Timing of High-Quality Child Care and Cognitive, Language, and Preacademic Development

PubMed Central

Li, Weilin; Farkas, George; Duncan, Greg J.; Burchinal, Margaret R.; Vandell, Deborah Lowe

2014-01-01

The effects of high- versus low-quality child care during 2 developmental periods (infant–toddlerhood and preschool) were examined using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care. Propensity score matching was used to account for differences in families who used different combinations of child care quality during the 2 developmental periods. Findings indicated that cognitive, language, and preacademic skills prior to school entry were highest among children who experienced high-quality care in both the infant–toddler and preschool periods, somewhat lower among children who experienced high-quality child care during only 1 of these periods, and lowest among children who experienced low-quality care during both periods. Irrespective of the care received during infancy–toddlerhood, high-quality preschool care was related to better language and preacademic outcomes at the end of the preschool period; high-quality infant–toddler care, irrespective of preschool care, was related to better memory skills at the end of the preschool period. PMID:23127299

Neuroradiology Using Secure Mobile Device Review.

PubMed

Randhawa, Privia A; Morrish, William; Lysack, John T; Hu, William; Goyal, Mayank; Hill, Michael D

2016-04-05

Image review on computer-based workstations has made film-based review outdated. Despite advances in technology, the lack of portability of digital workstations creates an inherent disadvantage. As such, we sought to determine if the quality of image review on a handheld device is adequate for routine clinical use. Six CT/CTA cases and six MR/MRA cases were independently reviewed by three neuroradiologists in varying environments: high and low ambient light using a handheld device and on a traditional imaging workstation in ideal conditions. On first review (using a handheld device in high ambient light), a preliminary diagnosis for each case was made. Upon changes in review conditions, neuroradiologists were asked if any additional features were seen that changed their initial diagnoses. Reviewers were also asked to comment on overall clinical quality and if the handheld display was of acceptable quality for image review. After the initial CT review in high ambient light, additional findings were reported in 2 of 18 instances on subsequent reviews. Similarly, additional findings were identified in 4 of 18 instances after the initial MR review in high ambient lighting. Only one of these six additional findings contributed to the diagnosis made on the initial preliminary review. Use of a handheld device for image review is of adequate diagnostic quality based on image contrast, sharpness of structures, visible artefacts and overall display quality. Although reviewers were comfortable with using this technology, a handheld device with a larger screen may be diagnostically superior.

Table talk: How mothers and adolescents across socioeconomic status discuss food.

PubMed

Fielding-Singh, Priya; Wang, Jennifer

2017-08-01

This article reports findings from a qualitative study of food practices among families of differing socioeconomic circumstances. Using in-depth interviews from sixty-two families in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2015-2016, we find socioeconomic differences in how mothers and adolescents talk about food. Across SES, mothers and adolescents engage in discussions about healthy eating. However, these conversations are more commonplace and embedded within high-SES family life than among low-SES families. Beyond conversations about 1) healthy eating, the topics of 2) food quality and 3) price are discussed to varying degrees across SES. Within high-SES families, frequent discussions of healthy eating are paired with dialogue highlighting the importance of consuming higher quality food. Price is largely absent as a topic of conversation among high-SES families. On the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum, low-SES mothers and adolescents frequently engage in conversations about price when discussing food. Mentions of food quality are rare, but when they do occur, they underscore important trade-offs between food's healthiness, quality and price. Given prior research showing the impact of dialogue between parents and adolescents on adolescents' dietary behaviors, these findings help us understand how family discussions contribute to shaping adolescents' approaches to food. An important implication is that high-SES families' discussions of food quality may strengthen messages about healthy eating, while conversations about affordability within low-SES families may highlight financial barriers to healthy eating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What the stories children tell can tell about their memory: narrative skill and young children's suggestibility.

PubMed

Kulkofsky, Sarah; Klemfuss, J Zoe

2008-09-01

The authors examined the relation between children's narrative ability, which has been identified as an important contributor to memory development, and suggestibility. Across 2 studies, a total of 112 preschool-aged children witnessed a staged event and were subsequently questioned suggestively. Results from Study 1 indicated that children's ability to provide a high-quality narrative of the event was related to resistance to suggestive questions, and narrative ability appeared to supersede age as a predictor of such resistance. In Study 2, children's general language and narrative abilities were measured in addition to their ability to produce a high-quality narrative about the target event. These results replicated Study 1's findings that children's ability to produce a high-quality narrative of a previously experienced event predicted resistance to suggestion. However, the quality of children's autobiographical memory narratives predicted shifting from denial to assent. Findings are considered in light of narrative's role in memory development and underlying mechanisms that may explain children's suggestibility.

Promotion Factors For Enlisted Infantry Marines

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

description , billet accomplishments, mission accomplishment, individual character, leadership, intellect and wisdom, fulfillment of evaluation , RS...staff sergeant. To assess which ranks proportionally promote more high-quality Marines, we compare two performance evaluation methods: proficiency and...adverse fitness reports. From the two performance evaluation methods we find that the Marine Corps promotes proportionally more high-quality Marines

Quality Measurement in Early Childhood Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaslow, Martha, Ed.; Martinez-Beck, Ivelisse, Ed.; Tout, Kathryn, Ed.; Halle, Tamara, Ed.

2011-01-01

What constitutes quality in early childhood settings, and how can it best be measured with today's widely used tools and promising new approaches? Find authoritative answers in this book, a must-have for high-level administrators and policymakers as more and more states adopt early childhood Quality Rating and Improvement Systems. The most…

Personality and Relationship Quality During the Transition From High School to Early Adulthood

PubMed Central

Parker, Philip D.; Lüdtke, Oliver; Trautwein, Ulrich; Roberts, Brent W.

2013-01-01

The post–high school transition period is believed to be associated with considerable changes in social networks, yet longitudinal studies documenting these changes are scarce. To address this gap, the current research explored 3 relevant issues. First, changes in participants’ relationship characteristics during the transition from high school were examined. Second, the roles of personality traits as antecedents of these changes were studied. Third, the association between change in relationship characteristics and personality during the transition was explored. A sample of over 2,000 German emerging adults, surveyed before leaving school and then 2 years after the transition from high school, was assessed on personality traits and a multidimensional assessment of the quality of their relationships. Findings indicated that participants experienced mostly positive changes in relationship quality during the transition from high school and that antecedent personality at school was an important predictor of the nature of this change. Finally, change in relationship quality was found to be associated with personality change during the post-school transition. Findings indicated that personality traits may influence transition success and that change in relationships during this transition may influence personality development. The implications of the research for post-school transition success are discussed. PMID:22224909

Identifying suitable substrates for high-quality graphene-based heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banszerus, L.; Janssen, H.; Otto, M.; Epping, A.; Taniguchi, T.; Watanabe, K.; Beschoten, B.; Neumaier, D.; Stampfer, C.

2017-06-01

We report on a scanning confocal Raman spectroscopy study investigating the strain-uniformity and the overall strain and doping of high-quality chemical vapour deposited (CVD) graphene-based heterostuctures on a large number of different substrate materials, including hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), transition metal dichalcogenides, silicon, different oxides and nitrides, as well as polymers. By applying a hBN-assisted, contamination free, dry transfer process for CVD graphene, high-quality heterostructures with low doping densities and low strain variations are assembled. The Raman spectra of these pristine heterostructures are sensitive to substrate-induced doping and strain variations and are thus used to probe the suitability of the substrate material for potential high-quality graphene devices. We find that the flatness of the substrate material is a key figure for gaining, or preserving high-quality graphene.

Cost-effectiveness analyses in orthopaedic sports medicine: a systematic review.

PubMed

Nwachukwu, Benedict U; Schairer, William W; Bernstein, Jaime L; Dodwell, Emily R; Marx, Robert G; Allen, Answorth A

2015-06-01

As increasing attention is paid to the cost of health care delivered in the United States (US), cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) are gaining in popularity. Reviews of the CEA literature have been performed in other areas of medicine, including some subspecialties within orthopaedics. Demonstrating the value of medical procedures is of utmost importance, yet very little is known about the overall quality and findings of CEAs in sports medicine. To identify and summarize CEA studies in orthopaedic sports medicine and to grade the quality of the available literature. Systematic review. A systematic review of the literature was performed to compile findings and grade the methodological quality of US-based CEA studies in sports medicine. The Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument and the checklist by the US Panel on Cost-effectiveness in Health and Medicine were used to assess study quality. One-sided Fisher exact testing was performed to analyze the predictors of high-quality CEAs. Twelve studies met inclusion criteria. Five studies examined anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, 3 studies examined rotator cuff repair, 2 examined autologous chondrocyte implantation, 1 study examined hip arthroscopic surgery, and 1 study examined the operative management of shoulder dislocations. Based on study findings, operative intervention in sports medicine is highly cost-effective. The quality of published evidence is good, with a mean quality score of 81.8 (range, 70-94). There is a trend toward higher quality in more recent publications. No significant predictor of high-quality evidence was found. The CEA literature in sports medicine is good; however, there is a paucity of studies, and the available evidence is focused on a few procedures. More work needs to be conducted to quantify the cost-effectiveness of different techniques and procedures within sports medicine. The QHES tool may be useful for the evaluation of future CEAs. © 2014 The Author(s).

Timing of high-quality child care and cognitive, language, and preacademic development.

PubMed

Li, Weilin; Farkas, George; Duncan, Greg J; Burchinal, Margaret R; Vandell, Deborah Lowe

2013-08-01

The effects of high- versus low-quality child care during 2 developmental periods (infant-toddlerhood and preschool) were examined using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care. Propensity score matching was used to account for differences in families who used different combinations of child care quality during the 2 developmental periods. Findings indicated that cognitive, language, and preacademic skills prior to school entry were highest among children who experienced high-quality care in both the infant-toddler and preschool periods, somewhat lower among children who experienced high-quality child care during only 1 of these periods, and lowest among children who experienced low-quality care during both periods. Irrespective of the care received during infancy-toddlerhood, high-quality preschool care was related to better language and preacademic outcomes at the end of the preschool period; high-quality infant-toddler care, irrespective of preschool care, was related to better memory skills at the end of the preschool period. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Image Quality Ranking Method for Microscopy

PubMed Central

Koho, Sami; Fazeli, Elnaz; Eriksson, John E.; Hänninen, Pekka E.

2016-01-01

Automated analysis of microscope images is necessitated by the increased need for high-resolution follow up of events in time. Manually finding the right images to be analyzed, or eliminated from data analysis are common day-to-day problems in microscopy research today, and the constantly growing size of image datasets does not help the matter. We propose a simple method and a software tool for sorting images within a dataset, according to their relative quality. We demonstrate the applicability of our method in finding good quality images in a STED microscope sample preparation optimization image dataset. The results are validated by comparisons to subjective opinion scores, as well as five state-of-the-art blind image quality assessment methods. We also show how our method can be applied to eliminate useless out-of-focus images in a High-Content-Screening experiment. We further evaluate the ability of our image quality ranking method to detect out-of-focus images, by extensive simulations, and by comparing its performance against previously published, well-established microscopy autofocus metrics. PMID:27364703

Links among high-performance work environment, service quality, and customer satisfaction: an extension to the healthcare sector.

PubMed

Scotti, Dennis J; Harmon, Joel; Behson, Scott J

2007-01-01

Healthcare managers must deliver high-quality patient services that generate highly satisfied and loyal customers. In this article, we examine how a high-involvement approach to the work environment of healthcare employees may lead to exceptional service quality, satisfied patients, and ultimately to loyal customers. Specifically, we investigate the chain of events through which high-performance work systems (HPWS) and customer orientation influence employee and customer perceptions of service quality and patient satisfaction in a national sample of 113 Veterans Health Administration ambulatory care centers. We present a conceptual model for linking work environment to customer satisfaction and test this model using structural equations modeling. The results suggest that (1) HPWS is linked to employee perceptions of their ability to deliver high-quality customer service, both directly and through their perceptions of customer orientation; (2) employee perceptions of customer service are linked to customer perceptions of high-quality service; and (3) perceived service quality is linked with customer satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings, including suggestions of how healthcare managers can implement changes to their work environments, are discussed.

Recruiting and Retaining High-Quality Teachers. SPeNSE Summary Sheet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD.

This report summarizes the data from the Study of Special Needs in Special Education (SPeNSE), a national study of personnel in special education. It focuses on data related to recruiting and retaining high-quality special education teachers. Findings indicate: (1) in 1999-2000, more than 12,000 openings for special education teachers were left…

Effect of paper quality on the response rate to a postal survey: A randomised controlled trial. [ISRCTN32032031

PubMed Central

Clark, T Justin; Khan, Khalid S; Gupta, Janesh K

2001-01-01

Background Response rates to surveys are declining and this threatens the validity and generalisability of their findings. We wanted to determine whether paper quality influences the response rate to postal surveys Methods A postal questionnaire was sent to all members of the British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE). Recipients were randomised to receiving the questionnaire printed on standard quality paper or high quality paper. Results The response rate for the recipients of high quality paper was 43/195 (22%) and 57/194 (29%) for standard quality paper (relative rate of response 0.75, 95% CI 0.33–1.05, p = 0.1 Conclusion The use of high quality paper did not increase response rates to a questionnaire survey of gynaecologists affiliated to an endoscopic society. PMID:11782286

Tailored nutrition education: is it really effective?

PubMed

Eyles, Helen; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona

2012-03-01

There has been a growing interest in tailored nutrition education over the previous decade, with a number of literature reviews suggesting this intervention strategy holds considerable potential. Nevertheless, the majority of intervention trials undertaken to date have employed subjective self-report outcome measures (such as dietary recalls). The aim of the present review is to further consider the likely true effect of tailored nutrition education by assessing the findings of tailored nutrition education intervention trials where objective outcome measures (such as sales data) have been employed. Four trials of tailored nutrition education employing objective outcome measures were identified: one was undertaken in eight low-cost supermarkets in New Zealand (2010; n 1104); one was an online intervention trial in Australia (2006; n 497); and two were undertaken in US supermarkets (1997 and 2001; n 105 and 296, respectively). Findings from the high-quality New Zealand trial were negative. Findings from the US trials were also generally negative, although reporting was poor making it difficult to assess quality. Findings from the high-quality online trial were positive, although have limited generalisability for public health. Trials employing objective outcome measures strongly suggest tailored nutrition education is not effective as a stand-alone strategy. However, further large, high-quality trials employing objective outcome measures are needed to determine the true effectiveness of this popular nutrition intervention strategy. Regardless, education plays an important role in generating social understanding and acceptance of broader interventions to improve nutrition.

Competition and disclosure incentives: an empirical study of HMOs.

PubMed

Jin, Ginger Zhe

2005-01-01

I examine Health Maintenance Organizations' (HMOs) voluntary disclosure of product quality, which is not as complete as unraveling theories predict. After controlling for cost and demand factors, I find that HMOs use voluntary disclosure to differentiate from competitors, with lower disclosure rates in highly competitive markets. These findings are consistent with product differentiation, but challenge the intuition that competition should lead to more provision of quality information.

Characteristics and Quality of Autism Websites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reichow, Brian; Halpern, Jason I.; Steinhoff, Timothy B.; Letsinger, Nicole; Naples, Adam; Volkmar, Fred R.

2012-01-01

The World Wide Web is a common method for obtaining information on autism spectrum disorders, however, there are no guidelines for finding websites with high quality. We conducted two studies examining the characteristics and/or quality of autism websites in 2009 and 2010. We found websites with a .gov top-level domain had a statistically…

Finding & Keeping Educators for Arizona's Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunting, Dan

2017-01-01

Quality teaching is essential to providing children with the knowledge and skills necessary for a high quality of life. It's essential to the economy, as well. Business thrives when it has ready access to an educated workforce, allowing Arizona to compete for the best industries and companies. Quality teaching helps build the society in which we…

Quality of nursing care perceived by patients and their nurses: an application of the critical incident technique. Part 2.

PubMed

Redfern, S; Norman, I

1999-07-01

The aims of the study were to identify indicators of quality of nursing care from the perceptions of patients and nurses, and to determine the congruence between patients' and nurses' perceptions. The paper is presented in two parts. Part 1 included the background and methods to the study and the findings from the comparison of patients' and nurses' perceptions. Part 2 describes the perceptions of patients and nurses, and draws conclusions drawn from the study as a whole. Patients and nurses in hospital wards were interviewed using the critical incident technique. We grouped 4546 indicators of high and low quality nursing care generated from the interview transcripts into 316 subcategories, 68 categories and 31 themes. The themes were grouped into eight clusters: therapeutic context for care, attitudes and sensitivity, teaching and leadership, motivation to nurse, monitoring and informing, high-dependency care, efficiency and thoroughness, reflection and anticipation. As shown in Part 1 of the paper, congruence between patients' and nurses' perceptions of quality was high and significant, although there was some difference of emphasis. The findings support an emerging theory of interpersonal competence and quality in nursing care.

Assuring quality health care outcomes: lessons learned from car dealers?

PubMed Central

Dimsdale, Joel E

2017-01-01

Health care systems want quality but struggle to find the right tools because, typically, they track quality in only one or two ways. Because of the complexity of health care, high quality will emerge only when health care systems employ multiple approaches, including, importantly, patient-reported outcome perspectives. Sustained changes are unlikely to emerge in the absence of such multipronged interventions. PMID:28123314

75 FR 24892 - Certain Coated Paper Suitable for High-Quality Print Graphics Using Sheet-Fed Presses From the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-06

... Industry Support Calculation Coated Paper Suitable For High-Quality Print Graphics Using Sheet-Fed Presses... employs an industry-wide test to determine whether, under section 773(c)(1)(B), available information in... sections 771(33)(E) and (F) of the Act. In addition, we find that Shandong Sun Paper Industry Joint Stock...

Intelligence in Bali--A Case Study on Estimating Mean IQ for a Population Using Various Corrections Based on Theory and Empirical Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rindermann, Heiner; te Nijenhuis, Jan

2012-01-01

A high-quality estimate of the mean IQ of a country requires giving a well-validated test to a nationally representative sample, which usually is not feasible in developing countries. So, we used a convenience sample and four corrections based on theory and empirical findings to arrive at a good-quality estimate of the mean IQ in Bali. Our study…

Quality Issues in Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCarty, John P.; Lyles, Garry M.

1997-01-01

Propulsion system quality is defined in this paper as having high reliability, that is, quality is a high probability of within-tolerance performance or operation. Since failures are out-of-tolerance performance, the probability of failures and their occurrence is the difference between high and low quality systems. Failures can be described at 3 levels: the system failure (which is the detectable end of a failure), the failure mode (which is the failure process), and the failure cause (which is the start). Failure causes can be evaluated & classified by type. The results of typing flight history failures shows that most failures are in unrecognized modes and result from human error or noise, i.e. failures are when engineers learn how things really work. Although the study based on US launch vehicles, a sampling of failures from other countries indicates the finding has broad application. The parameters of the design of a propulsion system are not single valued, but have dispersions associated with the manufacturing of parts. Many tests are needed to find failures, if the dispersions are large relative to tolerances, which could contribute to the large number of failures in unrecognized modes.

Delivering high quality hip fracture rehabilitation: the perspective of occupational and physical therapy practitioners.

PubMed

Leland, Natalie E; Lepore, Michael; Wong, Carin; Chang, Sun Hwa; Freeman, Lynn; Crum, Karen; Gillies, Heather; Nash, Paul

2018-03-01

The majority of post-acute hip fracture rehabilitation in the US is delivered in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Currently, there are limited guidelines that equip occupational and physical therapy practitioners with a summary of what constitutes evidence-based high quality rehabilitation. Thus, this study aimed to identify rehabilitation practitioners' perspectives on the practices that constitute high quality hip fracture rehabilitation. Focus groups were conducted with 99 occupational and physical therapy practitioners working in SNFs in southern California. Purposive sampling of facilities was conducted to capture variation in key characteristics known to impact care delivery for this patient population (e.g., financial resources, staffing, and patient case-mix). Questions aimed to elicit practitioners' perspectives on high quality hip fracture rehabilitation practices. Each session was audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were systematically analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach. Seven themes emerged: objectives of care; first 72 h; positioning, pain, and precautions; use of standardized assessments; episode of care practices; facilitating insight into progress; and interdisciplinary collaboration. Clinical guidelines are critical tools to facilitate clinical decision-making and achieve desired patient outcomes. The findings of this study highlight the practitioners' perspective on what constitutes high quality hip fracture rehabilitation. This work provides critical information to advance the development of stakeholder-driven rehabilitation clinical guidelines. Future research is needed to verify the findings from other stakeholders (e.g., patients), ensure the alignment of our findings with current evidence, and develop measures for evaluating their delivery and relationship to desired outcomes. Implications for Rehabilitation This study highlights occupational and physiotherapy therapy practitioners' perspectives on the cumulative best practices that reflect high quality care, which should be delivered during hip fracture rehabilitation. While this study was limited to two professions within the broader interdisciplinary team, consistently occupational and physiotherapy therapy practitioners situated their role and practices within the team, emphasizing that high quality care was driven by collaboration among all members of the team as well as the patient and caregivers. Future research needs to evaluate the (a) frequency at which these practices are delivered and the relationship to patient-centered outcomes, and (b) perspectives of rehabilitation practitioners working in other PAC settings, patients, caregivers, as well as the other members of the interdisciplinary PAC team.

Enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision among occupational therapists across Queensland in Australia: findings from a qualitative study.

PubMed

Martin, Priya; Kumar, Saravana; Lizarondo, Lucylynn; VanErp, Ans

2015-09-24

Health professionals practising in countries with dispersed populations such as Australia rely on clinical supervision for professional support. While there are directives and guidelines in place to govern clinical supervision, little is known about how it is actually conducted and what makes it effective. The purpose of this study was to explore the enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision among occupational therapists across Queensland in Australia. This qualitative study took place as part of a broader project. Individual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with occupational therapy supervisees in Queensland. The interviews explored the enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision in this group. They further explored some findings from the initial quantitative study. Content analysis of the interview data resulted in eight themes. These themes were broadly around the importance of the supervisory relationship, the impact of clinical supervision and the enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision. This study identified a number of factors that were perceived to be associated with high quality clinical supervision. Supervisor-supervisee matching and fit, supervisory relationship and availability of supervisor for support in between clinical supervision sessions appeared to be associated with perceptions of higher quality of clinical supervision received. Some face-to-face contact augmented with telesupervision was found to improve perceptions of the quality of clinical supervision received via telephone. Lastly, dual roles where clinical supervision and line management were provided by the same person were not considered desirable by supervisees. A number of enablers of and barriers to high quality clinical supervision were also identified. With clinical supervision gaining increasing prominence as part of organisational and professional governance, this study provides important lessons for successful and sustainable clinical supervision in practice contexts.

Engagement, Alignment, and Rigor as Vital Signs of High-Quality Instruction: A Classroom Visit Protocol for Instructional Improvement and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Early, Diane M.; Rogge, Ronald D.; Deci, Edward L.

2014-01-01

This paper investigates engagement (E), alignment (A), and rigor (R) as vital signs of high-quality teacher instruction as measured by the EAR Classroom Visit Protocol, designed by the Institute for Research and Reform in Education (IRRE). Findings indicated that both school leaders and outside raters could learn to score the protocol with…

Assessing the Implementation and Cost of High Quality Early Care and Education: A Review of the Literature. OPRE Report 2016-31

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caronongan, Pia; Kirby, Gretchen; Boller, Kimberly; Modlin, Emily; Lyskawa, Julia

2016-01-01

This report summarizes the findings of a literature review conducted as part of the Assessing the Implementation and Cost of High-Quality Early Care and Education (ECE-ICHQ) project. The project's goal is to create a technically sound and feasible instrument that will provide consistent, systematic measures of the implementation and costs of…

Measuring the Interactive Skills of Caregivers in Child Care Centers: Development and Validation of the Caregiver Interaction Profile Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helmerhorst, Katrien O. W.; Riksen-Walraven, J. Marianne; Vermeer, Harriet J.; Fukkink, Ruben G.; Tavecchio, Louis W. C.

2014-01-01

Research Findings: High-quality caregiver-child interactions constitute the core of high-quality child care for young children. This article describes the background and development of the Caregiver Interaction Profile (CIP) scales to rate 6 key skills of caregivers for interacting with 0-to 4-year-old children in child care centers: sensitive…

An Exploratory Investigation of the Role of Openness in Relationship Quality among Emerging Adult Chinese Couples

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yixin; Wang, Kexin; Chen, Shuang; Zhang, Jianxin; Zhou, Mingjie

2017-01-01

This study tested emerging adult couples’ openness and its fit effect on their romantic relationship quality using quadratic polynomial regression and response surface analysis. Participants were 260 emerging adult dyads. Both dyads’ openness and relationship quality were measured. The result showed that (1) female and male openness contribute differently to relationship quality; (2) couples with similar high openness could experience better relationship quality than those with similar low openness traits; and (3) when dyadic openness is dissimilar, it is better to be either relatively high or relatively low than to be moderate. These findings highlight the role of openness in emerging adults’ romantic relationships from a dyadic angle. PMID:28360875

Health-related quality of life in children with high-functioning autism.

PubMed

Potvin, Marie-Christine; Snider, Laurie; Prelock, Patricia A; Wood-Dauphinee, Sharon; Kehayia, Eva

2015-01-01

The health-related quality of life of school-aged children with high-functioning autism is poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to compare the health-related quality of life of children with high-functioning autism to that of typically developing peers and to compare child-self and parent-proxy reports of health-related quality of life of children. A cross-sectional study of children with high-functioning autism (n = 30) and peers (n = 31) was conducted using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales. Children with high-functioning autism had significantly poorer health-related quality of life than peers whether reported by themselves (p < .001) or their parents (p < .001), although disagreement (intra-class coefficient = -.075) between children and parental scores suggested variance in points of view. This study specifically investigated health-related quality of life in children with high-functioning autism as compared to a sample of peers, from the child's perspective. It strengthens earlier findings that children with high-functioning autism experience poorer health-related quality of life than those without this disorder and points to the importance of clinicians working with families to identify areas in a child's life that promote or hinder their sense of well-being. © The Author(s) 2013.

Maintaining High Quality Data and Consistency Across a Diverse Flux Network: The Ameriflux QA/QC Technical Team

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, S.; Billesbach, D. P.; Hanson, C. V.; Biraud, S.

2014-12-01

The AmeriFlux quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) technical team conducts short term (<2 weeks) intercomparisons using a portable eddy covariance system (PECS) to maintain high quality data observations and data consistency across the AmeriFlux network (http://ameriflux.lbl.gov/). Site intercomparisons identify discrepancies between the in situ and portable measurements and calculated fluxes. Findings are jointly discussed by the site staff and the QA/QC team to improve in the situ observations. Despite the relatively short duration of an individual site intercomparison, the accumulated record of all site visits (numbering over 100 since 2002) is a unique dataset. The ability to deploy redundant sensors provides a rare opportunity to identify, quantify, and understand uncertainties in eddy covariance and ancillary measurements. We present a few specific case studies from QA/QC site visits to highlight and share new and relevant findings related to eddy covariance instrumentation and operation.

[E-Learning--an important contribution to general medical training and continuing education?].

PubMed

Ruf, D; Berner, M M; Kriston, L; Härter, M

2008-09-01

There is increasing activity in the development of e-learning modules for general medical training and continuing education. One of the central advantages of e-learning is flexibility regarding time and place of its use. The quality of the available e-learning opportunities varies quite considerably. For users it is often not easy to assess the quality of e-learning modules or to find offers of high quality. This could be a reason for the fact that despite the huge number of e-learning modules still only few students and physicians are using them. This is although e-learning has proven to be as effective as and even more efficient than learning in the classroom or with paper-based materials. This article summarizes the different models of e-learning, how and where to find offers of high quality, advantages of using e-learning, and the effectiveness and efficiency of such offers. In addition problems of e-learning and possibilities to overcome these problems are shown.

An empirical assessment of high-performing medical groups: results from a national study.

PubMed

Shortell, Stephen M; Schmittdiel, Julie; Wang, Margaret C; Li, Rui; Gillies, Robin R; Casalino, Lawrence P; Bodenheimer, Thomas; Rundall, Thomas G

2005-08-01

The performance of medical groups is receiving increased attention. Relatively little conceptual or empirical work exists that examines the various dimensions of medical group performance. Using a national database of 693 medical groups, this article develops a scorecard approach to assessing group performance and presents a theory-driven framework for differentiating between high-performing versus low-performing medical groups. The clinical quality of care, financial performance, and organizational learning capability of medical groups are assessed in relation to environmental forces, resource acquisition and resource deployment factors, and a quality-centered culture. Findings support the utility of the performance scorecard approach and identification of a number of key factors differentiating high-performing from low-performing groups including, in particular, the importance of a quality-centered culture and the requirement of outside reporting from third party organizations. The findings hold a number of important implications for policy and practice, and the framework presented provides a foundation for future research.

Effect of Power Ultrasound on Food Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyoungill; Feng, Hao

Recent food processing technology innovations have been centered around producing foods with fresh-like attributes through minimal processing or nonthermal processing technologies. Instead of using thermal energy to secure food safety that is often accompanied by quality degradation in processed foods, the newly developed processing modalities utilize other types of physical energy such as high pressure, pulsed electric field or magnetic field, ultraviolet light, or acoustic energy to process foods. An improvement in food quality by the new processing methods has been widely reported. In comparison with its low-energy (high-frequency) counterpart which finds applications in food quality inspection, the use of high-intensity ultrasound, also called power ultrasound, in food processing is a relatively new endeavor. To understand the effect of high-intensity ultrasound treatment on food quality, it is important to understand the interactions between acoustic energy and food ingredients, which is covered in Chapter 10. In this chapter, the focus will be on changes in overall food quality attributes that are caused by ultrasound, such as texture, color, flavor, and nutrients.

The Land of Confusion? High School Students and Their Use of the World Wide Web for Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzen, Michael

2002-01-01

Examines high school students' use of the World Wide Web to complete assignments. Findings showed the students used a good variety of resources, including libraries and the World Wide Web, to find information for assignments. However, students were weak at determining the quality of the information found on web sites. Students did poorly at…

Nursing Home Price and Quality Responses to Publicly Reported Quality Information

PubMed Central

Clement, Jan P; Bazzoli, Gloria J; Zhao, Mei

2012-01-01

Objective To assess whether the release of Nursing Home Compare (NHC) data affected self-pay per diem prices and quality of care. Data Sources Primary data sources are the Annual Survey of Wisconsin Nursing Homes for 2001–2003, Online Survey and Certification Reporting System, NHC, and Area Resource File. Study Design We estimated fixed effects models with robust standard errors of per diem self-pay charge and quality before and after NHC. Principal Findings After NHC, low-quality nursing homes raised their prices by a small but significant amount and decreased their use of restraints but did not reduce pressure sores. Mid-level and high-quality nursing homes did not significantly increase self-pay prices after NHC nor consistently change quality. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the release of quality information affected nursing home behavior, especially pricing and quality decisions among low-quality facilities. Policy makers should continue to monitor quality and prices for self-pay residents and scrutinize low-quality homes over time to see whether they are on a pathway to improve quality. In addition, policy makers should not expect public reporting to result in quick fixes to nursing home quality problems. PMID:22092366

How to reduce scientific irreproducibility: the 5-year reflection.

PubMed

Fiala, Clare; Diamandis, Eleftherios P

2017-10-26

We discuss in depth six causes of scientific irreproducibility and their ramifications for the clinical sciences: fraud, unfounded papers published by prominent authorities, bias, technical deficiencies, fragmented science and problems with big data. Some proposed methods to combat this problem are briefly described, including an effort to replicate results from some high impact papers and a proposal that authors include detailed preclinical data in papers with supposedly high translational value. We here advocate for a 5-year reflection on papers with seemingly high clinical/translational potential, published alongside the original paper where authors reflect on the quality, reproducibility and impact of their findings. These reflections can be used as a benchmark for credibility, and begin a virtuous cycle of improving the quality of published findings in the literature.

How Effective are Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Reducing Stress Among Healthcare Professionals? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Burton, Amy; Burgess, Catherine; Dean, Sarah; Koutsopoulou, Gina Z; Hugh-Jones, Siobhan

2017-02-01

Workplace stress is high among healthcare professionals (HCPs) and is associated with reduced psychological health, quality of care and patient satisfaction. This systematic review and meta-analysis reviews evidence on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for reducing stress in HCPs. A systematic literature search was conducted. Papers were screened for suitability using inclusion criteria and nine papers were subjected to review and quality assessment. Seven papers, for which full statistical findings could be obtained, were also subjected to meta-analysis. Results of the meta-analysis suggest that MBIs have the potential to significantly improve stress among HCPs; however, there was evidence of a file drawer problem. The quality of the studies was high in relation to the clarity of aims, data collection and analysis, but weaker in terms of sample size and the use of theoretical frameworks. MBIs have the potential to reduce stress among HCPs; however, more high-quality research is needed before this finding can be confirmed. Future studies would benefit from long-term follow-up measures to determine any continuing effects of mindfulness training on stress outcomes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Low-quality birds do not display high-quality signals: The cysteine-pheomelanin mechanism of honesty

PubMed Central

Galván, Ismael; Wakamatsu, Kazumasa; Camarero, Pablo R; Mateo, Rafael; Alonso-Alvarez, Carlos

2015-01-01

The mechanisms that make that the costs of producing high-quality signals are unaffordable to low-quality signalers are a current issue in animal communication. The size of the melanin-based bib of male house sparrows Passer domesticus honestly signals quality. We induced the development of new bibs while treating males with buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO), a substance that depletes the levels of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) and the amino acid cysteine, two elements that switch melanogenesis from eumelanin to pheomelanin. Final bib size is negatively related to pheomelanin levels in the bib feathers. BSO reduced cysteine and GSH levels in all birds, but improved phenotypes (bibs larger than controls) were only expressed by high-quality birds (BSO birds with largest bibs initially). Negative associations between final bib size and cysteine levels in erythrocytes, and between pheomelanin and cysteine levels, were observed in high-quality birds only. These findings suggest that a mechanism uncoupling pheomelanin and cysteine levels may have evolved in low-quality birds to avoid producing bibs of size not corresponding to their quality and greater relative costs. Indeed, greater oxidative stress in cells was not observed in low-quality birds. This may represent the first mechanism maintaining signal honesty without producing greater relative costs on low-quality signalers. PMID:25330349

Health Consumers eHealth Literacy to Decrease Disparities in Accessing eHealth Information.

PubMed

Park, Hyejin; Cormier, Eileen; Glenna, Gordon

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived eHealth literacy of a general health consumer population so that health care professionals can effectively address skills gaps in health consumers' ability to access and use high quality online health information. Participants were recruited from three public library branches in a Northeast Florida community. The eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS) was used. The majority of participants (n = 108) reported they knew how and where to find health information and how to use it to make health decisions; knowledge of what health resources were available and confidence in the ability to distinguish high from low quality information was considerably less. The findings suggest the need for eHealth education and support to health consumers from health care professionals, in particular, how to access and evaluate the quality of health information.

Premigration School Quality, Time Spent in the United States, and the Math Achievement of Immigrant High School Students.

PubMed

Bozick, Robert; Malchiodi, Alessandro; Miller, Trey

2016-10-01

Using a nationally representative sample of 1,189 immigrant youth in American high schools, we examine whether the quality of education in their country of origin is related to post-migration math achievement in the 9th grade. To measure the quality of their education in the country of origin, we use country-specific average test scores from two international assessments: the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). We find that the average PISA or TIMSS scores for immigrant youth's country of origin are positively associated with their performance on the 9th grade post-migration math assessment. We also find that each year spent in the United States is positively associated with performance on the 9th grade post-migration math assessment, but this effect is strongest for immigrants from countries with low PISA/TIMSS scores.

Service-Learning: A Venue for Enhancing Pre-Service Educators' Knowledge Base for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meaney, Karen; Griffin, Kent; Bohler, Heidi

2009-01-01

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning research examining the impact of service-learning on student's personal qualities has shown positive results. Findings indicate that students participating in high quality service-learning programs show increases in their perceptions of self-efficacy, civic responsibility, social justice, and diversity…

Teachers' Emotional Support Consistency Predicts Children's Achievement Gains and Social Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curby, Timothy W.; Brock, Laura L.; Hamre, Bridget K.

2013-01-01

Research Findings: It is widely acknowledged that consistent, high-quality teacher-student interactions promote optimal developmental outcomes for children. Previous research on the quality of teacher-student interactions provides empirical support for this premise. Little research has been conducted on the consistency of teacher-student…

Improving Teachers' In-Service Professional Development in Mathematics and Science: The Role of Postsecondary Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desimone Laura; Garet, Michael S.; Birman, Beatrice F.; Porter, Andrew; Yoon, Kwang Suk

2003-01-01

As part of national evaluation of Eisenhower Professional Development Program, examines management and implementation strategies contributing to high-quality inservice teacher professional development in mathematics and science. Finds higher quality professional development is related to management and implementation strategies such as continuous…

Practitioner Perspective: Assessing Child-Care Quality with a Telephone Interview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponder, Karen W.

2001-01-01

Discusses findings that child care quality can be measured effectively and efficiently through telephone interview. Notes that interview items were more highly correlated to the materials composite than to the interaction composite of the Environment Ratings Scales. Describes situations where on-site observation is necessary. Suggests that one…

Maternal Depression and Parenting in Early Childhood: Contextual Influence of Marital Quality and Social Support in Two Samples

PubMed Central

Taraban, Lindsay; Shaw, Daniel S.; Leve, Leslie D.; Wilson, Melvin N.; Dishion, Thomas J.; Natsuaki, Misaki N.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Reiss, David

2016-01-01

Marital quality and social support satisfaction were tested as moderators of the association between maternal depressive symptoms and parenting during early childhood (18-36 months) among two large, divergent, longitudinal samples (n = 526; n = 570). Unexpectedly, in both samples the association between maternal depressive symptoms and reduced parenting quality was strongest in the context of high marital quality and high social support, and largely non-significant in the context of low marital quality and low social support. Possible explanations for these surprising findings are discussed. Results point to the importance of accounting for factors in the broader family context in predicting the association between depressive symptoms and maternal parenting. PMID:28230401

Gradient Magnitude Similarity Deviation: A Highly Efficient Perceptual Image Quality Index.

PubMed

Xue, Wufeng; Zhang, Lei; Mou, Xuanqin; Bovik, Alan C

2014-02-01

It is an important task to faithfully evaluate the perceptual quality of output images in many applications, such as image compression, image restoration, and multimedia streaming. A good image quality assessment (IQA) model should not only deliver high quality prediction accuracy, but also be computationally efficient. The efficiency of IQA metrics is becoming particularly important due to the increasing proliferation of high-volume visual data in high-speed networks. We present a new effective and efficient IQA model, called gradient magnitude similarity deviation (GMSD). The image gradients are sensitive to image distortions, while different local structures in a distorted image suffer different degrees of degradations. This motivates us to explore the use of global variation of gradient based local quality map for overall image quality prediction. We find that the pixel-wise gradient magnitude similarity (GMS) between the reference and distorted images combined with a novel pooling strategy-the standard deviation of the GMS map-can predict accurately perceptual image quality. The resulting GMSD algorithm is much faster than most state-of-the-art IQA methods, and delivers highly competitive prediction accuracy. MATLAB source code of GMSD can be downloaded at http://www4.comp.polyu.edu.hk/~cslzhang/IQA/GMSD/GMSD.htm.

Public library computer training for older adults to access high-quality Internet health information

PubMed Central

Xie, Bo; Bugg, Julie M.

2010-01-01

An innovative experiment to develop and evaluate a public library computer training program to teach older adults to access and use high-quality Internet health information involved a productive collaboration among public libraries, the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and a Library and Information Science (LIS) academic program at a state university. One hundred and thirty-one older adults aged 54–89 participated in the study between September 2007 and July 2008. Key findings include: a) participants had overwhelmingly positive perceptions of the training program; b) after learning about two NIH websites (http://nihseniorhealth.gov and http://medlineplus.gov) from the training, many participants started using these online resources to find high quality health and medical information and, further, to guide their decision-making regarding a health- or medically-related matter; and c) computer anxiety significantly decreased (p < .001) while computer interest and efficacy significantly increased (p = .001 and p < .001, respectively) from pre- to post-training, suggesting statistically significant improvements in computer attitudes between pre- and post-training. The findings have implications for public libraries, LIS academic programs, and other organizations interested in providing similar programs in their communities. PMID:20161649

Facial appearance affects science communication.

PubMed

Gheorghiu, Ana I; Callan, Mitchell J; Skylark, William J

2017-06-06

First impressions based on facial appearance predict many important social outcomes. We investigated whether such impressions also influence the communication of scientific findings to lay audiences, a process that shapes public beliefs, opinion, and policy. First, we investigated the traits that engender interest in a scientist's work, and those that create the impression of a "good scientist" who does high-quality research. Apparent competence and morality were positively related to both interest and quality judgments, whereas attractiveness boosted interest but decreased perceived quality. Next, we had members of the public choose real science news stories to read or watch and found that people were more likely to choose items that were paired with "interesting-looking" scientists, especially when selecting video-based communications. Finally, we had people read real science news items and found that the research was judged to be of higher quality when paired with researchers who look like "good scientists." Our findings offer insights into the social psychology of science, and indicate a source of bias in the dissemination of scientific findings to broader society.

The Influence of Parental Control and Parent-Child Relational Qualities on Adolescent Internet Addiction: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Shek, Daniel T. L.; Zhu, Xiaoqin; Ma, Cecilia M. S.

2018-01-01

This study investigated how parental behavioral control, parental psychological control, and parent-child relational qualities predicted the initial level and rate of change in adolescent internet addiction (IA) across the junior high school years. The study also investigated the concurrent and longitudinal effects of different parenting factors on adolescent IA. Starting from the 2009/2010 academic year, 3,328 Grade 7 students (Mage = 12.59 ± 0.74 years) from 28 randomly selected secondary schools in Hong Kong responded on a yearly basis to a questionnaire measuring multiple constructs including socio-demographic characteristics, perceived parenting characteristics, and IA. Individual growth curve (IGC) analyses showed that adolescent IA slightly decreased during junior high school years. While behavioral control of both parents was negatively related to the initial level of adolescent IA, only paternal behavioral control showed a significant positive relationship with the rate of linear change in IA, suggesting that higher paternal behavioral control predicted a slower decrease in IA. In addition, fathers' and mothers' psychological control was positively associated with the initial level of adolescent IA, but increase in maternal psychological control predicted a faster drop in IA. Finally, parent-child relational qualities negatively and positively predicted the initial level and the rate of change in IA, respectively. When all parenting factors were considered simultaneously, multiple regression analyses revealed that paternal behavioral control and psychological control as well as maternal psychological control and mother-child relational quality were significant concurrent predictors of adolescent IA at Wave 2 and Wave 3. Regarding the longitudinal predicting effects, paternal psychological control and mother-child relational quality at Wave 1 were the two most robust predictors of later adolescent IA at Wave 2 and Wave 3. The above findings underscore the importance of the parent-child subsystem qualities in influencing adolescent IA in the junior high school years. In particular, these findings shed light on the different impacts of fathering and mothering which are neglected in the scientific literature. While the findings based on the levels of IA are consistent with the existing theoretical models, findings on the rate of change are novel. PMID:29765349

The Influence of Parental Control and Parent-Child Relational Qualities on Adolescent Internet Addiction: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Shek, Daniel T L; Zhu, Xiaoqin; Ma, Cecilia M S

2018-01-01

This study investigated how parental behavioral control, parental psychological control, and parent-child relational qualities predicted the initial level and rate of change in adolescent internet addiction (IA) across the junior high school years. The study also investigated the concurrent and longitudinal effects of different parenting factors on adolescent IA. Starting from the 2009/2010 academic year, 3,328 Grade 7 students ( M age = 12.59 ± 0.74 years) from 28 randomly selected secondary schools in Hong Kong responded on a yearly basis to a questionnaire measuring multiple constructs including socio-demographic characteristics, perceived parenting characteristics, and IA. Individual growth curve (IGC) analyses showed that adolescent IA slightly decreased during junior high school years. While behavioral control of both parents was negatively related to the initial level of adolescent IA, only paternal behavioral control showed a significant positive relationship with the rate of linear change in IA, suggesting that higher paternal behavioral control predicted a slower decrease in IA. In addition, fathers' and mothers' psychological control was positively associated with the initial level of adolescent IA, but increase in maternal psychological control predicted a faster drop in IA. Finally, parent-child relational qualities negatively and positively predicted the initial level and the rate of change in IA, respectively. When all parenting factors were considered simultaneously, multiple regression analyses revealed that paternal behavioral control and psychological control as well as maternal psychological control and mother-child relational quality were significant concurrent predictors of adolescent IA at Wave 2 and Wave 3. Regarding the longitudinal predicting effects, paternal psychological control and mother-child relational quality at Wave 1 were the two most robust predictors of later adolescent IA at Wave 2 and Wave 3. The above findings underscore the importance of the parent-child subsystem qualities in influencing adolescent IA in the junior high school years. In particular, these findings shed light on the different impacts of fathering and mothering which are neglected in the scientific literature. While the findings based on the levels of IA are consistent with the existing theoretical models, findings on the rate of change are novel.

Empirical Study on the Sustainability of China's Grain Quality Improvement: The Role of Transportation, Labor, and Agricultural Machinery.

PubMed

Zhang, Ming; Duan, Fang; Mao, Zisen

2018-02-05

As a major part of farming sustainability, the issues of grain production and its quality improvement have been important in many countries. This paper aims to address these issues in China. Based on the data from the main production provinces and by applying the stochastic frontier analysis methodology, we find that the improvement of transportation and the use of agricultural machinery have become the main driving forces for grain quality improvement in China. After further studying different provinces' potentials of grain quality improvement, we show that grain quality has increased steadily. Therefore, we can conclude China's grain quality improvement is indeed sustainable. Furthermore, different grains like rice, wheat, and corn share similar characteristics in terms of quality improvement, but the improvement rate for rice is relatively low, while those of corn and wheat are relatively high. Moreover, the overall change of efficiency gain of grain quality improvement is not significant for different provinces. The efficiency gains of the quality improvements for rice and wheat even decrease slightly. In addition, we find that only expanding grain quality improvement potential can simultaneously achieve the dual objectives of improving grain quality and increasing yield.

Empirical Study on the Sustainability of China’s Grain Quality Improvement: The Role of Transportation, Labor, and Agricultural Machinery

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ming; Duan, Fang; Mao, Zisen

2018-01-01

As a major part of farming sustainability, the issues of grain production and its quality improvement have been important in many countries. This paper aims to address these issues in China. Based on the data from the main production provinces and by applying the stochastic frontier analysis methodology, we find that the improvement of transportation and the use of agricultural machinery have become the main driving forces for grain quality improvement in China. After further studying different provinces’ potentials of grain quality improvement, we show that grain quality has increased steadily. Therefore, we can conclude China’s grain quality improvement is indeed sustainable. Furthermore, different grains like rice, wheat, and corn share similar characteristics in terms of quality improvement, but the improvement rate for rice is relatively low, while those of corn and wheat are relatively high. Moreover, the overall change of efficiency gain of grain quality improvement is not significant for different provinces. The efficiency gains of the quality improvements for rice and wheat even decrease slightly. In addition, we find that only expanding grain quality improvement potential can simultaneously achieve the dual objectives of improving grain quality and increasing yield. PMID:29401727

Strong Photoluminescence Enhancement in All-Dielectric Fano Metasurface with High Quality Factor.

PubMed

Yuan, Shuai; Qiu, Xingzhi; Cui, Chengcong; Zhu, Liangqiu; Wang, Yuxi; Li, Yi; Song, Jinwen; Huang, Qingzhong; Xia, Jinsong

2017-11-28

All-dielectric metamaterials offer great flexibility for controlling light-matter interaction, owing to their strong electric and magnetic resonances with negligible loss at wavelengths above the material bandgap. Here, we propose an all-dielectric asymmetric metasurface structure exhibiting high quality factor and prominent Fano line shape. Over three-orders photoluminescence enhancement is demonstrated in the fabricated all-dielectric metasurface with record-high quality factor of 1011. We find this strong emission enhancement is attributed to the coherent Fano resonances, which originate from the destructive interferences of antisymmetric displacement currents in the asymmetric all-dielectric metasurface. Our observations show a promising approach to realize light emitters based on all-dielectric metasurfaces.

The pathways of high school science teachers and policy efforts to alter the pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sass, Tim

2012-03-01

There is currently much interest in improving the quality of science education in K-12 schools and encouraging more students, particularly minorities and women, to pursue careers in STEM fields. Two interrelated issues are at the forefront: the quality of science teachers and the supply of science teachers. Education research in general finds that the single most important school-based factor affecting student achievement is teacher quality. While there is little evidence that teacher credentials matter for student achievement in the lower grades, there is at least some evidence that content knowledge is an important determinant of teacher quality in middle and secondary schools. However, little is known about the pre-service preparation of high school science teachers and how the training of science teachers affects their performance in the classroom. While there are many efforts underway to increase the supply of science teachers, little is known about the supply of science teachers from different pathways and the factors that lead science teachers to leave the profession. In this presentation I discuss recent work on the supply of teachers from alternative pathways, focusing on high school science teachers. I also summarize the literature on teacher quality and attrition, emphasizing the current state of knowledge on secondary school teachers. Finally, I present current policy initiatives and discuss the likelihood of their success given current research findings.

Lives of quality in the face of challenge in Israel.

PubMed

Neikrug, S; Roth, D; Judes, J

2011-12-01

The purpose of this study is to describe and analyse the quality of life of Israeli families raising a child with a disability while challenged with all the usual demands of family life. Respondents were main caregivers of 103 children with disability receiving services at Beit Issie Shapiro, a service agency in Israel. The respondents completed the Family Quality of Life Survey-2006 which operationalises family quality of life (FQOL) as a construct in nine domains of family life. The findings show an underlying pattern within the domains that define FQOL. In general, the findings indicate that the families are strongly challenged to meet the needs of a special child and raise a family meeting the needs of all its members. The respondents report that, within the limits of available opportunities, they had achieved well and they are satisfied with their attainment. In general, our findings seem to reflect in our respondents a sense of resilience and an ability to manage family challenges to achieve a reasonably high FQOL. Domains described as internal to the family were rated highly in terms of FQOL as compared to domains external to the family. The Family Quality of Life Survey-2006 was found to be a valuable tool for identifying and evaluating factors that enhance FQOL. Further research is needed to develop application models for integrating this instrument into the agency's service and evaluation repertoire. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Interaction between 5-HTTLPR genotype and cognitive stress vulnerability on sleep quality: effects of sub-chronic tryptophan administration.

PubMed

van Dalfsen, Jens H; Markus, C Rob

2015-02-02

Abundant evidence suggests that allelic variation in the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) influences susceptibility to stress and its affective consequences due to brain serotonergic vulnerability. Based on recent assumptions, the present study examined whether the 5-HTTLPR genotype may also interact with a vulnerability to chronic stress experience (conceptualized by trait neuroticism) in order to influence sleep quality and, additionally, whether this is influenced by brain serotonergic manipulations. In a well-balanced experimental design, homozygous S-allele (n = 57) and L-allele (n = 54) genotypes with high and low chronic stress vulnerability (neuroticism) were first assessed for general past sleep quality during a month before onset of the experiment. Then subjects were assessed for sleep quality following 7 days of tryptophan (3.0g/day) or placebo intake. Although high neuroticism was significantly related to a higher frequency of stressful life events and daily hassles, it did not interact with the 5-HTTLPR genotype on general past sleep quality. However, as expected, a 7 day period of tryptophan administration was exclusively associated with better sleep quality scores in the S'/S' genotype with high trait neuroticism. Current findings suggest that 5-HTTLPR does not directly interact with stress vulnerability in order to influence sleep quality. Instead, based on current and previous findings, it is suggested that the S'/S' 5-HTTLPR genotype promotes the risk for stress-related sleep disturbances because of an increased susceptibility to the depressogenic consequences of stress. Accordingly, by way of reducing depressive symptomatology, tryptophan augmentation may particularly improve sleep quality in stress-vulnerable individuals carrying the 5-HTTLPR S-allele. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

Dewey: A Panacea for the 'Schoolification' Epidemic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ring, Emer; O'Sullivan, Lisha

2018-01-01

High quality early years' education is associated with providing a child-centred curriculum based on a knowledge of how young children learn. The global 'schoolification epidemic' has led to an increasing focus on prescribed curricula and presents as a serious threat to the quality of children's early years' experiences. Findings from research in…

Opinion: High-Quality Mathematics Resources as Public Goods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, James

2017-01-01

James Russo begins a discussion of the difficulty and time-consuming activity of Googling to find lesson plans and resources to keep his lessons more interesting and engaging, since such resources seem particularly scarce for math teachers. Russo writes that joining professional associations has given him ready access to higher quality resources…

Sleep Duration and Quality in Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China.

PubMed

Xu, Xianglong; Liu, Dengyuan; Zhang, Zhangyi; Sharma, Manoj; Zhao, Yong

2017-07-20

Objectives: Good maternal health and fetal development require sufficient and good quality of sleep during pregnancy. This study investigated sleep duration and quality in pregnant women, assessing factors with possibly influence on sleep. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on pregnant women between June and August in 2015 in 16 hospitals in five provinces in China. A total of 2345 pregnant women aged 18 years and older were surveyed. Insufficient sleeping duration was defined as sleeping of less than 7 h per day. Excessive sleep duration was defined as sleeping of more than 9 h per day. Results: A total of 561 (23.9%) participants reported insufficient sleeping duration, whereas 485 (20.9%) claimed excessive sleep duration. A total of 358 (15.2%) of pregnant women reported problems regarding sleep quality. Compared to pregnant women with sufficient sleeping duration, those with insufficient sleeping duration were prone to have poor sleep quality, whereas those with excessive sleeping duration featured low possibility of poor sleep quality. High-risk groups of insufficient sleep duration include women of Han nationality, with siblings, in their first trimester of pregnancy, receiving care in low-capacity/quality hospital settings, and with daily or 1-3 days of secondhand smoke exposure. High-risk groups of excessive sleep duration include women living in rural areas, unemployed, in their third trimester of pregnancy, and receiving care in medium-capacity/quality hospital settings. High-risk groups of poor sleep quality include women of non-Han nationality, low income level, in their third trimester of pregnancy, and with insufficient sleep duration. Conclusions: Insufficient/excessive sleep duration and poor sleep quality commonly occur during pregnancy in China. Findings provide a better understanding of the influencing factors of insufficient/excessive sleep duration and poor quality of sleep. These findings have some implications for future interventions on sleep among pregnant women.

Sleep Duration and Quality in Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China

PubMed Central

Liu, Dengyuan; Zhang, Zhangyi; Zhao, Yong

2017-01-01

Objectives: Good maternal health and fetal development require sufficient and good quality of sleep during pregnancy. This study investigated sleep duration and quality in pregnant women, assessing factors with possibly influence on sleep. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on pregnant women between June and August in 2015 in 16 hospitals in five provinces in China. A total of 2345 pregnant women aged 18 years and older were surveyed. Insufficient sleeping duration was defined as sleeping of less than 7 h per day. Excessive sleep duration was defined as sleeping of more than 9 h per day. Results: A total of 561 (23.9%) participants reported insufficient sleeping duration, whereas 485 (20.9%) claimed excessive sleep duration. A total of 358 (15.2%) of pregnant women reported problems regarding sleep quality. Compared to pregnant women with sufficient sleeping duration, those with insufficient sleeping duration were prone to have poor sleep quality, whereas those with excessive sleeping duration featured low possibility of poor sleep quality. High-risk groups of insufficient sleep duration include women of Han nationality, with siblings, in their first trimester of pregnancy, receiving care in low-capacity/quality hospital settings, and with daily or 1–3 days of secondhand smoke exposure. High-risk groups of excessive sleep duration include women living in rural areas, unemployed, in their third trimester of pregnancy, and receiving care in medium-capacity/quality hospital settings. High-risk groups of poor sleep quality include women of non-Han nationality, low income level, in their third trimester of pregnancy, and with insufficient sleep duration. Conclusions: Insufficient/excessive sleep duration and poor sleep quality commonly occur during pregnancy in China. Findings provide a better understanding of the influencing factors of insufficient/excessive sleep duration and poor quality of sleep. These findings have some implications for future interventions on sleep among pregnant women. PMID:28726747

Using EPIC to Find Conflicts, Inconsistencies, and Gaps in Department of Defense Policies

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

documentation; or deliver preliminary findings. All RAND reports un- dergo rigorous peer review to ensure that they meet high standards for research quality...responsibilities and the products that result from their execution. Once the high -level frame- work was defined, successive lower layers were developed to further...Lead or Chief Engineer Component Acquisition Executive ( CAE ) Managers Configuration Steering Board Materiel developer Contractor Milestone Decision

Maternal depression and parenting in early childhood: Contextual influence of marital quality and social support in two samples.

PubMed

Taraban, Lindsay; Shaw, Daniel S; Leve, Leslie D; Wilson, Melvin N; Dishion, Thomas J; Natsuaki, Misaki N; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Reiss, David

2017-03-01

Marital quality and social support satisfaction were tested as moderators of the association between maternal depressive symptoms and parenting during early childhood (18-36 months) among 2 large, divergent, longitudinal samples (n = 526; n = 570). Unexpectedly, in both samples the association between maternal depressive symptoms and reduced parenting quality was strongest in the context of high marital quality and high social support, and largely nonsignificant in the context of low marital quality and low social support. Possible explanations for these surprising findings are discussed. Results point to the importance of accounting for factors in the broader family context in predicting the association between depressive symptoms and maternal parenting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Discovery and Use of Online Learning Resources: Case Study Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Recker, Mimi M.; Dorward, James; Nelson, Laurie Miller

2004-01-01

Much recent research and funding have focused on building Internet-based repositories that contain collections of high-quality learning resources, often called "learning objects." Yet little is known about how non-specialist users, in particular teachers, find, access, and use digital learning resources. To address this gap, this article…

High-Quality TiS2 For Li/TiS2 Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, Chen-Kuo; Surampudi, Subbarao; Shen, David H.; Delgiannis, Fotios; Halpert, Gerald

1992-01-01

Modified process for synthesis of battery-grade titanium sulfide (TiS2) yields substantially improved material for Li/TiS2 electrochemical cells. Includes all-vapor-phase reaction between sulfur and titanium. Product less dense and more homogeneous, consists of smaller particles of higher crystalline quality, and purer. Cells have high cathode utilization and long cycle life performance. Expected to find applications in rechargeable lithium batteries for spacecraft, military equipment, telecommunication systems, automobiles, and consumer products.

Principals' Perceptions of Professional Development in High- and Low-Performing High-Poverty Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Sheila; Kochan, Frances

2013-01-01

This is the second part of a two-part study examining issues related to professional development in high-poverty schools. The findings from the initial study indicated that principals in high-poverty, high-performing schools perceived higher levels of implementation of quality professional development standards in their schools than did principals…

Service quality in health care setting.

PubMed

Rashid, Wan Edura Wan; Jusoff, Hj Kamaruzaman

2009-01-01

This paper attempts to explore the concept of service quality in a health care setting. This paper probes the definition of service quality from technical and functional aspects for a better understanding on how consumers evaluate the quality of health care. It adopts the conceptual model of service quality frequently used by the most researchers in the health care sector. The paper also discusses several service quality dimensions and service quality problems in order to provide a more holistic conception of hospital service quality. The paper finds that service quality in health care is very complex as compared to other services because this sector highly involves risk. The paper adds a new perspective towards understanding how the concept of service quality is adopted in a health care setting.

