[Self-determined but with professional leadership? On the effectiveness and definition of self-help groups].

PubMed

Klytta, C; Wilz, G

2007-02-01

Because the effectiveness of self-help groups (SHGs) has not been proven yet and also since multi-focus reviews on SHGs are rare, the present article offers an overview of the current state of research. Possible reasons for the conflicting results in the literature are also investigated. An extensive literature search was done to review studies which used longitudinal design and control groups to measure the effectiveness of SHGs and so-called "support groups". Positive effects in comparison to the control groups were proven in four out of seven of the studies. In the remaining three studies the outcomes between the groups were the same. Considering the naturalistic designs of the studies, these results clearly indicate that SHGs are indeed effective. An insufficient consideration of the heterogeneity of the groups is held responsible for the difficulties associated with previous research on the topic, especially as far as the differentiation between SHGs and professionally led groups is concerned. The definition excludes professional leadership but, in fact, professional involvement in SHGs up to their leadership is the rule. The following suggestions have been derived from this literature analysis: uniform classifications for SHGs and professionally-led support groups should be established in order to make it possible to provide a clear distinction between these types of groups as well as to indicate the extent of professional involvement in them. A plea is made for a generally stronger consideration of organisational differences in the research of SHGs.

Exploring Young Children's Response to Three Genres of Literature in Small-Peer Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Jennifer Adams

2010-01-01

This teacher research studied second graders' small-group, peer-led discussions about three genres of literature--realistic fiction, biography picture books, and science information books--across one school year (during three units in the fall, winter, and spring). It set out to explore how this peer talk, in general, mediated children's responses…

Effects of Literature-Based Reading Instruction of the Reading Achievement of Hispanic First-Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrasco, Miguel A.

A study investigated the effects of the literature-based reading instruction on the reading achievement of Mexican-American first graders in Spanish. Using a posttest-only control group design and "t" test for independent samples, results indicated that after three months the experimental group of 30 students (attending a 100% Hispanic…

Grouping Students at the Computer To Enhance the Study of British Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marr, Paula M.

2000-01-01

Describes a three-week project in an English classroom in which students in small, mixed-ability groups used PowerPoint to enhance a unit on British literature. Outlines the lesson itself and discusses its positive results, including peer-teaching and learning, improved student motivation to understand themes in poetry, positive socialization, and…

Truancy Interventions: A Review of the Research Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutphen, Richard D.; Ford, Janet P.; Flaherty, Chris

2010-01-01

Objectives: This article presents a systematic review of the literature on evaluative studies of truancy interventions. Method: Included studies evaluating truancy interventions appearing in peer-reviewed academic journals from 1990 to 2007. Findings: In total, 16 studies were assessed. Eight studies used group comparison designs and eight studies…

Population groups: indexing, coverage, and retrieval effectiveness of ethnically related health care issues in health sciences databases.

PubMed Central

Efthimiadis, E N; Afifi, M

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study examined methods of accessing (for indexing and retrieval purposes) medical research on population groups in the major abstracting and indexing services of the health sciences literature. DESIGN: The study of diseases in specific population groups is facilitated by the indexing of both diseases and populations in a database. The MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase databases were selected for the study. The published thesauri for these databases were examined to establish the vocabulary in use. Indexing terms were identified and examined as to their representation in the current literature. Terms were clustered further into groups thought to reflect an end user's perspective and to facilitate subsequent analysis. The medical literature contained in the three online databases was searched with both controlled vocabulary and natural language terms. RESULTS: The three thesauri revealed shallow pre-coordinated hierarchical structures, rather difficult-to-use terms for post-coordination, and a blurring of cultural, genetic, and racial facets of populations. Post-coordination is difficult because of the system-oriented terminology, which is intended mostly for information professionals. The terminology unintentionally restricts access by the end users who lack the knowledge needed to use the thesauri effectively for information retrieval. CONCLUSIONS: Population groups are not represented adequately in the index languages of health sciences databases. Users of these databases need to be alerted to the difficulties that may be encountered in searching for information on population groups. Information and health professionals may not be able to access the literature if they are not familiar with the indexing policies on population groups. Consequently, the study points to a problem that needs to be addressed, through either the redesign of existing systems or the design of new ones to meet the goals of Healthy People 2000 and beyond. PMID:8883987

Developing Soft Skills Using "Literature Circles"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azmi, Mohd Nazri Bin Latiff

2013-01-01

This study investigates the impact of the implementation of "Literature Circles" in an Active Learning classroom in relations to developing soft skills among university students. The use of Literature Circles is a well-known strategy in teaching the students to be more creative, independent, and think out of the box. A group of…

Recruiting participants to walking intervention studies: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Purpose Most researchers who are conducting physical activity trials face difficulties in recruiting participants who are representative of the population or from specific population groups. Participants who are often the hardest to recruit are often those who stand to benefit most (the least active, from ethnic and other minority groups, from neighbourhoods with high levels of deprivation, or have poor health). The aim of our study was to conduct a systematic review of published literature of walking interventions, in order to identify the impact, characteristics, and differential effects of recruitment strategies among particular population groups. Methods We conducted standard searches for studies from four sources, (i) electronic literature databases and websites, (ii) grey literature from internet sources, (iii) contact with experts to identify additional "grey" and other literature, and (iv) snowballing from reference lists of retrieved articles. Included studies were randomised controlled trials, controlled before-and-after experimental or observational qualitative studies, examining the effects of an intervention to encourage people to walk independently or in a group setting, and detailing methods of recruitment. Results Forty seven studies met the inclusion criteria. The overall quality of the descriptions of recruitment in the studies was poor with little detail reported on who undertook recruitment, or how long was spent planning/preparing and implementing the recruitment phase. Recruitment was conducted at locations that either matched where the intervention was delivered, or where the potential participants were asked to attend for the screening and signing up process. We identified a lack of conceptual clarity about the recruitment process and no standard metric to evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment. Conclusion Recruitment concepts, methods, and reporting in walking intervention trials are poorly developed, adding to other limitations in the literature, such as limited generalisability. The lack of understanding of optimal and equitable recruitment strategies evident from this review limits the impact of interventions to promote walking to particular social groups. To improve the delivery of walking interventions to groups which can benefit most, specific attention to developing and evaluating targeted recruitment approaches is recommended. PMID:22171531

Effects of Cooperative Learning on Learning Achievement and Group Working Behavior of Junior Students in Modern French Literature Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orprayoon, Soudaya

2014-01-01

This study reported on the results of a quasi-experimental research to explore the effectiveness of using a cooperative learning method on students' academic achievement, their group working behavior and their perception and opinions towards cooperative learning in a Modern French Literature course. The sample included twelve junior students…

Gender differences in computer-mediated communication: a systematic literature review of online health-related support groups.

PubMed

Mo, Phoenix K H; Malik, Sumaira H; Coulson, Neil S

2009-04-01

Previous research has contended that the unique characteristics of the Internet might remove some of the gender differences that exist in face-to-face healthcare. The aims of the present study were to systematically review studies that have examined gender differences in communication within online health communities. A literature search was conducted to identify studies addressing gender differences in messages posted to online health-related support groups. Out of the 1186 articles identified, twelve were retrieved for review. Half of the studies examined gender differences by comparing male and female cancer discussion boards. The literature review revealed that some gender differences were observed in these studies. However, for studies that analysed mixed-gender communities, gender differences were less evident. Results seemed to reveal gender differences in communications in single-sex online health support groups, and similarities in communication patterns in mixed-sex online health support groups. However, findings should be treated with caution due to the diversity in studies and methodological issues highlighted in the present review. There is a need for health care professionals to take into account a range of situational and contextual factors that may affect how men and women use online health support groups. However, more robust research is needed before concrete guidelines can be developed to help health care professionals develop effective online support interventions.

Lessons in Culture: Oral Storytelling in a Literature Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Railton, Nikki

2015-01-01

This essay charts the experiences of a group of Year 10 students studying literature together. I challenge the current educational thinking that the literature classroom should consist exclusively of a set of canonised texts handed down from teacher to student. Instead I consider the importance of ensuring students have space to explore themselves…

Multicultural Children's Literature and Teacher Candidates' Awareness and Attitudes toward Cultural Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iwai, Yuko

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to look at elementary/middle school pre-service teachers' perceptions of multicultural and diversity issues through multicultural children's literature. Nineteen pre-service teachers in a foundation of literacy course explored multicultural children's literature and involved group/class discussions and a project over…

Mapping the literature of perfusion.

PubMed Central

Hall, E F

1999-01-01

Perfusionists select and operate the equipment necessary for monitoring, supporting, or temporarily replacing the patient's circulatory or respiratory function. There are over 3,000 perfusionists working in U.S. hospitals, medical and perfusionist groups, and as independent contractors. The purpose of this study was to identify the core literature of perfusion and to determine which major databases provide the most thorough access to this literature. This paper is part of the Medical Library Association Nursing and Allied Health Resource Section's project to map the literature of the allied health professions. It uses a bibliometric methodology to identify core journals. A group of forty-three journals was determined to make up the core journal literature of perfusion. MEDLINE provided the best overall indexing coverage for these journals, but librarians and perfusionists will wish to supplement its use with the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature in order to access the journals written primarily for perfusionists. The study results can guide purchasing and database searching decisions of collection development and reference librarians, encourage the database producer to increase coverage of titles that are unindexed or underindexed, and advise perfusionists of the best access to their core literature. PMID:10427432

Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral and Supportive-Expressive Group Therapy for Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boutin, Daniel L.

2007-01-01

A review of the literature revealed 20 studies that examined the extent to which cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), supportive-expressive group therapy (SEGT), and a combination of these two treatments impact women with breast cancer. Based on this review, it is determined that CBT and SEGT have repeated experimental support for positively…

Bridging gaps to promote networked care between teams and groups in health delivery systems: a systematic review of non-health literature.

PubMed

Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2015-09-24

To assess non-health literature, identify key strategies in promoting more networked teams and groups, apply external ideas to healthcare, and build a model based on these strategies. A systematic review of the literature outside of healthcare. Searches guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) of ABI/INFORM Global, CINAHL, IBSS, MEDLINE and Psychinfo databases following a mind-mapping exercise generating key terms centred on the core construct of gaps across organisational social structures that uncovered 842 empirical articles of which 116 met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction and content analysis via data mining techniques were performed on these articles. The research involved subjects in 40 countries, with 32 studies enrolling participants in multiple countries. There were 40 studies conducted wholly or partly in the USA, 46 wholly or partly in continental Europe, 29 wholly or partly in Asia and 12 wholly or partly in Russia or Russian federated countries. Methods employed included 30 mixed or triangulated social science study designs, 39 qualitative studies, 13 experimental studies and 34 questionnaire-based studies, where the latter was mostly to gather data for social network analyses. Four recurring factors underpin a model for promoting networked behaviours and fortifying cross-group cooperation: appreciating the characteristics and nature of gaps between groups; using the leverage of boundary-spanners to bridge two or more groups; applying various mechanisms to stimulate interactive relationships; and mobilising those who can exert positive external influences to promote connections while minimising the impact of those who exacerbate divides. The literature assessed is rich and varied. An evidence-oriented model and strategies for promoting more networked systems are now available for application to healthcare. While caution needs to be exercised in translating outside ideas and studies, drawing on non-health ideas is useful in providing insights into other sectors. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The Effect of a Literature-Based Program Integrated into Literacy and Science Instruction on Achievement, Use, and Attitudes toward Literacy and Science. Reading Research Report No. 37.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrow, Lesley Mandel; And Others

A study determined the impact of integrating literacy and science programs on literacy achievement, use of literature, and attitude toward reading and science. Six third-grade classes (128 students) of ethnically diverse children were assigned to one control and two experimental groups (literature/science program and literature only program).…

Ethnic Density Effects on Physical Morbidity, Mortality, and Health Behaviors: A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Shaw, Richard; Nazroo, James; Stafford, Mai; Albor, Christo; Atkin, Karl; Kiernan, Kathleen; Wilkinson, Richard; Pickett, Kate

2012-01-01

It has been suggested that people in racial/ethnic minority groups are healthier when they live in areas with a higher concentration of people from their own ethnic group, a so-called ethnic density effect. Ethnic density effects are still contested, and the pathways by which ethnic density operates are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature examining the ethnic density effect on physical health, mortality, and health behaviors. Most studies report a null association between ethnic density and health. Protective ethnic density effects are more common than adverse associations, particularly for health behaviors and among Hispanic people. Limitations of the literature include inadequate adjustment for area deprivation and limited statistical power across ethnic density measures and study samples. PMID:23078507

Reaching the limits of reciprocity in favor exchange: The effects of generous, stingy, and matched favor giving on social status.

PubMed

Ouyang, Kan; Xu, Erica; Huang, Xu; Liu, Wu; Tang, Yipeng

2018-03-08

Group members gain social status via giving favors to others, but why and when they do so remain unclear in the literature. Building on social exchange theory and social status literature, we identify three types of favor giving among group members (generous, stingy, and matched) and propose that an affective mechanism (i.e., gratitude) and a cognitive mechanism (i.e., perceived competence) underlie the relationship between favor giving and status attainment. Specifically, generous/stingy favor giving has a linear relationship with status attainment through both gratitude and perceived competence, whereas matched favor giving has a curvilinear relationship with status attainment only through perceived competence. An experimental study and a field study lend support to our propositions. Our study complements the literature by offering a complete picture of how three types of favor giving among group members shape their social status in different ways. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

It's About Time: Using Electronic Literature Discussion Groups with Adult Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beeghly, Dena G.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that participating in online literature discussions would have on the discourse and learning of adult students. Would electronic literature (e-lit) discussions promote grand conversations? Would students feel that e-lit discussions enhanced their understanding of what they read, and, if so,…

The "Us" in Discuss: Grouping in Literature Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batchelor, Katherine

2012-01-01

This article describes one middle school teacher's use of literature circles using heterogeneous grouping. It begins with a brief rationale for using literature circles in the language arts classroom. Next, it describes techniques to form literature circles. Then, it shares how to build and establish a supportive environment within each group. It…

Adaptation and Flexibility When Conducting and Planning Peer Study Group Review Sessions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arendale, David R.; Hanes, Amanda R.

2016-01-01

Based on an evaluation of the professional literature of postsecondary learning assistance, little is known about decisions made by student leaders during their peer study group review sessions. Our research question for this study is "How did study group leaders adapt their role to better meet the needs of the students who participated in…

The Constitution of Outdoor Education Groups: An Analysis of the Literature?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zink, Robyn

2010-01-01

Groups are ubiquitous in outdoor education and while there is a lot of literature on groups, there is limited examination of the assumptions made about groups and the effects these assumptions have on the practices of outdoor education. I utilise some of Michel Foucault's (1992) tools to investigate literature on outdoor education groups.…

Effects of librarian-provided services in healthcare settings: a systematic review.

PubMed

Perrier, Laure; Farrell, Ann; Ayala, A Patricia; Lightfoot, David; Kenny, Tim; Aaronson, Ellen; Allee, Nancy; Brigham, Tara; Connor, Elizabeth; Constantinescu, Teodora; Muellenbach, Joanne; Epstein, Helen-Ann Brown; Weiss, Ardis

2014-01-01

To assess the effects of librarian-provided services in healthcare settings on patient, healthcare provider, and researcher outcomes. Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, LISA (Library and Information Science Abstracts), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception to June 2013. Studies involving librarian-provided services for patients encountering the healthcare system, healthcare providers, or researchers were eligible for inclusion. All librarian-provided services in healthcare settings were considered as an intervention, including hospitals, primary care settings, or public health clinics. Twenty-five articles fulfilled our eligibility criteria, including 22 primary publications and three companion reports. The majority of studies (15/22 primary publications) examined librarians providing instruction in literature searching to healthcare trainees, and measured literature searching proficiency. Other studies analyzed librarian-provided literature searching services and instruction in question formulation as well as the impact of librarian-provided services on patient length of stay in hospital. No studies were found that investigated librarians providing direct services to researchers or patients in healthcare settings. Librarian-provided services directed to participants in training programs (eg, students, residents) improve skills in searching the literature to facilitate the integration of research evidence into clinical decision-making. Services provided to clinicians were shown to be effective in saving time for health professionals and providing relevant information for decision-making. Two studies indicated patient length of stay was reduced when clinicians requested literature searches related to a patient's case. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Use of the Movies in the Turkish Language and Literature Education in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yakar, Halide Gamze Ince

2018-01-01

The aim of the present research is to investigate the teachers' use of movies in their classes for the teaching of literature and their opinions on this technique. The research is designed as a case study. The target group of the research, selected on information-oriented sampling, consists of 44 Turkish Language and Literature teachers who…

Reaching the hard-to-reach: a systematic review of strategies for improving health and medical research with socially disadvantaged groups

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background This study aims to review the literature regarding the barriers to sampling, recruitment, participation, and retention of members of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in health research and strategies for increasing the amount of health research conducted with socially disadvantaged groups. Methods A systematic review with narrative synthesis was conducted. Searches of electronic databases Medline, PsychInfo, EMBASE, Social Science Index via Web of Knowledge and CINHAL were conducted for English language articles published up to May 2013. Qualitative and quantitative studies as well as literature reviews were included. Articles were included if they reported attempts to increase disadvantaged group participation in research, or the barriers to research with disadvantaged groups. Groups of interest were those described as socially, culturally or financially disadvantaged compared to the majority of society. Eligible articles were categorised according to five phases of research: 1) sampling, 2) recruitment and gaining consent, 3) data collection and measurement, 4) intervention delivery and uptake, and 5) retention and attrition. Results In total, 116 papers from 115 studies met inclusion criteria and 31 previous literature reviews were included. A comprehensive summation of the major barriers to working with various disadvantaged groups is provided, along with proposed strategies for addressing each of the identified types of barriers. Most studies of strategies to address the barriers were of a descriptive nature and only nine studies reported the results of randomised trials. Conclusions To tackle the challenges of research with socially disadvantaged groups, and increase their representation in health and medical research, researchers and research institutions need to acknowledge extended timeframes, plan for higher resourcing costs and operate via community partnerships. PMID:24669751

Student Perceptions of Small-Group Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florez, Ida Rose; McCaslin, Mary

2008-01-01

Background/Context: Elementary school teachers regularly arrange students in small groups for learning activities. A rich literature discusses various types of small-group learning formats and how those formats affect achievement. Few studies, however, have examined students' perceptions of small-group learning experiences. Our work extends the…

Bridging gaps to promote networked care between teams and groups in health delivery systems: a systematic review of non-health literature

PubMed Central

Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Objectives To assess non-health literature, identify key strategies in promoting more networked teams and groups, apply external ideas to healthcare, and build a model based on these strategies. Design A systematic review of the literature outside of healthcare. Method Searches guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) of ABI/INFORM Global, CINAHL, IBSS, MEDLINE and Psychinfo databases following a mind-mapping exercise generating key terms centred on the core construct of gaps across organisational social structures that uncovered 842 empirical articles of which 116 met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction and content analysis via data mining techniques were performed on these articles. Results The research involved subjects in 40 countries, with 32 studies enrolling participants in multiple countries. There were 40 studies conducted wholly or partly in the USA, 46 wholly or partly in continental Europe, 29 wholly or partly in Asia and 12 wholly or partly in Russia or Russian federated countries. Methods employed included 30 mixed or triangulated social science study designs, 39 qualitative studies, 13 experimental studies and 34 questionnaire-based studies, where the latter was mostly to gather data for social network analyses. Four recurring factors underpin a model for promoting networked behaviours and fortifying cross-group cooperation: appreciating the characteristics and nature of gaps between groups; using the leverage of boundary-spanners to bridge two or more groups; applying various mechanisms to stimulate interactive relationships; and mobilising those who can exert positive external influences to promote connections while minimising the impact of those who exacerbate divides. Conclusions The literature assessed is rich and varied. An evidence-oriented model and strategies for promoting more networked systems are now available for application to healthcare. While caution needs to be exercised in translating outside ideas and studies, drawing on non-health ideas is useful in providing insights into other sectors. PMID:26408280

Effects of Integrating Children's Literature and DVD Films into a College EFL Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Mei-Ling

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of the use of children's literature and DVD films on EFL adult language learning. A total of 89 non-English majors enrolled in two Freshman English classes participated in the study. The study employed a quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest comparison group design. The participants in the…

Which positive factors determine the GP satisfaction in clinical practice? A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Le Floch, B; Bastiaens, H; Le Reste, J Y; Lingner, H; Hoffman, R D; Czachowski, S; Assenova, R; Koskela, T H; Klemenc-Ketis, Z; Nabbe, P; Sowinska, A; Montier, T; Peremans, L

2016-09-13

Looking at what makes General Practitioners (GPs) happy in their profession, may be important in increasing the GP workforce in the future. The European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN) created a research team (eight national groups) in order to clarify the factors involved in GP job satisfaction throughout Europe. The first step of this study was a literature review to explore how the satisfaction of GPs had been studied before. The research question was "Which factors are related to GP satisfaction in Clinical Practice?" Systematic literature review according to the PRISMA statement. The databases searched were Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane. All articles were identified, screened and included by two separate research teams, according to inclusion or exclusion criteria. Then, a qualitative appraisal was undertaken. Next, a thematic analysis process was undertaken to capture any issue relevant to the research question. The number of records screened was 458. One hundred four were eligible. Finally, 17 articles were included. The data revealed 13 subthemes, which were grouped into three major themes for GP satisfaction. First there were general profession-related themes, applicable to many professions. A second group of issues related specifically to a GP setting. Finally, a third group was related to professional life and personal issues. A number of factors leading to GP job satisfaction, exist in literature They should be used by policy makers within Europe to increase the GP workforce. The research team needs to undertake qualitative studies to confirm or enhance those results.

Electronic nicotine delivery devices, and their impact on health and patterns of tobacco use: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Glasser, Allison M; Cobb, Caroline O; Teplitskaya, Lyubov; Ganz, Ollie; Katz, Lauren; Rose, Shyanika W; Feirman, Shari; Villanti, Andrea C

2015-04-29

E-cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) have recently attracted considerable attention. Among some individuals there is strong debate and a polarisation of views about the public health benefits versus harms of ENDS. With little regulation, the ENDS market is evolving, and new products are introduced and marketed constantly. Rapid developments in manufacturing, marketing and consumer domains related to ENDS will warrant frequent re-evaluation, based on the state of the evolving science. The purpose of this article is to describe a protocol for an ongoing comprehensive review of the published scientific literature on ENDS. We will undertake a systematic review of published empirical research literature on ENDS using the National Library of Medicine's PubMed electronic database to search for relevant articles. Data from included studies will be extracted into a standardised form, tables with study details and key outcomes for each article will be created, and studies will be synthesised qualitatively. This review synthesises published literature and presents no primary data. Therefore, no ethical approval is required for this study. Subsequent papers will provide greater detail on results, within select categories, that represent gaps in the literature base. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

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

PubMed

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

2012-08-01

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

The Effect of Magnetic Fields on Wound Healing

PubMed Central

Henry, Steven L; Concannon, Matthew J; Yee, Gloria J

2008-01-01

Objective: Magnets are purported to aid wound healing despite a paucity of scientific evidence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of static magnetic fields on cutaneous wound healing in an animal model. The literature was reviewed to explore the historical and scientific basis of magnet therapy and to define its current role in the evidence-based practice of plastic surgery. Methods: Standardized wounds were created on the backs of 33 Sprague-Dawley rats, which were divided into 3 groups with either a 23 gauss magnet (group 1), a sham magnet (group 2), or nothing (group 3) positioned over the wound. The rate of wound closure by secondary intention was compared between the groups. Literature review was conducted through searches of PubMed and Ovid databases for articles pertinent to magnets and wound healing. Results: Wounds in the magnet group healed in an average of 15.3 days, significantly faster than those in either the sham group (20.9 days, P = .006) or control group (20.3 days, P < .0001). There was no statistically significant difference between the sham and control groups (P = .45). Conclusions: An externally applied, low-power, static magnetic field increases the rate of secondary healing. Review of the literature reveals conflicting evidence regarding the use of magnetic energy to aid the healing of bone, tendon, and skin. Level I studies are lacking and difficult to execute but are needed to define conclusively the role of magnets in clinical practice. PMID:18725953

[Meta-analysis of relationship between extranodal tumor deposits and prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer].

PubMed

Zhang, Xianxiang; Shao, Shihong; Gao, Yuan; Zhang, Maoshen; Lu, Yun

2016-03-01

To investigate the relationship between extranodal tumor deposits and prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer. The literatures on extranodal tumor deposits and postoperative survival rate in patients with colorectal cancer published at home and abroad from 1990 to 2014 were retrieved in 15 English literature databases such as MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Directory of Open Access Journals(DOAJ), SpringerLink and Chinese literature databases such as Chinese Biomedical Literature Database CD-ROM, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) Database with the internet platform of Yonsei University Library. After screening for inclusion, data extraction and quality assessment, meta-analysis was conducted by the Review Manager 5.3 software. There were 10 studies meeting the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The total sample size of the studies was 4 068 cases with ENTD(+) 727 cases, while ENTD(-) 3 341 cases. Meta analysis showed that 5-year overall survival rate and 5-year relapse-free survival rate were significantly lower in ENTD(+) group than those in ENTD(-) group (OR 0.27, 0.23; 95% CI:0.18 to 0.43, 0.16 to 0.34 respectively, both P=0.000); the 5-year overall survival rates were both significantly lower in ENTD(+) group as compared to ENTD(-) group for patients with N0 and N(+) colorectal cancer (both P<0.05). Extranodal tumor deposits is a poor prognostic factor of patients with colorectal cancer.

What Do We Know about Cognitive and Motivational Effects of Small Group Tutorials in Problem-Based Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolmans, Diana H. J. M.; Schmidt, Henk G.

2006-01-01

Students collaborating in small groups is a characteristic of problem-based learning (PBL) that is receiving increased consideration in the literature. In this paper findings from studies in this area are synthesized and discussed. A distinction is made between studies focusing on cognitive effects of group learning and studies focusing on…

The Effects of Social Skills Groups for Young Children with Social Delays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koyama, Takanori

2011-01-01

This study was conducted as a program evaluation of an existing social skills program. A review of literature identified a limited number of empirical studies on group-based social skills training for young children with social delays. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social skills groups as well as the effects of homework…

Mixed Methodology in Group Research: Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shannonhouse, Laura R.; Barden, Sejal M.; McDonald, C. Peeper

2017-01-01

Mixed methods research (MMR) is a useful paradigm for group work as it allows exploration of both participant outcomes and "how" or "why" such changes occur. Unfortunately, the group counseling literature is not replete with MMR studies. This article reviews the application of MMR to group contexts and summarizes the corpus of…

[Promising conservative treatment using dynamic mobilisation after Achilles tendon rupture].

PubMed

Tengberg, Peter Toft; Barfod, Kristoffer; Krasheninnikoff, Michael; Ebskov, Lars; Troelsen, Anders

2011-10-31

There is no consensus regarding the optimal treatment of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. This review of the literature on the subject shows a significantly higher rate of reruptures (RR) in the conservatively treated group compared to the surgically treated group when the foot is immobilised in the aftertreatment. Recent studies that used early dynamic mobilisation in the conservatively treated group did not show this difference in the RR rate. The latest literature on the subject indicates that non-operative treatment, followed by dynamic aftertreatment, results in the lowest complication rate and a good functional outcome.

Assign Roles to Get Literature Circles Rolling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curriculum Review, 2005

2005-01-01

This article briefly describes a role-playing exercise designed to break the ice in a classroom literature circle from The Ultimate Small-Group Reading How-To Book: Building Comprehension through SmallGroup Instruction, written by Gail Saunders-Smith. The members of a literature circle participate in the group discussion according to the…

Long-term perchloroethylene exposure: a limited meta-analysis of neurobehavorial deficits in occupationally and residentially exposed groups

EPA Science Inventory

The literature concerning the neurobehavioral and neurophysiological effects of long-term exposure to perchloroethylene (PERC) in humans was meta-analyzed to provide a quantitative review and synthesis. The useable data base from this literature comprised studies reporting effec...

A Literature-Based Basal Reader's Effects on Student Achievement: An Evaluation of Literature-Based Basal Textbook Adoption at Terre Town Elementary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burk, Anne

An ex post facto study examined third grade students' achievement test scores both before and after the adoption of a literature-based basal reading text. The experimental groups consisted of five third grade classes at Terre Town Elementary School (Indiana) for each of the years 1988 through 1993. Mean scores were plotted and data were visually…

Studying primate cognition in a social setting to improve validity and welfare: a literature review highlighting successful approaches.

PubMed

Cronin, Katherine A; Jacobson, Sarah L; Bonnie, Kristin E; Hopper, Lydia M

2017-01-01

Studying animal cognition in a social setting is associated with practical and statistical challenges. However, conducting cognitive research without disturbing species-typical social groups can increase ecological validity, minimize distress, and improve animal welfare. Here, we review the existing literature on cognitive research run with primates in a social setting in order to determine how widespread such testing is and highlight approaches that may guide future research planning. Using Google Scholar to search the terms "primate" "cognition" "experiment" and "social group," we conducted a systematic literature search covering 16 years (2000-2015 inclusive). We then conducted two supplemental searches within each journal that contained a publication meeting our criteria in the original search, using the terms "primate" and "playback" in one search and the terms "primate" "cognition" and "social group" in the second. The results were used to assess how frequently nonhuman primate cognition has been studied in a social setting (>3 individuals), to gain perspective on the species and topics that have been studied, and to extract successful approaches for social testing. Our search revealed 248 unique publications in 43 journals encompassing 71 species. The absolute number of publications has increased over years, suggesting viable strategies for studying cognition in social settings. While a wide range of species were studied they were not equally represented, with 19% of the publications reporting data for chimpanzees. Field sites were the most common environment for experiments run in social groups of primates, accounting for more than half of the results. Approaches to mitigating the practical and statistical challenges were identified. This analysis has revealed that the study of primate cognition in a social setting is increasing and taking place across a range of environments. This literature review calls attention to examples that may provide valuable models for researchers wishing to overcome potential practical and statistical challenges to studying cognition in a social setting, ultimately increasing validity and improving the welfare of the primates we study.

