still the most used method to investigate compass orientation in songbirds under controlled conditions. However, new numerical image analysis techniques provide a much higher level of detail of songbirds' migratory behavior and will provide an increasing number of possibilities to evaluate and quantify specific behaviors as new algorithms will be developed.

Three-dimensional welding residual stresses evaluation based on the eigenstrain methodology via X-ray measurements at the surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogawa, Masaru

2014-12-01

In order to assure structural integrity for operating welded structures, it is necessary to evaluate crack growth rate and crack propagation direction for each observed crack non-destructively. Here, three dimensional (3D) welding residual stresses must be evaluated to predict crack propagation. Today, X-ray diffraction is used and the ultrasonic method has been proposed as non-destructive method to measure residual stresses. However, it is impossible to determine residual stress distributions in the thickness direction. Although residual stresses through a depth of several tens of millimeters can be evaluated non-destructively by neutron diffraction, it cannot be used as an on-site measurement technique. This is because neutron diffraction is only available in special irradiation facilities. Author pays attention to the bead flush method based on the eigenstrain methodology. In this method, 3D welding residual stresses are calculated by an elastic Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis from eigenstrains which are evaluated by an inverse analysis from released strains by strain gauges in the removal of the reinforcement of the weld. Here, the removal of the excess metal can be regarded as non-destructive treatment because toe of weld which may become crack starters can be eliminated. The effectiveness of the method has been proven for welded plates and pipes even with relatively lower bead height. In actual measurements, stress evaluation accuracy becomes poorer because measured values of strain gauges are affected by processing strains on the machined surface. In the previous studies, the author has developed the bead flush method that is free from the influence of the affecting strains by using residual strains on surface by X-ray diffraction. However, stress evaluation accuracy is not good enough because of relatively poor measurement accuracy of X-ray diffraction. In this study, a method to improve the estimation accuracy of residual stresses in this method is formulated, and it is shown numerically that inner welding residual stresses can be estimated accurately from the residual strains measured by X-ray diffraction.

Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group guidance series-paper 5: methods for integrating qualitative and implementation evidence within intervention effectiveness reviews.

PubMed

Harden, Angela; Thomas, James; Cargo, Margaret; Harris, Janet; Pantoja, Tomas; Flemming, Kate; Booth, Andrew; Garside, Ruth; Hannes, Karin; Noyes, Jane

2018-05-01

The Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group develops and publishes guidance on the synthesis of qualitative and mixed-method evidence from process evaluations. Despite a proliferation of methods for the synthesis of qualitative research, less attention has focused on how to integrate these syntheses within intervention effectiveness reviews. In this article, we report updated guidance from the group on approaches, methods, and tools, which can be used to integrate the findings from quantitative studies evaluating intervention effectiveness with those from qualitative studies and process evaluations. We draw on conceptual analyses of mixed methods systematic review designs and the range of methods and tools that have been used in published reviews that have successfully integrated different types of evidence. We outline five key methods and tools as devices for integration which vary in terms of the levels at which integration takes place; the specialist skills and expertise required within the review team; and their appropriateness in the context of limited evidence. In situations where the requirement is the integration of qualitative and process evidence within intervention effectiveness reviews, we recommend the use of a sequential approach. Here, evidence from each tradition is synthesized separately using methods consistent with each tradition before integration takes place using a common framework. Reviews which integrate qualitative and process evaluation evidence alongside quantitative evidence on intervention effectiveness in a systematic way are rare. This guidance aims to support review teams to achieve integration and we encourage further development through reflection and formal testing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Empirical evaluation of data normalization methods for molecular classification

PubMed Central

Huang, Huei-Chung

2018-01-01

Background Data artifacts due to variations in experimental handling are ubiquitous in microarray studies, and they can lead to biased and irreproducible findings. A popular approach to correct for such artifacts is through post hoc data adjustment such as data normalization. Statistical methods for data normalization have been developed and evaluated primarily for the discovery of individual molecular biomarkers. Their performance has rarely been studied for the development of multi-marker molecular classifiers—an increasingly important application of microarrays in the era of personalized medicine. Methods In this study, we set out to evaluate the performance of three commonly used methods for data normalization in the context of molecular classification, using extensive simulations based on re-sampling from a unique pair of microRNA microarray datasets for the same set of samples. The data and code for our simulations are freely available as R packages at GitHub. Results In the presence of confounding handling effects, all three normalization methods tended to improve the accuracy of the classifier when evaluated in an independent test data. The level of improvement and the relative performance among the normalization methods depended on the relative level of molecular signal, the distributional pattern of handling effects (e.g., location shift vs scale change), and the statistical method used for building the classifier. In addition, cross-validation was associated with biased estimation of classification accuracy in the over-optimistic direction for all three normalization methods. Conclusion Normalization may improve the accuracy of molecular classification for data with confounding handling effects; however, it cannot circumvent the over-optimistic findings associated with cross-validation for assessing classification accuracy. PMID:29666754

Study on evaluation index system of operational performance of municipal wastewater treatment plants in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiaoxin, Zhang; Jin, Huang; Ling, Lin; Yan, Li

2018-05-01

According to the undeveloped evaluation method for the operational performance of the municipal wastewater treatment plants, this paper analyzes the policies related to sewage treatment industry based on the investigation of the municipal wastewater treatment plants. The applicable evaluation method for the operational performance was proposed from environmental protection performance, resources and energy consumption, technical and economic performance, production management and main equipment, providing a reliable basis for scientific evaluation of the operation as well as improving the operational performance of municipal wastewater treatment plant.

Rationale, design and methods for process evaluation in the HEALTHY study.

PubMed

Schneider, M; Hall, W J; Hernandez, A E; Hindes, K; Montez, G; Pham, T; Rosen, L; Sleigh, A; Thompson, D; Volpe, S L; Zeveloff, A; Steckler, A

2009-08-01

The HEALTHY study was a multi-site randomized trial designed to determine whether a 3-year school-based intervention targeting nutrition and physical activity behaviors could effectively reduce risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes in middle school children. Pilot and formative studies were conducted to inform the development of the intervention components and the process evaluation methods for the main trial. During the main trial, both qualitative and quantitative assessments monitored the fidelity of the intervention and motivated modifications to improve intervention delivery. Structured observations of physical education classes, total school food environments, classroom-based educational modules, and communications and promotional campaigns provided verification that the intervention was delivered as intended. Interviews and focus groups yielded a multidimensional assessment of how the intervention was delivered and received, as well as identifying the barriers to and facilitators of the intervention across and within participating schools. Interim summaries of process evaluation data were presented to the study group as a means of ensuring standardization and quality of the intervention across the seven participating centers. Process evaluation methods and procedures documented the fidelity with which the HEALTHY study was implemented across 21 intervention schools and identified ways in which the intervention delivery might be enhanced throughout the study.

[Explore method about post-marketing safety re-evaluation of Chinese patent medicines based on HIS database in real world].

PubMed

Yang, Wei; Xie, Yanming; Zhuang, Yan

2011-10-01

There are many kinds of Chinese traditional patent medicine used in clinical practice and many adverse events have been reported by clinical professionals. Chinese patent medicine's safety problems are the most concerned by patients and physicians. At present, many researchers have studied re-evaluation methods about post marketing Chinese medicine safety inside and outside China. However, it is rare that using data from hospital information system (HIS) to re-evaluating post marketing Chinese traditional patent medicine safety problems. HIS database in real world is a good resource with rich information to research medicine safety. This study planed to analyze HIS data selected from ten top general hospitals in Beijing, formed a large HIS database in real world with a capacity of 1 000 000 cases in total after a series of data cleaning and integrating procedures. This study could be a new project that using information to evaluate traditional Chinese medicine safety based on HIS database. A clear protocol has been completed as for the first step for the whole study. The protocol is as follows. First of all, separate each of the Chinese traditional patent medicines existing in the total HIS database as a single database. Secondly, select some related laboratory tests indexes as the safety evaluating outcomes, such as routine blood, routine urine, feces routine, conventional coagulation, liver function, kidney function and other tests. Thirdly, use the data mining method to analyze those selected safety outcomes which had abnormal change before and after using Chinese patent medicines. Finally, judge the relationship between those abnormal changing and Chinese patent medicine. We hope this method could imply useful information to Chinese medicine researchers interested in safety evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine.