Where Would You Go for Your Next Hospitalization?

PubMed Central

Jung, Kyoungrae; Feldman, Roger; Scanlon, Dennis

2014-01-01

We examine the effects of diverse dimensions of hospital quality – including consumers’ perceptions of unobserved attributes – on future hospital choice. We utilize consumers’ stated preference weights to obtain hospital-specific estimates of perceptions about unmeasured attributes such as reputation. We report three findings. First, consumers’ perceptions of reputation and medical services contribute substantially to utility for a hospital choice. Second, consumers tend to select hospitals with high clinical quality scores even before the scores are publicized. However, the effect of clinical quality on hospital choice is relatively small. Third, satisfaction with a prior hospital admission has a large impact on future hospital choice. Our findings suggest that including measures of consumers’ experience in report cards may increase their responsiveness to publicized information, but other strategies are needed to overcome the large effects of consumers’ beliefs about other quality attributes. PMID:21665300

Self-regulation and quality of life in high-functioning young adults with autism.

PubMed

Dijkhuis, Renee R; Ziermans, Tim B; Van Rijn, Sophie; Staal, Wouter G; Swaab, Hanna

2017-10-01

Autism is generally associated with poor functional outcome but little is known about predictors of quality of life, especially during early adulthood. This study was conducted to assess subjective quality of life during early adulthood in high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and its relation with self-regulating abilities. Individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder who progressed into post-secondary higher education ( N = 75) were compared to a typical peer control group ( N = 28) based on behavioral self-report questionnaires. The results indicated that individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder reported significantly lower subjective quality of life than typical controls ( p < 0.001, effect size ( d) = 1.84). In addition, individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder reported more problems with emotion processing ( p < 0.05, effect size ( d) = 0.79) and daily executive functioning ( p < 0.001, effect size ( d) = 1.29) than controls. A higher level of executive functioning problems was related to lower quality of life in the high-functioning autism spectrum disorder group, but no significant relation between level of emotion processing and subjective quality of life became apparent in the regression analysis. Our findings show that even in high-functioning young adults with autism, executive functioning, emotion processing, and subjective quality of life are low compared to typically developing peers. Furthermore, these results emphasize the importance of targeting executive functioning problems in individuals with autism to improve subjective quality of life.

A comprehensive framework for data quality assessment in CER.

PubMed

Holve, Erin; Kahn, Michael; Nahm, Meredith; Ryan, Patrick; Weiskopf, Nicole

2013-01-01

The panel addresses the urgent need to ensure that comparative effectiveness research (CER) findings derived from diverse and distributed data sources are based on credible, high-quality data; and that the methods used to assess and report data quality are consistent, comprehensive, and available to data consumers. The panel consists of representatives from four teams leveraging electronic clinical data for CER, patient centered outcomes research (PCOR), and quality improvement (QI) and seeks to change the current paradigm where data quality assessment (DQA) is performed "behind the scenes" using one-off project specific methods. The panelists will present their process of harmonizing existing models for describing and measuring clinical data quality and will describe a comprehensive integrated framework for assessing and reporting DQA findings. The collaborative project is supported by the Electronic Data Methods (EDM) Forum, a three-year grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to facilitate learning and foster collaboration across a set of CER, PCOR, and QI projects designed to build infrastructure and methods for collecting and analyzing prospective data from electronic clinical data .

Myrmecochores can target high-quality disperser ants: variation in elaiosome traits and ant preferences for myrmecochorous Euphorbiaceae in Brazilian Caatinga.

PubMed

Leal, Laura Carolina; Lima Neto, Mário Correia; de Oliveira, Antônio Fernando Morais; Andersen, Alan N; Leal, Inara R

2014-02-01

Recent evidence suggests that the traditional view of myrmecochory as a highly diffuse interaction between diaspores and a wide range of ant species attracted to their elaiosomes may not be correct. The effectiveness of dispersal varies markedly among ant species, and combined with differential attractiveness of diaspores due to elaiosome size and composition, this raises the potential for myrmecochorous plants to target ant species that offer the highest quality dispersal services. We ask the question: Do particular physical and chemical traits of elaiosomes result in disproportionate removal of Euphorbiaceae diaspores by high-quality disperser ants in Caatinga vegetation of north-eastern Brazil? We offered seeds of five euphorb species that varied in morphological and chemical traits of elaiosomes to seed-dispersing ants. High-quality seed-disperser ants (species of Dinoponera, Ectatomma and Camponotus) were identified as those that rapidly collected and transported diaspores to their nests, often over substantial distances, whereas low-quality disperser ants (primarily species of Pheidole and Solenopsis) typically fed on elaiosomes in situ, and only ever transported diaspores very short distances. Low-quality disperser ants were equally attracted to the elaiosomes of all study species. However, high-quality dispersers showed a strong preference for diaspores with the highest elaiosome mass (and especially proportional mass). As far as we are aware, this is the first study to identify a mechanism of diaspore selection by high-quality ant dispersers based on elaiosome traits under field conditions. Our findings suggest that myrmecochorous plants can preferentially target high-quality seed-disperser ants through the evolution of particular elaiosome traits.

Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: summary of the 2016 agency of healthcare research and quality evidence review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We summarize the 2016 update of the 2004 Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality's evidence review of omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The overall findings for the effects of marine oil supplements on intermediate CVD outcomes remain largely unchanged. There is high strength o...

Chinese Parents' Beliefs about the Importance and Feasibility of Quality Early Childhood Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Bi Ying; Mak, Miranda Chi Kuan; Zhang, Chun; Fan, Xitao; Zhu, Jieling

2018-01-01

This study aims to explore Chinese parents' understanding about the importance and feasibility of quality pre-school inclusion and how these beliefs are affected by their levels of education and the types of disabilities in the Chinese socio-cultural and policy contexts. Findings support parents are highly supportive of the philosophy of…

On the Right Track: Measuring Early Childhood Development Program Quality Internationally

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Limlingan, Maria Cristina

2011-01-01

Two of the main obstacles for drawing educational comparisons consist in determining what are considered "high quality" initiatives, and finding a common tool that can adapt to differences in both structure and content, as well as to the cultural and demographic characteristics of the population it wishes to serve. This paper focuses on…

At Issue: A Comprehensive Review and Synthesis of the Literature on Late Registration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tompkins, Patrick; Williams, Mitchell R.

2015-01-01

Using a literature review taxonomy described by Cooper and Hedges (2009), an analysis of 32 publicly available studies of late registrations was conducted to provide researchers and policymakers with an assessment of the extent, quality, and major findings of the studies. The reviewer asserted that few high-quality studies have been conducted on…

Epitaxial growth of single-orientation high-quality MoS2 monolayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bana, Harsh; Travaglia, Elisabetta; Bignardi, Luca; Lacovig, Paolo; Sanders, Charlotte E.; Dendzik, Maciej; Michiardi, Matteo; Bianchi, Marco; Lizzit, Daniel; Presel, Francesco; De Angelis, Dario; Apostol, Nicoleta; Das, Pranab Kumar; Fujii, Jun; Vobornik, Ivana; Larciprete, Rosanna; Baraldi, Alessandro; Hofmann, Philip; Lizzit, Silvano

2018-07-01

We present a study on the growth and characterization of high-quality single-layer MoS2 with a single orientation, i.e. without the presence of mirror domains. This single orientation of the MoS2 layer is established by means of x-ray photoelectron diffraction. The high quality is evidenced by combining scanning tunneling microscopy with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Spin- and angle-resolved photoemission experiments performed on the sample revealed complete spin-polarization of the valence band states near the K and -K points of the Brillouin zone. These findings open up the possibility to exploit the spin and valley degrees of freedom for encoding and processing information in devices that are based on epitaxially grown materials.

Would you like to play together? Adults' attachment and the mirror game.

PubMed

Feniger-Schaal, Rinat; Noy, Lior; Hart, Yuval; Koren-Karie, Nina; Mayo, Avraham E; Alon, Uri

2016-01-01

Why is it easy for some people to play together and difficult for others? In this interdisciplinary pilot study, we looked at dyadic interaction in motion as a paradigm to explore the expression of attachment in adulthood. We used a device that gives simple, quantitative and automated indicators for the quality of interaction while playing the mirror game. Forty-seven participants played the mirror game with the same gender-matched expert players. In addition, participants were interviewed on the Adult Attachment Interview to assess their quality of attachment. Using high resolution kinematic measures, we found that secure attachment was correlated with high complexity of the game and low synchrony compared to insecure attachment. The findings suggest that security of attachment is related to a more exploratory and less rigid game than insecure-dismissing attachment. These preliminary findings imply that high resolution analysis of simple movement interaction could carry information about attachment behavior.

What is a good life? Selecting capabilities to assess women's quality of life in rural Malawi.

PubMed

Greco, Giulia; Skordis-Worrall, Jolene; Mkandawire, Bryan; Mills, Anne

2015-04-01

There is growing interest in using Sen's Capability Approach to assess quality of life and to evaluate social policies. This paper describes the formative stages of developing a quality of life measure: the selection of the relevant capabilities. This measure is intended to provide a more comprehensive outcome measure for the evaluation of complex interventions such as Maimwana womens' groups, a community based participatory intervention to improve maternal health in rural Malawi. Fifteen focus group discussions with 129 women were conducted to explore relevant concepts of quality of life in rural Malawi. Data collection started in October 2009. Findings were elicited based on framework analysis. The findings portray a complex and highly nuanced perception that women in rural Malawi have of their life and wellbeing. Quality of life was described using a variety of dimensions that are highly interconnected. Quality of life emerges to be not only shaped by the realisation of basic material needs such as being sufficiently nourished and adequately sheltered, but is also highly dependent on complex feelings, relations and social norms. The full exposition of wellbeing with its domains was organised into a framework constituting six different spheres of wellbeing: physical strength, inner wellbeing, household wellbeing, community relations, economic security and happiness. Despite the list being developed in a specific context and for a specific group of people, the similarities with lists developed in other contexts, with different methods and for different purposes, are considerable. This suggests that there are a number of core aspects of wellbeing considered a minimum requirement for a life of human dignity, that should be included in any attempt to assess quality of life and human development across populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of Patient-Provider Communication Among Cancer Survivors: Findings From a Nationally Representative Sample.

PubMed

Chawla, Neetu; Blanch-Hartigan, Danielle; Virgo, Katherine S; Ekwueme, Donatus U; Han, Xuesong; Forsythe, Laura; Rodriguez, Juan; McNeel, Timothy S; Yabroff, K Robin

2016-12-01

Although patient-provider communication is an essential component of health care delivery, little is known about the quality of these discussions among patients with cancer. Data are from the 2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Experiences with Cancer survey among 1,202 adult cancer survivors. We evaluated discussions with any provider after a cancer diagnosis about: (1) follow-up care; (2) late or long-term treatment effects; (3) lifestyle recommendations, such as diet, exercise, and quitting smoking; and (4) emotional or social needs. Using a response scale ranging from "did not discuss" to "discussed in detail," a summary score was constructed to define communication quality as high, medium, or low. Patient factors associated with the quality of provider discussions were examined using multivariable polytomous logistic regression analyses. At the time of the survey, approximately one half of the patients (46%) were either within 1 year (24.1%) or between 1 and 5 years (22.0%) of treatment. More than one third of cancer survivors reported that they did not receive detailed communication about follow-up care, and more than one half reported that they did not receive detailed communication regarding late or long-term effects, lifestyle recommendations, or emotional and social needs. Only 24% reported high-quality communication for all four elements, indicating that the vast majority experienced suboptimal communication. In multivariable analysis, survivors reporting a high communication quality with providers included those who were within 1 year of treatment, between the ages of 18 and 64 years, non-Hispanic black or other ethnicity, and married. Study findings demonstrate gaps in the communication quality experienced by cancer survivors in the United States and help identify survivors for targeted interventions.

Linking service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention.

PubMed

Woodside, A G; Frey, L L; Daly, R T

1989-12-01

Based on the service quality and script theory literature, a framework of relationships among service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention for service purchases is proposed. Specific models are developed from the general framework and the models are applied and tested for the highly complex and divergent consumer service of overnight hospital care. Service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention data were collected from recent patients of two hospitals. The findings support the specific models and general framework. Implications for theory, service marketing, and future research are discussed.

Friends' knowledge of youth internalizing and externalizing adjustment: accuracy, bias, and the influences of gender, grade, positive friendship quality, and self-disclosure.

PubMed

Swenson, Lance P; Rose, Amanda J

2009-08-01

Some evidence suggests that close friends may be knowledgeable of youth's psychological adjustment. However, friends are understudied as reporters of adjustment. The current study examines associations between self- and friend-reports of internalizing and externalizing adjustment in a community sample of fifth-, eighth-, and eleventh-grade youth. The study extends prior work by considering the degree to which friends' reports of youth adjustment are accurate (i.e., predicted by youths' actual adjustment) versus biased (i.e., predicted by the friend reporters' own adjustment). Findings indicated stronger bias effects than accuracy effects, but the accuracy effects were significant for both internalizing and externalizing adjustment. Additionally, friends who perceived their relationships as high in positive quality, friends in relationships high in disclosure, and girls perceived youths' internalizing symptoms most accurately. Knowledge of externalizing adjustment was not influenced by gender, grade, relationship quality, or self-disclosure. Findings suggest that friends could play an important role in prevention efforts.

School Opportunity Hoarding? Racial Segregation and Access to High Growth Schools

PubMed Central

Fiel, Jeremy E.

2017-01-01

Abstract Persistent school segregation may allow advantaged groups to hoard educational opportunities and consign minority students to lower-quality educational experiences. Although minority students are concentrated in low-achieving schools, relatively little previous research directly links segregation to measures of school quality based on student achievement growth, which more plausibly reflect learning opportunities. Using a dataset of public elementary schools in California, this study provides the first analysis detailing the distribution of a growth-based measure of school quality using standard inequality indices, allowing disparities to be decomposed across geographic and organizational scales. We find mixed support for the school opportunity hoarding hypothesis. We find small White and Asian advantages in access to high-growth schools, but most of the inequality in exposure to school growth is within racial groups. Growth-based disparities both between and within groups tend to be on a more local scale than disparities in absolute achievement levels, focusing attention on within-district policies to mitigate school-based inequalities in opportunities to learn. PMID:28607527

Improved image quality and diagnostic potential using ultra-high-resolution computed tomography of the lung with small scan FOV: A prospective study

PubMed Central

Wang, Yali; Hamal, Preeti; You, Xiaofang; Mao, Haixia; Li, Fei; Sun, Xiwen

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess whether CT imaging using an ultra-high-resolution CT (UHRCT) scan with a small scan field of view (FOV) provides higher image quality and helps to reduce the follow-up period compared with a conventional high-resolution CT (CHRCT) scan. We identified patients with at least one pulmonary nodule at our hospital from July 2015 to November 2015. CHRCT and UHRCT scans were conducted in all enrolled patients. Three experienced radiologists evaluated the image quality using a 5-point score and made diagnoses. The paired images were displayed side by side in a random manner and annotations of scan information were removed. The following parameters including image quality, diagnostic confidence of radiologists, follow-up recommendations and diagnostic accuracy were assessed. A total of 52 patients (62 nodules) were included in this study. UHRCT scan provides a better image quality regarding the margin of nodules and solid internal component compared to that of CHRCT (P < 0.05). Readers have higher diagnostic confidence based on the UHRCT images than of CHRCT images (P<0.05). The follow-up recommendations were significantly different between UHRCT and CHRCT images (P<0.05). Compared with the surgical pathological findings, UHRCT had a relative higher diagnostic accuracy than CHRCT (P > 0.05). These findings suggest that the UHRCT prototype scanner provides a better image quality of subsolid nodules compared to CHRCT and contributes significantly to reduce the patients' follow-up period. PMID:28231320

Market Earnings and Household Work: New Tests of Gender Performance Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Daniel

2011-01-01

I examine the contested finding that men and women engage in gender performance through housework. Prior scholarship has found a curvilinear association between earnings share and housework that has been interpreted as evidence of gender performance. I reexamine these findings by conducting the first such analysis to use high-quality time diary…

Comparison of methodologic quality and study/report characteristics between quantitative clinical nursing and nursing education research articles.

PubMed

Schneider, Barbara St Pierre; Nicholas, Jennifer; Kurrus, Jeffrey E

2013-01-01

To compare the methodologic quality and study/report characteristics between quantitative clinical nursing and nursing education research articles. The methodologic quality of quantitative nursing education research needs to advance to a higher level. Clinical research can provide guidance for nursing education to reach this level. One hundred quantitative clinical research articles from-high impact journals published in 2007 and 37 education research articles from high impact journals published in 2006 to 2007 were chosen for analysis. Clinical articles had significantly higher quality scores than education articles in three domains: number of institutions studied, type of data, and outcomes. The findings indicate three ways in which nursing education researchers can strengthen the methodologic quality of their quantitative research. With this approach, greater funding may be secured for advancing the science of nursing education.

Facial appearance affects science communication

PubMed Central

Gheorghiu, Ana I.; Callan, Mitchell J.; Skylark, William J.

2017-01-01

First impressions based on facial appearance predict many important social outcomes. We investigated whether such impressions also influence the communication of scientific findings to lay audiences, a process that shapes public beliefs, opinion, and policy. First, we investigated the traits that engender interest in a scientist’s work, and those that create the impression of a “good scientist” who does high-quality research. Apparent competence and morality were positively related to both interest and quality judgments, whereas attractiveness boosted interest but decreased perceived quality. Next, we had members of the public choose real science news stories to read or watch and found that people were more likely to choose items that were paired with “interesting-looking” scientists, especially when selecting video-based communications. Finally, we had people read real science news items and found that the research was judged to be of higher quality when paired with researchers who look like “good scientists.” Our findings offer insights into the social psychology of science, and indicate a source of bias in the dissemination of scientific findings to broader society. PMID:28533389

High reliability and implications for nursing leaders.

PubMed

Riley, William

2009-03-01

To review high reliability theory and discuss its implications for the nursing leader. A high reliability organization (HRO) is considered that which has measurable near perfect performance for quality and safety. The author has reviewed the literature, discussed research findings that contribute to improving reliability in health care organizations, and makes five recommendations for how nursing leaders can create high reliability organizations. Health care is not a safe industry and unintended patient harm occurs at epidemic levels. Health care can learn from high reliability theory and practice developed in other high-risk industries. Viewed by HRO standards, unintended patient injury in health care is excessively high and quality is distressingly low. HRO theory and practice can be successfully applied in health care using advanced interdisciplinary teamwork training and deliberate process design techniques. Nursing has a primary leadership function for ensuring patient safety and achieving high quality in health care organizations. Learning HRO theory and methods for achieving high reliability is a foremost opportunity for nursing leaders.

Barriers to data quality resulting from the process of coding health information to administrative data: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Lucyk, Kelsey; Tang, Karen; Quan, Hude

2017-11-22

Administrative health data are increasingly used for research and surveillance to inform decision-making because of its large sample sizes, geographic coverage, comprehensivity, and possibility for longitudinal follow-up. Within Canadian provinces, individuals are assigned unique personal health numbers that allow for linkage of administrative health records in that jurisdiction. It is therefore necessary to ensure that these data are of high quality, and that chart information is accurately coded to meet this end. Our objective is to explore the potential barriers that exist for high quality data coding through qualitative inquiry into the roles and responsibilities of medical chart coders. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 medical chart coders from Alberta, Canada. We used thematic analysis and open-coded each transcript to understand the process of administrative health data generation and identify barriers to its quality. The process of generating administrative health data is highly complex and involves a diverse workforce. As such, there are multiple points in this process that introduce challenges for high quality data. For coders, the main barriers to data quality occurred around chart documentation, variability in the interpretation of chart information, and high quota expectations. This study illustrates the complex nature of barriers to high quality coding, in the context of administrative data generation. The findings from this study may be of use to data users, researchers, and decision-makers who wish to better understand the limitations of their data or pursue interventions to improve data quality.

Can High Quality Overcome Consumer Resistance to Restricted Provider Access? Evidence from a Health Plan Choice Experiment

PubMed Central

Harris, Katherine M

2002-01-01

Objective To investigate the impact of quality information on the willingness of consumers to enroll in health plans that restrict provider access. Data Sources and Setting A survey administered to respondents between the ages of 25 and 64 in the West Los Angeles area with private health insurance. Study Design An experimental approach is used to measure the effect of variation in provider network features and information about the quality of network physicians on hypothetical plan choices. Conditional logit models are used to analyze the experimental choice data. Next, choice model parameter estimates are used to simulate the impact of changes in plan features on the market shares of competing health plans and to calculate the quality level required to make consumers indifferent to changes in provider access. Principal Findings The presence of quality information reduced the importance of provider network features in plan choices as hypothesized. However, there were not statistically meaningful differences by type of quality measure (i.e., consumer assessed versus expert assessed). The results imply that large quality differences are required to make consumers indifferent to changes in provider access. The impact of quality on plan choices depended more on the particular measure and less on the type of measure. Quality ratings based on the proportion of survey respondents “extremely satisfied with results of care” had the greatest impact on plan choice while the proportion of network doctors “affiliated with university medical centers” had the least. Other consumer and expert assessed measures had more comparable effects. Conclusions Overall the results provide empirical evidence that consumers are willing to trade high quality for restrictions on provider access. This willingness to trade implies that relatively small plans that place restrictions on provider access can successfully compete against less restrictive plans when they can demonstrate high quality. However, the results of this study suggest that in many cases, the level of quality required for consumers to accept access restrictions may be so high as to be unattainable. The results provide empirical support for the current focus of decision support efforts on consumer assessed quality measures. At the same time, however, the results suggest that consumers would also value quality measures based on expert assessments. This finding is relevant given the lack of comparative quality information based on expert judgment and research suggesting that consumers have apprehensions about their ability to meaningfully interpret performance-based quality measures. PMID:12132595

Quality clinical placements for undergraduate nursing students: a cross-sectional survey of undergraduates and supervising nurses.

PubMed

Courtney-Pratt, Helen; FitzGerald, Mary; Ford, Karen; Marsden, Kathryn; Marlow, Annette

2012-06-01

  This article is a report of a mixed method study of the quality of clinical placements for second year undergraduate nursing students in an acute care hospital.   In response to the current and predicted workforce shortages, greater numbers of nursing undergraduate places are being offered at tertiary institutions. This means that requests for clinical places in hospitals to support undergraduate students has risen. Little is known about the impact of increased numbers on the quality of clinical placement as a learning experience and this is of concern as demand grows and the means of assessing capacity is still unknown.   A 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire, including free text fields, was administered to undergraduates (n = 178), clinical facilitators (n = 22) and supervising ward nurses (n = 163) at two time points in 2009. The survey targeted the quality of the clinical placement in four domains: welcoming and belongingness; teaching and learning; feedback; confidence and competence. Findings.  The findings demonstrated consistently high scoring of the clinical placement experience by both undergraduates and registered nurses. There were higher ratings of levels of support from clinical facilitators compared to supervising ward nurses evident in data associated with the items on the questionnaire relating to teaching and learning.   The results are indicative of the professional commitment of nursing staff to support the next generation of nurses. The findings also give a mechanism to communicate outcomes of undergraduate support to nurses in practice, and highlight steps which can be taken to ensure high quality clinical placement continues. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Moderates the Relation between Parent-Adolescent Relationship Quality and Adolescents' Social Adjustment.

PubMed

Van der Graaff, Jolien; Meeus, Wim; de Wied, Minet; van Boxtel, Anton; van Lier, Pol; Branje, Susan

2016-02-01

This 2-wave longitudinal study aimed (1) to investigate whether high resting RSA predicted adolescents' lower externalizing behavior and higher empathic concern, and (2) to address the potential moderating role of resting RSA in the association between parent-adolescent relationship quality and adolescents' externalizing behavior and empathic concern. In a sample of 379 adolescents (212 boys, 167 girls), resting RSA was assessed during a laboratory session, and adolescents reported on parental support, negative interaction with parents, empathic concern and externalizing behavior during a home visit. We found no support for high resting RSA predicting low externalizing behavior or high empathic concern. However, in line with our hypotheses, we did find several instances of RSA functioning as a moderator, although the interaction patterns varied. First, negative interaction with parents was a negative predictor of externalizing behavior for girls low in resting RSA, whereas the association was non-significant for girls with high RSA. Second, higher negative interaction with parents predicted lower empathic concern for boys high in resting RSA, whereas the association was reversed for boys with low resting RSA. Third, parental support was a positive predictor of empathic concern for girls high in resting RSA, whereas the association was non-significant for girls low in resting RSA. The findings suggest that adolescents with different levels of resting RSA respond differentially to relationship quality with parents.

Two personalities, one relationship: both partners' personality traits shape the quality of their relationship.

PubMed

Robins, R W; Caspi, A; Moffitt, T E

2000-08-01

This research tested 6 models of the independent and interactive effects of stable personality traits on each partner's reports of relationship satisfaction and quality. Both members of 360 couples (N = 720) completed the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire and were interviewed about their relationship. Findings show that a woman's relationship happiness is predicted by her partner's low Negative Emotionality, high Positive Emotionality, and high Constraint, whereas a man's relationship happiness is predicted only by his partner's low Negative Emotionality. Findings also show evidence of additive but not interactive effects: Each partner's personality contributed independently to relationship outcomes but not in a synergistic way. These results are discussed in relation to models that seek to integrate research on individual differences in personality traits with research on interpersonal processes in intimate relationships.

Examining the accessibility of high-quality physical activity behaviour change support freely available online for men with prostate cancer.

PubMed

Short, Camille E; Gelder, Charlotte; Binnewerg, Lena; McIntosh, Megan; Turnbull, Deborah

2018-02-01

While the internet is considered a promising avenue for providing physical activity support to prostate cancer survivors, little is known about the accessibility of quality websites in the real world. This work aimed to explore what websites prostate cancer survivors are likely to find when seeking physical activity support online and to evaluate their quality using evidenced-based criteria. A search strategy was developed in consultation with prostate cancer survivors (n = 44) to reflect the most common ways they are likely to search the internet. The search was then conducted by a single reviewer, and identified websites were assessed for quality by two reviewers using an evidence-based quality assessment tool developed for this study. Discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. Of the 45 identified websites, 13 (29%) received a high quality rating, 22 (49%) received a moderate rating and 10 (22%) received a low quality rating. Higher-quality websites tended to have a .org or .gov domain and tended to be located using searches specific to prostate cancer or prostate cancer and exercise. Very few websites contained complete information regarding the physical activity guidelines for cancer survivors, and no websites provided comprehensive behaviour change support. There are some good-quality physical activity websites accessible to men with prostate cancer. However, they may be difficult to find and/or require updating to include complete recommendations and more behaviour change support. Efforts to improve physical activity information online and strategies to direct prostate cancer survivors to higher-quality websites and support services are needed to ensure safety and efficacy.

Public Reporting and Demand Rationing: Evidence from the Nursing Home Industry.

PubMed

He, Daifeng; Konetzka, R Tamara

2015-11-01

This paper examines an under-explored unintended consequence of public reporting: the potential for demand rationing. Public reporting, although intended to increase consumer access to high-quality products, may have provided the perverse incentive for high-quality providers facing fixed capacity and administrative pricing to avoid less profitable types of residents. Using data from the nursing home industry before and after the implementation of the public reporting system in 2002, we find that high-quality nursing homes facing capacity constraints reduced admissions of less profitable Medicaid residents while increasing the more profitable Medicare and private-pay admissions, relative to low-quality nursing homes facing no capacity constraints. These effects, although small in magnitude, are consistent with provider rationing of demand on the basis of profitability and underscore the important role of institutional details in designing effective public reporting systems for regulated industries. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mapping the Social World of Classrooms: A Multi-Level, Multi-Reporter Approach to Social Processes and Behavioral Engagement.

PubMed

Kim, Ha Yeon; Cappella, Elise

2016-03-01

Understanding the social context of classrooms has been a central goal of research focused on the promotion of academic development. Building on the current literature on classroom social settings and guided by a risk and protection framework, this study examines the unique and combined contribution of individual relationships and quality of classroom interactions on behavioral engagement among low-income Latino students in kindergarten to fifth grade (N = 111). Findings indicate that individual relationships with teachers and peers and classroom quality, each independently predicted behavioral engagement. Moreover, high-quality classrooms buffered the negative influence of students' difficulties in individual relationships on behavioral engagement. Findings illuminate the need to consider multiple layers of social classroom relationships and interactions and suggest the potential benefit of targeting classroom quality as a mechanism for improving behavioral engagement in urban elementary schools. © Society for Community Research and Action 2016.

Water quality and waterborne disease in the Niger River Inland Delta, Mali: a study of local knowledge and response.

PubMed

Halvorson, Sarah J; Williams, Ashley L; Ba, Sidy; Dunkel, Florence V

2011-03-01

This paper presents the findings of a study to assess patterns in local knowledge of and response to water quality and waterborne diseases in relation to seasonal changes in the Niger River Inland Delta. The study draws on field data collected in four villages along the Niger River in the Mopti region of Mali during September 2008. The major findings suggest: (1) water use behaviors and diarrheal disease management are influenced by the tremendous seasonal fluctuations in the riverine environment; (2) local awareness of the relationship between poor water quality, oral-fecal disease transmission, and waterborne disease is low; (3) interventions to mitigate the high incidence of childhood diarrhea and degraded water quality are limited by ongoing socio-economic, cultural, and environmental factors; and (4) women's level of health knowledge is socially and culturally dependent. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Individual differences in effects of child care quality: The role of child affective self-regulation and gender.

PubMed

Broekhuizen, Martine L; Aken, Marcel A G van; Dubas, Judith S; Mulder, Hanna; Leseman, Paul P M

2015-08-01

The current study investigated whether the relation between child care quality and children's socio-emotional behavior depended on children's affective self-regulation skills and gender. Participants were 545 children (Mage=27 months) from 60 center-based child care centers in the Netherlands. Multi-level analyses showed that children with low affective self-regulation skills or who were male demonstrated less teacher-rated social competence when exposed to relatively low quality child care. In addition, children with low affective self-regulation skills also showed more social competence in the case of relatively high quality child care, suggesting mechanisms of differential susceptibility. No main effects of child care quality or interactions were found for teacher- and parent-rated externalizing behavior. These findings emphasize the importance of considering children's affective self-regulation skills and gender in understanding the effects of child care quality. High quality child care can be a means to strengthen children's social development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Service employees give as they get: internal service as a moderator of the service climate-service outcomes link.

PubMed

Ehrhart, Karen Holcombe; Witt, L A; Schneider, Benjamin; Perry, Sara Jansen

2011-03-01

We lend theoretical insight to the service climate literature by exploring the joint effects of branch service climate and the internal service provided to the branch (the service received from corporate units to support external service delivery) on customer-rated service quality. We hypothesized that service climate is related to service quality most strongly when the internal service quality received is high, providing front-line employees with the capability to deliver what the service climate motivates them to do. We studied 619 employees and 1,973 customers in 36 retail branches of a bank. We aggregated employee perceptions of the internal service quality received from corporate units and the local service climate and external customer perceptions of service quality to the branch level of analysis. Findings were consistent with the hypothesis that high-quality internal service is necessary for branch service climate to yield superior external customer service quality. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

Unusually high soil nitrogen oxide emissions influence air quality in a high-temperature agricultural region

PubMed Central

Oikawa, P. Y.; Ge, C.; Wang, J.; Eberwein, J. R.; Liang, L. L.; Allsman, L. A.; Grantz, D. A.; Jenerette, G. D.

2015-01-01

Fertilized soils have large potential for production of soil nitrogen oxide (NOx=NO+NO2), however these emissions are difficult to predict in high-temperature environments. Understanding these emissions may improve air quality modelling as NOx contributes to formation of tropospheric ozone (O3), a powerful air pollutant. Here we identify the environmental and management factors that regulate soil NOx emissions in a high-temperature agricultural region of California. We also investigate whether soil NOx emissions are capable of influencing regional air quality. We report some of the highest soil NOx emissions ever observed. Emissions vary nonlinearly with fertilization, temperature and soil moisture. We find that a regional air chemistry model often underestimates soil NOx emissions and NOx at the surface and in the troposphere. Adjusting the model to match NOx observations leads to elevated tropospheric O3. Our results suggest management can greatly reduce soil NOx emissions, thereby improving air quality. PMID:26556236

Self-regulation and quality of life in high-functioning young adults with autism

PubMed Central

Dijkhuis, Renee R; Ziermans, Tim B; Van Rijn, Sophie; Staal, Wouter G; Swaab, Hanna

2016-01-01

Background: Autism is generally associated with poor functional outcome but little is known about predictors of quality of life, especially during early adulthood. This study was conducted to assess subjective quality of life during early adulthood in high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and its relation with self-regulating abilities. Individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder who progressed into post-secondary higher education (N = 75) were compared to a typical peer control group (N = 28) based on behavioral self-report questionnaires. The results indicated that individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder reported significantly lower subjective quality of life than typical controls (p < 0.001, effect size (d) = 1.84). In addition, individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder reported more problems with emotion processing (p < 0.05, effect size (d) = 0.79) and daily executive functioning (p < 0.001, effect size (d) = 1.29) than controls. A higher level of executive functioning problems was related to lower quality of life in the high-functioning autism spectrum disorder group, but no significant relation between level of emotion processing and subjective quality of life became apparent in the regression analysis. Our findings show that even in high-functioning young adults with autism, executive functioning, emotion processing, and subjective quality of life are low compared to typically developing peers. Furthermore, these results emphasize the importance of targeting executive functioning problems in individuals with autism to improve subjective quality of life. PMID:27407040

Providing High-Quality Support Services to Home-Based Child Care: A Conceptual Model and Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bromer, Juliet; Korfmacher, Jon

2017-01-01

Research Findings: Home-based child care accounts for a significant proportion of nonparental child care arrangements for young children in the United States. Yet the early care and education field lacks clear models or pathways for how to improve quality in these settings. The conceptual model presented here articulates the components of…

A Comparison of Initial and Early Life Course Earnings of the German Secondary Education and Training System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooke, L. P.

2003-01-01

Using the German ScoioEconomic Panel, analyzes initial wage levels based on school quality and training for two cohorts of nonuniversity young adults, 1984 versus 1994. Finds, for example, that for the 1994 cohort, formal vocational certification is an important predictor of higher initial wages for both high- and low-quality school tracks.…

Factors Challenging and Supporting Scholarly Activity for Academic Staff in a Regional Australian University Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurley, John; Bowling, Alison; Griffiths, Jean; Blair, Duncan

2015-01-01

With expectations of academic staff to achieve high quality teaching and research outputs as performance measures it is timely to explore how staff perceive they are being supported to meet these ends. This article presents findings of a multi-method study that explored influences impacting on the quality and quantity of scholarly activity being…

The National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning Randomized Controlled Trial Studies of Promising Afterschool Programs: Summary of Findings. Afterschool Research Brief. Issue No. 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaden-Kiernan, Michael; Jones, Debra Hughes; Rudo, Zena; Fitzgerald, Robert; Hartry, Ardice; Chambers, Bette; Smith, Dewi; Muller, Patricia; Moss, Marcey A.

2008-01-01

Recent evaluations and research syntheses of afterschool programs rated as high quality show they are associated with increases in student achievement and other positive socio-behavioral outcomes (Lauer et al., 2006; Vandell, Reisner, & Pierce, 2007). Those examinations provide a springboard for the next much-needed area of…

Neck blast disease influences grain yield and quality traits of aromatic rice.

PubMed

Khan, Mohammad Ashik Iqbal; Bhuiyan, Md Rejwan; Hossain, Md Shahadat; Sen, Partha Pratim; Ara, Anjuman; Siddique, Md Abubakar; Ali, Md Ansar

2014-11-01

A critical investigation was conducted to find out the effect of neck blast disease on yield-contributing characters, and seed quality traits of aromatic rice in Bangladesh. Both healthy and neck-blast-infected panicles of three aromatic rice cultivars (high-yielding and local) were collected and investigated at Plant Pathology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur, Bangladesh. All of the tested varieties were highly susceptible to neck blast disease under natural conditions, though no leaf blast symptoms appear on leaves. Neck blast disease increased grain sterility percentages, reduced grain size, yield and quality traits of seeds. The degrees of yield and seed quality reduction depended on disease severity and variety's genetic make-up. Unfilled grains were the main source of seed-borne pathogen, especially for blast in the seed lot. Transmission of blast pathogen from neck (panicle base) to seed was very poor. These findings are important, especially concerning the seed certification programme in which seed lots are certified on the basis of field inspection. Finally, controlled experiments are needed to draw more critical conclusions. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Caregiver social support quality when interacting with cancer survivors: advancing the dual-process model of supportive communication.

PubMed

Harvey-Knowles, Jacquelyn; Faw, Meara H

2018-04-01

Cancer caregivers often experience significant challenges in their motivation and ability to comfort cancer survivors, particularly in a spousal or romantic context. Spousal cancer caregivers have been known to report even greater levels of burden and distress than cancer sufferers, yet still take on the role of acting as an informal caregiver so they can attend to their partner's needs. The current study tested whether a theoretical model of supportive outcomes-the dual-process model of supportive communication-explained variations in cancer caregivers' motivation and ability to create high-quality support messages. The study also tested whether participant engagement with reflective journaling on supportive acts was associated with increased motivation or ability to generate high-quality support messages. Based upon the dual-process model, we posited that, following supportive journaling tasks, caregivers of spouses currently managing a cancer experience would report greater motivation but also greater difficulty in generating high-quality support messages, while individuals caring for a patient in remission would report lower motivation but greater ability to create high-quality support messages. Findings provided support for these assertions and suggested that reflective journaling tasks might be a useful tool for improving remission caregivers' ability to provide high-quality social support to survivors. Corresponding theoretical and applied implications are discussed.

Electronic medical record system at an opioid agonist treatment programme: study design, pre-implementation results and post-implementation trends.

PubMed

Kritz, Steven; Brown, Lawrence S; Chu, Melissa; John-Hull, Carlota; Madray, Charles; Zavala, Roberto; Louie, Ben

2012-08-01

Electronic medical record (EMR) systems are commonly included in health care reform discussions. However, their embrace by the health care community has been slow. At Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation, an outpatient opioid agonist treatment programme that also provides primary medical care, HIV medical care and case management, substance abuse counselling and vocational services, we studied the implementation of an EMR in the domains of quality, productivity, satisfaction, risk management and financial performance utilizing a prospective pre- and post-implementation study design. This report details the research approach, pre-implementation findings for all five domains, analysis of the pre-implementation findings and some preliminary post-implementation results in the domains of quality and risk management. For quality, there was a highly statistically significant improvement in timely performance of annual medical assessments (P < 0.001) and annual multidiscipline assessments (P < 0.0001). For risk management, the number of events was not sufficient to perform valid statistical analysis. The preliminary findings in the domain of quality are very promising. Should the findings in the other domains prove to be positive, then the impetus to implement EMR in similar health care facilities will be advanced. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Social support mediates the association between benefit finding and quality of life in caregivers.

PubMed

Brand, Charles; Barry, Lorna; Gallagher, Stephen

2016-06-01

The psychosocial pathways underlying associations between benefit finding and quality of life are poorly understood. Here, we examined associations between benefit finding, social support, optimism and quality of life in a sample of 84 caregivers. Results revealed that quality of life was predicted by benefit finding, optimism and social support. Moreover, the association between benefit finding and quality of life was explained by social support, but not optimism; caregivers who reported greater benefit finding perceived their social support be higher and this, in turn, had a positive effect on their overall quality of life. These results underscore the importance of harnessing benefit finding to enhance caregiver quality of life. © The Author(s) 2014.

Turnaround Arts Initiative: Summary of Key Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoelinga, Sara Ray; Silk, Yael; Reddy, Prateek; Rahman, Nadiv

2015-01-01

Turnaround Arts is a public-private partnership that aims to test the hypothesis that strategically implementing high-quality and integrated arts education programming in high-poverty, chronically underperforming schools adds significant value to school-wide reform. In 2014, the Turnaround Arts initiative completed an evaluation report covering…

Better Patient Care At High-Quality Hospitals May Save Medicare Money And Bolster Episode-Based Payment Models.

PubMed

Tsai, Thomas C; Greaves, Felix; Zheng, Jie; Orav, E John; Zinner, Michael J; Jha, Ashish K

2016-09-01

US policy makers are making efforts to simultaneously improve the quality of and reduce spending on health care through alternative payment models such as bundled payment. Bundled payment models are predicated on the theory that aligning financial incentives for all providers across an episode of care will lower health care spending while improving quality. Whether this is true remains unknown. Using national Medicare fee-for-service claims for the period 2011-12 and data on hospital quality, we evaluated how thirty- and ninety-day episode-based spending were related to two validated measures of surgical quality-patient satisfaction and surgical mortality. We found that patients who had major surgery at high-quality hospitals cost Medicare less than those who had surgery at low-quality institutions, for both thirty- and ninety-day periods. The difference in Medicare spending between low- and high-quality hospitals was driven primarily by postacute care, which accounted for 59.5 percent of the difference in thirty-day episode spending, and readmissions, which accounted for 19.9 percent. These findings suggest that efforts to achieve value through bundled payment should focus on improving care at low-quality hospitals and reducing unnecessary use of postacute care. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Prospective ECG-gated high-pitch dual-source cardiac CT angiography in the diagnosis of congenital cardiovascular abnormalities: Radiation dose and diagnostic efficacy in a pediatric population.

PubMed

Koplay, M; Kizilca, O; Cimen, D; Sivri, M; Erdogan, H; Guvenc, O; Oc, M; Oran, B

2016-11-01

The goal of this study was to investigate the radiation dose and diagnostic efficacy of cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) using prospective ECG-gated high-pitch dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) in the diagnosis of congenital cardiovascular abnormalities in pediatric population. One hundred five pediatric patients who were clinically diagnosed with congenital heart disease with suspected extracardiac vascular abnormalities were included in the study. All CCTAs were performed on a 128×2-section DSCT scanner. CCTA findings were compared with surgical and/or conventional cardiac angiography findings. Dose-length product (DLP) and effective doses (ED) were calculated for each patient. Patients were divided into 4 groups by age, and ED and DLP values were compared among groups. The image quality was evaluated using a five-point scale. CCTA showed 173 abnormalities in 105 patients. There were 2 patients with false positive and 3 with false negative findings. The sensitivity and specificity of CCTA were 98.3% and 99.9%, respectively. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of CCT were 98.9% and 99.9%, respectively. The average DLP and ED values were 15.6±9.6 (SD) mGy.cm and 0.34±0.10 (SD) mSv, respectively. The mean image quality score was 4.8±0.5 (SD) in all patients. The inter-observer agreement for the image quality scores was good (κ=0.80). CCTA is an excellent imaging modality for evaluation of cardiovascular abnormalities and provides excellent image quality with very low radiation exposure when low-dose prospective ECG-triggered high-pitch DSCT is used. Copyright © 2016 Editions françaises de radiologie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

An empirical evaluation of software quality assurance practices and challenges in a developing country: a comparison of Nigeria and Turkey.

PubMed

Sowunmi, Olaperi Yeside; Misra, Sanjay; Fernandez-Sanz, Luis; Crawford, Broderick; Soto, Ricardo

2016-01-01

The importance of quality assurance in the software development process cannot be overemphasized because its adoption results in high reliability and easy maintenance of the software system and other software products. Software quality assurance includes different activities such as quality control, quality management, quality standards, quality planning, process standardization and improvement amongst others. The aim of this work is to further investigate the software quality assurance practices of practitioners in Nigeria. While our previous work covered areas on quality planning, adherence to standardized processes and the inherent challenges, this work has been extended to include quality control, software process improvement and international quality standard organization membership. It also makes comparison based on a similar study carried out in Turkey. The goal is to generate more robust findings that can properly support decision making by the software community. The qualitative research approach, specifically, the use of questionnaire research instruments was applied to acquire data from software practitioners. In addition to the previous results, it was observed that quality assurance practices are quite neglected and this can be the cause of low patronage. Moreover, software practitioners are neither aware of international standards organizations or the required process improvement techniques; as such their claimed standards are not aligned to those of accredited bodies, and are only limited to their local experience and knowledge, which makes it questionable. The comparison with Turkey also yielded similar findings, making the results typical of developing countries. The research instrument used was tested for internal consistency using the Cronbach's alpha, and it was proved reliable. For the software industry in developing countries to grow strong and be a viable source of external revenue, software assurance practices have to be taken seriously because its effect is evident in the final product. Moreover, quality frameworks and tools which require minimum time and cost are highly needed in these countries.

Computer Courses in Higher-Education: Improving Learning by Screencast Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghilay, Yaron; Ghilay, Ruth

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to find out a method designated to improve the learning of computer courses by adding Screencast technology. The intention was to measure the influence of high-quality clips produced by Screencast technology, on the learning process of computer courses. It was required to find out the characteristics (pedagogical and…

Quality Counts: Developmental Shifts in Associations Between Romantic Relationship Qualities and Psychosocial Adjustment

PubMed Central

Collibee, Charlene; Furman, Wyndol

2015-01-01

The present study assessed a developmental task theory of romantic relationships by examining associations between romantic relationship qualities and adjustment across 9 years using a community based sample of 100 male and 100 female participants (M age Wave 1 = 15.83) in a Western U.S. city. Using multilevel modeling, the study examined the moderating effect of age on links between romantic relationship qualities and adjustment. Consistent with developmental task theory, high romantic quality was more associated with internalizing symptoms and dating satisfaction during young adulthood than adolescence. Romantic relationship qualities were also associated with externalizing symptoms and substance use, but the degree of association was consistent across ages. The findings underscore the significance of romantic relationship qualities across development. PMID:26283151

The next organizational challenge: finding and addressing diagnostic error.

PubMed

Graber, Mark L; Trowbridge, Robert; Myers, Jennifer S; Umscheid, Craig A; Strull, William; Kanter, Michael H

2014-03-01

Although health care organizations (HCOs) are intensely focused on improving the safety of health care, efforts to date have almost exclusively targeted treatment-related issues. The literature confirms that the approaches HCOs use to identify adverse medical events are not effective in finding diagnostic errors, so the initial challenge is to identify cases of diagnostic error. WHY HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS NEED TO GET INVOLVED: HCOs are preoccupied with many quality- and safety-related operational and clinical issues, including performance measures. The case for paying attention to diagnostic errors, however, is based on the following four points: (1) diagnostic errors are common and harmful, (2) high-quality health care requires high-quality diagnosis, (3) diagnostic errors are costly, and (4) HCOs are well positioned to lead the way in reducing diagnostic error. FINDING DIAGNOSTIC ERRORS: Current approaches to identifying diagnostic errors, such as occurrence screens, incident reports, autopsy, and peer review, were not designed to detect diagnostic issues (or problems of omission in general) and/or rely on voluntary reporting. The realization that the existing tools are inadequate has spurred efforts to identify novel tools that could be used to discover diagnostic errors or breakdowns in the diagnostic process that are associated with errors. New approaches--Maine Medical Center's case-finding of diagnostic errors by facilitating direct reports from physicians and Kaiser Permanente's electronic health record--based reports that detect process breakdowns in the followup of abnormal findings--are described in case studies. By raising awareness and implementing targeted programs that address diagnostic error, HCOs may begin to play an important role in addressing the problem of diagnostic error.

Artificial neural network modeling of the water quality index using land use areas as predictors.

PubMed

Gazzaz, Nabeel M; Yusoff, Mohd Kamil; Ramli, Mohammad Firuz; Juahir, Hafizan; Aris, Ahmad Zaharin

2015-02-01

This paper describes the design of an artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict the water quality index (WQI) using land use areas as predictors. Ten-year records of land use statistics and water quality data for Kinta River (Malaysia) were employed in the modeling process. The most accurate WQI predictions were obtained with the network architecture 7-23-1; the back propagation training algorithm; and a learning rate of 0.02. The WQI forecasts of this model had significant (p < 0.01), positive, very high correlation (ρs = 0.882) with the measured WQI values. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the relative importance of the land use classes to WQI predictions followed the order: mining > rubber > forest > logging > urban areas > agriculture > oil palm. These findings show that the ANNs are highly reliable means of relating water quality to land use, thus integrating land use development with river water quality management.

Food source quality and ant dominance hierarchy influence the outcomes of ant-plant interactions in an arid environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores-Flores, Rocío Vianey; Aguirre, Armando; Anjos, Diego V.; Neves, Frederico S.; Campos, Ricardo I.; Dáttilo, Wesley

2018-02-01

In this study, we conducted a series of experiments in a population of Vachellia constricta (Fabaceae) in the arid Tehuacan-Cuicatláan valley, Mexico, in order to evaluate if the food source quality and ant dominance hierarchy influence the outcomes of ant-plant interactions. Using an experiment with artificial nectaries, we observed that ants foraging on food sources with higher concentration of sugar are quicker in finding and attacking potential herbivorous insects. More specifically, we found that the same ant species may increase their defence effectiveness according to the quality of food available. These findings indicate that ant effectiveness in plant protection is context-dependent and may vary according to specific individual characteristics of plants. In addition, we showed that competitively superior ant species tend to dominate plants in periods with high nectar activity, emphasizing the role of the dominance hierarchy structuring ant-plant interactions. However, when high sugar food sources were experimentally available ad libitum, the nocturnal and competitively superior ant species, Camponotus atriceps, did not dominate the artificial nectaries during the day possibly due to limitation of its thermal tolerance. Therefore, temporal niche partitioning may be allowing the coexistence of two dominant ant species (Camponotus rubritorax during the day and C. atriceps at night) on V. constricta. Our findings indicate that the quality of the food source, and temporal shifts in ant dominance are key factors which structure the biotic plant defences in an arid environment.

A Reproducible Approach of Preparing High-Quality Overdoped Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ Single Crystals by Oxygen Annealing and Quenching Method

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

Zhang, Yu-Xiao; Zhao, Lin; Gu, Gen-Da

2016-06-01

Here, we report a reproducible approach in preparing high-quality overdoped Bi 2Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ (Bi2212) single crystals by annealing Bi2212 crystals in high oxygen pressure followed by a fast quenching. High-quality overdoped and heavily overdoped Bi2212 single crystals are obtained by controlling the annealing oxygen pressure. Furthermore, we find that, beyond a limit of oxygen pressure that can achieve most heavily overdoped Bi2212 with a T c ~63 K, the annealed Bi2212 begins to decompose. This accounts for the existence of the hole-doping limit and thus the T c limit in the heavily overdoped region of Bi2212more » by the oxygen annealing process. Our results provide a reliable way in preparing high-quality overdoped and heavily overdoped Bi2212 crystals that are important for studies of the physical properties, electronic structure and superconductivity mechanism of the cuprate superconductors.« less

Glomerular disease: why is there a dearth of high quality clinical trials?

PubMed

Leaf, David E; Appel, Gerald B; Radhakrishnan, Jai

2010-08-01

There is a paucity of high quality clinical trials in glomerular disease, particularly in non-diabetic kidney disease. The aims of this review include quantifying the extent of this problem and exploring reasons for the scarcity of such trials in primary glomerular disease, with an emphasis on immunoglobulin A nephropathy, minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and membranous nephropathy in comparison with the more common diseases of diabetic nephropathy and lupus nephritis. Reasons for the dearth of high quality clinical trials in primary glomerular disease include (1) low prevalence of disease; (2) variability in clinical presentation; (3) variability in treatment response; (4) lack of consensus in definitions; (5) difficulty in recruiting patients; (6) high costs of randomized controlled trials; and (7) lack of collaborative efforts. To facilitate greater numbers of high quality clinical trials in glomerular disease, practice guidelines should establish common classification systems of disease and common clinical end points, industry and non-industry sponsored research should find common ground and work together toward advancing science, and national registries should be created to encourage collaborations across institutions and across nations.

New directions in behavioral treatment of autism spectrum disorders

PubMed Central

Kasari, Connie; Lawton, Kathy

2014-01-01

Purpose of review The review explores current trends in the behavioral intervention literature for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during 2008 and 2009. Noteworthy findings and intervention strategies are highlighted. Additionally, the quality of all reviewed studies is systematically evaluated. Recent findings During 2008 and 2009, there was nearly a quarter increase in the number of behavioral intervention studies, as well as more randomized controlled trials and approaches other than applied behavior analysis. Many of the studies investigated commonly used ASD intervention practices or novel treatments. A few were conducted with underserved populations, such as toddlers and adults with ASD. Social impairment was the focus of the largest number of intervention studies. A small percentage of studies were rated as high-quality. Summary Overall, the reviewed studies suggest that ASD-specific deficits can be improved through behavioral intervention. However, whereas progress continues to be made in our understanding of effective treatments for children with ASD, confidence in these findings would be improved with higher-quality studies. PMID:20160648

Assessment of medical care by elderly people: general satisfaction and physician quality.

PubMed Central

Lee, Y; Kasper, J D

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To identify personal characteristics and factors related to health and patterns of healthcare utilization associated with the elderly people's satisfaction with medical care. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING: Data from the 1991 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) on 8,859 persons age 65 and over living in the community. STUDY DESIGN: Items reflecting general satisfaction with care and views of physician quality are examined and, based on factor analysis, grouped in dimensions of two (global quality, access) and three (technical skills, interpersonal manner, information-giving), respectively. The relationship of high levels of satisfaction in each dimension to personal characteristics of elderly people, and to measures of access and utilization, is assessed using logistic regression. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: While satisfaction is high, with over 90 percent surveyed expressing some satisfaction, there is substantial variation with less likelihood of high satisfaction among those 80 or older, with less education and income and in poorer health. Longer waiting time at visits and less frequent visits are factors in lower satisfaction as well. A favorable perception of physician quality, especially regarding technical skills, appears to play a significant role in satisfaction with global quality of care. CONCLUSIONS: Studies of patient satisfaction in elderly people are rare. Some factors expected to be related to positive assessment based on earlier studies, were, e.g., better health and shorter waiting time, while others were not, e.g., increasing age. Elderly people appear to place greater importance on physician technical skills, as opposed to interpersonal dimensions, in assessing global quality. These findings suggest the need for a better understanding of how elderly people evaluate care and what they value in interactions with the healthcare system. Images Figure 1 PMID:9460484

Sleep quality and its relationship with quality of life among high-risk pregnant women (gestational diabetes and hypertension).

PubMed

Saadati, Fatemeh; Sehhatiei Shafaei, Fahimeh; Mirghafourvand, Mozhgan

2018-01-01

Sleep is one of the most basic human requirements. This research aims at determining the status of sleep quality and its relationship with quality of life among high-risk pregnant women in Tabriz, Iran, in 2015. This research was a sectional study done on 364 qualified women in 28-36 weeks of pregnancy suffering from mild preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. The sampling was done as convenience. Personal-social-midwifery questionnaire, Pittsburg sleep quality, and quality of life in pregnancy (QOL-ORAV) were used for gathering data. Multivariate linear regression model was used for determining the relationship between sleep quality and its subsets with quality of life and controlling confounders. In the current study, the prevalence of sleep disturbance was 96.4%. Mean (SD) of the total score of sleep quality was 10.1 (4.1) and the total score of quality of life was 61.7 (17.3). According to Pearson's correlation test, there was statistically significant relationship between quality of life and sleep quality and all its subsets except sleep duration and use of sleep medication (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, according to the multivariate linear regression model, sleep latency, day time dysfunction, health status, and home air-conditioning were related with quality of life. The findings of current research show that sleep quality is low among high-risk pregnant women and quality of life is medium. So, it is necessary that required training is given by health cares for improving sleep quality and quality of life to mothers.

Temple U. Raises Standards to Woo Suburban Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gose, Ben

1998-01-01

Temple University (Pennsylvania), an urban institution, is seeking to raise academic standards and is aggressively recruiting suburban students, finding that local high schools are not of high quality. Some critics feel the institution is abandoning the black population and is recruiting white students who are more likely to be better prepared…

Methods for slow axis beam quality improvement of high power broad area diode lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Haiyan; Xiong, Yihan; Jiang, Ching-Long J.; Schmidt, Berthold; Treusch, Georg

2014-03-01

For high brightness direct diode laser systems, it is of fundamental importance to improve the slow axis beam quality of the incorporated laser diodes regardless what beam combining technology is applied. To further advance our products in terms of increased brightness at a high power level, we must optimize the slow axis beam quality despite the far field blooming at high current levels. The later is caused predominantly by the built-in index step in combination with the thermal lens effect. Most of the methods for beam quality improvements reported in publications sacrifice the device efficiency and reliable output power. In order to improve the beam quality as well as maintain the efficiency and reliable output power, we investigated methods of influencing local heat generation to reduce the thermal gradient across the slow axis direction, optimizing the built-in index step and discriminating high order modes. Based on our findings, we have combined different methods in our new device design. Subsequently, the beam parameter product (BPP) of a 10% fill factor bar has improved by approximately 30% at 7 W/emitter without efficiency penalty. This technology has enabled fiber coupled high brightness multi-kilowatt direct diode laser systems. In this paper, we will elaborate on the methods used as well as the results achieved.

High-Price And Low-Price Physician Practices Do Not Differ Significantly On Care Quality Or Efficiency

PubMed Central

Roberts, Eric T.; Mehrotra, Ateev; McWilliams, J. Michael

2017-01-01

Provider consolidation has intensified concerns that providers with market power may be able to charge higher prices without having to deliver better care. Providers have argued that higher prices cover the costs of delivering higher-quality care. We examined the relationship between physician practice prices for outpatient services and the quality and efficiency of care provided to their patients. Using commercial claims, we classified practices as high-priced or low-priced. We compared care quality, utilization, and spending between high-priced and low-priced practices in the same areas using data from the Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems survey and linked claims for Medicare beneficiaries. Compared with low-priced practices, high-priced practices were much larger and received 36% higher prices. Patients of high-priced practices reported significantly higher scores on some measures of care coordination and management, but did not differ meaningfully in their overall care ratings, other domains of patient experiences (including physician ratings and access to care), receipt of mammography, vaccinations, or diabetes services, acute care use, or total Medicare spending. These findings suggest an overall weak relationship between practices’ prices and the quality and efficiency of care they provide, calling into question claims that high-priced providers deliver substantially higher-value care. PMID:28461352

Most Americans Do Not Believe That There Is An Association Between Health Care Prices And Quality Of Care.