Responses of Four Adolescent Females to Adolescent Fiction with Strong Female Characters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carico, Kathleen M.

A study examined the effects of a reader response approach to literature in which literature is viewed as a medium for exploration and the effects of such an approach on a group of young women. Subjects of the study were four female middle school students, with the adult female researcher as participant observer. Books chosen for…

Sex Differences in Influenceability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eagly, Alice H.

1978-01-01

Examines the hypothesis that women are more easily influenced than men by reviewing the literature on persuasion and conformity research. Persuasion research and conformity studies not involving group pressure show scant empirical support for sex differences. For group pressure conformity research, a substantial minority of studies support the…

Employees' Perceptions of Female Affinity Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabriel, Peter J.

2017-01-01

Female affinity groups offered by corporations are formalized corporate initiatives focused on networking and professional development opportunities for women (Welbourne & McLaughlin, 2013). The scholarly literature focused on female affinity groups was limited. The purpose of this grounded theory Dissertation in Practice study was to…

Effects of Support Groups for Individuals with Early-Stage Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: An Integrative Review.

PubMed

Jao, Ying-Ling; Epps, Fayron; McDermott, Caroline; Rose, Karen M; Specht, Janet K

2017-01-01

Support groups have demonstrated promising outcomes for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early-stage dementia (ESD) in previous literature reviews. However, evidence has not been updated since 2007. The current review aimed to update current evidence on the use and effects of support groups for individuals with MCI and ESD and their care partners. A literature search was conducted in seven databases and 18 eligible research articles were retrieved. Support groups showed positive impacts on participant acceptance of cognitive impairment; performance and satisfaction of meaningful activity; resilience; self-help; and care partner coping self-efficacy, perceived support, and preparation and task effectiveness. Findings also revealed that support groups were well accepted by participants and care partners. Few studies included ethnic diversity, limiting the generalizability of findings. Further large-scale studies are needed to confirm the effects of support groups for individuals with MCI and ESD in all populations. [Res Gerontol Nurs. 2017; 10(1):35-51.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Injunctive and Descriptive Peer Group Norms and the Academic Adjustment of Rural Early Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamm, Jill V.; Schmid, Lorrie; Farmer, Thomas W.; Locke, Belinda

2011-01-01

This study integrates diverse literatures on peer group influence by conceptualizing and examining the relationship of peer group injunctive norms to the academic adjustment of a large and ethnically diverse sample of rural early adolescents' academic adjustment. Results of three-level hierarchical linear modeling indicated that peer groups were…

Mapping the literature of case management nursing.

PubMed

White, Pamela; Hall, Marilyn E

2006-04-01

Nursing case management provides a continuum of health care services for defined groups of patients. Its literature is multidisciplinary, emphasizing clinical specialties, case management methodology, and the health care system. This study is part of a project to map the literature of nursing, sponsored by the Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section of the Medical Library Association. The study identifies core journals cited in case management literature and indexing services that access those journals. Three source journals were identified based on established criteria, and cited references from each article published from 1997 to 1999 were analyzed. Nearly two-thirds of the cited references were from journals; others were from books, monographs, reports, government documents, and the Internet. Cited journal references were ranked in descending order, and Bradford's Law of Scattering was applied. The many journals constituting the top two zones reflect the diversity of this field. Zone 1 included journals from nursing administration, case management, general medicine, medical specialties, and social work. Two databases, PubMed/MEDLINE and OCLC ArticleFirst, provided the best indexing coverage. Collections that support case management require a relatively small group of core journals. Students and health care professionals will need to search across disciplines to identify appropriate literature.

The Joe Joe Series: A Culturally Responsive Resource

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Nichelle C.; Hill-Clarke, Kantaylieniere

2004-01-01

In the elementary classroom, teachers often introduce new units through the use of trade books. Children's literature, the best of which brings social studies content to life, is usually more engaging than textbook prose. Children's literature that shares the experiences, contributions, and perspectives of various cultural groups achieves several…

Elementary School Teachers' Perceptions Regarding the Inclusion of LGBTQ Themed Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grasso, Dominic

2016-01-01

This critical explanatory mixed methods study examined elementary teachers' perceptions regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ-themed literature in the curriculum. An electronic survey questionnaire and focus group sessions were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data that described the perceived benefits and barriers of LGBTQ-themed…

California Alcohol, Drug and Disability Study (CALADDS): Literature Review and Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Miranda, John; And Others

This literature review discusses cultural influences on individuals with disabilities and describes three historical models of disability--the moral model, medical model, and sociological/environmental/civil rights/minority group model. The use of alcohol and drugs by disabled persons is explored, focusing on individuals with orthopedic and…

Language Use in Multiethnic Literature For Young Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christianson, Darcy

This study analyzed ethnic authenticity with regard to language use in 16 books for children and young adults used in Central Michigan University's English 582 course, "Cultural Pluralism in Children and Young Adult Literature." Four ethnic groups were included: Native American, African American, Asian American, and Hispanic American. To evaluate…

Analysis of the Team-Based Learning Literature: TBL Comes of Age

PubMed Central

Haidet, Paul; Kubitz, Karla; McCormack, Wayne T.

2015-01-01

Team-based learning, or TBL, is an application-oriented teaching method that combines small- and large-group learning by incorporating multiple small groups into a large group setting. It has been increasingly used in postsecondary and professional education over the past two decades. Given this increasing usage, many faculty wonder about the effects TBL has on learning outcomes. The authors performed a review and synthesis on the educational literature with respect to TBL to examine the quality of their descriptions of core TBL elements, then constructed narrative summaries of these selected articles. Their analysis demonstrated early evidence of positive educational outcomes in terms of knowledge acquisition, participation and engagement, and team performance. The authors conclude that the TBL literature is at an important maturation point, where more rigorous testing and study of additional questions relating to the method are needed, as well as more accurate reporting of TBL implementation. PMID:26568668

Work Experiences of Latina Immigrants: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eggerth, Donald E.; DeLaney, Sheli C.; Flynn, Michael A.; Jacobson, C. Jeff

2012-01-01

Almost half of the Latino immigrants working in the United States are women. However, studies concerning the work experiences of Latinas are almost absent in the literature. This article reports the findings from a qualitative study using eight focus groups (n = 53) of Latina immigrant workers. The focus group transcripts were analyzed using the…

Validation of oppressed group behaviors in nursing.

PubMed

Matheson, Linda Kay; Bobay, Kathleen

2007-01-01

The possibility that nurses exhibit oppressed group behaviors was first broached by Roberts [Roberts, S. J. (1983). Oppressed group behavior: Implications for nursing. Advances in Nursing Science, 21-30] when Freire's model [Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Herder and Herder] was applied to nursing. Since then, scholarly discussion has focused on aspects of oppression in nursing, but little research toward validation of Freire's model has occurred. An extensive literature search in CINAHL was completed seeking exploration and validation of the oppressed group behavior model and its dimensions. The Educational Testing Services, PsychInfo, Health and Psychosocial Instruments, and Sociological Abstracts databases were searched for measurement tools created within the last 10 years. This literature review identified that a model of oppressed group behavior has not been developed and validated, and that oppressed group behaviors have been studied independent of each other; however, oppressed group behaviors may have implications for the current nursing shortage.

The influence of urban literature on African-American adolescent girls' sexual behaviors.

PubMed

Harris, Allyssa L

2011-07-01

Many African-American teenaged girls are reading urban literature. This genre of literature is known for its gritty portrayal of urban life and has themes of violence, promiscuity, substance abuse and misogyny. Although research has demonstrated that the portrayal of sex and violence in the media are influential on adolescent sexual behavior, to date there has been little research on the influence of "urban lit" on adolescent sexual risk behaviors. This qualitative study explores the influence of urban literature on the sexual risk behaviors among a group of African-American adolescent girls. Findings from this study suggest that African-American adolescent girls may be influenced by the sexual themes depicted in this genre of literature. Additional research is needed to gain a greater understanding of this phenomon.

STD/AIDS prevention in Portuguese-speaking Africa: a review of the recent literature in the social sciences and health.

PubMed

Monteiro, Simone

2009-03-01

The article reviews academic literature in the social sciences and health on the problems and challenges of STD/AIDS prevention in Portuguese-speaking African countries. Based on a bibliographic survey of the SciELO, PubMed, and Sociological Abstracts databases between 1997 and 2007, the research under review was organized into two groups, according to content. The first group of studies sought to understand STD/AIDS vulnerability among social groups by examining local cultural and socioeconomic factors as related to gender dynamics, sexuality, color/race, religion and health care. The second group encompassed critical assessments of shortcomings in the STD/AIDS educational messages delivered by governments and international agencies. Attention is called to the way in which the presence of traditional medicine systems and the occurrence of civil wars in the post-colonial period impact the STD/AIDS epidemic in the African countries under study.

Social support and adjustment to cancer: reconciling descriptive, correlational, and intervention research.

PubMed

Helgeson, V S; Cohen, S

1996-03-01

Several research literatures are reviewed that address the associations of emotional, informational, and instrumental social support to psychological adjustment to cancer. Descriptive studies suggest that emotional support is most desired by patients, and correlational studies suggest that emotional support has the strongest associations with better adjustment. However, the evidence for the effectiveness of peer discussion groups aimed at providing emotional support is less than convincing. Moreover, educational groups aimed at providing informational support appear to be as effective as, if not more effective than, peer discussions. Reasons for inconsistencies between the correlational and intervention literatures are discussed, and future directions are outlined.

Studies of social group dynamics under isolated conditions. Objective summary of the literature as it relates to potential problems of long duration space flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vinograd, S. P.

1974-01-01

Scientific literature which deals with the study of human behavior and crew interaction in situations simulating long term space flight is summarized and organized. A bibliography of all the pertinent U.S. literature available is included, along with definitions of the behavioral characteristics terms employed. The summarized studies are analyzed according to behavioral factors and environmental conditions. The analysis consist of two matrices. (1) The matrix of factors studied correlates each research study area and individual study with the behavioral factors that were investigated in the study. (2) The matrix of conclusions identifies those studies whose investigators appeared to draw specific conclusions concerning questions of importance to NASA.

Practicing Collaboration: What We Learn from a Cohort that Functions Well

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Dorene D.; Stafford, Lynn; Church-Pupke, Penny; Bondy, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

Students in the Unified Elementary/Special Education Program at the University of Florida are organized into cohort groups, a common recommendation within the special education teacher education literature. Although highly effective in some instances, the literature also documents numerous problems in the use of cohorts. The current study was…

ANCOVA Versus CHANGE From Baseline in Nonrandomized Studies: The Difference.

PubMed

van Breukelen, Gerard J P

2013-11-01

The pretest-posttest control group design can be analyzed with the posttest as dependent variable and the pretest as covariate (ANCOVA) or with the difference between posttest and pretest as dependent variable (CHANGE). These 2 methods can give contradictory results if groups differ at pretest, a phenomenon that is known as Lord's paradox. Literature claims that ANCOVA is preferable if treatment assignment is based on randomization or on the pretest and questionable for preexisting groups. Some literature suggests that Lord's paradox has to do with measurement error in the pretest. This article shows two new things: First, the claims are confirmed by proving the mathematical equivalence of ANCOVA to a repeated measures model without group effect at pretest. Second, correction for measurement error in the pretest is shown to lead back to ANCOVA or to CHANGE, depending on the assumed absence or presence of a true group difference at pretest. These two new theoretical results are illustrated with multilevel (mixed) regression and structural equation modeling of data from two studies.

Gay fathers: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Bozett, F W

1989-01-01

This article reviews the research literature on gay fathers, and includes brief historical perspectives and statistical data. The major portion of the article compares studies of gay fathers with other groups such as lesbian mothers and nongay fathers. Because the literature is sparse, and the research has severe limitations such as small sample size, few definitive statements about these men can be made with certainty. Even so, tentative generalizations are proposed. The article concludes with some suggestions for future research.

Literature Review of Research on Chronic Pain and Yoga in Military Populations

PubMed Central

Miller, Shari; Gaylord, Susan; Buben, Alex; Brintz, Carrie; Rae Olmsted, Kristine; Asefnia, Nakisa; Bartoszek, Michael

2017-01-01

Background: Although yoga is increasingly being provided to active duty soldiers and veterans, studies with military populations are limited and effects on chronic pain are largely unknown. We reviewed the existing body of literature and provide recommendations for future research. Methods: We conducted a literature review of electronic databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Science, and Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Social Science & Humanities). The studies were reviewed for characteristics such as mean age of participants, sample size, yoga type, and study design. Only peer-reviewed studies were included in the review. Results: The search yielded only six studies that examined pain as an outcome of yoga for military populations. With one exception, studies were with veteran populations. Only one study was conducted with Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans. One study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Four of the five studies remaining used pre/post design, while the last study used a post-only design. Conclusions: Studies on the use of yoga to treat chronic pain in military populations are in their infancy. Methodological weaknesses include small sample sizes, a lack of studies with key groups (active duty, OEF/IEF veterans), and use of single group uncontrolled designs (pre/post; post only) for all but one study. Future research is needed to address these methodological limitations and build on this small body of literature. PMID:28930278

Evidence and gaps in the literature on orthorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Varga, Márta; Dukay-Szabó, Szilvia; Túry, Ferenc; van Furth, Eric F; van Furth Eric, F

2013-06-01

To review the literature on the prevalence, risk groups and risk factors of the alleged eating disorder orthorexia nervosa. We searched Medline and Pubmed using several key terms relating to orthorexia nervosa (ON) and checked the reference list of the articles that we found. Attention was given to methodological problems in these studies, such as the use of non-validated assessment instruments, small sample size and sample characteristics, which make generalization of the results impossible. Eleven studies were found. The average prevalence rate for orthorexia was 6.9 % for the general population and 35-57.8 % for high-risk groups (healthcare professionals, artists). Dieticians and other healthcare professionals are at high risk of ON. Risk factors include obsessive-compulsive features, eating-related disturbances and higher socioeconomic status. Relevant clinical experience, published literature and research data have increased in the last few years. The definition and diagnostic criteria of ON remain unclear. Further studies are needed to clarify appropriate diagnostic methods and the place of ON among psychopathological categories.

A Meta-Analytic Review of Studies of the Effectiveness of Small-Group Learning Methods on Statistics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalaian, Sema A.; Kasim, Rafa M.

2014-01-01

This meta-analytic study focused on the quantitative integration and synthesis of the accumulated pedagogical research in undergraduate statistics education literature. These accumulated research studies compared the academic achievement of students who had been instructed using one of the various forms of small-group learning methods to those who…

Task Performance in Small Group Settings: The Role of Group Members' Self-Efficacy And Collective Efficacy and Group's Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khong, Jerrine Z. N.; Liem, Gregory Arief D.; Klassen, Robert M.

2017-01-01

The present study extends the literature by investigating the relative salience of self- and collective efficacy in predicting group performance among early adolescents in Indonesia. A total of 435 early adolescents (mean age 11.70 years, 53% female) were randomly assigned to groups of three to four and completed three group tasks (task 1:…

Empowering Groups that Enable Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, David Sloan; Marshall, Danielle; Iserhott, Hindi

2011-01-01

Creating play environments for children usually requires groups of adults working together. An extensive scientific literature describes how groups function to achieve shared goals in general terms, and groups attempting to empower play may find this literature useful. Design principles for managing natural resources, identified by Elinor Ostrom…

Benefits of peer support groups in the treatment of addiction

PubMed Central

Tracy, Kathlene; Wallace, Samantha P

2016-01-01

Objective Peer support can be defined as the process of giving and receiving nonprofessional, nonclinical assistance from individuals with similar conditions or circumstances to achieve long-term recovery from psychiatric, alcohol, and/or other drug-related problems. Recently, there has been a dramatic rise in the adoption of alternative forms of peer support services to assist recovery from substance use disorders; however, often peer support has not been separated out as a formalized intervention component and rigorously empirically tested, making it difficult to determine its effects. This article reports the results of a literature review that was undertaken to assess the effects of peer support groups, one aspect of peer support services, in the treatment of addiction. Methods The authors of this article searched electronic databases of relevant peer-reviewed research literature including PubMed and MedLINE. Results Ten studies met our minimum inclusion criteria, including randomized controlled trials or pre-/post-data studies, adult participants, inclusion of group format, substance use-related, and US-conducted studies published in 1999 or later. Studies demonstrated associated benefits in the following areas: 1) substance use, 2) treatment engagement, 3) human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus risk behaviors, and 4) secondary substance-related behaviors such as craving and self-efficacy. Limitations were noted on the relative lack of rigorously tested empirical studies within the literature and inability to disentangle the effects of the group treatment that is often included as a component of other services. Conclusion Peer support groups included in addiction treatment shows much promise; however, the limited data relevant to this topic diminish the ability to draw definitive conclusions. More rigorous research is needed in this area to further expand on this important line of research. PMID:27729825

A Psychodynamic Approach on Group Career Counseling: A Brazilian Experience of 40 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehman, Yvette Piha; Ribeiro, Marcelo Afonso; da Conceição Coropos Uvaldo, Maria; da Silva, Fabiano Fonseca

2015-01-01

Career guidance and career counselling have traditionally been conducted in an individualized fashion focusing on the counsellor-client relationship. Specialized literature, however, points to the potential use of group strategies. This article seeks to contribute to the advancement of studies in group career counselling practices, by introducing…

Memory Functioning and Mental Verbs Acquisition in Children with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spanoudis, George C.; Natsopoulos, Demetrios

2011-01-01

Memory and language operate in synergy. Recent literature stresses the importance of memory functioning in interpreting language deficits. Two groups of 50 children each, ages 8-12 were studied. The first group included children with specific language impairment, while the participants in the second group were typically developing children. The…

Making Interdisciplinary Collaboration Work: Key Ideas, a Case Study and Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurtry, Angus; Clarkin, Chantalle; Bangou, Francis; Duplaa, Emmanuel; MacDonald, Colla; Ng-A-Fook, Nicholas; Trumpower, David

2012-01-01

This article discusses the "lessons learned" from an attempt to establish an interdisciplinary education research group. The growth, development and dissolution of the group are treated as an instrumental case study. Current literature on interdisciplinary collaboration is synthesized in order to provide a frame for analysis. Data was collected…

The Sociological Study of Minority Groups as Reflected by Leading Sociological Journals Who Gets Studies and Who Gets Neglected?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lavender, Abraham D.; Forsyth, John M.

1976-01-01

In view of the small amount of attention given to non-black ethnic groups in the sociological literature, this paper suggests that it is no wonder that so little is known about ethnic-ethnic, ethnic-black, and ethnic-dominant society relations. (Author)

Mapping the literature of case management nursing

PubMed Central

White, Pamela; Hall, Marilyn E.

2006-01-01

Objectives: Nursing case management provides a continuum of health care services for defined groups of patients. Its literature is multidisciplinary, emphasizing clinical specialties, case management methodology, and the health care system. This study is part of a project to map the literature of nursing, sponsored by the Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section of the Medical Library Association. The study identifies core journals cited in case management literature and indexing services that access those journals. Methods: Three source journals were identified based on established criteria, and cited references from each article published from 1997 to 1999 were analyzed. Results: Nearly two-thirds of the cited references were from journals; others were from books, monographs, reports, government documents, and the Internet. Cited journal references were ranked in descending order, and Bradford's Law of Scattering was applied. The many journals constituting the top two zones reflect the diversity of this field. Zone 1 included journals from nursing administration, case management, general medicine, medical specialties, and social work. Two databases, PubMed/MEDLINE and OCLC ArticleFirst, provided the best indexing coverage. Conclusion: Collections that support case management require a relatively small group of core journals. Students and health care professionals will need to search across disciplines to identify appropriate literature. PMID:16710470

Calculus Students' Representation Use in Group-Work and Individual Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zazkis, Dov

2013-01-01

The study of student representation use and specifically the distinction between analytic and visual representations has fueled a long line of mathematics education literature that began more than 35 years ago. This literature can be partitioned into two bodies of work, one that is primarily cognitive and one that is primarily social. In spite of…

Deepening Teacher Knowledge of Multicultural Literature through a University-Schools Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanases, Steven Z.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study is to strengthen teachers' knowledge of multicultural literature for use with high school students in a highly diverse, high needs urban school district through a university-schools partnership. A core English group of 15-20 members of a university-schools partnership met in monthly department-based and periodic…

A Descriptive Study of Multi-Age Art Education in Florida

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broome, Jeffrey L.

2009-01-01

Multi-age classrooms feature the purposeful grouping of students from two or more grade levels in order to form communities of learners. During the past 40 years, multi-age education has been examined in literature and research in many different ways and contexts. In the subject area of visual art, however, little literature can be found that…

"What Are We Black Men Who Are Called French?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeSeur, Geta J.

This teachers guide for an eight-week unit on 20th century French African literature, is intended for use with heterogeneously grouped juniors and seniors. The unit is one in a series by the Public Education Religion Studies Center at Wright State University. The guide represents a thematic approach to literature well suited to team teaching with…

Transactional Literature Circles and the Reading Comprehension of English Learners in the Mainstream Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McElvain, Cheryl Marie

2010-01-01

This study examines a problem that many mainstream teachers face today: how to successfully improve reading comprehension for English language learners (ELLs) in an English-only environment. The researcher examines both the academic and psychosocial effects of the Transactional Literature Circles (TLC) programme on a treatment group of 75 fourth…

Sulfur compounds in coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Attar, A.; Corcoran, W. H.

1977-01-01

The literature on the chemical structure of the organic sulfur compounds (or functional groups) in coal is reviewed. Four methods were applied in the literature to study the sulfur compounds in coal: direct spectrometric and chemical analysis, depolymerization in drastic conditions, depolymerization in mild conditions, and studies on simulated coal. The data suggest that most of the organic sulfur in coal is in the form of thiophenic structures and aromatic and aliphatic sulfides. The relative abundance of the sulfur groups in bituminous coal is estimated as 50:30:20%, respectively. The ratio changes during processing and during the chemical analysis. The main effects are the transformation during processing of sulfides to the more stable thiophenic compounds and the elimination of hydrogen sulfide.

IS/IT the prescription to enable medical group practices attain their goals.

PubMed

Wickramasinghe, Nilmini; Silvers, J B

2003-05-01

The US spends significantly more money as a percentage of GDP on health care than any other OECD country and more importantly, this amount is anticipated to increase exponentially. In this high cost environment, two important trends have occurred: (1) the movement to managed care, and (2) large investments in Information Systems/Information Technology (IS/IT). Managed care has emerged as an attempt to provide good quality yet cost effective health care treatment. Its implications are not well discussed in the literature while, its impact on different types of medical group practices is even less well understood. The repercussions of the large investments in IS/IT on the health care sector in general and on the medical group practice in particular, although clearly of importance, are also largely ignored by the literature. This study attempts to address this significant void in the literature. By analyzing three different types of group practices; an Independent Practice Association (IPA), a Faculty Practice and a Multi Specialty Group Practice in a managed care environment during their implementation of practice management/billing systems, we are able to draw some conclusions regarding the impacts of these two central trends on health care in general as well as on the medical group practice in particular.

Histologic patterns of thymic involvement in Langerhans cell proliferations: a clinicopathologic study and review of the literature.

PubMed

Picarsic, Jennifer; Egeler, R Maarten; Chikwava, Kudakwashe; Patterson, Kathleen; Jaffe, Ronald

2015-01-01

Thymic involvement by Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) has been described mainly in isolated case reports. A description of the histopathologic patterns of LCH proliferations in the thymus, together with therapeutic implications, has not, to our knowledge, been previously addressed. The pathology consultation files at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center were reviewed for cases of thymic involvement by LCH. Relevant cases in the literature were also reviewed, and the histopathology and clinical course of those cases were collected. Nine consultation cases of thymic involvement were reviewed, together with 23 cases in the literature, which provided adequate pathologic description and ancillary confirmation (n  =  32), revealing 4 distinct pathologic groups. Group 1 showed microscopic collection of hyperplastic LCH-like cells in incidental thymectomies of patients without LCH disease, requiring no further treatment (n  =  7; 22%). Group 2 showed solitary and/or cystic LCH of the thymus with gland disruption, and at least 3 cases resolved without systemic therapy (n  =  10; 31%). Group 3 showed more variable thymic involvement in multisystemic LCH disease, with either a medullary restricted pattern or more diffuse gland involvement, requiring adjuvant therapy and having a higher mortality rate (n  =  13; 41%). Group 4 showed a mixed histiocytic lesion with a concurrent LCH and juvenile xanthogranuloma-like proliferation (n  =  2; 6%). Thymic involvement in LCH is quite rare. Based on our cases and those in the literature, we propose 4 distinct pathologic groups of thymic involvement in Langerhans cell proliferations with relevance for diagnosis and treatment.

Major publications in the critical care pharmacotherapy literature: January-December 2014.

PubMed

Day, Sarah A; Cucci, Michaelia; Droege, Molly E; Holzhausen, Jenna M; Kram, Bridgette; Kram, Shawn; Pajoumand, Mehrnaz; Parker, Christine R; Patel, Mona K; Peitz, Gregory J; Poore, Alia; Turck, Charles J; Van Berkel, Megan A; Wong, Adrian; Zomp, Amanda; Rech, Megan A

2015-11-15

Nine recently published articles and one guideline with important implications for critical care pharmacy practice are summarized. The Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Literature Update (CCPLU) group includes more than 40 experienced critical care pharmacists across the United States. Group members monitor 29 peer-reviewed journals on an ongoing basis to identify literature relevant to pharmacy practice in the critical care setting. After evaluation by CCPLU group members, selected articles are chosen for summarization and distribution to group members nationwide based on applicability to practice, relevance, and study design and strength. Hundreds of relevant articles were evaluated by the group in 2014, of which 114 were summarized and disseminated to CCPLU group members. From among those 114 publications, 10 deemed to be of particularly high utility to the critical care practitioner were selected for inclusion in this review for their potential to change practice or reinforce current evidence-based practice. One of the selected articles presents updated recommendations on the management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF); the other 9 address topics such as albumin replacement in patients with severe sepsis, use of enteral statins for acute respiratory distress syndrome, fibrinolysis for patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism, the use of unfractionated heparin versus bivalirudin for primary percutaneous coronary intervention, and early protocol-based care for septic shock. There were many important additions to the critical care pharmacotherapy literature in 2014, including a joint guideline for the management of AF and reports of clinical trials. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the Conference on the Design of Experiments in Army Research Development and Testing (21st)

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-05-01

treatment groups are in the ctual treatment received. This requires comparability of patients as they are intered into study , managed when on study , and...at time of entry into study is to select patients for a control group according to certain characteristics, namely those which are known to influence...control group of B patients could be selected from the literature, chosen on a matched basis from previously or concurrently conducted clinical studies

A Preliminary Study of the Validity of Memory Tests Recommended by the Working Group for Individuals with Moderate to Severe Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pyo, G.; Kripakaran, K.; Curtis, K.; Curtis, R.; Markwell, S.

2007-01-01

Background: Normal aging and Dementia of Alzheimer's Type (DAT) among higher functioning individuals with intellectual disability (ID) have been relatively well studied using a variety of cognitive tests. However, cognitive studies for lower functioning individuals with ID are scarce in the literature. The Working Group recommended the Test…

Is Counseling Going to the Dogs? An Exploratory Study Related to the Inclusion of an Animal in Group Counseling with Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange, Amber M.; Cox, Jane A.; Bernert, Donna J.; Jenkins, Christie D.

2007-01-01

Research has demonstrated that the use of animals in counseling provides beneficial effects to clients. This article presents literature on Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), and details an exploratory study that applied AAT in an adolescent anger management group. Consistent with other research, beneficial effects noted in this study included a…

Adolescent peer group identification and characteristics: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

Sussman, Steve; Pokhrel, Pallav; Ashmore, Richard D.; Brown, B. Bradford

2011-01-01

This study provides an exhaustive review of 44 peer-reviewed quantitative or qualitative data-based peer-reviewed studies completed on adolescent peer group identification. Adolescent peer group identification is one’s self-perceived or other-perceived membership in discrete teenage peer groups. The studies reviewed suggest that adolescent peer groups consist of five general categories differentiable by lifestyle characteristics: Elites, Athletes, Academics, Deviants, and Others. We found that the Deviant adolescent group category reported relatively greater participation in drug use and other problem behaviors across studies, whereas Academics and Athletes exhibited the least participation in these problem behaviors. Additional research is needed in this arena to better understand the operation of adolescent group labels. PMID:17188815

Conceptualizing Group Flow: A Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Jana; West, Richard E.

2018-01-01

This literature review discusses the similarities in main themes between Csikszentmihályi theory of individual flow and Sawyer theory of group flow, and compares Sawyer's theory with existing concepts in the literature on group work both in education and business. Because much creativity and innovation occurs within groups, understanding group…

McMaster PLUS: a cluster randomized clinical trial of an intervention to accelerate clinical use of evidence-based information from digital libraries.