Estimation of river pollution index in a tidal stream using kriging analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Yen-Chang; Yeh, Hui-Chung; Wei, Chiang

2012-08-29

Tidal streams are complex watercourses that represent a transitional zone between riverine and marine systems; they occur where fresh and marine waters converge. Because tidal circulation processes cause substantial turbulence in these highly dynamic zones, tidal streams are the most productive of water bodies. Their rich biological diversity, combined with the convenience of land and water transports, provide sites for concentrated populations that evolve into large cities. Domestic wastewater is generally discharged directly into tidal streams in Taiwan, necessitating regular evaluation of the water quality of these streams. Given the complex flow dynamics of tidal streams, only a few models can effectively evaluate and identify pollution levels. This study evaluates the river pollution index (RPI) in tidal streams by using kriging analysis. This is a geostatistical method for interpolating random spatial variation to estimate linear grid points in two or three dimensions. A kriging-based method is developed to evaluate RPI in tidal streams, which is typically considered as 1D in hydraulic engineering. The proposed method efficiently evaluates RPI in tidal streams with the minimum amount of water quality data. Data of the Tanshui River downstream reach available from an estuarine area validate the accuracy and reliability of the proposed method. Results of this study demonstrate that this simple yet reliable method can effectively estimate RPI in tidal streams.

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND GROUND VERIFICATION AT POWER PLANT SITES: WISCONSIN POWER PLANT IMPACT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

This study demonstrated and evaluated nine methods for monitoring the deterioration of a large wetland on the site of a newly-constructed coal-fired power plant in Columbia, County, Wisconsin. Four of the nine methods used data from ground sampling; two were remote sensing method...

Consortium on Methods Evaluating Tobacco: Research Tools to Inform FDA Regulation of Snus.

PubMed

Berman, Micah L; Bickel, Warren K; Harris, Andrew C; LeSage, Mark G; O'Connor, Richard J; Stepanov, Irina; Shields, Peter G; Hatsukami, Dorothy K

2017-10-04

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has purview over tobacco products. To set policy, the FDA must rely on sound science, yet most existing tobacco research methods have not been designed to specifically inform regulation. The NCI and FDA-funded Consortium on Methods Evaluating Tobacco (COMET) was established to develop and assess valid and reliable methods for tobacco product evaluation. The goal of this paper is to describe these assessment methods using a U.S. manufactured "snus" as the test product. In designing studies that could inform FDA regulation, COMET has taken a multidisciplinary approach that includes experimental animal models and a range of human studies that examine tobacco product appeal, addictiveness, and toxicity. This paper integrates COMET's findings over the last 4 years. Consistency in results was observed across the various studies, lending validity to our methods. Studies showed low abuse liability for snus and low levels of consumer demand. Toxicity was less than cigarettes on some biomarkers but higher than medicinal nicotine. Using our study methods and the convergence of results, the snus that we tested as a potential modified risk tobacco product is likely to neither result in substantial public health harm nor benefit. This review describes methods that were used to assess the appeal, abuse liability, and toxicity of snus. These methods included animal, behavioral economics, and consumer perception studies, and clinical trials. Across these varied methods, study results showed low abuse-liability and appeal of the snus product we tested. In several studies, demand for snus was lower than for less toxic nicotine gum. The consistency and convergence of results across a range of multi-disciplinary studies lends validity to our methods and suggests that promotion of snus as a modified risk tobacco products is unlikely to produce substantial public health benefit or harm. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Performance Evaluation and Online Realization of Data-driven Normalization Methods Used in LC/MS based Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis.

PubMed

Li, Bo; Tang, Jing; Yang, Qingxia; Cui, Xuejiao; Li, Shuang; Chen, Sijie; Cao, Quanxing; Xue, Weiwei; Chen, Na; Zhu, Feng

2016-12-13

In untargeted metabolomics analysis, several factors (e.g., unwanted experimental &biological variations and technical errors) may hamper the identification of differential metabolic features, which requires the data-driven normalization approaches before feature selection. So far, ≥16 normalization methods have been widely applied for processing the LC/MS based metabolomics data. However, the performance and the sample size dependence of those methods have not yet been exhaustively compared and no online tool for comparatively and comprehensively evaluating the performance of all 16 normalization methods has been provided. In this study, a comprehensive comparison on these methods was conducted. As a result, 16 methods were categorized into three groups based on their normalization performances across various sample sizes. The VSN, the Log Transformation and the PQN were identified as methods of the best normalization performance, while the Contrast consistently underperformed across all sub-datasets of different benchmark data. Moreover, an interactive web tool comprehensively evaluating the performance of 16 methods specifically for normalizing LC/MS based metabolomics data was constructed and hosted at http://server.idrb.cqu.edu.cn/MetaPre/. In summary, this study could serve as a useful guidance to the selection of suitable normalization methods in analyzing the LC/MS based metabolomics data.

Performance Evaluation and Online Realization of Data-driven Normalization Methods Used in LC/MS based Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis

PubMed Central

Li, Bo; Tang, Jing; Yang, Qingxia; Cui, Xuejiao; Li, Shuang; Chen, Sijie; Cao, Quanxing; Xue, Weiwei; Chen, Na; Zhu, Feng

2016-01-01

In untargeted metabolomics analysis, several factors (e.g., unwanted experimental & biological variations and technical errors) may hamper the identification of differential metabolic features, which requires the data-driven normalization approaches before feature selection. So far, ≥16 normalization methods have been widely applied for processing the LC/MS based metabolomics data. However, the performance and the sample size dependence of those methods have not yet been exhaustively compared and no online tool for comparatively and comprehensively evaluating the performance of all 16 normalization methods has been provided. In this study, a comprehensive comparison on these methods was conducted. As a result, 16 methods were categorized into three groups based on their normalization performances across various sample sizes. The VSN, the Log Transformation and the PQN were identified as methods of the best normalization performance, while the Contrast consistently underperformed across all sub-datasets of different benchmark data. Moreover, an interactive web tool comprehensively evaluating the performance of 16 methods specifically for normalizing LC/MS based metabolomics data was constructed and hosted at http://server.idrb.cqu.edu.cn/MetaPre/. In summary, this study could serve as a useful guidance to the selection of suitable normalization methods in analyzing the LC/MS based metabolomics data. PMID:27958387

Comparing different methods for assessing contaminant bioavailability during sediment remediation.