PubMed

Phillips, Kathryn A; Schleifer, David; Hagelskamp, Carolin

2016-04-01

Many organizations are developing health care price information tools for consumers. However, consumers may avoid low-price care if they perceive price to be associated with quality. We conducted a nationally representative survey to examine whether consumers perceive that price and quality are associated and whether the way in which questions are framed affects consumers' responses. Most Americans (58-71 percent, depending on question framing) did not think that price and quality are associated, but a substantial minority did perceive an association (21-24 percent) or were unsure whether there was one (8-16 percent). Responses to questions framed in terms of high price and high quality differed from responses to questions framed in terms of low price and low quality. People who had compared prices were more likely than those who had not compared prices to perceive that price and quality were associated. We explore implications of these findings, including how behavioral economics can inform approaches to helping consumers use price and quality information. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Most Americans Do Not Believe That There Is An Association Between Health Care Prices And Quality Of Care

PubMed Central

Phillips, Kathryn A; Schleifer, David; Hagelskamp, Carolin

2016-01-01

Many organizations are developing health care price information tools for consumers. However, consumers may avoid low-price care if they perceive price to be associated with quality. We conducted a nationally representative survey to examine whether consumers perceive that price and quality are associated and whether the way in which questions are framed affects consumers’ responses. Most Americans (58–71 percent, depending on question framing) did not think that price and quality are associated, but a substantial minority did perceive an association (21–24 percent) or were unsure if there was one (8–16 percent). Responses to questions framed in terms of high price and high quality differed from responses to questions framed in terms of low price and low quality. People who had compared prices were more likely than those who have not compared prices to perceive that price and quality were associated. We explore implications of these findings, including how behavioral economics can inform approaches to helping consumers use price and quality information. PMID:27044965

Determinants of quality of life in HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral treatment at a medical college ART center in Kolkata, India.

PubMed

Talukdar, Arunansu; Ghosal, Malay Kumar; Sanyal, Debasish; Talukdar, Payel Sengupta; Guha, Prathama; Guha, Subhasis Kamal; Basu, Saugata

2013-01-01

Health-related quality of life (QOL) has become a high priority of long-term management of HIV-infected individuals. The newly diagnosed HIV cases were assessed to obtain sociodemographic and clinical findings. Eyesenk Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) for HIV-infected patients, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to get data regarding personality traits, QOL, and depression scores. A total of 175 patients were included in the study, 128 (73.1%) men and 47 (26.9%) women. Overall 56% of patients screened positive for depression. Presence of depression and high neuroticism score in the personality profile of HIV-infected patients are significantly associated with poorer QOL. High neuroticism score was a strong predictor of poorer QOL in psychological and spiritual domain. Management of HIV-infected patients therefore needs to address these psychological issues.

Evaluation of water quality index for River Sabarmati, Gujarat, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Kosha A.; Joshi, Geeta S.

2017-06-01

An attempt has been made to develop water quality index (WQI), using six water quality parameters pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, electrical conductivity, nitrate nitrogen and total coliform measured at three different stations along the Sabarmati river basin from the year 2005 to 2008. Rating scale is developed based on the tolerance limits of inland waters and health point of view. Weighted arithmetic water quality index method was used to find WQI along the stretch of the river basin. It was observed from this study that the impact of human activity and sewage disposal in the river was severe on most of the parameters. The station located in highly urban area showed the worst water quality followed by the station located in moderately urban area and lastly station located in a moderately rural area. It was observed that the main cause of deterioration in water quality was due to the high anthropogenic activities, illegal discharge of sewage and industrial effluent, lack of proper sanitation, unprotected river sites and urban runoff.

The skill-divide in job quality: a cross-national analysis of 28 countries.

PubMed

Stier, Haya

2015-01-01

This study focuses on the skill divide in job quality and the role of social institutions in structuring the relation of workers' qualifications to the attributes of their jobs. Four measures of job quality are examined: job security, job achievement, job content and work schedule flexibility. The study is based on the 2005 ISSP module on work orientations and encompasses 28 countries. Obtained through multilevel modeling, the findings show that low-skilled workers are disadvantaged in all aspects of job quality. However, skill inequality in the quality of employment depends on countries' characteristics, with declining inequality in countries at higher levels of technological development and to some extent also in times of technological growth. At times of high unemployment, skill disparities in job security widen while on other measures of job quality they decline. Under high market regulation, the low skilled enjoy better job security but on other measures, skill inequalities increase. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia to later shyness: Moderation by neighborhood quality.

PubMed

Zhang, Hui; Spinrad, Tracy L; Eisenberg, Nancy; Zhang, Linlin

2018-05-21

The purpose of the study was to predict young children's shyness from both internal/biological (i.e., resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) and external (i.e., neighborhood quality) factors. Participants were 180 children at 42 (Time 1; T1), 72 (T2), and 84 (T3) months of age. RSA data were obtained at T1 during a neutral film in the laboratory. Mothers reported perceived neighborhood quality at T2 and children's dispositional shyness at T1 and T3. Path analyses indicated that resting RSA interacted with neighborhood quality to predict T3 shyness, even after controlling for earlier family income and T1 shyness. Specifically, high levels of resting RSA predicted low levels of shyness in the context of high neighborhood quality. When neighborhood quality was low, resting RSA was positively related to later shyness. These findings indicate that children's shyness is predicted by more than biological processes and that consideration of the broader context is critical to understanding children's social behavior. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identifying Health Consumers' eHealth Literacy to Decrease Disparities in Accessing eHealth Information.

PubMed

Park, Hyejin; Cormier, Eileen; Gordon, Glenna; Baeg, Jung Hoon

2016-02-01

The increasing amount of health information available on the Internet highlights the importance of eHealth literacy skills for health consumers. Low eHealth literacy results in disparities in health consumers' ability to access and use eHealth information. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived eHealth literacy of a general health consumer population so that healthcare professionals can effectively address skills gaps in health consumers' ability to access and use high-quality online health information. Participants were recruited from three public library branches in a Northeast Florida community. The eHealth Literacy Scale was used. The majority of participants (n = 108) reported they knew how and where to find health information and how to use it to make health decisions; knowledge of what health resources were available and confidence in the ability to distinguish high- from low-quality information were considerably less. The findings suggest the need for eHealth education and support to health consumers from healthcare professionals, in particular, how to access and evaluate the quality of health information.

Asian Care Certificate (ACC): a care quality assurance framework.

PubMed

Talaie, Tony

2018-04-16

Purpose Quality assuring elderly care through a viable and feasible standard framework is a major challenge for Asian governments. Although several attempts have been made to tackle foreign care worker (FCW) shortage, assuring the quality of the care they provide has been overlooked. The original framework allowed a better control over service quality to assure the elderly about their care according to the agreed standards. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Through several Japanese Governmental meetings, a new Asian Care Certificate (ACC) program is discussed based on the Japanese Care Certificate (JCC). The governments' representatives adopted the JCC to form the ACC, which enables the ACC board to evaluate care workers and to intervene whenever the desired quality level is not achieved. Findings The author describes a new program. The findings of this paper will be confirmed when the ACC is implemented. Practical implications Using the ACC framework, the challenge in providing a high-quality care service using FCWs across Asia would be partly resolved. FCWs' quality of life might also gradually improve especially regarding to their human rights. Originality/value The ACC provides a new framework. Its value is recognized if one considers that many Asian populations are rapidly aging and many governments compromise quality by employing overseas workers to solve care worker shortages.

SUGAR: graphical user interface-based data refiner for high-throughput DNA sequencing.

PubMed

Sato, Yukuto; Kojima, Kaname; Nariai, Naoki; Yamaguchi-Kabata, Yumi; Kawai, Yosuke; Takahashi, Mamoru; Mimori, Takahiro; Nagasaki, Masao

2014-08-08

Next-generation sequencers (NGSs) have become one of the main tools for current biology. To obtain useful insights from the NGS data, it is essential to control low-quality portions of the data affected by technical errors such as air bubbles in sequencing fluidics. We develop a software SUGAR (subtile-based GUI-assisted refiner) which can handle ultra-high-throughput data with user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) and interactive analysis capability. The SUGAR generates high-resolution quality heatmaps of the flowcell, enabling users to find possible signals of technical errors during the sequencing. The sequencing data generated from the error-affected regions of a flowcell can be selectively removed by automated analysis or GUI-assisted operations implemented in the SUGAR. The automated data-cleaning function based on sequence read quality (Phred) scores was applied to a public whole human genome sequencing data and we proved the overall mapping quality was improved. The detailed data evaluation and cleaning enabled by SUGAR would reduce technical problems in sequence read mapping, improving subsequent variant analysis that require high-quality sequence data and mapping results. Therefore, the software will be especially useful to control the quality of variant calls to the low population cells, e.g., cancers, in a sample with technical errors of sequencing procedures.

Fabrication of high-quality single-crystal Cu thin films using radio-frequency sputtering.

PubMed

Lee, Seunghun; Kim, Ji Young; Lee, Tae-Woo; Kim, Won-Kyung; Kim, Bum-Su; Park, Ji Hun; Bae, Jong-Seong; Cho, Yong Chan; Kim, Jungdae; Oh, Min-Wook; Hwang, Cheol Seong; Jeong, Se-Young

2014-08-29

Copper (Cu) thin films have been widely used as electrodes and interconnection wires in integrated electronic circuits, and more recently as substrates for the synthesis of graphene. However, the ultra-high vacuum processes required for high-quality Cu film fabrication, such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), restricts mass production with low cost. In this work, we demonstrated high-quality Cu thin films using a single-crystal Cu target and radio-frequency (RF) sputtering technique; the resulting film quality was comparable to that produced using MBE, even under unfavorable conditions for pure Cu film growth. The Cu thin film was epitaxially grown on an Al2O3 (sapphire) (0001) substrate, and had high crystalline orientation along the (111) direction. Despite the 10(-3) Pa vacuum conditions, the resulting thin film was oxygen free due to the high chemical stability of the sputtered specimen from a single-crystal target; moreover, the deposited film had >5× higher adhesion force than that produced using a polycrystalline target. This fabrication method enabled Cu films to be obtained using a simple, manufacturing-friendly process on a large-area substrate, making our findings relevant for industrial applications.

High Adherence Is Necessary to Realize Health Gains from Water Quality Interventions

PubMed Central

Brown, Joe; Clasen, Thomas

2012-01-01

Background Safe drinking water is critical for health. Household water treatment (HWT) has been recommended for improving access to potable water where existing sources are unsafe. Reports of low adherence to HWT may limit the usefulness of this approach, however. Methods and Findings We constructed a quantitative microbial risk model to predict gains in health attributable to water quality interventions based on a range of assumptions about pre-treatment water quality; treatment effectiveness in reducing bacteria, viruses, and protozoan parasites; adherence to treatment interventions; volume of water consumed per person per day; and other variables. According to mean estimates, greater than 500 DALYs may be averted per 100,000 person-years with increased access to safe water, assuming moderately poor pre-treatment water quality that is a source of risk and high treatment adherence (>90% of water consumed is treated). A decline in adherence from 100% to 90% reduces predicted health gains by up to 96%, with sharpest declines when pre-treatment water quality is of higher risk. Conclusions Results suggest that high adherence is essential in order to realize potential health gains from HWT. PMID:22586491

Enhancing the quality of case studies in health services research.

PubMed Central

Yin, R K

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To provide guidance on improving the quality of case studies in health services research. DATA SOURCES: Secondary data, drawing from previous case study research. RESEARCH DESIGN: Guidance is provided to two audiences: potential case study investigators (eight items) and reviewers of case study proposals (four additional items). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The guidance demonstrates that many operational steps can be undertaken to improve the quality of case studies. These steps have been a hallmark of high-quality case studies in related fields but have not necessarily been practiced in health services research. CONCLUSIONS: Given higher-quality case studies, the case study method can become a valuable tool for health services research. Images Figure 3 PMID:10591280

Teaching Quality and Learning Creativity in Technical and Vocational Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kembuan, D. R. E.; Rompas, P. T. D.; Mintjelungan, M.; Pantondate, T.; Kilis, B. M. H.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study is to obtain information about the teacher quality of teaching and learning creativity with the outcomes of student learning in a vocational high school in Indonesia. This research is a survey research. The sample used in this research is 50 teachers, selected by simple random sampling. Data were analyzed by using correlation analysis. The findings of this study are as follows: (1) There is a significant and positive correlation between teacher quality of teaching with the outcomes of student learning at the vocational high school; (2) There is a significant and positive correlation between learning creativity with the outcomes of student learning at the vocational high school, and (3) there is a significant and positive correlation between the teacher quality of teaching and learning creativity with the outcomes of student learning at the school. That is, if the use of appropriate the teacher quality of teaching and learning creativity, then the outcomes of student learning at the school. Finally it can be concluded that to improve the outcomes of student learning, it has to be followed by an improvement of teacher quality of teaching and learning creativity.

The disability paradox: high quality of life against all odds.

PubMed

Albrecht, G L; Devlieger, P J

1999-04-01

This paper builds on the work of Sol Levine to examine a disability paradox: Why do many people with serious and persistent disabilities report that they experience a good or excellent quality of life when to most external observers these individuals seem to live an undesirable daily existence? The paper uses a qualitative approach to develop an explanation of this paradox using semi-structured interviews with 153 persons with disabilities. 54.3% of the respondents with moderate to serious disabilities reported having an excellent or good quality of life confirming the existence of the disability paradox. Analysis of the interviews reveals that for both those who report that they have a good and those who say they have a poor quality of life, quality of life is dependent upon finding a balance between body, mind and spirit in the self and on establishing and maintaining an harmonious set of relationships within the person's social context and external environment. A theoretical framework is developed to express these relationships. The findings are discussed for those with and without disabilities and directions are given for future research.

The Predictors of Indonesian Senior High School Students' Anger at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernawati, Lucia; Rahayu, Esti; Soejowinoto, Petrus

2015-01-01

This study aimed to find out the correlation between senior high school students' anger at school and the quality relationship of parents-adolescents, peer pressure, narcissistic personality, and school climate. The instruments used were student anger at school inventory, scale of adolescent and family attachment, peer pressure inventory,…

Dropout Prevention in Appalachia: Lessons for the Nation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell Communications, Inc., Bethesda, MD.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), in its efforts to improve the economy and quality of life in the Appalachian Region, has identified high school dropouts as a major stumbling block to the area's economic growth. Findings of ARC-sponsored research on dropouts include the following: (1) high school dropouts are a serious problem in…

Student Perspectives on Quality Teaching: Words and Images

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Athene; Ewaida, Marriam; Lynch, Megan R.; Zenkov, Kristien

2011-01-01

This article reports on the findings of a photography and literacy project ("Through Students' Eyes") the authors conducted with middle level English language learners and alternative high school youth from a mid-Atlantic (US) ex-urban area. In order to bridge middle and high school settings, the authors used multimodal and photo…

School Improvement in High-Capacity Schools: Educational Leadership and Living-Systems Ontology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Coral; Sackney, Larry

2016-01-01

Although school improvement continues to present as an unresolved educational problem, the required changes are relatively straightforward. Essentially, schools need to be retooled with students' experiences and high-quality instruction at the center of the design. In this article, we present the findings of research into the leadership of…

A Preliminary Investigation into the Relationship between Adolescent Self-Esteem and Parental Verbal Interaction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blake, Patricia Clark; Slate, John R.

1993-01-01

Examined relationship between perceived parental verbal interactions and self-esteem in adolescents. Findings from survey of 64 high school students indicated that quality of parental verbal interactions as perceived by adolescents was significantly related to adolescents' self-esteem levels. Parents perceived as having high levels of positive…

Bringing Equity and Quality Learning Together: Institutional Priorities for Tracking and Advancing Underserved Students' Success. Key Findings from a Survey and In-Depth Interviews among Administrators at AAC&U Member Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2015

2015-01-01

The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) surveyed Chief Academic Officers at member institutions from July-October 2015 concerning priorities related to learning outcomes, assessment, general education design, high-impact practices, and data tracking and goal setting around equity and quality learning. With support from…

Using PICO Methodology to Answer Questions About Smoking in COPD Patients.

PubMed

Jiménez Ruiz, Carlos A; Buljubasich, Daniel; Riesco Miranda, Juan Antonio; Acuña Izcaray, Agustín; de Granda Orive, José Ignacio; Chatkin, José Miguel; Zabert, Gustavo; Guerreros Benavides, Alfredo; Paez Espinel, Nelson; Noé, Valeri; Sánchez-Angarita, Efraín; Núñez-Sánchez, Ingrid; Sansores, Raúl H; Casas, Alejandro; Palomar Lever, Andrés; Alfageme Michavila, Inmaculada

2017-11-01

The ALAT and SEPAR Treatment and Control of Smoking Groups have collaborated in the preparation of this document which attempts to answer, by way of PICO methodology, different questions on health interventions for helping COPD patients to stop smoking. The main recommendations are: (i)moderate-quality evidence and strong recommendation for performing spirometry in COPD patients and in smokers with a high risk of developing the disease, as a motivational tool (particularly for showing evidence of lung age), a diagnostic tool, and for active case-finding; (ii)high-quality evidence and strong recommendation for using intensive dedicated behavioral counselling and drug treatment for helping COPD patients to stop smoking; (iii)high-quality evidence and strong recommendation for initiating interventions for helping COPD patients to stop smoking during hospitalization with improvement when the intervention is prolonged after discharge, and (iv)high-quality evidence and strong recommendation for funding treatment of smoking in COPD patients, in view of the impact on health and health economics. Copyright © 2017 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Interface engineering in epitaxial growth of layered oxides via a conducting layer insertion

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

Yun, Yu; Meng, Dechao; Wang, Jianlin

2015-07-06

There is a long-standing challenge in the fabrication of layered oxide epitaxial films due to their thermodynamic phase-instability and the large stacking layer number. Recently, the demand for high-quality thin films is strongly pushed by their promising room-temperature multiferroic properties. Here, we find that by inserting a conducting and lattice matched LaNiO{sub 3} buffer layer, high quality m = 5 Bi{sub 6}FeCoTi{sub 3}O{sub 18} epitaxial films can be fabricated using the laser molecular beam epitaxy, in which the atomic-scale sharp interface between the film and the metallic buffer layer explains the enhanced quality. The magnetic and ferroelectric properties of the high qualitymore » Bi{sub 6}FeCoTi{sub 3}O{sub 18} films are studied. This study demonstrates that insertion of the conducting layer is a powerful method in achieving high quality layered oxide thin films, which opens the door to further understand the underline physics and to develop new devices.« less

Disease management: a leap of faith to lower-cost, higher-quality health care.

PubMed

Short, Ashley; Mays, Glen; Mittler, Jessica

2003-10-01

With managed care's promise to reduce costs and improve quality waning, employers and health plans are exploring more targeted ways to control rapidly rising health costs. Disease management programs, which focus on patients with chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes, are growing in popularity, according to findings from the Center for Studying Health System Change's (HSC) 2002-03 site visits to 12 nationally representative communities. In addition to condition-based disease management programs, some health plans and employers are using intensive case management services to coordinate care for high-risk patients with potentially costly and complex medical conditions. Despite high expectations, evidence of both disease management and case management programs' success in controlling costs and improving quality remains limited.

Educational Level, Anticoagulation Quality, and Clinical Outcomes in Elderly Patients with Acute Venous Thromboembolism: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Hofmann, Eveline; Faller, Nicolas; Limacher, Andreas; Méan, Marie; Tritschler, Tobias; Rodondi, Nicolas; Aujesky, Drahomir

2016-01-01

Whether the level of education is associated with anticoagulation quality and clinical outcomes in patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) is uncertain. We thus aimed to investigate the association between educational level and anticoagulation quality and clinical outcomes in elderly patients with acute VTE. We studied 817 patients aged ≥65 years with acute VTE from a Swiss prospective multicenter cohort study (09/2009-12/2013). We defined three educational levels: 1) less than high school, 2) high school, and 3) post-secondary degree. The primary outcome was the anticoagulation quality, expressed as the percentage of time spent in the therapeutic INR range (TTR). Secondary outcomes were the time to a first recurrent VTE and major bleeding. We adjusted for potential confounders and periods of anticoagulation. Overall, 56% of patients had less than high school, 25% a high school degree, and 18% a post-secondary degree. The mean percentage of TTR was similar across educational levels (less than high school, 61%; high school, 64%; and post-secondary, 63%; P = 0.36). Within three years of follow-up, patients with less than high school, high school, and a post-secondary degree had a cumulative incidence of recurrent VTE of 14.2%, 12.9%, and 16.4%, and a cumulative incidence of major bleeding of 13.3%, 15.1%, and 15.4%, respectively. After adjustment, educational level was neither associated with anticoagulation quality nor with recurrent VTE or major bleeding. In elderly patients with VTE, we did not find an association between educational level and anticoagulation quality or clinical outcomes.

Training and quality assurance with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I/P).

PubMed

Ventura, J; Liberman, R P; Green, M F; Shaner, A; Mintz, J

1998-06-15

Accuracy in psychiatric diagnosis is critical for evaluating the suitability of the subjects for entry into research protocols and for establishing comparability of findings across study sites. However, training programs in the use of diagnostic instruments for research projects are not well systematized. Furthermore, little information has been published on the maintenance of interrater reliability of diagnostic assessments. At the UCLA Research Center for Major Mental Illnesses, a Training and Quality Assurance Program for SCID interviewers was used to evaluate interrater reliability and diagnostic accuracy. Although clinically experienced interviewers achieved better interrater reliability and overall diagnostic accuracy than neophyte interviewers, both groups were able to achieve and maintain high levels of interrater reliability, diagnostic accuracy, and interviewer skill. At the first quality assurance check after training, there were no significant differences between experienced and neophyte interviewers in interrater reliability or diagnostic accuracy. Standardization of training and quality assurance procedures within and across research projects may make research findings from study sites more comparable.

Investigation of Consensually Nonmonogamous Relationships.

PubMed

Conley, Terri; Matsick, Jessica; Moors, Amy Catherine; Ziegler, Ali

2017-03-01

We proposed that the premise that monogamy is the exemplary form of romantic partnership underlies much theory and research on relationship quality, and we addressed how this bias has prompted methodological issues that make it difficult to effectively address the quality of nonmonogamous relationships. Because the idea that consensually nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships are functional (i.e., satisfying and of high quality) is controversial, we included a basic study to assess, in a variety of ways, the quality of these relationships. In that study, we found few differences in relationship functioning between individuals engaged in monogamy and those in CNM relationships. We then considered how existing theories could help researchers to understand CNM relationships and how CNM relationships could shed light on relationship processes, and we proposed a model of how CNM and monogamous relationships differ. Finally, in a second study, we determined that even researchers who present data about CNM are affected by the stigma surrounding such relationships. That is, researchers presenting findings favoring polyamory were perceived as more biased than researchers presenting findings favoring monogamy.

High day- and night-time temperatures affect grain growth dynamics in contrasting rice genotypes.

PubMed

Shi, Wanju; Yin, Xinyou; Struik, Paul C; Solis, Celymar; Xie, Fangming; Schmidt, Ralf C; Huang, Min; Zou, Yingbin; Ye, Changrong; Jagadish, S V Krishna

2017-11-02

Rice grain yield and quality are predicted to be highly vulnerable to global warming. Five genotypes including heat-tolerant and susceptible checks, a heat-tolerant near-isogenic line and two hybrids were exposed to control (31 °C/23 °C, day/night), high night-time temperature (HNT; 31 °C/30 °C), high day-time temperature (HDT; 38 °C/23 °C) and high day- and night-time temperature (HNDT; 38 °C/30 °C) treatments for 20 consecutive days during the grain-filling stage. Grain-filling dynamics, starch metabolism enzymes, temporal starch accumulation patterns and the process of chalk formation were quantified. Compensation between the rate and duration of grain filling minimized the impact of HNT, but irreversible impacts on seed-set, grain filling and ultimately grain weight were recorded with HDT and HNDT. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated irregular and smaller starch granule formation affecting amyloplast build-up with HDT and HNDT, while a quicker but normal amylopast build-up was recorded with HNT. Our findings revealed temporal variation in the starch metabolism enzymes in all three stress treatments. Changes in the enzymatic activity did not derail starch accumulation under HNT when assimilates were sufficiently available, while both sucrose supply and the conversion of sucrose into starch were affected by HDT and HNDT. The findings indicate differential mechanisms leading to high day and high night temperature stress-induced loss in yield and quality. Additional genetic improvement is needed to sustain rice productivity and quality under future climates. © Society for Experimental Biology 2017.

Positive Attitude toward Healthy Eating Predicts Higher Diet Quality at All Cost Levels of Supermarkets☆

PubMed Central

Aggarwal, Anju; Monsivais, Pablo; Cook, Andrea J.; Drewnowski, Adam

2014-01-01

Shopping at low-cost supermarkets has been associated with higher obesity rates. This study examined whether attitudes toward healthy eating are independently associated with diet quality among shoppers at low-cost, medium-cost, and high-cost supermarkets. Data on socioeconomic status (SES), attitudes toward healthy eating, and supermarket choice were collected using a telephone survey of a representative sample of adult residents of King County, WA. Dietary intake data were based on a food frequency questionnaire. Thirteen supermarket chains were stratified into three categories: low, medium, and high cost, based on a market basket of 100 commonly eaten foods. Diet-quality measures were energy density, mean adequacy ratio, and total servings of fruits and vegetables. The analytical sample consisted of 963 adults. Multivariable regressions with robust standard error examined relations between diet quality, supermarket type, attitudes, and SES. Shopping at higher-cost supermarkets was associated with higher-quality diets. These associations persisted after adjusting for SES, but were eliminated after taking attitudinal measures into account. Supermarket shoppers with positive attitudes toward healthy eating had equally higher-quality diets, even if they shopped at low-, medium-, or high-cost supermarkets, independent of SES and other covariates. These findings imply that shopping at low-cost supermarkets does not prevent consumers from having high-quality diets, as long as they attach importance to good nutrition. Promoting nutrition-education strategies among supermarkets, particularly those catering to low-income groups, can help to improve diet quality. PMID:23916974

Quality of Life of Nepalese Women Post Mastectomy

PubMed

Maharjan, Muna; Thapa, Niresh; Adhikari, Raj Devi; Petrini, Marcia A; Amatya, Kapendra Shekhar

2018-04-25

Introduction: Worldwide breast cancer is the common invasive cancer among the females. The quality of life of women after treatment, which is often a mastectomy, is frequently decreased. Objective: To determine the life quality of Nepalese women post mastectomy. Materials and Methods: One hundred seven women after a mastectomy were selected and interviewed by using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire and its Breast Specific Module to assess women’s quality of life. Result: The study findings revealed a good score on global health status/quality of life. The respondents performed well on functional and symptom scales. In the Breast Specific Module, all respondents performed poor regarding sexual function and sexual enjoyment. Global Health Status was found useful among the women involved in service/business/agriculture and the survivors using breast prosthesis. In Breast Specific Module, systemic therapy side effects showed strong statistical associations with age, marital status, occupation, education, use of breast prosthesis and co-morbidity. Body image was highly significant with age, occupation, education, use of breast prosthesis and co-morbidity. Conclusion: Based on the study findings, counseling, and a structured educational programme is recommended to improve the QOL of women after a mastectomy. Creative Commons Attribution License

Sources of practice knowledge among Australian fitness trainers.

PubMed

Bennie, Jason A; Wiesner, Glen H; van Uffelen, Jannique G Z; Harvey, Jack T; Biddle, Stuart J H

2017-12-01

Few studies have examined the sources of practice knowledge fitness trainers use to inform their training methods and update knowledge. This study aims to describe sources of practice knowledge among Australian fitness trainers. In July 2014, 9100 Australian fitness trainers were invited to complete an online survey. Respondents reported the frequency of use of eight sources of practice knowledge (e.g. fitness magazines, academic texts). In a separate survey, exercise science experts (n = 27) ranked each source as either (1) 'high-quality' or (2) 'low-quality'. Proportions of users of 'high-quality' sources were calculated across demographic (age, sex) and fitness industry-related characteristics (qualification, setting, role). A multivariate logistic regression analysis assessed the odds of being classified as a user of high-quality sources, adjusting for demographic and fitness industry-related factors. Out of 1185 fitness trainers (response rate = 13.0%), aged 17-72 years, 47.6% (95% CI, 44.7-50.4%) were classified as frequent users of high-quality sources of practice knowledge. In the adjusted analysis, compared to trainers aged 17-26 years, those aged ≥61 years (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.05-4.38) and 40-50 years (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.02-2.31) were more likely to be classified as a user of high-quality sources. When compared to trainers working in large centres, those working in outdoor settings (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.23-2.65) and medium centres (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.12-2.29) were more likely to be classified as users of high-quality sources. Our findings suggest that efforts should be made to improve the quality of knowledge acquisition among Australian fitness trainers.

Dose-specific effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on experimental pain: a systematic review.

PubMed

Claydon, Leica S; Chesterton, Linda S; Barlas, Panos; Sim, Julius

2011-09-01

To determine the hypoalgesic effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) parameter combinations on experimental models in healthy humans. Searches were performed using the electronic databases Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, and Web of Science (from inception to December 2009). Manual searches of journals and reference lists of retrieved trials were also performed. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review if they compared the hypoalgesic effect of TENS relative with placebo and control, using an experimental pain model in healthy human participants. Two reviewers independently selected the trials, assessed their methodologic quality and extracted data. Forty-three RCTs were eligible for inclusion. A best evidence synthesis revealed: Overall "conflicting" (inconsistent findings in multiple RCTs) evidence of TENS efficacy on experimental pain irrespective of TENS parameters used. Overall intense TENS has "moderate" evidence of efficacy (1 high-quality and 2 low-quality trials). Conventional TENS has overall conflicting evidence of efficacy, this is derived from "strong" evidence of efficacy (generally consistent findings in multiple high-quality RCTs) on pressure pain but strong evidence of inefficacy on other pain models. "Limited" evidence (positive findings from 1 RCT) of hypoalgesia exists for some novel parameters. Low-intensity, low-frequency, local TENS has strong evidence of inefficacy. Inappropriate TENS (using "barely perceptible" intensities) has moderate evidence of inefficacy. The level of hypoalgesic efficacy of TENS is clearly dependent on TENS parameter combination selection (defined in terms of intensity, frequency, and stimulation site) and experimental pain model. Future clinical RCTs may consider these TENS dose responses.

Match between culture and social support: Acculturation moderates the relationship between social support and well-being of Chinese American breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Wong, Celia C Y; Lu, Qian

2017-01-01

Social support does not always lead to health benefits; the outcomes depend on the match between the need and the provision of social support. Culture shapes individuals' preference of social support types (e.g., supportive communication, social companionship, and tangible support). The present study examined how the association between social support and well-being may vary as a function of acculturation among minority cancer survivors. One hundred and twenty-three Chinese American breast cancer survivors were invited to complete a questionnaire package. Findings showed that acculturation moderated the association of social support subtypes with psychological and physical well-being. Higher emotional/information support was associated with better quality of life and less physical symptoms among highly acculturated cancer survivors but more physical symptoms among those who were less acculturated. Tangible support was associated with more physical symptoms among highly acculturated cancer survivors but less physical symptoms among those who are less acculturated. Positive social interaction was associated with better quality of life and less physical symptoms among less acculturated cancer survivors but not associated with quality of life or physical symptoms among their highly acculturated counterparts. The findings pointed to the significance of acculturation in breast cancer experience among minority women, especially its interplay with social support transactions.

The culture of scientific research.

PubMed

Joynson, Catherine; Leyser, Ottoline

2015-01-01

In 2014, the UK-based Nuffield Council on Bioethics carried out a series of engagement activities, including an online survey to which 970 people responded, and 15 discussion events at universities around the UK to explore the culture of research in the UK and its effect on ethical conduct in science and the quality of research. The findings of the project were published in December 2014 and the main points are summarised here. We found that scientists are motivated in their work to find out more about the world and to benefit society, and that they believe collaboration, multidisciplinarity, openness and creativity are important for the production of high quality science. However, in some cases, our findings suggest, the culture of research in higher education institutions does not support or encourage these goals or activities. For example, high levels of competition and perceptions about how scientists are assessed for jobs and funding are reportedly contributing to a loss of creativity in science, less collaboration and poor research practices. The project led to suggestions for action for funding bodies, research institutions, publishers and editors, professional bodies and individual researchers.

Adsorption detection for polylysine biomolecules based on high-Q silica capillary whispering gallery mode microresonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jixuan; Liu, Bo; Zhang, Hao; Song, Binbin

2017-11-01

A silica-capillary-based whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonator has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated for the real-time monitoring of the polylysine adsorption process. The spectral characteristics of the WGM resonance dips with high quality factor and good wavelength selectivity have been investigated to evaluate the dynamic process for the binding of polylysine with a capillary surface. The WGM transmission spectrum shows a regular shift with increments of observation time, which could be exploited for the analysis of the polylysine adsorption process. The proposed WGM microresonator system possesses desirable qualities such as high sensitivity, fast response, label-free method, high detection resolution and compactness, which could find promising applications in histology and related bioengineering areas.

Differences in Bone Quality between High versus Low Turnover Renal Osteodystrophy

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

Porter, Daniel S.; Pienkowski, David; Faugere, Marie-Claude

2012-01-01

Abnormal bone turnover is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD), but its effects on bone quality remain unclear. This study sought to quantify the relationship between abnormal bone turnover and bone quality. Iliac crest bone biopsies were obtained from CKD-5 patients on dialysis with low (n=18) or high (n=17) turnover, and from volunteers (n=12) with normal turnover and normal kidney function. Histomorphometric methods were used to quantify the microstructural parameters; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nanoindentation were used to quantify the material and mechanical properties in bone. Reduced mineral-to-matrix ratio, mineral crystal size, stiffness and hardness were observed in bonemore » with high turnover compared to bone with normal or low turnover. Decreased cancellous bone volume and trabecular thickness were seen in bone with low turnover compared to bone with normal or high turnover. Bone quality, as defined by its microstructural, material, and mechanical properties, is related to bone turnover. These data suggest that turnover related alterations in bone quality may contribute to the known diminished mechanical competence of bone in CKD patients, albeit from different mechanisms for bone with high (material abnormality) vs. low (microstructural alteration) turnover. The present findings suggest that improved treatments for renal osteodystrophy should seek to avoid low or high bone turnover and aim for turnover rates as close to normal as possible.« less

High-quality permanent draft genome sequence of the Parapiptadenia rigida-nodulating Cupriavidus sp. strain UYPR2.512

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

De Meyer, Sofie E.; Fabiano, Elena; Tian, Rui

Cupriavidus sp. strain UYPR2.512 is an aerobic, motile, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming rod that was isolated from a root nodule of Parapiptadenia rigida grown in soils from a native forest of Uruguay. Here we describe the features of Cupriavidus sp. strain UYPR2.512, together with sequence and annotation. We find the 7,858,949 bp high-quality permanent draft genome is arranged in 365 scaffolds of 369 contigs, contains 7,411 protein-coding genes and 76 RNA-only encoding genes, and is part of the GEBA-RNB project proposal.

The silane depletion fraction as an indicator for the amorphous/crystalline silicon interface passivation quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Descoeudres, A.; Barraud, L.; Bartlome, R.; Choong, G.; De Wolf, Stefaan; Zicarelli, F.; Ballif, C.

2010-11-01

In silicon heterojunction solar cells, thin amorphous silicon layers passivate the crystalline silicon wafer surfaces. By using in situ diagnostics during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), the authors report how the passivation quality of such layers directly relate to the plasma conditions. Good interface passivation is obtained from highly depleted silane plasmas. Based upon this finding, layers deposited in a large-area very high frequency (40.68 MHz) PECVD reactor were optimized for heterojunction solar cells, yielding aperture efficiencies up to 20.3% on 4 cm2 cells.

High-quality permanent draft genome sequence of the Parapiptadenia rigida-nodulating Cupriavidus sp. strain UYPR2.512

DOE PAGES

De Meyer, Sofie E.; Fabiano, Elena; Tian, Rui; ...

2015-04-11

Cupriavidus sp. strain UYPR2.512 is an aerobic, motile, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming rod that was isolated from a root nodule of Parapiptadenia rigida grown in soils from a native forest of Uruguay. Here we describe the features of Cupriavidus sp. strain UYPR2.512, together with sequence and annotation. We find the 7,858,949 bp high-quality permanent draft genome is arranged in 365 scaffolds of 369 contigs, contains 7,411 protein-coding genes and 76 RNA-only encoding genes, and is part of the GEBA-RNB project proposal.

Assembly of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) somaclones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skarzyńska, Agnieszka; Kuśmirek, Wiktor; Pawełkowicz, Magdalena; PlÄ der, Wojciech; Nowak, Robert M.

2017-08-01

The development of next generation sequencing opens the possibility of using sequencing in various plant studies, such as finding structural changes and small polymorphisms between species and within them. Most analyzes rely on genomic sequences and it is crucial to use well-assembled genomes of high quality and completeness. Herein we compare commonly available programs for genomic assembling and newly developed software - dnaasm. Assemblies were tested on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) lines obtained by in vitro regeneration (somaclones), showing different phenotypes. Obtained results shows that dnaasm assembler is a good tool for short read assembly, which allows obtaining genomes of high quality and completeness.

Potential usefulness of a video printer for producing secondary images from digitized chest radiographs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishikawa, Robert M.; MacMahon, Heber; Doi, Kunio; Bosworth, Eric

1991-05-01

Communication between radiologists and clinicians could be improved if a secondary image (copy of the original image) accompanied the radiologic report. In addition, the number of lost original radiographs could be decreased, since clinicians would have less need to borrow films. The secondary image should be simple and inexpensive to produce, while providing sufficient image quality for verification of the diagnosis. We are investigating the potential usefulness of a video printer for producing copies of radiographs, i.e. images printed on thermal paper. The video printer we examined (Seikosha model VP-3500) can provide 64 shades of gray. It is capable of recording images up to 1,280 pixels by 1,240 lines and can accept any raster-type video signal. The video printer was characterized in terms of its linearity, contrast, latitude, resolution, and noise properties. The quality of video-printer images was also evaluated in an observer study using portable chest radiographs. We found that observers could confirm up to 90 of the reported findings in the thorax using video- printer images, when the original radiographs were of high quality. The number of verified findings was diminished when high spatial resolution was required (e.g. detection of a subtle pneumothorax) or when a low-contrast finding was located in the mediastinal area or below the diaphragm (e.g. nasogastric tubes).

Follow-up of coronary artery bypass graft patency: diagnostic efficiency of high-pitch dual-source 256-slice MDCT findings.

PubMed

Yuceler, Zeyneb; Kantarci, Mecit; Yuce, Ihsan; Kizrak, Yesim; Bayraktutan, Ummugulsum; Ogul, Hayri; Kiris, Adem; Celik, Omer; Pirimoglu, Berhan; Genc, Berhan; Gundogdu, Fuat

2014-01-01

Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 256-slice, high-pitch mode multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patency. Eighty-eight patients underwent 256-slice MDCT angiography to evaluate their graft patency after CABG surgery using a prospectively synchronized electrocardiogram in the high-pitch spiral acquisition mode. Effective radiation doses were calculated. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of high-pitch, low-dose, prospective, electrocardiogram-triggering, dual-source MDCT for CABG patency compared with catheter coronary angiography imaging findings. A total of 215 grafts and 645 vessel segments were analyzed. All graft segments had diagnostic image quality. The proximal and middle graft segments had significantly (P < 0.05) better mean image quality scores (1.18 ± 0.4) than the distal segments (1.31 ± 0.5). Using catheter coronary angiography as the reference standard, high-pitch MDCT had the following sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of per-segment analysis for detecting graft patency: 97.1%, 99.6%, 94.4%, and 99.8%, respectively. In conclusion, MDCT can be used noninvasively with a lower radiation dose for the assessment of restenosis in CABG patients.

ScanRanker: Quality Assessment of Tandem Mass Spectra via Sequence Tagging

PubMed Central

Ma, Ze-Qiang; Chambers, Matthew C.; Ham, Amy-Joan L.; Cheek, Kristin L.; Whitwell, Corbin W.; Aerni, Hans-Rudolf; Schilling, Birgit; Miller, Aaron W.; Caprioli, Richard M.; Tabb, David L.

2011-01-01

In shotgun proteomics, protein identification by tandem mass spectrometry relies on bioinformatics tools. Despite recent improvements in identification algorithms, a significant number of high quality spectra remain unidentified for various reasons. Here we present ScanRanker, an open-source tool that evaluates the quality of tandem mass spectra via sequence tagging with reliable performance in data from different instruments. The superior performance of ScanRanker enables it not only to find unassigned high quality spectra that evade identification through database search, but also to select spectra for de novo sequencing and cross-linking analysis. In addition, we demonstrate that the distribution of ScanRanker scores predicts the richness of identifiable spectra among multiple LC-MS/MS runs in an experiment, and ScanRanker scores assist the process of peptide assignment validation to increase confident spectrum identifications. The source code and executable versions of ScanRanker are available from http://fenchurch.mc.vanderbilt.edu. PMID:21520941

Quality of nursing care perceived by patients and their nurses: an application of the critical incident technique. Part 1.

PubMed

Redfern, S; Norman, I

1999-07-01

The aims of the study were to identify indicators of quality of nursing care from the perceptions of patients and nurses, and to determine the congruence between patients' and nurses' perceptions. The paper is presented in two parts. Part 1 includes the background and methods to the study and the findings from the comparison of patients' and nurses' perceptions. Part 2 describes the perceptions of patients and nurses, and the conclusions drawn from the study as a whole. Patients and nurses in hospital wards were interviewed using the critical incident technique. We grouped 4546 indicators of high and low quality nursing care generated from the interview transcripts into 316 subcategories, 68 categories and 31 themes. Congruence between patients' and nurses' perceptions of quality was high and significant, although there was some difference of emphasis.

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs for Sciatica: An Updated Cochrane Review.

PubMed

Rasmussen-Barr, Eva; Held, Ulrike; Grooten, Wilhelmus J A; Roelofs, Pepijn D D M; Koes, Bart W; van Tulder, Maurits W; Wertli, Maria M

2017-04-15

Systematic review and meta-analysis. To determine the efficacy of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on pain reduction, overall improvement, and reported adverse effects in people with sciatica. NSAIDs are one of the most frequently prescribed drugs for sciatica. We updated a 2008 Cochrane Review through June 2015. Randomized controlled trials that compared NSAIDs with placebo, with other NSAIDs, or with other medication were included. Outcomes included pain using mean difference (MD, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]). For global improvement and adverse effects risk ratios (RR, 95% CI) were used. We assessed level of evidence using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Ten trials were included (N = 1651). Nine out of 10 trials were assessed at high risk of bias. For pain reduction (visual analog scale, 0 to 100) NSAIDs were no more effective than placebo (MD -4.56, 95% CI -11.11 to 1.99, quality of evidence: very low). For global improvement NSAIDs were more effective than placebo (RR 1.14 [95% CI 1.03 to 1.27], low quality of evidence). One trial reported the effect of NSAIDs on disability with very low-quality evidence that NSAIDs are no more effective than placebo. There was low-quality evidence that the risk for adverse effects is higher for NSAID than placebo (RR 1.40, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.93). Our findings show very low-quality evidence that the efficacy of NSAIDs for pain reduction is comparable with that of placebo, low-quality evidence that NSAIDs is better than placebo for global improvement and low-quality evidence for higher risk of adverse effects using NSAIDs compared with placebo. The findings must be interpreted with caution, due to small study samples, inconsistent results, and a high risk of bias in the included trials. 1.

Abundance and physiology of dominant soft corals linked to water quality in Jakarta Bay, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Januar, Indra; Wild, Christian; Kunzmann, Andreas

2016-01-01

Declining water quality is one of the main reasons of coral reef degradation in the Thousand Islands off the megacity Jakarta, Indonesia. Shifts in benthic community composition to higher soft coral abundances have been reported for many degraded reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific. However, it is not clear to what extent soft coral abundance and physiology are influenced by water quality. In this study, live benthic cover and water quality (i.e. dissolved inorganic nutrients (DIN), turbidity (NTU), and sedimentation) were assessed at three sites (< 20 km north of Jakarta) in Jakarta Bay (JB) and five sites along the outer Thousand Islands (20–60 km north of Jakarta). This was supplemented by measurements of photosynthetic yield and, for the first time, respiratory electron transport system (ETS) activity of two dominant soft coral genera, Sarcophyton spp. and Nephthea spp. Findings revealed highly eutrophic water conditions in JB compared to the outer Thousand Islands, with 44% higher DIN load (7.65 μM/L), 67% higher NTU (1.49 NTU) and 47% higher sedimentation rate (30.4 g m−2 d−1). Soft corals were the dominant type of coral cover within the bay (2.4% hard and 12.8% soft coral cover) compared to the outer Thousand Islands (28.3% hard and 6.9% soft coral cover). Soft coral abundances, photosynthetic yield, and ETS activity were highly correlated with key water quality parameters, particularly DIN and sedimentation rates. The findings suggest water quality controls the relative abundance and physiology of dominant soft corals in JB and may thus contribute to phase shifts from hard to soft coral dominance, highlighting the need to better manage water quality in order to prevent or reverse phase shifts. PMID:27904802

Understanding and managing experiential aspects of soundscapes at Muir woods national monument.

PubMed

Pilcher, Ericka J; Newman, Peter; Manning, Robert E

2009-03-01

Research has found that human-caused noise can detract from the quality of the visitor experience in national parks and related areas. Moreover, impacts to the visitor experience can be managed by formulating indicators and standards of quality as suggested in park and outdoor recreation management frameworks, such as Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP), as developed by the U.S. National Park Service. The research reported in this article supports the formulation of indicators and standards of quality for human-caused noise at Muir Woods National Monument, California. Phase I identified potential indicators of quality for the soundscape of Muir Woods. A visitor "listening exercise" was conducted, where respondents identified natural and human-caused sounds heard in the park and rated the degree to which each sound was "pleasing" or "annoying." Certain visitor-caused sounds such as groups talking were heard by most respondents and were rated as annoying, suggesting that these sounds may be a good indicator of quality. Loud groups were heard by few people but were rated as highly annoying, whereas wind and water were heard by most visitors and were rated as highly pleasing. Phase II measured standards of quality for visitor-caused noise. Visitors were presented with a series of 30-second audio clips representing increasing amounts of visitor-caused sound in the park. Respondents were asked to rate the acceptability of each audio clip on a survey. Findings suggest a threshold at which visitor-caused sound is judged to be unacceptable, and is therefore considered as noise. A parallel program of sound monitoring in the park found that current levels of visitor-caused sound sometimes violate this threshold. Study findings provide an empirical basis to help formulate noise-related indicators and standards of quality in parks and related areas.

Effects of process parameters on the molding quality of the micro-needle array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Z. J.; Ma, Z.; Gao, S.

2016-07-01

Micro-needle array, which is used in medical applications, is a kind of typical injection molded products with microstructures. Due to its tiny micro-features size and high aspect ratios, it is more likely to produce short shots defects, leading to poor molding quality. The injection molding process of the micro-needle array was studied in this paper to find the effects of the process parameters on the molding quality of the micro-needle array and to provide theoretical guidance for practical production of high-quality products. With the shrinkage ratio and warpage of micro needles as the evaluation indices of the molding quality, the orthogonal experiment was conducted and the analysis of variance was carried out. According to the results, the contribution rates were calculated to determine the influence of various process parameters on molding quality. The single parameter method was used to analyse the main process parameter. It was found that the contribution rate of the holding pressure on shrinkage ratio and warpage reached 83.55% and 94.71% respectively, far higher than that of the other parameters. The study revealed that the holding pressure is the main factor which affects the molding quality of micro-needle array so that it should be focused on in order to obtain plastic parts with high quality in the practical production.

[Relationships of positive and negative affectivity to sleep quality in Japanese civil servants: 3-year follow-up study].

PubMed

Saeki, Urara; Nasermoaddeli, Ali; Sekine, Michikazu; Kagamimori, Sadanobu

2008-11-01

We conducted this longitudinal study to evaluate the relationships of positive and negative affectivity (Affect Balance Scale) to sleep quality among civil servants. For this study we evaluated 827 civil servants of T city in Toyama prefecture in the springs of 2001 (Baseline) and 2004 with complete information in both phases of the study. Based on the median score at each phase, we divided Affect Balance Scale (ABS) scores into high and low groups. We conducted logistic regression analysis to determine the odds ratios (OR) of 3-yr follow-up sleep quality by baseline and follow-up ABS scores. After adjusting for baseline sleep quality scores, age, sex, employment, job strain, and exercise habits, participants who had high ABS scores were more likely (OR: 3.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.78-5.53) to have better sleep quality than those with low ABS scores at both phases. In addition, participants with low ABS scores at baseline and high ABS scores 3 yr later had better sleep quality (OR: 1.81, 95%CI: 1.02-3.20) than those with low ABS scores at both phases. These findings substantiate the relationships of positive and negative affectivity to sleep quality. Improving the affect balance condition as well as maintaining good affect balance condition may be important determinants of sleep quality in civil servants.

An importance-performance analysis of hospital information system attributes: A nurses' perspective.

PubMed

Cohen, Jason F; Coleman, Emma; Kangethe, Matheri J

2016-02-01

Health workers have numerous concerns about hospital IS (HIS) usage. Addressing these concerns requires understanding the system attributes most important to their satisfaction and productivity. Following a recent HIS implementation, our objective was to identify priorities for managerial intervention based on user evaluations of the performance of the HIS attributes as well as the relative importance of these attributes to user satisfaction and productivity outcomes. We collected data along a set of attributes representing system quality, data quality, information quality, and service quality from 154 nurse users. Their quantitative responses were analysed using the partial least squares approach followed by an importance-performance analysis. Qualitative responses were analysed using thematic analysis to triangulate and supplement the quantitative findings. Two system quality attributes (responsiveness and ease of learning), one information quality attribute (detail), one service quality attribute (sufficient support), and three data quality attributes (records complete, accurate and never missing) were identified as high priorities for intervention. Our application of importance-performance analysis is unique in HIS evaluation and we have illustrated its utility for identifying those system attributes for which underperformance is not acceptable to users and therefore should be high priorities for intervention. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

U.S. ozone air quality under changing climate and anthropogenic emissions.

PubMed

Racherla, Pavan N; Adams, Peter J

2009-02-01

We examined future ozone (O3) air quality in the United States (U.S.) under changing climate and anthropogenic emissions worldwide by performing global climate-chemistry simulations, utilizing various combinations of present (1990s) and future (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A2 2050s) climates, and present and future (2050s; IPCC SRES A2 and B1) anthropogenic emissions. The A2 climate scenario is employed here because it lies at the upper extreme of projected climate change for the 21st century. To examine the sensitivity of U.S. O3 to regional emissions increases (decreases), the IPCC SRES A2 and B1 scenarios, which have overall higher and lower O3-precursor emissions for the U.S., respectively, have been chosen. We find that climate change, by itself, significantly worsens the severity and frequency of high-O3 events ("episodes") over most locations in the U.S., with relatively small changes in average O3 air quality. These high-O3 increases due to climate change alone will erode moderately the gains made under a U.S. emissions reduction scenario (e.g., B1). The effect of climate change on high- and average-O3 increases with anthropogenic emissions. Insofar as average O3 air quality is concerned, changes in U.S. anthropogenic emissions will play the most important role in attaining (or not) near-term U.S. O3 air quality standards. However, policy makers must plan appropriately for O3 background increases due to projected increases in global CH4 abundance and non-U.S. anthropogenic emissions, as well as potential local enhancements that they could cause. These findings provide strong incentives for more-than-planned emissions reductions at locations that are currently O3-nonattainment.

Reducing microbial contamination in storm runoff from high use areas on California coastal dairies.

PubMed

Lewis, D J; Atwill, E R; Lennox, M S; Pereira, M D G; Miller, W A; Conrad, P A; Tate, K W

2009-01-01

High use areas are a fundamental part of California coastal dairies and grazing livestock ranches as feeding areas, nurseries, and sick pens. High stocking densities and daily use in these areas lead to soil surfaces devoid of vegetation and covered in manure, with high potential for manure transport during winter rains to receiving waters regulated for shellfish harvesting and recreation. We characterized the association between California's Mediterranean climate and a series of existing and proposed management practices on fecal coliform bacteria (FCB) transport from high use areas on dairies and ranches. Results from 351 storm runoff samples collected below 35 high-use areas indicate that removal of cattle during winter, locating high use areas on level ground, application of straw and seeding, and vegetative buffer strip implementation were significantly associated with FCB concentration and load reductions. These results complement our findings for reductions of specific pathogens in runoff from these areas. These findings have practical significance because they document surface water quality benefits that the studied management practices provide in application on working farms and ranches. This direction is critical and timely for on-farm management efforts seeking to reduce microbial pollution in runoff and comply with indicator bacteria water quality criteria.

The influence of parents' marital quality on adult children's attitudes toward marriage and its alternatives: main and moderating effects.

PubMed

Cunningham, Mick; Thornton, Arland

2006-11-01

Drawing on a panel study of parents and children, we investigate linkages between parents' marital quality and adult children's attitudes toward a range of family issues, including premarital sex, cohabitation, lifelong singlehood, and divorce. We hypothesize that parents' marital quality will be negatively related to children's support for these behaviors in adulthood and that parents' marital quality will condition the intergenerational transmission of attitudes toward these issues. We find some evidence that parents' marital quality influences children's support for divorce and premarital sex. More important, our analyses show that parents' marital quality facilitates the intergenerational transmission of attitudes. Parents' attitudes toward premarital sex, cohabitation, and being single are more strongly linked to those same attitudes among their young adult children when parents' marital quality is high than when it is low.

Naturalness and interestingness of test images for visual quality evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halonen, Raisa; Westman, Stina; Oittinen, Pirkko

2011-01-01

Balanced and representative test images are needed to study perceived visual quality in various application domains. This study investigates naturalness and interestingness as image quality attributes in the context of test images. Taking a top-down approach we aim to find the dimensions which constitute naturalness and interestingness in test images and the relationship between these high-level quality attributes. We compare existing collections of test images (e.g. Sony sRGB images, ISO 12640 images, Kodak images, Nokia images and test images developed within our group) in an experiment combining quality sorting and structured interviews. Based on the data gathered we analyze the viewer-supplied criteria for naturalness and interestingness across image types, quality levels and judges. This study advances our understanding of subjective image quality criteria and enables the validation of current test images, furthering their development.

Risks of hip and knee replacement

MedlinePlus

... can help lower your chances of risks from surgery by planning ahead. Choose a doctor and a hospital that provide high-quality care. Talk with your health care provider long before your surgery. Find out what you can do to help ...

Enhancing marketing recruitment strategies: administrator tenure and nursing expenditures.

PubMed

Gunby, Norris White

2005-01-01

When recruiting nurses, long-term care facilities require an ability to identify salient organizational characteristics that are attractive to potential nursing services candidates vis-à-vis their competitors. The findings of this study suggest that information on administrative tenure can be utilized to attract applicants by appealing to criteria within their high-involvement job search activities. High-involvement applicants proactively seek recruitment content that provides essential job attributes that match their needs and skills and are more apt to be a higher quality candidate. Based upon the study's findings, managers are offered marketing strategy recommendations for tailoring recruiting messages that appeal to high-involvement job seekers.

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

S. K. Kushwaha; Pletikosic, I.; Liang, T.

A long-standing issue in topological insulator research has been to find a bulk single crystal material that provides a high quality platform for characterizing topological surface states without interference from bulk electronic states. This material would ideally be a bulk insulator, have a surface state Dirac point energy well isolated from the bulk valence and conduction bands, display quantum oscillations from the surface state electrons, and be growable as large, high quality bulk single crystals. Here we show that this materials obstacle is overcome by bulk crystals of lightly Sn-doped Bi 1.1Sb 0.9Te 2S grown by the Vertical Bridgeman method.more » We characterize Sn-BSTS via angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, transport studies, X-ray diffraction, and Raman scattering. We present this material as a high quality topological insulator that can be reliably grown as bulk single crystals and thus studied by many researchers interested in topological surface states.« less

Improving Students’ Evaluation of Informal Arguments

PubMed Central

LARSON, AARON A.; BRITT, M. ANNE; KURBY, CHRISTOPHER A.

2010-01-01

Evaluating the structural quality of arguments is a skill important to students’ ability to comprehend the arguments of others and produce their own. The authors examined college and high school students’ ability to evaluate the quality of 2-clause (claim-reason) arguments and tested a tutorial to improve this ability. These experiments indicated that college and high school students had difficulty evaluating arguments on the basis of their quality. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that a tutorial explaining skills important to overall argument evaluation increased performance but that immediate feedback during training was necessary for teaching students to evaluate the claim-reason connection. Using a Web-based version of the tutorial, Experiment 3 extended this finding to the performance of high-school students. The study suggests that teaching the structure of an argument and teaching students to pay attention to the precise message of the claim can improve argument evaluation. PMID:20174611

Parent and Youth Priorities during the Transition to Adulthood for Youth with Special Health Care Needs and Developmental Disability

PubMed Central

Rehm, Roberta S.; Fuentes-Afflick, Elena; Fisher, Lucille T.; Chesla, Catherine A.

2014-01-01

Families undertake extensive planning during transition to adulthood so youth with concomitant special health care needs and developmental disabilities will have a long-term high quality of life. Findings from an interpretive field study involving 64 youth and their parents indicated that the meaning of adulthood was functioning as independently as possible with appropriate supports. Parental priorities included protecting health, assuring safety and security in multiple realms, finding meaningful activities after high school, and establishing supportive social relationships. These priorities demonstrated the need to broaden usual health care transition goals that focus on finding adult providers and optimizing self-management. PMID:22869218

Higher Education in Australia: A Review of Reviews from Dawkins to Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Government Department of Education and Training, 2015

2015-01-01

The challenge of funding a high quality higher education system, ensuring it has the capacity to help meet the increasing demand for high level skills in our economy and the aspirations of our students, has been an ongoing concern for successive Australian governments over many years. This paper reviews the findings and recommendations of…

Health Information Retrieval Tool (HIRT)

PubMed Central

Nyun, Mra Thinzar; Ogunyemi, Omolola; Zeng, Qing

2002-01-01

The World Wide Web (WWW) is a powerful way to deliver on-line health information, but one major problem limits its value to consumers: content is highly distributed, while relevant and high quality information is often difficult to find. To address this issue, we experimented with an approach that utilizes three-dimensional anatomic models in conjunction with free-text search.

Troops to Teachers as School Administrators: A National Study of Principal Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owings, William A.; Kaplan, Leslie S.; Chappell, Shanan

2011-01-01

The United States has a scarcity of capable principals ready to successfully lead schools in an era of outcome-based accountability. This is especially true in high-poverty, high-minority schools. Policy makers welcome opening the principal pipeline to untraditional leaders. Research finds that teachers who have entered education through Troops to…

Using internal marketing to improve organizational commitment and service quality.

PubMed

Tsai, Yafang; Wu, Shih-Wang

2011-12-01

The purpose of this article was to explore the structural relationships among internal marketing, organizational commitment and service quality and to practically apply the findings. Internal marketing is a way to assist hospitals in improving the quality of the services that they provide while executing highly labour-intensive tasks. Through internal marketing, a hospital can enhance the organizational commitment of its employees to attain higher service quality. This research uses a cross-sectional study to survey nursing staff perceptions about internal marketing, organizational commitment and service quality. The results of the survey are evaluated using equation models. The sample includes three regional hospitals in Taiwan. Three hundred and fifty questionnaires were distributed and 288 valid questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of 82.3%. The survey process lasted from 1 February to 9 March 2007. The data were analysed with SPSS 12.0, including descriptive statistics based on demographics. In addition, the influence of demographics on internal marketing, organizational commitment and service quality is examined using one-way anova. The findings reveal that internal marketing plays a critical role in explaining employee perceptions of organizational commitment and service quality. Organizational commitment is the mediator between internal marketing and service quality. The results indicate that internal marketing has an impact on both organizational commitment and service quality. Internal marketing should be emphasized to influence frontline nursing staff, thereby helping to create better organizational commitment and service quality. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Long-term Changes in Extreme Air Pollution Meteorology and the Implications for Air Quality.