PubMed

Haynes, R Brian; Holland, Jennifer; Cotoi, Chris; McKinlay, R James; Wilczynski, Nancy L; Walters, Leslie A; Jedras, Dawn; Parrish, Rick; McKibbon, K Ann; Garg, Amit; Walter, Stephen D

2006-01-01

Physicians have difficulty keeping up with new evidence from medical research. We developed the McMaster Premium LiteratUre Service (PLUS), an internet-based addition to an existing digital library, which delivered quality- and relevance-rated medical literature to physicians, matched to their clinical disciplines. We evaluated PLUS in a cluster-randomized trial of 203 participating physicians in Northern Ontario, comparing a Full-Serve version (that included alerts to new articles and a cumulative database of alerts) with a Self-Serve version (that included a passive guide to evidence-based literature). Utilization of the service was the primary trial end-point. Mean logins to the library rose by 0.77 logins/month/user (95% CI 0.43, 1.11) in the Full-Serve group compared with the Self-Serve group. The proportion of Full-Serve participants who utilized the service during each month of the study period showed a sustained increase during the intervention period, with a relative increase of 57% (95% CI 12, 123) compared with the Self-Serve group. There were no differences in these proportions during the baseline period, and following the crossover of the Self-Serve group to Full-Serve, the Self-Serve group's usage became indistinguishable from that of the Full-Serve group (relative difference 4.4 (95% CI -23.7, 43.0). Also during the intervention and crossover periods, measures of self-reported usefulness did not show a difference between the 2 groups. A quality- and relevance-rated online literature service increased the utilization of evidence-based information from a digital library by practicing physicians.

The essential role of social theory in qualitative public health research.

PubMed

Willis, Karen; Daly, Jeanne; Kealy, Michelle; Small, Rhonda; Koutroulis, Glenda; Green, Julie; Gibbs, Lisa; Thomas, Samantha

2007-10-01

To define the role of social theory and examine how research studies using qualitative methods can use social theory to generalize their results beyond the setting of the study or to other social groups. The assumptions underlying public health research using qualitative methods derive from a range of social theories that include conflict theory, structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism, the sociology of knowledge and feminism. Depending on the research problem, these and other social theories provide conceptual tools and models for constructing a suitable research framework, and for collecting and analysing data. In combination with the substantive health literature, the theoretical literature provides the conceptual bridge that links the conclusions of the study to other social groups and settings. While descriptive studies using qualitative research methods can generate important insights into social experience, the use of social theory in the construction and conduct of research enables researchers to extrapolate their findings to settings and groups broader than the ones in which the research was conducted.

Celebrating Diversity through Northeastern Asian Children's Literature and Dramatic Productions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Maurine V.; And Others

At the University of South Dakota, as part of a campus-wide celebration of diversity focused on northeastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea), undergraduate and graduate Children's Literature classes participated by locating relevant literature and presenting them dramatically. Students were divided into six small cooperative groups. Each group chose a…

Social studying and learning among medical students: a scoping review.

PubMed

Keren, Daniela; Lockyer, Jocelyn; Ellaway, Rachel H

2017-10-01

Medical students study in social groups, which influence their learning, but few studies have investigated the characteristics of study groups and the impacts they have on students' learning. A scoping review was conducted on the topic of informal social studying and learning within medical education with the aim of appraising what is known regarding medical student attitudes to group study, the impact of group study on participants, and the methods that have been employed to study this. Using Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review principles, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL were searched, along with hand-searching and a targeted search of the grey literature; 18 peer reviewed and 17 grey literature records were included. Thematic conceptual analysis identified a number of themes, including: the nature of group study; the utility and value of group studying including social learning facilitating student engagement, social learning as a source of motivation and accountability, and social learning as a source of wellbeing; and student preferences related to group studying, including its homophilic nature, transgressiveness, and effectiveness. Despite these emerging factors, the evidence base for this phenomenon is small. The findings in this scoping review demonstrate a clear role for social interaction outside of the classroom, and encourage us to consider the factors in student networking, and the implications of this on medical students' academics. We also highlight areas in need of future research to allow us to better situate informal social learning within medical education and to enable educators to support this phenomenon.

Investigating the Distribution of Medical Services among Socioeconomic Groups in Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, A.; Zhao, Ph D., S.; O'Keefe, Ph D., CRNP, RN, L.

2016-12-01

The Environmental Justice (EJ) literature generally focuses on negative environmental externalities and disamenities found around certain types of demographic conditions such as poor and ethnic groups. This study aims to identify any relationships among environmental risks, communities, and access to hospital services. Community demographic variables will be defined by census tracts and units based on a geographic information system, such as buffer tools. Empirical analyses of the relationships between demographics and environmental burdens take a prominent position in the large EJ literature. However, there is a dearth of research regarding exposed communities and access to hospitals for medical services. Leveraging a dataset that combines hospital locations, pollution sources, and demographic information, the authors will analyze whether different social groups (defined by gender, age, income, and education level) have equal access to hospitals. The research team consists of researchers from Earth system science, public policy, and nursing, and adopts an interdisciplinary approach including ArcGIS analysis and statistical modeling. This project also bridges the literature of health, air pollution, and environmental policy.

Positive and negative behaviours in workplace relationships: a scoping review protocol.

PubMed

Almost, Joan; Wolff, Angela; Mildon, Barbara; Price, Sheri; Godfrey, Christina; Robinson, Sandra; Ross-White, Amanda; Mercado-Mallari, Sheile

2015-02-04

Engaging in teamwork requires a clear understanding of positive and negative behaviours that act as facilitators and barriers to collegial workplace relationships. Identifying and correcting underlying barriers, while promoting facilitators, is fundamental to improving care delivery and, ultimately, clinical outcomes. Despite a considerable amount of literature in this area, there is a lack of clarity of the different behaviours as several parallel literatures address similar questions about antecedents, processes and outcomes. The purpose of this study is to synthesise the current state of literature reporting on behaviours in workplace relationships. Using a scoping review methodology, the following research question will be addressed: "What is known about positive and negative behaviours in workplace relationships?" We will employ the methodological frameworks used by Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. The search strategy will include numerous electronic databases, grey literature sources and hand-searching of reference lists from 1990 to present with a limit to English language. Search strategies will be developed using controlled vocabulary and keyword terms related to various components of workplace relationships. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts for inclusion, followed by screening of the full text of potential articles to determine final inclusion. A descriptive numerical analysis will describe characteristics of included studies. A thematic analysis will provide an overview of the literature, including definitions, conceptual frameworks, antecedents, outcomes and interventions. In reviewing a wide range of positive and negative behaviours, then integrating into a manageable, meaningful whole, this study is a critical step in helping policymakers, leaders and healthcare professionals effectively use what is known thus far. Knowledge translation activities will occur throughout the study with dissemination of findings to local, national, and international stakeholders, including a wide range of clinicians, leaders and administrators in all sectors. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Stem Cells in Spinal Fusion

PubMed Central

Haudenschild, Dominik R.; Wegner, Adam M.; Klineberg, Eric O.

2017-01-01

Study Design: Review of literature. Objectives: This review of literature investigates the application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in spinal fusion, highlights potential uses in the development of bone grafts, and discusses limitations based on both preclinical and clinical models. Methods: A review of literature was conducted looking at current studies using stem cells for augmentation of spinal fusion in both animal and human models. Results: Eleven preclinical studies were found that used various animal models. Average fusion rates across studies were 59.8% for autograft and 73.7% for stem cell–based grafts. Outcomes included manual palpation and stressing of the fusion, radiography, micro–computed tomography (μCT), and histological analysis. Fifteen clinical studies, 7 prospective and 8 retrospective, were found. Fusion rates ranged from 60% to 100%, averaging 87.1% in experimental groups and 87.2% in autograft control groups. Conclusions: It appears that there is minimal clinical difference between commercially available stem cells and bone marrow aspirates indicating that MSCs may be a good choice in a patient with poor marrow quality. Overcoming morbidity and limitations of autograft for spinal fusion, remains a significant problem for spinal surgeons and further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of stem cells in augmenting spinal fusion. PMID:29238646

Are Four Minds Better Than One? A Study on the Efficacy of Group Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, David

2005-01-01

Educational literature is overflowing with testimonials, data, and research confirming that collaborative group work, at its best, produces better results (Baer 2003; Johnson and Johnson 1994; McKeachie 2002). Many claim that students enjoy group work and that it leads to both increased learning and enhanced social skills. If this is commonly…

A Theoretical Foundation for the Study of Inferential Error in Decision-Making Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gouran, Dennis S.

To provide a theoretical base for investigating the influence of inferential error on group decision making, current literature on both inferential error and decision making is reviewed and applied to the Watergate incident. Although groups tend to make fewer inferential errors because members' inferences are generally not biased in the same…

Potential and pitfalls of researching ethnic communities in recreation: a Puerto Rican case study

Treesearch

Edwin G& #243; mez; Edwin mez

2003-01-01

Although the empirical literature on ethnic/racial groups and recreation has been growing, there have been request by researchers for approaches on procuring information from hard-to-reach populations. The purpose of this report is to provide prospective researchers with "lessons learned" in the field when researching ethnic group members. This study observes...

Group Peer Assessment for Summative Evaluation in a Graduate-Level Statistics Course for Ecologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ArchMiller, Althea; Fieberg, John; Walker, J.D.; Holm, Noah

2017-01-01

Peer assessment is often used for formative learning, but few studies have examined the validity of group-based peer assessment for the summative evaluation of course assignments. The present study contributes to the literature by using online technology (the course management system Moodle™) to implement structured, summative peer review based on…

The Role of the Project Management Office on Information Technology Project Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Jacob S.

2010-01-01

The rate of failed and challenged Information Technology (IT) projects is too high according to the CHAOS Studies by the Standish Group and the literature on project management (Standish Group, 2008). The CHAOS Studies define project success as meeting the triple constraints of scope, time, and cost. Assessing critical success factors is another…

The Impact of Task-Based Approach on Vocabulary Learning in ESP Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarani, Abdullah; Sahebi, Leila Farzaneh

2012-01-01

This study investigates the teaching of vocabulary in ESP courses within the paradigm of task-based language teaching, concentrating on Persian literature students at Birjand University in Iran. Two homogenous groups of students who were taking their ESP courses participated in the study as a control and an experimental group. A teacher-made test…

Teen Perceptions of the Promotion of Safer Sexual Practices: A Focus Group Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrman, Judith W.; Kelley, Andrea; Haigh, Katherine M.

2017-01-01

Teens' own thoughts on fostering safe sexual practice are important perspectives in promoting adolescent sexual health yet are relatively absent in the literature. This focus group study explored teens' perceptions about the supports and challenges that exist as teens strive to engage in healthy sexual practices. Seventy-five teens participated in…

Analyzing Talk in a Long-Term Literature Discussion Group: Ways of Operating within LGBT-Inclusive and Queer Discourses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackburn, Mollie V.; Clark, Caroline T.

2011-01-01

Scholars have argued for reading and discussing children's and young adult literature containing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or questioning (LGBTQ) characters and related themes with youths. Yet, we know very little about how to do this among LGBTQ people and their allies. This study examined 18 transcripts of talk from a literature…

Teaching Softly in Hard Environments: Meanings of Small-Group Reflective Teaching to Clinical Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiting, Ellen; Wear, Delese; Aultman, Julie M.; Zupp, Laurie

2012-01-01

A vast literature exists on teaching reflection and reflective practice to trainees in small groups, yet with few exceptions the literature does not address the benefits of these interactions to faculty. Like multiculturalism or cultural competency, the literature assumes that faculty have themselves "achieved" these propensities and…

Reflective Practice in Group Co-Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okech, Jane E. Atieno

2008-01-01

Group literature on co-leaders' experiences and perceptions while leading groups illuminate reflective practice as highly influential to co-leader relationships and performances. Using practical examples grounded by interdisciplinary literature on reflective practice, this article explores and expands dialogue on the complex interplay between…

Teaching primary prevention of Alzheimer's disease: does it make a difference?

PubMed

Clevenger, Carolyn K; Cantey, Shileah; Quinn, Mary Ellen

2010-07-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most feared illnesses among older adults. Although no cure exists, an emerging body of literature has outlined potentially risk-reducing behaviors. As evidence has become available on risk reduction, community organizations and advocacy groups have developed health education courses on the topic. This study examines the impact of one educational program on the audience's efficacy expectations and outcome expectations for behavior change. Participants included 53 older adults residing in a continuing care retirement community. The study used a pretest-posttest design with an experimental group (n = 33) and a control group (n = 20). Topics on weekly classes included the relationship between cardiovascular factors and AD, dietary factors implicated in AD, and mental stimulation to reduce AD risk. Class sessions consisted of lecture, discussion, and demonstration. Between-group differences were found for both efficacy (P = .016) and outcome expectations (P = .000). Within-group differences were only significant for increased outcome expectations related to literature-derived behaviors (P = .000). Future work should focus on action and prevention and on replication of the educational program's evaluation in a more diverse population.

[Nursing care for psychiatric patients defined by NANDA-NIC-NOC terminology: a literature review].

PubMed

Escalada Hernández, Paula; Muñoz Hermoso, Paula; Marro Larrañaga, Itxaso

2013-03-01

The purpose of this literature review is to provide a synthesis of the most relevant studies describing nursing work in mental health by means of NNN taxonomy. Literature from 1990 to September 2011 was reviewed using the "scoping review" methodology. Three independent reviewers examined the articles which were found and selected those fulfilling the inclusion criteria for subsequent analysis. From the 220 articles obtained, 14 studies were finally included and divided into two groups. The aim of the first ten papers was examining the most frequent NANDA nursing diagnosis or/and NIC nursing interventions in different mental health care settings. The remaining four articles describe health care plans for psychiatric patients developed with NNN taxonomy. Combining results from both groups, the most prevalent diagnostic labels are: disturbed thought processes and impaired social interaction. This review has illustrated the lack of evidence in relation to NNN taxonomy in the field of mental health and the need of further research in this area.

Nerve Decompression Surgery After Total Hip Arthroplasty: What Are the Outcomes?

PubMed

Chughtai, Morad; Khlopas, Anton; Gwam, Chukwuwieke U; Elmallah, Randa K; Thomas, Melbin; Nace, James; Mont, Michael A

2017-04-01

The purpose of our study was to compare (1) muscle strength; (2) pain; (3) sensation; (4) various outcome measurement scales between post-total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients who had a sciatic nerve injury and did or did not receive decompression surgery for this condition; and (5) to compare these findings with current literature. Nineteen patients who had nerve injury after THA were reviewed. Patients were stratified into those who had a nerve decompression (n = 12), and those who had not (n = 7). Motor strength was evaluated using the Muscle Strength Testing Scale. Pain was evaluated by using the visual analogue scale. Systematic literature search was performed to compare the findings of this study with others currently published. The decompression group had a significant improvement in motor strength and the visual analog scale scores as compared with nonoperative group. Patients in decompression group had a significant larger increase in the mean Harris hip score and University of California Los Angeles score. There was no significant difference in the increase of Short Form-36 physical and mental scores between the 2 groups. Literature review for nonoperative management yielded 5 studies (93 patients), with 33% improvement. There were 7 studies (81 patients) on nerve decompression surgery, with 75% improvement. This study demonstrates the benefits of nerve decompression surgery in patients who had sciatic nerve injury after THA, as evidenced by results of standardized outcome measurement scales. It is possible to achieve improvements in terms of strength, pain, and clinical outcomes. Comparative studies with larger cohorts are needed to fully assess the best candidates for this procedure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Application of General System Theory (GST) to Group Therapy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Charles O.

1992-01-01

Demonstrates the compatibility of General System Theory (GST) with the traditional counseling literature in explicating a therapy group's progression through Tuckman's (1965, 1977) developmental stages (forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning). Description uses both traditional group literature and GST concepts. (Author/NB)

Small Group Multitasking in Literature Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baurain, Bradley

2007-01-01

Faced with the challenge of teaching American literature to large, multilevel classes in Vietnam, the writer developed a flexible small group framework called "multitasking". "Multitasking" sets up stable task categories which rotate among small groups from lesson to lesson. This framework enabled students to work cooperatively…

Natural variation in 210Po and 210Pb activity concentrations in the urine of Finnish population groups.

PubMed

Muikku, Maarit; Heikkinen, Tarja; Solatie, Dina; Vesterbacka, Pia

2011-11-01

A study to determine activity concentrations of (210)Pb and (210)Po in the urine of certain Finnish population groups was conducted, to investigate the variation in natural background level of urinary excretion. The study participants were divided into three groups mainly based on their diet. The first group comprised recreational fishermen and the second group represented people consuming more reindeer meat than an average Finn, while people using drinking water with very high activity concentrations of (210)Po were selected for the third group. The fourth group was a control group. The mean urinary excretion of (210)Po in groups 1 and 2 was 73 and 100 mBq d(-1), respectively. These values were higher than the value of the control group (20 mBq d(-1)) and the mean values reported in the literature. The mean daily urinary excretion of (210)Pb in groups 1 and 2, 70 and 52 mBq d(-1), was also slightly higher than that in the control group (32 mBq d(-1)). In contrast, the excretion rates of both (210)Po and (210)Pb for the members of group 3 were one to two orders of magnitude higher than those reported in the literature. This was clearly due to the elevated levels of natural radionuclides in their drinking water. The present study demonstrates the importance of possessing good knowledge of the background levels, in order to allow the determination of the additional exposure due, for example, to the malevolent use of radiation.

Men who have sex with men in India: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Setia, Maninder Singh; Brassard, Paul; Jerajani, Hemangi R; Bharat, Shalini; Gogate, Alka; Kumta, Sameer; Row-Kavi, Ashok; Anand, Vivek; Boivin, Jean-François

2008-01-01

This study systematically reviews the existing literature on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the men who have sex with men (MSM) in India. After a comprehensive literature search of Medline (1950-June 2008), Embase (1980-June 2008), and the Cochrane Library (1950-June 2008), 12 published studies met the inclusion criteria. The link between sexual identity and sexual behavior is a complex phenomenon strongly embedded in a very specific context in India. MSM in India are an important risk group for acquiring STIs/HIV and effective culturally sensitive prevention programs should be designed for them. The combined estimate of HIV prevalence in the MSM population in India calculated from 5 included studies was 16.5% (95% confidence intervals: 11% to 22%). The review also identifies the lacunae in existing literature and provides future directions for research in the MSM community in India.

Corticosteroid Administration to Prevent Complications of Anterior Cervical Spine Fusion: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Zadegan, Shayan Abdollah; Jazayeri, Seyed Behnam; Abedi, Aidin; Bonaki, Hirbod Nasiri; Vaccaro, Alexander R.; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa

2017-01-01

Study Design: Systematic review. Objectives: Anterior cervical approach is associated with complications such as dysphagia and airway compromise. In this study, we aimed to systematically review the literature on the efficacy and safety of corticosteroid administration as a preventive measure of such complications in anterior cervical spine surgery with fusion. Methods: Following a systematic literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases in July 2016, all comparative human studies that evaluated the effect of steroids for prevention of complications in anterior cervical spine surgery with fusion were included, irrespective of number of levels and language. Risk of bias was assessed using MINORS (Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies) checklist and Cochrane Back and Neck group recommendations, for nonrandomized and randomized studies, respectively. Results: Our search yielded 556 articles, of which 9 studies (7 randomized controlled trials and 2 non–randomized controlled trials) were included in the final review. Dysphagia was the most commonly evaluated complication, and in most studies, its severity or incidence was significantly lower in the steroid group. Although prevertebral soft tissue swelling was less commonly assessed, the results were generally in favor of steroid use. The evidence for airway compromise and length of hospitalization was inconclusive. Steroid-related complications were rare, and in both studies that evaluated the fusion rate, it was comparable between steroid and control groups in long-term follow-up. Conclusions: Current literature supports the use of steroids for prevention of complications in anterior cervical spine surgery with fusion. However, evidence is limited by substantial risk of bias and small number of studies reporting key outcomes. PMID:29796378

Women, money, and psychodynamic group psychotherapy.

PubMed

Motherwell, Lise

2002-01-01

Developmental concerns and sociocultural expectations may keep female patients and therapists from addressing financial issues openly in group psychotherapy. Interpersonal theory provides a different view of nurturing that may help women leaders deal better with financial discussions in group. This paper includes a review of the literature on group psychotherapy and fees; feminist literature relevant to leadership; money management in group therapy; countertransference; and case examples.

McMaster PLUS: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial of an Intervention to Accelerate Clinical Use of Evidence-based Information from Digital Libraries

PubMed Central

Haynes, R. Brian; Holland, Jennifer; Cotoi, Chris; McKinlay, R. James; Wilczynski, Nancy L.; Walters, Leslie A.; Jedras, Dawn; Parrish, Rick; McKibbon, K. Ann; Garg, Amit; Walter, Stephen D.

2006-01-01

Background Physicians have difficulty keeping up with new evidence from medical research. Methods We developed the McMaster Premium LiteratUre Service (PLUS), an internet-based addition to an existing digital library, which delivered quality- and relevance-rated medical literature to physicians, matched to their clinical disciplines. We evaluated PLUS in a cluster-randomized trial of 203 participating physicians in Northern Ontario, comparing a Full-Serve version (that included alerts to new articles and a cumulative database of alerts) with a Self-Serve version (that included a passive guide to evidence-based literature). Utilization of the service was the primary trial end-point. Results Mean logins to the library rose by 0.77 logins/month/user (95% CI 0.43, 1.11) in the Full-Serve group compared with the Self-Serve group. The proportion of Full-Serve participants who utilized the service during each month of the study period showed a sustained increase during the intervention period, with a relative increase of 57% (95% CI 12, 123) compared with the Self-Serve group. There were no differences in these proportions during the baseline period, and following the crossover of the Self-Serve group to Full-Serve, the Self-Serve group’s usage became indistinguishable from that of the Full-Serve group (relative difference 4.4 (95% CI −23.7, 43.0). Also during the intervention and crossover periods, measures of self-reported usefulness did not show a difference between the 2 groups. Conclusion A quality- and relevance-rated online literature service increased the utilization of evidence-based information from a digital library by practicing physicians. PMID:16929034

An analysis of the citation climate in neurosurgical literature and description of an interfield citation metric.

PubMed

Madhugiri, Venkatesh S; Sasidharan, Gopalakrishnan M; Subeikshanan, Venkatesan; Dutt, Akshat; Ambekar, Sudheer; Strom, Shane F

2015-05-01

The citation climate in neurosurgical literature is largely undefined. To study the patterns of citation of articles in neurosurgery as a scientific field and to evaluate the performance of neurosurgery journals vis-à-vis journals in other fields. References cited in articles published in neurosurgery journals during a specified time period were analyzed to determine the age of articles cited in neurosurgical literature. In the next analysis, articles published in neurosurgical journals were followed up for 13 years after publication. The postpublication citation patterns were analyzed to determine the time taken to reach the maximally cited state and the time when articles stopped being cited. The final part of the study dealt with the evolution of a new interfield citation metric, which was then compared with other standardized citation indexes. The mean ± SD age of articles cited in neurosurgical literature was 11.6 ± 11.7 years (median, 8 years). Citations received by articles gradually increased to a peak (at 6.25 years after publication in neurosurgery) and then reached a steady state; articles were still cited well into the late postpublication period. Neurosurgical articles published in nonneurosurgical high-impact journals were cited more highly than those in neurosurgical journals, although they took approximately the same time to reach the maximally cited state (7.2 years). The most cited pure neurosurgery journal was Neurosurgery. The citation climate for neurosurgery was adequately described. The interfield citation metric was able to ensure cross-field comparability of journal performance. G1, group 1G2, group 2G3, group 3G4, group 4IFCM, interfield citation metric.

Assessing the applied benefits of perceptual training: Lessons from studies of training working-memory.

PubMed

Jacoby, Nori; Ahissar, Merav

2015-01-01

In the 1980s to 1990s, studies of perceptual learning focused on the specificity of training to basic visual attributes such as retinal position and orientation. These studies were considered scientifically innovative since they suggested the existence of plasticity in the early stimulus-specific sensory cortex. Twenty years later, perceptual training has gradually shifted to potential applications, and research tends to be devoted to showing transfer. In this paper we analyze two key methodological issues related to the interpretation of transfer. The first has to do with the absence of a control group or the sole use of a test-retest group in traditional perceptual training studies. The second deals with claims of transfer based on the correlation between improvement on the trained and transfer tasks. We analyze examples from the general intelligence literature dealing with the impact on general intelligence of training on a working memory task. The re-analyses show that the reports of a significantly larger transfer of the trained group over the test-retest group fail to replicate when transfer is compared to an actively trained group. Furthermore, the correlations reported in this literature between gains on the trained and transfer tasks can be replicated even when no transfer is assumed.

Evaluating a Survivors Group Pilot for Women with Significant Intellectual Disabilities Who Have Been Sexually Abused

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peckham, Nicholas Guy; Howlett, Susan; Corbett, Alan

2007-01-01

Background: Sexual abuse has been associated with trauma, low self-esteem, anger, depression and challenging behaviours. This pilot study builds on a small published literature by evaluating a survivors group (SG) for women with an intellectual disability and an educational support group (ESG) for their carers. Method: The SG was delivered weekly…

A Comparison of Multi-Age and Homogeneous Age Grouping in Early Childhood Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freedman, Paula

Studies from several countries are described in this review of literature pertinent to assigning day care children to multi-age or homogeneous age groups. Three issues are discussed in this regard: (1) What difference does it make how one groups children? The answer is that a profound difference to children, staff, and parents may occur in terms…

Is literature search training for medical students and residents effective? a literature review.

PubMed

Just, Melissa L

2012-10-01

This literature review examines the effectiveness of literature searching skills instruction for medical students or residents, as determined in studies that either measure learning before and after an intervention or compare test and control groups. The review reports on the instruments used to measure learning and on their reliability and validity, where available. Finally, a summary of learning outcomes is presented. Fifteen studies published between 1998 and 2011 were identified for inclusion in the review. The selected studies all include a description of the intervention, a summary of the test used to measure learning, and the results of the measurement. Instruction generally resulted in improvement in clinical question writing, search strategy construction, article selection, and resource usage. Although the findings of most of the studies indicate that the current instructional methods are effective, the study designs are generally weak, there is little evidence that learning persists over time, and few validated methods of skill measurement have been developed.

Empirical evidence of the efficiency and efficacy of fat taxes and thin subsidies.

PubMed

Clark, J Stephen; Dittrich, Ludwig O; Xu, Qin

2014-09-01

This study summarizes the empirical literature on fat taxes and thin subsidies to assess their efficiency and efficacy as instruments of public policy to control obesity. Three specific types of taxes are studied in the literature: food group taxes; nutrient taxes; and nutrient index taxes. Anumber of studies use food expenditure data to assess the impact of various taxes on obesity and therefore only indirectly measure the impacts of taxes and subsidies on obesity. These studies generally conclude that food group taxes, nutrient taxes and nutrient index taxes have a small impact on the purchases of food and the nutrients purchased. Other studies use the body mass index as the explanatory variable and thus measure the impacts of taxes on body mass index directly. Nutrient taxes are found to be more effective than food group taxes, although even for nutrient taxes, the effects are small. In general, thin subsidies seem to offer more effective control of obesity than obesity taxes. However, due to the small effects of both fat taxes and thin subsidies, they are not recommended as instruments of food and nutrition policy.

The Effects of Staff Training on the Types of Interactions Observed at Two Group Homes for Foster Care Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosland, Kimberly A.; Dunlap, Glen; Sager, Wayne; Neff, Bryon; Wilcox, Catherine; Blanco, Alfredo; Giddings, Tamela

2008-01-01

Objectives: An extensive literature base exists for behavioral parent training; however, few studies have focused on training direct care staff at group home and residential facilities for children. This study was conducted to determine whether a behavioral staff training program consisting of classroom training and in-home feedback would improve…

Through the Use of Gilbert's Behavioral Engineering Model, What Changes Can Management Make to Increase Blood Donations?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Heather Gordy

2010-01-01

The mixed method study focused on increasing blood donations from staff who work in a blood collecting organization and relies on Gilbert's Behavior Engineering Model as a framework. The qualitative phase of the study involved focus groups. Information from the focus groups and the literature review were used to create hypotheses. A survey was…

Exploring Perspectives of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Histories of Challenging Behaviors about Family Relationships: An Emergent Topic in a Grounded Theory Focus Group Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Julie F.; Hamilton-Mason, Johnnie; Maramaldi, Peter; Barnhill, L. Jarrett

2016-01-01

The perspectives of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) about family relationships are underrepresented in the literature. The topic of family relationships emerged in a grounded theory exploratory focus group study that involved thirty dually diagnosed participants with moderate or mild intellectual disabilities and histories of…

The Ocean, the Bird, and the Scholar: Centering Humanistic Study on the Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vendler, Helen

2010-01-01

When it became useful in educational circles in the United States to group various university disciplines under the name "The Humanities," it seems to have been tacitly decided that philosophy and history would be cast as the core of this grouping, and that other forms of learning--the study of languages, literatures, religion, and the arts--would…

Cognitive dimensions of recreational user experiences in wilderness: an exploratory study in Adirondack wilderness areas.

Treesearch

Chad P. Dawson; Peter Newman; Alan Watson

1998-01-01

This exploratory study involved identifying the dimensions of a wilderness experience sought by users based on the available literature and on input from wilderness users. Input was collected using focus group interviews with members of four groups that were primarily involved in wilderness use and preservation in recent years. Positive and negative dimensions are...

Laser-assisted treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity: a literature review

PubMed Central

Biagi, Roberto; Cossellu, Gianguido; Sarcina, Michele; Pizzamiglio, Ilaria Tina; Farronato, Giampietro

2015-01-01

Summary The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate the effectiveness of the laser-assisted treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity. A review with inclusion and exclusion criteria was performed from January 2009 to December 2014 with electronic data-bases: MedLine via PubMed, Science Direct and Cochrane Library. Research of paper magazines by hand was not considered. Forty-three articles were selected between literature reviews, in vitro studies, clinical trials, pilot and preliminary studies. The items were divided into laser-used groups for an accurate description, and then the reading of results into various typologies. Laser-assisted treatment reduces dentinal hypersensitivity-related pain, but also a psychosomatic component must be considered, so further studies and more suitable follow-ups are necessary. PMID:26941892

Sexonomics: a commentary and review of selected sexually transmitted disease studies in the economics literature.