PubMed

Jia, Fang; Liao, Chunyang; Xue, Jiaying; Taylor, Allison; Gan, Jay

2016-12-15

Sediment contamination by persistent organic pollutants from historical episodes is widespread and remediation is often needed to clean up severely contaminated sites. Measuring contaminant bioavailability in a before-and-after manner lends to improved assessment of remediation effectiveness. However, a number of bioavailability measurement methods have been developed, posing a challenge in method selection for practitioners. In this study, three different bioavailability measurement methods, i.e., solid phase microextraction (SPME), Tenax desorption, and isotope dilution method (IDM), were compared in evaluating changes in bioavailability of DDT and its degradates in sediment following simulated remediation treatments. When compared to the unamended sediments, all three methods predicted essentially the same degrees of changes in bioavailability after amendment with activated carbon, charcoal or sand. After normalizing over the unamended control, measurements by different methods were linearly correlated with each other, with slopes close to 1. The same observation was further made with a Superfund site marine sediment. This finding suggests that different methods may be used in evaluating remediation efficiency. However, Tenax desorption or IDM consistently offered better sensitivity than SPME in detecting bioavailability changes. Results from this study highlight the value of considering bioavailability when evaluating remediation effectiveness and provide guidance on the selection of bioavailability measurement methods in such assessments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Online survey software as a data collection tool for medical education: A case study on lesson plan assessment

PubMed Central

Kimiafar, Khalil; Sarbaz, Masoumeh; Sheikhtaheri, Abbas

2016-01-01

Background: There are no general strategies or tools to evaluate daily lesson plans; however, assessments conducted using traditional methods usually include course plans. This study aimed to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of online survey software in collecting data on education in medical fields and the application of such softwares to evaluate students' views and modification of lesson plans. Methods: After investigating the available online survey software, esurveypro was selected for assessing daily lesson plans. After using the software for one semester, a questionnaire was prepared to assess the advantages and disadvantages of this method and students’ views in a cross-sectional study. Results: The majority of the students (51.7%) rated the evaluation of classes per session (lesson plans) using the online survey as useful or very useful. About 51% (n=36) of the students considered this method effective in improving the management of each session, 67.1% (n=47) considered it effective in improving the management of sessions for the next semester, and 51.4% (n=36) said it had a high impact on improving the educational content of subsequent sessions. Finally, 61.4% (n=43) students expressed high and very high levels of satisfaction with using an online survey at each session. Conclusion: The use of online surveys may be appropriate to improve lesson plans and educational planning at different levels. This method can be used for other evaluations and for assessing people’s opinions at different levels of an educational system. PMID:28491839

A Method for Evaluating Information Security Governance (ISG) Components in Banking Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ula, M.; Ula, M.; Fuadi, W.

2017-02-01

As modern banking increasingly relies on the internet and computer technologies to operate their businesses and market interactions, the threats and security breaches have highly increased in recent years. Insider and outsider attacks have caused global businesses lost trillions of Dollars a year. Therefore, that is a need for a proper framework to govern the information security in the banking system. The aim of this research is to propose and design an enhanced method to evaluate information security governance (ISG) implementation in banking environment. This research examines and compares the elements from the commonly used information security governance frameworks, standards and best practices. Their strength and weakness are considered in its approaches. The initial framework for governing the information security in banking system was constructed from document review. The framework was categorized into three levels which are Governance level, Managerial level, and technical level. The study further conducts an online survey for banking security professionals to get their professional judgment about the ISG most critical components and the importance for each ISG component that should be implemented in banking environment. Data from the survey was used to construct a mathematical model for ISG evaluation, component importance data used as weighting coefficient for the related component in the mathematical model. The research further develops a method for evaluating ISG implementation in banking based on the mathematical model. The proposed method was tested through real bank case study in an Indonesian local bank. The study evidently proves that the proposed method has sufficient coverage of ISG in banking environment and effectively evaluates the ISG implementation in banking environment.

Laboratory evaluation of friction loss and compactability of asphalt mixtures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-04-01

This study aimed to develop prediction models for friction loss and laboratory compaction of asphalt : mixtures. In addition, the study evaluated the effect of compaction level and compaction method of skid : resistance and the internal structure of ...

Metal pipe coupling study : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-11-01

The specific aims of the study were: (1) to establish a standard design for the watertight coupling systems for the various kinds of metal culvert pipe and to evaluate the test method for determining watertight systems, (2) to evaluate seam connectio...

42 CFR 456.142 - UR plan requirements for medical care evaluation studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... evaluation studies. (a) The UR plan must describe the methods that the committee uses to select and conduct... needed to— (i) Correct or investigate further any deficiencies or problems in the review process for...

Development of a Nationally Coordinated Evaluation Plan for the Ghana National Strategy for Key Populations

PubMed Central

Reynolds, Heidi W; Atuahene, Kyeremeh; Sutherland, Elizabeth; Amenyah, Richard; Kwao, Isaiah Doe; Larbi, Emmanuel Tettey

2015-01-01

Objective Just as HIV prevention programs need to be tailored to the local epidemic, so should evaluations be country-owned and country-led to ensure use of those results in decision making and policy. The objective of this paper is to describe the process undertaken in Ghana to develop a national evaluation plan for the Ghana national strategy for key populations. Methods This was a participatory process that involved meetings between the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), other partners in Ghana working to prevent HIV among key populations, and MEASURE Evaluation. The process included three two-day, highly structured yet participatory meetings over the course of 12 months during which participants shared information about on-going and planned data and identified research questions and methods. Results An evaluation plan was prepared to inform stakeholders about which data collection activities need to be prioritized for funding, who would implement the study, the timing of data collection, the research question the data will help answer, and the analysis methods. The plan discusses various methods that can be used including the recommendation for the study design using multiple data sources. It has an evaluation conceptual model, proposed analyses, proposed definition of independent variables, estimated costs for filling data gaps, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders to carry out the plan, and considerations for ethics, data sharing and authorship. Conclusion The experience demonstrates that it is possible to design an evaluation responsive to national strategies and priorities with country leadership, regardless of stakeholders' experiences with evaluations. This process may be replicable elsewhere, where stakeholders want to plan and implement an evaluation of a large-scale program at the national or subnational level that is responsive to national priorities and part of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system. PMID:26120495

Testing and refining the Science in Risk Assessment and Policy (SciRAP) web-based platform for evaluating the reliability and relevance of in vivo toxicity studies.

PubMed

Beronius, Anna; Molander, Linda; Zilliacus, Johanna; Rudén, Christina; Hanberg, Annika

2018-05-28

The Science in Risk Assessment and Policy (SciRAP) web-based platform was developed to promote and facilitate structure and transparency in the evaluation of ecotoxicity and toxicity studies for hazard and risk assessment of chemicals. The platform includes sets of criteria and a colour-coding tool for evaluating the reliability and relevance of individual studies. The SciRAP method for evaluating in vivo toxicity studies was first published in 2014 and the aim of the work presented here was to evaluate and develop that method further. Toxicologists and risk assessors from different sectors and geographical areas were invited to test the SciRAP criteria and tool on a specific set of in vivo toxicity studies and to provide feedback concerning the scientific soundness and user-friendliness of the SciRAP approach. The results of this expert assessment were used to refine and improve both the evaluation criteria and the colour-coding tool. It is expected that the SciRAP web-based platform will continue to be developed and enhanced to keep up to date with the needs of end-users. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Real-Time Tracking of Knee Adduction Moment in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

PubMed Central

Kang, Sang Hoon; Lee, Song Joo; Zhang, Li-Qun

2014-01-01

Background The external knee adduction moment (EKAM) is closely associated with the presence, progression, and severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is a lack of convenient and practical method to estimate and track in real-time the EKAM of patients with knee OA for clinical evaluation and gait training, especially outside of gait laboratories. New Method A real-time EKAM estimation method was developed and applied to track and investigate the EKAM and other knee moments during stepping on an elliptical trainer in both healthy subjects and a patient with knee OA. Results Substantial changes were observed in the EKAM and other knee moments during stepping in the patient with knee OA. Comparison with Existing Method(s) This is the first study to develop and test feasibility of real-time tracking method of the EKAM on patients with knee OA using 3-D inverse dynamics. Conclusions The study provides us an accurate and practical method to evaluate in real-time the critical EKAM associated with knee OA, which is expected to help us to diagnose and evaluate patients with knee OA and provide the patients with real-time EKAM feedback rehabilitation training. PMID:24361759

Did you have an impact? A theory-based method for planning and evaluating knowledge-transfer and exchange activities in occupational health and safety.

PubMed

Kramer, Desré M; Wells, Richard P; Carlan, Nicolette; Aversa, Theresa; Bigelow, Philip P; Dixon, Shane M; McMillan, Keith

2013-01-01

Few evaluation tools are available to assess knowledge-transfer and exchange interventions. The objective of this paper is to develop and demonstrate a theory-based knowledge-transfer and exchange method of evaluation (KEME) that synthesizes 3 theoretical frameworks: the promoting action on research implementation of health services (PARiHS) model, the transtheoretical model of change, and a model of knowledge use. It proposes a new term, keme, to mean a unit of evidence-based transferable knowledge. The usefulness of the evaluation method is demonstrated with 4 occupational health and safety knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) implementation case studies that are based upon the analysis of over 50 pre-existing interviews. The usefulness of the evaluation model has enabled us to better understand stakeholder feedback, frame our interpretation, and perform a more comprehensive evaluation of the knowledge use outcomes of our KTE efforts.