PubMed

Hou, Pei; Wu, Shiliang

2016-03-31

Extreme air pollution meteorological events, such as heat waves, temperature inversions and atmospheric stagnation episodes, can significantly affect air quality. Based on observational data, we have analyzed the long-term evolution of extreme air pollution meteorology on the global scale and their potential impacts on air quality, especially the high pollution episodes. We have identified significant increasing trends for the occurrences of extreme air pollution meteorological events in the past six decades, especially over the continental regions. Statistical analysis combining air quality data and meteorological data further indicates strong sensitivities of air quality (including both average air pollutant concentrations and high pollution episodes) to extreme meteorological events. For example, we find that in the United States the probability of severe ozone pollution when there are heat waves could be up to seven times of the average probability during summertime, while temperature inversions in wintertime could enhance the probability of severe particulate matter pollution by more than a factor of two. We have also identified significant seasonal and spatial variations in the sensitivity of air quality to extreme air pollution meteorology.

Attributes of quality programs in universities in developing countries: Case studies of two private universities in Ecuador and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uriguen, Monica I.

This study sought to identify the key attributes of high-quality programs with an eye toward helping developing countries such as Ecuador advance program quality. The dissertation is divided into five chapters: (1) introduction to high-quality programs; (2) literature review of attributes of high-quality programs; (3) grounded theory method (including interviews with 60 individuals) used to identify program attributes that enhance student learning; (4) findings; and (5) conclusions and recommendations. Following are the five clusters and thirteen attributes of high-quality programs that I identified: Cluster One: Highly Qualified Participants: (1) Highly Qualified Faculty, and (2) Highly Qualified Students; Cluster Two: Learning-Centered Cultures: (3) Shared Program Direction Focused on Learning, (4) Real-World Learning Experiences, (5) Reading-Centered Culture, and (6) Supportive and Risk-Taking Environment; Cluster Three: Interactive Teaching and Learning: (7) Integrative learning: Theory with Practice, Self with Subject, and (8) Exclusive Tutoring and Mentoring; Cluster Four: Connected Program Requirements: (9) Planned Breadth and Depth Course Work, and (10) Tangible Products; and Cluster Five: Adequate Resources: (11) Support for Students, (12) Support for Faculty, and (13) Support for Campus Infrastructure. The study was guided by Haworth and Conrad's (1997) "Engagement Theory of High-Quality Programs." Eleven of the attributes of high-quality programs are closely connected to Haworth and Conrad's theory and the other two attributes---real-world learning experiences and a reading-centered culture---make the signature theoretical contributions of the study. Real-world learning experiences encourage the active involvement of stakeholders in designing curricula with real-world learning experiences. The second attribute---a reading-centered culture---has never before been identified in the literature. There are four key differences between Haworth and Conrad's theory and the theory developed in this study. This study identified four attributes that are highly important in Ecuador and, possibly, other developing countries: highly-qualified faculty, highly-qualified students, reading-centered cultures, and real-world learning experiences. If Latin American universities implement the recommendations proposed in the study, particularly Ecuadorian universities, there is a foundation for envisioning a better future for Ecuadorian universities.

A systematic review of food deserts, 1966-2007.

PubMed

Beaulac, Julie; Kristjansson, Elizabeth; Cummins, Steven

2009-07-01

"Food deserts," areas characterized by poor access to healthy and affordable food, may contribute to social and spatial disparities in diet and diet-related health outcomes. However, the extent to which food deserts exist is debated. We review the evidence for the existence of food deserts in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. We conducted a systematic review of primary, quantitative, observational studies, published in English or French, that used geographic or market-basket approaches in high-income countries. The literature search included electronic and hand searches and peer-reviewed and grey literature from 1966 through 2007. We also contacted key researchers to identify other studies. We analyzed the findings and quality of the studies qualitatively. Forty-nine studies in 5 countries met inclusion criteria; the amount and consistency of the evidence varied by country. These studies were a mix of geographic and market-basket approaches, but the methodologic quality of studies and completeness of reported findings were mixed. We found clear evidence for disparities in food access in the United States by income and race. Findings from other high-income countries were sparse and equivocal. This review suggests that food deserts exist in the United States, where area-level deprivation compounds individual disadvantage. Evidence for the existence of food deserts in other high-income nations is weak.

Using Computer-Extracted Data from Electronic Health Records to Measure the Quality of Adolescent Well-Care

PubMed Central

Gardner, William; Morton, Suzanne; Byron, Sepheen C; Tinoco, Aldo; Canan, Benjamin D; Leonhart, Karen; Kong, Vivian; Scholle, Sarah Hudson

2014-01-01

Objective To determine whether quality measures based on computer-extracted EHR data can reproduce findings based on data manually extracted by reviewers. Data Sources We studied 12 measures of care indicated for adolescent well-care visits for 597 patients in three pediatric health systems. Study Design Observational study. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Manual reviewers collected quality data from the EHR. Site personnel programmed their EHR systems to extract the same data from structured fields in the EHR according to national health IT standards. Principal Findings Overall performance measured via computer-extracted data was 21.9 percent, compared with 53.2 percent for manual data. Agreement measures were high for immunizations. Otherwise, agreement between computer extraction and manual review was modest (Kappa = 0.36) because computer-extracted data frequently missed care events (sensitivity = 39.5 percent). Measure validity varied by health care domain and setting. A limitation of our findings is that we studied only three domains and three sites. Conclusions The accuracy of computer-extracted EHR quality reporting depends on the use of structured data fields, with the highest agreement found for measures and in the setting that had the greatest concentration of structured fields. We need to improve documentation of care, data extraction, and adaptation of EHR systems to practice workflow. PMID:24471935

Under which conditions can introverts achieve happiness? Mediation and moderation effects of the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability on happiness

PubMed Central

Cabello, Rosario

2015-01-01

Personality traits have been directly associated with happiness. One consistent finding is a strong link between extraversion and happiness: extraverts are happier than introverts. Although happy introverts exist, it is currently unclear under what conditions they can achieve happiness. The present study analyzes, generally, how the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability influence happiness and, specifically, how these factors can lead introverts to be happy. In the present study, 1,006 participants aged 18–80 (42% males) completed measures of extraversion, neuroticism, quality of social relationships, emotion regulation ability, and happiness. We found that extraverts had significantly higher happiness, quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability scores than introverts. In addition, people with high quality social relationships or high emotion regulation ability were happier. Serial mediation analyses indicated that greater levels of extraversion were associated with greater happiness, with small effect size, via two indirect mechanisms: (a) higher quality of social relationships, and (b) higher quality of social relationships followed serially by higher emotion regulation ability. We also found a moderating effect due to the three-way interaction of extraversion, quality of social relationships, and emotion regulation ability: introverts were happier when they had high scores for these two variables, though the effect size was small. These results suggest that the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability are relevant to our understanding of complex associations between extraversion and happiness. PMID:26500814

Under which conditions can introverts achieve happiness? Mediation and moderation effects of the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability on happiness.

PubMed

Cabello, Rosario; Fernandez-Berrocal, Pablo

2015-01-01

Personality traits have been directly associated with happiness. One consistent finding is a strong link between extraversion and happiness: extraverts are happier than introverts. Although happy introverts exist, it is currently unclear under what conditions they can achieve happiness. The present study analyzes, generally, how the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability influence happiness and, specifically, how these factors can lead introverts to be happy. In the present study, 1,006 participants aged 18-80 (42% males) completed measures of extraversion, neuroticism, quality of social relationships, emotion regulation ability, and happiness. We found that extraverts had significantly higher happiness, quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability scores than introverts. In addition, people with high quality social relationships or high emotion regulation ability were happier. Serial mediation analyses indicated that greater levels of extraversion were associated with greater happiness, with small effect size, via two indirect mechanisms: (a) higher quality of social relationships, and (b) higher quality of social relationships followed serially by higher emotion regulation ability. We also found a moderating effect due to the three-way interaction of extraversion, quality of social relationships, and emotion regulation ability: introverts were happier when they had high scores for these two variables, though the effect size was small. These results suggest that the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability are relevant to our understanding of complex associations between extraversion and happiness.

Nonlinear frequency compression: effects on sound quality ratings of speech and music.

PubMed

Parsa, Vijay; Scollie, Susan; Glista, Danielle; Seelisch, Andreas

2013-03-01

Frequency lowering technologies offer an alternative amplification solution for severe to profound high frequency hearing losses. While frequency lowering technologies may improve audibility of high frequency sounds, the very nature of this processing can affect the perceived sound quality. This article reports the results from two studies that investigated the impact of a nonlinear frequency compression (NFC) algorithm on perceived sound quality. In the first study, the cutoff frequency and compression ratio parameters of the NFC algorithm were varied, and their effect on the speech quality was measured subjectively with 12 normal hearing adults, 12 normal hearing children, 13 hearing impaired adults, and 9 hearing impaired children. In the second study, 12 normal hearing and 8 hearing impaired adult listeners rated the quality of speech in quiet, speech in noise, and music after processing with a different set of NFC parameters. Results showed that the cutoff frequency parameter had more impact on sound quality ratings than the compression ratio, and that the hearing impaired adults were more tolerant to increased frequency compression than normal hearing adults. No statistically significant differences were found in the sound quality ratings of speech-in-noise and music stimuli processed through various NFC settings by hearing impaired listeners. These findings suggest that there may be an acceptable range of NFC settings for hearing impaired individuals where sound quality is not adversely affected. These results may assist an Audiologist in clinical NFC hearing aid fittings for achieving a balance between high frequency audibility and sound quality.

Finding "hard to find" literature on hard to find groups: A novel technique to search grey literature on refugees and asylum seekers.

PubMed

Enticott, Joanne; Buck, Kimberly; Shawyer, Frances

2018-03-01

There is a lack of information on how to execute effective searches of the grey literature on refugee and asylum seeker groups for inclusion in systematic reviews. High-quality government reports and other grey literature relevant to refugees may not always be identified in conventional literature searches. During the process of conducting a recent systematic review, we developed a novel strategy for systematically searching international refugee and asylum seeker-related grey literature. The approach targets governmental health departments and statistical agencies, who have considerable access to refugee and asylum seeker populations for research purposes but typically do not publish findings in academic forums. Compared to a conventional grey literature search strategy, our novel technique yielded an eightfold increase in relevant high-quality grey sources that provided valuable content in informing our review. Incorporating a search of the grey literature into systematic reviews of refugee and asylum seeker research is essential to providing a more complete view of the evidence. Our novel strategy offers a practical and feasible method of conducting systematic grey literature searches that may be adaptable to a range of research questions, contexts, and resource constraints. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Simple measurement of lenticular lens quality for autostereoscopic displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, Stuart; Boudreau, Robert A.

2013-03-01

Lenticular lens based autostereoscopic 3D displays are finding many applications in digital signage and consumer electronics devices. A high quality 3D viewing experience requires the lenticular lens be properly aligned with the pixels on the display device so that each eye views the correct image. This work presents a simple and novel method for rapidly assessing the quality of a lenticular lens to be used in autostereoscopic displays. Errors in lenticular alignment across the entire display are easily observed with a simple test pattern where adjacent views are programmed to display different colors.

Positive attitude toward healthy eating predicts higher diet quality at all cost levels of supermarkets.

PubMed

Aggarwal, Anju; Monsivais, Pablo; Cook, Andrea J; Drewnowski, Adam

2014-02-01

Shopping at low-cost supermarkets has been associated with higher obesity rates. This study examined whether attitudes toward healthy eating are independently associated with diet quality among shoppers at low-cost, medium-cost, and high-cost supermarkets. Data on socioeconomic status (SES), attitudes toward healthy eating, and supermarket choice were collected using a telephone survey of a representative sample of adult residents of King County, WA. Dietary intake data were based on a food frequency questionnaire. Thirteen supermarket chains were stratified into three categories: low, medium, and high cost, based on a market basket of 100 commonly eaten foods. Diet-quality measures were energy density, mean adequacy ratio, and total servings of fruits and vegetables. The analytical sample consisted of 963 adults. Multivariable regressions with robust standard error examined relations between diet quality, supermarket type, attitudes, and SES. Shopping at higher-cost supermarkets was associated with higher-quality diets. These associations persisted after adjusting for SES, but were eliminated after taking attitudinal measures into account. Supermarket shoppers with positive attitudes toward healthy eating had equally higher-quality diets, even if they shopped at low-, medium-, or high-cost supermarkets, independent of SES and other covariates. These findings imply that shopping at low-cost supermarkets does not prevent consumers from having high-quality diets, as long as they attach importance to good nutrition. Promoting nutrition-education strategies among supermarkets, particularly those catering to low-income groups, can help to improve diet quality. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying well-formed biomedical phrases in MEDLINE® text.

PubMed

Kim, Won; Yeganova, Lana; Comeau, Donald C; Wilbur, W John

2012-12-01

In the modern world people frequently interact with retrieval systems to satisfy their information needs. Humanly understandable well-formed phrases represent a crucial interface between humans and the web, and the ability to index and search with such phrases is beneficial for human-web interactions. In this paper we consider the problem of identifying humanly understandable, well formed, and high quality biomedical phrases in MEDLINE documents. The main approaches used previously for detecting such phrases are syntactic, statistical, and a hybrid approach combining these two. In this paper we propose a supervised learning approach for identifying high quality phrases. First we obtain a set of known well-formed useful phrases from an existing source and label these phrases as positive. We then extract from MEDLINE a large set of multiword strings that do not contain stop words or punctuation. We believe this unlabeled set contains many well-formed phrases. Our goal is to identify these additional high quality phrases. We examine various feature combinations and several machine learning strategies designed to solve this problem. A proper choice of machine learning methods and features identifies in the large collection strings that are likely to be high quality phrases. We evaluate our approach by making human judgments on multiword strings extracted from MEDLINE using our methods. We find that over 85% of such extracted phrase candidates are humanly judged to be of high quality. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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

PubMed

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

2014-08-04

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

Perception of synthetic speech produced automatically by rule: Intelligibility of eight text-to-speech systems.

PubMed

Greene, Beth G; Logan, John S; Pisoni, David B

1986-03-01

We present the results of studies designed to measure the segmental intelligibility of eight text-to-speech systems and a natural speech control, using the Modified Rhyme Test (MRT). Results indicated that the voices tested could be grouped into four categories: natural speech, high-quality synthetic speech, moderate-quality synthetic speech, and low-quality synthetic speech. The overall performance of the best synthesis system, DECtalk-Paul, was equivalent to natural speech only in terms of performance on initial consonants. The findings are discussed in terms of recent work investigating the perception of synthetic speech under more severe conditions. Suggestions for future research on improving the quality of synthetic speech are also considered.

A Conceptual Framework for Quality of Care

PubMed Central

Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

2012-01-01

Despite extensive research on defining and measuring health care quality, little attention has been given to different stakeholders’ perspectives of high-quality health care services. The main purpose of this study was to explore the attributes of quality healthcare in the Iranian context. Exploratory in-depth individual and focus group interviews were conducted with key healthcare stakeholders including clients, providers, managers, policy makers, payers, suppliers and accreditation panel members to identify the healthcare service quality attributes and dimensions. Data analysis was carried out by content analysis, with the constant comparative method. Over 100 attributes of quality healthcare service were elicited and grouped into five categories. The dimensions were: efficacy, effectiveness, efficiency, empathy, and environment. Consequently, a comprehensive model of service quality was developed for health care context. The findings of the current study led to a conceptual framework of healthcare quality. This model leads to a better understanding of the different aspects of quality in health care and provides a better basis for defining, measuring and controlling quality of health care services. PMID:23922534

Mothers adjust offspring sex to match the quality of the rearing environment

PubMed Central

Pryke, Sarah R.; Rollins, Lee A.

2012-01-01

Theory predicts that mothers should adjust offspring sex ratios when the expected fitness gains or rearing costs differ between sons and daughters. Recent empirical work has linked biased offspring sex ratios to environmental quality via changes in relative maternal condition. It is unclear, however, whether females can manipulate offspring sex ratios in response to environmental quality alone (i.e. independent of maternal condition). We used a balanced within-female experimental design (i.e. females bred on both low- and high-quality diets) to show that female parrot finches (Erythrura trichroa) manipulate primary offspring sex ratios to the quality of the rearing environment, and not to their own body condition and health. Individual females produced an unbiased sex ratio on high-quality diets, but over-produced sons in poor dietary conditions, even though they maintained similar condition between diet treatments. Despite the lack of sexual size dimorphism, such sex ratio adjustment is in line with predictions from sex allocation theory because nutritionally stressed foster sons were healthier, grew faster and were more likely to survive than daughters. These findings suggest that mothers may adaptively adjust offspring sex ratios to optimally match their offspring to the expected quality of the rearing environment. PMID:22859597

Mothers adjust offspring sex to match the quality of the rearing environment.

PubMed

Pryke, Sarah R; Rollins, Lee A

2012-10-07

Theory predicts that mothers should adjust offspring sex ratios when the expected fitness gains or rearing costs differ between sons and daughters. Recent empirical work has linked biased offspring sex ratios to environmental quality via changes in relative maternal condition. It is unclear, however, whether females can manipulate offspring sex ratios in response to environmental quality alone (i.e. independent of maternal condition). We used a balanced within-female experimental design (i.e. females bred on both low- and high-quality diets) to show that female parrot finches (Erythrura trichroa) manipulate primary offspring sex ratios to the quality of the rearing environment, and not to their own body condition and health. Individual females produced an unbiased sex ratio on high-quality diets, but over-produced sons in poor dietary conditions, even though they maintained similar condition between diet treatments. Despite the lack of sexual size dimorphism, such sex ratio adjustment is in line with predictions from sex allocation theory because nutritionally stressed foster sons were healthier, grew faster and were more likely to survive than daughters. These findings suggest that mothers may adaptively adjust offspring sex ratios to optimally match their offspring to the expected quality of the rearing environment.

Patient mobility and health care quality when regions and patients differ in income.

PubMed

Brekke, Kurt R; Levaggi, Rosella; Siciliani, Luigi; Straume, Odd Rune

2016-12-01

We study the effects of cross-border patient mobility on health care quality and welfare when income varies across and within regions. We use a Salop model with a high-, middle-, and low-income region. In each region, a policy maker chooses health care quality to maximise the utility of its residents when health care costs are financed by general income taxation. In equilibrium, regions with higher income offer better quality, which creates an incentive for patient mobility from lower- to higher-income regions. Assuming a prospective payment scheme based on DRG-pricing, we find that lower non-monetary (administrative) mobility costs have (i) no effect on quality or welfare in the high-income region; (ii) a negative effect on quality but a positive effect on welfare for the middle-income region; and (iii) ambiguous effects on quality and welfare for the low-income region. Lower monetary mobility costs (copayments) might reduce welfare in both the middle- and low-income region. Thus, health policies that stimulate cross-border patient mobility can be counterproductive when regions differ in income. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Predictors for work participation in individuals with an Autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review.

PubMed

Holwerda, Anja; van der Klink, Jac J L; Groothoff, Johan W; Brouwer, Sandra

2012-09-01

Research shows that only about 25% of people with autism are employed. We conducted a systematic review on factors facilitating or hindering work participation of people with autism in longitudinal studies. An extensive search in biomedical and psychological databases yielded 204 articles and 18 satisfied all inclusion criteria. We assessed the methodological quality of included studies using an established criteria list. Seventeen factors were identified and categorized as disease-related factors, personal factors or external factors. Limited cognitive ability was the only significant predictor consistently found for work outcome. Functional independence and institutionalization were both reported by one study to be significantly related to work outcome. Inconsistent findings or non significant findings were reported for the other fourteen factors. These findings emphasize the need for more high quality cohort studies focussing on work participation as the main outcome among people with Autism.

Implementation of a Text-Based Content Intervention in Secondary Social Studies Classes.

PubMed

Wanzek, Jeanne; Vaughn, Sharon

2016-12-01

We describe teacher fidelity (adherence to the components of the treatment as specified by the research team) based on a series of studies of a multicomponent intervention, Promoting Acceleration of Comprehension and Content Through Text (PACT), with middle and high school social studies teachers and their students. Findings reveal that even with highly specified materials and implementing practices that are aligned with effective reading comprehension and content instruction, teachers' fidelity was consistently low for some components and high for others. Teachers demonstrated consistently high implementation fidelity and quality for the instructional components of building background knowledge (comprehension canopy) and teaching key content vocabulary (essential words), whereas we recorded consistently lower fidelity and quality of implementation for the instructional components of critical reading and knowledge application. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Thinking Systemically: Steps for States to Improve Equity in the Distribution of Teachers-- An Action-Planning Workbook to Help Guide Regional Comprehensive Center and State Education Agency Conversation to Address the Inequitable Distribution of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, 2009

2009-01-01

The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (TQ Center) is a resource to which the regional comprehensive centers, states, and other education stakeholders turn for strengthening the quality of teaching--especially in high-poverty, low-performing, and hard-to-staff schools--and for finding guidance in addressing specific needs, thereby…

Attributes of seasonal home range influence choice of migratory strategy in white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Henderson, Charles R.; Mitchell, Michael S.; Myers, Woodrow L.; Lukacs, Paul M.; Nelson, Gerald P.

2018-01-01

Partial migration is a common life-history strategy among ungulates living in seasonal environments. The decision to migrate or remain on a seasonal range may be influenced strongly by access to high-quality habitat. We evaluated the influence of access to winter habitat of high quality on the probability of a female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) migrating to a separate summer range and the effects of this decision on survival. We hypothesized that deer with home ranges of low quality in winter would have a high probability of migrating, and that survival of an individual in winter would be influenced by the quality of their home range in winter. We radiocollared 67 female white-tailed deer in 2012 and 2013 in eastern Washington, United States. We estimated home range size in winter using a kernel density estimator; we assumed the size of the home range was inversely proportional to its quality and the proportion of crop land within the home range was proportional to its quality. Odds of migrating from winter ranges increased by 3.1 per unit increase in home range size and decreased by 0.29 per unit increase in the proportion of crop land within a home range. Annual survival rate for migrants was 0.85 (SD = 0.05) and 0.84 (SD = 0.09) for residents. Our finding that an individual with a low-quality home range in winter is likely to migrate to a separate summer range accords with the hypothesis that competition for a limited amount of home ranges of high quality should result in residents having home ranges of higher quality than migrants in populations experiencing density dependence. We hypothesize that density-dependent competition for high-quality home ranges in winter may play a leading role in the selection of migration strategy by female white-tailed deer.

Observation of biexcitonic emission at extremely low power density in tungsten disulfide atomic layers grown on hexagonal boron nitride.

PubMed

Okada, Mitsuhiro; Miyauchi, Yuhei; Matsuda, Kazunari; Taniguchi, Takashi; Watanabe, Kenji; Shinohara, Hisanori; Kitaura, Ryo

2017-03-23

Monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) including WS 2 , MoS 2 , WSe 2 and WS 2 , are two-dimensional semiconductors with direct bandgap, providing an excellent field for exploration of many-body effects in 2-dimensions (2D) through optical measurements. To fully explore the physics of TMDCs, the prerequisite is preparation of high-quality samples to observe their intrinsic properties. For this purpose, we have focused on high-quality samples, WS 2 grown by chemical vapor deposition method with hexagonal boron nitride as substrates. We observed sharp exciton emissions, whose linewidth is typically 22~23 meV, in photoluminescence spectra at room temperature, which result clearly demonstrates the high-quality of the current samples. We found that biexcitons formed with extremely low-excitation power (240 W/cm 2 ) at 80 K, and this should originate from the minimal amount of localization centers in the present high-quality samples. The results clearly demonstrate that the present samples can provide an excellent field, where one can observe various excitonic states, offering possibility of exploring optical physics in 2D and finding new condensates.

Reduced sleep quality in healthy girls at risk for depression

PubMed Central

CHEN, MICHAEL C.; BURLEY, HANNAH W.; GOTLIB, IAN H.

2011-01-01

SUMMARY Depression is characterized by sleep difficulties, but the extent to which subjective and objective sleep disturbances precede depression are unclear. This study was designed to examine perceptions of sleep quality in addition to actigraphy- and diary-measured sleep variables in healthy girls at low and high familial risk for major depressive disorder. Forty-four healthy daughters and their mothers completed a week of daily sleep diary and actigraphy; 24 girls had mothers with no history of psychopathology (low risk, mean age 14.92 years), and 20 girls had mothers with recurrent depression during the daughter’s lifetime (high risk, mean age 14.12 years). All daughters had no current or past psychopathology. High-risk girls reported significantly poorer subjective sleep quality than did low-risk girls (P = 0.001). The two groups of participants did not differ in actigraphy- or diary-measured sleep duration, onset latency or snooze duration. Healthy girls at high familial risk for depression report poorer sleep quality than do girls at low risk for depression, despite the absence of group differences in objective sleep disturbances as measured by actigraphy or daily diary. This pattern of findings may reflect a broader cognitive or physiological phenotype of risk for depression. PMID:21702865

Understanding the role of land use in urban stormwater quality management.

PubMed

Goonetilleke, Ashantha; Thomas, Evan; Ginn, Simon; Gilbert, Dale

2005-01-01

Urbanisation significantly impacts water environments with increased runoff and the degradation of water quality. The management of quantity impacts are straight forward, but quality impacts are far more complex. Current approaches to safeguard water quality are largely ineffective and guided by entrenched misconceptions with a primary focus on 'end-of-pipe' solutions. The outcomes of a research study presented in the paper, which investigated relationships between water quality and six different land uses offer practical guidance in the planning of future urban developments. In terms of safeguarding water quality, high-density residential development which results in a relatively smaller footprint would be the preferred option. The research study outcomes bring into question a number of fundamental concepts and misconceptions routinely accepted in stormwater quality management. The research findings confirmed the need to move beyond customary structural measures and identified the key role that urban planning can play in safeguarding urban water environments.

Fostering a Commitment to Quality: Best Practices in Safety-net Hospitals.

PubMed

Hochman, Michael; Briggs-Malonson, Medell; Wilkes, Erin; Bergman, Jonathan; Daskivich, Lauren Patty; Moin, Tannaz; Brook, Ilanit; Ryan, Gery W; Brook, Robert H; Mangione, Carol M

2016-01-01

In 2007, the Martin Luther King, Jr.-Harbor Hospital (MLK-Harbor), which served a large safety-net population in South Los Angeles, closed due to quality challenges. Shortly thereafter, an agreement was made to establish a new hospital, Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital (MLKCH), to serve the unmet needs of the community. To assist the newly appointed MLKCH Board of Directors in building a culture of quality, we conducted a series of interviews with five high-performing hospital systems. In this report, we describe our findings. The hospitals we interviewed achieved a culture of quality by: 1) developing guiding principles that foster quality; 2) hiring and retaining personnel who are stewards of quality; 3) promoting efficient resource utilization; 4) developing a well-organized quality improvement infrastructure; and 5) cultivating integrated, patient-centric care. The institutions highlighted in this report provide important lessons for MLKCH and other safety-net institutions.

Drug innovation, price controls, and parallel trade.

PubMed

Matteucci, Giorgio; Reverberi, Pierfrancesco

2016-12-21

We study the long-run welfare effects of parallel trade (PT) in pharmaceuticals. We develop a two-country model of PT with endogenous quality, where the pharmaceutical firm negotiates the price of the drug with the government in the foreign country. We show that, even though the foreign government does not consider global R&D costs, (the threat of) PT improves the quality of the drug as long as the foreign consumers' valuation of quality is high enough. We find that the firm's short-run profit may be higher when PT is allowed. Nonetheless, this is neither necessary nor sufficient for improving drug quality in the long run. We also show that improving drug quality is a sufficient condition for PT to increase global welfare. Finally, we show that, when PT is allowed, drug quality may be higher with than without price controls.

Lessons Learned From Methodological Validation Research in E-Epidemiology.

PubMed

Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Assmann, Karen; Andreeva, Valentina; Castetbon, Katia; Méjean, Caroline; Touvier, Mathilde; Salanave, Benoît; Deschamps, Valérie; Péneau, Sandrine; Fezeu, Léopold; Julia, Chantal; Allès, Benjamin; Galan, Pilar; Hercberg, Serge

2016-10-18

Traditional epidemiological research methods exhibit limitations leading to high logistics, human, and financial burden. The continued development of innovative digital tools has the potential to overcome many of the existing methodological issues. Nonetheless, Web-based studies remain relatively uncommon, partly due to persistent concerns about validity and generalizability. The objective of this viewpoint is to summarize findings from methodological studies carried out in the NutriNet-Santé study, a French Web-based cohort study. On the basis of the previous findings from the NutriNet-Santé e-cohort (>150,000 participants are currently included), we synthesized e-epidemiological knowledge on sample representativeness, advantageous recruitment strategies, and data quality. Overall, the reported findings support the usefulness of Web-based studies in overcoming common methodological deficiencies in epidemiological research, in particular with regard to data quality (eg, the concordance for body mass index [BMI] classification was 93%), reduced social desirability bias, and access to a wide range of participant profiles, including the hard-to-reach subgroups such as young (12.30% [15,118/122,912], <25 years) and old people (6.60% [8112/122,912], ≥65 years), unemployed or homemaker (12.60% [15,487/122,912]), and low educated (38.50% [47,312/122,912]) people. However, some selection bias remained (78.00% (95,871/122,912) of the participants were women, and 61.50% (75,590/122,912) had postsecondary education), which is an inherent aspect of cohort study inclusion; other specific types of bias may also have occurred. Given the rapidly growing access to the Internet across social strata, the recruitment of participants with diverse socioeconomic profiles and health risk exposures was highly feasible. Continued efforts concerning the identification of specific biases in e-cohorts and the collection of comprehensive and valid data are still needed. This summary of methodological findings from the NutriNet-Santé cohort may help researchers in the development of the next generation of high-quality Web-based epidemiological studies.

Improving Diabetes care through Examining, Advising, and prescribing (IDEA): protocol for a theory-based cluster randomised controlled trial of a multiple behaviour change intervention aimed at primary healthcare professionals

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background New clinical research findings may require clinicians to change their behaviour to provide high-quality care to people with type 2 diabetes, likely requiring them to change multiple different clinical behaviours. The present study builds on findings from a UK-wide study of theory-based behavioural and organisational factors associated with prescribing, advising, and examining consistent with high-quality diabetes care. Aim To develop and evaluate the effectiveness and cost of an intervention to improve multiple behaviours in clinicians involved in delivering high-quality care for type 2 diabetes. Design/methods We will conduct a two-armed cluster randomised controlled trial in 44 general practices in the North East of England to evaluate a theory-based behaviour change intervention. We will target improvement in six underperformed clinical behaviours highlighted in quality standards for type 2 diabetes: prescribing for hypertension; prescribing for glycaemic control; providing physical activity advice; providing nutrition advice; providing on-going education; and ensuring that feet have been examined. The primary outcome will be the proportion of patients appropriately prescribed and examined (using anonymised computer records), and advised (using anonymous patient surveys) at 12 months. We will use behaviour change techniques targeting motivational, volitional, and impulsive factors that we have previously demonstrated to be predictive of multiple health professional behaviours involved in high-quality type 2 diabetes care. We will also investigate whether the intervention was delivered as designed (fidelity) by coding audiotaped workshops and interventionist delivery reports, and operated as hypothesised (process evaluation) by analysing responses to theory-based postal questionnaires. In addition, we will conduct post-trial qualitative interviews with practice teams to further inform the process evaluation, and a post-trial economic analysis to estimate the costs of the intervention and cost of service use. Discussion Consistent with UK Medical Research Council guidance and building on previous development research, this pragmatic cluster randomised trial will evaluate the effectiveness of a theory-based complex intervention focusing on changing multiple clinical behaviours to improve quality of diabetes care. Trial registration ISRCTN66498413. PMID:24886606

A preliminary analysis of Florida State Park satisfaction survey data

Treesearch

Andrew Holdnak; Stephen Holland; Erin Parks

2002-01-01

This study is part of a five-year quality review process for Florida State Parks. It attempts to document the feelings visitors have about the parks they visit. The preliminary findings are very similar to results found in a similar study conducted in 1995 in which high levels of overall satisfaction were found. Despite high levels of overall satisfaction there were...

Pursuit of communal values in an agentic manner: a way to happiness?

PubMed

Abele, Andrea E

2014-01-01

The present research studies the association between traits, values, and life satisfaction. While values should influence the direction of an individual's goals and behavior, his/her traits impact effort-expenditure, efficiency, and persistence in goal-pursuit. We apply the framework of the "Big Two" of agency and communion (Bakan, 1966) for distinguishing the content of values and traits. While agentic content refers to qualities relevant for goal-attainment, such as assertiveness, competence or persistence, communal content refers to qualities relevant for the establishment and maintenance of social relationships, such as being friendly, helpful, or fair. We predict that high scores on communal values and high scores on agentic traits are associated with life satisfaction. We test these predictions in two studies conducted in different countries (Germany and Russia) with different cultural background. The findings support our reasoning: across both countries we find positive associations of communal values and agentic traits with life satisfaction; and individuals high in communal values and high in agentic traits are most satisfied with their lives. In Russia, the association of communal values with life satisfaction is moderated by agentic traits; in Germany, however, there is a main effect of communal values.

Pursuit of communal values in an agentic manner: a way to happiness?

PubMed Central

Abele, Andrea E.

2014-01-01

The present research studies the association between traits, values, and life satisfaction. While values should influence the direction of an individual’s goals and behavior, his/her traits impact effort-expenditure, efficiency, and persistence in goal-pursuit. We apply the framework of the “Big Two” of agency and communion (Bakan, 1966) for distinguishing the content of values and traits. While agentic content refers to qualities relevant for goal-attainment, such as assertiveness, competence or persistence, communal content refers to qualities relevant for the establishment and maintenance of social relationships, such as being friendly, helpful, or fair. We predict that high scores on communal values and high scores on agentic traits are associated with life satisfaction. We test these predictions in two studies conducted in different countries (Germany and Russia) with different cultural background. The findings support our reasoning: across both countries we find positive associations of communal values and agentic traits with life satisfaction; and individuals high in communal values and high in agentic traits are most satisfied with their lives. In Russia, the association of communal values with life satisfaction is moderated by agentic traits; in Germany, however, there is a main effect of communal values. PMID:25477843

A novel smartphone ophthalmic imaging adapter: User feasibility studies in Hyderabad, India

PubMed Central

Ludwig, Cassie A; Murthy, Somasheila I; Pappuru, Rajeev R; Jais, Alexandre; Myung, David J; Chang, Robert T

2016-01-01

Aim of Study: To evaluate the ability of ancillary health staff to use a novel smartphone imaging adapter system (EyeGo, now known as Paxos Scope) to capture images of sufficient quality to exclude emergent eye findings. Secondary aims were to assess user and patient experiences during image acquisition, interuser reproducibility, and subjective image quality. Materials and Methods: The system captures images using a macro lens and an indirect ophthalmoscopy lens coupled with an iPhone 5S. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 229 consecutive patients presenting to L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. Primary outcome measure was mean photographic quality (FOTO-ED study 1–5 scale, 5 best). 210 patients and eight users completed surveys assessing comfort and ease of use. For 46 patients, two users imaged the same patient's eyes sequentially. For 182 patients, photos taken with the EyeGo system were compared to images taken by existing clinic cameras: a BX 900 slit-lamp with a Canon EOS 40D Digital Camera and an FF 450 plus Fundus Camera with VISUPAC™ Digital Imaging System. Images were graded post hoc by a reviewer blinded to diagnosis. Results: Nine users acquired 719 useable images and 253 videos of 229 patients. Mean image quality was ≥ 4.0/5.0 (able to exclude subtle findings) for all users. 8/8 users and 189/210 patients surveyed were comfortable with the EyeGo device on a 5-point Likert scale. For 21 patients imaged with the anterior adapter by two users, a weighted κ of 0.597 (95% confidence interval: 0.389–0.806) indicated moderate reproducibility. High level of agreement between EyeGo and existing clinic cameras (92.6% anterior, 84.4% posterior) was found. Conclusion: The novel, ophthalmic imaging system is easily learned by ancillary eye care providers, well tolerated by patients, and captures high-quality images of eye findings. PMID:27146928

Forming social capital--does participatory planning foster trust in institutions?

PubMed

Menzel, Susanne; Buchecker, Matthias; Schulz, Tobias

2013-12-15

Participatory planning that includes interest groups and municipal representatives has been presented as a means to deal with the increasing difficulty to reach arrangements due to progressively scarce land resources. Under dispute is whether collaborative forms of planning augment social capital or whether they might actually cause the destruction of such a valuable social commodity. In this paper we focus on trust in institution as a specific dimension of social capital because we argue that this is one of the effects the convenors of such participatory planning procedures are most interested in. We pursue a pre-post design and survey advisory group members of five on-going river-related planning processes in Switzerland. Controlling for generalised trust, we investigate how trust in institutions is affected over time by the quality of such processes and the degree of participation they offer. We find that generalised trust is highly correlated with initial levels of trust and so is process quality. Particularly the latter finding challenges the usually assumed direction of causality according to which process quality influences trust building. Additionally, we find a positive (non-significant) effect of process quality on changes in trust, while a higher degree of participation rather seems to hinder trust building. We suppose this indicates that under the conditions of limited time and resources more attention should be paid to how to improve the quality of participatory processes than putting much effort in increasing the degree of participation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complementary therapy use and quality of life in persons with high-grade gliomas.

PubMed

Fox, Sherry; Laws, Edward R; Anderson, Frederick; Farace, Elana

2006-08-01

Studies have indicated that 30%-80% of cancer patients use complementary and alternative practices and products (CAPPs), but little is known about CAPPs use by persons with brain tumors. This secondary analysis of Glioma Outcomes Project data compared CAPPs users with nonusers, compared those who stopped using CAPPs with those who continued use, described frequency and patterns of CAPPs use, and compared the relationship of CAPPs use to self-reported quality of life (QOL) over time, in 186 persons with high-grade gliomas. CAPPs users at all three measurement points rated QOL higher, although not significantly higher, than nonusers. Study findings support further exploration of CAPPs use and its effects on key outcomes in persons with high-grade gliomas.

The relationship between health and mating success in humans

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Gillian 

2017-01-01

Health has been claimed to play an important role in human sexual selection, especially in terms of mate choice. Our preferences for attractive individuals are said to represent evolved adaptations for finding high-quality, healthy mates. If this is true, then we expect health to predict mating success in humans. We tested this hypothesis using several important physiological indicators of health, including immune function, oxidative stress and semen quality, and self-reported measures of sexual behaviour that contribute to mating success. In contrast to our hypothesis, we did not find a relationship between the physiological measures of health and sexual behaviour. Our results provide little support for claims that health, at least the health measures we used, increases mating success in relatively healthy humans. PMID:28280558

Perceived Friendship Quality of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder as Compared to their Peers in Mixed and Non-mixed Dyads.

PubMed

Petrina, Neysa; Carter, Mark; Stephenson, Jennifer; Sweller, Naomi

2016-04-01

There has been limited research exploring the similarity of perception of friendship quality between children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their friends. In this study, 45 children with ASD participated together with their friends. Two levels of friendship quality congruency were investigated: reciprocity and mutuality. A high proportion of the friendships were reciprocated for both the mixed and non-mixed friendship groups. Nevertheless, students with ASD reported substantial differences in perceptions of their friendship quality as compared to their nominated friends. The findings of the present study mirrored those of previous research with typically developing children. Further study is required to systematically investigate the differences in friendship quality perceptions within friendship dyads for both typically developing children and those with ASD diagnosis.

Impact of Expert Teaching Quality on Novice Academic Performance in the Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Roland; Hänze, Martin

2015-01-01

We assessed the impact of expert students' instructional quality on the academic performance of novice students in 12th-grade physics classes organized in an expert model of cooperative learning ('jigsaw classroom'). The instructional quality of 129 expert students was measured by a newly developed rating system. As expected, when aggregating across all four subtopics taught, regression analysis revealed that academic performance of novice students increases with the quality of expert students' instruction. The difficulty of subtopics, however, moderates this effect: higher instructional quality of more difficult subtopics did not lead to better academic performance of novice students. We interpret this finding in the light of Cognitive Load Theory. Demanding tasks cause high intrinsic cognitive load and hindered the novice students' learning.

Methodological quality of meta-analyses of single-case experimental studies.

PubMed

Jamshidi, Laleh; Heyvaert, Mieke; Declercq, Lies; Fernández-Castilla, Belén; Ferron, John M; Moeyaert, Mariola; Beretvas, S Natasha; Onghena, Patrick; Van den Noortgate, Wim

2017-12-28

Methodological rigor is a fundamental factor in the validity and credibility of the results of a meta-analysis. Following an increasing interest in single-case experimental design (SCED) meta-analyses, the current study investigates the methodological quality of SCED meta-analyses. We assessed the methodological quality of 178 SCED meta-analyses published between 1985 and 2015 through the modified Revised-Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (R-AMSTAR) checklist. The main finding of the current review is that the methodological quality of the SCED meta-analyses has increased over time, but is still low according to the R-AMSTAR checklist. A remarkable percentage of the studies (93.80% of the included SCED meta-analyses) did not even reach the midpoint score (22, on a scale of 0-44). The mean and median methodological quality scores were 15.57 and 16, respectively. Relatively high scores were observed for "providing the characteristics of the included studies" and "doing comprehensive literature search". The key areas of deficiency were "reporting an assessment of the likelihood of publication bias" and "using the methods appropriately to combine the findings of studies". Although the results of the current review reveal that the methodological quality of the SCED meta-analyses has increased over time, still more efforts are needed to improve their methodological quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Association between sleep quality and life function among elderly community residents].

PubMed

Tanaka, Mika; Kusaga, Mari; Tagaya, Hirokuni; Miyoko, I; Oshima, Asami; Watanabe, Chiho

2012-01-01

To investigate the association between sleep quality and life function in an elderly Japanese population. A total of 563 residents of a village in Kumamoto Prefecture aged ≥65 years were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire survey from June to July 2010. Sleep quality and life function were respectively evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Basics Check List, which is used to screen elderly individuals at high risk of needing long-term care in the future. As adjustment factors, age, sex, economic situation, residency status, medical history, depression status, and cognitive function were assessed. We examined the relationship between sleep quality and life function using multiple logistic regression analysis, with life function as a dependent variable. Subjects already receiving care or with psychiatric disorders or severe cognitive disturbance were excluded from analysis. Among the subjects (n=395), a significant relationship was found between poor sleep quality and impaired life function in all models. The odds ratio was 1.82 (95% confidence interval: 1.03-3.23) in the final model controlling for all adjustment factors. Our findings here suggest a significant relationship between poor sleep quality and impaired life function among elderly community residents. Given these findings, intervention to improve sleep may help delay or prevent the need for long-term care among elderly individuals.

Rural Medicare Advantage Market Dynamics and Quality: Historical Context and Current Implications.

PubMed

Kemper, Leah; Barker, Abigail R; Wilber, Lyndsey; McBride, Timothy D; Mueller, Keith

2016-07-01

Purpose. In this policy brief, we assess variation in Medicare’s star quality ratings of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that are available to rural beneficiaries. Evidence from the recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality demonstration suggests that market dynamics, i.e., firms entering and exiting the MA marketplace, play a role in quality improvement. Therefore, we also discuss how market dynamics may impact the smaller and less wealthy populations that are characteristic of rural places. Key Data Findings. (1) Highly rated MA plans serving rural Medicare beneficiaries are more likely to be health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and local preferred provider organizations (PPOs), as opposed to regional PPOs. HMOs and local PPOs may be better able to improve their quality scores strategically in response to the bonus payment incentive due to existing internal monitoring mechanisms. (2) On average, the rural enrollment rate is lower in plans with higher quality scores (59 percent) than the corresponding urban rate (71 percent). This differential is likely due, in part, to lack of availability of highly rated plans in rural areas: 17.8 percent of rural counties lacked access to a plan with four or more (out of five) stars, while just 3.7 percent of urban counties lacked such access. (3) MA plans with high quality scores have been operating longer, on average, and have a lower percentage of rural counties within their contract service areas than plans with lower quality scores.

Fix These First: How the World's Leading Companies Point the Way Toward High Reliability in the Military Health System.

PubMed

Beauvais, Brad; Richter, Jason; Brezinski, Paul

The 2014 Military Health System Review calls for healthcare system leaders to implement effective strategies used by other high-performing organizations. The authors state, " the [military health system] MHS can create an optimal healthcare environment that focuses on continuous quality improvement where every patient receives safe, high-quality care at all times" (Military Health System, 2014, p. 1). Although aspirational, the document does not specify how a highly reliable health system is developed or what systemic factors are necessary to sustain highly reliable performance. Our work seeks to address this gap and provide guidance to MHS leaders regarding how high-performing organizations develop exceptional levels of performance.The authors' expectation is that military medicine will draw on these lessons to enhance leadership, develop exceptional organizational cultures, onboard and engage employees, build customer loyalty, and improve quality of care. Leaders from other segments of the healthcare field likely will find this study valuable given the size of the military healthcare system (9.6 million beneficiaries), the United States' steady progression toward population-based health, and the increasing need for highly reliable systems and performance.

Intervention quality is not routinely assessed in Cochrane systematic reviews of radiation therapy interventions.

PubMed

Abdul Rahim, Mohamad R; James, Melissa L; Hickey, Brigid E

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to maximise the benefits from clinical trials involving technological interventions such as radiation therapy. High compliance to the quality assurance protocols is crucial. We assessed whether the quality of radiation therapy intervention was evaluated in Cochrane systematic reviews. We searched 416 published Cochrane systematic reviews and identified 67 Cochrane systematic reviews that investigated radiation therapy or radiotherapy as an intervention. For each systematic review, either quality assurance or quality control for the intervention was identified by a description of such processes in the published systematic reviews. Of the 67 Cochrane systematic reviews studied, only two mentioned quality assurance or quality control. Our findings revealed that 65 of 67 (97%) Cochrane systematic reviews of radiation therapy interventions failed to consider the quality of the intervention. We suggest that advice about the evaluation of intervention quality be added to author support materials. © 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Bruxism is unlikely to cause damage to the periodontium: findings from a systematic literature assessment.

PubMed

Manfredini, Daniele; Ahlberg, Jari; Mura, Rossano; Lobbezoo, Frank

2015-04-01

This paper systematically reviews the MEDLINE and SCOPUS literature to answer the following question: Is there any evidence that bruxism may cause periodontal damage per se? Clinical studies on humans, assessing the potential relationship between bruxism and periodontal lesions (i.e., decreased attachment level, bone loss, tooth mobility/migration, altered periodontal perception) were eligible. Methodologic shortcomings were identified by the adoption of the Critical Appraisal Skills Program quality assessment, mainly concerning the internal validity of findings according to an unspecific bruxism diagnosis. The six included articles covered a high variability of topics, without multiple papers on the same argument. Findings showed that the only effect of bruxism on periodontal structures was an increase in periodontal sensation, whereas a relationship with periodontal lesions was absent. Based on the analysis of Hill criteria, the validity of causation conclusions was limited, mainly owing to the absence of a longitudinal evaluation of the temporal relationship and dose-response effects between bruxism and periodontal lesions. Despite the scarce quantity and quality of the literature that prevents sound conclusions on the causal link between bruxism and the periodontal problems assessed in this review, it seems reasonable to suggest that bruxism cannot cause periodontal damage per se. It is also important to emphasize, however, that because of methodologic problems, particularly regarding sleep bruxism assessment, more high-quality studies (e.g., randomized controlled trials) are needed to further clarify this issue.

[Clinical applicability of evidence-based orthopedics--a cross-sectional study of the quality of orthopedic evidence].

PubMed

Vavken, P; Culen, G; Dorotka, R

2008-01-01

The demand to routinely apply evidence-based methods in orthopedic surgery increases steadily. In order to do so, however, the validity and reliability of the "evidence" has to be scrutinized. The object of this study was to assess the quality of the most recent orthopedic evidence and to determine variables that have an influence on quality. All 2006 controlled trials from orthopedic journals with high impact factors were analysed in a cross-sectional study. A score based on the CONSORT statement was used to assess study quality. Selected variables were tested for their influence on the quality of the study. Two independent blinded observers reviewed 126 studies. The overall quality was moderate to high. The most neglected parameters were power analysis, intention-to-treat, and concealment. The participation of a methodologically trained investigator increases study quality significantly. There was no difference in study quality irrespective of whether or not there was statistically significant result. Using our quality score we were able show fairly good results for recent orthopedic studies. The most frequently neglected issues in orthopedic research are blinding, power analysis, and intention-to-treat. This may distort the results of clinical investigations considerably and, especially, lack of concealment causes false-positive findings. Our data show furthermore that participation of a methodologist significantly increases quality of the study and consequently strengthens the reliability of results.

Dedicated education unit: student perspectives.

PubMed

Nishioka, Vicki M; Coe, Michael T; Hanita, Makoto; Moscato, Susan R

2014-01-01

The study compared students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences in a dedicated education unit (DEU) with their experiences in traditional clinical education. Unlike traditional academic-instructor models, expert nurses in the DEU provide clinical education to students with faculty support. This repeated measures design used student surveys, supplemented by focus group data. Students were more likely to agree that their clinical learning experience was high quality and they had a consistent mentoring relationship during DEU rotations. Students also reported the quality of the unit's learning environment, the leadership style of the nurse manager, and the nursing care on the unit was more favorable in DEUs than traditional units. Consistent with their changed role in DEUs, faculty members were less active in helping students integrate theory and practice. These findings provide additional evidence of the value that the DEU model contributes to high-quality clinical education.

Diverging Influences of Money Priming on Choice.

PubMed

Kim, Hee Jin

2017-01-01

Prior research on money priming has suggested two seemingly contradicting findings. On the one hand, money has been shown to highlight the importance of cost saving, leading to the choice of a low-quality/low-price option. On the other hand, individuals primed with money as a symbol of social status, and capabilities may focus on social value of money, e.g., higher spending symbolizes higher status and prefer an option with high quality/high price. Current research proposes and demonstrates that whether money priming will lead different choices depends on the nature of the consumption context. Specifically, when the product is to be consumed privately, money priming will highlight the importance of cost, thus increasing the preference for lower price at a lower quality. However, when the product is to be consumed publicly, reversed pattern of consumer preference will be found.

Urban and regional land use analysis: CARETS and census cities experiment package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, R. (Principal Investigator); Lins, H. F., Jr.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The most significant finding has been the ability of the S-190B data to produce land use maps not far removed from the quality of high altitude aircraft photography generated maps.

High-Quality Collaboration Benefits Teachers and Students. Lessons from Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killion, Joellen

2015-01-01

In this article, Joellen Killion highlights the methodology, analysis, findings, and limitations of Ronfeldt, M., Farmer, S., McQueen, K., & Grissom, J. (2015), "Teacher collaboration in instructional teams and student achievement," "American Educational Research Journal," 52(3), 475-514. Using sophisticated statistical…

Redefining Professional Development. Newsletter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2006

2006-01-01

The research on effective professional development is consistent across many studies. Researchers Willis Hawley and Linda Valli (Westchester Institute for Human Services Research, n.d.), in their synthesis of the professional development literature, find that high-quality teacher development is as follows: (1) Informed by research on teaching and…

Community-Based Financing of Family Planning in Developing Countries: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Karra, Mahesh; Canning, David; Hu, Janice; Ali, Moazzam; Lissner, Craig

2016-12-01

In this systematic review, we gather evidence on community financing schemes and insurance programs for family planning in developing countries, and we assess the impact of these programs on primary outcomes related to contraceptive use. To identify and evaluate the research findings, we adopt a four-stage review process that employs a weight-of-evidence and risk-of-bias analytic approach. Out of 19,138 references that were identified, only four studies were included in our final analysis, and only one study was determined to be of high quality. In the four studies, the evidence on the impact of community-based financing on family planning and fertility outcomes is inconclusive. These limited and mixed findings suggest that either: 1) more high-quality evidence on community-based financing for family planning is needed before any conclusions can be made; or 2) community-based financing for family planning may, in fact, have little or no effect on family planning outcomes. © 2016 The Population Council, Inc.

Local environmental quality positively predicts breastfeeding in the UK’s Millennium Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Sear, Rebecca

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: Breastfeeding is an important form of parental investment with clear health benefits. Despite this, rates remain low in the UK; understanding variation can therefore help improve interventions. Life history theory suggests that environmental quality may pattern maternal investment, including breastfeeding. We analyse a nationally representative dataset to test two predictions: (i) higher local environmental quality predicts higher likelihood of breastfeeding initiation and longer duration; (ii) higher socioeconomic status (SES) provides a buffer against the adverse influences of low local environmental quality. Methodology: We ran factor analysis on a wide range of local-level environmental variables. Two summary measures of local environmental quality were generated by this analysis—one ‘objective’ (based on an independent assessor’s neighbourhood scores) and one ‘subjective’ (based on respondent’s scores). We used mixed-effects regression techniques to test our hypotheses. Results: Higher objective, but not subjective, local environmental quality predicts higher likelihood of starting and maintaining breastfeeding over and above individual SES and area-level measures of environmental quality. Higher individual SES is protective, with women from high-income households having relatively high breastfeeding initiation rates and those with high status jobs being more likely to maintain breastfeeding, even in poor environmental conditions. Conclusions and Implications: Environmental quality is often vaguely measured; here we present a thorough investigation of environmental quality at the local level, controlling for individual- and area-level measures. Our findings support a shift in focus away from individual factors and towards altering the landscape of women’s decision making contexts when considering behaviours relevant to public health. PMID:29354262

Local environmental quality positively predicts breastfeeding in the UK's Millennium Cohort Study.

PubMed

Brown, Laura J; Sear, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives: Breastfeeding is an important form of parental investment with clear health benefits. Despite this, rates remain low in the UK; understanding variation can therefore help improve interventions. Life history theory suggests that environmental quality may pattern maternal investment, including breastfeeding. We analyse a nationally representative dataset to test two predictions: (i) higher local environmental quality predicts higher likelihood of breastfeeding initiation and longer duration; (ii) higher socioeconomic status (SES) provides a buffer against the adverse influences of low local environmental quality. Methodology: We ran factor analysis on a wide range of local-level environmental variables. Two summary measures of local environmental quality were generated by this analysis-one 'objective' (based on an independent assessor's neighbourhood scores) and one 'subjective' (based on respondent's scores). We used mixed-effects regression techniques to test our hypotheses. Results: Higher objective, but not subjective, local environmental quality predicts higher likelihood of starting and maintaining breastfeeding over and above individual SES and area-level measures of environmental quality. Higher individual SES is protective, with women from high-income households having relatively high breastfeeding initiation rates and those with high status jobs being more likely to maintain breastfeeding, even in poor environmental conditions. Conclusions and Implications: Environmental quality is often vaguely measured; here we present a thorough investigation of environmental quality at the local level, controlling for individual- and area-level measures. Our findings support a shift in focus away from individual factors and towards altering the landscape of women's decision making contexts when considering behaviours relevant to public health.

Case-based learning in education of Traditional Chinese Medicine: a systematic review.

PubMed

Chen, Ji; Li, Ying; Tang, Yong; Zeng, Fang; Wu, Xi; Liang, Fanrong

2013-10-01

To assess the effect of case-based learning (CBL) in the education of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The studies concerning TCM courses designed with CBL were included by searching the databases of EBSCO, Pubmed, Science Citation Index, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chongqing VIP database. The valid data was extracted in accordance with the included criteria. The quality of the studies was assessed with Gemma Flores-Masteo. A total of 22 articles were retrieved that met the selection criteria: one was of high quality; two were of low quality; the rest were categorized as moderate quality. The majority of the studies demonstrated the better effect produced by CBL, while a few studies showed no difference, compared with the didactic format. All included studies confirmed the favorable effect on learners' attitude, skills and ability. CBL showed the desirable results in achieving the goal of learning. Compared to didactic approach, it played a more active role in promoting students' competency. Since the quality of the articles on which the study was based was not so high, the findings still need further research to become substantiated.

Assessment of river quality in a subtropical Austral river system: a combined approach using benthic diatoms and macroinvertebrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nhiwatiwa, Tamuka; Dalu, Tatenda; Sithole, Tatenda

2017-12-01

River systems constitute areas of high human population densities owing to their favourable conditions for agriculture, water supply and transportation network. Despite human dependence on river systems, anthropogenic activities severely degrade water quality. The main aim of this study was to assess the river health of Ngamo River using diatom and macroinvertebrate community structure based on multivariate analyses and community metrics. Ammonia, pH, salinity, total phosphorus and temperature were found to be significantly different among the study seasons. The diatom and macroinvertebrate taxa richness increased downstream suggesting an improvement in water as we moved away from the pollution point sources. Canonical correspondence analyses identified nutrients (total nitrogen and reactive phosphorus) as important variables structuring diatom and macroinvertebrate community. The community metrics and diversity indices for both bioindicators highlighted that the water quality of the river system was very poor. These findings indicate that both methods can be used for water quality assessments, e.g. sewage and agricultural pollution, and they show high potential for use during water quality monitoring programmes in other regions.

Prevalence and burden of chronic kidney disease among the general population and high-risk groups in Africa: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Abd ElHafeez, Samar; Bolignano, Davide; D’Arrigo, Graziella; Dounousi, Evangelia; Tripepi, Giovanni; Zoccali, Carmine

2018-01-01

Objectives While increasing attention is paid to the rising prevalence of chronic diseases in Africa, there is little focus on chronic kidney disease (CKD). This systematic review assesses CKD burden among the general population and high-risk groups on the entire African continent. Design, setting and participants We searched Medline and PubMed databases for articles published between 1 January 1995 and 7 April 2017 by sensitive search strategies focusing on CKD surveys at the community level and high-risk groups. In total, 7918 references were evaluated, of which 7766 articles were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Thus, 152 studies were included in the final analysis. Outcome measurement The prevalence of CKD in each study group was expressed as a range and pooled prevalence rate of CKD was calculated as a point estimate and 95% CI. No meta-analysis was done. Data were presented for different populations. Results In the community-level studies, based on available medium-quality and high-quality studies, the prevalence of CKD ranged from 2% to 41% (pooled prevalence: 10.1%; 95% CI 9.8% to 10.5%). The prevalence of CKD in the high-risk groups ranged from 1% to 46% (pooled prevalence: 5.6%; 95% CI 5.4% to 5.8%) in patients with HIV (based on available medium-quality and high-quality studies), 11%–90% (pooled prevalence: 24.7%; 95% CI 23.6% to 25.7%) in patients with diabetes (based on all available studies which are of low quality except four of medium quality) and 13%–51% (pooled prevalence: 34.5%; 95 % CI 34.04% to 36%) in patients with hypertension (based on all available studies which are of low quality except two of medium quality). Conclusion In Africa, CKD is a public health problem, mainly attributed to high-risk conditions as hypertension and diabetes. The poor data quality restricts the validity of the findings and draws the attention to the importance of designing future robust studies. PMID:29326180

Manual versus Automated Carotid Artery Plaque Component Segmentation in High and Lower Quality 3.0 Tesla MRI Scans

PubMed Central

Smits, Loek P.; van Wijk, Diederik F.; Duivenvoorden, Raphael; Xu, Dongxiang; Yuan, Chun; Stroes, Erik S.; Nederveen, Aart J.