PubMed

Chesson, Harrell W

2012-03-01

The purpose of this review is to highlight selected studies in the economics literature that address sexually transmitted disease (STD)-related topics that are typically not examined in the STD literature. Two databases (EconLit and Web of Science) were searched to locate STD-related articles in the economics journals. Relevant articles were also identified in other ways, such as informal discussions with colleagues familiar with the literature. To maintain a focus on unique STD-related topics, studies with topics common in the STD literature (e.g., cost-effectiveness, transmission modeling) were excluded. Selected STD-related studies in the economics literature were grouped into the following 8 topics: impact of abortion laws and policies on sexual health outcomes; same-sex marriage and syphilis rates; alcohol policy and STD rates; welfare laws and STD rates; discounting the future; HIV disclosure laws; the impact of tolerance for gays on HIV incidence; and economic versus epidemiologic models of HIV dynamics. A general theme of STD-related studies in the economics literature is that laws and policies that increased the "cost" of risky sex tended to reduce the demand for risky sex, and therefore reduce the incidence of STDs. Economic research can contribute in novel ways to our understanding of influences on risky sexual behavior at the individual level and STD incidence at the population level. Economists and STD experts could mutually benefit from increased collaboration.

What about N? A methodological study of sample-size reporting in focus group studies.

PubMed

Carlsen, Benedicte; Glenton, Claire

2011-03-11

Focus group studies are increasingly published in health related journals, but we know little about how researchers use this method, particularly how they determine the number of focus groups to conduct. The methodological literature commonly advises researchers to follow principles of data saturation, although practical advise on how to do this is lacking. Our objectives were firstly, to describe the current status of sample size in focus group studies reported in health journals. Secondly, to assess whether and how researchers explain the number of focus groups they carry out. We searched PubMed for studies that had used focus groups and that had been published in open access journals during 2008, and extracted data on the number of focus groups and on any explanation authors gave for this number. We also did a qualitative assessment of the papers with regard to how number of groups was explained and discussed. We identified 220 papers published in 117 journals. In these papers insufficient reporting of sample sizes was common. The number of focus groups conducted varied greatly (mean 8.4, median 5, range 1 to 96). Thirty seven (17%) studies attempted to explain the number of groups. Six studies referred to rules of thumb in the literature, three stated that they were unable to organize more groups for practical reasons, while 28 studies stated that they had reached a point of saturation. Among those stating that they had reached a point of saturation, several appeared not to have followed principles from grounded theory where data collection and analysis is an iterative process until saturation is reached. Studies with high numbers of focus groups did not offer explanations for number of groups. Too much data as a study weakness was not an issue discussed in any of the reviewed papers. Based on these findings we suggest that journals adopt more stringent requirements for focus group method reporting. The often poor and inconsistent reporting seen in these studies may also reflect the lack of clear, evidence-based guidance about deciding on sample size. More empirical research is needed to develop focus group methodology.

The Ties That Bind: Effective Racial/Ethnic Minority Communities as Models of Peaceful Coexistence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steward, Robbie J.

Although counseling literature addresses within-group diversity among racial/ethnic groups in this country, seldom do studies examine the interpersonal dynamics within communities where minorities have fostered interdependence, cooperation, and acceptance of diversity among themselves. This paper presents an overview of some critical factors which…

Utility of Concept Cartoons in Diagnosing and Overcoming Misconceptions Related to Photosynthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekici, Fatma; Ekici, Erhan; Aydin, Fatih

2007-01-01

In this study, the effectiveness of concept cartoons in diagnosing and overcoming students' misconceptions related to photosynthesis subject was examined. Firstly, the literature has been thoroughly examined and misconceptions about photosynthesis subject have been listed and then grouped. Concept cartoons related to these groups have been…

A scoping review of biopsychosocial risk factors and co-morbidities for common spinal disorders.

PubMed

Green, Bart N; Johnson, Claire D; Haldeman, Scott; Griffith, Erin; Clay, Michael B; Kane, Edward J; Castellote, Juan M; Rajasekaran, Shanmuganathan; Smuck, Matthew; Hurwitz, Eric L; Randhawa, Kristi; Yu, Hainan; Nordin, Margareta

2018-01-01

The purpose of this review was to identify risk factors, prognostic factors, and comorbidities associated with common spinal disorders. A scoping review of the literature of common spinal disorders was performed through September 2016. To identify search terms, we developed 3 terminology groups for case definitions: 1) spinal pain of unknown origin, 2) spinal syndromes, and 3) spinal pathology. We used a comprehensive strategy to search PubMed for meta-analyses and systematic reviews of case-control studies, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials for risk and prognostic factors and cross-sectional studies describing associations and comorbidities. Of 3,453 candidate papers, 145 met study criteria and were included in this review. Risk factors were reported for group 1: non-specific low back pain (smoking, overweight/obesity, negative recovery expectations), non-specific neck pain (high job demands, monotonous work); group 2: degenerative spinal disease (workers' compensation claim, degenerative scoliosis), and group 3: spinal tuberculosis (age, imprisonment, previous history of tuberculosis), spinal cord injury (age, accidental injury), vertebral fracture from osteoporosis (type 1 diabetes, certain medications, smoking), and neural tube defects (folic acid deficit, anti-convulsant medications, chlorine, influenza, maternal obesity). A range of comorbidities was identified for spinal disorders. Many associated factors for common spinal disorders identified in this study are modifiable. The most common spinal disorders are co-morbid with general health conditions, but there is a lack of clarity in the literature differentiating which conditions are merely comorbid versus ones that are risk factors. Modifiable risk factors present opportunities for policy, research, and public health prevention efforts on both the individual patient and community levels. Further research into prevention interventions for spinal disorders is needed to address this gap in the literature.

A scoping review of biopsychosocial risk factors and co-morbidities for common spinal disorders

PubMed Central

Smuck, Matthew; Hurwitz, Eric L.; Randhawa, Kristi; Yu, Hainan; Nordin, Margareta

2018-01-01

Objective The purpose of this review was to identify risk factors, prognostic factors, and comorbidities associated with common spinal disorders. Methods A scoping review of the literature of common spinal disorders was performed through September 2016. To identify search terms, we developed 3 terminology groups for case definitions: 1) spinal pain of unknown origin, 2) spinal syndromes, and 3) spinal pathology. We used a comprehensive strategy to search PubMed for meta-analyses and systematic reviews of case-control studies, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials for risk and prognostic factors and cross-sectional studies describing associations and comorbidities. Results Of 3,453 candidate papers, 145 met study criteria and were included in this review. Risk factors were reported for group 1: non-specific low back pain (smoking, overweight/obesity, negative recovery expectations), non-specific neck pain (high job demands, monotonous work); group 2: degenerative spinal disease (workers’ compensation claim, degenerative scoliosis), and group 3: spinal tuberculosis (age, imprisonment, previous history of tuberculosis), spinal cord injury (age, accidental injury), vertebral fracture from osteoporosis (type 1 diabetes, certain medications, smoking), and neural tube defects (folic acid deficit, anti-convulsant medications, chlorine, influenza, maternal obesity). A range of comorbidities was identified for spinal disorders. Conclusion Many associated factors for common spinal disorders identified in this study are modifiable. The most common spinal disorders are co-morbid with general health conditions, but there is a lack of clarity in the literature differentiating which conditions are merely comorbid versus ones that are risk factors. Modifiable risk factors present opportunities for policy, research, and public health prevention efforts on both the individual patient and community levels. Further research into prevention interventions for spinal disorders is needed to address this gap in the literature. PMID:29856783

The effects of drumming on working memory in older adults.

PubMed

Degé, Franziska; Kerkovius, Katharina

2018-05-04

Our study investigated the effect of a music training program on working memory (verbal memory, visual memory, and as a part of central executive processing working memory) in older adults. The experimental group was musically trained (drumming and singing), whereas one control group received a literature training program and a second control group was untrained. We randomly assigned 24 participants (all females; M = 77 years and 3 months) to the music group, the literature group, and the untrained group. The training groups were trained for 15 weeks. The three groups did not differ significantly in age, socioeconomic status, music education, musical aptitude, cognitive abilities, or depressive symptoms. We did not find differences in the music group in central executive function. However, we found a potential effect of music training on verbal memory and an impact of music training on visual memory. Musically trained participants remembered more words from a word list than both control groups, and they were able to remember more symbol sequences correctly than the control groups. Our findings show a possible effect of music training on verbal and visual memory in older people. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

Letrozole versus clomiphene citrate in polycystic ovary syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Roque, Matheus; Tostes, Ana C I; Valle, Marcello; Sampaio, Marcos; Geber, Selmo

2015-01-01

The objective of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the literature and to identify the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the use of letrozole to clomiphene citrate (CC) for ovulation induction in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). An exhaustive electronic literature search was performed using the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases until October 2014. Seven prospective RCTs comparing the use of letrozole to CC in PCOS patients met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the seven included studies accounted for 1833 patients (906 in the letrozole group and 927 in the CC group) and for 4999 ovulation induction cycles (2455 in the letrozole group and 2544 in the CC group). Five of the included studies reported data on live birth rates. There was a statistically significant increase in the live birth and pregnancy rates in the letrozole group when compared to the CC group, with a relative risk (RR) = 1.55 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26-1.90; I(2) = 0%) and RR = 1.38 (95% CI: 1.05-1.83; I(2) = 61%), respectively. There were no differences in the multiple pregnancy, miscarriage and ovulation rates between the two groups. Our study found that letrozole is superior to CC when considering the live birth and pregnancy rates in patients with PCOS.

Streaming and Setting in UK Primary Schools: Evidence from the Millennium Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallam, Susan

2012-01-01

There has been research on grouping pupils by ability for most of the twentieth century since Whipple carried out a study of the effects of special class placement on a group of high aptitude 5th and 6th graders in the USA in 1919. Since then hundreds of studies have been undertaken and there have been many literature reviews and syntheses of…

[Visiting friends and relatives (VFRs) role on imported malaria: a literature review].

PubMed

Casuccio, Alessandra; Immordino, Palmira

2014-01-01

In the last decades, increased numbers of travel to tropical destinations in combination with the enormous influx of immigrants have led to an increased number of imported malaria cases in developed countries. There is a group of immigrants regularly resident in malaria free areas, which travel to malaria endemic countries to visit their friends and relatives (VFRs). VFRs represent a high-risk group of contracting malaria. Publications presenting original data on malaria in VFRs were selected for a literature review. We considered all data regarding prevalence of malaria in VFRs compared to the other groups of travelers, length of trip, group characteristics such as age, sex, country visited, and adherence to pre-travel recommendations, in particular, the compliance on the use of chemoprophylaxis, where such information was available. Studies related to malaria importation in VFRs in children and pregnant women were also included. Review of the literature revealed significant variations in the proportion of VFRs among imported malaria cases which may be due to differences in immigrant populations across the reporting countries. However, in studies focused on those at higher risk such as children and pregnant women, the prevalence of imported malaria was significantly higher compared to other types of travelers. Adherence to adequate preventive measures was low in VFRs. Significant reasons for not seeking pre-travel advice were economic and cultural issues, fear of the side effects due to chemoprophylaxis, and misconception about life-long immunity against malaria, and consequently, a low awareness about malaria risk. In order to implement preventive strategies focused on this high-risk group, prospective studies, which better define determinants of the risk of malaria in VFRs, are needed.

The social implications of population displacement and resettlement in the Middle East. Conference report.

PubMed

Shami, S; Mccann, L

1993-01-01

The focus was on a conference on population displacement and resettlement in the Middle East and on brief summaries of 8 papers in the first study group and 9 papers in the second study group. The conference was held at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Yarmouk University in Ibid, Jordan, on February 21-24, 1990, and on July 29-31, 1991. Scholars from diverse disciplines gathered to fill a gap in the literature on displacement in the Middle East and to develop a regional theoretical and comparative framework for the study of population movement. A concluding definition of displacement and/or resettlement was determined. The first study group determined that labor or seasonal migration and displacement were both on a continuum with intersecting characteristics, and not divergent. Research should account for the nature, the forcing agents, the underlying causes, the implications, and the outcome of the displacement. The second study group had a more empirical agenda and included the first study group as discussants. The first study group began with a presentation by Dr. Seteney Shami, which reviewed existing literature, outlined unique characteristics for displacement in the Middle East, and discussed the literature on the Nubians, Palestinians, and Bedouins. Other topics included the official settlement of peasants in Iraq and the impact on women and work, the political and economic roles of class among the Palestinian coastal bourgeoisie and other classes, migratory cycles of the Bedouin and disruption by the oil exploration, and historical displacement in Turkey. The second study group focused on migration to the Khartoum area in Sudan among nine unplanned settlements, the two-stage displacement of low-income households from rent-controlled buildings in Cairo and its impact on community structure and employment and social supports, migration from the Suez Canal to Zagazig City in Egypt, displacement due to the Gulf crisis (a case study, the impact on the Jordanian economy, and Kuwaitis in Cairo), displacement in Sudan from war and drought, displacement and health in Beirut and after the Gulf War, and displacement and identity. The policy implications and the lack of research teams were also discussed. A selection of articles has been prepared for publication in one volume by the Institute.

Appraisal of the quality of assessment of memory in anesthesia and psychopharmacology literature.

PubMed

Ghoneim, M M; Ali, M A; Block, R I

1990-11-01

To test the hypothesis that there are important differences between studies on memory published in anesthesia literature and those published in the psychopharmacology literature, we compared the two from the period January 1978 through May 1988 to identify deficiencies in the design and methodologies used and to provide guidelines for future experiments. Eight-eight articles in each discipline were reviewed. The sample sizes were larger in the articles in anesthesia journals than in those in psychopharmacology journals (medians 52.5 vs. 18 subjects, respectively). Most (85%) of the studies in the anesthesia literature used patients, who had a median age of 38.9 yr and included a median of 28 women among the subjects per study. In contrast, the majority (60%) of the studies in the psychopharmacology literature used healthy volunteers, who had a median age of 23.6 yr and included a median of only 3.5 females among the subjects per study. Characteristics more common in the psychopharmacology than in the anesthesia literature, respectively, were use of a control or placebo group (90% vs. 42%), double-blind design (80% vs. 47%), use of pre- and posttreatment memory measurements (64% vs. 23%), use of multiple memory tests with distinct equated stimuli (83% vs. 8%), relation of methodology to some theoretical model of memory (72% vs. 17%), and use of other behavioral tests (68% vs. 48%). Relative to the psychopharmacology literature, the anesthesia literature used pictures as stimuli for the memory tests more often (44% vs. 14%, respectively) and words less often (11% vs. 67%) and relied heavily on questions about recall of perioperative events (41% vs. 0%). There is room for improvement in both types of literature, and more so in the anesthesia literature.

Using Internet Groups in the Learning of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arikan, Arda

2008-01-01

In this paper, an application of one aspect of the Internet technology, namely Internet groups, into the teaching of American and British literatures is evaluated by means of a content analysis of the Internet group which was used as the course component. The aim of this paper was to see how students used the Internet group in the learning of…

[What is Men's Health? A definition].

PubMed

Bardehle, D; Dinges, M; White, A

2016-07-01

Target of the study: Men's Health is increasingly coming into focus of health research, epidemiology, health care organization, and health policy. Over the past 10-15 years have been published by some countries and the EU Men's Health reports where problems of health noted in men. Starting point for a scientific study of men's health is the definition of "Men's Health". A group of German experts in the field of men's health has taken on this task. A literature review in international and national databases was performed for the years 1990-2014 by selected MeSH terms and for "experts for men's health". Another research concerned "gray literature" in Germany, especially health reports and web pages. This was followed by a conference of experts to define "Men's Health" using a modified Delphi method according to W. Zinn. From the expert group minimum criteria for a definition "Men's Health" were created and discussed, which must comply with the new definition of men's health. This definition was created in the third round of the Delphi method. The international literature review yielded 7 definitions of "Men's Health" in the English-speaking and 5 definitions in the German inkl. in the "gray" literature. Due to the developed by the Expert Group 7 minimum criteria 15 relevant topics were listed, of which by weighting 8 subject areas were considered relevant for a new definition. In comparison with the previous definitions none could fulfill these 8 criteria. Therefore, in the next step of the expert group a new definition "Men's Health" was elaborated. The definition has reference to the WHO concept of "health" and includes dimensions of health and disease, risk and protective factors that require special prevention and care services for all phases of life. All participants in the expert group agreed on the definition developed. The definition of Men's Health is a basis for further scientific work and practice to improve men's health in Germany and other countries. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Ensuring Resident Competence: A Narrative Review of the Literature on Group Decision Making to Inform the Work of Clinical Competency Committees.

PubMed

Hauer, Karen E; Cate, Olle Ten; Boscardin, Christy K; Iobst, William; Holmboe, Eric S; Chesluk, Benjamin; Baron, Robert B; O'Sullivan, Patricia S

2016-05-01

Background The expectation for graduate medical education programs to ensure that trainees are progressing toward competence for unsupervised practice prompted requirements for a committee to make decisions regarding residents' progress, termed a clinical competency committee (CCC). The literature on the composition of these committees and how they share information and render decisions can inform the work of CCCs by highlighting vulnerabilities and best practices. Objective We conducted a narrative review of the literature on group decision making that can help characterize the work of CCCs, including how they are populated and how they use information. Methods English language studies of group decision making in medical education, psychology, and organizational behavior were used. Results The results highlighted 2 major themes. Group member composition showcased the value placed on the complementarity of members' experience and lessons they had learned about performance review through their teaching and committee work. Group processes revealed strengths and limitations in groups' understanding of their work, leader role, and information-sharing procedures. Time pressure was a threat to the quality of group work. Conclusions Implications of the findings include the risks for committees that arise with homogeneous membership, limitations to available resident performance information, and processes that arise through experience rather than deriving from a well-articulated purpose of their work. Recommendations are presented to maximize the effectiveness of CCC processes, including their membership and access to, and interpretation of, information to yield evidence-based, well-reasoned judgments.

Ensuring Resident Competence: A Narrative Review of the Literature on Group Decision Making to Inform the Work of Clinical Competency Committees

PubMed Central

Hauer, Karen E.; Cate, Olle ten; Boscardin, Christy K.; Iobst, William; Holmboe, Eric S.; Chesluk, Benjamin; Baron, Robert B.; O'Sullivan, Patricia S.

2016-01-01

Background The expectation for graduate medical education programs to ensure that trainees are progressing toward competence for unsupervised practice prompted requirements for a committee to make decisions regarding residents' progress, termed a clinical competency committee (CCC). The literature on the composition of these committees and how they share information and render decisions can inform the work of CCCs by highlighting vulnerabilities and best practices. Objective We conducted a narrative review of the literature on group decision making that can help characterize the work of CCCs, including how they are populated and how they use information. Methods English language studies of group decision making in medical education, psychology, and organizational behavior were used. Results The results highlighted 2 major themes. Group member composition showcased the value placed on the complementarity of members' experience and lessons they had learned about performance review through their teaching and committee work. Group processes revealed strengths and limitations in groups' understanding of their work, leader role, and information-sharing procedures. Time pressure was a threat to the quality of group work. Conclusions Implications of the findings include the risks for committees that arise with homogeneous membership, limitations to available resident performance information, and processes that arise through experience rather than deriving from a well-articulated purpose of their work. Recommendations are presented to maximize the effectiveness of CCC processes, including their membership and access to, and interpretation of, information to yield evidence-based, well-reasoned judgments. PMID:27168881

Technology and Community Behavior in Online Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanchard, Anita L.; Markus, M. Lynne

The literature on virtual or online communities contains two largely disjoint bodies of scholarship. One, which we call the “communities” literature, is concerned primarily with the social and psychological processes observable within groups of people that interact regularly in online environments. The other, concerned primarily with the effects of technological environments on individual and group behavior, we call the “environments” literature.

Strategies for improving patient recruitment to focus groups in primary care: a case study reflective paper using an analytical framework.

PubMed

Dyas, Jane V; Apekey, Tanefa; Tilling, Michelle; Siriwardena, A Niroshan

2009-09-22

Recruiting to primary care studies is complex. With the current drive to increase numbers of patients involved in primary care studies, we need to know more about successful recruitment approaches. There is limited evidence on recruitment to focus group studies, particularly when no natural grouping exists and where participants do not regularly meet. The aim of this paper is to reflect on recruitment to a focus group study comparing the methods used with existing evidence using a resource for research recruitment, PROSPeR (Planning Recruitment Options: Strategies for Primary Care). The focus group formed part of modelling a complex intervention in primary care in the Resources for Effective Sleep Treatment (REST) study. Despite a considered approach at the design stage, there were a number of difficulties with recruitment. The recruitment strategy and subsequent revisions are detailed. The researchers' modifications to recruitment, justifications and evidence from the literature in support of them are presented. Contrary evidence is used to analyse why some aspects were unsuccessful and evidence is used to suggest improvements. Recruitment to focus group studies should be considered in two distinct phases; getting potential participants to contact the researcher, and converting those contacts into attendance. The difficulty of recruitment in primary care is underemphasised in the literature especially where people do not regularly come together, typified by this case study of patients with sleep problems. We recommend training GPs and nurses to recruit patients during consultations. Multiple recruitment methods should be employed from the outset and the need to build topic related non-financial incentives into the group meeting should be considered. Recruitment should be monitored regularly with barriers addressed iteratively as a study progresses.

Ursodeoxycholic Acid in the Prevention of Gallstone Formation After Bariatric Surgery: an Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Magouliotis, Dimitrios E; Tasiopoulou, Vasiliki S; Svokos, Alexis A; Svokos, Konstantina A; Chatedaki, Christina; Sioka, Eleni; Zacharoulis, Dimitris

2017-11-01

We aim to review the available literature on obese patients treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in order to prevent gallstone formation after bariatric surgery. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane library, and Scopus databases, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria incorporating 1355 patients. Random-effects meta-analysis showed a lower incidence of gallstone formation in patients taking UDCA. Subgroup analysis reported fewer cases of gallstone disease in the UDCA group in relation to different bariatric procedures, doses of administered UDCA, and time from bariatric surgery. Adverse events were similar in both groups. Fewer patients required cholecystectomy in UDCA group. No deaths were reported. The administration of UDCA after bariatric surgery seems to prevent gallstone formation.

A comparison of literature-based and content-based guided reading materials on elementary student reading and science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guns, Christine

Guided reading, as developed by Fountas and Pinnell (2001), has been a staple of elementary reading programs for the past decade. Teachers in the elementary school setting utilize this small group, tailored instruction in order to differentiate and meet the instructional needs of the students. The literature shows academic benefit for students who have special needs, such as learning disabilities, autism, and hearing impairments but consideration of academic impact has not been investigated for regular education students. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the academic impact of the use of content-related (Group C) and the traditional literature-based (Group L) reading materials. During the Living Systems and Life Processes unit in science, two teachers self-selected to utilized science-related materials for guided reading instruction while the other three teacher participants utilized their normal literature-based guided reading materials. The two groups were compared using an ANCOVA in this pre-test/post-test design. The dependent variables included the Reading for Application and Instruction assessment (RAI) and a Living Systems and Life Processes assessment (LSA). Further analysis compared students of different reading levels and gender. The data analyses revealed a practical but not statistical significance for students in science performance. It was discovered that below level male and female students performed better on the LSA when provided with content-related guided reading materials. As far as reading achievement is concerned, students in both groups had comparable results. The teachers provided guided reading instruction to their students with fidelity and made adjustments to their practices due to the needs of their students. The content-related teachers utilized a larger number of expository texts than the literature-based teachers. These teachers expressed the desire to continue the practice of providing the students with content-related materials.

Cycling and Health: An Exploratory Study of Views about Cycling in an Area of North Liverpool, UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavill, Nick; Watkins, Francine

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore views about cycling among members of identified community groups living near the Loop Line, a cycling and walking path in a deprived part of North Liverpool, UK. Design/methodology/approach: Following a literature review, qualitative focus group research was conducted among six groups of children,…

Bisphosphonates for treatment of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type 1: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials versus placebo.

PubMed

Chevreau, Maxime; Romand, Xavier; Gaudin, Philippe; Juvin, Robert; Baillet, Athan

2017-07-01

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1 is a severely disabling pain syndrome with no definite established treatment. We have performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials to assess the benefit of bisphosphonates on pain and function in patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1. A systematic literature search was performed in the Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases. Two authors selected independently blinded randomized trials comparing bisphosphonates to placebo on short-term (J30 to J40) and medium term pain (M2-M3), safety and function in patients with CRPS 1. The methodological quality of the studies was analyzed. Data were aggregated using the method of the inverse of the variance. 258 articles were identified. Four trials of moderate to good quality comprising 181 patients (90 in the bisphosphonate group and 91 in the placebo group) were included in this meta-analysis. Short-term pain Visual Analog Scale was significantly lower in the bisphosphonate group versus the placebo group (SMD=-2.6, 95%CI [-1.8, -3.4], P<0.001), as well as the medium term Visual Analog Scale pain (SMD=-2.5, 95%CI [-1.4, -3.6], P<0.001). There were more adverse events in the bisphosphonate group (35.5%) than in the placebo group (16.4%) with a relative risk of 2.1 (95%CI [1.3, 3.5], P=0.004) and a number needed to harm of 4.6, (95%CI [2.4, 168.0]) but no serious side effects. Our results suggest that bisphosphonates reduce pain in patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type 1. Other studies are needed to determine their effectiveness. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier SAS.

A Study of Some Effects of Early Change Agent Behavior on a Group Client System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darden, Douglas Wylie

A study was conducted to explore some of the relationships existing between the early behavior of a change agent with a group client system and its subsequent effects on the helping relationship established between them. A review of related literature was made. The model of helping relationship which formed the basis for the design of the study…

American Women and American Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chmaj, Betty E.

The American Studies Association (ASA) is an interprofessional group, representing a cross-section of persons from American literature, American history, the social sciences, philosophy, archeology, Black Studies, Urban Studies, American Studies, and others. This document by the ASA Commission on the Status of Women includes: (1) a report of the…

Guideline group composition and group processes: article 3 in Integrating and coordinating efforts in COPD guideline development. An official ATS/ERS workshop report.

PubMed

Kunz, Regina; Fretheim, Atle; Cluzeau, Françoise; Wilt, Timothy J; Qaseem, Amir; Lelgemann, Monika; Kelson, Marcia; Guyatt, Gordon; Schünemann, Holger J

2012-12-01

Professional societies, like many other organizations around the world, have recognized the need to use more rigorous processes to ensure that health care recommendations are informed by the best available research evidence. This is the third of a series of 14 articles that were prepared to advise guideline developers in respiratory and other diseases on considerations for group compositions and group processes in guideline development, and how this can be effectively integrated in the context of respiratory disease guidelines on a national and international level. We updated a review of the literature addressing group composition and group process, focusing on the following questions: 1. How to compose a functioning and representative guideline group; Who should be included in a guideline panel?; How to select organizations, groups, and individuals; What expertise is needed?; Consultation with non-included groups. 2. How to assure a functioning group process; How to make the process constructive; Balancing participation and finding agreement; Administrative support; What constitutes sufficient resources? Our conclusions are based on available evidence from published literature, experience from guideline developers, and workshop discussions. Formal studies addressing optimal processes in developing guidelines are limited, and experience from guideline organizations supplement the formal studies. When resources are available, guideline development groups should aim for multidisciplinary groups, including patients. Prerequisites for a multidisciplinary group include: a strong chair experienced in group facilitation with broad acceptance in the group, training the group in guideline methodology, and professional technical support. Formal consensus developing methods have proved effective in reaching agreement on the final recommendations.

Restless leg syndrome in different types of demyelinating neuropathies: a single-center pilot study.

PubMed

Luigetti, Marco; Del Grande, Alessandra; Testani, Elisa; Bisogni, Giulia; Losurdo, Anna; Giannantoni, Nadia Mariagrazia; Mazza, Salvatore; Sabatelli, Mario; Della Marca, Giacomo

2013-09-15

to determine the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in a cohort of patients with demyelinating neuropathies. Patients were retrospectively recruited from our cohort of different forms of demyelinating neuropathies, including chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy (CIDP), Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A (CMT1A), and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) referred to our Department of Neurology in a 10-year period. The validated 4-item RLS questionnaire was used for diagnosis of RLS. All patients with RLS who fulfilled criteria underwent a suggested immobilization test to confirm the diagnosis. A group of outpatients referred to the sleep disorders unit and data from published literature were used as controls. Prevalence of RLS in demyelinating neuropathy group was higher than prevalence observed in control population (p = 0.0142) or in the literature data (p = 0.0007). In particular, in comparison with both control population and literature data, prevalence of RLS was higher in CIDP group (p = 0.0266 and p = 0.0063, respectively) and in CMT1A group (p = 0.0312 and p = 0.0105, respectively), but not in HNPP (p = 1.000 and p = 0.9320, respectively). our study confirms a high prevalence of RLS in inflammatory neuropathies as CIDP and, among inherited neuropathies, in CMT1A but not in HNPP. Considering that this is only a small cohort from a single-center retrospective experience, the link between RLS and neuropathy remains uncertain, and larger multicenter studies are probably needed to clarify the real meaning of the association between RLS and neuropathy.