Assessment of the effect of population and diary sampling methods on estimation of school-age children exposure to fine particles.

PubMed

Che, W W; Frey, H Christopher; Lau, Alexis K H

2014-12-01

Population and diary sampling methods are employed in exposure models to sample simulated individuals and their daily activity on each simulation day. Different sampling methods may lead to variations in estimated human exposure. In this study, two population sampling methods (stratified-random and random-random) and three diary sampling methods (random resampling, diversity and autocorrelation, and Markov-chain cluster [MCC]) are evaluated. Their impacts on estimated children's exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5 ) are quantified via case studies for children in Wake County, NC for July 2002. The estimated mean daily average exposure is 12.9 μg/m(3) for simulated children using the stratified population sampling method, and 12.2 μg/m(3) using the random sampling method. These minor differences are caused by the random sampling among ages within census tracts. Among the three diary sampling methods, there are differences in the estimated number of individuals with multiple days of exposures exceeding a benchmark of concern of 25 μg/m(3) due to differences in how multiday longitudinal diaries are estimated. The MCC method is relatively more conservative. In case studies evaluated here, the MCC method led to 10% higher estimation of the number of individuals with repeated exposures exceeding the benchmark. The comparisons help to identify and contrast the capabilities of each method and to offer insight regarding implications of method choice. Exposure simulation results are robust to the two population sampling methods evaluated, and are sensitive to the choice of method for simulating longitudinal diaries, particularly when analyzing results for specific microenvironments or for exposures exceeding a benchmark of concern. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Methodology of ETV Formative Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duby, Aliza

Formative evaluation is discussed as it relates to educational television (ETV). Formative evaluation, used to improve a project during its development, is especially valuable in the production of television programs. Methods useful in the formative evaluation of ETV are: (1) try-out studies; (2) learner verification and revision; (3)…

Utilizing formative evaluation to enhance the understanding of chemistry and the methods and procedures of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pizzini, Edward L.; Treagust, David F.; Cody, John

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not formative evaluation could facilitate goal attainment in a biochemistry course and produce desired learning outcomes consistently by altering course materials and/or instruction. Formative evaluation procedures included the administration of the Inorganic-Organic-Biological Chemistry Test Form 1974 and the Methods and Procedures of Science test to course participants over three consecutive years. A one group pretest-post-test design was used. The statistical analysis involved the use of the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test. The study involved 64 participants. The findings indicate that the use of formative evaluation can be effective in producing desired learning outcomes to facilitate goal attainment.

The Evaluation of Industry Practical of Mechanical Engineering in Vocational Education: A CIPP Model Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamaludin, M.; Munawar, W.; Mahdan, D.; Simanjuntak, M. V.; Wendi, H. F.

2018-02-01

The learning system is not only studied on campus but also practicing in the world of work. Industry Practical aims to enable students to develop their skills in accordance with the real world of work. To know the success of the implementation of industry practical program then held evaluation. The evaluation of the program in this study used the CIPP evaluation approach (Context, Input, Process, Product). The purpose of this research is to know the extent of achievement and success of industry practical program at vocational school in Bandung with descriptive research method using mix method approach. The sample in this research is students majoring in mechanical engineering in the city of Bandung who have done industry practical.

Applying Propensity Score Methods in Medical Research: Pitfalls and Prospects

PubMed Central

Luo, Zhehui; Gardiner, Joseph C.; Bradley, Cathy J.

2012-01-01

The authors review experimental and nonexperimental causal inference methods, focusing on assumptions for the validity of instrumental variables and propensity score (PS) methods. They provide guidance in four areas for the analysis and reporting of PS methods in medical research and selectively evaluate mainstream medical journal articles from 2000 to 2005 in the four areas, namely, examination of balance, overlapping support description, use of estimated PS for evaluation of treatment effect, and sensitivity analyses. In spite of the many pitfalls, when appropriately evaluated and applied, PS methods can be powerful tools in assessing average treatment effects in observational studies. Appropriate PS applications can create experimental conditions using observational data when randomized controlled trials are not feasible and, thus, lead researchers to an efficient estimator of the average treatment effect. PMID:20442340

Effectiveness of a five-step method for teaching clinical skills to students in a dental college in India.

PubMed

Virdi, Mandeep S; Sood, Meenakshi

2011-11-01

This study conducted at the PDM Dental College and Research Institute, Haryana, India, had the purpose of developing a teaching method based upon a five-step method for teaching clinical skills to students proposed by the American College of Surgeons. This five-step teaching method was used to place fissure sealants as an initial procedure by dental students in clinics. The sealant retention was used as an objective evaluation of the skill learnt by the students. The sealant retention was 92 percent at six- and twelve-month evaluations and 90 percent at the eighteen-month evaluation. These results indicate that simple methods can be devised for teaching clinical skills and achieve high success rates in clinical procedures requiring multiple steps.

Chapter 21: Estimating Net Savings - Common Practices. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

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

Kurnik, Charles W; Violette, Daniel M.; Rathbun, Pamela

This chapter focuses on the methods used to estimate net energy savings in evaluation, measurement, and verification (EM and V) studies for energy efficiency (EE) programs. The chapter provides a definition of net savings, which remains an unsettled topic both within the EE evaluation community and across the broader public policy evaluation community, particularly in the context of attribution of savings to a program. The chapter differs from the measure-specific Uniform Methods Project (UMP) chapters in both its approach and work product. Unlike other UMP resources that provide recommended protocols for determining gross energy savings, this chapter describes and comparesmore » the current industry practices for determining net energy savings but does not prescribe methods.« less

Analysis of neighborhood behavior in lead optimization and array design.

PubMed

Papadatos, George; Cooper, Anthony W J; Kadirkamanathan, Visakan; Macdonald, Simon J F; McLay, Iain M; Pickett, Stephen D; Pritchard, John M; Willett, Peter; Gillet, Valerie J

2009-02-01

Neighborhood behavior describes the extent to which small structural changes defined by a molecular descriptor are likely to lead to small property changes. This study evaluates two methods for the quantification of neighborhood behavior: the optimal diagonal method of Patterson et al. and the optimality criterion method of Horvath and Jeandenans. The methods are evaluated using twelve different types of fingerprint (both 2D and 3D) with screening data derived from several lead optimization projects at GlaxoSmithKline. The principal focus of the work is the design of chemical arrays during lead optimization, and the study hence considers not only biological activity but also important drug properties such as metabolic stability, permeability, and lipophilicity. Evidence is provided to suggest that the optimality criterion method may provide a better quantitative description of neighborhood behavior than the optimal diagonal method.

Measurement System Analyses - Gauge Repeatability and Reproducibility Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cepova, Lenka; Kovacikova, Andrea; Cep, Robert; Klaput, Pavel; Mizera, Ondrej

2018-02-01

The submitted article focuses on a detailed explanation of the average and range method (Automotive Industry Action Group, Measurement System Analysis approach) and of the honest Gauge Repeatability and Reproducibility method (Evaluating the Measurement Process approach). The measured data (thickness of plastic parts) were evaluated by both methods and their results were compared on the basis of numerical evaluation. Both methods were additionally compared and their advantages and disadvantages were discussed. One difference between both methods is the calculation of variation components. The AIAG method calculates the variation components based on standard deviation (then a sum of variation components does not give 100 %) and the honest GRR study calculates the variation components based on variance, where the sum of all variation components (part to part variation, EV & AV) gives the total variation of 100 %. Acceptance of both methods among the professional society, future use, and acceptance by manufacturing industry were also discussed. Nowadays, the AIAG is the leading method in the industry.