2016-01-01

Purpose To study the interscan reproducibility of manual versus automated segmentation of carotid artery plaque components, and the agreement between both methods, in high and lower quality MRI scans. Methods 24 patients with 30–70% carotid artery stenosis were planned for 3T carotid MRI, followed by a rescan within 1 month. A multicontrast protocol (T1w,T2w, PDw and TOF sequences) was used. After co-registration and delineation of the lumen and outer wall, segmentation of plaque components (lipid-rich necrotic cores (LRNC) and calcifications) was performed both manually and automated. Scan quality was assessed using a visual quality scale. Results Agreement for the detection of LRNC (Cohen’s kappa (k) is 0.04) and calcification (k = 0.41) between both manual and automated segmentation methods was poor. In the high-quality scans (visual quality score ≥ 3), the agreement between manual and automated segmentation increased to k = 0.55 and k = 0.58 for, respectively, the detection of LRNC and calcification larger than 1 mm2. Both manual and automated analysis showed good interscan reproducibility for the quantification of LRNC (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.94 and 0.80 respectively) and calcified plaque area (ICC of 0.95 and 0.77, respectively). Conclusion Agreement between manual and automated segmentation of LRNC and calcifications was poor, despite a good interscan reproducibility of both methods. The agreement between both methods increased to moderate in high quality scans. These findings indicate that image quality is a critical determinant of the performance of both manual and automated segmentation of carotid artery plaque components. PMID:27930665

Perception of synthetic speech produced automatically by rule: Intelligibility of eight text-to-speech systems

PubMed Central

GREENE, BETH G.; LOGAN, JOHN S.; PISONI, DAVID B.

2012-01-01

We present the results of studies designed to measure the segmental intelligibility of eight text-to-speech systems and a natural speech control, using the Modified Rhyme Test (MRT). Results indicated that the voices tested could be grouped into four categories: natural speech, high-quality synthetic speech, moderate-quality synthetic speech, and low-quality synthetic speech. The overall performance of the best synthesis system, DECtalk-Paul, was equivalent to natural speech only in terms of performance on initial consonants. The findings are discussed in terms of recent work investigating the perception of synthetic speech under more severe conditions. Suggestions for future research on improving the quality of synthetic speech are also considered. PMID:23225916

Influence of quality control variables on failure of graphite/epoxy under extreme moisture conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clements, L. L.; Lee, P. R.

1980-01-01

Tension tests on graphite/epoxy composites were performed to determine the influence of various quality control variables on failure strength as a function of moisture and moderate temperatures. The extremely high and low moisture contents investigated were found to have less effect upon properties than did temperature or the quality control variables of specimen flaws and prepreg batch to batch variations. In particular, specimen flaws were found to drastically reduce the predicted strength of the composite, whereas specimens from different batches of prepreg displayed differences in strength as a function of temperature and extreme moisture exposure. The findings illustrate the need for careful specimen preparation, studies of flaw sensitivity, and careful quality control in any study of composite materials.

Patterns of coordination and clinical outcomes: a study of surgical services.

PubMed Central

Young, G J; Charns, M P; Desai, K; Khuri, S F; Forbes, M G; Henderson, W; Daley, J

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that surgical services combining relatively high levels of feedback and programming approaches to the coordination of surgical staff would have better quality of care than surgical services using low levels of both coordination approaches as well as those surgical service using low levels of either coordination approach. STUDY SETTING: A study sample of 44 academically affiliated surgical services that are part of the Department of Veterans Affairs. STUDY DESIGN: In a cross-sectional analysis, surgical services were assigned to one of three groups based on their scores on feedback and programming coordination measures: high on both measures; high on one measure, low on the other; and low on both. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess differences among these groups with respect to three quality indicators: risk-adjusted mortality, risk-adjusted morbidity, and staff perceptions of quality. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS: Risk-adjusted mortality and morbidity came from an outcomes reporting program within the Department of Veterans Affairs that entails the prospective collection of clinical data from patient charts. Data on coordination practices and perceived quality came from a survey of surgical staff at each of the 44 participating surgical services. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The group of surgical services using high feedback and high programming had the best perceived quality. This group also had the lowest morbidity, but the difference was statistically significant with respect to only one of the two other groups: the group with low feedback and low programming. No significant group differences were found for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Study results provide partial support for the hypothesis that high levels of feedback and programming should be combined for optimal quality of care. Study results also suggest that staff coordination is more important for improving morbidity than mortality in surgical services. PMID:9865218

Candidate gene markers involved in San Daniele ham quality.

PubMed

Renaville, B; Piasentier, E; Fan, B; Vitale, M; Prandi, A; Rothschild, M F

2010-07-01

San Daniele dry-cured hams (also known as prosciutto) are produced in the Northeastern region of Italy. This high value product requires high quality fresh meat to avoid processing problems. The Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein-1 (SREBF1) is a transcription factor involved in the regulation of fatty acid synthesis in muscle and adipose tissues. The SREBF1 gene, its regulating genes SCAP and MBTPS1, and one of its target genes, SCD, were investigated for associations with several meat quality traits of San Daniele hams. Significant associations of some gene markers were found with carcass weight, lean percentage, backfat thickness, ham green weight, ham fat cover thickness, shear force (WBSF), salting losses and instrumental colour of both lean and fat. These findings provide initial evidences that SNPs in SREBF1, SCAP, MBTPS1 and SCD are associated with San Daniele ham quality and may be considered as markers for selective breeding programs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using GIS and perceived distance to understand the unequal geographies of healthcare in lower-income urban neighbourhoods.

PubMed

Hawthorne, Timothy L; Kwan, Mei-Po

2012-01-01

Geographers play important roles in public health research, particularly in understanding healthcare accessibility, utilisation, and individual healthcare experiences. Most accessibility studies have benefited from the increased sophistication of geographic information systems (GIS). Some studies have been enhanced with semi-structured in-depth interviews to understand individual experiences of people as they access healthcare. However, few accessibility studies have explicitly utilised individual in-depth interview data in the construction of new GIS accessibility measures. Using mixed methods including GIS analysis and individual data from semi-structured in-depth interviews, we offer satisfaction-adjusted distance as a new way of conceptualising accessibility in GIS. Based on fieldwork in a predominantly lower-income community in Columbus, Ohio (USA), we find many residents felt neighbourhood healthcare facilities offered low-quality care, which suggested an added perceived distance as they attempt to access high-quality healthcare facilities. The satisfaction-adjusted distance measure accounts for the perceived distance some residents feel as they search for high-quality healthcare in lower-income urban neighbourhoods. In moving beyond conventional GIS and re-conceptualising accessibility in this way, we offer a more realistic portrayal of the issues lower-income urban residents face as they attempt to access high-quality healthcare facilities. The work has theoretical implications for conceptualising healthcare accessibility, advances the mixed-methodologies literature, and argues for a more equitable distribution of high-quality healthcare in urban neighbourhoods.

Quantity and quality assessment of randomized controlled trials on orthodontic practice in PubMed.

PubMed

Shimada, Tatsuo; Takayama, Hisako; Nakamura, Yoshiki

2010-07-01

To find current high-quality evidence for orthodontic practice within a reasonable time, we tested the performance of a PubMed search. PubMed was searched using publication type randomized controlled trial and medical subject heading term "orthodontics" for articles published between 2003 and 2007. The PubMed search results were compared with those from a hand search of four orthodontic journals to determine the sensitivity of PubMed search. We evaluated the precision of the PubMed search result and assessed the quality of individual randomized controlled trials using the Jadad scale. Sensitivity and precision were 97.46% and 58.12%, respectively. In PubMed, of the 277 articles retrieved, 161 (58.12%) were randomized controlled trials on orthodontic practice, and 115 of the 161 articles (71.42%) were published in four orthodontic journals: American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, The Angle Orthodontist, the European Journal of Orthodontics, and the Journal of Orthodontics. Assessment by the Jadad scale revealed 60 high-quality randomized controlled trials on orthodontic practice, of which 45 (75%) were published in these four journals. PubMed is a highly desirable search engine for evidence-based orthodontic practice. To stay current and get high-quality evidence, it is reasonable to look through four orthodontic journals: American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, The Angle Orthodontist, the European Journal of Orthodontics, and the Journal of Orthodontics.

Relationship Quality and Alcohol-Related Social Reinforcement during Couples Interaction.

PubMed

Fairbairn, Catharine E; Testa, Maria

2016-01-01

Individuals who are unhappy in their intimate partnerships are at risk for developing alcohol problems. But little is known about the mechanisms underlying this link. One possibility is that couples with poor relationship quality gain more reinforcement from alcohol in certain contexts-a possibility that has never previously been empirically examined. In the current study, 304 individuals (152 couples) were assigned to receive alcohol (target BAC .08%) or a non-alcoholic beverage. They then engaged in a conflict-resolution interaction with their partners. Videotaped interactions were coded by trained observers. Results revealed a significant interaction between alcohol and relationship quality across multiple measures. Alcohol decreased negative behaviors, decreased negative reciprocity, and enhanced self-reported experience to a greater extent during interactions involving individuals reporting low relationship quality and had comparatively little effect among those reporting high relationship quality. Findings point to a potential mechanism underlying problem drinking among couples with poor relationship quality.

Association of sleep quality in Behcet disease with disease activity, depression, and quality of life in Korean population

PubMed Central

Lee, Jimin; Kim, Sung-Soo; Jeong, Hye-Jin; Son, Chang-Nam; Kim, Ji-Min; Cho, Yong-Won; Kim, Sang-Hyon

2017-01-01

Background/Aims Sleep disturbance is prime concern in patients with Behcet disease. The purpose of this study was to find out the effects of sleep quality, in Korean patients suffering from Behcet disease. We further investigated the relationship between depression, quality of life and the clinical findings of Behcet disease. Methods The study was performed by the cross-sectional design. Sleep quality was assessed by the Korean version of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). Disease activity of Behcet disease was evaluated by Behcet disease current activity form (BDCAF). Depression was assessed by the Korean version of Beck depression inventory second edition (BDI-2). Quality of life was assessed by the Korean version of the Leeds Behcet disease quality of life measure (BDQoL). Results Among the 100 patients studied, 42% reported poor sleep quality (PSQI ≥ 9). These patients have a higher BDI-2, total BDCAF and pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score (p < 0.001, p = 0.022, and p = 0.005). Considering BDCAF, the frequency of genital ulcer was significantly higher (p = 0.01). Behcet was higher in females. The BDQoL was lower in poor sleeper group (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001). Among 7 PSQI components, daytime dysfunction was higher in patients with high disease activity (p = 0.03). Total PSQI score were strongly correlated with BDCAF, BDI-2, BDQoL, and pain VAS score (p = 0.02, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Low sleep quality is directly associated with disease activity, depression, and quality of life in Korean patients with Behcet disease. PMID:28192886

Optical waveguide and room temperature high-quality nanolasers from tin-catalyzed CdSSe nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Pengfei; Shen, Xia; Zhang, Baolong; Sun, Haibin; Zou, Zhijun; Yang, Wenchao; Gong, Ke; Luo, Yongsong

2018-05-01

A simple two-step CVD method is developed to realize the growth of high-quality tin-catalyzed CdSSe alloy nanowires. Microstructural characterizations demonstrate that these wires are high-quality crystalline nanostructures. Local photoluminescence investigation of these nanostructures shows a typical band edge emission at 656 nm with a full-width at half-maximum of 22.3 nm. Optical waveguide measurement along an individual nanowire indicates that the output signal of the guided light has a rapid linear decrease accompanied with maximum red-shift about 109 meV after the transmission of 102 μm. This obvious red-shift is caused by the intensive band-tail absorption during the optical transmission process. Moreover, optically pumped nanolasers are successfully realized at room temperature based on these unique wires, further demonstrating the achievement of stimulated emission from spontaneous emission, promoted by the pump power intensity. This work may find a simple route to the manufacture of superior nanowires for applications in waveguide and integrated photonic devices.

Development of solvent-free offset ink using vegetable oil esters and high molecular-weight resin.

PubMed

Park, Jung Min; Kim, Young Han; Kim, Sung Bin

2013-01-01

In the development of solvent-free offset ink, the roles of resin molecular weight and used solvent on the ink performance were evaluated by examining the relationship between the various properties of resin and solvent and print quality. To find the best performing resin, the soy-oil fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) was applied to the five modified-phenolic resins having different molecular weights. It is found from the experimental results that the ink made of higher molecular weight and better solubility resin gives better printability and print quality. It is because larger molecular weight resin with better solubility gives higher rate of ink transfer. From the ink application of different esters to high molecular weight resin, the best printing performance was yielded from the soy-oil fatty acid butyl ester (FABE). It is due to its high kinematic viscosity resulting in the smallest change of ink transfer weight upon multiple number of printing, which improves the stability of ink quality.

Optical waveguide and room temperature high-quality nanolasers from tin-catalyzed CdSSe nanostructures.

PubMed

Guo, Pengfei; Shen, Xia; Zhang, Baolong; Sun, Haibin; Zou, Zhijun; Yang, Wenchao; Gong, Ke; Luo, Yongsong

2018-05-04

A simple two-step CVD method is developed to realize the growth of high-quality tin-catalyzed CdSSe alloy nanowires. Microstructural characterizations demonstrate that these wires are high-quality crystalline nanostructures. Local photoluminescence investigation of these nanostructures shows a typical band edge emission at 656 nm with a full-width at half-maximum of 22.3 nm. Optical waveguide measurement along an individual nanowire indicates that the output signal of the guided light has a rapid linear decrease accompanied with maximum red-shift about 109 meV after the transmission of 102 μm. This obvious red-shift is caused by the intensive band-tail absorption during the optical transmission process. Moreover, optically pumped nanolasers are successfully realized at room temperature based on these unique wires, further demonstrating the achievement of stimulated emission from spontaneous emission, promoted by the pump power intensity. This work may find a simple route to the manufacture of superior nanowires for applications in waveguide and integrated photonic devices.

Preparation and Analysis of RNA Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Todd, Paul

2000-01-01

The crystallization of RiboNucleic Acids (RNA) was studied from the standpoint of mechanisms of crystal growth in three tasks: (1) preparation of high-quality crystals of oligonuclotides for X-ray diffraction, (2) finding pathways to the growth of high-quality crystals for X-ray diffraction and (3) investigation of mechanisms of action of inertial acceleration on crystal growth. In these tasks: (1) RNA crystals were prepared and studied by X-ray diffraction; (2) a pathway to high-quality crystals was discovered and characterized; a combination of kinetic and equilibrium factors could be optimized as described below; and (3) an interplay between purity and gravity was found in a combination of space and ground experiments with nucleic acids and proteins. Most significantly, the rate of concentration of precipitant and RNA can be controlled by membrane-based methods of water removal or by diffusion of multivalent cations across an interface stabilized by a membrane. Oligonucleotide solutions are electrokinetically stabilized colloids, and crystals can form by the controlled addition of multivalent cations.

Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis in the United States: a systematic review--1940-2010.

PubMed

Starr, Michelle C; Montgomery, Susan P

2011-10-01

The epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminth infections (hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Strongyloides stercoralis) in the United States is poorly understood. To gain understanding of the status of disease, a systematic review was performed to assess the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections in the United States. Of all studies reviewed, 14 were designated as high-quality. High-quality studies were published from 1942 to 1982 and showed that infection was prevalent throughout the southern United States and Appalachia as recently as 1982, finding that hookworm (19.6%), T. trichiura (55.2%), A. lumbricoides (49.4%), and S. stercoralis (3.8%) affected significant percentages of the population. However, because the most recent high-quality studies were published over 25 years ago, the literature does not provide sufficient data to assess current endemic transmission. Because the status of disease remains unclear, there is a need for additional studies to determine if soil-transmitted helminths remain endemic in the United States.

Sn-doped Bi 1.1Sb 0.9Te 2S bulk crystal topological insulator with excellent properties

DOE PAGES

S. K. Kushwaha; Pletikosic, I.; Liang, T.; ...

2016-04-27

A long-standing issue in topological insulator research has been to find a bulk single crystal material that provides a high quality platform for characterizing topological surface states without interference from bulk electronic states. This material would ideally be a bulk insulator, have a surface state Dirac point energy well isolated from the bulk valence and conduction bands, display quantum oscillations from the surface state electrons, and be growable as large, high quality bulk single crystals. Here we show that this materials obstacle is overcome by bulk crystals of lightly Sn-doped Bi 1.1Sb 0.9Te 2S grown by the Vertical Bridgeman method.more » We characterize Sn-BSTS via angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, transport studies, X-ray diffraction, and Raman scattering. We present this material as a high quality topological insulator that can be reliably grown as bulk single crystals and thus studied by many researchers interested in topological surface states.« less

Measuring quality in services for children with an intellectual disability.

PubMed

Koornneef, Erik

2006-01-01

To evaluate the application of one particular quality measurement tool, the SERVQUAL instrument, as a potential mechanism to measure quality in services for children with disabilities Staff and family of children with an intellectual disability in two organisations providing specialist therapy and day completed an adapted SERVQUAL questionnaire. A total of 81 SERVQUAL questionnaires were distributed and 59 questionnaires were returned (response rate of 73 per cent). The SERVQUAL instrument can be considered as a useful diagnostic tool to identify particular strengths and areas for improvement in services for people with disabilities as the instrument lends itself for the monitoring of the effectiveness of quality improvement initiatives over time. The findings also showed relatively high customer expectations and the organisations involved in this research are currently not meeting all of these high expectations as significant quality gaps were found in the areas of reliability and responsiveness. The sample size was relatively small and the measurement of quality using the SERVQUAL instrument remains a challenge, due to the conceptual and empirical difficulties. The SERVQUAL instrument is probably most be attractive to service managers and funding organisations because of its ability to identify gaps in the quality of the service. The tool had been used to measure quality in services for people with disabilities and the research has shown that this tool might be an important additional quality measurement tool for services.

Heterogeneous sharpness for cross-spectral face recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Zhicheng; Schmid, Natalia A.

2017-05-01

Matching images acquired in different electromagnetic bands remains a challenging problem. An example of this type of comparison is matching active or passive infrared (IR) against a gallery of visible face images, known as cross-spectral face recognition. Among many unsolved issues is the one of quality disparity of the heterogeneous images. Images acquired in different spectral bands are of unequal image quality due to distinct imaging mechanism, standoff distances, or imaging environment, etc. To reduce the effect of quality disparity on the recognition performance, one can manipulate images to either improve the quality of poor-quality images or to degrade the high-quality images to the level of the quality of their heterogeneous counterparts. To estimate the level of discrepancy in quality of two heterogeneous images a quality metric such as image sharpness is needed. It provides a guidance in how much quality improvement or degradation is appropriate. In this work we consider sharpness as a relative measure of heterogeneous image quality. We propose a generalized definition of sharpness by first achieving image quality parity and then finding and building a relationship between the image quality of two heterogeneous images. Therefore, the new sharpness metric is named heterogeneous sharpness. Image quality parity is achieved by experimentally finding the optimal cross-spectral face recognition performance where quality of the heterogeneous images is varied using a Gaussian smoothing function with different standard deviation. This relationship is established using two models; one of them involves a regression model and the other involves a neural network. To train, test and validate the model, we use composite operators developed in our lab to extract features from heterogeneous face images and use the sharpness metric to evaluate the face image quality within each band. Images from three different spectral bands visible light, near infrared, and short-wave infrared are considered in this work. Both error of a regression model and validation error of a neural network are analyzed.

107: REVIEW OF THE QUALITY HOSPITALS WEBSITES IN KHORASAN RAZAVI PROVINCE

PubMed Central

Dastani, Meisam; Sattari, Masoume

2017-01-01

Background and aims The aim of the present study is to present a clear vision of the quality status of Khorasan Razavi hospitals websites in four dimensions of content, performance, management and usage of the website. Methods This is a survey study. The sample consisted of 49 hospital websites of Khorasan Razavi province. The instrument was used check list including 21 components and four criteria (content, performance, management and how to use the website). Its validity and reliability have proved through previous studies. Also, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results The findings showed that only %59 of hospitals in Khorasan Razavi, has been active website. The overall Status of website showed that the most popular websites of the situation, too weak (%51), moderate (%26.5) and weak (%16.3), respectively. In relation to criteria content, study, management and how to usage of the website and design, the findings showed that %40.8 of websites had an unfavorable condition. Of the 16 high quality website selected, only three websites Sina Hospital in Mashhad, Javdoll-Aemeh in Mashhad and Razavi were in good condition and the other of the websites had weak condition. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that, yet most websites do not regard minimal medical standards and also, they could not establish good relationships with their audiences. In fact, in Iran, still regard to the quality and performance of websites has not been one of the priorities for improving service quality in hospitals. The findings of this study can be effective in the identification and development of hospital websites quality criteria in terms of design, content, performance and management and how to use.

Effect of reciprocating agitation thermal processing (RA-TP) on quality of canned tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) puree.

PubMed

Pratap Singh, Anubhav; Singh, Anika; Ramaswamy, Hosahalli S

2017-06-01

Reciprocating agitation thermal processing (RA-TP) is a recent innovation in the field of canning for obtaining high-quality canned food. The objective of this study was to compare RA-TP processing with conventional non-agitated (still) processing with respect to the impact on quality (color, antioxidant capacity, total phenols, carotenoid and lycopene contents) of canned tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) puree. Owing to a 63-81% reduction in process times as compared with still processing, tomato puree with a brighter red color (closer to fresh) was obtained during RA-TP. At 3 Hz reciprocation frequency, the loss of antioxidant, lycopene and carotenoid contents could be reduced to 34, 8 and 8% respectively as compared with 96, 41 and 52% respectively during still processing. In fact, the phenolic content for RA-TP at 3 Hz was 5% higher than in fresh puree. Quality retention generally increased with an increase in frequency, although the differences were less significant at higher reciprocation frequencies (between 2 and 3 Hz). Research findings indicate that RA-TP can be effective to obtain thermally processed foods with high-quality attribute retention. It can also be concluded that a very high reciprocation frequency (>3 Hz) is not necessarily needed and significant quality improvement can be obtained at lower frequencies (∼2 Hz). © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Determinants of impaired quality of life in patients with fibrous dysplasia.

PubMed

Majoor, Bas C J; Andela, Cornelie D; Bruggemann, Jens; van de Sande, Michiel A J; Kaptein, Ad A; Hamdy, Neveen A T; Dijkstra, P D Sander; Appelman-Dijkstra, Natasha M

2017-04-27

Fibrous dysplasia is a rare bone disorder, commonly associated with pain, deformity and fractures, which may significantly impact on quality of life. In this study we evaluate quality of life in patients with fibrous dysplasia using the Short Form-36 and the Brief Pain Inventory questionnaires. Data were compared with those of the general Dutch population. Out of 138 patients from a cohort of 255 patients with fibrous dysplasia that were sent questionnaires assessing quality of life and pain, the response rate was 70.3%, with 97 patients, predominantly female (65%), completing the questionnaires. Monostotic fibrous dysplasia was predominant (n = 62, 64%). Fibrous dysplasia patients had significantly lower quality of life outcome scores than the general Dutch population for all tested domains of the Short Form-36 except for the "Mental health" and the "Role emotional" domains. More severe forms of fibrous dysplasia, had the more severe Short-Form-36 quality of life outcomes, but there was no significant difference in Brief Pain Inventory domains between different subtypes of fibrous dysplasia. Quality of life was lower in patients with higher disease burden, as reflected by high skeletal burden scores (p = 0.003) and high levels of P1NP (p = 0.002). We demonstrate impairments in all domains of quality of life, except for 'Mental health' and 'Role emotional' domains, across the wide spectrum of fibrous dysplasia including its milder forms. We identified high skeletal burden scores, reflecting disease severity, as the most consistent predictor of impaired quality of life. Our findings hold significant clinical implications as they draw attention to the clinically unmet need to address quality of life issues in the management of patients with all subtypes of fibrous dysplasia, including its milder forms.

Costs and Clinical Quality Among Medicare Beneficiaries: Associations with Health Center Penetration of Low-Income Residents

PubMed Central

Sharma, Ravi; Lebrun-Harris, Lydie A.; Ngo-Metzger, Quyen

2014-01-01

Objective Determine the association between access to primary care by the underserved and Medicare spending and clinical quality across hospital referral regions (HRRs). Data Sources Data on elderly fee-for-service beneficiaries across 306 HRRs came from CMS’ Geographic Variation in Medicare Spending and Utilization database (2010). We merged data on number of health center patients (HRSA’s Uniform Data System) and number of low-income residents (American Community Survey). Study Design We estimated access to primary care in each HRR by “health center penetration” (health center patients as a proportion of low-income residents). We calculated total Medicare spending (adjusted for population size, local input prices, and health risk). We assessed clinical quality by preventable hospital admissions, hospital readmissions, and emergency department visits. We sorted HRRs by health center penetration rate and compared spending and quality measures between the high- and low-penetration deciles. We also employed linear regressions to estimate spending and quality measures as a function of health center penetration. Principal Findings The high-penetration decile had 9.7% lower Medicare spending ($926 per capita, p=0.01) than the low-penetration decile, and no different clinical quality outcomes. Conclusions Compared with elderly fee-for-service beneficiaries residing in areas with low-penetration of health center patients among low-income residents, those residing in high-penetration areas may accrue Medicare cost savings. Limited evidence suggests that these savings do not compromise clinical quality. PMID:25243096

Working Paper 5: American High Schools; Some Organizational Characteristics and Factors Related to Teacher Satisfaction, Counselor Satisfaction, and the Quality of Counseling Programs. Interim Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Lloyd D.; And Others

This working paper is the fifth in a series on Youth in Transition. Included are four papers plus comments on these papers. The findings are based on information gathered from approximately 2,000 high school teachers and 300 counselors. The teachers' and counselors' perceptions of the way our high schools are run and the impact of those schools on…

Assessing the relationship between forests and water in the High Rock Lake Watershed of North Carolina

Treesearch

Tom A. Gerow; David G. Jones; Wenwu Tang

2016-01-01

Forests are recognized as a priority source of relatively high quality and reliable water, be it for human use or ecological function. The High Rock Lake watershed straddles the piedmont and foothill regions of North Carolina, and a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) restoration plan is being developed for the reservoir. The findings of the study should add to the body of...

High-quality III-nitride films on conductive, transparent (2̅01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 using a GaN buffer layer

PubMed Central

Muhammed, M. M.; Roldan, M. A.; Yamashita, Y.; Sahonta, S.-L.; Ajia, I. A.; Iizuka, K.; Kuramata, A.; Humphreys, C. J.; Roqan, I. S.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate the high structural and optical properties of InxGa1−xN epilayers (0 ≤ x ≤ 23) grown on conductive and transparent (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrates using a low-temperature GaN buffer layer rather than AlN buffer layer, which enhances the quality and stability of the crystals compared to those grown on (100)-oriented β-Ga2O3. Raman maps show that the 2″ wafer is relaxed and uniform. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the dislocation density reduces considerably (~4.8 × 107 cm−2) at the grain centers. High-resolution TEM analysis demonstrates that most dislocations emerge at an angle with respect to the c-axis, whereas dislocations of the opposite phase form a loop and annihilate each other. The dislocation behavior is due to irregular (01) β-Ga2O3 surface at the interface and distorted buffer layer, followed by relaxed GaN epilayer. Photoluminescence results confirm high optical quality and time-resolved spectroscopy shows that the recombination is governed by bound excitons. We find that a low root-mean-square average (≤1.5 nm) of InxGa1−xN epilayers can be achieved with high optical quality of InxGa1−xN epilayers. We reveal that (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrate has a strong potential for use in large-scale high-quality vertical light emitting device design. PMID:27412372

High-quality III-nitride films on conductive, transparent (2̅01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 using a GaN buffer layer.

PubMed

Muhammed, M M; Roldan, M A; Yamashita, Y; Sahonta, S-L; Ajia, I A; Iizuka, K; Kuramata, A; Humphreys, C J; Roqan, I S

2016-07-14

We demonstrate the high structural and optical properties of InxGa1-xN epilayers (0 ≤ x ≤ 23) grown on conductive and transparent (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrates using a low-temperature GaN buffer layer rather than AlN buffer layer, which enhances the quality and stability of the crystals compared to those grown on (100)-oriented β-Ga2O3. Raman maps show that the 2″ wafer is relaxed and uniform. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the dislocation density reduces considerably (~4.8 × 10(7) cm(-2)) at the grain centers. High-resolution TEM analysis demonstrates that most dislocations emerge at an angle with respect to the c-axis, whereas dislocations of the opposite phase form a loop and annihilate each other. The dislocation behavior is due to irregular (01) β-Ga2O3 surface at the interface and distorted buffer layer, followed by relaxed GaN epilayer. Photoluminescence results confirm high optical quality and time-resolved spectroscopy shows that the recombination is governed by bound excitons. We find that a low root-mean-square average (≤1.5 nm) of InxGa1-xN epilayers can be achieved with high optical quality of InxGa1-xN epilayers. We reveal that (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrate has a strong potential for use in large-scale high-quality vertical light emitting device design.

Influence of gantry rotation time and scan mode on image quality in ultra-high-resolution CT system.

PubMed

Honda, Osamu; Yanagawa, Masahiro; Hata, Akinori; Kikuchi, Noriko; Miyata, Tomo; Tsukagoshi, Shinsuke; Uranishi, Ayumi; Tomiyama, Noriyuki

2018-06-01

To investigate the image quality of helical scan (HS) mode and non-helical scan (non-HS) mode on ultra-high-resolution CT in different gantry rotation time. non-HS with 0.35 s/rot (non-HS200 mA/0.35 s). Three observers compared each non-HS image with HS image, and scored non-HS images by using 3-point scale, paying attention to normal findings, abnormal findings, noise, streak artifact, and overall image quality. Statistical analysis was performed with Steel-Dwass test. Overall image quality (score: 2.45) and noise (score: 2.42) of non-HS 200 mA/1.5s was statistically best (p < 0.0005). Overall Image quality and noise of non-HS200 mA/0.75 s (score: 2.0) was comparable to that of HS200 mA/1.5 s. CTDIvol of HS200 mA/1.5 s is 23.2 mGy. CTDIvol of non-HS200 mA/1.5 s, non-HS200 mA/0.75 s, non-HS200 mA/0.35 s is 19.2 mGy, 9.8 mGy, 4.7 mGy. Overall image quality and noise of non-helical scan is better than that of helical scan in the same rotation time. Overall Image quality of non-HS200 mA/0.75 s is comparable to that of HS200 mA/1.5 s, though the radiation dose of non-HS200 mA/0.75 s is lower than that of HS200 mA/1.5 s. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cultural Socialization and Ethnic Pride Among Mexican-Origin Adolescents During the Transition to Middle School

PubMed Central

Hernández, Maciel M.; Conger, Rand D.; Robins, Richard W.; Bacher, Kelly Beaumont; Widaman, Keith F.

2013-01-01

The relation between cultural socialization and ethnic pride during the transition to middle school was examined for 674 5th grade students (50% boys; Mage = 10.4 years) of Mexican origin. The theoretical model guiding the study proposes that parent-child relationship quality is a resource in the transmission of cultural values from parent to child and that parental warmth promotes the child's positive response to cultural socialization. Results showed that mother and father cultural socialization predicted youth ethnic pride, and that this relation was stronger when parents were high in warmth. The findings highlight the positive role parent cultural socialization may play in the development of adolescent ethnic pride. Furthermore, findings reveal the role of parent-child relationship quality in this process. PMID:24117445

Analysis of student engagement in an online annotation system in the context of a flipped introductory physics class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Kelly; Zyto, Sacha; Karger, David; Yoo, Junehee; Mazur, Eric

2016-12-01

We discuss student participation in an online social annotation forum over two semesters of a flipped, introductory physics course at Harvard University. We find that students who engage in high-level discussion online, especially by providing answers to their peers' questions, make more gains in conceptual understanding than students who do not. This is true regardless of students' physics background. We find that we can steer online interaction towards more productive and engaging discussion by seeding the discussion and managing the size of the sections. Seeded sections produce higher quality annotations and a greater proportion of generative threads than unseeded sections. Larger sections produce longer threads; however, beyond a certain section size, the quality of the discussion decreases.

Esophageal abnormalities in gastroesophageal reflux disease.

PubMed

Levine, Marc S; Carucci, Laura R

2018-06-01

Fluoroscopic esophagography is a widely available, safe, and inexpensive test for detecting gastroesophageal reflux disease. In this article, we review the technique for performing a high-quality esophagram, including upright, double-contrast views of the esophagus and cardia with high-density barium; prone, single-contrast views of the esophagus with low-density barium; and evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux. We then discuss the radiographic findings associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease, including esophageal dysmotility, reflux esophagitis, peptic strictures, and Barrett's esophagus. Finally, we consider the differential diagnosis for the various radiographic findings associated with this condition. When carefully performed and interpreted, the esophagram is a useful test for evaluating gastroesophageal reflux disease and its complications.

Land Use Change, Fuel Use and Respiratory Health in Uganda

PubMed Central

Jagger, Pamela; Shively, Gerald

2014-01-01

This paper examines how biomass supply and consumption are affected by land use change in Uganda. We find that between 2007 and 2012 there was a 22% reduction in fuelwood sourced from proximate forests, and an 18% increase in fuelwood sourced from fallows and other areas with lower biomass availability and quality. We estimate a series of panel regression models and find that deforestation has a negative effect on total fuel consumed. We also find that access to forests, whether through ownership or proximity, plays a large role in determining fuel use. We then explore whether patterns of biomass fuel consumption are related to the incidence of acute respiratory infection using a cross-sectional data set of 1209 women and 598 children. We find a positive and significant relationship between ARI and the quantity of fuelwood from non-forest areas; a 100 kilogram increase in fuelwood sourced from a non-forest area results in a 2.4% increase in the incidence of ARI for children. We find the inverse effect of increased reliance on crop residues. As deforestation reduces the availability of high quality fuelwood, rural households may experience higher incidence of health problems associated with exposure to biomass burning. PMID:24535892

Alcohol-specific parenting, adolescents' self-control, and alcohol use: a moderated mediation model.

PubMed

Koning, Ina M; van den Eijnden, Regina J J M; Vollebergh, Wilma A M

2014-01-01

There is convincing evidence that parental rules about alcohol are important in curbing adolescents' alcohol use. However, little is known about the mechanisms through which the direct link between alcohol-specific parenting and alcohol use is obtained. In this study, we investigated the mediating effect of adolescent self-control on the relationship between alcohol-specific rules and adolescents' drinking behavior and whether this mediation effect depends on the level of quality of communication. A total of 883 adolescents participated in this longitudinal study at ages 13, 14, and 15 years. Strict rules predicted lower rates of drinking, but no direct effect of the quality of communication on adolescents' alcohol use was found. A higher level of self-control was related to lower rates of drinking in adolescents. The indirect effect of rules about alcohol through adolescents' self-control was statistically significant, yet only in adolescents with high qualitative parent-child communication about alcohol. In adolescents with low quality of parent-child communication, self-control was not related to drinking. These findings imply that strict rule setting in combination with qualitative parent-child communication is an important target for prevention. In addition, findings point at the importance of high qualitative parent-child communication for adolescents' motivation to engage in self-control to avoid drinking.

"No! The lambs can stay out because they got cozies": constructive and destructive sibling conflict, pretend play, and social understanding.

PubMed

Howe, Nina; Rinaldi, Christina M; Jennings, Melissa; Petrakos, Harriet

2002-01-01

Associations among constructive and destructive sibling conflict, pretend play, internal state language, and sibling relationship quality were investigated in 40 middle-class dyads with a kindergarten-age child (M age = 5.7 years). In 20 dyads the sibling was older (M age = 7.1 years) and in 20 dyads the sibling was younger (M age = 3.6 years). Dyads were videotaped playing with a farm set for 15 min; transcribed sessions were coded for (1) five types of conflict issues; (2) constructive, destructive, and passive resolution strategies; and (3) verbal and physical aggression. Measures of pretend play enactment, low- and high-level pretense negotiation strategies, and internal state language were also based on the transcripts. The Sibling Behavior and Feelings Questionnaire was used to assess both siblings' perceptions of sibling relationship quality. Findings revealed that conflict issues, aggression, and internal state language were associated with specific resolution strategies. Associations were evident between conflict issues and resolutions. Moreover, conflict issues and resolutions were associated with (1) relationship quality, (2) high-level pretense negotiation, and (3) internal state language employed in both play and conflict. Findings are discussed in light of recent theory on developmental processes operating within children's relationships.

Diet in pregnancy-more than food.

PubMed

Danielewicz, H; Myszczyszyn, G; Dębińska, A; Myszkal, A; Boznański, A; Hirnle, L

2017-12-01

High food quality, together with adequate macro- and micronutrient intake in pregnancy, is crucial for the health status of the mother and child. Recent findings suggest that it could also be beneficial or harmful in the context of the well-being of the whole future population. According to the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis, most conditions that occur in adulthood originate in foetal life. Moreover, some epigenetic events, modified inter alia by diet, impact more than one generation. Still, the recommendations in most countries are neither popularised nor very detailed. While it seems to be important to direct diet trends towards a healthier lifestyle, the methods of preventing specific disorders like diabetes or asthma are not yet established and require further investigation. In this review, we will summarise the recommendations for diet composition in pregnancy, focusing on both diet quality and quantity. What is Known • High food quality, together with adequate macro- and micronutrient intake in pregnancy, is crucial for the health status of the mother and child. What is New • Recent findings suggest that the diet could be beneficial or harmful in the context of the well-being of the whole future population. Most conditions that occur in adulthood originate in foetal life. • Moreover, some epigenetic events, modified by diet impact more than one generation.

Quantification of the effects of quality investment on the Cost of Poor Quality: A quasi-experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamimi, Abdallah Ibrahim

Quality management is a fundamental challenge facing businesses. This research attempted to quantify the effect of quality investment on the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) in an aerospace company utilizing 3 years of quality data at United Launch Alliance, a Boeing -- Lockheed Martin Joint Venture Company. Statistical analysis tools, like multiple regressions, were used to quantify the relationship between quality investments and COPQ. Strong correlations were evident by the high correlation coefficient R2 and very small p-values in multiple regression analysis. The models in the study helped produce an Excel macro that based on preset constraints, optimized the level of quality spending to minimize COPQ. The study confirmed that as quality investments were increased, the COPQ decreased steadily until a point of diminishing return was reached. The findings may be used to develop an approach to reduce the COPQ and enhance product performance. Achieving superior quality in rocket launching enhances the accuracy, reliability, and mission success of delivering satellites to their precise orbits in pursuit of knowledge, peace, and freedom while assuring safety for the end user.

Pain, Sleep Disturbance, and Quality of Life Among Palestinian Patients Diagnosed with Cancer.

PubMed

Dreidi, Mu'taz M; Hamdan-Mansour, Ayman M

2016-12-01

The objective of this descriptive study is to explore the relationships between pain, sleep disturbance, and quality of life among Palestinian patients diagnosed with cancer in the West Bank. A cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational design was used to collect data from 184 patients with cancer. The quality of life questionnaire, visual analogue pain scale, and physical health status were used in data collection. The results showed that the mean score for pain was 5, the best functioning was for cognitive scale (M = 75, SD = 29), the worst symptoms experienced by patients was appetite loss (M = 47, SD = 35), a moderate global health status (M = 53, SD = 27), and the mean for sleep disturbance was 43 (SD = 35). Pain and sleep disturbance showed high negative correlations with functional scales of quality of life and positive with symptom scales. The findings showed that the co-occurrence of pain and sleep disturbance was negatively correlated with quality of life (QoL) and positively with symptom scales. The regression analysis revealed that pain and sleep disturbance accounted for a significant proportion of variance in the QoL (p < 0.001), and the highest proportion was in predicting global health status (41.9 %). The findings of this study give evidence about the importance of assessing pain and sleep quality among Palestinian patients with cancer.

Does Medical Malpractice Law Improve Health Care Quality?

PubMed

Frakes, Michael; Jena, Anupam B

2016-11-01

We assess the potential for medical liability forces to deter medical errors and improve health care treatment quality, identifying liability's influence by drawing on variations in the manner by which states formulate the negligence standard facing physicians. Using hospital discharge records from the National Hospital Discharge Survey and clinically-validated quality metrics inspired by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, we find evidence suggesting that treatment quality may improve upon reforms that expect physicians to adhere to higher quality clinical standards. We do not find evidence, however, suggesting that treatment quality may deteriorate following reforms to liability standards that arguably condone the delivery of lower quality care. Similarly, we do not find evidence of deterioration in health care quality following remedy-focused liability reforms such as caps on non-economic damages awards.

Cannabinoids for nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy: Overview of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Schussel, Victor; Kenzo, Lucas; Santos, Andreia; Bueno, Júlia; Yoshimura, Ellen; de Oliveira Cruz Latorraca, Carolina; Pachito, Daniela Vianna; Riera, Rachel

2018-04-01

Nausea and vomiting are common and distressing adverse events of chemotherapy. This review focuses on the findings and quality of systematic reviews (SRs) of cannabinoids for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Review of SRs, a systematic literature search, was conducted in several electronic databases and included SRs evaluating cannabinoids for CINV in cancer patients. Methodological quality and quality of reporting were evaluated by AMSTAR and PRISMA, respectively. Initial search retrieved 2,206 records, and 5 SRs were included. On the basis of findings of the sole SR judged as high methodological quality, cannabinoids seem to be more effective than placebo, equal to prochlorperazine for reducing CINV, and to be preferred by patients. The response to different combinations of antiemetic agents seems to be equal to 1 antiemetic alone. The average of AMSTAR score was 5, and the average of PRISMA score was 13.2. Cannabinoids represent a valuable option for treating CINV, despite the adverse events related to treatment, such as drowsiness and cognitive impairment. There is no good quality evidence to recommend or not the use of cannabinoids for CINV. More studies are still needed to evaluate the effectiveness of cannabinoids when compared with modern antiemetics. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Attachment states of mind and the quality of young adults' sibling relationships.

PubMed

Fortuna, Keren; Roisman, Glenn I; Haydon, Katherine C; Groh, Ashley M; Holland, Ashley S

2011-09-01

This report examines young adults' states of mind regarding their early attachment experiences in relation to the observed and perceived quality of their sibling relationships. Sixty sibling pairs (18-25 years of age) were (a) administered the Adult Attachment Interview (George, Kaplan, & Main, 1985), (b) videotaped during a conflict resolution task, and (c) asked to describe the quality of their relationship using the Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Stocker, Lanthier, & Furman, 1997). As hypothesized, dismissing states of mind were associated with lower levels of positive and negative affect while participants attempted to resolve an area of conflict with a sibling as well as with relatively low levels of reported warmth in the relationship. In contrast-but also in line with predictions-preoccupied states of mind were associated with heightened expression of negative affect toward a brother or sister, and the siblings of highly preoccupied individuals reported more conflict in their relationships. Findings provide further support for the importance of young adults' representations of childhood attachment experiences with respect to the quality of their adult relationships. In addition, this study extends previous findings regarding the significance of dismissing versus preoccupied states of mind by demonstrating that these dimensions are differentially associated with behavioral and self-reported aspects of sibling relationship quality in early adulthood.

Prevalence of poor sleep quality, sleepiness and obstructive sleep apnoea risk factors in athletes.

PubMed

Swinbourne, Richard; Gill, Nicholas; Vaile, Joanna; Smart, Daniel

2016-10-01

Despite the perceived importance of sleep for athletes, little is known regarding athlete sleep quality, their prevalence of daytime sleepiness or risk factors for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) such as snoring and witnessed apnoeic episodes. The purpose of the present study was to characterise normative sleep quality among highly trained team sport athletes. 175 elite or highly trained rugby sevens, rugby union and cricket athletes completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS) and Quality of Life questionnaires and an OSA risk factor screen. On average, athletes reported 7.9 ± 1.3 h of sleep per night. The average PSQI score was 5.9 ± 2.6, and 50% of athletes were found to be poor sleepers (PSQI > 5). Daytime sleepiness was prevalent throughout the population (average global score of 8.5) and clinically significant (ESS score of ≥10) in 28% of athletes. OSA may be an important clinical consideration within athletic populations, as a considerable number of athletes (38%) defined themselves as snorers and 8% reported having a witnessed apnoeic episode. The relationship between self-rated sleep quality and actual PSQI score was strong (Pearson correlation of 0.4 ± 0.1, 90% confidence limits). These findings suggest that this cohort of team sport athletes suffer a preponderance of poor sleep quality, with associated high levels of daytime sleepiness. Athletes should receive education about how to improve sleep wake schedules, extend total sleep time and improve sleep quality.

Causal assessment of occupational pushing or pulling and low back pain: results of a systematic review.

PubMed

Roffey, Darren M; Wai, Eugene K; Bishop, Paul; Kwon, Brian K; Dagenais, Simon

2010-06-01

Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent and expensive musculoskeletal condition that predominantly occurs in working-age individuals of industrialized nations. Although numerous occupational physical activities have been implicated in its etiology, determining the causation of occupational LBP still remains a challenge. To conduct a systematic review evaluating the causal relationship between occupational pushing or pulling and LBP. Systematic review of the literature. Studies reporting an association between occupational pushing or pulling and LBP. Numerical association between exposure to pushing or pulling and the presence of LBP. A systematic review was performed to identify, evaluate, and summarize the literature related to establishing a causal relationship, according to Bradford-Hill criteria for causation for occupational pushing or pulling and LBP. A search was conducted using Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and OSH-ROM, gray literature, hand-searching occupational health journals, reference lists of included studies, and expert knowledge. Methodological quality was assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. This search yielded 2,766 citations. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Eight were high-quality studies and five were low-quality studies. There was conflicting evidence with one high-quality study demonstrating a positive association between occupational pushing or pulling and LBP and five studies showing no relationship. One study reported a nonstatistically significant dose-response trend, four studies discussed temporality of which one indicated a positive finding, two studies discussed the biological plausibility of a causal link between occupational pushing or pulling and LBP, and no evidence was uncovered to assess the experiment criterion. A qualitative summary of existing studies was not able to find any high-quality studies that fully satisfied any of the Bradford-Hill causation criteria for occupational pushing or pulling and LBP. Based on the evidence reviewed, it is unlikely that occupational pushing or pulling is independently causative of LBP in the populations of workers studied. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Root-Cause Analysis of Persistently High Maternal Mortality in a Rural District of Indonesia: Role of Clinical Care Quality and Health Services Organizational Factors

PubMed Central

Mufidah, Ismi; Scroggs, Steven; Siddiqui, Amna Rehana; Raheel, Hafsa; Wibdarminto, Koentijo; Dirgantoro, Bernardus; Vercruyssen, Jorien

2018-01-01

Background Despite significant reduction in maternal mortality, there are still many regions in the world that suffer from high mortality. District Kutai Kartanegara, Indonesia, is one such region where consistently high maternal mortality was observed despite high rate of delivery by skilled birth attendants. Method Thirty maternal deaths were reviewed using verbal autopsy interviews, terminal event reporting, medical records' review, and Death Audit Committee reports, using a comprehensive root-cause analysis framework including Risk Identification, Signal Services, Emergency Obstetrics Care Evaluation, Quality, and 3 Delays. Findings The root causes were found in poor quality of care, which caused hospital to be unprepared to manage deteriorating patients. In hospital, poor implementation of standard operating procedures was rooted in inadequate skills, lack of forward planning, ineffective communication, and unavailability of essential services. In primary care, root causes included inadequate risk management, referrals to facilities where needed services are not available, and lack of coordination between primary healthcare and hospitals. Conclusion There is an urgent need for a shift in focus to quality of care through knowledge, skills, and support for consistent application of protocols, making essential services available, effective risk assessment and management, and facilitating timely referrals to facilities that are adequately equipped. PMID:29682538

Nurse managers' conceptions of quality management as promoted by peer supervision.

PubMed

Hyrkäs, Kristiina; Koivula, Meeri; Lehti, Kristiina; Paunonen-Ilmonen, Marita

2003-01-01

The aim of the study was to describe nurse managers' conceptions of quality management in their work as promoted by peer supervision. Quality management is one of the topical issues in a nurse manager's demanding and changing work. As first-line managers, they have a key role in quality management which is seen to create the system and environment for high quality services and quality improvement. Despite the official recommendations and definitions of quality management, several published reports have shown that there is no single solution for quality management. Peer supervision or the support provided by it to nursing managers have rarely been a subject of study. This study was carried out at Tampere University Hospital between 1996 and 1998. The peer supervision intervention was organized once a month, 2 hours at a time and in closed supervisor-led groups of nine nurse managers. Data were collected by themed interviews. Fifteen nurse managers participated in the study. The data were analysed using the phenomenographic method. Two main categories were formed of nurse managers' conceptions. The first described supportive and reflective characteristics of peer supervision. This main category was described by horizontal, hierarchical categories of support from peer group and reflection. The second main category described nurse managers' conceptions of individual development of leadership during peer supervision. This main category was also described by three horizontal categories: personal growth, finding psychological resources and internalization of leadership. The finding of this study show that peer supervision benefited nurse managers in quality management through reflection and support. The reflective and supportive characteristics of peer supervision promoted the nurse managers' individual development, but also that of leadership. It can be concluded that peer supervision promotes quality management in nurse managers' work.

Leadership quality: a factor important for social capital in healthcare organizations.

PubMed

Strömgren, Marcus; Eriksson, Andrea; Ahlstrom, Linda; Bergman, David Kristofer; Dellve, Lotta

2017-04-10

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relation between leadership and social capital and what qualities of leadership are important for social capital among employees in hospital settings over time. Design/methodology/approach A cohort of employees in hospitals answered a questionnaire at three occasions. Five small (approx. 100-bed) or mid-sized (approx. 500-bed) hospitals were included. The response rate was 54 percent at baseline ( n=865), 59 percent at one-year follow-up ( n=908) and 67 percent at two-year follow-up ( n=632). Findings Repeated measures over time showed differences between groups in levels of social capital with respect to levels of leadership quality. Relation-oriented leadership had the strongest association with social capital. There was evidence that leadership was associated with social capital over time and that different kinds of leadership qualities were associated with social capital. Research limitations/implications This study conducted and analyzed quantitative data, and therefore, there is no knowledge of managers' or employees' own perceptions in this study. However, it would be interesting to compare managers' decreased and increased leadership quality and how such differences affect social capital over time. Practical implications The findings feature the possibility for healthcare leaders to build high quality leadership as an important resource for social capital, by using different leadership orientations under different circumstances. Originality/value The paper showed that leadership was an important factor for building social capital and that different leadership qualities have different importance with respect to certain circumstances.

Associations of Self-Reported Sleep Quality with Circulating Interferon Gamma-Inducible Protein 10, Interleukin 6, and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein in Healthy Menopausal Women

PubMed Central

Chang, Chia-Chu; Kor, Chew-Teng; Chen, Ting-Yu; Wu, Hung-Ming

2017-01-01

Introduction Sleep disturbance is very common in menopausal women and poor sleep quality has been linked to systemic inflammation. However, the impact of poor sleep quality on health outcomes of menopausal women remains unclear. This study evaluated the relationships between sleep quality and inflammation in menopausal women. Participants and design This cross-sectional study enrolled 281 healthy women aged 45 to 60 years. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to measure quality of sleep. Multiplex assays were used to measure the levels of 9 cytokines in morning fasting plasma samples. Other variables measured in this study included clinical characteristics and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Setting The study was performed at a medical center. Results The 281 participants comprised 79 (28%) perimenopausal women and 202 (72%) postmenopausal women. Global PSQI scores were positively correlated with plasma hs-CRP levels (P = 0.012) and were marginally associated with interferon gamma-inducible protein-10 (IP10), interleukin 6 (IL6), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1beta (MIP-1β) levels. After adjusting for age, body mass index, menopause duration, and follicle stimulating hormone, multiple linear regression analysis revealed that high PSQI scores and sleep efficiency < 65% were associated with elevated plasma levels of hs-CRP, IP10, and IL6. In addition, sleep duration < 5 hours was associated with high hs-CRP levels. Conclusion Our data show that poor sleep quality and low sleep efficiency are associated with elevated levels of circulating inflammatory factors IP10, IL6 and hs-CRP and that short sleep duration is associated with high levels of hs-CRP in menopausal women. These findings provide novel evidence that poor sleep quality is linked to low-grade systemic inflammation in menopausal women. PMID:28060925

Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Meghan

2010-01-01

This article features "Pop Culture Universe," which received the 2009 Dartmouth Medal honoring the creation of a reference work of outstanding quality. School librarians will find "Pop Culture Universe" a wonderful resource for assisting middle school and high school students with research projects on significant historical events that focus on…

Development of Course Material in a Multi-Author Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlotter, Michael

2009-01-01

Software for text processing and presentation design is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Nevertheless, it is difficult to find a good solution for collaborative writing of technical course material, allowing the creation of high quality lecture notes and presentation slides from a single source. This article presents a new editing framework…

Strengthening Teacher Evaluation: What District Leaders Can Do

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson, Morgaen L.; Donaldson, Gordon A., Jr.

2012-01-01

School districts have typically not done a good job of managing the human side of teacher evaluation. In general, neither supervisors nor teachers find performance assessment a constructive, interpersonally respectful experience. District leaders can cultivate high-quality teaching--and attend to the human side of assessment--by taking five…

Predisposition for Burnout among First-Year Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Bruce W.; And Others

1988-01-01

Findings from a study of 224 first-year teachers suggest: (1) burnout begins during the first year; (2) high-school teachers are more predisposed to burnout; (3) quality teacher preparation, particularly in student discipline, may promote resistance to burnout; (4) burnout is a reflection of emotional and motivational factors rather than academic…

Enhancing Teacher Education with Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, David; Ireland, Alice

2016-01-01

As calls for accountability in our schools increase, teaching quality faces scrutiny and, often, criticism. These realities challenge teacher education programs to find new ways to ensure that their graduates will be effective in highly demanding work settings. In this article the authors draw on literature and practice examples to highlight ways…

Promoting STEM Education: A Communications Toolkit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Governors Association, 2008

2008-01-01

As governors move this important STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) policy agenda forward, they may find that some of their constituents have yet to be persuaded of the need for improvement. Some citizens and stakeholders may fail to grasp the strong link between high-quality STEM education and economic development in the…

A Phenomenological Look at 4-H Volunteer Motives for Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schrock, Jessalyn; Kelsey, Kathleen D.

2013-01-01

Volunteers play a vital role in 4-H programs. Without their service, many programs would not be possible. Understanding volunteer motives provides Extension educators with tools for finding high-quality volunteers. The research reported here used McClelland's (1985) framework for motivation (affiliation, achievement, and power) and…

A Virtual Good Idea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolch, Matt

2009-01-01

School districts across the country have always had to do more with less. Funding goes only so far, leaving administrators and IT staff to find innovative ways to save money while maintaining a high level of academic quality. Creating virtual servers accomplishes both tasks, district technology personnel say. Virtual environments not only allow…

Competency Tests and Graduation Requirements. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keefe, James W.

Interest in applied performance testing and concern about the quality of the high school diploma are finding a common ground: graduation requirements. A competency is a complex capability applicable in real life situations, and can be used as program objectives in a competency-based, criterion-referenced program. In such a program, applied…

Research Libraries' Costs of Doing Business (and Strategies for Avoiding Them)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenstein, Daniel

2004-01-01

With today's relatively flat budgets, research libraries are finding their buying power further diminished by the hyperinflationary costs of library materials. Yet technology innovation, coupled with organizational restructuring, is enabling libraries not only to provide more high-quality information services but also to achieve unparalleled…

OER "Produsage" as a Model to Support Language Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKinnon, Teresa; Pasfield-Neofitou, Sarah

2016-01-01

Language education faculty face myriad challenges in finding teaching resources that are suitable, of high quality, and allow for the modifications needed to meet the requirements of their course contexts and their learners. The article elaborates the grassroots model of "produsage" (a portmanteau of "production" and…

Construction of high-quality recombination maps with low-coverage genomic sequencing for joint linkage analysis in maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) is the foremost strategy used for finding genes that control human diseases and agriculturally important traits, but it often reports false positives. In contrast, its complementary method, linkage analysis, provides direct genetic confirmation, but with limite...

A Matter of Equity: Preschool in America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2015

2015-01-01

Each year, about 4 million children enter kindergarten in the United States. All parents hope their child will start school ready for success, and many parents turn that hope into action, seeking out supportive and high-quality early learning opportunities. Unfortunately, not every parent finds those opportunities, and access differs based on…

High-Quality Preschool: The Socioeconomic Composition of Preschool Classrooms and Children's Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Jeanne L.; Ready, Douglas D.

2013-01-01

Research Findings: As policymakers expand access to preschool, the sociodemographic composition of preschool classrooms will become increasingly important. These efforts may create programs that increase the concentration of children from low-income families or, alternatively, foster the creation of socioeconomically diverse preschool classrooms.…

Design Research as a Mechanism for Consultants to Facilitate and Evaluate Educational Innovations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castillo, Jose M.; Dorman, Clark; Gaunt, Brian; Hardcastle, Beth; Justice, Kelly; March, Amanda L.

2016-01-01

Schools across the nation are implementing innovative practices; however, questions remain regarding how to facilitate quality implementation. Research designs that emphasize high degrees of control over independent variables result in findings with internal validity, but that may not generalize to complex, dynamic educational systems. The purpose…

New Analytical Monographs on TCM Herbal Drugs for Quality Proof.

PubMed

Wagner, Hildebert; Bauer, Rudolf; Melchart, Dieter

2016-01-01

Regardless of specific national drug regulations there is an international consensus that all TCM drugs must meet stipulated high quality standards focusing on authentication, identification and chemical composition. In addition, safety of all TCM drugs prescribed by physicians has to be guaranteed. During the 25 years history of the TCM hospital Bad Kötzting, 171 TCM drugs underwent an analytical quality proof including thin layer as well as high pressure liquid chromatography. As from now mass spectroscopy will also be available as analytical tool. The findings are compiled and already published in three volumes of analytical monographs. One more volume will be published shortly, and a fifth volume is in preparation. The main issues of the analytical procedure in TCM drugs like authenticity, botanical nomenclature, variability of plant species and parts as well as processing are pointed out and possible ways to overcome them are sketched. © 2016 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Influence of intestinal stoma on spiritual quality of life of U.S. veterans.

PubMed

Baldwin, Carol M; Grant, Marcia; Wendel, Christopher; Rawl, Susan; Schmidt, C Max; Ko, Clifford; Krouse, Robert S

2008-09-01

To examine spiritual quality of life (QOL) of veterans with intestinal ostomies. Mixed-method cross-sectional. Male veterans with total scores in the upper (n = 59) and lower (n = 61) quartiles of the City of Hope Quality-of-Life-Ostomy survey provided spiritual QOL data. Analyses included chi-square and analysis of variance with significance set at p < .05. Content analysis was used to explicate narratives and focus groups. The high spiritual QOL group was more likely to be married, older, and report more years since surgery (each p < .0001). Upper quartile participants had more favorable scores for several spiritual QOL domains (all p < .0001). Qualitative comments reflected high or low total QOL scores. Spiritual QOL is influenced by an intestinal stoma. Qualitative comments lend insight into the meaning of spirituality items. Findings can assist in the provision of holistic care in this population.