Police AED programs: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Husain, Sofia; Eisenberg, Mickey

2013-09-01

Approximately 359,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States every year, and around 60% of them are treated by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. In order to alleviate the impact of this public health burden, some communities have trained police officers as first responders so that they can provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation to cardiac arrest patients. This paper is a review of the current literature on the impact of police automated external defibrillators (AEDs) programs in these communities. A literature search of electronic journal databases was conducted to identify articles that evaluated police AED programs and quantified survival rates. The 10 articles that met the inclusion criteria were very heterogeneous in terms of study design, controlling for confounders, outcome definitions, and comparison groups. Two communities found a statistically significant difference in survival and 6 studies reported a statistically significant difference in time to defibrillation after the implementation of these programs. The weighted mean survival rate of the study groups was higher than that of the control groups (p<0.001), as was the weighted mean survival rate of the group first shocked by police compared to those first shocked by EMS (39.4% vs. 28.6%, p<0.001). The pooled relative risk of survival was 1.4 (95% CI: 1.3-1.6). Though there are many challenges in initiating these programs, this literature review shows that time to defibrillation decreased and survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests increased with the implementation of police AED programs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Work motivation in health care: a scoping literature review.

PubMed

Perreira, Tyrone A; Innis, Jennifer; Berta, Whitney

2016-12-01

The aim of this scoping literature review was to examine and summarize the factors, context, and processes that influence work motivation of health care workers. A scoping literature review was done to answer the question: What is known from the existing empirical literature about factors, context, and processes that influence work motivation of health care workers? This scoping review used the Arksey and O'Malley framework to describe and summarize findings. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed to screen studies. Relevant studies published between January 2005 and May 2016 were identified using five electronic databases. Study abstracts were screened for eligibility by two reviewers. Following this screening process, full-text articles were reviewed to determine the eligibility of the studies. Eligible studies were then evaluated by coding findings with descriptive labels to distinguish elements that appeared pertinent to this review. Coding was used to form groups, and these groups led to the development of themes. Twenty-five studies met the eligibility criteria for this literature review. The themes identified were work performance, organizational justice, pay, status, personal characteristics, work relationships (including bullying), autonomy, organizational identification, training, and meaningfulness of work. Most of the research involved the use of surveys. There is a need for more qualitative research and for the use of case studies to examine work motivation in health care organizations. All of the studies were cross-sectional. Longitudinal research would provide insight into how work motivation changes, and how it can be influenced and shaped. Several implications for practice were identified. There is a need to ensure that health care workers have access to training opportunities, and that autonomy is optimized. To improve work motivation, there is a need to address bullying and hostile behaviours in the workplace. Addressing the factors that influence work motivation in health care settings has the potential to influence the care that patients receive.

Group Investigation as a Cooperative Learning Strategy: An Integrated Analysis of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Mitzi G.; Montgomery, Hilary; Holder, Michelle; Stuart, Dan

2008-01-01

The cooperative learning strategy of group investigation has been used extensively in elementary and high school classrooms. Whereas this learning strategy seems to benefit low- and middle-achieving students, the performance of high-achieving students seems to change little. This article examines the literature on group investigation as a…

Mentoring Together: A Literature Review of Group Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huizing, Russell L.

2012-01-01

Researchers have shown the benefits of mentoring in both personal and professional growth. It would seem that group mentoring would only enhance those benefits. This work represents a literature review of peer-reviewed articles and dissertations that contribute to the theory and research of group mentoring. This work reviews the articles that…

Scanning for satisfaction or digging for dismay? Comparing findings from a postal survey with those from a focus group-study.

PubMed

Carlsen, Benedicte; Glenton, Claire

2012-09-03

Despite growing support for mixed methods approaches we still have little systematic knowledge about the consequences of combining surveys and focus groups. While the methodological aspects of questionnaire surveys have been researched extensively, the characteristics of focus group methodology are understudied. We suggest and discuss whether the focus group setting, as compared to questionnaire surveys, encourages participants to exaggerate views in a negative direction. Based on an example from our own research, where we conducted a survey as a follow up of a focus group study, and with reference to theoretical approaches and empirical evidence from the literature concerning survey respondent behaviour and small group dynamics, we discuss the possibility that a discrepancy in findings between the focus groups and the questionnaire reflects characteristics of the two different research methods. In contrast to the survey, the focus group study indicated that doctors were generally negative to clinical guidelines. We were not convinced that this difference in results was due to methodological flaws in either of the studies, and discuss instead how this difference may have been the result of a general methodological phenomenon. Based on studies of how survey questionnaires influence responses, it appears reasonable to claim that surveys are more likely to find exaggerated positive views. Conversely, there are some indications in the literature that focus groups may result in complaints and overly negative attitudes, but this is still an open question. We suggest that while problematic issues tend to be under-communicated in questionnaire surveys, they may be overstated in focus groups.We argue for the importance of increasing our understanding of focus group methodology, for example by reporting interesting discrepancies in mixed methods studies. In addition, more experimental research on focus groups should be conducted to advance the methodology and to test our hypothesis.

Scanning for satisfaction or digging for dismay? Comparing findings from a postal survey with those from a focus group-study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Despite growing support for mixed methods approaches we still have little systematic knowledge about the consequences of combining surveys and focus groups. While the methodological aspects of questionnaire surveys have been researched extensively, the characteristics of focus group methodology are understudied. We suggest and discuss whether the focus group setting, as compared to questionnaire surveys, encourages participants to exaggerate views in a negative direction. Discussion Based on an example from our own research, where we conducted a survey as a follow up of a focus group study, and with reference to theoretical approaches and empirical evidence from the literature concerning survey respondent behaviour and small group dynamics, we discuss the possibility that a discrepancy in findings between the focus groups and the questionnaire reflects characteristics of the two different research methods. In contrast to the survey, the focus group study indicated that doctors were generally negative to clinical guidelines. We were not convinced that this difference in results was due to methodological flaws in either of the studies, and discuss instead how this difference may have been the result of a general methodological phenomenon. Summary Based on studies of how survey questionnaires influence responses, it appears reasonable to claim that surveys are more likely to find exaggerated positive views. Conversely, there are some indications in the literature that focus groups may result in complaints and overly negative attitudes, but this is still an open question. We suggest that while problematic issues tend to be under-communicated in questionnaire surveys, they may be overstated in focus groups. We argue for the importance of increasing our understanding of focus group methodology, for example by reporting interesting discrepancies in mixed methods studies. In addition, more experimental research on focus groups should be conducted to advance the methodology and to test our hypothesis. PMID:22943658

Social Skills Intervention for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders Aged Six through 12 Years: A Combination of a Literature-Based Curriculum and Telecommunications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Kaili; Bullock, Lyndal M.

2004-01-01

The purposes of the study reported here were to investigate the social competence of students aged from six to 12, diagnosed with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) in a public self-contained school setting, and to increase the students' social competence by using a literature-based method that employs multi-age grouping, impersonation, and…

Simulation of multiple personalities: a review of research comparing diagnosed and simulated dissociative identity disorder.

PubMed

Boysen, Guy A; VanBergen, Alexandra

2014-02-01

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) has long been surrounded by controversy due to disagreement about its etiology and the validity of its associated phenomena. Researchers have conducted studies comparing people diagnosed with DID and people simulating DID in order to better understand the disorder. The current research presents a systematic review of this DID simulation research. The literature consists of 20 studies and contains several replicated findings. Replicated differences between the groups include symptom presentation, identity presentation, and cognitive processing deficits. Replicated similarities between the groups include interidentity transfer of information as shown by measures of recall, recognition, and priming. Despite some consistent findings, this research literature is hindered by methodological flaws that reduce experimental validity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blood Groups in the Species Survival Plan®, European Endangered Species Program, and Managed in situ Populations of Bonobo (Pan paniscus), Common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), Gorilla (Gorilla ssp.), and Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus ssp.)

PubMed Central

Gamble, Kathryn C.; Moyse, Jill A.; Lovstad, Jessica N.; Ober, Carole B.; Thompson, Emma E.

2014-01-01

Blood groups of humans and great apes long have been considered similar although are not interchangeable between species. In this study, human monoclonal antibody technology was used to assign human ABO blood groups to whole blood samples from great apes housed in North American and European zoos and in situ managed populations, as a practical means to assist blood transfusion situations for these species. From a subset of each of the species (bonobo, common chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutans), DNA sequence analysis was performed to determine blood group genotype. Bonobo and common chimpanzee populations were predominantly group A which concurred with historic literature and was confirmed by genotyping. In agreement with historic literature, a smaller number of the common chimpanzees sampled were group O although this O blood group was more often present in wild-origin animals as compared to zoo-born animals. Gorilla blood groups were inconclusive by monoclonal antibody techniques and by genetic studies were inconsistent with any known human blood group. As the genus and specifically the Bornean species, orangutans were identified with all human blood groups, including O, which had not been reported previously. Following this study, it was concluded that blood groups of bonobo, common chimpanzees, and some orangutans can be reliably assessed by human monoclonal antibody technology. However, this technique was not reliable for gorilla or orangutans other than those with blood group A. Even in those species with reliable blood group detection, blood transfusion preparation must include cross-matching to minimize adverse reactions for the patient. PMID:20853409

Community Capacity Building for Physical Activity Promotion among Older Adults—A Literature Review

PubMed Central

Ubert, Tobias; Forberger, Sarah; Gansefort, Dirk; Zeeb, Hajo; Brand, Tilman

2017-01-01

Community-based interventions to promote physical activity (PA) among older adults are of high interest in health promotion since they promise to be effective strategies to reach this population group. Community capacity building, that is, the local promotion of knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, and leadership, is among the recommended core strategies. However, little guidance is provided on how to achieve a high degree of community capacity. This study aims to identify practical strategies to enhance community capacities for PA promotion among older adults (50 years or older) and to evaluate their success. A literature review was conducted using scientific databases (PsycInfo and Web of Sciences) and grey literature (national and international project databases), and 14 studies (16 articles) were identified. Five groups of capacity building strategies emerged from the literature: (1) building community coalitions and networks, (2) training of professionals, (3) training of laypersons, (4) strengthening competence and awareness in the target population, and (5) allocation of financial resources. All studies used more than one strategy. Coalition building and strengthening competence and awareness were most frequently used. Feasibility and acceptability of the capacity building strategies were demonstrated. However, intervention effects on PA behavior and other relevant outcomes were inconsistent. The one study that systematically compared different capacity building approaches did not find any evidence for beneficial effects of intensified capacity building. More rigorous research evaluating the efficacy of specific strategies to enhance community capacities for PA promotion is needed. PMID:28902146

Community Capacity Building for Physical Activity Promotion among Older Adults-A Literature Review.

PubMed

Ubert, Tobias; Forberger, Sarah; Gansefort, Dirk; Zeeb, Hajo; Brand, Tilman

2017-09-13

Community-based interventions to promote physical activity (PA) among older adults are of high interest in health promotion since they promise to be effective strategies to reach this population group. Community capacity building, that is, the local promotion of knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, and leadership, is among the recommended core strategies. However, little guidance is provided on how to achieve a high degree of community capacity. This study aims to identify practical strategies to enhance community capacities for PA promotion among older adults (50 years or older) and to evaluate their success. A literature review was conducted using scientific databases (PsycInfo and Web of Sciences) and grey literature (national and international project databases), and 14 studies (16 articles) were identified. Five groups of capacity building strategies emerged from the literature: (1) building community coalitions and networks, (2) training of professionals, (3) training of laypersons, (4) strengthening competence and awareness in the target population, and (5) allocation of financial resources. All studies used more than one strategy. Coalition building and strengthening competence and awareness were most frequently used. Feasibility and acceptability of the capacity building strategies were demonstrated. However, intervention effects on PA behavior and other relevant outcomes were inconsistent. The one study that systematically compared different capacity building approaches did not find any evidence for beneficial effects of intensified capacity building. More rigorous research evaluating the efficacy of specific strategies to enhance community capacities for PA promotion is needed.

A Review of the Medical Education Literature for Graduate Medical Education Teachers

PubMed Central

Locke, Kenneth A.; Bates, Carol K.; Karani, Reena; Chheda, Shobhina G.

2013-01-01

Background A rapidly evolving body of literature in medical education can impact the practice of clinical educators in graduate medical education. Objective To aggregate studies published in the medical education literature in 2011 to provide teachers in general internal medicine with an overview of the current, relevant medical education literature. Review We systematically searched major medical education journals and the general clinical literature for medical education studies with sound design and relevance to the educational practice of graduate medical education teachers. We chose 12 studies, grouped into themes, using a consensus method, and critiqued these studies. Results Four themes emerged. They encompass (1) learner assessment, (2) duty hour limits and teaching in the inpatient setting, (3) innovations in teaching, and (4) learner distress. With each article we also present recommendations for how readers may use them as resources to update their clinical teaching. While we sought to identify the studies with the highest quality and greatest relevance to educators, limitation of the studies selected include their single-site and small sample nature, and the frequent lack of objective measures of outcomes. These limitations are shared with the larger body of medical education literature. Conclusions The themes and the recommendations for how to incorporate this information into clinical teaching have the potential to inform the educational practice of general internist educators as well as that of teachers in other specialties. PMID:24404262

Syntactical Complexity and Vocabulary Diversity in Two Groups of Children's Books.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormick, Sandra

This study compared syntactic complexity and vocabulary diversity in two groups of books that can be used for reading aloud to preschool children: books recommended by authorities in reading and children's literature for reading aloud and "grocery store" books (small, inexpensive picture books that can be purchased in grocery stores). Trade names…

The Civic Participation of Visible Minorities in Canadian Society: Framework and Issues for Research and Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bancroft, George W.; And Others

This exploratory study examines the issues connected with the civic participation of minority groups in Canada. Civic participation is service, either through appointment or election, on public boards and commissions other than those representing the participant's own ethnocultural group. Information was gathered from a literature review,…

Symbolic Resources and Marketing Strategies in Ontario Higher Education: A Comparative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizarro Milian, Roger; Davidson, Cliff

2018-01-01

Existing research on marketing within PSE tends to focus on homogeneous groups of high-status organisations. This study ameliorates this gap in the literature, conducting a comparative analysis of promotional materials produced by public universities and community colleges in Ontario, Canada. We find that these two groups draw on unique strategies…

Aggression in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and a Clinic-Referred Comparison Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Cristan; Butter, Eric; Mazurek, Micah O.; Cowan, Charles; Lainhart, Janet; Cook, Edwin H.; DeWitt, Mary Beth; Aman, Michael

2015-01-01

A gap exists in the literature regarding aggression in autism spectrum disorders and how this behavior compares to other groups. In this multisite study, the "Children's Scale for Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive" and the Aggression subscale of the "Child Behavior Checklist" were rated for 414 children with autism…

Anger Management and Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamelin, Jeffery; Travis, Robert; Sturmey, Peter

2013-01-01

We conducted a systematic literature review of anger management in people with intellectual disabilities (ID). We identified 2 studies that used randomized controlled trials and 6 that used pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group designs. The mean between-group effect size was 1.52 for randomized controlled trials and 0.89 for the other…

Ethnic Identity and Self-Esteem: Contrasting Cuban and Nicaraguan Young Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cislo, Andrew M.

2008-01-01

A growing literature suggests that stronger ethnic identity is associated with higher levels of self-esteem among Hispanic Americans. However, most studies employ a panethnic "Hispanic" category or focus on one ethnic group, leaving open the question of how different Hispanic groups compare in this association. In the framework of social…

Lifelong Learning from Natural Disasters: Transformative Group-Based Learning at Philippine Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahl, Kari Kragh Blume; Millora, Christopher Malagad

2016-01-01

This study explores reflective experience during transformative, group-based learning among university leaders following a natural disaster such as a typhoon in two Philippine universities. Natural disasters are recurrent phenomena in many parts of the world, but the literature largely ignores their impact on lifelong human learning, for instance…

Eating Disorder Public Service Announcements: Analyzing Effects from an Intergroup Affect and Stereotype Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iles, Irina A.; Seate, Anita Atwell; Waks, Leah

2016-01-01

Purpose: Previous studies have documented that exposure to stereotypical information about certain social groups leads to unfavorable perceptions and feelings toward that group. Integrating insights from the mental illness stigma and the social identity perspective literatures, the purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of eating disorder…

Teacher Perspectives on the Practice of Continuity of Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longstreth, Sascha; Garrity, Sarah; Ritblatt, Shulamit N.; Olson, Kelsey; Virgilio, Ashley; Dinh, Hilary; Padamada, Shane

2016-01-01

This study aims to address gaps in the literature on continuity of care through focus group interviews with teachers at public early care and education programs in San Diego County, California, USA. To better understand various perspectives on continuity of care, focus groups were conducted at programs that currently practice continuity of care,…

Sexual Orientation Microaggressions: "Death by a Thousand Cuts" for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadal, Kevin L.; Issa, Marie-Anne; Leon, Jayleen; Meterko, Vanessa; Wideman, Michelle; Wong, Yinglee

2011-01-01

In recent years, there has been a growth of literature examining the mental health impacts of microaggressions, which are defined as subtle forms of discrimination toward oppressed groups. The current study utilized a qualitative focus group method and directed content analysis to categorize several types of sexual orientation microaggressions…

French-Arab Students and Verbal Intellectual Performance: Do They Really Suffer from a Negative Intellectual Stereotype?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chateignier, Cindy; Dutrevis, Marion; Nugier, Armelle; Chekroun, Peggy

2009-01-01

Stigmatized group membership leads to deleterious consequences for individuals. More specifically, according to stereotype threat literature, the awareness of negative intellectual stereotypes can impair stereotyped group members' performance. Based on this framework, two studies were designed to explain the lower grades obtained by French-Arab…

Childhood Obesity Policy Research and Practice Evidence for Policy and Environmental Strategies

PubMed Central

Brennan, Laura K.; Brownson, Ross C.; Orleans, C. Tracy

2016-01-01

Investigators developed a review system to evaluate the growing literature on policy and environmental strategies to prevent childhood obesity. Over 2000 documents published between January 2000 and May 2009 in the scientific and grey literature were identified (2008–2009) and systematically analyzed (2009–2012). These focused on policy or environmental strategies to reduce obesity/overweight, increase physical activity, and/or improve nutrition/diet among youth (aged 3–18 years). Guided by the RE-AIM framework, investigators abstracted studies of 24 intervention strategies and assessed evidence for their effectiveness (i.e., study design, intervention duration, and outcomes) and population impact (i.e., effectiveness and reach – participation or exposure, and representativeness) in 142 evaluation study groupings and 254 associational study groupings (n=396 groupings of 600 peer-reviewed studies). The 24 strategies yielded 25 classifications (school wellness policies yielded nutrition and physical activity classifications): 1st-tier effective (n=5); 2nd-tier effective (n=6); “promising” (n=5); or “emerging” (n=9). Evidence for intervention effectiveness was reported in 56% of the evaluation, and 77% of the associational, study groupings. Among the evaluation study groupings, only 49% reported sufficient data for population impact ratings, and only 22% qualified for a rating of high population impact. Effectiveness and impact ratings were summarized in graphic evidence maps, displaying effects/associations with behavioral and obesity/overweight outcomes. This paper describes the results and products of the review, with recommendations for policy research and practice. PMID:24355679

The effectiveness of return-to-work interventions that incorporate work-focused problem-solving skills for workers with sickness absences related to mental disorders: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Dewa, Carolyn S; Loong, Desmond; Bonato, Sarah; Joosen, Margot C W

2015-06-15

This paper reviews the current state of the published peer-reviewed literature related to return-to-work (RTW) interventions that incorporate work-related problem-solving skills for workers with sickness absences related to mental disorders. It addresses the question: What is the evidence for the effectiveness of these RTW interventions? Using a multiphase screening process, this systematic literature review was based on publically available peer-reviewed studies. Five electronic databases were searched: (1) Medline Current, (2) Medline In-process, (3) PsycINFO, (4) Econlit and (5) Web of Science. The focus was on RTW interventions for workers with medically certified sickness absences related to mental disorders. Workers with medically certified sickness absences related to mental disorders. RTW intervention included work-focused problem-solving skills. RTW rates and length of sickness absences. There were 4709 unique citations identified. Of these, eight articles representing a total of six studies were included in the review. In terms of bias avoidance, two of the six studies were rated as excellent, two as good and two as weak. Five studies were from the Netherlands; one was from Norway. There was variability among the studies with regard to RTW findings. Two of three studies reported significant differences in RTW rates between the intervention and control groups. One of six studies observed a significant difference in sickness absence duration between intervention and control groups. There is limited evidence that combinations of interventions that include work-related problem-solving skills are effective in RTW outcomes. The evidence could be strengthened if future studies included more detailed examinations of intervention adherence and changes in problem-solving skills. Future studies should also examine the long-term effects of problem-solving skills on sickness absence recurrence and work productivity. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Testosterone replacement therapy and the heart: friend, foe or bystander?

PubMed Central

Canfield, Steven; Wang, Run

2016-01-01

The role of testosterone therapy (TTh) in cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes is still controversial, and it seems will remain inconclusive for the moment. An extensive body of literature has investigated the association of endogenous testosterone and use of TTh with CVD events including several meta-analyses. In some instances, a number of studies reported beneficial effects of TTh on CVD events and in other instances the body of literature reported detrimental effects or no effects at all. Yet, no review article has scrutinized this body of literature using the magnitude of associations and statistical significance reported from this relationship. We critically reviewed the previous and emerging body of literature that investigated the association of endogenous testosterone and use of TTh with CVD events (only fatal and nonfatal). These studies were divided into three groups, “beneficial (friendly use)”, “detrimental (foe)” and “no effects at all (bystander)”, based on their magnitude of associations and statistical significance from original research studies and meta-analyses of epidemiological studies and of randomized controlled trials (RCT’s). In this review article, the studies reporting a significant association of high levels of testosterone with a reduced risk of CVD events in original prospective studies and meta-analyses of cross-sectional and prospective studies seems to be more consistent. However, the number of meta-analyses of RCT’s does not provide a clear picture after we divided it into the beneficial, detrimental or no effects all groups using their magnitudes of association and statistical significance. From this review, we suggest that we need a study or number of studies that have the adequate power, epidemiological, and clinical data to provide a definitive conclusion on whether the effect of TTh on the natural history of CVD is real or not. PMID:28078222

Testosterone replacement therapy and the heart: friend, foe or bystander?

PubMed

Lopez, David S; Canfield, Steven; Wang, Run

2016-12-01

The role of testosterone therapy (TTh) in cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes is still controversial, and it seems will remain inconclusive for the moment. An extensive body of literature has investigated the association of endogenous testosterone and use of TTh with CVD events including several meta-analyses. In some instances, a number of studies reported beneficial effects of TTh on CVD events and in other instances the body of literature reported detrimental effects or no effects at all. Yet, no review article has scrutinized this body of literature using the magnitude of associations and statistical significance reported from this relationship. We critically reviewed the previous and emerging body of literature that investigated the association of endogenous testosterone and use of TTh with CVD events (only fatal and nonfatal). These studies were divided into three groups, "beneficial (friendly use)", "detrimental (foe)" and "no effects at all (bystander)", based on their magnitude of associations and statistical significance from original research studies and meta-analyses of epidemiological studies and of randomized controlled trials (RCT's). In this review article, the studies reporting a significant association of high levels of testosterone with a reduced risk of CVD events in original prospective studies and meta-analyses of cross-sectional and prospective studies seems to be more consistent. However, the number of meta-analyses of RCT's does not provide a clear picture after we divided it into the beneficial, detrimental or no effects all groups using their magnitudes of association and statistical significance. From this review, we suggest that we need a study or number of studies that have the adequate power, epidemiological, and clinical data to provide a definitive conclusion on whether the effect of TTh on the natural history of CVD is real or not.

Prenatal Therapy of Large Placental Chorioangiomas: Case Report and Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Hosseinzadeh, Pardis; Shamshirsaz, Alireza A.; Javadian, Pouya; Espinoza, Jimmy; Gandhi, Manisha; Ruano, Rodrigo; Cass, Darrell L.; Olutoye, Oluyinka A.; Belfort, Michael A.

2015-01-01

Objective To review techniques and outcomes of different prenatal treatments for large placental chorioangiomas. Study Design Presentation of a case of laparoscopic-assisted laser coagulation and a systematic review of the literature for articles related to intervention for placental chorioangioma. Results A total of 37 cases of definitive (n = 23) and supportive therapy (n = 14) were evaluated, including one case treated in our center. Approximately 35% of the patients had a spontaneous preterm delivery in definitive treatment group versus 36% in the supportive group. The infant survival rates were 65 and 71% in the two groups, respectively. We further compared the two types of laser ablation (fetoscopic [n = 10] and interstitial [n = 4]). Approximately 30% of the patients in the fetoscopic and 25% in interstitial group, had a spontaneous preterm delivery. Survival rates were 60 and 100% in fetoscopic and interstitial groups, respectively. Conclusion Laser ablation and embolization of chorioangiomas via minimally invasive approach may prevent or reverse fetal hydrops due to high cardiac states. However, further studies are needed to refine the appropriate selection criteria that will justify the risk of this invasive in utero therapy for chorioangiomas. PMID:26495184

How Can Intergroup Interaction Be Bad If Intergroup Contact Is Good? Exploring and Reconciling an Apparent Paradox in the Science of Intergroup Relations

PubMed Central

Page-Gould, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

The outcomes of social interactions among members of different groups (e.g., racial groups, political groups, sexual orientation groups) have long been of interest to psychologists. Two related literatures on the topic have emerged—the intergroup interaction literature and the intergroup contact literature—in which divergent conclusions have been reported. Intergroup interaction is typically found to have negative effects tied to intergroup bias, producing heightened stress, intergroup anxiety, or outgroup avoidance, whereas intergroup contact is typically found to have positive effects tied to intergroup bias, predicting lower intergroup anxiety and lower prejudice. We examine these paradoxical findings, proposing that researchers contributing to the two literatures are examining different levels of the same phenomenon and that methodological differences can account for the divide between the literatures. Further, we introduce a mathematical model by which the findings of the two literatures can be reconciled. We believe that adopting this model will streamline thinking in the field and will generate integrative new research in which investigators examine how a person’s experiences with diversity unfold. PMID:25987510

Technology-based counseling in the management of weight and lifestyles of obese or overweight children and adolescents: A descriptive systematic literature review.

PubMed

Kaakinen, Pirjo; Kyngäs, Helvi; Kääriäinen, Maria

2018-03-01

The number of overweight and obese children and adolescents has increased worldwide. Obese children and adolescents need counseling interventions, including technology-based methods, to help them manage their weight by changing their lifestyles. To describe technology-based counseling interventions in supporting obese or overweight children and adolescents to change their weight/lifestyle. Descriptive systematic literature review. A literature search was conducted using Cinahl, Medline, PsycINFO, and Medic databases in September 2010 and updated in January 2015. Predefined inclusion criteria were used for the search. After a quality assessment, 28 studies were included in the data extraction. No statistically significant difference in BMI was detected between the intervention and control groups. However, in some studies, it was found that BMI decreases and there were statistically significant differences in fruit and vegetable consumption. In two studies, differences in physical activity were detected between the intervention and control groups, but in eight studies, the difference was not significant. Goal setting and feedback on progress support physical activity and changes in diet. This study identifies available technology interventions for obese or overweight children and adolescents. It seems that using technology-based counseling intervention may encourage obese and overweight children and adolescents to pursue a healthier lifestyle.

IL-1 polymorphism and periimplantitis. A literature review.

PubMed

Bormann, Kai-Hendrik; Stühmer, Constantin; Z'Graggen, Marcel; Kokemöller, Horst; Rücker, Martin; Gellrich, Nils-Claudius

2010-01-01

The most important factor leading to periimplantitis with bone loss appears to be an inflammatory process due to plaque accumulation. The object of this article was to present a review of the literature on a possible correlation between IL-1 polymorphism and periimplantitis. Research was carried out in the PUBMED and WEB OF KNOWLEDGE literature databases and 27 relevant articles were found. Of these articles, 4 groups of authors came to the conclusion that no correlation exists between IL-1 polymorphism and periimplantitis. In 5 articles by 4 groups of authors, the influence of IL-1 polymorphism on periimplantitis is unclear. 9 studies prove a correlation between IL-1 polymorphism and periimplantitis, and 6 studies also document a direct linkage between gene polymorphism and periimplantitis, if certain cofactors are present. IL-1 polymorphism is frequently connected with "noninfectious periimplant bone loss". Other studies prove that the inflammatory mediators and IL-1beta were significantly elevated in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of infected implants. Many studies document that IL-1 polymorphism alone cannot be considered a risk factor for bone loss, but in combination with smoking, it is closely associated with periimplant bone loss. More studies are needed to discover possible correlations between IL-1 polymorphism and periimplantitis.

Internet publicity of data problems in the bioscience literature correlates with enhanced corrective action

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Several online forums exist to facilitate open and/or anonymous discussion of the peer-reviewed scientific literature. Data integrity is a common discussion topic, and it is widely assumed that publicity surrounding such matters will accelerate correction of the scientific record. This study aimed to test this assumption by examining a collection of 497 papers for which data integrity had been questioned either in public or in private. As such, the papers were divided into two sub-sets: a public set of 274 papers discussed online, and the remainder a private set of 223 papers not publicized. The sources of alleged data problems, as well as criteria for defining problem data, and communication of problems to journals and appropriate institutions, were similar between the sets. The number of laboratory groups represented in each set was also similar (75 in public, 62 in private), as was the number of problem papers per laboratory group (3.65 in public, 3.54 in private). Over a study period of 18 months, public papers were retracted 6.5-fold more, and corrected 7.7-fold more, than those in the private set. Parsing the results by laboratory group, 28 laboratory groups in the public set had papers which received corrective action, versus 6 laboratory groups in the private set. For those laboratory groups in the public set with corrected/retracted papers, the fraction of their papers acted on was 62% of those initially flagged, whereas in the private set this fraction was 27%. Such clustering of actions suggests a pattern in which correction/retraction of one paper from a group correlates with more corrections/retractions from the same group, with this pattern being stronger in the public set. It is therefore concluded that online discussion enhances levels of corrective action in the scientific literature. Nevertheless, anecdotal discussion reveals substantial room for improvement in handling of such matters. PMID:24765564

Economies of scale and scope in publicly funded biomedical and health research: evidence from the literature.