Economic evaluation in patient safety: a literature review of methods.

PubMed

de Rezende, Bruna Alves; Or, Zeynep; Com-Ruelle, Laure; Michel, Philippe

2012-06-01

Patient safety practices, targeting organisational changes for improving patient safety, are implemented worldwide but their costs are rarely evaluated. This paper provides a review of the methods used in economic evaluation of such practices. International medical and economics databases were searched for peer-reviewed publications on economic evaluations of patient safety between 2000 and 2010 in English and French. This was complemented by a manual search of the reference lists of relevant papers. Grey literature was excluded. Studies were described using a standardised template and assessed independently by two researchers according to six quality criteria. 33 articles were reviewed that were representative of different patient safety domains, data types and evaluation methods. 18 estimated the economic burden of adverse events, 3 measured the costs of patient safety practices and 12 provided complete economic evaluations. Healthcare-associated infections were the most common subject of evaluation, followed by medication-related errors and all types of adverse events. Of these, 10 were selected that had adequately fulfilled one or several key quality criteria for illustration. This review shows that full cost-benefit/utility evaluations are rarely completed as they are resource intensive and often require unavailable data; some overcome these difficulties by performing stochastic modelling and by using secondary sources. Low methodological transparency can be a problem for building evidence from available economic evaluations. Investing in the economic design and reporting of studies with more emphasis on defining study perspectives, data collection and methodological choices could be helpful for strengthening our knowledge base on practices for improving patient safety.

The effect of active learning methodologies on the teaching of pharmaceutical care in a Brazilian pharmacy faculty.

PubMed

Mesquita, Alessandra R; Souza, Werlissandra M; Boaventura, Thays C; Barros, Izadora M C; Antoniolli, Angelo R; Silva, Wellington B; Lyra Júnior, Divaldo P

2015-01-01

In recent years, pharmacists have been involved in expanded patient care responsibilities, for example patient counseling in self-medication, medication review and pharmaceutical care, which require graduates to develop the necessary competences. Consequently, reorientation of pharmacy education has become necessary. As such, active learning strategies have been introduced into classrooms to increase problem-solving and critical thinking skills of students. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and perceptions of competency of students in a new pharmaceutical care course that uses active learning methodologies. This pharmaceutical care course was conducted in the first semester of 2014, in the Federal University of Sergipe. In the pharmaceutical care course, active learning methods were used, consisting of dialogic classroom expository, simulation and case studies. Student learning was evaluated using classroom tests and instruments that evaluated the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice. Furthermore, students' satisfaction with the course was evaluated. Thirty-three students completed the four evaluations used in the course (i.e., a discursive written exam, seminars, OSCE, and virtual patient); 25 were female (75.75%), and the median age was 23.43 (SD 2.82) years. The overall mean of student scores, in all evaluation methods was 7.97 (SD 0.59) on a scale of 0 to 10 points, and student performance on the virtual patient method was statistically superior to other methods. With respect to the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice, a comparison of pre- and post-test scores revealed statistically significant improvement for all evaluated competences. At the end of the semester, the students presented positive opinions of the pharmaceutical care course. The results suggest that an active learning course can enhance the learning of pharmaceutical care competences. In future studies it will be necessary to compare active learning to traditional methods.

Cross-national research on contractor evaluation procedures in public works procurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinoshita, Seiya; Sato, Naoyoshi; Matsumoto, Naoya

Contractor evaluation methods in Japan's public works procurement, beginning with construction business licensure, going through biennial preliminary firm rating, up to project-by-project prequalification and comprehensive point rating, were developed during the period when public works were mostly procured through designated competitive bidding. It is essential to focus attention on contractor evaluation methods for introducing different types of procurement procedures which enhance the use of technological capabilities held by private businesses. An overall review of contractor evaluation procedures should be conducted in view of the present situation, where the open competitive bidding has become mainly used in combination with comprehensive evaluation, as well as to allow for further diversification of procurement methods. In Western countries, improvements have been made for the past several years in contractor evaluation procedures with more emphasis on "Value for Money." Advanced efforts made by these countries will be useful as a reference for overhauling Japan's contractor evaluation system. This study conducts a comparative review of contractor evaluation procedures for public procurement in Western countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and France by identifying similarities and differences between those of Japan and the above mentioned countries. This reveals that a contractor's technical or professional ability is looked at separately from its economic and financial standing in those countries studied, and there is no case like Japan in which those two factors are integrated into one for evaluation.

Economic evaluation in collaborative hospital drug evaluation reports.

PubMed

Ortega, Ana; Fraga, María Dolores; Marín-Gil, Roberto; Lopez-Briz, Eduardo; Puigventós, Francesc; Dranitsaris, George

2015-09-01

economic evaluation is a fundamental criterion when deciding a drug's place in therapy. The MADRE method (Method for Assistance in making Decisions and Writing Drug Evaluation Reports) is widely used for drug evaluation. This method was developed by the GENESIS group of the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH), including economic evaluation. We intend to improve the economic aspects of this method. As for the direction to take, we have to first analyze our previous experiences with the current methodology and propose necessary improvements. economic evaluation sections in collaboratively conducted drug evaluation reports (as the scientific society, SEFH) with the MADRE method were reviewed retrospectively. thirty-two reports were reviewed, 87.5% of them included an economic evaluation conducted by authors and 65.6% contained published economic evaluations. In 90.6% of the reports, a Budget impact analysis was conducted. The cost per life year gained or per Quality Adjusted Life Year gained was present in 14 reports. Twenty-three reports received public comments regarding the need to improve the economic aspect. Main difficulties: low quality evidence in the target population, no comparative studies with a relevant comparator, non-final outcomes evaluated, no quality of life data, no fixed drug price available, dosing uncertainty, and different prices for the same drug. proposed improvements: incorporating different forms of aid for non-drug costs, survival estimation and adapting published economic evaluations; establishing criteria for drug price selection, decision-making in conditions of uncertainty and poor quality evidence, dose calculation and cost-effectiveness thresholds depending on different situations. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Emergy-based comparative analysis on industrial clusters: economic and technological development zone of Shenyang area, China.

PubMed

Liu, Zhe; Geng, Yong; Zhang, Pan; Dong, Huijuan; Liu, Zuoxi

2014-09-01

In China, local governments of many areas prefer to give priority to the development of heavy industrial clusters in pursuit of high value of gross domestic production (GDP) growth to get political achievements, which usually results in higher costs from ecological degradation and environmental pollution. Therefore, effective methods and reasonable evaluation system are urgently needed to evaluate the overall efficiency of industrial clusters. Emergy methods links economic and ecological systems together, which can evaluate the contribution of ecological products and services as well as the load placed on environmental systems. This method has been successfully applied in many case studies of ecosystem but seldom in industrial clusters. This study applied the methodology of emergy analysis to perform the efficiency of industrial clusters through a series of emergy-based indices as well as the proposed indicators. A case study of Shenyang Economic Technological Development Area (SETDA) was investigated to show the emergy method's practical potential to evaluate industrial clusters to inform environmental policy making. The results of our study showed that the industrial cluster of electric equipment and electronic manufacturing produced the most economic value and had the highest efficiency of energy utilization among the four industrial clusters. However, the sustainability index of the industrial cluster of food and beverage processing was better than the other industrial clusters.