Curriculum enactment patterns and associated factors from teachers' perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Ji-Won; Kim, Ok-Kyeong

2016-12-01

As part of a larger effort to improve teacher capacity for high-quality mathematics instruction, we investigated the factors that are associated with different enactment patterns at three levels: contextual (e.g., type and quality of textbook), individual (e.g., teacher knowledge), and teachers' opportunity-to-learn (e.g., professional development experiences). Analysis of 183 teachers' self-reports on their practices revealed three notable findings. First, the factors at the three levels were all found to be significantly related to the different patterns of enacted curriculum. However, the use of quality textbooks and the alignment of teachers' views and instructional goals with curriculum goals were found to be the two factors that are most strongly associated with the enactment pattern of high-level problems and high-level teacher questions in instruction. Furthermore, teachers with the enactment pattern of increasing lower cognitive demand of problems into higher ones tended to rate their curriculum knowledge higher than teachers with the enactment pattern of using low-level problems and teacher questions in their teaching. In particular, deviation from and dissatisfaction with their assigned low-quality textbooks were found to be critical factors that are associated with the enactment pattern of increasing lower cognitive demands of problems in instruction.

Preclinical and clinical properties of trimegestone: a potent and selective progestin.

PubMed

Sitruk-Ware, Regine; Bossemeyer, Ronald; Bouchard, Phillipe

2007-06-01

Trimegestone (TMG) is a novel, 19-norpregnane progestin with potent and selective properties. In preclinical studies, TMG has been shown to provide high endometrial selectivity. Further, TMG has high affinity and selectivity for the progesterone receptor and lacks the agonist effects of other steroid hormones. In clinical studies, TMG has been shown to have high endometrial safety and an improved bleeding profile along with improved tolerability compared with other progestins. In addition, TMG also does not impede the beneficial effects of estrogen, especially on bone, and does not compromise quality of life. The preclinical findings of lack of mineralocorticoid activity of TMG were supported in clinical findings, with neutral effect on body weight. Similarly, the smaller effect of TMG on the GABA-ergic (gamma-aminobutyric acid) system in preclinical studies is consistent with the improvement of central nervous system-related effects on depressed mood and sleep quality in clinical studies. Low-dose estradiol/TMG regimens provide rapid relief from menopausal symptoms, reducing the number and severity of hot flushes as effectively as 2 mg 17beta-estradiol/1 mg norethisterone acetate. Therefore, it may be concluded that TMG provides a clinically proven option in hormone therapy for both clinicians and patients.

Parent-child relationships of boys in different offending trajectories. A developmental perspective

PubMed Central

Keijsers, Loes; Loeber, Rolf; Branje, Susan; Meeus, Wim

2012-01-01

Background This study tested the theoretical assumption that transformations of parent-child relationships in late childhood and adolescence would differ for boys following different offending trajectories. Methods Using longitudinal multiinformant data of 503 boys (ages 7–19), we conducted Growth Mixture Modeling to extract offending trajectories. Developmental changes in child reports of parent-child joint activities and relationship quality were examined using Latent Growth Curves. Results Five offending trajectories were found: non-offenders, moderate childhood offenders, adolescent-limited offenders, serious childhood offenders, and serious persistent offenders. Non-offenders reported high and stable levels of relationship quality between age 10 and 16. Adolescent-limited offenders reported a similarly high relationship quality as non-offenders at ages 7 and 10, but a lower and decreasing relationship quality in adolescence. Compared with non-offenders, serious persistent offenders reported poorer parent-child relationship quality at all ages, and a decreasing relationship quality in adolescence. Serious persistent offenders and adolescent-limited offenders reported similar levels and changes in parent-child relationship quality in adolescence. Although serious persistent offenders reported fewer joint activities at age 10 and 13 than non-offenders, a similar linear decrease in joint activities in early to middle adolescence was found for boys in each trajectory. Conclusion Developmental changes in parent-child relationship quality differ for different types of offenders. This finding has scientific and practical implications. PMID:22816682

Long-term health implications of school quality.

PubMed

Dudovitz, Rebecca N; Nelson, Bergen B; Coker, Tumaini R; Biely, Christopher; Li, Ning; Wu, Lynne C; Chung, Paul J

2016-06-01

Individual academic achievement is a well-known predictor of adult health, and addressing education inequities may be critical to reducing health disparities. Disparities in school quality are well documented. However, we lack nationally representative studies evaluating the impact of school quality on adult health. We aim to determine whether high school quality predicts adult health outcomes after controlling for baseline health, socio-demographics and individual academic achievement. We analyzed data from 7037 adolescents who attended one of 77 high schools in the Unites States and were followed into adulthood from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Selected school-level quality measures-average daily attendance, school promotion rate, parental involvement, and teacher experience-were validated based on ability to predict high school graduation and college attendance. Individual adult health outcomes included self-rated health, diagnosis of depression, and having a measured BMI in the obese range. Logistic regressions controlling for socio-demographics, baseline health, health insurance, and individual academic performance demonstrated that school quality significantly predicted all health outcomes. As hypothesized, attending a school with lower average daily attendance predicted lower self-rated health (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 1.59, p = 0.003) and higher odds of depression diagnosis (AOR 1.35, p = 0.03); and attending a school with higher parent involvement predicted lower odds of obesity (AOR 0.69, p = 0.001). However, attending a school with higher promotion rate also predicted lower self-rated health (AOR1.20, p < 0.001). High school quality may be an important, but complex, social determinant of health. These findings highlight the potential inter-dependence of education and health policy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Services during Scale-Up: A Comparative Process Evaluation in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Jennings, Larissa; Bertrand, Jane; Rech, Dino; Harvey, Steven A.; Hatzold, Karin; Samkange, Christopher A.; Omondi Aduda, Dickens S.; Fimbo, Bennett; Cherutich, Peter; Perry, Linnea; Castor, Delivette; Njeuhmeli, Emmanuel

2014-01-01

Background The rapid expansion of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) has raised concerns whether health systems can deliver and sustain VMMC according to minimum quality criteria. Methods and Findings A comparative process evaluation was used to examine data from SYMMACS, the Systematic Monitoring of the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Scale-Up, among health facilities providing VMMC across two years of program scale-up. Site-level assessments examined the availability of guidelines, supplies and equipment, infection control, and continuity of care services. Direct observation of VMMC surgeries were used to assess care quality. Two sample tests of proportions and t-tests were used to examine differences in the percent of facilities meeting requisite preparedness standards and the mean number of directly-observed surgical tasks performed correctly. Results showed that safe, high quality VMMC can be implemented and sustained at-scale, although substantial variability was observed over time. In some settings, facility preparedness and VMMC service quality improved as the number of VMMC facilities increased. Yet, lapses in high performance and expansion of considerably deficient services were also observed. Surgical tasks had the highest quality scores, with lower performance levels in infection control, pre-operative examinations, and post-operative patient monitoring and counseling. The range of scale-up models used across countries additionally underscored the complexity of delivering high quality VMMC. Conclusions Greater efforts are needed to integrate VMMC scale-up and quality improvement processes in sub-Saharan African settings. Monitoring of service quality, not just adverse events reporting, will be essential in realizing the full health impact of VMMC for HIV prevention. PMID:24801073

Variability in the chemistry of private drinking water supplies and the impact of domestic treatment systems on water quality.

PubMed

Ander, E L; Watts, M J; Smedley, P L; Hamilton, E M; Close, R; Crabbe, H; Fletcher, T; Rimell, A; Studden, M; Leonardi, G

2016-12-01

Tap water from 497 properties using private water supplies, in an area of metalliferous and arsenic mineralisation (Cornwall, UK), was measured to assess the extent of compliance with chemical drinking water quality standards, and how this is influenced by householder water treatment decisions. The proportion of analyses exceeding water quality standards were high, with 65 % of tap water samples exceeding one or more chemical standards. The highest exceedances for health-based standards were nitrate (11 %) and arsenic (5 %). Arsenic had a maximum observed concentration of 440 µg/L. Exceedances were also high for pH (47 %), manganese (12 %) and aluminium (7 %), for which standards are set primarily on aesthetic grounds. However, the highest observed concentrations of manganese and aluminium also exceeded relevant health-based guidelines. Significant reductions in concentrations of aluminium, cadmium, copper, lead and/or nickel were found in tap waters where households were successfully treating low-pH groundwaters, and similar adventitious results were found for arsenic and nickel where treatment was installed for iron and/or manganese removal, and successful treatment specifically to decrease tap water arsenic concentrations was observed at two properties where it was installed. However, 31 % of samples where pH treatment was reported had pH < 6.5 (the minimum value in the drinking water regulations), suggesting widespread problems with system maintenance. Other examples of ineffectual treatment are seen in failed responses post-treatment, including for nitrate. This demonstrates that even where the tap waters are considered to be treated, they may still fail one or more drinking water quality standards. We find that the degree of drinking water standard exceedances warrant further work to understand environmental controls and the location of high concentrations. We also found that residents were more willing to accept drinking water with high metal (iron and manganese) concentrations than international guidelines assume. These findings point to the need for regulators to reinforce the guidance on drinking water quality standards to private water supply users, and the benefits to long-term health of complying with these, even in areas where treated mains water is widely available.

Parents' perception of the quality of life of preschool children at risk or having developmental disabilities.

PubMed

Lau, Ka-Ming; Chow, Susanna M K; Lo, Sing Kai

2006-09-01

Despite increased concern for the health related quality of life (HRQOL) of people with disabilities, little is known about the HRQOL of children with developmental disabilities. The present study aimed to explore the HRQOL of children who were at risk or having developmental disabilities in Hong Kong. Using the parent-reported Chinese Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), the HRQOL of 173 children (2-4 years) with signs of delays in development was contrasted with that of 132 children with typical development. We found that those who exhibited high risk of developing a developmental disability had significantly lower overall well-being (76.3 +/- 13.7 vs. 84.2 +/- 11.3; p<0.001) and psychosocial health (71.3 +/- 15.6 vs. 82.5 +/- 12.9; p<0.001) but not necessarily physical health. The findings are consistent with previous findings in children with different disabilities and chronic illnesses. They suggest children at risk or having DDs need help in restoring their quality of life up to the standard experienced by their healthy peers, particular in psychosocial aspects such as social functioning, emotion functioning, and school functioning.

Investigation into the influence of laser energy input on selective laser melted thin-walled parts by response surface method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; Zhang, Jian; Pang, Zhicong; Wu, Weihui

2018-04-01

Selective laser melting (SLM) provides a feasible way for manufacturing of complex thin-walled parts directly, however, the energy input during SLM process, namely derived from the laser power, scanning speed, layer thickness and scanning space, etc. has great influence on the thin wall's qualities. The aim of this work is to relate the thin wall's parameters (responses), namely track width, surface roughness and hardness to the process parameters considered in this research (laser power, scanning speed and layer thickness) and to find out the optimal manufacturing conditions. Design of experiment (DoE) was used by implementing composite central design to achieve better manufacturing qualities. Mathematical models derived from the statistical analysis were used to establish the relationships between the process parameters and the responses. Also, the effects of process parameters on each response were determined. Then, a numerical optimization was performed to find out the optimal process set at which the quality features are at their desired values. Based on this study, the relationship between process parameters and SLMed thin-walled structure was revealed and thus, the corresponding optimal process parameters can be used to manufactured thin-walled parts with high quality.

Relationship Between Diet and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Quirk, Shae E.; Housden, Siobhan; Brennan, Sharon L.; Williams, Lana J.; Pasco, Julie A.; Berk, Michael; Jacka, Felice N.

2014-01-01

We systematically reviewed 12 epidemiological studies to determine whether an association exists between diet quality and patterns and mental health in children and adolescents; 9 explored the relationship using diet as the exposure, and 3 used mental health as the exposure. We found evidence of a significant, cross-sectional relationship between unhealthy dietary patterns and poorer mental health in children and adolescents. We observed a consistent trend for the relationship between good-quality diet and better mental health and some evidence for the reverse. When including only the 7 studies deemed to be of high methodological quality, all but 1 of these trends remained. Findings highlight the potential importance of the relationship between dietary patterns or quality and mental health early in the life span. PMID:25208008

Does Medical Malpractice Law Improve Health Care Quality?

PubMed Central

Frakes, Michael; Jena, Anupam B.

2016-01-01

We assess the potential for medical liability forces to deter medical errors and improve health care treatment quality, identifying liability’s influence by drawing on variations in the manner by which states formulate the negligence standard facing physicians. Using hospital discharge records from the National Hospital Discharge Survey and clinically-validated quality metrics inspired by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, we find evidence suggesting that treatment quality may improve upon reforms that expect physicians to adhere to higher quality clinical standards. We do not find evidence, however, suggesting that treatment quality may deteriorate following reforms to liability standards that arguably condone the delivery of lower quality care. Similarly, we do not find evidence of deterioration in health care quality following remedy-focused liability reforms such as caps on non-economic damages awards. PMID:28479642

Seasonal Dynamics of River Corridor Exchange Across the Continental United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez-Velez, J. D.; Harvey, J. W.; Scott, D.; Boyer, E. W.; Schmadel, N. M.

2017-12-01

River corridors store and convey mass and energy from landscapes to the ocean, altering water quality and ecosystem functioning at the local, reach, and watershed scales. As water moves through river corridors from headwaters streams to coastal estuaries, dynamic exchange between the river channel and its adjacent riparian, floodplain, and hyporheic zones, combined with ponded waters such as lakes and reservoirs, results in the emergence of hot spots and moments for biogeochemical transformations. In this work, we used the model Networks with EXchange and Subsurface Storage (NEXSS) to estimate seasonal variations in river corridor exchange fluxes and residence times along the continental United States. Using a simple routing scheme, we translate these estimates into a cumulative measure of river corridor connectivity at the watershed scale, differentiating the contributions of hyporheic zones, floodplains, and ponded waters. We find that the relative role of these exchange subsystems changes seasonally, driven by the intra-seasonal variability of discharge. In addition, we find that seasonal variations in discharge and the biogeochemical potential of hyporheic zones are out of phase. This behavior results in a significant reduction in hyporheic water quality functions during high flows and emphasizes the potential importance of reconnecting floodplains for managing water quality during seasonal high flows. Physical parameterizations of river corridor processes are critical to model and predict water quality and to sustainably manage water resources under present and future socio-economic and climatic conditions. Parsimonious models like NEXSS can play a key role in the design, implementation, and evaluation of sustainable management practices that target both water quantity and quality at the scale of the nation. This research is a product of the John Wesley Powell Center River Corridor Working Group.

Downscaling a Global Climate Model to Simulate Climate Change Impacts on U.S. Regional and Urban Air Quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trail, M.; Tsimpidi, A. P.; Liu, P.; Tsigaridis, K.; Hu, Y.; Nenes, A.; Russell, A. G.

2013-01-01

Climate change can exacerbate future regional air pollution events by making conditions more favorable to form high levels of ozone. In this study, we use spectral nudging with WRF to downscale NASA earth system GISS modelE2 results during the years 2006 to 2010 and 2048 to 2052 over the continental United States in order to compare the resulting meteorological fields from the air quality perspective during the four seasons of five-year historic and future climatological periods. GISS results are used as initial and boundary conditions by the WRF RCM to produce hourly meteorological fields. The downscaling technique and choice of physics parameterizations used are evaluated by comparing them with in situ observations. This study investigates changes of similar regional climate conditions down to a 12km by 12km resolution, as well as the effect of evolving climate conditions on the air quality at major U.S. cities. The high resolution simulations produce somewhat different results than the coarse resolution simulations in some regions. Also, through the analysis of the meteorological variables that most strongly influence air quality, we find consistent changes in regional climate that would enhance ozone levels in four regions of the U.S. during fall (Western U.S., Texas, Northeastern, and Southeastern U.S), one region during summer (Texas), and one region where changes potentially would lead to better air quality during spring (Northeast). We also find that daily peak temperatures tend to increase in most major cities in the U.S. which would increase the risk of health problems associated with heat stress. Future work will address a more comprehensive assessment of emissions and chemistry involved in the formation and removal of air pollutants.

High annealing temperature induced rapid grain coarsening for efficient perovskite solar cells.

PubMed

Cao, Xiaobing; Zhi, Lili; Jia, Yi; Li, Yahui; Cui, Xian; Zhao, Ke; Ci, Lijie; Ding, Kongxian; Wei, Jinquan

2018-08-15

Thermal annealing plays multiple roles in fabricating high quality perovskite films. Generally, it might result in large perovskite grains by elevating annealing temperature, but might also lead to decomposition of perovskite. Here, we study the effects of annealing temperature on the coarsening of perovskite grains in a temperature range from 100 to 250 °C, and find that the coarsening rate of the perovskite grain increase significantly with the annealing temperature. Compared with the perovskite films annealed at 100 °C, high quality perovskite films with large columnar grains are obtained by annealing perovskite precursor films at 250 °C for only 10 s. As a result, the power conversion efficiency of best solar cell increased from 12.35% to 16.35% due to its low recombination rate and high efficient charge transportation in solar cells. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The impact of interventions to prevent obesity or improve obesity related behaviours in children (0-5 years) from socioeconomically disadvantaged and/or indigenous families: a systematic review.

PubMed

Laws, Rachel; Campbell, Karen J; van der Pligt, Paige; Russell, Georgina; Ball, Kylie; Lynch, John; Crawford, David; Taylor, Rachael; Askew, Deborah; Denney-Wilson, Elizabeth

2014-08-01

Children from disadvantaged families including those from low socioeconomic backgrounds and Indigenous families have higher rates of obesity, making early intervention a priority. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature to examine the effectiveness of interventions to prevent obesity or improve obesity related behaviours in children 0-5 years from socioeconomically disadvantaged or Indigenous families. Searches of major electronic databases identified articles published from 1993-2013 targeting feeding practices, anthropometric, diet, activity or sedentary behaviour outcomes. This was supplemented with snowballing from existing reviews and primary studies. Data extraction was undertaken by one author and cross checked by another. Quality assessments included both internal and external validity. Thirty-two studies were identified, with only two (both low quality) in Indigenous groups. Fourteen studies had a primary aim to prevent obesity. Mean differences between intervention and control groups ranged from -0.29 kg/m(2) to -0.54 kg/m(2) for body mass index (BMI) and -2.9 to -25.6% for the prevalence of overweight/obesity. Interventions initiated in infancy (under two years) had a positive impact on obesity related behaviours (e.g. diet quality) but few measured the longer-term impact on healthy weight gain. Findings amongst pre-schoolers (3-5 years) were mixed, with the more successful interventions requiring high levels of parental engagement, use of behaviour change techniques, a focus on skill building and links to community resources. Less than 10% of studies were high quality. Future studies should focus on improving study quality, including follow-up of longer-term anthropometric outcomes, assessments of cost effectiveness, acceptability in target populations and potential for implementation in routine service delivery. There is an urgent need for further research on effective obesity prevention interventions for Indigenous children. The findings from the growing body of intervention research focusing on obesity prevention amongst young children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families suggest intervention effects are modest but promising. Further high quality studies with longer term follow up are required. PROSPERO Registration no: CRD42013006536.

Finding Silver Linings: A Preliminary Examination of Benefit Finding in Youth With Chronic Pain.

PubMed

Soltani, Sabine; Neville, Alex; Hurtubise, Karen; Hildenbrand, Aimee; Noel, Melanie

2018-04-01

Chronic pain is a pervasive condition in adolescence and is associated with significant psychological distress, functional disability, social isolation, and decreased quality of life for a subset of affected youth. There is a paucity of research examining potential resilience factors and adaptive processes in pediatric chronic pain. Benefit finding refers to the process of perceiving positive consequences in the face of adversity. Previous research on benefit finding in pediatric samples (e.g., oncology; acute injury) has yielded inconsistent results. This is the first study to examine this construct in youth with chronic pain. The objective of the current investigation was to extend previous research on benefit finding to adolescents with chronic pain and to assess relationships between benefit finding, internalizing mental health symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]), pain outcomes (pain intensity and interference), and quality of life. Psychometrically sound self-report measures of benefit finding, anxiety, depressive, and PTSD symptoms, pain intensity, pain interference, and quality of life were completed by 145 youth (67.4% female, Mage = 13.3 years, SD = 2.6), referred to a tertiary-level chronic pain program. Benefit finding was significantly correlated with internalizing mental health symptoms, pain outcomes, and quality of life. Further, benefit finding significantly predicted children's self-reported pain intensity, pain interference, and quality of life when controlling for age and sex. Findings suggest that benefit finding is associated with internalizing mental health symptoms, pain outcomes, and quality of life in youth with chronic pain. Future research examining this construct is warranted.

Can high quality overcome consumer resistance to restricted provider access? Evidence from a health plan choice experiment.

PubMed

Harris, Katherine M

2002-06-01

To investigate the impact of quality information on the willingness of consumers to enroll in health plans that restrict provider access. A survey administered to respondents between the ages of 25 and 64 in the West Los Angeles area with private health insurance. An experimental approach is used to measure the effect of variation in provider network features and information about the quality of network physicians on hypothetical plan choices. Conditional logit models are used to analyze the experimental choice data. Next, choice model parameter estimates are used to simulate the impact of changes in plan features on the market shares of competing health plans and to calculate the quality level required to make consumers indifferent to changes in provider access. The presence of quality information reduced the importance of provider network features in plan choices as hypothesized. However, there were not statistically meaningful differences by type of quality measure (i.e., consumer assessed versus expert assessed). The results imply that large quality differences are required to make consumers indifferent to changes in provider access. The impact of quality on plan choices depended more on the particular measure and less on the type of measure. Quality ratings based on the proportion of survey respondents "extremely satisfied with results of care" had the greatest impact on plan choice while the proportion of network doctors "affiliated with university medical centers" had the least. Other consumer and expert assessed measures had more comparable effects. Overall the results provide empirical evidence that consumers are willing to trade high quality for restrictions on provider access. This willingness to trade implies that relatively small plans that place restrictions on provider access can successfully compete against less restrictive plans when they can demonstrate high quality. However, the results of this study suggest that in many cases, the level of quality required for consumers to accept access restrictions may be so high as to be unattainable. The results provide empirical support for the current focus of decision support efforts on consumer assessed quality measures. At the same time, however, the results suggest that consumers would also value quality measures based on expert assessments. This finding is relevant given the lack of comparative quality information based on expert judgment and research suggesting that consumers have apprehensions about their ability to meaningfully interpret performance-based quality measures.

The effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance: A systematic review.

PubMed

Shekari Soleimanloo, Shamsi; White, Melanie J; Garcia-Hansen, Veronica; Smith, Simon S

2017-01-01

Young drivers (18-24 years) are over-represented in sleep-related crashes (comprising one in five fatal crashes in developed countries) primarily due to decreased sleep opportunity, lower tolerance for sleep loss, and ongoing maturation of brain areas associated with driving-related decision making. Impaired driving performance is the proximal reason for most car crashes. There is still a limited body of evidence examining the effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance, with discrepancies in the methodologies used, and in the definition of outcomes. This study aimed to identify the direction and magnitude of the effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance, and to appraise the quality of current evidence via a systematic review. Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses (PRISMA) approach, 16 eligible studies were selected for review, and their findings summarised. Next, critical elements of these studies were identified, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines augmented to rate those elements. Using those criteria, the quality of individual papers was calculated and the overall body of evidence for each driving outcome were assigned a quality ranking (from 'very low' to 'high-quality'). Two metrics, the standard deviation of lateral position and number of line crossings, were commonly reported outcomes (although in an overall 'low-quality' body of evidence), with significant impairments after sleep loss identified in 50% of studies. While speed-related outcomes and crash events (also with very low- quality evidence) both increased under chronic sleep loss, discrepant findings were reported under conditions of acute total sleep deprivation. It is crucial to obtain more reliable data about the effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance by using higher quality experimental designs, adopting common protocols, and the use of consistent metrics and reporting of findings based on GRADE criteria and the PRISMA statement. Key words: Young drivers, sleep loss, driving performance, PRISMA, the GRADE, systematic review.

Influence of fundamental mode fill factor on disk laser output power and laser beam quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Zhiyong; Yang, Zhuo; Shao, Xichun; Li, Wei; Zhu, Mengzhen

2017-11-01

An three-dimensional numerical model based on finite element method and Fox-Li method with angular spectrum diffraction theoy is developed to calculate the output power and power density distribution of Yb:YAG disk laser. We invest the influence of fundamental mode fill factor(the ratio of fundamental mode size and pump spot size) on the output power and laser beam quality. Due to aspherical aberration and soft aperture effect in laser disk, high beam quality can be achieve with relative lower efficiency. The highest output power of fundamental laser mode is influenced by the fundamental mode fill factor. Besides we find that optimal mode fill factor increase with pump spot size.

[Quality criteria in medicine: which limits?].

PubMed

Minvielle, E

2006-06-01

This article aims to develop a critical appraisal of the criteria's development in medicine. The COMPAQH (Coordination for Measuring Performance and Assuring Quality in Hospitals) project (Ministry of Health/ High Authority of Health/ National Institute of Medical Research) helps to support this analysis. This project based on the test of 42 Quality indicators (QI) gives findings not only about the manner to build criteria, but also to interpret and diffuse results among physicians and hospital managers. Criteria must be elaborated in a pragmatic way. They must be in compliance with practice guidelines supported by scientific evidences. The associated risk is to create and develop a normative medicine. Collaboration with professional societies may be useful in preventing this risk.

Unprecedented quality factors at accelerating gradients up to 45 MVm -1 in niobium superconducting resonators via low temperature nitrogen infusion

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

Grassellino, A.; Romanenko, A.; Trenikhina, Y.

We report the finding of new surface treatments that permit to manipulate the niobium resonator nitrogen content in the first few nanometers in a controlled way, and the resonator fundamental Mattis-Bardeen surface resistance and residual resistance accordingly. In particular, we find surface infusion conditions that systematically a) increase the quality factor of these 1.3 GHz superconducting radio frequency (SRF) bulk niobium resonators, up to very high gradients; b) increase the achievable accelerating gradient of the cavity compared to its own baseline with state-of-the-art surface processing. Cavities subject to the new surface process have larger than two times the state ofmore » the art Q at 2K for accelerating fields > 35 MV/m. Moreover, very high accelerating gradients ~ 45 MV/m are repeatedly reached, which correspond to peak magnetic surface fields of 190 mT, among the highest measured for bulk niobium cavities. These findings open the opportunity to tailor the surface impurity content distribution to maximize performance in Q and gradients, and have therefore very important implications on future performance and cost of SRF based accelerators. They also help deepen the understanding of the physics of the RF niobium cavity surface.« less

Unprecedented quality factors at accelerating gradients up to 45 MVm-1 in niobium superconducting resonators via low temperature nitrogen infusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grassellino, A.; Romanenko, A.; Trenikhina, Y.; Checchin, M.; Martinello, M.; Melnychuk, O. S.; Chandrasekaran, S.; Sergatskov, D. A.; Posen, S.; Crawford, A. C.; Aderhold, S.; Bice, D.

2017-09-01

We report the finding of new surface treatments that permits one to manipulate the niobium resonator nitrogen content in the first few nanometers in a controlled way, and the resonator fundamental Mattis-Bardeen surface resistance and residual resistance accordingly. In particular, we find surface ‘infusion’ conditions that systematically (a) increase the quality factor of these 1.3 GHz superconducting radio frequency (SRF) bulk niobium resonators, up to very high gradients; (b) increase the achievable accelerating gradient of the cavity compared to its own baseline with state-of-the-art surface processing. Cavities subject to the new surface process have more than two times the state-of-the-art Q at 2 K for accelerating fields >35 MVm-1. Moreover, very high accelerating gradients ˜45 MVm-1 are repeatedly reached, which correspond to peak magnetic surface fields of 190 mT, among the highest measured for bulk niobium cavities. These findings open the opportunity to tailor the surface impurity content distribution to maximize performance in Q and gradients, and have therefore very important implications on future performance and cost of SRF based accelerators. They also help deepen the understanding of the physics of the RF niobium cavity surface.

Creation of virtual patients from CT images of cadavers to enhance integration of clinical and basic science student learning in anatomy.

PubMed

Jacobson, Stanley; Epstein, Scott K; Albright, Susan; Ochieng, Joseph; Griffiths, Jeffrey; Coppersmith, Veronica; Polak, Joseph F

2009-08-01

The goal of this study was to determine whether computerized tomographic (CT) images of cadavers could be used in addition to images from patients to develop virtual patients (VPs) to enhance integrated learning of basic and clinical science. We imaged 13 cadavers on a Siemens CT system. The DICOM images from the CT were noted to be of high quality by a radiologist who systematically identified all abnormal and pathological findings. The pathological findings from the CT images and the cause of death were used to develop plausible clinical cases and study questions. Each case was designed to highlight and explain the abnormal anatomic findings encountered during the cadaveric dissection. A 3D reconstruction was produced using OsiriX and then formatted into a QuickTime movie which was then stored on the Tufts University Sciences Knowledgebase (TUSK) as a VP. We conclude that CT scanning of cadavers produces high-quality images that can be used to develop VPs. Although the use of the VPs was optional and fewer than half of the students had an imaged cadaver for dissection, 59 of the 172 (34%) students accessed and reviewed the cases and images positively and were very encouraging for us to continue.

GaN as an interfacial passivation layer: tuning band offset and removing fermi level pinning for III-V MOS devices.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhaofu; Cao, Ruyue; Wang, Changhong; Li, Hao-Bo; Dong, Hong; Wang, Wei-Hua; Lu, Feng; Cheng, Yahui; Xie, Xinjian; Liu, Hui; Cho, Kyeongjae; Wallace, Robert; Wang, Weichao

2015-03-11

The use of an interfacial passivation layer is one important strategy for achieving a high quality interface between high-k and III-V materials integrated into high-mobility metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices. Here, we propose gallium nitride (GaN) as the interfacial layer between III-V materials and hafnium oxide (HfO2). Utilizing first-principles calculations, we explore the structural and electronic properties of the GaN/HfO2 interface with respect to the interfacial oxygen contents. In the O-rich condition, an O8 interface (eight oxygen atoms at the interface, corresponding to 100% oxygen concentration) displays the most stability. By reducing the interfacial O concentration from 100 to 25%, we find that the interface formation energy increases; when sublayer oxygen vacancies exist, the interface becomes even less stable compared with O8. The band offset is also observed to be highly dependent on the interfacial oxygen concentration. Further analysis of the electronic structure shows that no interface states are present at the O8 interface. These findings indicate that the O8 interface serves as a promising candidate for high quality III-V MOS devices. Moreover, interfacial states are present when such interfacial oxygen is partially removed. The interface states, leading to Fermi level pinning, originate from unsaturated interfacial Ga atoms.

Application of CCME Water Quality Index to monitor water quality: a case study of the Mackenzie River Basin, Canada.

PubMed

Lumb, Ashok; Halliwell, Doug; Sharma, Tribeni

2006-02-01

All six ecosystem initiatives evolved from many years of federal, provincial, First Nation, local government and community attention to the stresses on sensitive habitats and species, air and water quality, and the consequent threats to community livability. This paper assesses water quality aspect for the ecosystem initiatives and employs newly developed Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) which provides a convenient mean of summarizing complex water quality data that can be easily understood by the public, water distributors, planners, managers and policy makers. The CCME WQI incorporates three elements: Scope - the number of water quality parameters (variables) not meeting water quality objectives (F(1)); Frequency - the number of times the objectives are not met (F(2)); and Amplitude. the extent to which the objectives are not met (F(3)). The index produces a number between 0 (worst) to 100 (best) to reflect the water quality. This study evaluates water quality of the Mackenzie - Great Bear sub-basin by employing two modes of objective functions (threshold values): one based on the CCME water quality guidelines and the other based on site-specific values that were determined by the statistical analysis of the historical data base. Results suggest that the water quality of the Mackenzie-Great Bear sub-basin is impacted by high turbidity and total (mostly particulate) trace metals due to high suspended sediment loads during the open water season. Comments are also provided on water quality and human health issues in the Mackenzie basin based on the findings and the usefulness of CCME water quality guidelines and site specific values.

Evolution of helping and harming in heterogeneous populations.

PubMed

Rodrigues, António M M; Gardner, Andy

2012-07-01

There has been much interest in understanding how demographic factors can mediate social evolution in viscous populations. Here, we examine the impact of heterogeneity in patch quality--that is, the availability of reproductive resources for each breeder--upon the evolution of helping and harming behaviors. We find that, owing to a cancellation of relatedness and kin competition effects, the evolution of obligate and facultative helping and harming is not influenced by the degree of viscosity in populations characterized by either spatial or temporal heterogeneity in patch quality. However, facultative helping and harming may be favored when there is both spatial and temporal heterogeneity in patch quality, with helping and harming being favored in both high-quality and low-quality patches. We highlight the prospect for using kin selection theory to explain within-population variation in social behavior, and point to the need for further theoretical and empirical investigation of this topic. © 2012 The Author(s).

Effect of quality chronic disease management for alcohol and drug dependence on addiction outcomes.

PubMed

Kim, Theresa W; Saitz, Richard; Cheng, Debbie M; Winter, Michael R; Witas, Julie; Samet, Jeffrey H

2012-12-01

We examined the effect of the quality of primary care-based chronic disease management (CDM) for alcohol and/or other drug (AOD) dependence on addiction outcomes. We assessed quality using (1) a visit frequency based measure and (2) a self-reported assessment measuring alignment with the chronic care model. The visit frequency based measure had no significant association with addiction outcomes. The self-reported measure of care-when care was at a CDM clinic-was associated with lower drug addiction severity. The self-reported assessment of care from any healthcare source (CDM clinic or elsewhere) was associated with lower alcohol addiction severity and abstinence. These findings suggest that high quality CDM for AOD dependence may improve addiction outcomes. Quality measures based upon alignment with the chronic care model may better capture features of effective CDM care than a visit frequency measure. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Highlighting 2004 award-winning initiatives.

PubMed

2005-02-01

This issue takes a closer look at how five award-winning healthcare organizations are finding--and continually refining--innovative ways to provide high-quality healthcare. One of those organizations is Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, which recently was named the fourth healthcare winner of the annual Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recently selected two facilities in the hospital category--Stamford Hospital and Staten Island University Hospital--as recipients of the eighth annual Codman Award for their work in using outcomes measurement to promote quality care. The Reading Hospital and Medical Center received a Cheers Award from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices for its toolkit promoting patient safety. Sentara Healthcare System, top winner of the American Hospital Association's Quest for Quality Award, has been cited for its efforts to align its quality and safety goals with its organizational goals.

The Effect of Publicized Quality Information on Home Health Agency Choice

PubMed Central

Jung, Jeah Kyoungrae; Wu, Bingxiao; Kim, Hyunjee; Polsky, Daniel

2016-01-01

We examine consumers’ use of publicized quality information in Medicare home health care markets, where consumer cost sharing and travel costs are absent. We report two findings. First, agencies with high quality scores are more likely to be preferred by consumers after the introduction of a public reporting program than before. Second, consumers’ use of publicized quality information differs by patient group. Community-based patients have slightly larger responses to public reporting than hospital-discharged patients. Patients with functional limitations at the start of their care, at least among hospital-discharged patients, have a larger response to the reported functional outcome measure than those without functional limitations. In all cases of significant marginal effects, magnitudes are small. We conclude that the current public reporting approach is unlikely to have critical impacts on home health agency choice. Identifying and releasing quality information that is meaningful to consumers may help increase consumers’ use of public reports. PMID:26719047

Availability and quality of cause-of-death data for estimating the global burden of injuries

PubMed Central

Harrison, James E; Shahraz, Saeid; Fingerhut, Lois A

2010-01-01

Abstract Objective To assess the availability and quality of global death registration data used for estimating injury mortality. Methods The completeness and coverage of recent national death registration data from the World Health Organization mortality database were assessed. The quality of data on a specific cause of injury death was judged high if fewer than 20% of deaths were attributed to any of several partially specified causes of injury, such as “unspecified unintentional injury”. Findings Recent death registration data were available for 83 countries, comprising 28% of the global population. They included most high-income countries, most countries in Latin America and several in central Asia and the Caribbean. Categories commonly used for partially specified external causes of injury resulting in death included “undetermined intent,” “unspecified mechanism of unintentional injury,” “unspecified road injury” and “unspecified mechanism of homicide”. Only 20 countries had high-quality data. Nevertheless, because the partially specified categories do contain some information about injury mechanisms, reliable estimates of deaths due to specific external causes of injury, such as road injury, suicide and homicide, could be derived for many more countries. Conclusion Only 20 countries had high-quality death registration data that could be used for estimating injury mortality because injury deaths were frequently classified using imprecise partially specified categories. Analytical methods that can derive national estimates of injury mortality from alternative data sources are needed for countries without reliable death registration systems. PMID:21076564

Are reports of randomized controlled trials improving over time? A systematic review of 284 articles published in high-impact general and specialized medical journals.

PubMed

To, Matthew J; Jones, Jennifer; Emara, Mohamed; Jadad, Alejandro R

2013-01-01

Inadequate reporting undermines findings of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This study assessed and compared articles published in high-impact general medical and specialized journals. Reports of RCTs published in high-impact general and specialized medical journals were identified through a search of MEDLINE from January to March of 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. Articles that provided original data on adult patients diagnosed with chronic conditions were included in the study. Data on trial characteristics, reporting of allocation concealment, quality score, and the presence of a trial flow diagram were extracted independently by two reviewers, and discrepancies were resolved by consensus or independent adjudication. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative variables. Comparisons between general medical and specialized journals, and trends over time were performed using Chi-square tests. Reports of 284 trials were analyzed. There was a significantly higher proportion of RCTs published with adequate reporting of allocation concealment (p = 0.003), presentation of a trial flow diagram (p<0.0001) and high quality scores (p = 0.038) over time. Trials published in general medical journals had higher quality scores than those in specialized journals (p = 0.001), reported adequate allocation concealment more often (p = 0.013), and presented a trial flow diagram more often (p<0.001). We found significant improvements in reporting quality of RCTs published in high-impact factor journals over the last fifteen years. These improvements are likely attributed to concerted international efforts to improve reporting quality such as CONSORT. There is still much room for improvement, especially among specialized journals.

High Order Schemes in BATS-R-US: Is it OK to Simplify Them?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tóth, G.; Chen, Y.; van der Holst, B.; Daldorff, L. K. S.

2014-09-01

We describe a number of high order schemes and their simplified variants that have been implemented into the University of Michigan global magnetohydrodynamics code BATS-R-US. We compare the various schemes with each other and the legacy 2nd order TVD scheme for various test problems and two space physics applications. We find that the simplified schemes are often quite competitive with the more complex and expensive full versions, despite the fact that the simplified versions are only high order accurate for linear systems of equations. We find that all the high order schemes require some fixes to ensure positivity in the space physics applications. On the other hand, they produce superior results as compared with the second order scheme and/or produce the same quality of solution at a much reduced computational cost.

Wavelength-tunable waveguides based on polycrystalline organic-inorganic perovskite microwires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ziyu; Liu, Jingying; Xu, Zai-Quan; Xue, Yunzhou; Jiang, Liangcong; Song, Jingchao; Huang, Fuzhi; Wang, Yusheng; Zhong, Yu Lin; Zhang, Yupeng; Cheng, Yi-Bing; Bao, Qiaoliang

2016-03-01

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have emerged as new photovoltaic materials with impressively high power conversion efficiency due to their high optical absorption coefficient and long charge carrier diffusion length. In addition to high photoluminescence quantum efficiency and chemical tunability, hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites also show intriguing potential for diverse photonic applications. In this work, we demonstrate that polycrystalline organic-inorganic perovskite microwires can function as active optical waveguides with small propagation loss. The successful production of high quality perovskite microwires with different halogen elements enables the guiding of light with different colours. Furthermore, it is interesting to find that out-coupled light intensity from the microwire can be effectively modulated by an external electric field, which behaves as an electro-optical modulator. This finding suggests the promising applications of perovskite microwires as effective building blocks in micro/nano scale photonic circuits.

Wavelength-tunable waveguides based on polycrystalline organic-inorganic perovskite microwires.

PubMed

Wang, Ziyu; Liu, Jingying; Xu, Zai-Quan; Xue, Yunzhou; Jiang, Liangcong; Song, Jingchao; Huang, Fuzhi; Wang, Yusheng; Zhong, Yu Lin; Zhang, Yupeng; Cheng, Yi-Bing; Bao, Qiaoliang

2016-03-28

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have emerged as new photovoltaic materials with impressively high power conversion efficiency due to their high optical absorption coefficient and long charge carrier diffusion length. In addition to high photoluminescence quantum efficiency and chemical tunability, hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites also show intriguing potential for diverse photonic applications. In this work, we demonstrate that polycrystalline organic-inorganic perovskite microwires can function as active optical waveguides with small propagation loss. The successful production of high quality perovskite microwires with different halogen elements enables the guiding of light with different colours. Furthermore, it is interesting to find that out-coupled light intensity from the microwire can be effectively modulated by an external electric field, which behaves as an electro-optical modulator. This finding suggests the promising applications of perovskite microwires as effective building blocks in micro/nano scale photonic circuits.

Determinants of staff job satisfaction of caregivers in two nursing homes in Pennsylvania

PubMed Central

Castle, Nicholas G; Degenholtz, Howard; Rosen, Jules

2006-01-01

Background Job satisfaction is important for nursing home staff and nursing home management, as it is associated with absenteeism, turnover, and quality of care. However, we know little about factors associated with job satisfaction and dissatisfaction for nursing home workers. Methods In this investigation, we use data from 251 caregivers (i.e., Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Nurse Aides) to examine: job satisfaction scores of these caregivers and what characteristics of these caregivers are associated with job satisfaction. The data were collected from two nursing homes over a two and a half year period with five waves of data collection at six-month intervals. The Job Description Index was used to collect job satisfaction data. Results We find that, overall nursing home caregivers are satisfied with the work and coworkers, but are less satisfied with promotional opportunities, superiors, and compensation. From exploratory factor analysis three domains represented the data, pay, management, and work. Nurse aides appear particularly sensitive to the work domain. Of significance, we also find that caregivers who perceived the quality of care to be high have higher job satisfaction on all three domains than those who do not. Conclusion These results may be important in guiding caregiver retention initiatives in nursing homes. The finding for quality may be especially important, and indicates that nursing homes that improve their quality may have a positive impact on job satisfaction of staff, and thereby reduce their turnover rates. PMID:16723022

Metagenomic sequencing reveals the relationship between microbiota composition and quality of Chinese Rice Wine

PubMed Central

Hong, Xutao; Chen, Jing; Liu, Lin; Wu, Huan; Tan, Haiqin; Xie, Guangfa; Xu, Qian; Zou, Huijun; Yu, Wenjing; Wang, Lan; Qin, Nan

2016-01-01

Chinese Rice Wine (CRW) is a common alcoholic beverage in China. To investigate the influence of microbial composition on the quality of CRW, high throughput sequencing was performed for 110 wine samples on bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer II (ITS2). Bioinformatic analyses demonstrated that the quality of yeast starter and final wine correlated with microbial taxonomic composition, which was exemplified by our finding that wine spoilage resulted from a high proportion of genus Lactobacillus. Subsequently, based on Lactobacillus abundance of an early stage, a model was constructed to predict final wine quality. In addition, three batches of 20 representative wine samples selected from a pool of 110 samples were further analyzed in metagenomics. The results revealed that wine spoilage was due to rapid growth of Lactobacillus brevis at the early stage of fermentation. Gene functional analysis indicated the importance of some pathways such as synthesis of biotin, malolactic fermentation and production of short-chain fatty acid. These results led to a conclusion that metabolisms of microbes influence the wine quality. Thus, nurturing of beneficial microbes and inhibition of undesired ones are both important for the mechanized brewery. PMID:27241862

Metagenomic sequencing reveals the relationship between microbiota composition and quality of Chinese Rice Wine.

PubMed

Hong, Xutao; Chen, Jing; Liu, Lin; Wu, Huan; Tan, Haiqin; Xie, Guangfa; Xu, Qian; Zou, Huijun; Yu, Wenjing; Wang, Lan; Qin, Nan

2016-05-31

Chinese Rice Wine (CRW) is a common alcoholic beverage in China. To investigate the influence of microbial composition on the quality of CRW, high throughput sequencing was performed for 110 wine samples on bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer II (ITS2). Bioinformatic analyses demonstrated that the quality of yeast starter and final wine correlated with microbial taxonomic composition, which was exemplified by our finding that wine spoilage resulted from a high proportion of genus Lactobacillus. Subsequently, based on Lactobacillus abundance of an early stage, a model was constructed to predict final wine quality. In addition, three batches of 20 representative wine samples selected from a pool of 110 samples were further analyzed in metagenomics. The results revealed that wine spoilage was due to rapid growth of Lactobacillus brevis at the early stage of fermentation. Gene functional analysis indicated the importance of some pathways such as synthesis of biotin, malolactic fermentation and production of short-chain fatty acid. These results led to a conclusion that metabolisms of microbes influence the wine quality. Thus, nurturing of beneficial microbes and inhibition of undesired ones are both important for the mechanized brewery.

Socioeconomic and race/ethnic disparities in observed park quality.

PubMed

Engelberg, Jessa K; Conway, Terry L; Geremia, Carrie; Cain, Kelli L; Saelens, Brian E; Glanz, Karen; Frank, Lawrence D; Sallis, James F

2016-05-12

Though park presence and access disparities are well studied for their associations with physical activity (PA), disparities in the availability and quality of amenities and facilities within parks have been infrequently examined. Five hundred forty-three parks from 472 block groups in the Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD regions were audited using the Environmental Assessment of Public Recreation Spaces (EAPRS) to assess presence and quality (e.g., condition, cleanliness) of amenities (e.g., restrooms, seating) and facilities (e.g., fields, courts). General linear model regressions investigated Census 2000-derived neighborhood race/ethnicity and income main effect and interactive relationships with 7 park quality summary scores: 1) trails, 2) open space, 3) sports facilities, 4) PA facilities count, 5) PA facilities quality, 6) aesthetics, and 7) overall amenities, controlling for park size. The regions were analyzed separately due to differing race/ethnicity distributions. In the Seattle region, neighborhood income was significantly negatively associated with sports quality score (p < .043), PA facilities total count (p < .015) and the overall amenities quality score (p < .004) (unexpected direction). In the Baltimore region, neighborhood race/ethnicity (percent White/non-Hispanic) was significantly positively related to the open spaces quality score (p < .011) (expected direction). A significant income-by-race/ethnicity interaction was found for PA facilities quality (p = .014), with high-percent minority neighborhoods having higher quality parks in high- vs. low-income neighborhoods, yet was opposite in mostly White/non-Hispanic neighborhoods. The other income-by-race/ethnicity interaction was for overall amenities quality score (p = .043), where scores in high-percent minority neighborhoods were best in high- vs. low-income neighborhoods. There was little difference in scores within mostly White or mixed neighborhoods by income. Patterns of association of neighborhood race/ethnicity and income with park qualities differed between regions. In the Seattle region, "equitable differences" were found, where lower income neighborhoods had better park quality on average. In the Baltimore region, park quality was more consistently negatively associated with income and race/ethnic diversity, and complex interactions of race/ethnicity by income were detected. These findings emphasize the need to explore other factors that may explain variations in park quality, like local policy, citizen involvement in park decision-making, park funding and allocation, sources of funding and park priorities.

Lessons Learned From Methodological Validation Research in E-Epidemiology

PubMed Central

Assmann, Karen; Andreeva, Valentina; Castetbon, Katia; Méjean, Caroline; Touvier, Mathilde; Salanave, Benoît; Deschamps, Valérie; Péneau, Sandrine; Fezeu, Léopold; Julia, Chantal; Allès, Benjamin; Galan, Pilar; Hercberg, Serge

2016-01-01

Background Traditional epidemiological research methods exhibit limitations leading to high logistics, human, and financial burden. The continued development of innovative digital tools has the potential to overcome many of the existing methodological issues. Nonetheless, Web-based studies remain relatively uncommon, partly due to persistent concerns about validity and generalizability. Objective The objective of this viewpoint is to summarize findings from methodological studies carried out in the NutriNet-Santé study, a French Web-based cohort study. Methods On the basis of the previous findings from the NutriNet-Santé e-cohort (>150,000 participants are currently included), we synthesized e-epidemiological knowledge on sample representativeness, advantageous recruitment strategies, and data quality. Results Overall, the reported findings support the usefulness of Web-based studies in overcoming common methodological deficiencies in epidemiological research, in particular with regard to data quality (eg, the concordance for body mass index [BMI] classification was 93%), reduced social desirability bias, and access to a wide range of participant profiles, including the hard-to-reach subgroups such as young (12.30% [15,118/122,912], <25 years) and old people (6.60% [8112/122,912], ≥65 years), unemployed or homemaker (12.60% [15,487/122,912]), and low educated (38.50% [47,312/122,912]) people. However, some selection bias remained (78.00% (95,871/122,912) of the participants were women, and 61.50% (75,590/122,912) had postsecondary education), which is an inherent aspect of cohort study inclusion; other specific types of bias may also have occurred. Conclusions Given the rapidly growing access to the Internet across social strata, the recruitment of participants with diverse socioeconomic profiles and health risk exposures was highly feasible. Continued efforts concerning the identification of specific biases in e-cohorts and the collection of comprehensive and valid data are still needed. This summary of methodological findings from the NutriNet-Santé cohort may help researchers in the development of the next generation of high-quality Web-based epidemiological studies. PMID:27756715

Relational victimization, friendship, and adolescents' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responses to an in vivo social stressor.

PubMed

Calhoun, Casey D; Helms, Sarah W; Heilbron, Nicole; Rudolph, Karen D; Hastings, Paul D; Prinstein, Mitchell J

2014-08-01

Adolescents' peer experiences may have significant associations with biological stress-response systems, adding to or reducing allostatic load. This study examined relational victimization as a unique contributor to reactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses as well as friendship quality and behavior as factors that may promote HPA recovery following a stressor. A total of 62 adolescents (ages 12-16; 73% female) presenting with a wide range of life stressors and adjustment difficulties completed survey measures of peer victimization and friendship quality. Cortisol samples were collected before and after a lab-based interpersonally themed social stressor task to provide measures of HPA baseline, reactivity, and recovery. Following the stressor task, adolescents discussed their performance with a close friend; observational coding yielded measures of friends' responsiveness. Adolescents also reported positive and negative friendship qualities. Results suggested that higher levels of adolescents' relational victimization were associated with blunted cortisol reactivity, even after controlling for physical forms of victimization and other known predictors of HPA functioning (i.e., life stress or depressive symptoms). Friendship qualities (i.e., low negative qualities) and specific friendship behaviors (i.e., high levels of responsiveness) contributed to greater HPA regulation; however, consistent with theories of rumination, high friend responsiveness in the context of high levels of positive friendship quality contributed to less cortisol recovery. Findings extend prior work on the importance of relational victimization and dyadic peer relations as unique and salient correlates of adaptation in adolescence.

Relational victimization, friendship, and adolescents’ hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis responses to an in vivo social stressor

PubMed Central

CALHOUN, CASEY D.; HELMS, SARAH W.; HEILBRON, NICOLE; RUDOLPH, KAREN D.; HASTINGS, PAUL D.; PRINSTEIN, MITCHELL J.

2014-01-01

Adolescents’ peer experiences may have significant associations with biological stress-response systems, adding to or reducing allostatic load. This study examined relational victimization as a unique contributor to reactive hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis responses as well as friendship quality and behavior as factors that may promote HPA recovery following a stressor. A total of 62 adolescents (ages 12–16; 73% female) presenting with a wide range of life stressors and adjustment difficulties completed survey measures of peer victimization and friendship quality. Cortisol samples were collected before and after a lab-based interpersonally themed social stressor task to provide measures of HPA baseline, reactivity, and recovery. Following the stressor task, adolescents discussed their performance with a close friend; observational coding yielded measures of friends’ responsiveness. Adolescents also reported positive and negative friendship qualities. Results suggested that higher levels of adolescents’ relational victimization were associated with blunted cortisol reactivity, even after controlling for physical forms of victimization and other known predictors of HPA functioning (i.e., life stress or depressive symptoms). Friendship qualities (i.e., low negative qualities) and specific friendship behaviors (i.e., high levels of responsiveness) contributed to greater HPA regulation; however, consistent with theories of rumination, high friend responsiveness in the context of high levels of positive friendship quality contributed to less cortisol recovery. Findings extend prior work on the importance of relational victimization and dyadic peer relations as unique and salient correlates of adaptation in adolescence. PMID:25047287

Growth performance, carcass trait, meat quality and oxidative stability of beef cattle offered alternative silages in a finishing ration.

PubMed

He, L; Yang, J; Chen, W; Zhou, Z; Wu, H; Meng, Q

2018-03-01

As lack of forage resource, alternative roughage sources have been developed for ruminant production and their inclusion would exert a great effect on the dietary nutrition, consequently affecting animal performance. Four silages (corn silage (CS), corn stalk silage (SS), inoculated CS and inoculated SS) were separately offered to 60 Bohai Black cattle (15 cattle/group) during a 24-week finishing period, in which the growth performance, carcass trait, beef quality and oxidative stability of steers were determined. Neither silage material nor silage inoculant exerted a significant effect on the growth performance, carcass trait and oxidative stability of beef cattle (P>0.05). As to beef quality, cattle offered CS had higher (P0.05) on the proximate components and fatty acids profile of beef muscle. There was neither an interaction (P>0.05) between inoculated treatment and silage material. There were no differences (P>0.05) in cholesterol content and meat quality traits in animals fed alternative silages. The collective findings suggest that it is not economical to substitute high-quality forage for relative low-quality forage in a high-concentrate finishing ration of beef cattle and silage inoculant inclusion would not exert a direct effect on animal performance.

Expectations for methodology and translation of animal research: a survey of health care workers.

PubMed

Joffe, Ari R; Bara, Meredith; Anton, Natalie; Nobis, Nathan

2015-05-07

Health care workers (HCW) often perform, promote, and advocate use of public funds for animal research (AR); therefore, an awareness of the empirical costs and benefits of animal research is an important issue for HCW. We aim to determine what health-care-workers consider should be acceptable standards of AR methodology and translation rate to humans. After development and validation, an e-mail survey was sent to all pediatricians and pediatric intensive care unit nurses and respiratory-therapists (RTs) affiliated with a Canadian University. We presented questions about demographics, methodology of AR, and expectations from AR. Responses of pediatricians and nurses/RTs were compared using Chi-square, with P < .05 considered significant. Response rate was 44/114(39%) (pediatricians), and 69/120 (58%) (nurses/RTs). Asked about methodological quality, most respondents expect that: AR is done to high quality; costs and difficulty are not acceptable justifications for low quality; findings should be reproducible between laboratories and strains of the same species; and guidelines for AR funded with public money should be consistent with these expectations. Asked about benefits of AR, most thought that there are sometimes/often large benefits to humans from AR, and disagreed that "AR rarely produces benefit to humans." Asked about expectations of translation to humans (of toxicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and treatment findings), most: expect translation >40% of the time; thought that misleading AR results should occur <21% of the time; and that if translation was to occur <20% of the time, they would be less supportive of AR. There were few differences between pediatricians and nurses/RTs. HCW have high expectations for the methodological quality of, and the translation rate to humans of findings from AR. These expectations are higher than the empirical data show having been achieved. Unless these areas of AR significantly improve, HCW support of AR may be tenuous.

Effects of income and urban form on urban NO2: global evidence from satellites.

PubMed

Bechle, Matthew J; Millet, Dylan B; Marshall, Julian D

2011-06-01

Urban air pollution is among the top 15 causes of death and disease worldwide, and a problem of growing importance with a majority of the global population living in cities. A important question for sustainable development is to what extent urban design can improve or degrade the environment and public health. We investigate relationships between satellite-derived estimates of nitrogen dioxide concentration (NO(2), a key component of urban air pollution) and urban form for 83 cities globally. We find a parsimonious yet powerful relationship (model R(2) = 0.63), using as predictors population, income, urban contiguity, and meteorology. Cities with highly contiguous built-up areas have, on average, lower urban NO(2) concentrations (a one standard deviation increase in contiguity is associated with a 24% decrease in average NO(2) concentration). More-populous cities tend to have worse air quality, but the increase in NO(2) associated with a population increase of 10% may be offset by a moderate increase (4%) in urban contiguity. Urban circularity ("compactness") is not a statistically significant predictor of NO(2) concentration. Although many factors contribute to urban air pollution, our findings suggest that antileapfrogging policies may improve air quality. We find that urban NO(2) levels vary nonlinearly with income (Gross Domestic Product), following an "environmental Kuznets curve"; we estimate that if high-income countries followed urban pollution-per-income trends observed for low-income countries, NO(2) concentrations in high-income cities would be ∼10× larger than observed levels.

High Speed Video Applications In The Pharmaceutical Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stapley, David

1985-02-01

The pursuit of quality is essential in the development and production of drugs. The pursuit of excellence is relentless, a never ending search. In the pharmaceutical industry, we all know and apply wide-ranging techniques to assure quality production. We all know that in reality none of these techniques are perfect for all situations. We have all experienced, the damaged foil, blister or tube, the missing leaflet, the 'hard to read' batch code. We are all aware of the need to supplement the traditional techniques of fault finding. This paper shows how high speed video systems can be applied to fully automated filling and packaging operations as a tool to aid the company's drive for high quality and productivity. The range of products involved totals some 350 in approximately 3,000 pack variants, encompassing creams, ointments, lotions, capsules, tablets, parenteral and sterile antibiotics. Pharmaceutical production demands diligence at all stages, with optimum use of the techniques offered by the latest technology. Figure 1 shows typical stages of pharmaceutical production in which quality must be assured, and highlights those stages where the use of high speed video systems have proved of value to date. The use of high speed video systems begins with the very first use of machine and materials: commissioning and validation, (the term used for determining that a process is capable of consistently producing the requisite quality) and continues to support inprocess monitoring, throughout the life of the plant. The activity of validation in the packaging environment is particularly in need of a tool to see the nature of high speed faults, no matter how infrequently they occur, so that informed changes can be made precisely and rapidly. The prime use of this tool is to ensure that machines are less sensitive to minor variations in component characteristics.

How healthcare organizations use the Internet to market quality achievements.

PubMed

Revere, Lee; Robinson, Leroy

2010-01-01

The increasingly competitive environment is having a strong bearing on the strategic marketing practices of hospitals. The Internet is a fairly new marketing tool, and it has the potential to dramatically influence healthcare consumers. This exploratory study investigates how hospitals use the Internet as a tool to market the quality of their services. Significant evidence exists that customers use the Internet to find information about potential healthcare providers, including information concerning quality. Data were collected from a random sample of 45 U.S. hospitals from the American Hospital Association database. The data included hospital affiliation, number of staffed beds, accreditation status, Joint Commission quality awards, and number of competing hospitals. The study's findings show that system-affiliated hospitals do not provide more, or less, quality information on their websites than do non-system-affiliated hospitals. The findings suggest that the amount of quality information provided on a hospital website is not dependent on hospital size. Research provides evidence that hospitals with more Joint Commission awards promote their quality accomplishments more so than their counterparts that earned fewer Joint Commission awards. The findings also suggest that the more competitors in a marketplace the more likely a hospital is to promote its quality as a potential differential advantage. The study's findings indicate that a necessary element of any hospital's competitive strategy should be to include the marketing of its quality on the organization's website.

Family Science and Community-Based Learning: Using Speed Networking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payne, Pamela B.; Hubler, Daniel S.