PubMed

Hernandez-Villafuerte, Karla; Sussex, Jon; Robin, Enora; Guthrie, Sue; Wooding, Steve

2017-02-02

Publicly funded biomedical and health research is expected to achieve the best return possible for taxpayers and for society generally. It is therefore important to know whether such research is more productive if concentrated into a small number of 'research groups' or dispersed across many. We undertook a systematic rapid evidence assessment focused on the research question: do economies of scale and scope exist in biomedical and health research? In other words, is that research more productive per unit of cost if more of it, or a wider variety of it, is done in one location? We reviewed English language literature without date restriction to the end of 2014. To help us to classify and understand that literature, we first undertook a review of econometric literature discussing models for analysing economies of scale and/or scope in research generally (not limited to biomedical and health research). We found a large and disparate literature. We reviewed 60 empirical studies of (dis-)economies of scale and/or scope in biomedical and health research, or in categories of research including or overlapping with biomedical and health research. This literature is varied in methods and findings. At the level of universities or research institutes, studies more often point to positive economies of scale than to diseconomies of scale or constant returns to scale in biomedical and health research. However, all three findings exist in the literature, along with inverse U-shaped relationships. At the level of individual research units, laboratories or projects, the numbers of studies are smaller and evidence is mixed. Concerning economies of scope, the literature more often suggests positive economies of scope than diseconomies, but the picture is again mixed. The effect of varying the scope of activities by a research group was less often reported than the effect of scale and the results were more mixed. The absence of predominant findings for or against the existence of economies of scale or scope implies a continuing need for case by case decisions when distributing research funding, rather than a general policy either to concentrate funding in a few centres or to disperse it across many.

Bias in dissemination of clinical research findings: structured OPEN framework of what, who and why, based on literature review and expert consensus.

PubMed

Bassler, Dirk; Mueller, Katharina F; Briel, Matthias; Kleijnen, Jos; Marusic, Ana; Wager, Elizabeth; Antes, Gerd; von Elm, Erik; Altman, Douglas G; Meerpohl, Joerg J

2016-01-21

The aim of this study is to review highly cited articles that focus on non-publication of studies, and to develop a consistent and comprehensive approach to defining (non-) dissemination of research findings. We performed a scoping review of definitions of the term 'publication bias' in highly cited publications. Ideas and experiences of a core group of authors were collected in a draft document, which was complemented by the findings from our literature search. The draft document including findings from the literature search was circulated to an international group of experts and revised until no additional ideas emerged and consensus was reached. We propose a new approach to the comprehensive conceptualisation of (non-) dissemination of research. Our 'What, Who and Why?' approach includes issues that need to be considered when disseminating research findings (What?), the different players who should assume responsibility during the various stages of conducting a clinical trial and disseminating clinical trial documents (Who?), and motivations that might lead the various players to disseminate findings selectively, thereby introducing bias in the dissemination process (Why?). Our comprehensive framework of (non-) dissemination of research findings, based on the results of a scoping literature search and expert consensus will facilitate the development of future policies and guidelines regarding the multifaceted issue of selective publication, historically referred to as 'publication bias'. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Auditory Temporal Resolution in Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2.

PubMed

Mishra, Rajkishor; Sanju, Himanshu Kumar; Kumar, Prawin

2016-10-01

Introduction  "Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by elevated blood sugar and abnormalities in insulin secretion and action" (American Diabetes Association). Previous literature has reported connection between diabetes mellitus and hearing impairment. There is a dearth of literature on auditory temporal resolution ability in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 2. Objective  The main objective of the present study was to assess auditory temporal resolution ability through GDT (Gap Detection Threshold) in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 2 with high frequency hearing loss. Methods  Fifteen subjects with diabetes mellitus type 2 with high frequency hearing loss in the age range of 30 to 40 years participated in the study as the experimental group. Fifteen age-matched non-diabetic individuals with normal hearing served as the control group. We administered the Gap Detection Threshold (GDT) test to all participants to assess their temporal resolution ability. Result  We used the independent t -test to compare between groups. Results showed that the diabetic group (experimental) performed significantly poorer compared with the non-diabetic group (control). Conclusion  It is possible to conclude that widening of auditory filters and changes in the central auditory nervous system contributed to poorer performance for temporal resolution task (Gap Detection Threshold) in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 2. Findings of the present study revealed the deteriorating effect of diabetes mellitus type 2 at the central auditory processing level.

Assessing the impact of bibliographical support on the quality of medical care in patients admitted to an internal medicine service: a prospective clinical, open, randomised two-arm parallel study.

PubMed

Pastori, Matteo Mario; Sarti, Manuela; Pons, Marco; Barazzoni, Fabrizio

2014-10-01

To assess and quantify the impact of the literature in diagnostic decisions and treatment of patients admitted to an internal medicine service using the methodology of evidence-based medicine. From November 2012 to February 2013, patients who were hospitalised in the internal medicine service of Regional Hospital of Lugano (Switzerland) and generated questions on medical care were randomly assigned to two groups: an 'intervention group' (supported by the literature research) and a 'control group' (not supported by the literature research). The information obtained from the literature was submitted by email to all members of the medical team within 12 h after asking the question. Two hundred and one participants, from 866 patients hospitalised in the analysed period, divided into intervention (n=101) and control (n=100) groups, generated questions. In the intervention group, bibliographical research was possible for 98 participants. The medical team accepted the results and implemented the research for 90.8% of these participants (89/98). Statistical analyses were carried out on the intention-to-treat and on the per-protocol populations. Bibliographical research had a significant protective effect on transfer to an intensive care unit (relative risk (RR)=0.30; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.90; χ²=5.3, p=0.02) and hospital readmissions were also influenced by bibliographical research (RR=0.42; 95% CI 0.17 to 1.0; χ²=3.36, p=0.05) in the intention-to-treat population. Our results point out the importance of bibliographical support on the quality of medical care. In particular, they show its possible impact on clinical outcome. EOC Registry (registration number: 14-055).

Successful Aging and Its Discontents: A Systematic Review of the Social Gerontology Literature

PubMed Central

Martinson, Marty; Berridge, Clara

2015-01-01

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study was to analyze the range of critiques of successful aging models and the suggestions for improvement as expressed in the social gerontology literature. Design and Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review using the following criteria: journal articles retrieved in the Abstracts in Social Gerontology, published 1987–2013, successful aging/ageing in the title or text (n = 453), a critique of successful aging models as a key component of the article. Sixty-seven articles met the criteria. Qualitative methods were used to identify key themes and inductively configure meanings across the range of critiques. Results: The critiques and remedies fell into 4 categories. The Add and Stir group suggested a multidimensional expansion of successful aging criteria and offered an array of additions. The Missing Voices group advocated for adding older adults’ subjective meanings of successful aging to established objective measures. The Hard Hitting Critiques group called for more just and inclusive frameworks that embrace diversity, avoid stigma and discrimination, and intervene at structural contexts of aging. The New Frames and Names group presented alternative ideal models often grounded in Eastern philosophies. Implications: The vast array of criteria that gerontologists collectively offered to expand Rowe and Kahn’s original successful model is symptomatic of the problem that a normative model is by definition exclusionary. Greater reflexivity about gerontology’s use of “successful aging” and other normative models is needed. PMID:24814830

Efficacy study of multimedia rheumatoid arthritis patient education program.

PubMed

Unk, Julie A; Brasington, Richard

2014-07-01

The research goal of improving patient adherence was assessed in this randomized controlled trial of the outcomes of a 15-min multimedia educational program when compared to educational literature for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. One hundred eight RA patients from a Midwestern rheumatology outpatient clinic completed the self-reported Medication Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ), the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) at baseline and 1 month after education. A paired samples t-test was use for data analyses to determine if there was a significant difference in the change between the groups at preintervention and 1-month postintervention. There were no significant differences in the scores between the two groups from pretest to posttest. Results from this study showed that medication adherence, illness perception, and disability were not improved by use of multimedia or the literature within 1 month. Findings from this research study showed that a short multimedia educational program is as effective as printed materials to educate patients with RA about their disease and treatment. However, neither multimedia nor literature affects medication adherence, illness perception, or disability as self-reported by patients with RA. ©2013 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

What We Know About ADHD and Driving Risk: A Literature Review, Meta-Analysis and Critique

PubMed Central

Jerome, Laurence; Segal, Alvin; Habinski, Liat

2006-01-01

Introduction This article examines the literature on ADHD and unintentional driving injury. This literature has emerged over the last decade as part of the burgeoning epidemic of road traffic death and injury which is the number one cause of death in young adults in North America. Methods The available literature on observational outcome studies and experimental pharmacological interventions is critically reviewed. A meta-analysis of behavioral outcomes and a review of effect size of pharmacological studies are presented. Results Current data support the utility of stimulant medication in improving driving performance in younger ADHD drivers. A conceptual model of risk factors in young ADHD drivers is offered. Conclusion The current state of screening instruments for identifying high risk subjects within this clinical group is summarized along with a final section on emerging trends and future prospects for intervention. PMID:18392181

Group Work Education in Social Work: A Review of the Literature Reveals Possible Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaRocque, Sarah E.

2017-01-01

This article examines the growing concerns in the literature that traditional group work education in social work is not providing the foundational knowledge, skills, evidence-based practice, professional uses of self, and adherence to practice standards necessary for effective group practice. An exploration of the best available evidence on group…

The economic burden of diabetes in India: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Yesudian, Charles A K; Grepstad, Mari; Visintin, Erica; Ferrario, Alessandra

2014-12-02

Diabetes and its complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in India, and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is on the rise. This calls for an assessment of the economic burden of the disease. To conduct a critical review of the literature on cost of illness studies of diabetes and its complications in India. A comprehensive literature review addressing the study objective was conducted. An extraction table and a scoring system to assess the quality of the studies reviewed were developed. A total of nineteen articles from different regions of India met the study inclusion criteria. The third party payer perspective was the most common study design (17 articles) while fewer articles (n =2) reported on costs from a health system or societal perspective. All the articles included direct costs and only a few (n =4) provided estimates for indirect costs based on income loss for patients and carers. Drug costs proved to be a significant cost component in several studies (n =12). While middle and high-income groups had higher expenditure in absolute terms, costs constituted a higher proportion of income for the poor. The economic burden was highest among urban groups. The overall quality of the studies is low due to a number of methodological weaknesses. The most frequent epidemiological approach employed was the prevalence-based one (n =18) while costs were mainly estimated using a bottom up approach (n =15). The body of literature on the costs of diabetes and its complications in India provides a fragmented picture that has mostly concentrated on the direct costs borne by individuals rather than the healthcare system. There is a need to develop a robust methodology to perform methodologically rigorous and transparent cost of illness studies to inform policy decisions.

Enabling medication management through health information technology (Health IT).

PubMed

McKibbon, K Ann; Lokker, Cynthia; Handler, Steve M; Dolovich, Lisa R; Holbrook, Anne M; O'Reilly, Daria; Tamblyn, Robyn; J Hemens, Brian; Basu, Runki; Troyan, Sue; Roshanov, Pavel S; Archer, Norman P; Raina, Parminder

2011-04-01

The objective of the report was to review the evidence on the impact of health information technology (IT) on all phases of the medication management process (prescribing and ordering, order communication, dispensing, administration and monitoring as well as education and reconciliation), to identify the gaps in the literature and to make recommendations for future research. We searched peer-reviewed electronic databases, grey literature, and performed hand searches. Databases searched included MEDLINE®, Embase, CINAHL (Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Compendex, Inspec (which includes IEEE Xplore), Library and Information Science Abstracts, E-Prints in Library and Information Science, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, and Business Source Complete. Grey literature searching involved Internet searching, reviewing relevant Web sites, and searching electronic databases of grey literatures. AHRQ also provided all references in their e-Prescribing, bar coding, and CPOE knowledge libraries. Paired reviewers looked at citations to identify studies on a range of health IT used to assist in the medication management process (MMIT) during multiple levels of screening (titles and abstracts, full text and final review for assignment of questions and data abstrction). Randomized controlled trials and cohort, case-control, and case series studies were independently assessed for quality. All data were abstracted by one reviewer and examined by one of two different reviewers with content and methods expertise. 40,582 articles were retrieved. After duplicates were removed, 32,785 articles were screened at the title and abstract phase. 4,578 full text articles were assessed and 789 articles were included in the final report. Of these, 361 met only content criteria and were listed without further abstraction. The final report included data from 428 articles across the seven key questions. Study quality varied according to phase of medication management. Substantially more studies, and studies with stronger comparative methods, evaluated prescribing and monitoring. Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) and computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems were studied more than any other application of MMIT. Physicians were more often the subject of evaluation than other participants. Other health care professionals, patients, and families are important but not studied as thoroughly as physicians. These nonphysicians groups often value different aspects of MMIT, have diverse needs, and use systems differently. Hospitals and ambulatory clinics were well-represented in the literature with less emphasis placed on long-term care facilities, communities, homes, and nonhospital pharmacies. Most studies evaluated changes in process and outcomes of use, usability, and knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Most showed moderate to substantial improvement with implementation of MMIT. Economics studies and those with clinical outcomes were less frequently studied. Those articles that did address economics and clinical outcomes often showed equivocal findings on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of MMIT systems. Qualitative studies provided evidence of strong perceptions, both positive and negative, of the effects of MMIT and unintended consequences. We found little data on the effects of forms of medications, conformity, standards, and open source status. Much descriptive literature discusses implementation issues but little strong evidence exists. Interest is strong in MMIT and more groups and institutions will implement systems in the next decades, especially with the Federal Government's push toward more health IT to support better and more cost-effective health care. MMIT is well-studied, although on closer examination of the literature the evidence is not uniform across phases of medication management, groups of people involved, or types of MMIT. MMIT holds the promise of improved processes; clinical and economics studies and the understanding of sustainability issues are lacking.

Rates, risk factors & methods of self harm among minority ethnic groups in the UK: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Bhui, Kamaldeep; McKenzie, Kwame; Rasul, Farhat

2007-01-01

Background Studies suggest that the rates of self harm vary by ethnic group, but the evidence for variation in risk factors has not been synthesised to inform preventive initiatives. Methods We undertook a systematic literature review of research about self harm that compared at least two ethnic groups in the United Kingdom. Results 25 publications from 1765 titles and abstracts met our inclusion criteria. There was higher rate of self harm among South Asian women, compared with South Asian men and White women. In a pooled estimate from two studies, compared to their white counterparts, Asian women were more likely to self harm (Relative Risk 1.4, 95%CI: 1.1 to 1.8, p = 0.005), and Asian men were less likely to self harm (RR 0.5, 95% CI: 0.4 to 0.7, p < 0.001). Some studies concluded that South Asian adults self-harm impulsively in response to life events rather than in association with a psychiatric illness. Studies of adolescents showed similar methods of self harm and interpersonal disputes with parents and friends across ethnic groups. There were few studies of people of Caribbean, African and other minority ethnic groups, few studies took a population based and prospective design and few investigated self harm among prisoners, asylum seekers and refugees. Conclusion This review finds some ethnic differences in the nature and presentation of self harm. This argues for ethnic specific preventive actions. However, the literature does not comprehensively cover the UK's diverse ethnic groups. PMID:18021438

Developing and Using Vignettes to Explore the Relationship Between Risk Management Practice and Recovery-Oriented Care in Mental Health Services.

PubMed

Holley, Jessica; Gillard, Steven

2018-02-01

There is a lack of literature evaluating the development and use of vignettes to explore contested constructs in qualitative health care research where a conventional interview schedule might impose assumptions on the data collected. We describe the development and validation of vignettes in a study exploring mental health worker and service user understandings of risk and recovery in U.K. mental health services. Focus groups with mental health workers and service users explored study questions from experiential perspectives. Themes identified in the groups were combined with existing empirical literature to develop a set of vignettes. Feedback focus groups were conducted to validate and amend the vignettes. Following use in research interviews, results suggested that the vignettes had successfully elicited data on issues of risk and recovery in mental health services. Further research using creative, comparative methods is needed to fully understand how vignettes can best be used in qualitative health care research.

An Annotated Bibliography of the Manned Systems Measurement Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-02-01

designs that are considered applicable to assessment of training effectiveness include the classic Solomon four - group design; iterative adaptation to...element (analogue computer) were used for this study . *».U Operators were taken from 3 groups : (1) persons with both licensed flying and driving...conclusions are that the classic four - group design is impractical for most training evaluation; that "adaptive research for big effects" is apt to be

Studying primate cognition in a social setting to improve validity and welfare: a literature review highlighting successful approaches

PubMed Central

Jacobson, Sarah L.; Bonnie, Kristin E.; Hopper, Lydia M.

2017-01-01

Background Studying animal cognition in a social setting is associated with practical and statistical challenges. However, conducting cognitive research without disturbing species-typical social groups can increase ecological validity, minimize distress, and improve animal welfare. Here, we review the existing literature on cognitive research run with primates in a social setting in order to determine how widespread such testing is and highlight approaches that may guide future research planning. Survey Methodology Using Google Scholar to search the terms “primate” “cognition” “experiment” and “social group,” we conducted a systematic literature search covering 16 years (2000–2015 inclusive). We then conducted two supplemental searches within each journal that contained a publication meeting our criteria in the original search, using the terms “primate” and “playback” in one search and the terms “primate” “cognition” and “social group” in the second. The results were used to assess how frequently nonhuman primate cognition has been studied in a social setting (>3 individuals), to gain perspective on the species and topics that have been studied, and to extract successful approaches for social testing. Results Our search revealed 248 unique publications in 43 journals encompassing 71 species. The absolute number of publications has increased over years, suggesting viable strategies for studying cognition in social settings. While a wide range of species were studied they were not equally represented, with 19% of the publications reporting data for chimpanzees. Field sites were the most common environment for experiments run in social groups of primates, accounting for more than half of the results. Approaches to mitigating the practical and statistical challenges were identified. Discussion This analysis has revealed that the study of primate cognition in a social setting is increasing and taking place across a range of environments. This literature review calls attention to examples that may provide valuable models for researchers wishing to overcome potential practical and statistical challenges to studying cognition in a social setting, ultimately increasing validity and improving the welfare of the primates we study. PMID:28791199

Outcome-Based Evaluation of a Social Skills Program Using Art Therapy and Group Therapy for Children on the Autism Spectrum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epp, Kathleen Marie

2008-01-01

There is a paucity of literature on social skills therapy for students on the autism spectrum, revealing an urgent need for additional research. Past research has focused on the use of small groups or single-case study designs. The present study examines the effectiveness of a social skills therapy program for school-age children ages 11 through…

Is working memory training in older adults sensitive to music?

PubMed

Borella, Erika; Carretti, Barbara; Meneghetti, Chiara; Carbone, Elena; Vincenzi, Margherita; Madonna, Jessica Cira; Grassi, Massimo; Fairfield, Beth; Mammarella, Nicola

2017-12-19

Evidence in the literature suggests that listening to music can improve cognitive performance. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the short- and long-term gains of a working memory (WM) training in older adults could be enhanced by music listening-the Mozart's Sonata K448 and the Albinoni's Adagio in G minor-which differ in tempo and mode. Seventy-two healthy older adults (age range: 65-75 years) participated in the study. They were divided into four groups. At each training session, before starting the WM training activities, one group listened to Mozart (Mozart group, N = 19), one to Albinoni (Albinoni group, N = 19), one to white noise (White noise group, N = 16), while one served as an active control group involved in other activities and was not exposed to any music (active control group, N = 18). Specific training gains on a task like the one used in the training, and transfer effects on visuo-spatial abilities, executive function and reasoning measures were assessed. Irrespective of listening condition (Mozart, Albinoni, White noise), trained groups generally outperformed the control group. The White noise group never differed from the two music groups. However, the Albinoni group showed larger specific training gains in the criterion task at short-term and transfer effects in the reasoning task at both short-and long term compared to the Mozart group. Overall the present findings suggest caution when interpreting the effects of music before a WM training, and are discussed according to aging and music effect literature.

Group Formation in Economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demange, Gabrielle; Wooders, Myrna

2005-01-01

Broad and diverse ranges of activities are conducted within and by organized groups of individuals, including political, economic and social activities. These activities have recently become a subject of intense interest in economics and game theory. Some of the topics investigated in this collection are models of networks of power and privilege, trade networks, co-authorship networks, buyer-seller networks with differentiated products, and networks of medical innovation and the adaptation of new information. Other topics are social norms on punctuality, clubs and the provision of club goods and public goods, research and development and collusive alliances among corporations, and international alliances and trading agreements. While relatively recent, the literature on game theoretic studies of group formation in economics is already vast. This volume provides an introduction to this important literature on game-theoretic treatments of situations with networks, clubs, and coalitions, including some applications.

Where Are the Children in Children's Literature? Teaching Children's Literature to Undergraduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grugeon, Elizabeth

An undergraduate course in children's literature was developed at De Montfort University in Bedford, England, United Kingdom (UK). In a children's literature course for first year students from a variety of backgrounds, age groups, and future intents, it is important to consider the discourse of children's literature, to trace intertextual…

Culture and personality disorder: from a fragmented literature to a contextually grounded alternative.

PubMed

Ryder, Andrew G; Sunohara, Momoka; Kirmayer, Laurence J

2015-01-01

The aim of this review is twofold: to review recent literature on personality disorders, published in 2013 and the first half of 2014; and to use recent theoretical work to argue for a contextually grounded approach to culture and personality disorder. Recent large-sample studies suggest that U.S. ethnoracial groups differ in personality disorder diagnostic rates, but also that minority groups are less likely to receive treatment for personality disorder. Most of these studies do not test explanations for these differences. However, two studies demonstrate that socioeconomic status partly explains group differences between African-Americans and European Americans. Several new studies test the psychometric properties of instruments relevant to personality disorder research in various non-Western samples. Ongoing theoretical work advocates much more attention to cultural context. Recent investigations of hikikomori, a Japanese social isolation syndrome with similarities to some aspects of personality disorder, are used to demonstrate approaches to contextually grounded personality disorder research. Studies of personality disorder must understand patients in sociocultural context considering the dynamic interactions between personality traits, developmental histories of adversity and current social context. Research examining these interactions can guide contextually grounded clinical work with patients with personality disorder.

Trapped in a Month of Mondays (Middle School).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Claudia Anne; Kuby, Sue Ann; Hobgood, Jayne M.

1997-01-01

Presents (in the form of a conversation with "The Vampire") data on middle school students' attitudes toward literature circles, how they choose their groups for literature circles, patterns in the groups chosen, and how students selected the books they did. (SR)

Does intravenous contrast-enhanced computed tomography cause acute kidney injury? Protocol of a systematic review of the evidence

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Contrast-induced acute kidney injury is a common cause of iatrogenic acute kidney injury (AKI). Most of the published estimates of AKI after contrast use originate from the cardiac catheterization literature despite contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans being the more common setting for contrast use. This systematic review aims to summarize the current evidence about (1)the risk of AKI following intravenous (IV) contrast-enhanced CT scans and(2) the risk of clinical outcomes (i.e. death, hospitalization and need for renal replacement therapy) due to IV contrast-enhanced CT scans. Methods/Design A systematic literature search for published studies will be performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and The COCHRANE Library databases. Unpublished studies will be identified by searching through grey literature. No language restriction will be applied. The review will consider all studies that have examined the association between IV contrast media and AKI. To be selected, the study should include two arms: one group of exposed patients who received IV contrast material before CT scans and one group of unexposed group who did not receive contrast material before CT scans. Two authors will independently screen titles and abstracts obtained from electronic databases, extract data and will assess the quality of the studies selected using the Cochrane's ‘Risk of Bias’ assessment tool for randomized trials and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for observational studies. A random-effects meta-analysis will be performed if there is no remarkable heterogeneity between studies. Discussion This systematic review will provide synthesis of current evidence around the effect of IV contrast material on AKI and other clinical outcomes. Results will be helpful for making evidence-based recommendations and guidelines for clinical and radiologic settings. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42013003799. PMID:25148933

Social media for breast cancer survivors: a literature review.

PubMed

Falisi, Angela L; Wiseman, Kara P; Gaysynsky, Anna; Scheideler, Jennifer K; Ramin, Daniel A; Chou, Wen-Ying Sylvia

2017-12-01

Social media may offer support to individuals who are navigating the complex and challenging experience of cancer. A growing body of literature has been published over the last decade exploring the ways cancer survivors utilize social media. This study aims to provide a systematic synthesis of the current literature in order to inform cancer health communication practice and cancer survivorship research. Using PRISMA guidelines, four electronic databases were searched to retrieve publications on breast cancer and social media published between 2005 and 2015. The final sample included 98 publications (13 commentaries and reviews, 47 descriptive studies, and 38 intervention studies). Intervention studies were assessed for key features and outcome measures. Studies utilizing content analysis were further evaluated qualitatively. Online support groups were the most commonly studied platform, followed by interactive message boards and web forums. Limited research focuses on non-Caucasian populations. Psychosocial well-being was the most commonly measured outcome of interest. While social media engagement was assessed, few standardized measures were identified. Content analyses of social media interactions were prevalent, though few articles linked content to health outcomes. The current literature highlights the impact and potential utility of social media for breast cancer survivors. Future studies should consider connecting social media engagement and content to psychosocial, behavioral, and physical health outcomes. Online groups and communities may improve the well-being of breast cancer survivors by providing opportunities to engage with wider social networks, connect with others navigating similar cancer experiences, and obtain cancer-related information. Researchers should consider the potential role of social media in addressing the unmet needs of breast cancer survivors, and particularly the implications for clinical and public health practice.

Vitamin D in Foot and Ankle Fracture Healing: A Literature Review and Research Design.

PubMed

Bernhard, Andrew; Matuk, Jorge

2015-10-01

Vitamin D is a generic name for a group of essential vitamins, or secosteroids, important in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. Specifically, efficacy of vitamin D with regard to bone healing is in question. A literature review was performed, finding mostly large studies involving vitamin D effects on prevention of fractures and randomized animal model studies consisting of controlled fractures with vitamin D interventions. The prevention articles generally focus on at-risk populations, including menopausal women and osteoporotic patients, and also most often include calcium in the treatment group. Few studies look at vitamin D specifically. The animal model studies often focus more on vitamin D supplementation; however the results are still largely inconclusive. While recent case reports appear promising, the ambiguity of results on the topic of fracture healing suggests a need for more, higher level research. A novel study design is proposed to help determine the efficacy on vitamin D in fracture healing. Therapeutic, Level IV: Systematic Review. © 2015 The Author(s).

Teaching Chained Tasks to Students with Intellectual Disabilities by Using Video Prompting in Small Group Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aykut, Çigil; Dagseven Emecen, Deniz; Dayi, Eylem; Karasu, Necdet

2014-01-01

Teaching students with intellectual disabilities in groups presents several difficulties. Use of technology can reduce some of these difficulties. The literature cites several examples of skill acquisition. The purpose of this study is to teach skills to students with intellectual disabilities by using video prompting. A multiple-probe design of…

Group Counselling on College Students' Internet Dependency and Life Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odaci, Hatice; Çelik, Çigdem Berber

2017-01-01

The limited number of programs of tested efficacy in the literature such as cognitive-behavioural therapy and family-based prevention of internet addiction is striking. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of reality therapy-based group counselling on college students' problematic internet use and life satisfaction. In order to…

The Role of Teacher Instructional Discourse in Scaffolding Adolescent Students' Argumentation Strategy Use in Small Group Text-Based Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Alyssa T. G.

2017-01-01

The goal of this study is to investigate the role of English Language Arts (ELA) teachers' verbal discourse moves in scaffolding adolescent students' argumentative thinking in small group interpretive discussions about literature. Demands related to argumentation may present particular challenges for adolescent students (Biancarosa & Snow,…

Effect of Cooperative Learning on Achievement of Students in General Science at Secondary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parveen, Qaisara; Batool, Sadia

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to explore the effects of cooperative learning on General Science achievement among 9th class students. Based upon previous research literature it was hypothesized that significant difference existed between the mean posttest scores of General Science achievement of experimental group and control group. The pretest…

An Analysis of Student Characteristics and Behaviour in Relation to Absence from Lectures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawon, Krystyna; Pembroke, Michael; Wille, Patrick

2012-01-01

Concern has been expressed in the literature that student absenteeism from lectures is undesirable as it may have adverse consequences for academic performance. The aim of this study was to examine whether there are identifiable groups of low-attendance students who display characteristic behaviours that are more typical than any other group.…

Integration of Women in Non-Traditional Work Roles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, George R.; And Others

This study on integrating women in the navy analyzed approximately 400 surveys collected by the U.S. Navy Steering Group relevant to Women in Non-Traditional Work Roles, results of a focus group, and a review of the literature. Surveys were sent to various U.S. Navy facilities where female employee responses were solicited and documented. The…

The Minority Languages Dilemmas in Turkey: A Critical Approach to an Emerging Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozfidan, Burhan; Burlbaw, Lynn M.; Aydin, Hasan

2018-01-01

Turkey comprises many ethnic groups other than Turks including, but not limited to, Armenians, Assyrians, Alevi, Arabs, Circassians, Greeks, Kurds, Laz, and Zaza. These groups are ethnically different from Turks and were incorporated into the Ottoman Empire's eastern provinces with de facto autonomy. The main objective of this study is to…

Group Counseling: Techniques for Teaching Social Skills to Students with Special Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Derk; Jain, Sachin; Kim, Kioh

2010-01-01

This paper examines literature that supports the use of group counseling techniques in the school setting to teach social skills to children and adolescents with special needs. From the review of this literature it was found that group counseling is a very effective way of addressing a variety of social skills problems that can be displayed by…

Changes in the quantity and level of evidence of palliative and hospice care literature: the last century.