Electrical bioimpedance and other techniques for gastric emptying and motility evaluation

PubMed Central

Huerta-Franco, María Raquel; Vargas-Luna, Miguel; Montes-Frausto, Juana Berenice; Flores-Hernández, Corina; Morales-Mata, Ismael

2012-01-01

The aim of this article is to identify non-invasive, inexpensive, highly sensitive and accurate techniques for evaluating and diagnosing gastric diseases. In the case of the stomach, there are highly sensitive and specific methods for assessing gastric motility and emptying (GME). However, these methods are invasive, expensive and/or not technically feasible for all clinicians and patients. We present a summary of the most relevant international information on non-invasive methods and techniques for clinically evaluating GME. We particularly emphasize the potential of gastric electrical bioimpedance (EBI). EBI was initially used mainly in gastric emptying studies and was essentially abandoned in favor of techniques such as electrogastrography and the gold standard, scintigraphy. The current research evaluating the utility of gastric EBI either combines this technique with other frequently used techniques or uses new methods for gastric EBI signal analysis. In this context, we discuss our results and those of other researchers who have worked with gastric EBI. In this review article, we present the following topics: (1) a description of the oldest methods and procedures for evaluating GME; (2) an explanation of the methods currently used to evaluate gastric activity; and (3) a perspective on the newest trends and techniques in clinical and research GME methods. We conclude that gastric EBI is a highly effective non-invasive, easy to use and inexpensive technique for assessing GME. PMID:22368782

Type-2 fuzzy set extension of DEMATEL method combined with perceptual computing for decision making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Mitra Bokaei; Tarokh, Mohammad Jafar

2013-05-01

Most decision making methods used to evaluate a system or demonstrate the weak and strength points are based on fuzzy sets and evaluate the criteria with words that are modeled with fuzzy sets. The ambiguity and vagueness of the words and different perceptions of a word are not considered in these methods. For this reason, the decision making methods that consider the perceptions of decision makers are desirable. Perceptual computing is a subjective judgment method that considers that words mean different things to different people. This method models words with interval type-2 fuzzy sets that consider the uncertainty of the words. Also, there are interrelations and dependency between the decision making criteria in the real world; therefore, using decision making methods that cannot consider these relations is not feasible in some situations. The Decision-Making Trail and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method considers the interrelations between decision making criteria. The current study used the combination of DEMATEL and perceptual computing in order to improve the decision making methods. For this reason, the fuzzy DEMATEL method was extended into type-2 fuzzy sets in order to obtain the weights of dependent criteria based on the words. The application of the proposed method is presented for knowledge management evaluation criteria.

Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship-Quasi-Experimental Designs.

PubMed

Schweizer, Marin L; Braun, Barbara I; Milstone, Aaron M

2016-10-01

Quasi-experimental studies evaluate the association between an intervention and an outcome using experiments in which the intervention is not randomly assigned. Quasi-experimental studies are often used to evaluate rapid responses to outbreaks or other patient safety problems requiring prompt, nonrandomized interventions. Quasi-experimental studies can be categorized into 3 major types: interrupted time-series designs, designs with control groups, and designs without control groups. This methods paper highlights key considerations for quasi-experimental studies in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship, including study design and analytic approaches to avoid selection bias and other common pitfalls of quasi-experimental studies. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-6.

Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship – Quasi-Experimental Designs

PubMed Central

Schweizer, Marin L.; Braun, Barbara I.; Milstone, Aaron M.

2016-01-01

Quasi-experimental studies evaluate the association between an intervention and an outcome using experiments in which the intervention is not randomly assigned. Quasi-experimental studies are often used to evaluate rapid responses to outbreaks or other patient safety problems requiring prompt non-randomized interventions. Quasi-experimental studies can be categorized into three major types: interrupted time series designs, designs with control groups, and designs without control groups. This methods paper highlights key considerations for quasi-experimental studies in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship including study design and analytic approaches to avoid selection bias and other common pitfalls of quasi-experimental studies. PMID:27267457

Evaluation of Two New Smoothing Methods in Equating: The Cubic B-Spline Presmoothing Method and the Direct Presmoothing Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cui, Zhongmin; Kolen, Michael J.

2009-01-01

This article considers two new smoothing methods in equipercentile equating, the cubic B-spline presmoothing method and the direct presmoothing method. Using a simulation study, these two methods are compared with established methods, the beta-4 method, the polynomial loglinear method, and the cubic spline postsmoothing method, under three sample…

Evaluating the Accessibility of Web-Based Instruction for Students with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinn, D. Michelle

This paper presents the methods and results of a year-long evaluation study, conducted for the purpose of determining disability accessibility barriers and potential solutions for those barriers found in four World Wide Web-based learning environments. The primary questions used to frame the evaluation study were: (1) Are there any features of the…

How Analogue Research Can Advance Descriptive Evaluation Theory: Understanding (and Improving) Stakeholder Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Bernadette; Mark, Melvin M.

2015-01-01

Evaluation theories can be tested in various ways. One approach, the experimental analogue study, is described and illustrated in this article. The approach is presented as a method worthy to use in the pursuit of what Alkin and others have called descriptive evaluation theory. Drawing on analogue studies conducted by the first author, we…

Classroom Teacher's Performance-Based Evaluation Form (CTPBEF) for Public Education Schools in the State of Kuwait: A Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Shammari, Zaid; Yawkey, Thomas D.

2008-01-01

This investigation using Grounded Theory focuses on developing, designing and testing out an evaluation method used as a framework for this study. This framework evolved into the instrument entitled, "Classroom Teacher's Performance Based Evaluation Form (CTPBEF)". This study shows the processes and procedures used in CTPBEF's…

Assessing the Potential Use of Eye-Tracking Triangulation for Evaluating the Usability of an Online Diabetes Exercise System.

PubMed

Schaarup, Clara; Hartvigsen, Gunnar; Larsen, Lars Bo; Tan, Zheng-Hua; Årsand, Eirik; Hejlesen, Ole Kristian

2015-01-01

The Online Diabetes Exercise System was developed to motivate people with Type 2 diabetes to do a 25 minutes low-volume high-intensity interval training program. In a previous multi-method evaluation of the system, several usability issues were identified and corrected. Despite the thorough testing, it was unclear whether all usability problems had been identified using the multi-method evaluation. Our hypothesis was that adding the eye-tracking triangulation to the multi-method evaluation would increase the accuracy and completeness when testing the usability of the system. The study design was an Eye-tracking Triangulation; conventional eye-tracking with predefined tasks followed by The Post-Experience Eye-Tracked Protocol (PEEP). Six Areas of Interests were the basis for the PEEP-session. The eye-tracking triangulation gave objective and subjective results, which are believed to be highly relevant for designing, implementing, evaluating and optimizing systems in the field of health informatics. Future work should include testing the method on a larger and more representative group of users and apply the method on different system types.

Evaluation of ASR potential in Wyoming aggregates.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

A comprehensive study was performed to evaluate the ASR reactivity of eight Wyoming aggregates. State-of-the-art and standardized test : methods were performed and results were used to evaluate these aggregate sources. Of the eight aggregates: four a...

Woodstove Emission Sampling Methods Comparability Analysis and In-situ Evaluation of New Technology Woodstoves.

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

Simons, Carl A.

1988-06-01

One major objective of this study was to compare several woodstove particulate emission sampling methods under laboratory and in-situ conditions. The laboratory work compared the EPA Method 5H, EPA Method 5G, and OMNI Automated Woodstove Emission Sampler (AWES)/Data LOG'r particulate emission sampling systems. A second major objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of two integral catalytic, two low emission non-catalytic, and two conventional technology woodstoves under in-situ conditions with AWES/Data LOG'r system. The AWES/Data LOG'r and EPA Method 5G sampling systems were also compared in an in-situ test on one of the integral catalytic woodstove models. 7more » figs., 12 tabs.« less

Objective evaluation of the knocking sound of a diesel engine considering the temporal and frequency masking effect simultaneously

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yun, Dong-Un; Lee, Sang-Kwon

2017-06-01

In this paper, we present a novel method for an objective evaluation of knocking noise emitted by diesel engines based on the temporal and frequency masking theory. The knocking sound of a diesel engine is a vibro-acoustic sound correlated with the high-frequency resonances of the engine structure and a periodic impulsive sound with amplitude modulation. Its period is related to the engine speed and includes specific frequency bands related to the resonances of the engine structure. A knocking sound with the characteristics of a high-frequency impulsive wave can be masked by low-frequency sounds correlated with the harmonics of the firing frequency and broadband noise. The degree of modulation of the knocking sound signal was used for such objective evaluations in previous studies, without considering the masking effect. However, the frequency masking effect must be considered for the objective evaluation of the knocking sound. In addition to the frequency masking effect, the temporal masking effect occurs because the period of the knocking sound changes according to the engine speed. Therefore, an evaluation method considering the temporal and frequency masking effect is required to analyze the knocking sound objectively. In this study, an objective evaluation method considering the masking effect was developed based on the masking theory of sound and signal processing techniques. The method was applied successfully for the objective evaluation of the knocking sound of a diesel engine.