2017-01-01

Students in Family Science often feel that they have an uphill battle to finding career opportunities that maximize their experiences from degree programs. The hallmark of successful programs in Family Science needs to be the development and maintenance of high-quality field experiences for students that align with national standards and…

California avocados in Florida? Finding the perfect avocado for production in East-Central Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a high-value fruit where most U.S. consumption is supplied using imported product. Cultivars with good fruit quality and horticultural traits may provide a useful alternative crop in east-central Florida and possibly in other locations throughout the state. A port...

Situated Teacher Quality: A Case Study of an Experienced Elementary School Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolman, Joni S.

2017-01-01

This case study examines how an experienced teacher's practice and pedagogy differs across two high-accountability urban charter schools in the United States of America (USA). Drawing on semi-structured interviews and participant observations, the findings describe variances in Rebecca's planning, use of classroom time, and curriculum flexibility,…

When Directors Leave: The Causes and Consequences of Center Administrative Changes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitebook, Marcy; Sakai, Laura

2004-01-01

Policymakers and researchers have focused attention on the significant role that directors play in building and sustaining high-quality child care programs. However, there has been limited focus on director turnover and its implications for programs. This article summarizes findings from the longitudinal study, "Then and Now: Changes in Child Care…

Reexamining Psychokinesis: Comment on Bosch, Steinkamp, and Boller (2006)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radin, Dean; Nelson, Roger; Dobyns, York; Houtkooper, Joop

2006-01-01

H. Bosch, F. Steinkamp, and E. Boller's (see record 2006-08436-001) review of the evidence for psychokinesis confirms many of the authors' earlier findings. The authors agree with Bosch et al. that existing studies provide statistical evidence for psychokinesis, that the evidence is generally of high methodological quality, and that effect sizes…

Bridging Behavioral Assessment and Behavioral Intervention: Finding Your Inner Behavior Analyst

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, LeAnne D.; Monn, Emily

2015-01-01

The persistence of challenging behaviors for some children highlights a need and an opportunity to explore several key principles of behavioral intervention that are necessary for effective decision- making when more personalized interventions must be layered on top of high-quality universal supports. In the absence of expert support,…

Playing the Literacy Game: A Case Study in Adult Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kambouri, Maria; Thomas, Siobhan; Mellar, Harvey

2006-01-01

Runner is a high-quality educational game designed by the University for Industry (UfI/"learndirect") to attract young adults who find learning in formal educational contexts difficult. A case study evaluation of this novel application of an adventure game genre to literacy learning is discussed, based on observations and interviews in…

Miles to Go: Mississippi. Pre-Kindergarten--Time to Begin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suitts, Steve

2010-01-01

This report by the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) finds that high-quality pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) is the "first, essential step towards building the educated workforce that will enable a better economic future for Mississippi." The report calls on Mississippi leaders to establish a blue-ribbon, bipartisan commission to develop a…

High School Teachers' Perceptions regarding Principals' Ethical Leadership in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karakose, Turgut

2007-01-01

This study has been carried out in order to determine to what extent principals demonstrate ethical leadership behaviors, and to present suggestions on the strength of these findings. The study has a descriptive quality in evaluating the teachers' perceptions and uses the Ethical Leadership Scale (ELS) developed by Yilmaz (2006), so as to…

The Seeds to Success Modified Field Test: Findings from the Impact and Implementation Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boller, Kimberly; Del Grosso, Patricia; Blair, Randall; Jolly, Yumiko; Fortson, Ken; Paulsell, Diane; Lundquist, Eric; Hallgren, Kristin; Kovac, Martha

2010-01-01

In 2006, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Early Learning Initiative (ELI) to improve the school readiness of Washington State's children through three main strategies: (1) development of high-quality, community-wide early learning initiatives in two communities; (2) enhancement of statewide systems that support early…

Effectiveness of an Adaptation of the Project Connect Health Systems Intervention: Youth and Clinic-Level Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loosier, Penny S.; Doll, Shelli; Lepar, Danielle; Ward, Kristin; Gamble, Ginger; Dittus, Patricia J.

2016-01-01

Background: The Project Connect Health Systems Intervention (Project Connect) uses a systematic process of collecting community and healthcare infrastructure information to craft a referral guide highlighting local healthcare providers who provide high quality sexual and reproductive healthcare. Previous self-report data on healthcare usage…

Quality in E-Learning--A Conceptual Framework Based on Experiences from Three International Benchmarking Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ossiannilsson, E.; Landgren, L.

2012-01-01

Between 2008 and 2010, Lund University took part in three international benchmarking projects, "E-xcellence+," the "eLearning Benchmarking Exercise 2009," and the "First Dual-Mode Distance Learning Benchmarking Club." A comparison of these models revealed a rather high level of correspondence. From this finding and…

Center-Based Early Head Start and Children Exposed to Family Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiteside-Mansell, Leanne; Bradley, Robert; McKelvey, Lorraine; Lopez, Maya

2009-01-01

Research Findings: Family conflict is known to be associated with poor development for young children, but many children appear resilient. This study examined the extent to which high-quality center care during early childhood protects children from these negative consequences. Children participating in center-based sites of the Early Head Start…

Characteristics of Adolescents at Risk for Compulsive Overeating on a Brief Screening Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marston, Albert R.; And Others

1988-01-01

Surveyed addictive behavior, finding 26% of male and 57% of female high school students scored above cutoff point on the Overeaters Anonymous scale for assessing compulsive overeating. At-risk students perceived their life quality and relationship with person closest to them as significantly less positive, indicated overeating's defensive…

The Money Myth: School Resources, Outcomes, and Equity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grubb, W. Norton

2009-01-01

Can money buy high-quality education? Studies find only a weak relationship between public school funding and educational outcomes. In "The Money Myth", W. Norton Grubb proposes a powerful paradigm shift in the way we think about why some schools thrive and others fail. The greatest inequalities in America's schools lie in factors other…

The ARL Scholars Portal Initiative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Mary E.

2002-01-01

Describes an initiative of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Scholars Portal Initiative, a three-year collaborative effort which seeks to provide tools for an academic community to have a single point of access on the Web to find high-quality information resources and to deliver the information and related services directly to the…

Neuroscience in the Capital: Linking Brain Research and Federal Early Childhood Programs and Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sripada, Kam

2012-01-01

Research Findings: Each year the federal government disburses billions of dollars to support young children, with a particular focus on assisting families facing hardships. Policies for children revolve around several fundamental themes, including the promotion of physical health and high-quality environments, intellectual and language skills,…

High Performance Team: Building a Business Program with Part- and Full-Time Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, F. K.

2010-01-01

Business programs at colleges and universities presently face wide-ranging challenges in delivering quality education. As more and more business programs find it necessary to conserve or redirect resources, successfully leading through change becomes paramount for departments and their faculty teams. This challenge is compounded by a growing…

Early Childhood Worldwide--More Alike Than Different: An Interview with David Weikart.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neugebauer, Roger

1999-01-01

Presents interview with Weikart, founder and president of High/Scope Foundation, on a multi-national study of the nature, quality, and effects of children's experiences prior to formal schooling. Discusses findings related to international similarities in children and parents, engagement levels, the impact of training on teachers, parent roles,…

Preschool Inclusion: Key Findings from Research and Implications for Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Sharmila; Smith, Sheila; Banerjee, Rashida

2016-01-01

A recent policy statement issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Education (DOE) on early childhood inclusion presents extensive recommendations for state and local actions that could improve young children's access to high quality inclusive early childhood programs (HHS/DOE, 2015). This brief…

Refocusing the Lens: Enhancing Elementary Special Education Reading Instruction through Video Self-Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osipova, Anna; Prichard, Brooke; Boardman, Alison Gould; Kiely, Mary Theresa; Carroll, Patricia E.

2011-01-01

This article presents the findings from a pilot study exploring the use of video as a self-reflection tool combined with high-quality, collaborative professional development (PD). Participants were in-service, upper-elementary, special education instructors teaching word study and fluency to students with learning disabilities. Participants…

Optimizing Mothers' Social Networks: Information-Sharing Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lashley, Cynthia O'Nell

2010-01-01

Finding high-quality infant care continues to be challenging for many families. Such challenges are even greater for single mothers with limited resources and English language skills. Several years ago, this challenge formed the basis for an urban, center-based program called the Pregnant-Mothers Support Group (PSG). The PSG served single,…

Stamps, Sarcophagi, and Songs: Teaching World History with Online Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schrum, Kelly

2012-01-01

Teaching world history is challenging. In addition to covering the history of the world geographically and chronologically, it is difficult to find high quality, translated materials ready for classroom use. The Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University offers free, online materials, including primary sources,…

Ten Top Films for Teaching about China Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Tanya

2010-01-01

As it becomes increasingly essential to include China in the social studies curriculum, teachers are faced with the challenges of finding appropriate, high-quality resources, and, more fundamentally, of engaging students with a culture and a place far removed from their own. Film and video can address both issues, and there is a wealth of…

Cell Phone Roulette and "Consumer Interactive" Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Navarro, Peter

2005-01-01

Under current policies, cell phone consumers face a lower probability of finding the best carrier for their usage patterns than winning at roulette. Corroborating survey data consistently show significant dissatisfaction among cell phone users, network performance is a major issue, and customer "churn" is high. This problem may be traced to a new…

Subjective and objective comparisons of image quality between ultra-high-resolution CT and conventional area detector CT in phantoms and cadaveric human lungs.

PubMed

Yanagawa, Masahiro; Hata, Akinori; Honda, Osamu; Kikuchi, Noriko; Miyata, Tomo; Uranishi, Ayumi; Tsukagoshi, Shinsuke; Tomiyama, Noriyuki

2018-05-29

To compare the image quality of the lungs between ultra-high-resolution CT (U-HRCT) and conventional area detector CT (AD-CT) images. Image data of slit phantoms (0.35, 0.30, and 0.15 mm) and 11 cadaveric human lungs were acquired by both U-HRCT and AD-CT devices. U-HRCT images were obtained with three acquisition modes: normal mode (U-HRCT N : 896 channels, 0.5 mm × 80 rows; 512 matrix), super-high-resolution mode (U-HRCT SHR : 1792 channels, 0.25 mm × 160 rows; 1024 matrix), and volume mode (U-HRCT SHR-VOL : non-helical acquisition with U-HRCT SHR ). AD-CT images were obtained with the same conditions as U-HRCT N . Three independent observers scored normal anatomical structures (vessels and bronchi), abnormal CT findings (faint nodules, solid nodules, ground-glass opacity, consolidation, emphysema, interlobular septal thickening, intralobular reticular opacities, bronchovascular bundle thickening, bronchiectasis, and honeycombing), noise, artifacts, and overall image quality on a 3-point scale (1 = worst, 2 = equal, 3 = best) compared with U-HRCT N . Noise values were calculated quantitatively. U-HRCT could depict a 0.15-mm slit. Both U-HRCT SHR and U-HRCT SHR-VOL significantly improved visualization of normal anatomical structures and abnormal CT findings, except for intralobular reticular opacities and reduced artifacts, compared with AD-CT (p < 0.014). Visually, U-HRCT SHR-VOL has less noise than U-HRCT SHR and AD-CT (p < 0.00001). Quantitative noise values were significantly higher in the following order: U-HRCT SHR (mean, 30.41), U-HRCT SHR-VOL (26.84), AD-CT (16.03), and U-HRCT N (15.14) (p < 0.0001). U-HRCT SHR and U-HRCT SHR-VOL resulted in significantly higher overall image quality than AD-CT and were almost equal to U-HRCT N (p < 0.0001). Both U-HRCT SHR and U-HRCT SHR-VOL can provide higher image quality than AD-CT, while U-HRCT SHR-VOL was less noisy than U-HRCT SHR . • Ultra-high-resolution CT (U-HRCT) can improve spatial resolution. • U-HRCT can reduce streak and dark band artifacts. • U-HRCT can provide higher image quality than conventional area detector CT. • In U-HRCT, the volume mode is less noisy than the super-high-resolution mode. • U-HRCT may provide more detailed information about the lung anatomy and pathology.

Treating child and adolescent anxiety effectively: Overview of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Bennett, Kathryn; Manassis, Katharina; Duda, Stephanie; Bagnell, Alexa; Bernstein, Gail A; Garland, E Jane; Miller, Lynn D; Newton, Amanda; Thabane, Lehana; Wilansky, Pamela

2016-12-01

We conducted an overview of systematic reviews about child and adolescent anxiety treatment options (psychosocial; medication; combination; web/computer-based treatment) to support evidence informed decision-making. Three questions were addressed: (i) Is the treatment more effective than passive controls? (ii) Is there evidence that the treatment is superior to or non-inferior to (i.e., as good as) active controls? (iii) What is the quality of evidence for the treatment? Pre-specified inclusion criteria identified high quality systematic reviews (2000-2015) reporting treatment effects on anxiety diagnosis and symptom severity. Evidence quality (EQ) was rated using Oxford evidence levels [EQ1 (highest); EQ5 (lowest)]. Twenty-two of 39 eligible reviews were high quality (AMSTAR score≥3/5). CBT (individual or group, with or without parents) was more effective than passive controls (EQ1). CBT effects compared to active controls were mixed (EQ1). SSRI/SNRI were more effective than placebo (EQ1) but comparative effectiveness remains uncertain. EQ for combination therapy could not be determined. RCTs of web/computer-based interventions showed mixed results (EQ1). CBM/ABM was not more efficacious than active controls (EQ1). No other interventions could be rated. High quality RCTs support treatment with CBT and medication. Findings for combination and web/computer-based treatment are encouraging but further RCTs are required. Head-to-head comparisons of active treatment options are needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CBCT-based bone quality assessment: are Hounsfield units applicable?

PubMed Central

Jacobs, R; Singer, S R; Mupparapu, M

2015-01-01

CBCT is a widely applied imaging modality in dentistry. It enables the visualization of high-contrast structures of the oral region (bone, teeth, air cavities) at a high resolution. CBCT is now commonly used for the assessment of bone quality, primarily for pre-operative implant planning. Traditionally, bone quality parameters and classifications were primarily based on bone density, which could be estimated through the use of Hounsfield units derived from multidetector CT (MDCT) data sets. However, there are crucial differences between MDCT and CBCT, which complicates the use of quantitative gray values (GVs) for the latter. From experimental as well as clinical research, it can be seen that great variability of GVs can exist on CBCT images owing to various reasons that are inherently associated with this technique (i.e. the limited field size, relatively high amount of scattered radiation and limitations of currently applied reconstruction algorithms). Although attempts have been made to correct for GV variability, it can be postulated that the quantitative use of GVs in CBCT should be generally avoided at this time. In addition, recent research and clinical findings have shifted the paradigm of bone quality from a density-based analysis to a structural evaluation of the bone. The ever-improving image quality of CBCT allows it to display trabecular bone patterns, indicating that it may be possible to apply structural analysis methods that are commonly used in micro-CT and histology. PMID:25315442

Love flows downstream: mothers' and children's neural representation similarity in perceiving distress of self and family.

PubMed

Lee, Tae-Ho; Qu, Yang; Telzer, Eva H

2017-12-01

The current study aimed to capture empathy processing in an interpersonal context. Mother-adolescent dyads (N = 22) each completed an empathy task during fMRI, in which they imagined the target person in distressing scenes as either themselves or their family (i.e. child for the mother, mother for the child). Using multi-voxel pattern approach, we compared neural pattern similarity for the self and family conditions and found that mothers showed greater perceptual similarity between self and child in the fusiform face area (FFA), representing high self-child overlap, whereas adolescents showed significantly less self-mother overlap. Adolescents' pattern similarity was dependent upon family relationship quality, such that they showed greater self-mother overlap with higher relationship quality, whereas mothers' pattern similarity was independent of relationship quality. Furthermore, adolescents' perceptual similarity in the FFA was associated with increased social brain activation (e.g. temporal parietal junction). Mediation analyses indicated that high relationship quality was associated with greater social brain activation, which was mediated by greater self-mother overlap in the FFA. Our findings suggest that adolescents show more distinct neural patterns in perceiving their own vs their mother's distress, and such distinction is sensitive to mother-child relationship quality. In contrast, mothers' perception for their own and child's distress is highly similar and unconditional. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

Love flows downstream: mothers’ and children’s neural representation similarity in perceiving distress of self and family

PubMed Central

Qu, Yang

2017-01-01

Abstract The current study aimed to capture empathy processing in an interpersonal context. Mother–adolescent dyads (N = 22) each completed an empathy task during fMRI, in which they imagined the target person in distressing scenes as either themselves or their family (i.e. child for the mother, mother for the child). Using multi-voxel pattern approach, we compared neural pattern similarity for the self and family conditions and found that mothers showed greater perceptual similarity between self and child in the fusiform face area (FFA), representing high self–child overlap, whereas adolescents showed significantly less self–mother overlap. Adolescents’ pattern similarity was dependent upon family relationship quality, such that they showed greater self–mother overlap with higher relationship quality, whereas mothers’ pattern similarity was independent of relationship quality. Furthermore, adolescents’ perceptual similarity in the FFA was associated with increased social brain activation (e.g. temporal parietal junction). Mediation analyses indicated that high relationship quality was associated with greater social brain activation, which was mediated by greater self–mother overlap in the FFA. Our findings suggest that adolescents show more distinct neural patterns in perceiving their own vs their mother’s distress, and such distinction is sensitive to mother–child relationship quality. In contrast, mothers’ perception for their own and child’s distress is highly similar and unconditional. PMID:29069521

Measuring physiotherapy performance in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: a prospective study.

PubMed

Jamtvedt, Gro; Dahm, Kristin Thuve; Holm, Inger; Flottorp, Signe

2008-07-08

Patients with knee osteoarthritis [OA] are commonly treated by physiotherapists in primary care. Measuring physiotherapy performance is important before developing strategies to improve quality. The purpose of this study was to measure physiotherapy performance in patients with knee OA by comparing clinical practice to evidence from systematic reviews. We developed a data-collection form and invited all private practitioners in Norway [n = 2798] to prospectively collect data on the management of one patient with knee OA through 12 treatment session. Actual practice was compared to findings from an overview of systematic reviews summarising the effect of physiotherapy interventions for knee OA. A total of 297 physiotherapists reported their management for patients with knee OA. Exercise was the most common treatment used, provided by 98% of the physiotherapists. There is evidence of high quality that exercise reduces pain and improves function in patients with knee OA. Thirty-five percent of physiotherapists used acupuncture, low-level laser therapy or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. There is evidence of moderate quality that these treatments reduce pain in knee OA. Patient education, supported by moderate quality evidence for improving psychological outcomes, was provided by 68%. Physiotherapists used a median of four different treatment modalities for each patient. They offered many treatment modalities based on evidence of low quality or without evidence from systematic reviews, e.g. traction and mobilisation, massage and stretching. Exercise was used in almost all treatment sessions in the management of knee OA. This practice is desirable since it is supported by high quality evidence. Physiotherapists also provide several other treatment modalities based on evidence of moderate or low quality, or no evidence from systematic reviews. Ways to promote high quality evidence into physiotherapy practice should be identified and evaluated.

Measuring physiotherapy performance in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: A prospective study

PubMed Central

Jamtvedt, Gro; Dahm, Kristin Thuve; Holm, Inger; Flottorp, Signe

2008-01-01

Background Patients with knee osteoarthritis [OA] are commonly treated by physiotherapists in primary care. Measuring physiotherapy performance is important before developing strategies to improve quality. The purpose of this study was to measure physiotherapy performance in patients with knee OA by comparing clinical practice to evidence from systematic reviews. Methods We developed a data-collection form and invited all private practitioners in Norway [n = 2798] to prospectively collect data on the management of one patient with knee OA through 12 treatment session. Actual practice was compared to findings from an overview of systematic reviews summarising the effect of physiotherapy interventions for knee OA. Results A total of 297 physiotherapists reported their management for patients with knee OA. Exercise was the most common treatment used, provided by 98% of the physiotherapists. There is evidence of high quality that exercise reduces pain and improves function in patients with knee OA. Thirty-five percent of physiotherapists used acupuncture, low-level laser therapy or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. There is evidence of moderate quality that these treatments reduce pain in knee OA. Patient education, supported by moderate quality evidence for improving psychological outcomes, was provided by 68%. Physiotherapists used a median of four different treatment modalities for each patient. They offered many treatment modalities based on evidence of low quality or without evidence from systematic reviews, e.g. traction and mobilisation, massage and stretching. Conclusion Exercise was used in almost all treatment sessions in the management of knee OA. This practice is desirable since it is supported by high quality evidence. Physiotherapists also provide several other treatment modalities based on evidence of moderate or low quality, or no evidence from systematic reviews. Ways to promote high quality evidence into physiotherapy practice should be identified and evaluated. PMID:18611250

The effects of Sahaja Yoga meditation on mental health: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hendriks, Tom

2018-05-30

Objectives To determine the efficacy of Sahaja Yoga (SY) meditation on mental health among clinical and healthy populations. Methods All publications on SY were eligible. Databases were searched up to November 2017, namely PubMed, MEDLINE (NLM), PsychINFO, and Scopus. An internet search (Google Scholar) was also conducted. The quality of the randomized controlled trails was assessed using the Cochrane Risk Assessment for Bias. The quality of cross-sectional studies, a non-randomized controlled trial and a cohort study was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Results We included a total of eleven studies; four randomized controlled trials, one non-randomized controlled trial, five cross-sectional studies, and one prospective cohort study. The studies included a total of 910 participants. Significant findings were reported in relation to the following outcomes: anxiety, depression, stress, subjective well-being, and psychological well-being. Two randomized studies were rated as high quality studies, two randomized studies as low quality studies. The quality of the non-randomized trial, the cross-sectional studies and the cohort study was high. Effect sizes could not be calculated in five studies due to unclear or incomplete reporting. Conclusions After reviewing the articles and taking the quality of the studies into account, it appears that SY may reduce depression and possibly anxiety. In addition, the practice of SY is also associated with increased subjective wellbeing and psychological well-beng. However, due to the limited number of publications, definite conclusions on the effects of SY cannot be made and more high quality randomized studies are needed to justify any firm conclusions on the beneficial effects of SY on mental health.

How employee engagement matters for hospital performance.

PubMed

Lowe, Graham

2012-01-01

Managers increasingly understand that employee engagement is a prerequisite for high performance. This article examines how job, work environment, management and organizational factors influence levels of engagement among healthcare employees. Original data come from the Ontario Hospital Association-NRC Picker Employee Experience Survey, involving over 10,000 employees in 16 Ontario hospitals. The article provides a clear definition and measure of engagement relevant to healthcare. In addition to identifying the main drivers of engagement, findings shows that a high level of employee engagement is related to retention, patient-centred care, patient safety culture and employees' positive assessments of the quality of care or services provided by their team. Implications of these findings for healthcare leaders are briefly considered.

Measures of symptoms and life quality to predict emergent use of institutional health care resources in chronic obstructive airways disease.

PubMed

Traver, G A

1988-11-01

Thirty subjects with severe chronic obstructive airways disease participated in a study to identify differences in symptoms and life quality between those with high and low emergent use of institutional health care resources. Emergent use was defined as care obtained through unscheduled, nonroutine methods of access to health care providers. There were 15 subjects in each group; the groups had similar sex distribution and were not significantly different for percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (mean 29.8%), use of home oxygen (15 of 30 subjects), or prevalence of CO2 retention (nine of 30). Symptoms and life quality were measured by using three paper and pencil tests, the Bronchitis-Emphysema Symptom Checklist, the Sickness-Impact Profile, and the Katz Adjustment Scale for relatives. Findings demonstrated consistently more symptoms and impairment of life quality in the "high emergent" group. The differences reached statistical significance for irritability, anxiety, helplessness, nervousness, peripheral sensory complaints, alienation, social interaction, and emotional behavior. Discriminant analysis provided a prediction formula that yielded 80% correct prediction for the two groups.

Quality of life and coping in patients awaiting heart transplantation.

PubMed

Muirhead, J; Meyerowitz, B E; Leedham, B; Eastburn, T E; Merrill, W H; Frist, W H

1992-01-01

The psychosocial adaptation of patients awaiting heart transplantation has not been defined. Forty-one patients (36 men, 5 women; mean age, 48 years) completed standardized questionnaires before transplantation to assess quality of life, physical symptoms, marital/social adjustment, psychiatric morbidity, coping, and compliance to medical regimens. Also, data were obtained from spouses/partners and the transplantation nurse coordinator. Unlike previously reported findings with patients after transplantation, those awaiting transplantation report moderate dissatisfaction with quality of life. Patients report physical symptoms, functional disabilities, sexual dysfunction, and psychological distress. Nonetheless, reported levels of compliance with the medical regimens and of social support were high, and both patients and spouses/partners provided marital adjustment ratings on the Dyadic Adjustment Scale that were comparable to those of well-adjusted, happily married couples. High levels of coping also were recorded. Having a positive attitude and seeking social support were the most common coping strategies, whereas confrontation, acceptance, and escapism were relatively uncommon. In conclusion, patients awaiting heart transplantation, although dissatisfied with quality of life, maintain positive psychological and social adjustment.

Self-Rated Attractiveness Moderates the Relationship Between Dark Personality Traits and Romantic Ideals in Women.

PubMed

Birkás, Béla; Láng, András; Meskó, Norbert

2018-02-01

Our study investigated the different mate preferences of the Dark Triad in women. In addition to former studies, we also examined the effect of self-evaluated attractiveness on these preferences. Attractiveness is a high-valued partner attribute, especially in short-term relationships. Accordingly, we predicted that women high in Dark Triad traits prefer characteristics related to short-term mating, because they possess traits favored in short-term relationships. Associations between ideal partner standards and Dark Triad traits were investigated with self-reports: 529 female undergraduate students filled out the Short Dark Triad and the Ideal Standards Scale. Results showed that all three Dark Triad traits were related to unique preferences of mate qualities corresponding to their self-rated partner qualities. Furthermore, despite the differences between the three Dark Triad traits, women's partner preferences were associated with their self-evaluated attractiveness (an indicator of mate value). In summary, according to our findings, qualities advertised by Dark Triad women as potential partner influence their expectation or preferences regarding mates, suggesting homogamous mate choice on the levels of these qualities.

Protocol-developing meta-ethnography reporting guidelines (eMERGe).

PubMed

France, E F; Ring, N; Noyes, J; Maxwell, M; Jepson, R; Duncan, E; Turley, R; Jones, D; Uny, I

2015-11-25

Designing and implementing high-quality health care services and interventions requires robustly synthesised evidence. Syntheses of qualitative research studies can provide evidence of patients' experiences of health conditions; intervention feasibility, appropriateness and acceptability to patients; and advance understanding of health care issues. The unique, interpretive, theory-based meta-ethnography synthesis approach is suited to conveying patients' views and developing theory to inform service design and delivery. However, meta-ethnography reporting is often poor quality, which discourages trust in, and use of, meta-ethnography findings. Users of evidence syntheses require reports that clearly articulate analytical processes and findings. Tailored research reporting guidelines can raise reporting standards but none exists for meta-ethnography. This study aims to create an evidence-based meta-ethnography reporting guideline articulating the methodological standards and depth of reporting required to improve reporting quality. The mixed-methods design of this National Institute of Health Research-funded study (http://www.stir.ac.uk/emerge/) follows good practice in research reporting guideline development comprising: (1) a methodological systematic review (PROSPERO registration: CRD42015024709) to identify recommendations and guidance in conducting/reporting meta-ethnography; (2) a review and audit of published meta-ethnographies to identify good practice principles and develop standards in conduct/reporting; (3) an online workshop and Delphi studies to agree guideline content with 45 international qualitative synthesis experts and 45 other stakeholders including patients; (4) development and wide dissemination of the guideline and its accompanying detailed explanatory document, a report template for National Institute of Health Research commissioned meta-ethnographies, and training materials on guideline use. Meta-ethnography, devised in the field of education, is now used widely in other disciplines. Methodological advances relevant to meta-ethnography conduct exist. The extent of discipline-specific adaptations of meta-ethnography and the fit of any adaptions with the underpinning philosophy of meta-ethnography require investigation. Well-reported meta-ethnography findings could inform clinical decision-making. A bespoke meta-ethnography reporting guideline is needed to improve reporting quality, but to be effective potential users must know it exists, trust it and use it. Therefore, a rigorous study has been designed to develop and promote a guideline. By raising reporting quality, the guideline will maximise the likelihood that high-quality meta-ethnographies will contribute robust evidence to improve health care and patient outcomes.

Application of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis to the air quality SHERPA modelling tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisoni, E.; Albrecht, D.; Mara, T. A.; Rosati, R.; Tarantola, S.; Thunis, P.

2018-06-01

Air quality has significantly improved in Europe over the past few decades. Nonetheless we still find high concentrations in measurements mainly in specific regions or cities. This dimensional shift, from EU-wide to hot-spot exceedances, calls for a novel approach to regional air quality management (to complement EU-wide existing policies). The SHERPA (Screening for High Emission Reduction Potentials on Air quality) modelling tool was developed in this context. It provides an additional tool to be used in support to regional/local decision makers responsible for the design of air quality plans. It is therefore important to evaluate the quality of the SHERPA model, and its behavior in the face of various kinds of uncertainty. Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques can be used for this purpose. They both reveal the links between assumptions and forecasts, help in-model simplification and may highlight unexpected relationships between inputs and outputs. Thus, a policy steered SHERPA module - predicting air quality improvement linked to emission reduction scenarios - was evaluated by means of (1) uncertainty analysis (UA) to quantify uncertainty in the model output, and (2) by sensitivity analysis (SA) to identify the most influential input sources of this uncertainty. The results of this study provide relevant information about the key variables driving the SHERPA output uncertainty, and advise policy-makers and modellers where to place their efforts for an improved decision-making process.

A pilot study examining the effects of low-volume high-intensity interval training and continuous low to moderate intensity training on quality of life, functional capacity and cardiovascular risk factors in cancer survivors.

PubMed

Toohey, Kellie; Pumpa, Kate L; Arnolda, Leonard; Cooke, Julie; Yip, Desmond; Craft, Paul S; Semple, Stuart

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-volume high-intensity interval training and continuous low to moderate intensity training on quality of life, functional capacity and cardiovascular disease risk factors in cancer survivors. Cancer survivors within 24 months post-diagnosis were randomly assigned into the low-volume high-intensity interval training group ( n  = 8) or the continuous low to moderate intensity training group ( n  = 8) group for 36 sessions (12 weeks) of supervised exercise. The low-volume high-intensity interval training (LVHIIT) group performed 7 × 30 s intervals (≥85% maximal heart rate) and the continuous low to moderate intensity training (CLMIT) group performed continuous aerobic training for 20 min (≤55% maximal heart rate) on a stationary bike or treadmill. Significant improvements (time) were observed for 13 of the 23 dependent variables (ES 0.05-0.61, p  ≤ 0.05). An interaction effect was observed for six minute walk test (18.53% [32.43-4.63] ES 0.50, p  ≤ 0.01) with the LVHIIT group demonstrating greater improvements. These preliminary findings suggest that both interventions can induce improvements in quality of life, functional capacity and selected cardiovascular disease risk factors. The LVHIIT program was well tolerated by the participants and our results suggest that LVHIIT is the preferred modality to improve fitness (6MWT); it remains to be seen which intervention elicits the most clinically relevant outcomes for patients. A larger sample size with a control group is required to confirm the significance of these findings.

A pilot study examining the effects of low-volume high-intensity interval training and continuous low to moderate intensity training on quality of life, functional capacity and cardiovascular risk factors in cancer survivors

PubMed Central

Pumpa, Kate L.; Arnolda, Leonard; Cooke, Julie; Yip, Desmond; Craft, Paul S.; Semple, Stuart

2016-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-volume high-intensity interval training and continuous low to moderate intensity training on quality of life, functional capacity and cardiovascular disease risk factors in cancer survivors. Methods Cancer survivors within 24 months post-diagnosis were randomly assigned into the low-volume high-intensity interval training group (n = 8) or the continuous low to moderate intensity training group (n = 8) group for 36 sessions (12 weeks) of supervised exercise. The low-volume high-intensity interval training (LVHIIT) group performed 7 × 30 s intervals (≥85% maximal heart rate) and the continuous low to moderate intensity training (CLMIT) group performed continuous aerobic training for 20 min (≤55% maximal heart rate) on a stationary bike or treadmill. Results Significant improvements (time) were observed for 13 of the 23 dependent variables (ES 0.05–0.61, p ≤ 0.05). An interaction effect was observed for six minute walk test (18.53% [32.43–4.63] ES 0.50, p ≤ 0.01) with the LVHIIT group demonstrating greater improvements. Conclusion These preliminary findings suggest that both interventions can induce improvements in quality of life, functional capacity and selected cardiovascular disease risk factors. The LVHIIT program was well tolerated by the participants and our results suggest that LVHIIT is the preferred modality to improve fitness (6MWT); it remains to be seen which intervention elicits the most clinically relevant outcomes for patients. A larger sample size with a control group is required to confirm the significance of these findings. PMID:27781180

Assessing Quality of Data Standards: Framework and Illustration Using XBRL GAAP Taxonomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Hongwei; Wu, Harris

The primary purpose of data standards or metadata schemas is to improve the interoperability of data created by multiple standard users. Given the high cost of developing data standards, it is desirable to assess the quality of data standards. We develop a set of metrics and a framework for assessing data standard quality. The metrics include completeness and relevancy. Standard quality can also be indirectly measured by assessing interoperability of data instances. We evaluate the framework using data from the financial sector: the XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) taxonomy and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings produced using the taxonomy by approximately 500 companies. The results show that the framework is useful and effective. Our analysis also reveals quality issues of the GAAP taxonomy and provides useful feedback to taxonomy users. The SEC has mandated that all publicly listed companies must submit their filings using XBRL. Our findings are timely and have practical implications that will ultimately help improve the quality of financial data.

Tracing the influence of land-use change on water quality and coral reefs using a Bayesian model.

PubMed

Brown, Christopher J; Jupiter, Stacy D; Albert, Simon; Klein, Carissa J; Mangubhai, Sangeeta; Maina, Joseph M; Mumby, Peter; Olley, Jon; Stewart-Koster, Ben; Tulloch, Vivitskaia; Wenger, Amelia

2017-07-06

Coastal ecosystems can be degraded by poor water quality. Tracing the causes of poor water quality back to land-use change is necessary to target catchment management for coastal zone management. However, existing models for tracing the sources of pollution require extensive data-sets which are not available for many of the world's coral reef regions that may have severe water quality issues. Here we develop a hierarchical Bayesian model that uses freely available satellite data to infer the connection between land-uses in catchments and water clarity in coastal oceans. We apply the model to estimate the influence of land-use change on water clarity in Fiji. We tested the model's predictions against underwater surveys, finding that predictions of poor water quality are consistent with observations of high siltation and low coverage of sediment-sensitive coral genera. The model thus provides a means to link land-use change to declines in coastal water quality.

A survey of pedagogical approaches and quality mechanisms used in education programs for mental health professionals.

PubMed

McCann, Edward; Higgins, Agnes; Maguire, Gerry; Alexander, Jane; Watts, Mike; Creaner, Mary; Rani, Shobha

2012-09-01

The provision of high-quality education and training that is responsive, relevant, accessible and evidence based is critical if the vision for quality mental health services presented in recent policy initiatives in Ireland is to be fulfilled. This paper reports the findings related to pedagogical approaches and quality assurance mechanisms utilized within mental health education. The study involved canvassing all Higher Education Institutions in Ireland. A total of 227 courses in 31 educational institutes were identified and 149 questionnaires were returned from 129 Course Coordinators. Various quality processes were identified in existing programs; however, formal feedback from service providers, service users and carers was seldom reported. Ongoing evaluation and quality assurance strategies are a key element of governance and there is a need to develop strategies that explore the impact of education programs on mental health education and health outcomes. Recommendations are made in terms of future interprofessional mental health education and practice.

Social Support Networks and HIV/STI Risk Behaviors Among Latino Immigrants in a New Receiving Environment.

PubMed

Althoff, Meghan D; Theall, Katherine; Schmidt, Norine; Hembling, John; Gebrekristos, Hirut T; Thompson, Michelle M; Muth, Stephen Q; Friedman, Samuel R; Kissinger, Patricia

2017-12-01

The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe the quantity and quality of social support networks of Latino immigrants living in a new receiving environment, and (2) determine the role such networks play in their HIV/STI risk behaviors, including substance use. Double incentivized convenience sampling was used to collect egocentric social support network data on 144 Latino immigrants. Latent class analysis was used for data reduction and to identify items best suited to measure quality and quantity of social support. Moderate and high quantity and quality of social support were protective of HIV/STI sexual risk behavior compared to low quantity and quality of support, after adjustment for gender, years in New Orleans and residing with family. Neither measure of social support was associated with binge drinking. The findings suggest that increased quantity and quality of social support decrease HIV/STI sexual risk behaviors but do not influence binge drinking. Interventions that improve the quantity and quality of social support are needed for Latino immigrants.

Implementing aeioTU: quality improvement alongside an efficacy study-learning while growing.

PubMed

Nores, Milagros; Figueras-Daniel, Alexandra; Lopez, Maria Adelaida; Bernal, Raquel

2018-05-01

Effectiveness trials of increasing childhood development interventions across low- and middle-income countries have shown significant variability. The strength and consistency of benefits for children are dependent on program quality, and this requires paying attention to program implementation. In this paper, we summarize findings on program quality and teacher practices and perceptions for the aeioTU program, a center-based Reggio-inspired program in Colombia, now serving more than 13,000 children. The research found engaged, committed staff who valued the emergent approach and understood the children as requiring opportunities to express themselves, being the source for the curriculum, and having relationships with the materials around them. Although the average classroom quality was low in 2011, it increased significantly by 2014, particularly in the language and reasoning and interactions items. Indicator-level analyses showed that higher-order interactions and language processes were observed in a large proportion of classrooms by 2014. Teachers' self-reports on the environment and their teaching and learning showed high levels of quality by 2013. These findings illustrate the significance of process data for program improvement, especially when a program is young. Program quality can be raised after teachers improve their skills, have experience enacting a curriculum, and after training has been strengthened in response to information, while simultaneously scaling up the program. © 2018 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.

Regulation of junior doctors' work hours: an analysis of British and American doctors' experiences and attitudes.

PubMed

Jagsi, Reshma; Surender, Rebecca

2004-06-01

Regulations of junior doctors' work hours were first enacted in the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) over a decade ago, with the goals of improving patient care and doctors' well-being while maintaining a high quality of medical training. This study examines experiences and attitudes regarding the implementation of these regulations among physicians and surgeons at two teaching hospitals, one in South-East England, and the other in New England, US. This paper presents the findings of a survey questionnaire and a series of in-depth interviews administered to a sample of junior doctors and the consultants responsible for their supervision. The study finds that the different policy mechanisms employed in the two countries have had different degrees of success in reducing the work hours of junior doctors. The results also indicate, however, that even in settings in which hours have been reduced significantly, the regulations have only had limited effects on the quality of medical care, junior doctors' well-being, and the quality of medical education. A number of barriers to the success of the regulations in achieving their objectives are identified, and the relative merits of political action and professional self-regulation are discussed. This research suggests that recently enacted policies requiring further reductions in junior doctors' hours in both the US and UK may face similar barriers when implemented. Understanding the lessons that emerge from implementation of the original regulations is essential if future reforms are to succeed and a high-quality system of health care is to be sustained.

Methodological quality of randomized trials published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 1999-2013.

PubMed

Landorf, Karl B; Menz, Hylton B; Armstrong, David G; Herbert, Robert D

2015-07-01

Randomized trials must be of high methodological quality to yield credible, actionable findings. The main aim of this project was to evaluate whether there has been an improvement in the methodological quality of randomized trials published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association (JAPMA). Randomized trials published in JAPMA during a 15-year period (January 1999 to December 2013) were evaluated. The methodological quality of randomized trials was evaluated using the PEDro scale (scores range from 0 to 10, with 0 being lowest quality). Linear regression was used to assess changes in methodological quality over time. A total of 1,143 articles were published in JAPMA between January 1999 and December 2013. Of these, 44 articles were reports of randomized trials. Although the number of randomized trials published each year increased, there was only minimal improvement in their methodological quality (mean rate of improvement = 0.01 points per year). The methodological quality of the trials studied was typically moderate, with a mean ± SD PEDro score of 5.1 ± 1.5. Although there were a few high-quality randomized trials published in the journal, most (84.1%) scored between 3 and 6. Although there has been an increase in the number of randomized trials published in JAPMA, there is substantial opportunity for improvement in the methodological quality of trials published in the journal. Researchers seeking to publish reports of randomized trials should seek to meet current best-practice standards in the conduct and reporting of their trials.

Associations between job demands, work-related strain and perceived quality of care: a longitudinal study among hospital physicians.

PubMed

Krämer, Tanya; Schneider, Anna; Spieß, Erika; Angerer, Peter; Weigl, Matthias

2016-12-01

Drawing on a sample of hospital physicians, we attempted to determine prospective associations between three job demands, work-related strain and perceived quality of care. Longitudinal follow-up study with with a 1-year time lag. Physicians of two acute-care hospitals in Germany (one general urban and one children's hospital). Ninety-five physicians filled out a standardized questionnaire. Physicians' evaluations of quality of care at both waves. Our results support the hypothesis that job demands directly influence quality of care irrespective of strain. Specifically, high social stressors (β = -0.15, P = 0.036) and time pressure (β = -0.19, P = 0.031) were associated with decreased quality of care over time. We additionally observed reversed effects from quality of care at baseline to time pressure at follow-up (β = -0.35, P = 0.006). Contrary to expectations, physicians' work-related strain did not mediate the job demands-quality of care-relationship, nor were strain-to-stressor effects observed. Our results corroborate that hospital work environments with high demands have a direct impact on physician-perceived quality of care. In turn, poor care practices contribute to increased job demands. Our findings also emphasize that further understanding is required of how physicians' workplace conditions affect job demands, well-being, and quality of care, respectively. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

4D MUSIC CMR: value-based imaging of neonates and infants with congenital heart disease.

PubMed

Nguyen, Kim-Lien; Han, Fei; Zhou, Ziwu; Brunengraber, Daniel Z; Ayad, Ihab; Levi, Daniel S; Satou, Gary M; Reemtsen, Brian L; Hu, Peng; Finn, J Paul

2017-04-03

4D Multiphase Steady State Imaging with Contrast (MUSIC) acquires high-resolution volumetric images of the beating heart during uninterrupted ventilation. We aim to evaluate the diagnostic performance and clinical impact of 4D MUSIC in a cohort of neonates and infants with congenital heart disease (CHD). Forty consecutive neonates and infants with CHD (age range 2 days to 2 years, weight 1 to 13 kg) underwent 3.0 T CMR with ferumoxytol enhancement (FE) at a single institution. Independently, two readers graded the diagnostic image quality of intra-cardiac structures and related vascular segments on FE-MUSIC and breath held FE-CMRA images using a four-point scale. Correlation of the CMR findings with surgery and other imaging modalities was performed in all patients. Clinical impact was evaluated in consensus with referring surgeons and cardiologists. One point was given for each of five key outcome measures: 1) change in overall management, 2) change in surgical approach, 3) reduction in the need for diagnostic catheterization, 4) improved assessment of risk-to-benefit for planned intervention and discussion with parents, 5) accurate pre-procedural roadmap. All FE-CMR studies were completed successfully, safely and without adverse events. On a four-point scale, the average FE-MUSIC image quality scores were >3.5 for intra-cardiac structures and >3.0 for coronary arteries. Intra-cardiac morphology and vascular anatomy were well visualized with good interobserver agreement (r = 0.46). Correspondence between the findings on MUSIC, surgery, correlative imaging and autopsy was excellent. The average clinical impact score was 4.2 ± 0.9. In five patients with discordant findings on echo/MUSIC (n = 5) and catheter angiography/MUSIC (n = 1), findings on FE-MUSIC were shown to be accurate at autopsy (n = 1) and surgery (n = 4). The decision to undertake biventricular vs univentricular repair was amended in 2 patients based on FE-MUSIC findings. Plans for surgical approaches which would have involved circulatory arrest were amended in two of 28 surgical cases. In all 28 cases requiring procedural intervention, FE-MUSIC provided accurate dynamic 3D roadmaps and more confident risk-to-benefit assessments for proposed interventions. FE-MUSIC CMR has high clinical impact by providing accurate, high quality, simple and safe dynamic 3D imaging of cardiac and vascular anatomy in neonates and infants with CHD. The findings influenced patient management in a positive manner.

TiN-buffered substrates for photoelectrochemical measurements of oxynitride thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pichler, Markus; Pergolesi, Daniele; Landsmann, Steve; Chawla, Vipin; Michler, Johann; Döbeli, Max; Wokaun, Alexander; Lippert, Thomas

2016-04-01

Developing novel materials for the conversion of solar to chemical energy is becoming an increasingly important endeavour. Perovskite compounds based on bandgap tunable oxynitrides represent an exciting class of novel photoactive materials. To date, literature mostly focuses on the characterization of oxynitride powder samples which have undeniable technological interest but do not allow the investigation of fundamental properties such as the role of the crystalline quality and/or the surface crystallographic orientation toward photo-catalytic activity. The challenge of growing high quality oxynitride thin films arises from the availability of a suitable substrate, owing to strict material and processing requirements: effective lattice matching, sufficiently high conductivities, stability under high temperatures and in strongly reducing environments. Here, we have established the foundations of a model system incorporating a TiN-buffer layer which enables fundamental investigations into crystallographic surface orientation and crystalline quality of the photocatalyst against photo(electro)chemical performance to be effectively performed. Furthermore, we find that TiN as current collector enables control over the nitrogen content of oxynitride thin films produced by a modified pulsed laser deposition method and allows the growth of highly ordered LaTiO3-xNx thin films.

Diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Tagliafico, Alberto Stefano; Bignotti, Bianca; Rossi, Federica; Signori, Alessio; Sormani, Maria Pia; Valdora, Francesca; Calabrese, Massimo; Houssami, Nehmat

2016-08-01

To estimate sensitivity and specificity of CESM for breast cancer diagnosis. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the accuracy of CESM in finding breast cancer in highly selected women. We estimated summary receiver operating characteristic curves, sensitivity and specificity according to quality criteria with QUADAS-2. Six hundred four studies were retrieved, 8 of these reporting on 920 patients with 994 lesions, were eligible for inclusion. Estimated sensitivity from all studies was: 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96-1.00). Specificity was estimated from six studies reporting raw data: 0.58 (95% CI: 0.38-0.77). The majority of studies were scored as at high risk of bias due to the very selected populations. CESM has a high sensitivity but very low specificity. The source studies were based on highly selected case series and prone to selection bias. High-quality studies are required to assess the accuracy of CESM in unselected cases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EFFECT OF QUALITY CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG DEPENDENCE ON ADDICTION OUTCOMES

PubMed Central

Kim, Theresa W.; Saitz, Richard; Cheng, Debbie M.; Winter, Michael R; Witas, Julie; Samet, Jeffrey H.

2012-01-01

We examinedthe effect ofthe quality of primary care-basedchronic disease management (CDM)for alcohol and/or other drug (AOD) dependenceonaddiction outcomes.We assessed qualityusing 1)avisit frequencybased measure and 2) a self-reported assessment measuring alignment with the chronic care model. The visit frequency based measure had no significant association with addiction outcomes. Theself-reported measure of care - when care was at a CDM clinic - was associated with lower drug addiction severity.The self-reported assessment of care from any healthcare source (CDM clinic or elsewhere)was associated with lower alcoholaddiction severity and abstinence.These findings suggest that high quality CDM for AOD dependence may improve addiction outcomes.Quality measuresbased upon alignment with the chronic care model may better capture features of effective CDM care than a visitfrequency measure. PMID:22840687

Summary of the major water-quality findings from the Eastern Iowa Basins study unit of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kalkhoff, Stephen J.

2000-01-01

Results from the EIWA NAWQA study build on previous and ongoing research and water-quality monitoring programs in Iowa and provide new insights into the relation between the quality of the State's water resources and human activities. The major findings from the study are listed below.

A Multi-Instrument Examination of Preschool Classroom Quality and the Relationship between Program, Classroom, and Teacher Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denny, Joanna Hope; Hallam, Rena; Homer, Karen

2012-01-01

Research Findings: A statewide study of preschool classroom quality was conducted using 3 distinct classroom observation measures in order to inform a statewide quality rating system. Findings suggested that Tennessee preschool classrooms were approaching "good" quality on the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R)…

Interventions to Prevent Child Marriage Among Young People in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of the Published and Gray Literature.

PubMed

Kalamar, Amanda M; Lee-Rife, Susan; Hindin, Michelle J

2016-09-01

Child marriage, defined as marriage before the age of 18 years, is a human rights violation that can have lasting adverse educational and economic impacts. The objective of this review was to identify high-quality interventions and evaluations to decease child marriage in low- and middle-income countries. PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL Plus, Popline, and the Cochrane Databases were searched without language limitations for articles published through November 2015. Gray literature was searched by hand. Reference tracing was used, as well as the unpacking of systematic reviews. Retained articles were those that were evaluated as having high-quality interventions and evaluations using standardized scoring. Eleven high-quality interventions and evaluations were abstracted. Six found positive results in decreasing the proportion married or increasing age at marriage, one had both positive and negative findings, and four had no statistical impact on the proportion married or age at marriage. There is wide range of high-quality, impactful interventions included in this review which can inform researchers, donors, and policy makers about where to make strategic investments to eradicate marriage, a current target of the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the cultural factors that promote child marriage, the diversity of interventions can allow decision makers to tailor interventions to the cultural context of the target population. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Using ZIP Code Business Patterns Data to Measure Alcohol Outlet Density

PubMed Central

Matthews, Stephen A.; McCarthy, John D.; Rafail, Patrick S.

2014-01-01

Some states maintain high-quality alcohol outlet databases but quality varies by state, making comprehensive comparative analysis across US communities difficult. This study assesses the adequacy of using ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZIP-BP) data on establishments as estimates of the number of alcohol outlets by ZIP code. Specifically we compare ZIP-BP alcohol outlet counts with high-quality data from state and local records surrounding 44 college campus communities across 10 states plus the District of Columbia. Results show that a composite measure is strongly correlated (R=0.89) with counts of alcohol outlets generated from official state records. Analyses based on Generalized Estimation Equation models show that community and contextual factors have little impact on the concordance between the two data sources. There are also minimal inter-state differences in the level of agreement. To validate the use of a convenient secondary data set (ZIP-BP) it is important to have a high correlation with the more complex, high quality and more costly data product (i.e., datasets based on the acquisition and geocoding of state and local records) and then to clearly demonstrate that the discrepancy between the two to be unrelated to relevant explanatory variables. Thus our overall findings support the adequacy of using a conveniently available data set (ZIP-BP data) to estimate alcohol outlet densities in ZIP code areas in future research. PMID:21411233

Food security status among grade 5 students in Nova Scotia, Canada and its association with health outcomes.

PubMed

Kirk, Sara F L; Kuhle, Stefan; McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D; Williams, Patty L; Rossiter, Melissa; Ohinmaa, Arto; Veugelers, Paul J

2015-11-01

Food security (FS) exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their needs. The present research sought to determine whether students from households experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity (FI) had poorer diet quality, higher body weights and poorer psychosocial outcomes than students from households classed as having high FS or marginal FI status. Population-based survey conducted in schools. Multiple regression analysis was used to explore associations between FS status (high FS; marginal, moderate, severe FI), dietary behaviours and intake, and health-related outcomes (body weight, quality of life, mood, peer relationships, externalizing problems). Nova Scotia, Canada. Grade 5 students (n 5853), aged 10-11 years, with complete information on FS status and student outcomes. In this sample, rates of household FS were 73·5% (high FS), 8·3% (marginal FI) 10·2% (moderate FI) and 7·1% (severe FI status). Students living in households experiencing moderate or severe FI had poorer diet quality, higher BMI and poorer psychosocial outcomes than students classed as having high FS or marginal FI. These findings provide important evidence for policy makers on the prevalence of FI among families in Nova Scotia with grade 5 children and its relationship with childhood nutrition, psychosocial and quality of life factors, and weight status.

Using ZIP code business patterns data to measure alcohol outlet density.

PubMed

Matthews, Stephen A; McCarthy, John D; Rafail, Patrick S

2011-07-01

Some states maintain high-quality alcohol outlet databases but quality varies by state, making comprehensive comparative analysis across US communities difficult. This study assesses the adequacy of using ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZIP-BP) data on establishments as estimates of the number of alcohol outlets by ZIP code. Specifically we compare ZIP-BP alcohol outlet counts with high-quality data from state and local records surrounding 44 college campus communities across 10 states plus the District of Columbia. Results show that a composite measure is strongly correlated (R=0.89) with counts of alcohol outlets generated from official state records. Analyses based on Generalized Estimation Equation models show that community and contextual factors have little impact on the concordance between the two data sources. There are also minimal inter-state differences in the level of agreement. To validate the use of a convenient secondary data set (ZIP-BP) it is important to have a high correlation with the more complex, high quality and more costly data product (i.e., datasets based on the acquisition and geocoding of state and local records) and then to clearly demonstrate that the discrepancy between the two to be unrelated to relevant explanatory variables. Thus our overall findings support the adequacy of using a conveniently available data set (ZIP-BP data) to estimate alcohol outlet densities in ZIP code areas in future research. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of the present-on-admission indicator on hospital quality measurement: experience with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Inpatient Quality Indicators.

PubMed

Glance, Laurent G; Osler, Turner M; Mukamel, Dana B; Dick, Andrew W

2008-02-01

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has constructed Inpatient Quality Indicator (IQI) mortality measures to measure hospital quality using routinely available administrative data. With the exception of California, New York State, and Wisconsin, administrative data do not include a present-on-admission (POA) indicator to distinguish between preexisting conditions and complications. The extent to which the lack of a POA indicator biases quality assessment based on the AHRQ mortality measures is unknown. To examine the impact of the POA indicator on hospital quality assessment based on the AHRQ mortality measures using enhanced administrative data from California, which includes a POA indicator. Retrospective cohort study based on 2.07 million inpatient admissions between 1998 and 2000 in the California State Inpatient Database. The AHRQ IQI software was used to calculate risk-adjusted mortality rates using either (1) routine administrative data that included all the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9-CM codes or (2) enhanced administrative data that included only the ICD-9-CM codes representing preexisting conditions. The inclusion of the POA indicator frequently results in changes in the quality ranking of hospitals classified as high-quality or low-quality using routine administrative data. Twenty-seven percent (stroke) to 94% (coronary artery bypass graft) of hospitals classified as high-quality using routine administrative data were reclassified as intermediate- or low-quality hospitals using the enhanced administrative data. Twenty-five percent (congestive heart failure) to 76% (percutaneous coronary intervention) of hospitals classified as low-quality hospitals using enhanced administrative data were misclassified as intermediate-quality hospitals using routine administrative data. Despite the fact that the AHRQ IQIs were primarily intended to serve as a screening tool, they are being increasingly used to publicly report hospital quality. Our findings emphasize the need to improve the "quality" of administrative data by including a POA indicator if these data are to serve as the information infrastructure for quality reporting.

Effects of stressful life events in young black men with high blood pressure.

PubMed

Han, Hae-Ra; Kim, Miyong T; Rose, Linda; Dennison, Cheryl; Bone, Lee; Hill, Martha N

2006-01-01

1) To describe stressful life events as experienced by a sample of young Black men with high blood pressure (HBP) living in inner-city Baltimore, Maryland; and 2) to examine the effect of cumulative stressful life events on substance use, depression, and quality of life. Data were obtained over 48 months by interview from 210 men in an HBP management study. Stressors repeatedly occurring over time included death of family member or close friend (65.2%), having a new family member (32.9%), change in residence (31.4%), difficulty finding a job (24.3%), and fired or laid off from work (17.6%). Involvement with crime or legal matters was reported at least twice during the 48 months by 33.3% of men. When a cumulative stressful life events score was calculated by summing the number of events experienced at 6-month points over 48 months and tested for its relationship with the health outcomes, the findings of multivariate analyses revealed significant associations between cumulative life stressors and depression and quality of life. No significant relationship was found between stressful life events and substance use. The results suggest that cumulative stressful life events have a negative effect on mental health and quality of life in young Black men with HBP. Future study should focus on developing interventions to assist individuals in managing distress related to stressful events with necessary community resources.

A synthesis of existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses of school-based behavioural interventions for controlling and preventing obesity.

PubMed

Khambalia, A Z; Dickinson, S; Hardy, L L; Gill, T; Baur, L A

2012-03-01

Schools are an attractive and popular setting for implementing interventions for children. There is a growing body of empirical research exploring the efficacy of school-based obesity prevention programs. While there have been several reviews on the topic, findings remain mixed. To examine the quality of evidence and compare the findings from existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses of school-based programs in the prevention and control of childhood obesity. This paper systematically appraises the methodology and conclusions of literature reviews examining the effectiveness of school-based obesity interventions published in English in peer-reviewed journals between January 1990 and October 2010. Eight reviews were examined, three meta-analyses and five systematic reviews. All of the reviews recognized that studies were heterogeneous in design, participants, intervention and outcomes. Intervention components in the school setting associated with a significant reduction of weight in children included long-term interventions with combined diet and physical activity and a family component. Several reviews also found gender differences in response to interventions. Of the eight reviews, five were deemed of high quality and yet limited evidence was found on which to base recommendations. As no single intervention will fit all schools and populations, further high-quality research needs to focus on identifying specific program characteristics predictive of success. © 2011 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2011 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Bronchiectasis: correlation of high-resolution CT findings with health-related quality of life.

PubMed

Eshed, I; Minski, I; Katz, R; Jones, P W; Priel, I E

2007-02-01

To evaluate the relationship between the severity of bronchiectatic diseases, as evident on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and the patient's quality of life measured using the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Forty-six patients (25 women, 21 men, mean age: 63 years) with bronchiectatic disease as evident on recent HRCT examinations were recruited. Each patient completed the SGRQ and underwent respiratory function tests. HRCT findings were blindly and independently scored by two radiologists, using the modified Bhalla scoring system. The relationships between HRCT scores, SGRQ scores and pulmonary function tests were evaluated. The patients' total CT score did not correlate with the SGRQ scores. However, patients with more advanced disease on HRCT, significantly differed in their SGRQ scores from patients with milder bronchiectatic disease. A significant correlation was found between the CT scores for the middle and distal lung zones and the activity, impacts and total SGRQ scores. No correlation was found between CT scores and respiratory function test indices. However, a significant correlation was found between the SGRQ scores and most of the respiratory function test indices. A correlation between the severity of bronchiectatic disease as expressed in HRCT and the health-related quality of life exists in patients with a more severe bronchiectatic disease but not in patients with mild disease. Such correlation depends on the location of the bronchiectasis in the pulmonary tree.