PubMed

Tieman, Jennifer; Sladek, Ruth; Currow, David

2008-12-10

To objectively quantify the literature and the clinical trial basis for palliative and hospice practice given a perception that its evidence base is not well developed. Using Ovid Medline, the study looked at cumulative and absolute numbers of articles in the general medical literature and the palliative and hospice care literature. The same comparisons were made exploring clinical trials from 1902 to 2005. Data were collated in five year groups from 1970 onward using a highly specific search phrase. The proportion of all Ovid Medline publications relating to palliative and hospice care rose from 0.08% in 1970 to 0.38% of the literature in 2005. In the same time, clinical trials increased from 0.96% to 7.22% of the palliative care literature published. By 2005, one in every 122 clinical trials published in the literature as a whole was in palliative or hospice care. The rate of growth in palliative care clinical trials as a proportion of all palliative and hospice publications was on average 1.4 times greater than in the corresponding general literature. More than one half of these studies were reported in just 43 journals, most of which were not specialist palliative and hospice care journals. Given the diversity of journals in which clinical studies related to hospice and palliative care appear, there is a key challenge for clinicians in finding ways that will allow currency of practice in a broad and rapidly changing field.

Lactation - Background & Validation Studies - NCS Dietary Assessment Literature Review

Cancer.gov

The benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and infants are well established and rates of breastfeeding have been increasing across all socioeconomic and ethnic groups in the US during the last decade.

Female Sexual Function Before and After Bariatric Surgery: a Cross-Sectional Study and Review of Literature.

PubMed

Janik, Michał Robert; Bielecka, Ilona; Paśnik, Krzysztof; Kwiatkowski, Andrzej; Podgórska, Ludmiła

2015-08-01

The aims of the present study were to compare sexual quality of life and prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) after surgical weight loss with controls seeking bariatric surgery, and to perform a literature review. Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQoL-F) questionnaires were sent within 12-18 months postoperatively via e-mail to 153 women who had undergone weight loss surgery (postoperative group). The control group comprised of 23 women who were asked to complete the questionnaires during their preoperative evaluation (preoperative group). The total FSFI cutoff score for a diagnosis of FSD was ≤ 26.55. The median (Q1, Q3) FSFI score did not differ significantly between the preoperative (26.9 [24.3, 30.7]) and postoperative groups (26.9 [22.6, 30.0]). There was no difference in the prevalence of FSD between groups. However, median scores in FSFI domains of desire and arousal were significantly higher in the postoperative group. There were no differences in the other FSFI domains. The median SQoL-F was significantly higher in the postoperative group. The FSFI score did not predict the SQoL-F score. The prevalence of FSD was comparable in the two groups. The higher SQoL-F score in the postoperative group may be the result of an improvement in self-esteem, which in turn leads to greater interest in sex and more intense feelings of desire and arousal.

Use of digital media technology for primary prevention of STIs/HIV in youth.

PubMed

Chávez, Noé Rubén; Shearer, Lee S; Rosenthal, Susan L

2014-10-01

The relevant literature was reviewed to identify issues in research evaluating digital media technology (DMT) interventions for the primary prevention of STIs/HIV in adolescents and young adults. A literature search with relevant key terms was conducted in PubMed, for articles with studies that included: (a) participants between 11-29 years; (b) use of one or more of the following forms of DMT: interactive digital video or CD-ROM, computer, text messaging, or Internet; (c) evaluation of an STI/HIV primary prevention intervention; and (d) use of a cognitive, psychosocial, behavioral, or biological outcome. Twenty-nine studies were identified and included in the review. Based on the review of these studies, 7 main issues were discussed and recommendations for improving future research were offered. The 7 main issues were: (a) need for a balance between universal application and specific sub-group focus, (b) lack of a developmental framework, (c) challenge of applying DMT in resource limited contexts, (d) rapidly changing nature of DMT, (e) lack of biological outcomes, (f) lack of comparison/control groups to assess the impact of DMT, and (g) limited temporal follow-up. There is increasing literature evaluating the effectiveness of DMT for preventing STIs/HIV among adolescents and young adults. A careful consideration of 7 main issues identified in the literature can improve the design and evaluation of these interventions and enhance our understanding of their effectiveness. Copyright © 2014 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Effects of a nutritional intervention in a fast-track program for a colorectal cancer surgery: systematic review].

PubMed

Wanden-Berghe, Carmina; Sanz-Valero, Javier; Arroyo-Sebastián, Antonio; Cheikh-Moussa, Kamila; Moya-Forcen, Pedro

2016-07-19

Introducción: Preoperative nutritional status (NS) has consequences on postoperative (POSTOP) recovery. Our aim was to systematically review the nutritional interventions (NI) in Fast-Track protocols for colorectal cancer surgery and assess morbidity-mortality and patient´s recovery. Systematic review of scientific literature after consulting bibliographic databases: Medline, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Institute for Scientific Information, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. MeSH Descriptors: "Colorectal Surgery", "Fast-Track", "Perioperative Care", "Nutrition Therapy" and "Enhanced recovery programme". Filters: "Humans", Adult (19+ years) and "Clinical Trial". Variables POSTOP outcomes: bowel recovery (BR), hospital stay (HS), complications and death. Selected studies, 27, had good or excellent methodological quality. From 25 to 597 patients were included. Aged between 16-94 years, men were predominant in 66.6%. NS was evaluated in 13 studies; 7 by Body Mass Index while one by Subjective Global Assessment. One presented POSTOP data. Fast-Track groups had solids, liquids or supplements (SS) in prior 2-8 hours. SS were high in carbohydrates, immune-nutrients and non-residue. Free liquids, solids and SS intake was allowed in POSTOP. Half traditional groups fasted between 3-12 hours and resumed POSTOP food intake progressively. Fast-Track groups had early BR (p < 0.01). Traditional groups had more infections episodes, deaths and a longer HS. Great variability between NI but had a common item; early intake. Although was seen patient's recovery. Future studies with detailed NI characteristics are need. Nutritional status must be assessed for a higher acknowledgement of NI impact.

Why farmers adopt best management practice in the United States: A meta-analysis of the adoption literature

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baumgart-Getz, Adam; Stalker Prokopy, Linda; Floress, Kristin

2012-01-01

This meta-analysis of both published and unpublished studies assesses factors believed to influence adoption of agricultural Best Management Practices in the United States. Using an established statistical technique to summarize the adoption literature in the United States, we identified the following variables as having the largest impact on adoption: access to and quality of information, financial capacity, and being connected to agency or local networks of farmers or watershed groups. This study shows that various approaches to data collection affect the results and comparability of adoption studies. In particular, environmental awareness and farmer attitudes have been inconsistently used and measured across the literature. This meta-analysis concludes with suggestions regarding the future direction of adoption studies, along with guidelines for how data should be presented to enhance the adoption of conservation practices and guide research.

Development and Application of Decision Aid for Tactical Control of Battlefield Operations: Bibliographic Sort of the Decision Aiding Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-12-01

THEORY GAML THE’RY GROUP PROb SQL= U tIC PMLTRIC3b 63 C.LARKSON G a DEC MAK IN SMALL GROUPS A SIM STUDY bLHt SCI 6t0 13 2081 bRUNER J b STUDIES IN...MAK IN SMALL GROUPS A SIN STUDY : BLH 5(1 6d 13 2861 DODSON j 0 AS SIN RES FACILITYz SIN SYS DGN FOR TE AkCRL 111 PRI9I4• FLEEING R ASKS PROC.CONFLICTING...POU315IC HF. 66 MAR 7-1 SHURL ( H NNUAtCENTER FOR COMP BASED BEH STUDIES UCLA SEMIA NTIS-AD 731059 713 CLARKSON b DEC MAK IN SMALL GROUPS A SIM STUDY

Sand: Up Close and Amazing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDuffie, Thomas E.

2003-01-01

The integration of science with social science and literature captures the spirit of inquiry and pedagogy embodied in the "National Science Education Standards". Multiple instructional approaches--group and individual work, small and large group work, at-home activities, hands-on and virtual instruction, extension into literature, writing and…

A randomized control trial to evaluate the effectiveness of intravenous, intra-articular and topical wash regimes of tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Prakash, Jatin; Seon, Jong-Keun; Park, Yong Jin; Jin, Cheng; Song, Eun-Kyoo

2017-01-01

The efficacy of tranexamic acid to decrease post-operative blood loss and blood transfusion is well established in literature. However, the ideal mode of administration is debatable. Limited literature has compared all the available modes of administration including intravenous (IV), topical irrigation and retrograde through drain. We hypothesized that no difference would be present in either form of administration of tranexamic acid. Fifty patients in four groups were enrolled for study. Group 1 received drug intravenously, group 2 had topical washing with drug before closure, group 3 received drug after closure through drain and group 4 was control that received no tranexamic acid. Post-operative blood loss, calculated blood loss, haemoglobin drop, transfusion requirements and complications were studied for all four groups. Tranexamic acid results in lower bleeding irrespective of the mode of administration compared to control group. Total loss at end of 5 days is similar in all tranexamic acid groups irrespective of method used to deliver the drug. Calculated blood loss and haemoglobin drop was minimum for IV and in patients who were administered drug retrograde through drain. Requirement for blood transfusion was found to be lower in all tranexamic acid patients compared to non-tranexamic acid group. The requirement was highest in topical wash group among all tranexamic acid groups. We conclude that intra-articular administration through drain and IV administration are equally effective and superior to topical wash method in reducing blood loss, haemoglobin fall and transfusion requirements.

Mapping the literature of emergency nursing

PubMed Central

Alpi, Kristine M.

2006-01-01

Purpose: Emergency nursing covers a broad spectrum of health care from trauma surgery support to preventive health care. The purpose of this study is to identify the core literature of emergency nursing and to determine which databases provide the most thorough indexing access to the literature cited in emergency nursing journals. This study is part of the Medical Library Association's Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section's project to map the nursing literature. Methods: Four key emergency nursing journals were selected and subjected to citation analysis based on Bradford's Law of Scattering. Results: A group of 12 journals made up 33.3% of the 7,119 citations, another 33.3% of the citations appeared in 92 journals, with the remaining 33.3% scattered across 822 journals. Three of the core 12 journals were emergency medicine titles, and 2 were emergency nursing titles from the selected source journals. Government publications constituted 7.5% of the literature cited. Conclusions: PubMed/MEDLINE provided the best overall indexing coverage for the journals, followed by CINAHL. However, CINAHL provided the most complete coverage for the source journals and the majority of the nursing and emergency medical technology publications and should be consulted by librarians and nurses seeking emergency nursing literature. PMID:16710456

Latissimus Dorsi and Teres Major Injuries in Major League Baseball Pitchers: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Mehdi, Syed K; Frangiamore, Salvatore J; Schickendantz, Mark S

2016-01-01

Injuries to the upper extremity in baseball pitchers are not uncommon, with extensive literature on shoulder and elbow pathology. However, there is minimal literature on isolated teres major (TM) and latissimus dorsi (LD) injuries. As a result, there is no consensus on an optimal treatment method. An extensive Medline search on studies focusing on the treatment of isolated LD and TM injuries in professional baseball pitchers was performed to explore this topic. Of the 20 retrieved articles, 5 met our inclusion criteria. There were a total of 29 patients who underwent conservative treatment and 1 who underwent surgical treatment. The average time required to return to pitching was 99.8 days in the conservative group and 140 days in the surgically treated group. Five patients in the conservative group suffered from complications and/or setbacks during their treatment and rehabilitation. The lone surgical patient suffered no complications, returned to preinjury form, and was elected an all-star the following year. The goal of this review is to provide a concise summary of the current literature in order to assist physicians when discussing treatment options with their patients.

Bibliometric study of grey literature in core veterinary medical journals

PubMed Central

Pelzer, Nancy L.; Wiese, William H.

2003-01-01

Objectives: Grey literature has been perceived by many as belonging to the primary sources of information and has become an accepted method of nonconventional communication in the sciences and medicine. Since little is known about the use and nature of grey literature in veterinary medicine, a systematic study was done to analyze and characterize the bibliographic citations appearing in twelve core veterinary journals. Methods: Citations from 2,159 articles published in twelve core veterinary journals in 2000 were analyzed to determine the portion of citations from grey literature. Those citations were further analyzed and categorized according to the type of publication. Results: Citation analysis yielded 55,823 citations, of which 3,564 (6.38%) were considered to be grey literature. Four veterinary specialties, internal medicine, pathology, theriogenology, and microbiology, accounted for 70% of the total number of articles. Three small-animal clinical practice journals cited about 2.5–3% grey literature, less than half that of journals with basic research orientations, where results ranged from almost 6% to approximately 10% grey literature. Nearly 90% of the grey literature appeared as conferences, government publications, and corporate organization literature. Conclusions: The results corroborate other reported research that the incidence of grey literature is lower in medicine and biology than in some other fields, such as aeronautics and agriculture. As in other fields, use of the Internet and the Web has greatly expanded the communication process among veterinary professionals. The appearance of closed community email forums and specialized discussion groups within the veterinary profession is an example of what could become a new kind of grey literature. PMID:14566374

Bibliometric study of grey literature in core veterinary medical journals.

PubMed

Pelzer, Nancy L; Wiese, William H

2003-10-01

Grey literature has been perceived by many as belonging to the primary sources of information and has become an accepted method of nonconventional communication in the sciences and medicine. Since little is known about the use and nature of grey literature in veterinary medicine, a systematic study was done to analyze and characterize the bibliographic citations appearing in twelve core veterinary journals. Citations from 2,159 articles published in twelve core veterinary journals in 2000 were analyzed to determine the portion of citations from grey literature. Those citations were further analyzed and categorized according to the type of publication. Citation analysis yielded 55,823 citations, of which 3,564 (6.38%) were considered to be grey literature. Four veterinary specialties, internal medicine, pathology, theriogenology, and microbiology, accounted for 70% of the total number of articles. Three small-animal clinical practice journals cited about 2.5-3% grey literature, less than half that of journals with basic research orientations, where results ranged from almost 6% to approximately 10% grey literature. Nearly 90% of the grey literature appeared as conferences, government publications, and corporate organization literature. The results corroborate other reported research that the incidence of grey literature is lower in medicine and biology than in some other fields, such as aeronautics and agriculture. As in other fields, use of the Internet and the Web has greatly expanded the communication process among veterinary professionals. The appearance of closed community email forums and specialized discussion groups within the veterinary profession is an example of what could become a new kind of grey literature.

Anti-hyperlipidemia of garlic by reducing the level of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Sun, Yue-E; Wang, Weidong; Qin, Jie

2018-05-01

This study aimed to understand the impact of garlic on improving blood lipids using a meta-analysis. A literature search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases was performed using keywords such as "garlic" and "hypercholesterolemia," and the deadline "July 14 (th), 2017." After extracting relevant details, each selected literature was evaluated for quality according to the quality evaluation criteria of bias risk recommended by Cochrane Collaboration recommendations and heterogeneity tests were performed. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were evaluated using R 3.12 software. The publication bias was assessed using Egger method. A total of 14 eligible papers published from 1981 to 2016 were included. The quality of the literatures was of moderate to high qualities. The values of TC (SMD = -1.26, 95% CI, -1.86 to -0.66), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (SMD = -1.07, 95% CI, -1.67 to -0.47), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (SMD = 0.50, 95% CI, 0.06-0.94) after taking garlic in the experimental group and the control group have statistical significance, while there was no significant difference of TG in the 2 groups (SMD = -0.16, 95% CI, -0.87-0.55). However, the result of HDL was reversed when removed some of the literatures. No significant publication bias among the eligible studies with values of TC (P = .0625), LDL (P = .0770), HDL (P = .2293), and TG (P = .3436). Garlic can reduce the level of TC and LDL instead of HDL and TG, indicating the ability of anti-hyperlipidemia.

Race, ethnicity and disasters in the United States: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Fothergill, A; Maestas, E G; Darlington, J D

1999-06-01

In this paper we synthesise past disaster research that addresses issues of race and ethnicity in the United States. Using an eight-stage typology to organise the findings, this literature review presents the results from a wide range of studies. The synthesis shows how various racial and ethnic groups perceive natural hazard risks and respond to warnings, how groups may be differentially affected, both physically and psychologically, and how disaster effects vary by race and ethnicity during the periods of emergency response, recovery and reconstruction. We show that studies have important findings, many illustrating that racial and ethnic communities in the US are more vulnerable to natural disasters, due to factors such as language, housing patterns, building construction, community isolation and cultural insensitivities. By presenting these studies together, we are able to witness patterns of racial and ethnic inequalities that may be more difficult to see or interpret in individual studies that take place in one specific time and place. We conclude the review with policy and research recommendations.

Using Complementary Learning Clusters in Studying Literature to Enhance Students' Medical Humanities Literacy, Critical Thinking, and English Proficiency.

PubMed

Liao, Hung-Chang; Wang, Ya-Huei

2016-04-01

This study examined whether students studying literature in complementary learning clusters would show more improvement in medical humanities literacy, critical thinking skills, and English proficiency compared to those in conventional learning clusters. Ninety-three students participated in the study (M age = 18.2 years, SD = 0.4; 36 men, 57 women). A quasi-experimental design was used over 16 weeks, with the control group (n = 47) working in conventional learning clusters and the experimental group (n = 46) working in complementary learning clusters. Complementary learning clusters were those in which individuals had complementary strengths enabling them to learn from and offer assistance to other cluster members, hypothetically facilitating the learning process. Measures included the Medical Humanities Literacy Scale, Critical Thinking Disposition Assessment, English proficiency tests, and Analytic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric. The results showed that complementary learning clusters have the potential to improve students' medical humanities literacy, critical thinking skills, and English proficiency. © The Author(s) 2016.

Rapprocher nos eleves des textes litteraires (Bringing Our Students Closer to Literature).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diaz, Carmen Guillen

1987-01-01

One approach to foreign language literature appreciation focuses on demystifying literature and encouraging and maintaining active student motivation and interest in the creative process. The literature lesson is divided and presented in four parts: directed observation; active analysis by discussion groups; re-creation of characters; and creative…

[An Integrative Review of Home Care Service for Pregnant Women, Mothers, Infants, and Toddlers in Vulnerable Group].

PubMed

Kim, Dasom; Lee, Insook

2017-10-01

This study was intended to integrate the evidence of home care service intervention for mothers and children in vulnerable groups through an integrative literature review. We searched the MEDLINE (PubMED), EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, DBpia databases. The quality of the articles was assessed by one doctoral researcher and verified by one professor of community health nursing who had participated in the systematic review of literature. A framework was developed to identify the intervention patterns in the selected papers and categorize various elements. The extracted intervention elements were grouped into potential themes, which were verified by assessors on whether they clearly reflected the interventions in the papers. Among 878 searched papers, we selected 16 papers after excluding literature that does not satisfy the selection criteria and quality evaluation. The intervention elements of 16 selected papers were categorized into six themes. The extracted intervention elements were divided into the themes of Patient-specific/Situation-specific care planning and intervention, Emphasis on self care competency, Intense home visit by developmental milestone, Reinforcing and modeling mother-child attachment, Communication and interaction across the intervention, Linkage with community resource and multidisciplinary approach. As a result of the analysis of proper interventions of home care services for mothers and children in vulnerable groups, it was found that it is necessary to consider indispensable intervention elements that can standardize the quality of home care services, and conduct studies on developing intervention programs based on the elements. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Breast-conserving therapy for early-stage breast cancer in Chinese women: a meta-analysis of case-control studies.

PubMed

Cai, Xiaopeng; Liu, Xu; Yu, Haitao; Li, Jiguang; Zheng, Xinyu

2012-01-01

Breast cancer has a high incidence worldwide, while Chinese patients have some special characteristics compared to Western patients. A meta-analysis was carried out to determine the effectiveness of breast-conserving therapy (BCT) or mastectomy therapy (MT) for early-stage breast cancers in Chinese women. A fully recursive literature search was conducted in the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Case-control trials were considered for inclusion. Analyses were carried out using the Review Manager software (RevMan, version 5.0). The meta-analysis showed that the 3-year or 5-year overall survival, the locoregional recurrence rate, and the metastasis rate were not statistically different between the BCT group and the MT group, but the complication recurrence rate increased in the MT group. Subgroup analysis indicated that no significant differences were observed in the affected limb swelling recurrence rate between the BCT group and the MT group. BCT was the better choice than MT for Chinese women with early-stage breast cancer. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Race/skin color and mental health disorders in Brazil: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Smolen, Jenny Rose; Araújo, Edna Maria de

2017-12-01

Mental health disorders contribute a significant burden to society. This systematic literature review aims to summarize the current state of the literature on race/skin color and mental health disorders in Brazil. PubMed and Lilacs were searched using descriptors for mental health disorders (depression, anxiety, Common Mental Disorders, psychiatric morbidity, etc.) and race to find studies conducted in Brazil. Studies of non-population groups, that did not analyze race/skin color, or for which the mental disorder was not the object of study were excluded. After evaluation of quality, 14 articles were selected for inclusion. There was an overall higher prevalence of mental health disorders in non-Whites. Of the six multivariate analyses that found statistically significant results, five indicated a greater prevalence or odds of mental health disorder in non-Whites compared to Whites (measure of association between 1.18-1.85). This review identified the trend in the literature regarding the association between race and mental health disorders. However, important difficulties complicate the comparability of the studies, principally in function of the differences in the mental health disorders studied, the method of categorizing race/skin color, and the screening tools used in the studies analyzed.

Substitution and Complementarity of Alcohol and Cannabis: A Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Subbaraman, Meenakshi Sabina

2016-09-18

Whether alcohol and cannabis are used as substitutes or complements remains debated, and findings across various disciplines have not been synthesized to date. This article is a first step towards organizing the interdisciplinary literature on alcohol and cannabis substitution and complementarity. Electronic searches were performed using PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge. Behavioral studies of humans with "alcohol" (or "ethanol") and "cannabis" (or "marijuana") and "complement(*)" (or "substitut(*)") in the title or as a keyword were considered. Studies were organized according to sample characteristics (youth, general population, clinical and community-based). These groups were not set a priori, but were informed by the literature review process. Of the 39 studies reviewed, 16 support substitution, ten support complementarity, 12 support neither and one supports both. Results from studies of youth suggest that youth may reduce alcohol in more liberal cannabis environments (substitute), but reduce cannabis in more stringent alcohol environments (complement). Results from the general population suggest that substitution of cannabis for alcohol may occur under more lenient cannabis policies, though cannabis-related laws may affect alcohol use differently across genders and racial groups. Alcohol and cannabis act as both substitutes and complements. Policies aimed at one substance may inadvertently affect consumption of other substances. Future studies should collect fine-grained longitudinal, prospective data from the general population and subgroups of interest, especially in locations likely to legalize cannabis.

A mixed-method systematic review to investigate the effect of group singing on health related quality of life.

PubMed

Reagon, Carly; Gale, Nichola; Enright, Stephanie; Mann, Mala; van Deursen, Robert

2016-08-01

To investigate the effect of group singing on health related quality of life (HRQoL) for adult, amateur singers with chronic health conditions. A literature search for experimental and observational studies and qualitative studies published before February 2014 was undertaken using the following databases: ASSIA (Proquest), CINAHL (Ebsco), EMBASE (OVID), HMIC (OVID), MEDLINE (OVID), MEDLINE in Process (OVID), OpenGrey, PsycINFO (OVID) and PubMed for Epub ahead of print studies. Social Science searches included: Web of Science, Proquest, and Scopus (Elsevier). The records were screened independently by two reviewers. Studies were critiqued using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tools. The literature search identified 573 papers, from which 18 were included (5 quantitative, 5 qualitative, 8 mixed-methods studies). These included a variety of patient populations including chronic respiratory disease, neurological conditions and mental health. The quantitative studies lacked consistency: two of the seven controlled studies demonstrated additional HRQoL benefits with singing compared to controls, while three of six uncontrolled studies showed improved HRQoL. Qualitative methods were recorded in variable depth. The qualitative data presented a range of benefits of group singing including increased confidence, increased mood and social support. Few negative effects of singing were reported. This systematic review indicates that group singing interventions may have beneficial effects on HRQoL, anxiety, depression and mood. Studies were heterogeneous with significant methodological limitations, allowing only a weak recommendation for group singing as an intervention for adults with chronic health problems. The undertaking of larger controlled and in-depth qualitative studies is warranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Contribution of Group Work Programmes to Early Intervention and Improving Children's Emotional Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parton, Christine; Manby, Martin

2009-01-01

Recent government policy has emphasised links between the acquisition of social skills by children and young people and their educational attainment. This study aims to fill a gap in the literature about the contribution of school-based group work programmes to developing children's social skills. National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to…

Peer Assessment for Learning from a Social Perspective: The Influence of Interpersonal Variables and Structural Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Gennip, Nanine A. E.; Segers, Mien S. R.; Tillema, Harm H.

2009-01-01

This paper reports a systematic literature review examining empirical studies on the effects of peer assessment for learning. Peer assessment is fundamentally a social process whose core activity is feedback given to and received from others, aimed at enhancing the performance of each individual group member and/or the group as a whole. This makes…

The Interplay between Learning and the Use of ICT in Rwandan Student Teachers' Everyday Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukama, E.

2009-01-01

The paper describes a study conducted in Rwanda involving 12 participants selected from a larger cohort of 24 final-year university students who were part of a group-based training programme. The programme was about how to search, retrieve, and use web-based literature. Empirical data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions.…

Group music therapy for patients with persistent post-traumatic stress disorder--an exploratory randomized controlled trial with mixed methods evaluation.

PubMed

Carr, Catherine; d'Ardenne, Patricia; Sloboda, Ann; Scott, Carleen; Wang, Duolao; Priebe, Stefan

2012-06-01

Not all patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) respond to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Literature suggests group music therapy might be beneficial in treating PTSD. However, feasibility and effectiveness have not been assessed. The study objectives were to assess whether group music therapy was feasible for patients who did not respond to CBT, and whether it has an effect on PTSD symptoms and depression. The study employed mixed methods comprising of an exploratory randomized controlled trial, qualitative content analysis of therapy, and patient interviews. Patients with significant PTSD symptoms (n = 17) following completion of CBT were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 9) or control groups (n = 8). The treatment group received 10 weeks of group music therapy after which exit interviews were conducted. Control group patients were offered the intervention at the end of the study. Symptoms were assessed on the Impact of Events Scale-Revised and Beck Depression Inventory II at the beginning and end of treatment. Treatment-group patients experienced a significant reduction in severity of PTSD symptoms (-20.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [-31.23, -9.12]) and a marginally significant reduction in depression (-11.92; 95%CI: [-24.05, 0.21]) at 10 weeks from baseline compared to the control. Patients viewed music therapy as helpful and reported experiences concur with current literature. Group music therapy appears feasible and effective for PTSD patients who have not sufficiently responded to CBT. Limitations include the small sample size and lack of blinding. Further research should address these limitations, test sustainability, and identify specific factors that address symptoms in treatment. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

How do small groups make decisions? : A theoretical framework to inform the implementation and study of clinical competency committees.

PubMed

Chahine, Saad; Cristancho, Sayra; Padgett, Jessica; Lingard, Lorelei

2017-06-01

In the competency-based medical education (CBME) approach, clinical competency committees are responsible for making decisions about trainees' competence. However, we currently lack a theoretical model for group decision-making to inform this emerging assessment phenomenon. This paper proposes an organizing framework to study and guide the decision-making processes of clinical competency committees.This is an explanatory, non-exhaustive review, tailored to identify relevant theoretical and evidence-based papers related to small group decision-making. The search was conducted using Google Scholar, Web of Science, MEDLINE, ERIC, and PsycINFO for relevant literature. Using a thematic analysis, two researchers (SC & JP) met four times between April-June 2016 to consolidate the literature included in this review.Three theoretical orientations towards group decision-making emerged from the review: schema, constructivist, and social influence. Schema orientations focus on how groups use algorithms for decision-making. Constructivist orientations focus on how groups construct their shared understanding. Social influence orientations focus on how individual members influence the group's perspective on a decision. Moderators of decision-making relevant to all orientations include: guidelines, stressors, authority, and leadership.Clinical competency committees are the mechanisms by which groups of clinicians will be in charge of interpreting multiple assessment data points and coming to a shared decision about trainee competence. The way in which these committees make decisions can have huge implications for trainee progression and, ultimately, patient care. Therefore, there is a pressing need to build the science of how such group decision-making works in practice. This synthesis suggests a preliminary organizing framework that can be used in the implementation and study of clinical competency committees.

Measuring primary care practice performance within an integrated delivery system: a case study.

PubMed

Stewart, Louis J; Greisler, David

2002-01-01

This article examines the use of an integrated performance measurement system to plan and control primary care service delivery within an integrated delivery system. We review a growing body of literature that focuses on the development and implementation of management reporting systems among healthcare providers. Our study extends the existing literature by examining the use of performance information generated by an integrated performance measurement system within a healthcare organization. We conduct our examination through a case study of the WMG Primary Care Medicine Group, the primary care medical group practice of WellSpan Health System. WellSpan Health System is an integrated delivery system that serves south central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. Our study examines the linkage between WellSpan Health's strategic objectives and its primary care medicine group's integrated performance measurement system. The conceptual design of this integrated performance measurement system combines financial metrics with practice management and clinical operating metrics to provide a more complete picture of medical group performance. Our findings demonstrate that WellSpan Health was able to achieve superior financial results despite a weak linkage between its integrated performance measurement system and its strategic objectives. WellSpan Health achieved this objective for its primary care medicine group by linking clinical performance information to physician compensation and reporting practice management performance through the use of statistical process charts. They found that the combined mechanisms of integrated performance measurement and statistical process control charts improved organizational learning and communications between organizational stakeholders.