Operating manual-based usability evaluation of medical devices: an effective patient safety screening method.

PubMed

Turley, James P; Johnson, Todd R; Smith, Danielle Paige; Zhang, Jaijie; Brixey, Juliana J

2006-04-01

Use of medical devices often directly contributes to medical errors. Because it is difficult or impossible to change the design of existing devices, the best opportunity for improving medical device safety is during the purchasing process. However, most hospital personnel are not familiar with the usability evaluation methods designed to identify aspects of a user interface that do not support intuitive and safe use. A review of medical device operating manuals is proposed as a more practical method of usability evaluation. Operating manuals for five volumetric infusion pumps from three manufacturers were selected for this study (January-April 2003). Each manual's safety message content was evaluated to determine whether the message indicated a device design characteristic that violated known usability principles (heuristics) or indicated a violation of an affordance of the device. "Minimize memory load," with 65 violations, was the heuristic violated most frequently across pumps. Variations between pumps, including the frequency and severity of violations for each, were noted. Results suggest that manual review can provide a proxy for heuristic evaluation of the actual medical device. This method, intended to be a component of prepurchasing evaluation, can complement more formal usability evaluation methods and be used to select a subset of devices for more extensive and formal testing.

Monitoring and evaluation of strategic change programme implementation-Lessons from a case analysis.

PubMed

Neumann, Jan; Robson, Andrew; Sloan, Diane

2018-02-01

This study considered the monitoring and evaluation of a large-scale and domestic and global strategic change programme implementation. It considers the necessary prerequisites to overcome challenges and barriers that prevent systematic and effective monitoring and evaluation to take place alongside its operationalisation. The work involves a case study based on a major industrial company from the energy sector. The change programme makes particular reference to changes in business models, business processes, organisation structures as well as Enterprise Resource Planning infrastructure. The case study focussed on the summative evaluation of the programme post-implementation. This assessment involved 25 semi-structured interviews with employees across a range of managerial strata capturing more than 65 roles within the change programme at both local and global levels. Data relating to their perception of evaluation effectiveness and shortcomings were analysed by means of template analysis. The study identifies responsibilities for executing an evaluation alongside various methods and tools that are appropriate, thereby focussing on the "Who" (roles, responsibility for particular activities) and "How" (methods and tools) rather than "What" to monitor and evaluate. The findings are presented generically so they offer new insights and transferability for practitioners involved in managing strategic change and its associated evaluation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential pros and cons of external healthcare performance evaluation systems: real-life perspectives on Iranian hospital evaluation and accreditation program

PubMed Central

Jaafaripooyan, Ebrahim

2014-01-01

Background: Performance evaluation is essential to quality improvement in healthcare. The current study has identified the potential pros and cons of external healthcare evaluation programs, utilizing them subsequently to look into the merits of a similar case in a developing country. Methods: A mixed method study employing both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques was adopted to achieve the study end. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and professionals were approached for two-stage process of data collection. Results: Potential advantages included greater attractiveness of high accreditation rank healthcare organizations to their customers/purchasers and boosted morale of their personnel. Downsides, as such, comprised the programs’ over-reliance on value judgment of surveyors, routinization and incurring undue cost on the organizations. In addition, the improved, standardized care processes as well as the judgmental nature of program survey were associated, as pros and cons, to the program investigated by the professionals. Conclusion: Besides rendering a tentative assessment of Iranian hospital evaluation program, the study provides those running external performance evaluations with a lens to scrutinize the virtues of their own evaluation systems through identifying the potential advantages and drawbacks of such programs. Moreover, the approach followed could be utilized for performance assessment of similar evaluation programs. PMID:25279381

Developing and evaluating a target-background similarity metric for camouflage detection.

PubMed

Lin, Chiuhsiang Joe; Chang, Chi-Chan; Liu, Bor-Shong

2014-01-01

Measurement of camouflage performance is of fundamental importance for military stealth applications. The goal of camouflage assessment algorithms is to automatically assess the effect of camouflage in agreement with human detection responses. In a previous study, we found that the Universal Image Quality Index (UIQI) correlated well with the psychophysical measures, and it could be a potentially camouflage assessment tool. In this study, we want to quantify the camouflage similarity index and psychophysical results. We compare several image quality indexes for computational evaluation of camouflage effectiveness, and present the results of an extensive human visual experiment conducted to evaluate the performance of several camouflage assessment algorithms and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of these algorithms. The experimental data demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach, and the correlation coefficient result of the UIQI was higher than those of other methods. This approach was highly correlated with the human target-searching results. It also showed that this method is an objective and effective camouflage performance evaluation method because it considers the human visual system and image structure, which makes it consistent with the subjective evaluation results.

[Sample size calculation in clinical post-marketing evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Fu, Yingkun; Xie, Yanming

2011-10-01

In recent years, as the Chinese government and people pay more attention on the post-marketing research of Chinese Medicine, part of traditional Chinese medicine breed has or is about to begin after the listing of post-marketing evaluation study. In the post-marketing evaluation design, sample size calculation plays a decisive role. It not only ensures the accuracy and reliability of post-marketing evaluation. but also assures that the intended trials will have a desired power for correctly detecting a clinically meaningful difference of different medicine under study if such a difference truly exists. Up to now, there is no systemic method of sample size calculation in view of the traditional Chinese medicine. In this paper, according to the basic method of sample size calculation and the characteristic of the traditional Chinese medicine clinical evaluation, the sample size calculation methods of the Chinese medicine efficacy and safety are discussed respectively. We hope the paper would be beneficial to medical researchers, and pharmaceutical scientists who are engaged in the areas of Chinese medicine research.

Study on the Application of TOPSIS Method to the Introduction of Foreign Players in CBA Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhongyou, Xing

The TOPSIS method is a multiple attribute decision-making method. This paper introduces the current situation of the introduction of foreign players in CBA games, presents the principles and calculation steps of TOPSIS method in detail, and applies it to the quantitative evaluation of the comprehensively competitive ability during the introduction of foreign players. Through the analysis of practical application, we found that the TOPSIS method has relatively high rationality and applicability when it is used to evaluate the comprehensively competitive ability during the introduction of foreign players.

Health state evaluation of shield tunnel SHM using fuzzy cluster method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Fa; Zhang, Wei; Sun, Ke; Shi, Bin

2015-04-01

Shield tunnel SHM is in the path of rapid development currently while massive monitoring data processing and quantitative health grading remain a real challenge, since multiple sensors belonging to different types are employed in SHM system. This paper addressed the fuzzy cluster method based on fuzzy equivalence relationship for the health evaluation of shield tunnel SHM. The method was optimized by exporting the FSV map to automatically generate the threshold value. A new holistic health score(HHS) was proposed and its effectiveness was validated by conducting a pilot test. A case study on Nanjing Yangtze River Tunnel was presented to apply this method. Three types of indicators, namely soil pressure, pore pressure and steel strain, were used to develop the evaluation set U. The clustering results were verified by analyzing the engineering geological conditions; the applicability and validity of the proposed method was also demonstrated. Besides, the advantage of multi-factor evaluation over single-factor model was discussed by using the proposed HHS. This investigation indicated the fuzzy cluster method and HHS is capable of characterizing the fuzziness of tunnel health, and it is beneficial to clarify the tunnel health evaluation uncertainties.