Community-based physical activity interventions among women: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Amiri Farahani, Leila; Asadi-Lari, Mohsen; Mohammadi, Eesa; Parvizy, Soroor; Haghdoost, Ali Akbar; Taghizadeh, Ziba

2015-01-01

Objective Review and assess the effectiveness of community-based physical activity interventions among women aged 18–65 years. Design Systematic review Methods To find relevant articles, the researcher selected reports published in English between 1 January 2000 and 31 March 2013. Systematic search was to find controlled-trial studies that were conducted to uncover the effect of community-based interventions to promote physical activity among women 18–65 years of age, in which physical activity was reported as one of the measured outcomes. The methodological quality assessment was performed using a critical appraisal sheet. Also, the levels of evidence were assessed for the types of interventions. Results The literature search identified nine articles. Four of the studies were randomised and the others studies had high methodological quality. There was no evidence, on the basis of effectiveness, for social cognitive theory-based interventions and inconclusive evidence of effectiveness for the rest of interventions. Conclusions There is insufficient evidence to assess the effectiveness of community-based interventions for enhancing physical activity among women. There is a need for high-quality randomised clinical trials with adequate statistical power to determine whether multicomponent and community-based intervention programmes increase physical activity among women, as well as to determine what type of interventions have a more effective and sustainable impact on women's physical activity. PMID:25833668

Examining the role of implementation quality in school-based prevention using the PATHS curriculum. Promoting Alternative THinking Skills Curriculum.

PubMed

Kam, Chi-Ming; Greenberg, Mark T; Walls, Carla T

2003-03-01

In order for empirically validated school-based prevention programs to "go to scale," it is important to understand the processes underlying program dissemination. Data collected in effectiveness trials, especially those measuring the quality of program implementation and administrative support, are valuable in explicating important factors influencing implementation. This study describes findings regarding quality of implementation in a recent effectiveness trial conducted in a high-risk, American urban community. This delinquency prevention trial is a locally owned intervention, which used the Promoting Alternative THinking Skills Curriculum as its major program component. The intervention involved 350 first graders in 6 inner-city public schools. Three schools implemented the intervention and the other 3 were comparison schools from the same school district. Although intervention effects were not found for all the intervention schools, the intervention was effective in improving children's emotional competence and reducing their aggression in schools which effectively supported the intervention. This study, utilizing data from the 3 intervention schools (13 classrooms and 164 students), suggested that 2 factors contributed to the success of the intervention: (a) adequate support from school principals and (b) high degree of classroom implementation by teachers. These findings are discussed in light of the theory-driven models in program evaluation that emphasized the importance of the multiple factors influencing the implementation of school-based interventions.

The quality of service in passenger transport terminals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oprea, C.; Roşca, E.; Popa, M.; Ilie, A.; Dinu, O.; Roşca, M.

2016-11-01

The quality of service in transport terminals is differently perceived by engineers, economists, transport operators and sociologists. The traveler's perception is nevertheless decisive. The quality of service is well connected with the inside design of terminals, with the facilities in terminals and with the provided service standards. In order to provide a high level of service, the activities taking place in the public transport terminal and the maximum travelers flow size must be carefully analyzed and dimensioned. The purpose of modelling is to find the best route for each traveler from origin (entrance) to destination (exit) through all the intermediate service points, taking into consideration the instant network conditions. In developing the model we consider the walking, the waiting and the serving time. Using a simulation program written in ARENA we determine the waiting time. For validation, the model is used to evaluate the performance level in Bucharest Basarab station. By comparing the total walking distance for the possible routes and the utility function that describes the utility of all activities from entrance to exit we can find the optimal route.

EIGER detector: application in macromolecular crystallography.

PubMed

Casanas, Arnau; Warshamanage, Rangana; Finke, Aaron D; Panepucci, Ezequiel; Olieric, Vincent; Nöll, Anne; Tampé, Robert; Brandstetter, Stefan; Förster, Andreas; Mueller, Marcus; Schulze-Briese, Clemens; Bunk, Oliver; Wang, Meitian

2016-09-01

The development of single-photon-counting detectors, such as the PILATUS, has been a major recent breakthrough in macromolecular crystallography, enabling noise-free detection and novel data-acquisition modes. The new EIGER detector features a pixel size of 75 × 75 µm, frame rates of up to 3000 Hz and a dead time as low as 3.8 µs. An EIGER 1M and EIGER 16M were tested on Swiss Light Source beamlines X10SA and X06SA for their application in macromolecular crystallography. The combination of fast frame rates and a very short dead time allows high-quality data acquisition in a shorter time. The ultrafine ϕ-slicing data-collection method is introduced and validated and its application in finding the optimal rotation angle, a suitable rotation speed and a sufficient X-ray dose are presented. An improvement of the data quality up to slicing at one tenth of the mosaicity has been observed, which is much finer than expected based on previous findings. The influence of key data-collection parameters on data quality is discussed.

Postgraduate students experience in research supervision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Hazura; Judi, Hairulliza Mohamad; Mohammad, Rofizah

2017-04-01

The success and quality of postgraduate education depends largely on the effective and efficient supervision of postgraduate students. The role of the supervisor becomes more challenging with supervisory expectations rising high quality graduates. The main objective of this study was to examine the experiences of postgraduate students towards supervisory services for the duration of their studies. It also examines whether supervisory experience varies based on demographic variables such as level of study and nationality. This study uses a quantitative approach in the form of survey. Questionnaires were distributed to 96 postgraduate students of the Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Data collected were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS 23.0) to get the frequency, mean and standard deviation. T-test was used to find the difference between demographic variables and supervisory experience. The findings overall showed that postgraduate students gave positive response to the supervisory services. However, there were differences supervisory experiences based on the level of study and nationality. The results of this study hope the parties involved could provide a better support to improve the quality of supervision.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of Internet-delivered behavioral activation.

PubMed

Huguet, Anna; Miller, Alyssa; Kisely, Steve; Rao, Sanjay; Saadat, Nelda; McGrath, Patrick J

2018-08-01

Behavioral activation (BA) is an evidence-based treatment for depression which has attracted interest and started to accumulate evidence for other conditions when delivered face-to-face. Due to its parsimoniousness, it is suitable to be delivered via the Internet. The goal of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the efficacy of Internet-based BA and assess the quality of this evidence. Studies were identified from electronic databases (EMBASE, ISI Web of Knowledge, Medline, CINHAL, PsychINFO, Cochrane) and reference lists of included studies. Two reviewers independently screened articles for inclusion and extracted data. They assessed the quality of evidence for each outcome using The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. Nine RCTs on different forms of depression were included with 2157 adult participants. Random effects meta-analyses showed that in non-clinical settings, guided Internet-based BA was non-inferior to other forms of behavioral therapy and mindfulness (mainly very low to low quality evidence) and superior to physical activity (very low quality evidence), psychoeducation/treatment as usual (moderate quality evidence) and waitlist (low quality evidence) at reducing depression and anxiety outcomes at post-treatment and short follow-up. The poor quality of some of the findings means that results should be cautiously interpreted. Evidence for the efficacy of Internet-based BA as a treatment for depression is promising. However, high quality studies with longer follow-ups are needed to increase confidence in findings and determine its efficacy in clinical settings and other conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Testing the hospital value proposition: an empirical analysis of efficiency and quality.

PubMed

Huerta, Timothy R; Ford, Eric W; Peterson, Lori T; Brigham, Keith H

2008-01-01

To assess the relationship between hospitals' X-inefficiency levels and overall care quality based on the National Quality Forum's 27 safe practices score and to improve the analytic strategy for assessing X-inefficiency. The 2005 versions of the American Hospital Association and Leapfrog Group's annual surveys were the basis of the study. Additional case mix indices and market variables were drawn from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data sources and the Area Resource File. Data envelopment analysis was used to determine hospitals' X-inefficiency scores relative to their market-level competitors. Regression was used to assess the relationship between X-inefficiency and quality, controlling for organizational and market characteristics. Expenses (total and labor expenditures), case-mix-adjusted admissions, length of stay, and licensed beds defined the X-inefficiency function. The overall National Quality Forum's safe practice score, health maintenance organization penetration, market share, and teaching status served as independent control variables in the regression. The National Quality Forum's safe practice scores are significantly and positively correlated to hospital X-inefficiency levels (beta = .105, p < or = .05). The analysis of the value proposition had very good explanatory power (adjusted R(2) = .414; p < or = .001; df = 7, 265). Contrary to earlier findings, health maintenance organization penetration and being a teaching hospital were positively related to X-inefficiency. Similar with others' findings, greater market share and for-profit ownership were negatively associated with X-inefficiency. Measurement of overall hospital quality is improving but can still be made better. Nevertheless, the National Quality Forum's measure is significantly related to efficiency and could be used to create differential pay-for-performance programs. A market-segmented analytic strategy for studying hospitals' efficiency yields results with a high degree of explanatory power.

Sex-specific effect of juvenile diet on adult disease resistance in a field cricket.

PubMed

Kelly, Clint D; Tawes, Brittany R

2013-01-01

Food limitation is expected to reduce an individual's body condition (body mass scaled to body size) and cause a trade-off between growth and other fitness-related traits, such as immunity. We tested the condition-dependence of growth and disease resistance in male and female Gryllus texensis field crickets by manipulating diet quality via nutrient content for their entire life and then subjecting individuals to a host resistance test using the live bacterium Serratia marcescens. As predicted, crickets on a high-quality diet eclosed more quickly, and at a larger body size and mass. Crickets on a high-quality diet were not in better condition at the time of eclosion, but they were in better condition 7-11 days after eclosion, with females also being in better condition than males. Despite being in better condition, however, females provided with a high-quality diet had significantly poorer disease resistance than females on a low-quality diet and in poor condition. Similarly, males on low- and high-quality diets did not differ in their disease resistance, despite differing in their body condition. A sex difference in disease resistance under diet-restriction suggests that females might allocate resources toward immunity during development if they expect harsh environmental conditions as an adult or it might suggest that females allocate resources toward other life history activities (i.e. reproduction) when food availability increases. We do not know what immune effectors were altered under diet-restriction to increase disease resistance, but our findings suggest that increased immune function might provide an explanation for the sexually-dimorphic increase in longevity generally observed in diet-restricted animals.

Use of quality information in decision-making about health and social care services--a systematic review.

PubMed

Turnpenny, Agnes; Beadle-Brown, Julie

2015-07-01

User choice and personalisation have been at the centre of health and social care policies in many countries. Exercising choice can be especially challenging for people with long-term conditions (LTC) or disabilities. Information about the quality, cost and availability of services is central to user choice. This study used systematic review methods to synthesise evidence in three main areas: (i) how people with LTC or disabilities and their family carers find and access information about the quality of services; (ii) how quality information is used in decision-making; and (iii) what type of quality information is most useful. Quality information was defined broadly and could include formal quality reports (e.g. inspection reports, report cards, etc.), information about the characteristics of a service or provider (e.g. number and qualifications of staff, facilities, etc.) and informal reports about quality (e.g. personal experience, etc.). Literature searches were carried out using electronic databases in January 2012. Thirteen papers reporting findings from empirical studies published between 2001 and 2012 were included in the review. The majority of papers (n = 9) had a qualitative design. The analysis highlighted the use of multiple sources of information in decision-making about services and in particular the importance of informal sources and extended social networks in accessing information. There is limited awareness and use of 'official' and online information sources. Service users or family carers place greater emphasis on general information and structural indicators. Clinical or quality-of-life outcomes are often difficult to interpret and apply. Trust emerged a key issue in relation to quality information. Experiential and subjective information is highly valued and trusted. Various barriers to the effective use of quality information in making choices about services are identified. Implications for policy and future research are discussed. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The hepatoprotective and hypolipidemic effects of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) supplementation in a Cretan population with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a prospective pilot study

PubMed Central

Mazokopakis, Elias E.; Papadomanolaki, Maria G.; Fousteris, Andreas A.; Kotsiris, Dimitrios A.; Lampadakis, Ioannis M.; Ganotakis, Emmanuel S.

2014-01-01

Background A pilot study was conducted to determine the effects of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) on Cretan patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Spirulina is a filamentous cyanobacterium taken as a dietary supplement. Methods Fifteen adult Cretan outpatients (13 men), median age 48 (range: 29-62) years, with NAFLD were orally supplemented with 6 g of Spirulina (Greek production) per day for six months. Anthropometric characteristics (height, weight, waist circumference), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, complete blood count, biochemical assessments, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, health-related quality of life and abdominal sonographic findings were recorded and measured, before and after Spirulina supplementation. Results At the end of the 6-month intervention period, the mean levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly decreased: 38.5%, 37.5%, 26.7%, 24.8%, 9.6%, 9.1%, and 13.5% respectively, whereas the mean levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and hemoglobin were significantly increased: 4.2% and 4.1% respectively. Spirulina supplementation resulted also in a significant reduction in weight and HOMA-IR index (8.1% and 19.6% respectively) and a significant improvement in health-related quality of life scale. No changes in sonographic findings were observed. Conclusion Spirulina supplementation at a high dosage of 6 g daily in NAFLD patients has strong and multiple beneficial metabolic effects and improves their health-related quality of life. PMID:25331487

Music and the heart.

PubMed

Koelsch, Stefan; Jäncke, Lutz

2015-11-21

Music can powerfully evoke and modulate emotions and moods, along with changes in heart activity, blood pressure (BP), and breathing. Although there is great heterogeneity in methods and quality among previous studies on effects of music on the heart, the following findings emerge from the literature: Heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) are higher in response to exciting music compared with tranquilizing music. During musical frissons (involving shivers and piloerection), both HR and RR increase. Moreover, HR and RR tend to increase in response to music compared with silence, and HR appears to decrease in response to unpleasant music compared with pleasant music. We found no studies that would provide evidence for entrainment of HR to musical beats. Corresponding to the increase in HR, listening to exciting music (compared with tranquilizing music) is associated with a reduction of heart rate variability (HRV), including reductions of both low-frequency and high-frequency power of the HRV. Recent findings also suggest effects of music-evoked emotions on regional activity of the heart, as reflected in electrocardiogram amplitude patterns. In patients with heart disease (similar to other patient groups), music can reduce pain and anxiety, associated with lower HR and lower BP. In general, effects of music on the heart are small, and there is great inhomogeneity among studies with regard to methods, findings, and quality. Therefore, there is urgent need for systematic high-quality research on the effects of music on the heart, and on the beneficial effects of music in clinical settings. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Beyond technology acceptance to effective technology use: a parsimonious and actionable model.

PubMed

Holahan, Patricia J; Lesselroth, Blake J; Adams, Kathleen; Wang, Kai; Church, Victoria

2015-05-01

To develop and test a parsimonious and actionable model of effective technology use (ETU). Cross-sectional survey of primary care providers (n = 53) in a large integrated health care organization that recently implemented new medication reconciliation technology. Surveys assessed 5 technology-related perceptions (compatibility with work values, implementation climate, compatibility with work processes, perceived usefulness, and ease of use) and 1 outcome variable, ETU. ETU was measured as both consistency and quality of technology use. Compatibility with work values and implementation climate were found to have differential effects on consistency and quality of use. When implementation climate was strong, consistency of technology use was high. However, quality of technology use was high only when implementation climate was strong and values compatibility was high. This is an important finding and highlights the importance of users' workplace values as a key determinant of quality of use. To extend our effectiveness in implementing new health care information technology, we need parsimonious models that include actionable determinants of ETU and account for the differential effects of these determinants on the multiple dimensions of ETU. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Role of religion, spirituality, and faith in assisted reproduction.

PubMed

Braga, Daniela Paes de Almeida Ferreira; Melamed, Rose Marie Massaro; Setti, Amanda Souza; Zanetti, Bianca Ferrarini; Figueira, Rita de Cássia Sávio; Iaconelli, Assumpto; Borges, Edson

2018-06-06

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the patient's faith, religion, and spirituality on the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Eight hundred and seventy-seven patients received a questionnaire containing information on faith, religiosity, and spirituality and the results of the questionnaires were correlated with ICSI outcomes. Patients stated to be Catholic (n = 476), spiritists (n = 93), Evangelical (n = 118), and other religion (n = 32), and 78 did not identify with any religious group. A significant increase in fertilization, high-quality embryos, and pregnancy rate was found among Spiritists and Evangelicals. Patients who included the infertility diagnosis and treatment in their prayers showed an increased pregnancy rate, and those who reported their faith to be affected by the infertility diagnosis presented a decreased high-quality embryos rate. The high-quality embryos rate was increased among patients who answered that their faith contributed to their decision to undergo infertility treatment. The cycle's cancelation was negatively correlated with the frequency of religious meetings, and the frequency of prayers was positively correlated with the response to ovarian stimulation. Finally, belief in treatment success positively influenced the embryo quality. The findings suggest that spirituality plays a role in adjusting the psychological aspects of an infertile patient.

Disparities in Perinatal Quality Outcomes for Very Low Birth Weight Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care

PubMed Central

Lake, Eileen T; Staiger, Douglas; Horbar, Jeffrey; Kenny, Michael J; Patrick, Thelma; Rogowski, Jeannette A

2015-01-01

Objective To determine if hospital-level disparities in very low birth weight (VLBW) infant outcomes are explained by poorer hospital nursing characteristics. Data Sources Nurse survey and VLBW infant registry data. Study Design Retrospective study of 8,252 VLBW infants in 98 Vermont Oxford Network hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) nationally. NICUs were classified into three groups based on their percent of infants of black race. Two nurse-sensitive perinatal quality standards were studied: nosocomial infection and breast milk. Data Collection Primary nurse survey (N = 5,773, 77 percent response rate). Principal Findings VLBW infants born in high-black concentration hospitals had higher rates of infection and discharge without breast milk than VLBW infants born in low-black concentration hospitals. Nurse understaffing was higher and practice environments were worse in high-black as compared to low-black hospitals. NICU nursing features accounted for one-third to one-half of the hospital-level health disparities. Conclusions Poorer nursing characteristics contribute to disparities in VLBW infant outcomes in two nurse-sensitive perinatal quality standards. Improvements in nursing have potential to improve the quality of care for seven out of ten black VLBW infants who are born in high-black hospitals in this country. PMID:25250882

Applying PCI in Combination Swivel Head Wrench

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tsang-Chiang; Yang, Chun-Ming; Hsu, Chang-Hsien; Hung, Hsiang-Wen

2017-09-01

Taiwan’s traditional industries are subject to competition in the era of globalization and environmental change, the industry is facing economic pressure and shock, and now sustainable business can only continue to improve production efficiency and quality of technology, in order to stabilize the market, to obtain high occupancy. The use of process capability indices to monitor the quality of the ratchet wrench to find the key function of the dual-use ratchet wrench, the actual measurement data, The use of process capability Cpk index analysis, and draw Process Capability Analysis Chart model. Finally, this study explores the current situation of this case and proposes a lack of improvement and improvement methods to improve the overall quality and thereby enhance the overall industry.

Changed Lives: The Effects of the Perry Preschool Program on Youths through Age 19. Monographs of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Number Eight.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berrueta-Clement, John R.; And Others

This study is the eighth in a series of reports of longitudinal research on the long-term effects of participation versus nonparticipation in a program of high quality early childhood education, on 123 black youths from families of low socioeconomic status, who were at risk of failing in school. The study finds that young people up to 19 years of…

Do MRI findings identify patients with low back pain or sciatica who respond better to particular interventions? A systematic review.

PubMed

Steffens, Daniel; Hancock, Mark J; Pereira, Leani S M; Kent, Peter M; Latimer, Jane; Maher, Chris G

2016-04-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reveal a range of degenerative findings and anatomical abnormalities; however, the clinical importance of these remains uncertain and controversial. We aimed to investigate if the presence of MRI findings identifies patients with low back pain (LBP) or sciatica who respond better to particular interventions. MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases were searched. We included RCTs investigating MRI findings as treatment effect modifiers for patients with LBP or sciatica. We excluded studies with specific diseases as the cause of LBP. Risk of bias was assessed using the criteria of the Cochrane Back Review Group. Each MRI finding was examined for its individual capacity for effect modification. Eight published trials met the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of trials was inconsistent. Substantial variability in MRI findings, treatments and outcomes across the eight trials prevented pooling of data. Patients with Modic type 1 when compared with patients with Modic type 2 had greater improvements in function when treated by Diprospan (steroid) injection, compared with saline. Patients with central disc herniation when compared with patients without central disc herniation had greater improvements in pain when treated by surgery, compared with rehabilitation. Although individual trials suggested that some MRI findings might be effect modifiers for specific interventions, none of these interactions were investigated in more than a single trial. High quality, adequately powered trials investigating MRI findings as effect modifiers are essential to determine the clinical importance of MRI findings in LBP and sciatica ( CRD42013006571).

Impact of instructional Approaches to Teaching Elementary Science on Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kensinger, Seth H.

Strengthening our science education in the United States is essential to the future success of our country in the global marketplace. Immersing our elementary students with research-based quality science instruction is a critical component to build a strong foundation and motivate our students to become interested in science. The research for this study pertained to the type of elementary science instruction in correlation to academic achievement and gender. Through this study, the researcher answered the following questions: 1. What is the difference in achievement for elementary students who have been taught using one of the three science instructional approaches analyzed in this study: traditional science instruction, inquiry-based science instruction with little or no professional development and inquiry-based science instruction with high-quality professional development? 2. What is the difference in student achievement between inquiry-based instruction and non-inquiry based (traditional) instruction? 3. What is the difference in student achievement between inquiry with high quality professional development and inquiry with little or no professional development? 4. Do the three instructional approaches have differentiated effects across gender? The student achievement was measured using the 2010 fourth grade Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) in Science. Data was collected from 15 elementary schools forming three main groupings of similar schools based on the results from the 2009 third grade PSSA in Mathematics and student and community demographics. In addition, five sub-group triads were formed to further analyze the data and each sub-group was composed of schools with matching demographic data. Each triad contained a school using a traditional approach to teaching science, a school utilizing an inquiry science approach with little or no professional development, and a school incorporating inquiry science instruction with high quality professional development. The five schools which provided its students with inquiry science and high quality professional development were Science Its Elementary (SIE) schools, as provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). The findings of the study indicated that there is evidence to suggest that elementary science achievement improves significantly when teachers have utilized inquiry instruction after receiving high-quality professional development. Specifically, the analysis of the whole group and the majority of the triad sub-groupings did result in a consistent trend to support science instruction utilizing inquiry with high-quality professional development compared to a traditional approach and an inquiry-based approach with little or no professional development. The gender analysis of this study focused on whether or not girls at the elementary school level would perform better than boys depending upon method of science instruction. The study revealed no relationship between approach to teaching science and achievement level based on gender. The whole group results and sub-group triads produced no significant findings for this part of the data analysis.

Five-Star Schools: Defining Quality in Early Childhood Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertzog, Nancy B.

2012-01-01

Hakeem, Emily, Jose, and Latisha are all entering preschool in the fall. Their mothers are looking for the highest quality early childhood program they can find. Is there a guide for them to find a five-star program? Are all certified or accredited programs of equal quality? How do these parents and guardians know what defines quality in early…

The Impact of Soft Factors on Quality Improvement in Manufacturing Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Shiau Wei; Fauzi Ahmad, Md; Kong, Mei Wan

2017-08-01

Nowadays, soft factors have become the key factors of success in quality improvement of an organisation. Many organisations have neglected the importance of soft factors, this may influence the organisational performance. Hence, the purpose of this research is to examine the impact of soft factors on quality improvement in manufacturing industries. Six hypotheses were examined while considering six dimensions of soft factors including management commitment, customer focus, supplier relationship, employee involvement, training and education, and reward and recognition that have a positive impact on quality improvement. In this study, eighty one managers from the quality department were randomly selected in the manufacturing industry in Batu Pahat, Johor. The questionnaires were distributed to them. The researcher analysed the quantitatively collected data using descriptive analysis and correlation analysis. The findings of this study revealed that all soft factors are correlated to the quality improvement in an organisation with a high significant value but the regression analysis shows that the supplier relationship and employee involvement has more significant impact on quality improvement as compared to other soft factors which contributes of this study.

Nursing practice environment, quality of care, and morale of hospital nurses in Japan.

PubMed

Anzai, Eriko; Douglas, Clint; Bonner, Ann

2014-06-01

The purpose of this study was to describe Japanese hospital nurses' perceptions of the nursing practice environment and examine its association with nurse-reported ability to provide quality nursing care, quality of patient care, and ward morale. A cross-sectional survey design was used including 223 nurses working in 12 acute inpatient wards in a large Japanese teaching hospital. Nurses rated their work environment favorably overall using the Japanese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Subscale scores indicated high perceptions of physician relations and quality of nursing management, but lower scores for staffing and resources. Ward nurse managers generally rated the practice environment more positively than staff nurses except for staffing and resources. Regression analyses found the practice environment was a significant predictor of quality of patient care and ward morale, whereas perceived ability to provide quality nursing care was most strongly associated with years of clinical experience. These findings support interventions to improve the nursing practice environment, particularly staffing and resource adequacy, to enhance quality of care and ward morale in Japan. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Can editors save peer review from peer reviewers?

PubMed

D'Andrea, Rafael; O'Dwyer, James P

2017-01-01

Peer review is the gold standard for scientific communication, but its ability to guarantee the quality of published research remains difficult to verify. Recent modeling studies suggest that peer review is sensitive to reviewer misbehavior, and it has been claimed that referees who sabotage work they perceive as competition may severely undermine the quality of publications. Here we examine which aspects of suboptimal reviewing practices most strongly impact quality, and test different mitigating strategies that editors may employ to counter them. We find that the biggest hazard to the quality of published literature is not selfish rejection of high-quality manuscripts but indifferent acceptance of low-quality ones. Bypassing or blacklisting bad reviewers and consulting additional reviewers to settle disagreements can reduce but not eliminate the impact. The other editorial strategies we tested do not significantly improve quality, but pairing manuscripts to reviewers unlikely to selfishly reject them and allowing revision of rejected manuscripts minimize rejection of above-average manuscripts. In its current form, peer review offers few incentives for impartial reviewing efforts. Editors can help, but structural changes are more likely to have a stronger impact.

Assessment of quality of care among in-patients with postpartum haemorrhage and severe pre-eclampsia at st. Francis hospital nsambya: a criteria-based audit.

PubMed

Lumala, Alfred; Sekweyama, Peter; Abaasa, Andrew; Lwanga, Humphrey; Byaruhanga, Romano

2017-01-13

The maternal mortality ratio of Uganda is still high and the leading causes of maternal mortality are postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. Criteria-based audit (CBA) is a way of improving quality of care that has not been commonly used in low income countries. This study aimed at finding out the quality of care provided to patients with these conditions and to find out if the implementation of recommendations from the audit cycle resulted in improvement in quality of care. This study was a CBA following a time series study design. It was done in St. Francis Hospital Nsambya and it involved assessment of adherence to standards of care for PPH, severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. An initial audit was done for 3 consecutive months, then findings were presented to health workers and recommendations made; we implemented the recommendations in a subsequent month and this comprised three interventions namely continuing medical education (CME), drills and displaying guidelines; a re-audit was done in the proceeding 3 consecutive months and analysis compared adherence rates of the initial audit with those of the re-audit. Pearson Chi-Square test revealed that the adherence rates of 7 out of 10 standards of care for severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia were statistically significantly higher in the re-audit than in the initial audit; also, the adherence rates of 3 out of 4 standards of care for PPH were statistically significantly higher in the re-audit than in the initial audit. The giving of feedback on quality of care and the implementation of recommendations made during the CBA including CME, drills and displaying guidelines was associated with improvements in the quality of care for patients with PPH, severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

Quality research in radiation oncology: a self-improvement initiative 30 years ahead of its time?

PubMed

Wilson, J Frank; Owen, Jean

2005-12-01

The quality of cancer care in the United States should be better than it is. Society has demanded improvement, but much work remains to be done to define and measure both the current quality of care and the steps needed to optimize such care. Various public and private organizations are directing early efforts toward attempts to determine the quality of selected oncology services as a first step in a broad-based quality improvement process. In contrast, the ACR Patterns of Care Study (PCS) for over 30 years has relied on exemplary voluntary engagement by American radiation oncologists in critical self-assessment and self-improvement as a highly effective pathway to improved practice quality. This article provides an overview of the documented historical and recent impact of PCS research findings on practice and describes the deliberate adaptation of the PCS identity and methodology to the quality-sensitive national environment with the new project name Quality Research in Radiation Oncology. The article concludes with a discussion of the rationale for continuing this unique quality improvement initiative and some of the challenges to this imperative that are being faced.

Variation in Trajectories of Women's Marital Quality

PubMed Central

James, Spencer L.

2014-01-01

I examine variation in trajectories of women's marital quality across the life course. The analysis improves upon earlier research in three ways: (1) the analysis uses a sequential cohort design and data from the first 35 years of marriage; (2) I analyze rich data from a national sample; (3) I examine multiple dimensions of marital quality. Latent class growth analyses estimated on data from women in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1979 (N = 2604) suggest multiple trajectories for each of three dimensions of marital quality, including two trajectories of marital happiness, two trajectories of marital communication, and three trajectories of marital conflict. Socioeconomic and demographic covariates are then used to illustrate how factors such as income, cohabitation, and race-ethnicity set individuals at risk of poor marital quality throughout the life course by differentiating between high and low trajectories of marital quality. Women on low marital quality trajectories are, as expected, at much greater risk of divorce. Taken together, these findings show how fundamental socioeconomic and demographic characteristics contribute to subsequent marital outcomes via their influence on trajectories of marital quality as well as providing a better picture of the complexity in contemporary patterns of marital quality. PMID:25432600

YouTube provides irrelevant information for the diagnosis and treatment of hip arthritis.

PubMed

Koller, Ulrich; Waldstein, Wenzel; Schatz, Klaus-Dieter; Windhager, Reinhard

2016-10-01

YouTube is increasingly becoming a key source for people to satisfy the need for additional information concerning their medical condition. This study analyses the completeness of accurate information found on YouTube pertaining to hip arthritis. The present study analyzed 133 YouTube videos using the search terms: hip arthritis, hip arthritis symptoms, hip arthritis diagnosis, hip arthritis treatment and hip replacement. Two quality assessment checklists with a scale of 0 to 12 points were developed to evaluate available video content for the diagnosis and the treatment of hip arthritis. Videos were grouped into poor quality (grade 0-3), moderate quality (grade 4-7) and excellent quality (grade 8-12), respectively. Three independent observers assessed all videos using the new grading system and independently scored all videos. Discrepancies regarding the categories were clarified by consensus discussion. For intra-observer reliabilities, grading was performed at two occasions separated by four weeks. Eighty-four percent (n = 112) had a poor diagnostic information quality, 14% (n = 19) a moderate quality and only 2% (n = 2) an excellent quality, respectively. In 86% (n = 114), videos provided poor treatment information quality. Eleven percent (n = 15) of videos had a moderate quality and only 3% (n = 4) an excellent quality, respectively. The present study demonstrates that YouTube is a poor source for accurate information pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of hip arthritis. These finding are of high relevance for clinicians as videos are going to become the primary source of information for patients. Therefore, high quality educational videos are needed to further guide patients on the way from the diagnosis of hip arthritis to its proper treatment.

Defining High-Quality Palliative Care in Oncology Practice: An American Society of Clinical Oncology/American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Guidance Statement.

PubMed

Bickel, Kathleen E; McNiff, Kristen; Buss, Mary K; Kamal, Arif; Lupu, Dale; Abernethy, Amy P; Broder, Michael S; Shapiro, Charles L; Acheson, Anupama Kurup; Malin, Jennifer; Evans, Tracey; Krzyzanowska, Monika K

2016-09-01

Integrated into routine oncology care, palliative care can improve symptom burden, quality of life, and patient and caregiver satisfaction. However, not all oncology practices have access to specialist palliative medicine. This project endeavored to define what constitutes high-quality primary palliative care as delivered by medical oncology practices. An expert steering committee outlined 966 palliative care service items, in nine domains, each describing a candidate element of primary palliative care delivery for patients with advanced cancer or high symptom burden. Using modified Delphi methodology, 31 multidisciplinary panelists rated each service item on three constructs: importance, feasibility, and scope within medical oncology practice. Panelists endorsed the highest proportion of palliative care service items in the domains of End-of-Life Care (81%); Communication and Shared Decision Making (79%); and Advance Care Planning (78%). The lowest proportions were in Spiritual and Cultural Assessment and Management (35%) and Psychosocial Assessment and Management (39%). In the largest domain, Symptom Assessment and Management, there was consensus that all symptoms should be assessed and managed at a basic level, with more comprehensive management for common symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dyspnea, and pain. Within the Appropriate Palliative Care and Hospice Referral domain, there was consensus that oncology practices should be able to describe the difference between palliative care and hospice to patients and refer patients appropriately. This statement describes the elements comprising high-quality primary palliative care for patients with advanced cancer or high symptom burden, as delivered by oncology practices. Oncology providers wishing to enhance palliative care delivery may find this information useful to inform operational changes and quality improvement efforts. Copyright © 2016 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Engineering salt-tolerant Brassica plants: characterization of yield and seed oil quality in transgenic plants with increased vacuolar sodium accumulation.

PubMed

Zhang, H X; Hodson, J N; Williams, J P; Blumwald, E

2001-10-23

Transgenic Brassica napus plants overexpressing AtNHX1, a vacuolar Na(+)/H(+) antiport from Arabidopsis thaliana, were able to grow, flower, and produce seeds in the presence of 200 mM sodium chloride. Although the transgenic plants grown in high salinity accumulated sodium up to 6% of their dry weight, growth of the these plants was only marginally affected by the high salt concentration. Moreover, seed yields and the seed oil quality were not affected by the high salinity of the soil. Our results demonstrate the potential use of these transgenic plants for agricultural use in saline soils. Our findings, showing that the modification of a single trait significantly improved the salinity tolerance of this crop plant, suggest that with a combination of breeding and transgenic plants it could be possible to produce salt-tolerant crops with far fewer target traits than had been anticipated.

Health Disparities in Women

PubMed Central

Hornbuckle, Lyndsey M; Amutah-Onukagha, Ndidiamaka; Bryan, Alicia; Skidmore Edwards, Elizabeth; Madzima, Takudzwa; Massey, Kelly; May, Linda; Robinson, Leah E

2017-01-01

AIMS AND SCOPE Clinical Medicine Insights: Women’s Health is an international, open-access, peer-reviewed journal which considers manuscripts on all aspects of the diagnosis, management, and prevention of disorders specific to women, in addition to related genetic, pathophysiological, and epidemiological topics. Clinical Medicine Insights: Women’s Health aims to provide researchers working in this complex, quickly developing field with online, open access to highly relevant scholarly articles by leading international researchers. In a field where the literature is ever-expanding, researchers increasingly need access to up-to-date, high-quality scholarly articles on areas of specific contemporary interest. This supplement is on Health Disparities in Women. This supplement aims to address this by presenting high-quality articles that allow readers to distinguish the signal from the noise. The editor in chief hopes that through this effort, practitioners and researchers will be aided in finding answers to some of the most complex and pressing issues of our time. PMID:28579867

Deuterium dilution technique for body composition assessment: resolving methodological issues in children with moderate acute malnutrition.

PubMed

Fabiansen, Christian; Yaméogo, Charles W; Devi, Sarita; Friis, Henrik; Kurpad, Anura; Wells, Jonathan C

2017-08-01

Childhood malnutrition is highly prevalent and associated with high mortality risk. In observational and interventional studies among malnourished children, body composition is increasingly recognised as a key outcome. The deuterium dilution technique has generated high-quality data on body composition in studies of infants and young children in several settings, but its feasibility and accuracy in children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition requires further study. Prior to a large nutritional intervention trial among children with moderate acute malnutrition, we conducted pilot work to develop and adapt the deuterium dilution technique. We refined procedures for administration of isotope doses and collection of saliva. Furthermore, we established that equilibration time in local context is 3 h. These findings and the resulting standard operating procedures are important to improve data quality when using the deuterium dilution technique in malnutrition studies in field conditions, and may encourage a wider use of isotope techniques.

Ultrasensitive sensing with three-dimensional terahertz metamaterial absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Siyu; Yan, Fengping; Wang, Wei; Zhou, Hong; Hou, Yafei

2018-05-01

Planar metasurfaces and metamaterial absorbers have shown great promise for label-free sensing applications at microwaves, optical and terahertz frequencies. The realization of high-quality-factor resonance in these structures is of significant interest to enhance the sensing sensitivities to detect minute frequency shifts. We propose and demonstrate in this manuscript an ultrasensitive terahertz metamaterial absorber sensor based on a three-dimensional split ring resonator absorber with a high quality factor of 60.09. The sensing performance of the proposed absorber sensor was systematically investigated through detailed numerical calculations and a maximum refractive index sensitivity of 34.40% RIU‑1 was obtained. Furthermore, the absorber sensor can maintain a high sensitivity for a wide range of incidence angles up to 60° under TM polarization incidence. These findings would improve the design flexibility of the absorber sensors and further open up new avenues to achieve ultrasensitive sensing in the terahertz regime.

Postharvest and sensory evaluation of selected ‘Hass’-‘Bacon’ avocado hybrids grown in East-Central Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a high-value fruit that continues to increase in consumer demand. A population of ‘Hass’-‘Bacon’ hybrids was planted at USDA-ARS, Fort Pierce as part of a study to find selections with good horticultural and postharvest quality traits for Florida. Extensive pheno...

Influencing Attitudes Regarding Special Class Placement Using a Psychoeducational Report: An Investigation of the Elaboration Likelihood Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Lester W.; Gutkin, Terry B.

1994-01-01

Investigates variables drawn from the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) that might be manipulated to enhance the persuasiveness of a psychoeducational report. Results showed teachers in training were more persuaded by reports with high message quality. Findings are discussed in terms of the ELM and professional school psychology practice. (RJM)

Neighboring States See Economic Value in Early Childhood Education. Research Brief. Volume 97, Number 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Public Policy Forum, 2009

2009-01-01

As the push for economic stimulus has states contemplating economic development in new and different ways, Wisconsin may find it helpful to note the unconventional efforts of its neighbors. who have positioned themselves to reap potential long-term economic benefits from high quality early childhood care and education. Business leaders in…

An Experiential Approach to Clinical Supervision Training: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Amy Killen; Simmons, Christopher; Allen, Susan C.

2016-01-01

This study evaluates an intensive experiential exercise designed to facilitate the provision of high-quality supervision in social work. Data from 46 BSW and MSW students suggest that the exercise can be an effective learning tool. Both quantitative and qualitative findings indicated that the students formed a supervisory working alliance; BSW…

Does Parent Involvement and Neighborhood Quality Matter for African American Boys' Kindergarten Mathematics Achievement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Claire E.

2015-01-01

Research Findings: There is growing evidence that home learning stimulation that includes informal numeracy experiences can promote math-related learning in school. Furthermore, national studies suggest that children who start kindergarten with stronger math skills are more likely to succeed in high school. This study used a large sample of…

Postsecondary Schooling and Parental Resources: Evidence from the PSID and HRS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haider, Steven J.; McGarry, Kathleen

2018-01-01

We examine the association between young adult postsecondary schooling and parental financial resources using two datasets that contain high-quality data on parental resources: the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We find the association to be pervasive--it exists for income and wealth, it extends…

A Telepresence Learning Environment for Opera Singing: Distance Lessons Implementations over Internet2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alpiste Penalba, Francisco; Rojas-Rajs, Teresa; Lorente, Pedro; Iglesias, Francisco; Fernández, Joaquín; Monguet, Josep

2013-01-01

The Opera eLearning project developed a solution for opera singing distance lessons at the graduate level, using high bandwidth to deliver a quality audio and video experience that has been evaluated by singing teachers, chorus and orchestra directors, singers and other professional musicians. Prior to finding a technological model that suits the…

Parents' Perspectives of School Mental Health Promotion Initiatives Are Related to Parents' Self-Assessed Parenting Capabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Askell-Williams, Helen

2016-01-01

Achieving broad-scale parent engagement with school initiatives has proven elusive. This article reports survey data from 287 Maltese parents about their perceptions of the quality of their child's school's initiatives for promoting students' wellbeing and mental health. Findings indicate that, on average, parents rated school initiatives highly.…

An Evaluation of Web Based Instruction in View of the Tutors' and Students' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Yavuz

2008-01-01

In today's world, it is acknowledged by almost all folks of life that the traditional educational institutions are inadequate in educating the growing population. This situation has triggered research into finding ways to provide economical and of high quality education to wider masses of people. Currently, web based instruction seems to be the…

Biomass burning and urban air pollution over the Central Mexican Plateau

Treesearch

J. D. Crounse; P. F. DeCarlo; D. R. Blake; L. K. Emmons; T. L. Campos; E. C. Apel; A. D. Clarke; A. J. Weinheimer; D. C. McCabe; R. J. Yokelson; J. L. Jimenez; P. O. Wennberg

2009-01-01

Observations during the 2006 dry season of highly elevated concentrations of cyanides in the atmosphere above Mexico City (MC) and the surrounding plains demonstrate that biomass burning (BB) significantly impacted air quality in the region. We find that during the period of our measurements, fires contribute more than half of the organic aerosol mass and submicron...

Impacts of Early Childhood Education on Medium- and Long-Term Educational Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCoy, Dana Charles; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Ziol-Guest, Kathleen M.; Duncan, Greg J.; Schindler, Holly S.; Magnuson, Katherine; Yang, Rui; Koepp, Andrew; Shonkoff, Jack P.

2017-01-01

Despite calls to expand early childhood education (ECE) in the United States, questions remain regarding its medium- and long-term impacts on educational outcomes. We use meta-analysis of 22 high-quality experimental and quasi-experimental studies conducted between 1960 and 2016 to find that on average, participation in ECE leads to statistically…

A Survey of Information Source Preferences of Parents of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Amelia N.; Kaplan, Samantha; Vardell, Emily

2017-01-01

For parents of children with an Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), high quality, easily accessible information and a strong peer network can be the key to raising a happy, healthy child, and maintaining family well-being and emotional resilience. This article reports the findings of an anonymous survey examining the information source preferences for…

When Districts Encounter Teacher Shortages: The Challenges of Recruiting and Retaining Mathematics Teachers in Urban Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Edward; Rosenstein, Joseph G.; Swan, Aubrie E.; Khalil, Deena

2008-01-01

Administrators in six urban districts were interviewed to understand the nature and extent of their problems with recruiting and retaining high quality mathematics teachers. Findings suggest that the math staffing challenge is quite complex, and administrators have had to make difficult compromises because of deficiencies in the quantity and…

Future Models for Federally Funded Research and Development Center Contracts

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-20

Agreement is in compliance with the FAR and DoD Management Plan.  The total work performed by FFRDCs for DoD is capped as a result of...are minor. 6 Approved by the DBB 20 October 2016 Findings  There is a broad agreement that the FFRDCs/UARCs provide high quality R&D and

"AfterZone:" Outcomes for Youth Participating in Providence's Citywide After-School System. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauh, Tina J.

2011-01-01

This executive summary highlights the main findings from our participation and outcomes analysis of the "AfterZone" initiative--a citywide system-building effort in Providence, Rhode Island, that aims to provide high-quality, accessible out-of-school-time services to middle school youth. The summary briefly defines the AfterZone's unique…

"AfterZone:" Outcomes for Youth Participating in Providence's Citywide After-School System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauh, Tina J.

2011-01-01

This report presents findings from a two-year quasi-experimental evaluation of the "AfterZone"--a citywide system-building effort in Providence, Rhode Island, that aims to provide high-quality, accessible out-of-school-time services to middle school youth. The AfterZone model is unique in that it is built on a network of…

Child Care Decision Making: Understanding Priorities and Processes Used by Low-Income Families in Minnesota

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forry, Nicole; Isner, Tabitha K.; Daneri, Maria P.; Tout, Kathryn

2014-01-01

Research Findings: Few studies have described parents' child care decision-making process, yet understanding how parents make child care choices is fundamental to developing effective services to promote the selection of high-quality care. This study used latent profile analysis to distinguish subgroups of low-income parents identified as having…

A Study of the Effects of Outsourcing Residence Life Programs on Student Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manley, James H., Jr.

2011-01-01

Institutions of higher education are facing the difficult challenge of meeting increased demands for high quality education and services for students, while keeping costs low, and finding new sources of revenue to compensate for the decrease in funding from state and federal sources. In an attempt to meet these demands new strategies and…

High-Quality After-School Programs Tied to Test-Score Gains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viadero, Debra

2007-01-01

Disadvantaged students who regularly attend top-notch after-school programs end up, after two years, academically far ahead of peers who spend more out-of-school time in unsupervised activities, according to findings from an eight-state study of those programs. Known as the Promising Afterschool Programs study, the new research examined 35…

The Social Context of Adolescent Friendships: Parents, Peers, and Romantic Partners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Heather Kohler; Felmlee, Diane H.; Conger, Rand D.

2017-01-01

We argue that adolescent friendships flourish, or wither, within the "linked lives" of other salient social network ties. Based on structural equation modeling with data from two time points, we find that young people tend to be in high-quality friendships when they are tightly embedded in their social network and receive social support…

Eat, Drink, Play, Discover: Engaging the Imagination through the Senses to Discover Spanish-Speaking Cultures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindner, Blue

2010-01-01

At Sonrisas Spanish School, educators are interested in finding ways to teach children in the way children actually learn. Their mission is to create high quality, standards-based Spanish classes and curriculum materials that are both effective for teachers and also provide a positive foreign language learning experience for students. They value…

Useful, Used, and Peer Approved: The Importance of Rigor and Accessibility in Postsecondary Research and Evaluation. WISCAPE Viewpoints

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaade, Elizabeth; McCready, Bo

2012-01-01

Traditionally, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners have perceived a tension between rigor and accessibility in quantitative research and evaluation in postsecondary education. However, this study indicates that both producers and consumers of these studies value high-quality work and clear findings that can reach multiple audiences. The…

Uncommonly Engaging? A Review of the EngageNY English Language Arts Common Core Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haydel, Elizabeth; Carmichael, Sheila Byrd

2015-01-01

The need for standards-aligned curricula is the most cited Common Core challenge for states, districts, and schools. Yet five years into that implementation, teachers still report scrambling to find high-quality instructional materials. Despite publishers' claims, there is a dearth of programs that are truly aligned to the demands of the Common…

Pre-K Longitudinal Study: Findings from the 1999-2000 School Year.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Gary T.; Gordon, Craig S.; Mashburn, Andrew; Ponder, Bentley D.

The Georgia Prekindergarten Program was established in 1993 to provide the state's 4-year-olds with high-quality preschool experiences. A five-year, longitudinal study examined the ways in which differences in prekindergarten services received by 3,639 Pre-K 4-year-olds affected them during their first 3 years of elementary school and assessed the…

U.S. Naval War College Global 2014 Game Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

Gaming Department faculty and documents the findings of these efforts. The War Gaming Department conducts high quality research , analysis, gaming, and...Navy. It strives to provide interested parties with intellectually honest analysis of complex problems using a wide range of research tools and...3   II. Research Methodology and Game Design .............................................................. 5   Research Questions

Crisis/Opportunity: 2011 Annual Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, 2011

2011-01-01

If there's one quality that WICHE's home region, the West, is famous for, it's endurance in the face of crisis. And if there's another, it's the ability to find--and make--opportunities even in tough times. Over the last fiscal year, WICHE has done just that. The organization has been highly successful in terms of developing new projects and…

From Pennsylvania's Front Line against Crime: A School and Youth Violence Prevention Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2002

Based on findings that high-quality early care and education, youth development programs for after-school and summer hours, child abuse and neglect prevention, and intervention programs can help to prevent violence crime, this document presents a violence prevention plan for the schools and youth of Pennsylvania. Four actions are proposed to…

Something to Say: Success Principles for Afterschool Arts Programs from Urban Youth and Other Experts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, Denise; Rogovin, Peter; Persaud, Neromanie

2013-01-01

How can high-quality arts programs attract and retain low-income urban tweens? Drawing on hundreds of interviews with young people, their families, leaders of exemplary programs and others nationwide, this report offers some answers, including 10 principles for developing effective programming. An infographic illustrating key findings, a report…

An A+ Teaching Model for Serving K-12 Gifted Students in a Technologically Rich Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maynard, Brandi

2012-01-01

Experts in the field have had a difficult time finding a conclusive set of attributes of high-quality gifted teachers using collaborative technology. The purpose of this multiple, exploratory case study was to examine the views of selected educators regarding the teacher characteristics and technology most relevant to the development of shared…

The Link between Higher Order Thinking Skills, Representation and Concepts in Enhancing TIMSS Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tajudin, Nor'ain Mohd.; Chinnappan, Mohan

2016-01-01

Students' performances in TIMSS have featured strongly in recent discussions and debates about the quality of mathematical learning outcomes both from teachers and policy makers. Findings of TIMSS trends showed that most high school students in Malaysia continue to perform at less than satisfactory levels, particularly, in tasks that are…

Effects of Youth Assets on Adolescent Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana Use, and Sexual Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Michael S.; Kitts, Cathy; Lewis, Sandy; Goodrow, Bruce; Scherzer, Gary D.

2011-01-01

Background: Alcohol, tobacco, marijuana use, and sexual behaviors are consistently reported by high school students in the United States and can contribute to reduced quality of life. Empirical research finds that many assets may act as a protective factor for adolescent risk behaviors. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine the…

Understanding apple consumers' expectations in terms of likes and dislikes. Use of comment analysis in a cross-cultural study.

PubMed

Galmarini, M V; Symoneaux, R; Chollet, S; Zamora, M C

2013-03-01

Apple consumers' expectations in Argentina and France were studied by comment analysis of open-ended questions. In an on-line survey consumers stated: attributes which defined quality in an apple; visual, flavor and texture characteristics they liked/did not like to find in an apple. Influence of country, consumption frequency and cultivar knowledge were analyzed by contingency tables, Chi-square per cell tests and Multiple Factor Analysis. Consumers' quality expectations were not the same in both countries. Argentineans and French consumers agreed that quality apples should be juicy (most used term in both countries), tasty, firm and fresh. However, for Argentineans quality was more related to visual characteristics, whereas for French it was driven by flavor. Argentineans used more words but French were more specific, particularly for flavour description. Moreover, frequency of consumption, varieties knowledge and the number of terms given were highly related. Frequent consumers knew more varieties and were more prolific in relation to flavour. Less frequent consumers knew fewer apple varieties and gave more words in the visual category. The use of comment analysis allowed identifying the terms that consumers used in their day to day life to describe apples, finding separately likes and dislikes, in spite of the different languages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Malpractice Litigation and Nursing Home Quality of Care

PubMed Central

Konetzka, R Tamara; Park, Jeongyoung; Ellis, Robert; Abbo, Elmer

2013-01-01

Objective. To assess the potential deterrent effect of nursing home litigation threat on nursing home quality. Data Sources/Study Setting. We use a panel dataset of litigation claims and Nursing Home Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data from 1995 to 2005 in six states: Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Missouri, and Delaware, for a total of 2,245 facilities. Claims data are from Westlaw's Adverse Filings database, a proprietary legal database, on all malpractice, negligence, and personal injury/wrongful death claims filed against nursing facilities. Study Design. A lagged 2-year moving average of the county-level number of malpractice claims is used to represent the threat of litigation. We use facility fixed-effects models to examine the relationship between the threat of litigation and nursing home quality. Principal Findings. We find significant increases in registered nurse-to-total staffing ratios in response to rising malpractice threat, and a reduction in pressure sores among highly staffed facilities. However, the magnitude of the deterrence effect is small. Conclusions. Deterrence in response to the threat of malpractice litigation is unlikely to lead to widespread improvements in nursing home quality. This should be weighed against other benefits and costs of litigation to assess the net benefit of tort reform. PMID:23741985

Determinants of Quality of Work Life among Nurses Working in Hawassa Town Public Health Facilities, South Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Kelbiso, Lolemo; Belay, Admasu; Woldie, Mirkuzie

2017-01-01

A high quality of work life (QWL) is a crucial issue for health care facilities to have qualified, dedicated, and inspired employees. Among different specialties in health care settings, nurses have a major share among other health care providers. So, they should experience a better QWL to deliver high-quality holistic care to those who need help. To assess the level of quality of work life and its predictors among nurses working in Hawassa town public health facilities, South Ethiopia. A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted on 253 nurses of two hospitals and nine health centers. The total sample size was allocated to each facility based on the number of nurses in each facility. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The interitem consistency of the scale used to measure QWL had Cronbach's alpha value of 0.86. A multinomial logistic regression model was fitted to identify significant predictors of quality of work life using SPSS version 20. The study showed that 67.2% of the nurses were dissatisfied with the quality of their work life. We found that educational status, monthly income, working unit, and work environment were strong predictors of quality of work life among nurses ( p < 0.05). Significant proportions of the nurses were dissatisfied with the quality of their work life. The findings in this study and studies reported from elsewhere pinpoint that perception of nurses about the quality of their work life can be modified if health care managers are considerate of the key issues surrounding QWL.

Information presentation features and comprehensibility of hospital report cards: design analysis and online survey among users.

PubMed

Sander, Uwe; Emmert, Martin; Dickel, Jochen; Meszmer, Nina; Kolb, Benjamin

2015-03-16

Improving the transparency of information about the quality of health care providers is one way to improve health care quality. It is assumed that Internet information steers patients toward better-performing health care providers and will motivate providers to improve quality. However, the effect of public reporting on hospital quality is still small. One of the reasons is that users find it difficult to understand the formats in which information is presented. We analyzed the presentation of risk-adjusted mortality rate (RAMR) for coronary angiography in the 10 most commonly used German public report cards to analyze the impact of information presentation features on their comprehensibility. We wanted to determine which information presentation features were utilized, were preferred by users, led to better comprehension, and had similar effects to those reported in evidence-based recommendations described in the literature. The study consisted of 5 steps: (1) identification of best-practice evidence about the presentation of information on hospital report cards; (2) selection of a single risk-adjusted quality indicator; (3) selection of a sample of designs adopted by German public report cards; (4) identification of the information presentation elements used in public reporting initiatives in Germany; and (5) an online panel completed an online questionnaire that was conducted to determine if respondents were able to identify the hospital with the lowest RAMR and if respondents' hospital choices were associated with particular information design elements. Evidence-based recommendations were made relating to the following information presentation features relevant to report cards: evaluative table with symbols, tables without symbols, bar charts, bar charts without symbols, bar charts with symbols, symbols, evaluative word labels, highlighting, order of providers, high values to indicate good performance, explicit statements of whether high or low values indicate good performance, and incomplete data ("N/A" as a value). When investigating the RAMR in a sample of 10 hospitals' report cards, 7 of these information presentation features were identified. Of these, 5 information presentation features improved comprehensibility in a manner reported previously in literature. To our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically analyze the most commonly used public reporting card designs used in Germany. Best-practice evidence identified in international literature was in agreement with 5 findings about German report card designs: (1) avoid tables without symbols, (2) include bar charts with symbols, (3) state explicitly whether high or low values indicate good performance or provide a "good quality" range, (4) avoid incomplete data (N/A given as a value), and (5) rank hospitals by performance. However, these findings are preliminary and should be subject of further evaluation. The implementation of 4 of these recommendations should not present insurmountable obstacles. However, ranking hospitals by performance may present substantial difficulties.

A safety culture assessment by mixed methods at a public maternity and infant hospital in China

PubMed Central

Listyowardojo, Tita Alissa; Yan, Xiaoling; Leyshon, Stephen; Ray-Sannerud, Bobbie; Yu, Xin Yan; Zheng, Kai; Duan, Tao

2017-01-01

Objective To assess safety culture at a public maternity hospital in Shanghai, China, using a sequential mixed methods approach. The study was part of a bigger study looking at the application of the mixed methods approach to assess safety culture in health care in different organizations and countries. Methodology A mixed methods approach was utilized by first distributing the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire measuring six safety culture dimensions and five independent items to all hospital staff (n=1482) working in 18 departments at a single hospital. Afterward, semistructured interviews were conducted using convenience sampling, where 48 hospital staff from nine departments at the same hospital were individually interviewed. Results The survey received a response rate of 96%. The survey findings show significant differences between the hospital departments in almost all safety culture dimensions and independent items. Similarly, the interview findings revealed that there were different, competing priorities between departments perceived to result in a reduced quality of collaboration and bottlenecks in care delivery. Another major finding was that staff who worked more hours per week would perceive working conditions significantly more negatively. Issues related to working conditions were also the most common concerns discussed in the interviews, especially the issue on high workload. High workload was also reflected in the fact that 91.45% of survey respondents reported that they worked 40 hours or longer per week. Finally, interview findings complemented survey findings, thus providing a more complete and accurate picture of safety culture. Conclusion Hospital leaders need to prioritize interventions focused on improving the quality of cross-department collaboration and reducing workload. A mixed methods assessment of safety culture provides more meaningful, targeted results, enabling leaders to prioritize and tailor improvement efforts to increase the impact of an intervention. PMID:28740399

Quality of care for people with multimorbidity - a case series.

PubMed

Schiøtz, Michaela L; Høst, Dorte; Christensen, Mikkel B; Domínguez, Helena; Hamid, Yasmin; Almind, Merete; Sørensen, Kim L; Saxild, Thomas; Holm, Rikke Høgsbro; Frølich, Anne

2017-11-18

Multimorbidity is becoming increasingly prevalent and presents challenges for healthcare providers and systems. Studies examining the relationship between multimorbidity and quality of care report mixed findings. The purpose of this study was to investigate quality of care for people with multimorbidity in the publicly funded healthcare system in Denmark. To investigate the quality of care for people with multimorbidity different groups of clinicians from the hospital, general practice and the municipality reviewed records from 23 persons with multimorbidity and discussed them in three focus groups. Before each focus group, clinicians were asked to review patients' medical records and assess their care by responding to a questionnaire. Medical records from 2013 from hospitals, general practice, and health centers in the local municipality were collected and linked for the 23 patients. Further, two clinical pharmacologists reviewed the appropriateness of medications listed in patient records. The review of the patients' records conducted by three groups of clinicians revealed that around half of the patients received adequate care for the single condition which prompted the episode of care such as a hospitalization, a visit to an outpatient clinic or the general practitioner. Further, the care provided to approximately two-thirds of the patients did not take comorbidities into account and insufficiently addressed more diffuse symptoms or problems. The review of the medication lists revealed that the majority of the medication lists contained inappropriate medications and that there were incongruity in medication listed in the primary and secondary care sector. Several barriers for providing high quality care were identified. These included relative short consultation times in general practice and outpatient clinics, lack of care coordinators, and lack of shared IT-system proving an overview of the treatment. Our findings reveal quality of care deficiencies for people with multimorbidity. Suggestions for care improvement for people with multimorbidity includes formally assigned responsibility for care coordination, a change in the financial incentive structure towards a system rewarding high quality care and care focusing on prevention of disease exacerbation, as well as implementing shared medical record systems.

Electronically decoupled stacking fault tetrahedra embedded in Au(111) films

PubMed Central

Schouteden, Koen; Amin-Ahmadi, Behnam; Li, Zhe; Muzychenko, Dmitry; Schryvers, Dominique; Van Haesendonck, Chris

2016-01-01

Stacking faults are known as defective structures in crystalline materials that typically lower the structural quality of the material. Here, we show that a particular type of defect, that is, stacking fault tetrahedra (SFTs), exhibits pronounced quantized electronic behaviour, revealing a potential synthetic route to decoupled nanoparticles in metal films. We report on the electronic properties of SFTs that exist in Au(111) films, as evidenced by scanning tunnelling microscopy and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. We find that the SFTs reveal a remarkable decoupling from their metal surroundings, leading to pronounced energy level quantization effects within the SFTs. The electronic behaviour of the SFTs can be described well by the particle-in-a-box model. Our findings demonstrate that controlled preparation of SFTs may offer an alternative way to achieve well-decoupled nanoparticles of high crystalline quality in metal thin films without the need of thin insulating layers. PMID:28008910