Balanced scorecard-based performance evaluation of Chinese county hospitals in underdeveloped areas.

PubMed

Gao, Hongda; Chen, He; Feng, Jun; Qin, Xianjing; Wang, Xuan; Liang, Shenglin; Zhao, Jinmin; Feng, Qiming

2018-05-01

Objective Since the Guangxi government implemented public county hospital reform in 2009, there have been no studies of county hospitals in this underdeveloped area of China. This study aimed to establish an evaluation indicator system for Guangxi county hospitals and to generate recommendations for hospital development and policymaking. Methods A performance evaluation indicator system was developed based on balanced scorecard theory. Opinions were elicited from 25 experts from administrative units, universities and hospitals and the Delphi method was used to modify the performance indicators. The indicator system and the Topsis method were used to evaluate the performance of five county hospitals randomly selected from the same batch of 2015 Guangxi reform pilots. Results There were 4 first-level indicators, 9 second-level indicators and 36 third-level indicators in the final performance evaluation indicator system that showed good consistency, validity and reliability. The performance rank of the hospitals was B > E > A > C > D. Conclusions The performance evaluation indicator system established using the balanced scorecard is practical and scientific. Analysis of the results based on this indicator system identified several factors affecting hospital performance, such as resource utilisation efficiency, medical service price, personnel structure and doctor-patient relationships.

Bias correction of risk estimates in vaccine safety studies with rare adverse events using a self-controlled case series design.

PubMed

Zeng, Chan; Newcomer, Sophia R; Glanz, Jason M; Shoup, Jo Ann; Daley, Matthew F; Hambidge, Simon J; Xu, Stanley

2013-12-15

The self-controlled case series (SCCS) method is often used to examine the temporal association between vaccination and adverse events using only data from patients who experienced such events. Conditional Poisson regression models are used to estimate incidence rate ratios, and these models perform well with large or medium-sized case samples. However, in some vaccine safety studies, the adverse events studied are rare and the maximum likelihood estimates may be biased. Several bias correction methods have been examined in case-control studies using conditional logistic regression, but none of these methods have been evaluated in studies using the SCCS design. In this study, we used simulations to evaluate 2 bias correction approaches-the Firth penalized maximum likelihood method and Cordeiro and McCullagh's bias reduction after maximum likelihood estimation-with small sample sizes in studies using the SCCS design. The simulations showed that the bias under the SCCS design with a small number of cases can be large and is also sensitive to a short risk period. The Firth correction method provides finite and less biased estimates than the maximum likelihood method and Cordeiro and McCullagh's method. However, limitations still exist when the risk period in the SCCS design is short relative to the entire observation period.

Validity of a New Quantitative Evaluation Method that Uses the Depth of the Surface Imprint as an Indicator for Pitting Edema.

PubMed

Kogo, Haruki; Murata, Jun; Murata, Shin; Higashi, Toshio

2017-01-01

This study examined the validity of a practical evaluation method for pitting edema by comparing it to other methods, including circumference measurements and ultrasound image measurements. Fifty-one patients (102 legs) from a convalescent ward in Maruyama Hospital were recruited for study 1, and 47 patients (94 legs) from a convalescent ward in Morinaga Hospital were recruited for study 2. The relationship between the depth of the surface imprint and circumferential measurements, as well as the relationship between the depth of the surface imprint and the thickness of the subcutaneous soft tissue on an ultrasonogram, were analyzed using a Spearman correlation coefficient by rank. There was no significant relationship between the surface imprint depth and circumferential measurements. However, there was a significant relationship between the depth of the surface imprint and the thickness of the subcutaneous soft tissue as measured on an ultrasonogram (correlation coefficient 0.736). Our findings suggest that our novel evaluation method for pitting edema, based on a measurement of the surface imprint depth, is both valid and useful.

Simulation and evaluation of rupturable coated capsules by finite element method.

PubMed

Yang, Yan; Fang, Jie; Shen, Lian; Shan, Weiguang

2017-03-15

The objective of this study was to simulate and evaluate the burst behavior of rupturable coated capsules by finite element method (FEM). Film and coated capsules were prepared by dip-coating method and their dimensions were determined by stereomicroscope. Mechanical properties of the film were measured by tensile test and used as material properties of FEM models. Swelling pressure was determined by restrained expansion method and applied to the internal surface of FEM models. Water uptake of coated capsules was determined to study the formation of internal pressure. Burst test and in vitro dissolution was used to verify the FEM models, which were used to study and predict the coating burst behavior. Simulated results of coating burst behavior were well agreed with the experiment results. Swelling pressure, material properties and dimensions of coating had influence on the maximum stress. Burst pressure and critical L-HPC content were calculated for burst prediction and formulation optimization. FEM simulation was a feasible way to simulate and evaluate the burst behavior of coated capsules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for evaluating structural weakness in polymer matrix composites

DOEpatents

Wachter, E.A.; Fisher, W.G.

1996-01-09

A method and apparatus for evaluating structural weaknesses in polymer matrix composites is described. An object to be studied is illuminated with laser radiation and fluorescence emanating therefrom is collected and filtered. The fluorescence is then imaged and the image is studied to determine fluorescence intensity over the surface of the object being studied and the wavelength of maximum fluorescent intensity. Such images provide a map of the structural integrity of the part being studied and weaknesses, particularly weaknesses created by exposure of the object to heat, are readily visible in the image. 6 figs.

Method and apparatus for evaluating structural weakness in polymer matrix composites

DOEpatents

Wachter, Eric A.; Fisher, Walter G.

1996-01-01

A method and apparatus for evaluating structural weaknesses in polymer matrix composites is described. An object to be studied is illuminated with laser radiation and fluorescence emanating therefrom is collected and filtered. The fluorescence is then imaged and the image is studied to determine fluorescence intensity over the surface of the object being studied and the wavelength of maximum fluorescent intensity. Such images provide a map of the structural integrity of the part being studied and weaknesses, particularly weaknesses created by exposure of the object to heat, are readily visible in the image.

Evaluation of an online continuing education program from the perspective of new graduate nurses.

PubMed

Karaman, Selcuk; Kucuk, Sevda; Aydemir, Melike

2014-05-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the online continuing education program from the perspectives of new graduate nurses. An evaluation framework includes five factors (program and course structure, course materials, technology, support services and assessment). In this study, descriptive research methods were used. Participants of the study included 2.365 registered nurses enrolled in the first online nursing bachelor completion degree program in the country. Data were collected by survey. The findings indicated that students were mostly satisfied with this program. The results of this study suggest that well designed asynchronous online education methods can be effective and appropriate for registered nurses. However, the provision of effective support and technological infrastructure is as vital as the quality of teaching for online learners. © 2013.

Evaluation of the communication quality of free-space laser communication based on the power-in-the-bucket method.

PubMed

Yin, Xianghui; Wang, Rui; Wang, Shaoxin; Wang, Yukun; Jin, Chengbin; Cao, Zhaoliang; Xuan, Li

2018-02-01

Atmospheric turbulence seriously affects the quality of free-space laser communication. The Strehl ratio (SR) is used to evaluate the effect of atmospheric turbulence on the receiving energy of free-space laser communication systems. However, the SR method does not consider the area of the laser-receiving end face. In this study, the power-in-the-bucket (PIB) method is demonstrated to accurately evaluate the effect of turbulence on the receiving energy. A theoretical equation is first obtained to calculate PIB. Simulated and experimental validations are then performed to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical equation. This work may provide effective guidance for the design and evaluation of free-space laser communication systems.

Evaluation of School Uniform Policy in Turkey: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cinoglu, Mustafa

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results of current school uniform policies according to views of stakeholders. Descriptive case study method was used for this study to understand the concerns of the stakeholders about school uniforms. Data was collected through interviews with stakeholders and also reviewing the documents in TOKI…