Changes in Pre-service Science Teachers' Understandings After Being Involved in Explicit Nature of Science and Socioscientific Argumentation Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kutluca, A. Y.; Aydın, A.

2017-08-01

The study explored the changes in pre-service science teachers' understanding of the nature of science and their opinions about the nature of science, science teaching and argumentation after their participation in explicit nature of science (NOS) and socioscientific argumentation processes. The participants were 56 third-grade pre-service science teachers studying in a state university in Turkey. The treatment group comprised 27 participants, and there were 29 participants in the comparison group. The comparison group participants were involved in a student-centred science-teaching process, and the participants of the treatment group were involved in explicit NOS and socioscientific argumentation processes. In the study, which lasted a total of 11 weeks, a NOS-as-argumentation questionnaire was administered to all the participants to determine their understanding of NOS at the beginning and end of the data collection process, and six random participants of the treatment group participated in semi-structured interview questions in order to further understand their views regarding NOS, science teaching and argumentation. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis revealed that the explicit NOS and socioscientific argumentation processes had a significant effect on pre-service science teachers' NOS understandings. Furthermore, NOS, argumentation and science teaching views of the participants in the treatment group showed a positive change. The results of this study are discussed in light of the related literature, and suggestions are made within the context of contribution to science-teaching literature, improvement of education quality and education of pre-service teachers.

No direct correlation between rotavirus diarrhea and breast feeding: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Shen, Jian; Zhang, Bi-Meng; Zhu, Sheng-Guo; Chen, Jian-Jie

2018-04-01

Some studies indicated that children with exclusive breast feeding had a reduction in the prevalence of rotavirus diarrhea, while some others held the opposite views. In this study, we aimed to systematically find the associations between rotavirus diarrhea and breast feeding. A literature search up to June 2016 in electronic literature databases, including PubMed and Embase, was performed. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to conduct the quality assessment of all the selected studies. Statistical analyses were performed using the R package version 3.12 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Beijing1, China, meta package), and odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to assess the strength of the association. The heterogeneity was assessed by Cochran's Q-statistic and I 2 test, and the sensitivity analysis was performed by trimming one study at a time. A total of 17 articles, which included 10,841 participants, were investigated in the present meta-analysis. There was no significant difference between the case group and control group (OR, 0.59 95% CI 0.33-1.07) in the meta-analysis of exclusive breast feeding, and no significant difference was found between the case group and the control group (OR, 0.86; 95% CI 0.63-1.16) in the meta-analysis of breast feeding. No significant difference was found between the case group and control group (OR, 0.78 95% CI 0.59-1.04) for all quantitative data. There may be no direct correlation between rotavirus diarrhea and breast feeding. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Development of interactive hypermedia software for high school biology: A research and development study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alturki, Uthman T.

The goal of this research was to research, design, and develop a hypertext program for students who study biology. The Ecology Hypertext Program was developed using Research and Development (R&D) methodology. The purpose of this study was to place the final "product", a CD-ROM for learning biology concepts, in the hands of teachers and students to help them in learning and teaching process. The product was created through a cycle of literature review, needs assessment, development, and a cycle of field tests and revisions. I applied the ten steps of R&D process suggested by Borg and Gall (1989) which, consisted of: (1) Literature review, (2) Needs assessment, (3) Planning, (4) Develop preliminary product, (5) Preliminary field-testing, (6) Preliminary revision, (7) Main field-testing, (8) Main revision, (9) Final field-testing, and (10) Final product revision. The literature review and needs assessment provided a support and foundation for designing the preliminary product---the Ecology Hypertext Program. Participants in the needs assessment joined a focus group discussion. They were a group of graduate students in education who suggested the importance for designing this product. For the preliminary field test, the participants were a group of high school students studying biology. They were the potential user of the product. They reviewed the preliminary product and then filled out a questionnaire. Their feedback and suggestions were used to develop and improve the product in a step called preliminary revision. The second round of field tasting was the main field test in which the participants joined a focus group discussion. They were the same group who participated in needs assessment task. They reviewed the revised product and then provided ideas and suggestions to improve the product. Their feedback were categorized and implemented to develop the product as in the main revision task. Finally, a group of science teachers participated in this study by reviewing the product and then filling out the questionnaire. Their suggestions were used to conduct the final step in R&D methodology, the final product revision. The primary result of this study was the Ecology Hypertext Program. It considered a small attempt to give students an opportunity to learn through an interactive hypertext program. In addition, using the R&D methodology was an ideal procedure for designing and developing new educational products and material.

[Composition of the electrocautery smoke: integrative literature review].

PubMed

Tramontini, Cibele Cristina; Galvão, Cristina Maria; Claudio, Caroline Vieira; Ribeiro, Renata Perfeito; Martins, Júlia Trevisan

2016-02-01

To identify the composition of the smoke produced by electrocautery use during surgery. Integrative review with search for primary studies conducted in the databases of the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences, covering the studies published between 2004 and 2014. The final sample consisted of 14 studies grouped into three categories, namely; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile compounds and volatile organic compounds. There is scientific evidence that electrocautery smoke has volatile toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds, and its inhalation constitutes a potential chemical risk to the health of workers involved in surgeries.

Suicide attempts and self-harm behaviors in psychiatric sex offenders.

PubMed

Stinson, Jill D; Gonsalves, Valerie

2014-06-01

Suicidality and self-harm behaviors among sex offenders remain underreported in the clinical literature and are often misunderstood in this complex population. The present study aims to identify rates of suicide attempts and self-injurious behaviors in a sample of 1,184 psychiatric inpatients, 462 of whom are sexual offenders. Between-group comparisons revealed significant differences in history of suicide attempts and self-harm behaviors, with sexual offenders evidencing greater rates of both. Significant psychiatric correlates of suicide attempts and self-harm behaviors among sex offenders varied by group and included a variety of psychiatric symptom presentations. These are compared with the general literature on suicide risk and the sex offender population. Implications for treatment of these behaviors in a sex offender population are discussed.

Complex dynamics in supervised work groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dal Forno, Arianna; Merlone, Ugo

2013-07-01

In supervised work groups many factors concur to determine productivity. Some of them may be economical and some psychological. According to the literature, the heterogeneity in terms of individual capacity seems to be one of the principal causes for chaotic dynamics in a work group. May sorting groups of people with same capacity for effort be a solution? In the organizational psychology literature an important factor is the engagement in the task, while expectations are central in the economics literature. Therefore, we propose a dynamical model which takes into account both engagement in the task and expectations. An important lesson emerges. The intolerance deriving from the exposure to inequity may not be only caused by differences in individual capacities, but also by these factors combined. Consequently, solutions have to be found in this new direction.

Why Don't You Ask Comprehension Questions? (When the Principal Asks).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harp, Bill

1989-01-01

Discusses literature and research concerning comprehension questions, particularly in the context of the Whole Language Movement. Notes that there are other ways for students to demonstrate their text comprehension, such as literature logs, small group discussion, and individual or group projects. Suggests several implications for the classroom.…

Sesquiterpenoids in subtribe Centaureinae (Cass.) Dumort (tribe Cardueae, Asteraceae): distribution, (13)C NMR spectral data and biological properties.

PubMed

Bruno, Maurizio; Bancheva, Svetlana; Rosselli, Sergio; Maggio, Antonella

2013-11-01

Asteraceae Bercht. & J. Presl is one of the biggest and most economically important plant families. The taxonomy and phylogeny of Asteraceae is rather complex and according to the latest and most reliable taxonomic classification of Panero & Funk, based on the analysis of nine chloroplast regions, the family is divided into 12 subfamilies and 35 tribes. One of the largest tribes of Asteraceae is Cardueae Cass. with four subtribes (Carlininae, Echinopinae, Carduinae and Centaureinae) and more than 2500 species. Susanna & Garcia-Jacas have organized the genera of Centaureinae (about 800 species) into seven informal groups, which recent molecular studies have confirmed: 1. Basal genera; 2. Volutaria group; 3. Rhaponticum group; 4. Serratula group; 5. Carthamus group; 6. Crocodylium group; 7. Centaurea group. This review summarizes reports on sesquiterpenoids from the Centaureinae subtribe of the Asteraceae family, as well as the (13)C NMR spectral data described in the literature. It further reviews studies concerning the biological activities of these metabolites. For this work, literature data on sesquiterpenes from the Centaureinae subtribe were retrieved with the help of the SciFinder database and other similar data banks. All entries from 1958 until the end of 2011 were considered. This review is addressed to scientists working in the metabolomics field such as chemists, botanists, etc., the spectroscopic data reported make this work a good tool for structural elucidation, the biological section gives useful information to those who wish to study the structure activity relationships. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Who Leads China's Leading Universities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Futao

2017-01-01

This study attempts to identify the major characteristics of two different groups of institutional leaders in China's leading universities. The study begins with a review of relevant literature and theory. Then, there is a brief introduction to the selection of party secretaries, deputy secretaries, presidents and vice presidents in leading…

Arts, literature and reflective writing as educational strategies to promote narrative reasoning capabilities among physiotherapy students.

PubMed

Caeiro, Carmen; Cruz, Eduardo Brazete; Pereira, Carla Mendes

2014-11-01

The use of arts, literature and reflective writing has becoming increasingly popular in health professionals education. However, research examining its contribution as an educational strategy to promote narrative reasoning capabilities is limited, particularly from the students' perspective. This study aimed to explore the final year physiotherapy students' perspectives about the contribution of arts, literature and reflective writing in facilitating narrative reasoning capabilities. Three focus group meetings using a semi-structured interview schedule were carried out to collect data. Focus group sessions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to conduct the study and analyze the transcripts. Three themes emerged: (1) developmental understanding of the patients' experiences; (2) developmental understanding about the self; and (3) embedding reflection in clinical practice. Students emphasized an increasing capability to be sensitive and vicariously experience the patient's experience. Through reflective writing, students reported they became more capable of thinking critically about their practice and learning needs for continuous professional development. Finally, students highlighted the contribution of these strategies in making reflection part of their practice. Final year physiotherapy students reported enhanced skills of narrative reasoning. The findings support the inclusion of these strategies within the undergraduate physiotherapy curricula.

Detecting Deception within Small Groups: A Literature Review

PubMed Central

Vernham, Zarah; Granhag, Pär-Anders; Mac Giolla, Erik

2016-01-01

Investigators often have multiple suspects to interview in order to determine whether they are guilty or innocent of a crime. Nevertheless, co-offending has been significantly neglected within the deception detection literature. The current review is the first of its kind to discuss co-offending and the importance of examining the detection of deception within groups. Groups of suspects can be interviewed separately (individual interviewing) or simultaneously (collective interviewing) and these differing interviewing styles are assessed throughout the review. The review emphasizes the differences between lone individuals and groups. It focuses on the theoretical implications of group deceit and the reasons why groups need to be understood in terms of investigative interviewing and deception detection if all types of crime-related incidents are to be recognized and dealt with appropriately. Group strategies, consistency within- and between-statements, joint memory, and group dynamics are referred to throughout the review and the importance of developing interview protocols specifically for groups is discussed. The review concludes by identifying the gaps in the literature and suggesting ideas for future research, highlighting that more research is required if we are to obtain a true understanding of the deception occurring within groups and how best to detect it. PMID:27445957

A review of the research on Canary Islands praying mantises (Mantodea).

PubMed

Wieland, Frank; Schütte, Kai; Goldberg, Julia

2014-05-21

For many years researchers studying the fauna of the Canary Islands have only sparsely treated the charismatic insect order of praying mantises (Mantodea). By studying the known literature it becomes obvious that there are several inconsistencies regarding mantodean taxonomy as well as the number of actual species and their distribution within the archipelago. In the present contribution, the literature treating the Canary Island Mantodea fauna is thoroughly reviewed, and the distribution of the ten known Mantodea species is presented with additional comments on the taxonomic problems. The taxonomy and distribution of the Canary Island Amelinae has been causing some confusion in the literature and is therefore discussed for a better understanding of the composition of this group. So far, seven species of Amelinae (two species of Ameles Burmeister and five species of Pseudoyersinia Kirby) are recognized for the Canary Islands. A careful survey of the taxonomic literature indicates that there is a substantial degree of variability in this group, which may have led to frequent misidentifications. This is reflected by the inconsistent literature data on the distribution of several Pseudoyersinia species within the archipelago. A crucial amendment and clarification is provided regarding the date of description (1838) of Ameles gracilis (Brullé) and Ameles limbata (Brullé) as it varies in the literature. Nomenclatural changes regarding the homonymy of Mantis limbata Brullé and Mantis limbata Hahn, previously proposed by Koçak & Kemal (2008), are rejected and discussed in detail. One of the Mantodea species, Empusa pennata (Thunberg), is frequently mentioned in the literature to be present on the Canary Islands, but after carefully reviewing the literature data it is evident that this species has never actually been found on any of the islands. The aim of this publication is to lay a basis for future research on the Mantodea fauna of the Canary Islands, their phylogenetic placement and history of dispersal. This is even more important as the archipelago is a European endemism hot spot for praying mantises and these basic parameters are crucial for implementing plans regarding conservation strategies on the islands.

I Still Haven't Finished Reading Alan Garner, But....

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonarder, Rod

1983-01-01

Describes a teaching experiment for the study of literature in which students focus on "special authors" and use is made of such teaching strategies as group work, full class discussion, wide reading, and individual research. (HOD)

Mental health issues in unaccompanied refugee minors

PubMed Central

Huemer, Julia; Karnik, Niranjan S; Voelkl-Kernstock, Sabine; Granditsch, Elisabeth; Dervic, Kanita; Friedrich, Max H; Steiner, Hans

2009-01-01

Previous studies about unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) showed that they are a highly vulnerable group who have greater psychiatric morbidity than the general population. This review focuses on mental health issues among URMs. Articles in databases PsycINFO, Medline and PubMed from 1998 to 2008 addressing this topic were reviewed. The literature had a considerable emphasis on the assessment of PTSD symptoms. Results revealed higher levels of PTSD symptoms in comparison to the norm populations and accompanied refugee minors. In several studies, age and female gender predicted or influenced PTSD symptoms. The existing literature only permits limited conclusions on this very hard to reach population. Future research should include the analysis of long-term outcomes, stress management and a more thorough analysis of the whole range of psychopathology. Additionally, the development of culturally sensitive norms and standardized measures for diverse ethnic groups is of great importance. PMID:19341468

A Guide to Field Notes for Qualitative Research: Context and Conversation.

PubMed

Phillippi, Julia; Lauderdale, Jana

2018-02-01

Field notes are widely recommended in qualitative research as a means of documenting needed contextual information. With growing use of data sharing, secondary analysis, and metasynthesis, field notes ensure rich context persists beyond the original research team. However, while widely regarded as essential, there is not a guide to field note collection within the literature to guide researchers. Using the qualitative literature and previous research experience, we provide a concise guide to collection, incorporation, and dissemination of field notes. We provide a description of field note content for contextualization of an entire study as well as individual interviews and focus groups. In addition, we provide two "sketch note" guides, one for study context and one for individual interviews or focus groups for use in the field. Our guides are congruent with many qualitative and mixed methodologies and ensure contextual information is collected, stored, and disseminated as an essential component of ethical, rigorous qualitative research.

The Red Hat Society: Exploring the role of play, liminality, and communitas in older women's lives.

PubMed

Mackay Yarnal, Careen

2006-01-01

There is an extensive literature on play. Yet, the role of play in older adults' lives has received limited attention. Strikingly absent is research on play and older women. Missing from the literature is how older women use play as a liminal context for social interaction and communitas. This is odd because by 2030 one in four American women will be over the age of sixty-five. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the roles of play, liminality, and communitas in older women's lives. The focus is the Red Hat Society, a social group for women over age 50 that fosters play and fun. Using qualitative interviews with focus groups and participant observation of a regional Red Hat Society event, the study highlights some of the strengths and weaknesses of current conceptualizations of play, liminality, and communitas.

Mental health interventions for children exposed to disasters and terrorism.

PubMed

Pfefferbaum, Betty; Newman, Elana; Nelson, Summer D

2014-02-01

The purpose of this review is to describe interventions used with children who are exposed to disasters and terrorism and to present information about the potential benefits of these interventions. A literature search conducted in January 2013 using relevant databases and literature known to the authors that was not generated by the search yielded a total of 85 studies appropriate for review. Intervention approaches used with children exposed to disasters and terrorism included preparedness interventions, psychological first aid, psychological debriefing, psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral techniques, exposure and narrative techniques, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and traumatic grief interventions. The investigation of these interventions is complex, and studies varied in methodological rigor (e.g., sample size, the use of control groups, outcomes measured). Given the limitations in the currently available empirical information, this review integrates the literature, draws tentative conclusions about the current state of knowledge, and suggests future directions for study.

Assessment of the periodontal health status in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and Invisalign system: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lu, Haili; Tang, Haifang; Zhou, Tian; Kang, Na

2018-03-01

At present, many scholars have studied the periodontal health status of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and invisalign. However, those results are inconsistent. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis, and then provide reference for clinical treatment. Most databases, such as the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, CNKI, and Wan Fang Data were retrieved for related articles from the establishment of the database to October 2017. Meanwhile, we also searched the references of the related literatures manually, in order to increase the included literatures. Two researchers screened the related literatures according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria. Stata 12.0 software was used for data analysis, and results are estimated by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Finally, 7 articles, including 368 patients, were included into our meta-analysis. Meta-analysis results showed that there was no statistically significant difference of gingival index (GI) and sulcus probing depth (SPD) status between the invisalign group and the control group, including at 1, 3, and 6 months (all P > .05). When compared with the control group, the invisalign group presented a lower plaque index (PLI) and sulcus bleeding index (SBI) status at 1 month (OR = -0.53, 95% CI: -0.89 to -0.18; OR = -0.44, 95% CI: -0.70 to -0.19, respectively), 3 months (OR = -0.69, 95% CI: -1.12 to -0.27; OR = -0.49, 95% CI: -0.93 to -0.05, respectively), and 6 months (OR = -0.91, 95% CI: -1.47 to -0.35; OR = -0.40, 95% CI: -0.63 to -0.07, respectively). Subgroup analysis showed that the SPD status was lower in the invisalign group at 6 months when measured the teeth using Ramfjord index (OR = -0.74, 95% CI: -1.35 to -0.12). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups when using other measure methods (OR = 0.12, 95% CI: -0.26 to 0.17). Our meta-analysis suggests that comparing with the traditional fixed appliances, patients treated with invisalign have a better periodontal health. However, more studies are needed to confirm this conclusion in the future.

A Literature Review of Health Risks in the Bear Community, a Gay Subculture

PubMed Central

Quidley-Rodriguez, Narciso; De Santis, Joseph P.

2015-01-01

Gay men’s subcultural identifications may help explain why certain groups of gay men are more at risk than other groups. One such subculture is the Bear community, a group that espouses that large-framed, hirsute men are attractive. To understand current health risks among the Bear community, a literature search was conducted using Medline, Psychinfo, CINAHL, and LGBT Life. A total of eight articles were found addressing health risks in the Bear community. There is a dearth of literature that focuses on the Bear community, but the current literature indicates that Bears are more likely to have a higher body mass index, lower self-esteem, and engage in risky sexual behaviors than other gay men. Suggestions for engaging and conducting research with the Bear community are provided. Last, clinical implications offer guidance for health care providers working with the Bear community to ensure that appropriate care is delivered to these men. PMID:26718773

A Corpus-Based Study on Turkish Spoken Productions of Bilingual Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agçam, Reyhan; Bulut, Adem

2016-01-01

The current study investigated whether monolingual adult speakers of Turkish and bilingual adult speakers of Arabic and Turkish significantly differ regarding their spoken productions in Turkish. Accordingly, two groups of undergraduate students studying Turkish Language and Literature at a state university in Turkey were presented two videos on a…

Teaching Kindergartners Racial Diversity through Multicultural Literature: A Case Study in a Kindergarten Classroom in Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, So Jung; Wee, Su-Jeong; Lee, Young Mi

2016-01-01

Research Findings: This qualitative case study examines Korean kindergartners' literary discussions about racial/cultural diversity during a whole-group read-aloud. Using multiple sources of data, including observations, open-ended interviews, and written materials and children's artifacts, this study found that (a) the children exhibited a biased…

Understanding History through the Visual Images in Historical Fiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Youngs, Suzette

2012-01-01

In the last ten years, historical fiction picturebooks have won numerous children's literature awards and have assumed a prominent role in the literacy landscape of elementary and middle school classrooms. Whether read in read-alouds, study groups, as a focus of genre study, or as a supplement to the social studies curriculum, historical fiction…

Giving Voice to Reluctant Learners: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pringle, Mark T.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study is to hear from reluctant learners about their perceptions of their experiences in middle school and the meanings they make from these. This study will give voice to students, a stakeholder group that has been traditionally silent in the literature on K-12 learning and achievement. Capturing the perceptions…

The Effect of Educational Leadership on Students' Achievement: A Meta-Analysis Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karadag, Engin; Bektas, Fatih; Çogaltay, Nazim; Yalçin, Mikail

2015-01-01

In this meta-analysis study, different leadership styles were combined, and the relationship between educational leadership and student achievement was analyzed. In the literature review, 57 research articles/dissertations, independent from one another, were brought together, and 28,964 study subjects were included in the sample group. The results…

Are "Digital Natives" Really Digitally Competent?--A Study on Chinese Teenagers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yan; Ranieri, Maria

2010-01-01

Literature review has found that despite the considerable attention focused on "digital natives", few studies have carefully investigated the characteristics of this group. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the debate on digital natives by providing a "piece of evidence" on the digital competence status of a group…

Action Research Study. A Framework To Help Move Teachers toward an Inquiry-Based Science Teaching Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staten, Mary E.

This action research study developed a framework for moving teachers toward an inquiry-based approach to teaching science, emphasizing elements, strategies, and supports necessary to encourage and sustain teachers' use of inquiry-based science instruction. The study involved a literature review, participant observation, focus group discussions,…

Major publications in the critical care pharmacotherapy literature: January-December 2016.

PubMed

Horner, Deanna; Altshuler, Diana; Droege, Chris; Feih, Joel; Ferguson, Kevin; Fiorenza, Mallory; Greathouse, Kasey; Hamilton, Leslie; Pfaff, Caitlin; Roller, Lauren; Stollings, Joanna; Wong, Adrian

2018-02-01

To summarize select critical care pharmacotherapy guidelines and studies published in 2016. The Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Literature Update (CCPLU) Group screened 31 journals monthly for relevant pharmacotherapy articles and selected 107 articles for review over the course of 2016. Of those included in the monthly CCPLU, three guidelines and seven primary literature studies are reviewed here. The guideline updates included are as follows: hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia management, sustained neuromuscular blocking agent use, and reversal of antithrombotics in intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The primary literature summaries evaluate the following: dexmedetomidine for delirium prevention in post-cardiac surgery, dexmedetomidine for delirium management in mechanically ventilated patients, high-dose epoetin alfa after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, ideal blood pressure targets in ICH, hydrocortisone in severe sepsis, procalcitonin-guided antibiotic de-escalation, and empiric micafungin therapy. The review provides a synopsis of select pharmacotherapy publications in 2016 applicable to clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Qualitative Literature Review of the Prevalence of Depression in Medical Students Compared to Students in Non-medical Degrees.

PubMed

Bacchi, Stephen; Licinio, Julio

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study is to review studies published in English between 1 January 2000 and 16 June 2014, in peer-reviewed journals, that have assessed the prevalence of depression, comparing medical students and non-medical students with a single evaluation method. The databases PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for eligible articles. Searches used combinations of the Medical Subject Headings medical student and depression. Titles and abstracts were reviewed to determine eligibility before full-text articles were retrieved, which were then also reviewed. Twelve studies met eligibility criteria. Non-medical groups surveyed included dentistry, business, humanities, nursing, pharmacy, and architecture students. One study found statistically significant results suggesting that medical students had a higher prevalence of depression than groups of non-medical students; five studies found statistically significant results indicating that the prevalence of depression in medical students was less than that in groups of non-medical students; four studies found no statistically significant difference, and two studies did not report on the statistical significance of their findings. One study was longitudinal, and 11 studies were cross-sectional. While there are limitations to these comparisons, in the main, the reviewed literature suggests that medical students have similar or lower rates of depression compared to certain groups of non-medical students. A lack of longitudinal studies meant that potential common underlying causes could not be discerned, highlighting the need for further research in this area. The high rates of depression among medical students indicate the continuing need for interventions to reduce depression.

Hand preference for writing and associations with selected demographic and behavioral variables in 255,100 subjects: the BBC internet study.

PubMed

Peters, Michael; Reimers, Stian; Manning, John T

2006-11-01

In an Internet study unrelated to handedness, 134,317 female and 120,783 male participants answered a graded question as to which hand they preferred for writing. This allowed determination of hand preference patterns across 7 ethnic groups. Sex differences in left-handedness were found in 4 ethnic groups, favoring males, while no significant sex differences were found in three of the groups. Prevalence of left-handedness in the largest of the ethnic groups (self-labelled as "White") was comparable to contemporary hand preference data for this group [Gilbert, A. N., & Wysocki, C. J. (1992). Hand preference and age in the United states. Neuropsychologia, 30, 601-608] but the prevalence of left-handedness in individuals >70 years of age was considerably higher in the present study. Individuals who indicated "either" hand for writing preference had significantly lower spatial performance (mental rotation task) and significantly higher prevalence of hyperactivity, dyslexia, asthma than individuals who had clear left or right hand preferences, in support of Crow et al. [Crow, T., Crow, L., Done, D., & Leask, S. (1998). Relative hand skill predicts academic ability: global deficits at the point of hemispheric indecision. Neuropsychologia, 36, 1275-1282]. Similarly, an association of writing hand preference and non-heterosexual orientation was clearest for individuals with "either" writing hand responses. We conclude that contradictions in the literature as to whether or not these variables are linked to handedness stem largely from different definitions of hand preference. Due to a lack of statistical power in most studies in the literature, the "either" hand writing preference group that yielded the most salient results in this study is not normally available for analysis.

Dissemination of physical activity promotion interventions in underserved populations.

PubMed

Yancey, Antronette K; Ory, Marcia G; Davis, Sally M

2006-10-01

Achieving minimum physical activity levels of 30 or more minutes per day will require a variety of intervention strategies to engage each segment of an aging and increasingly ethnically diverse U.S. population. This article presents a focused review of the sparse literature on the diffusion of evidence-based physical activity interventions that are culturally appropriate for underserved populations. Related literature and experiential insights inform this discussion, because so few published studies report outcome data beyond the first diffusion phase of intervention development and evaluation. Three brief case studies are presented to further illustrate and exemplify key concepts and processes at several different stages in diffusing physical activity interventions. Successful engagement of underserved populations reflects a delicate balance between embracing group customs and values and recognizing the nonmonolithic nature of any sociodemographically defined group. The costs of failing to promulgate effective physical activity interventions in these groups continue to mount, in dollars, health, and lives. Researchers, practitioners, decision makers, and policymakers must partner to bridge the evidentiary gap so that the physically active lifestyle choices become the easier choices.

[Effectiveness of selective alveolar decortication in accelerating orthodontic treatment: a systematic review].

PubMed

Fau, Victor; Diep, Dany; Bader, Gérard; Brézulier, Damien; Sorel, Olivier

2017-06-01

The number of scientific publications on accelerating orthodontic treatment, and especially surgical alveolar corticotomies techniques, has grown exponentially over the years. The objective of this systematic literature review was to assess the effectiveness of these corticotomies basing on human studies. The review was conducted from Medline and Web of Science Core Collection to identify prospective controlled clinical trials with duration of orthodontic treatment or the tooth movement rate for primary endpoint. Eleven studies respected all inclusion criteria. Six investigated the duration of treatment and found shorter values in experimental group than in control group, with a gain of 8 to 34 weeks. Five investigated the tooth movement rate and found 2.3 times higher values on average during the first month in experimental groups, 1.9 times during the second and third months, and 1.3 times during the fourth month. The technique also seemed to decrease the risk of root resorption and improve molar anchorage. Moreover, it exhibited good periodontal tolerance. Current literature highlights the effectiveness of surgical decortications during the first three to four months after surgery. Longer prospective studies are needed to assess their long term effects. © EDP Sciences, SFODF, 2017.

[Eye development in children. Part I. Eyeball dimensions].

PubMed

Lachowicz, Ewelina; Czepita, Damian

2010-01-01

The aim of an article is to introduce and elaborate on the available literature concerning eyeball development. The information content in the article comes from studies performed on groups of children of different ages. In some analysis study groups were chosen depending on sex. Axial length of the eye, depth of anterior chamber, lens's thickness and vitreous's dimension was defined. Intensive changes of eyeball dimensions progress with age. A period of fast and slow growth of the eye can be discerned. Axial length of the eye, depth of anterior chamber, lens's thickness and vitreous's dimension increase over time. Growth of the axial length is mainly caused by increasing axial length of vitreous cavity. The increase in depth of the anterior chamber plays a lesser role. Girls tend to have shorter eyes compared with boys. Both age and male gender are associated with deeper anterior chambers and larger vitreous cavity. Lens thickness decreases with the growth of the eyeball. However gender does not play a role. Based on current literature, it is difficult exactly indicate what are the standards of eyeball growth in children and youths. To establish these parameters, further studies on the another examination in representative group of children and teenagers are necessary.

Defining new guidelines for screening the 22q11.2 deletion based on a clinical and dysmorphologic evaluation of 194 individuals and review of the literature.

PubMed

Monteiro, Fabíola P; Vieira, Társis P; Sgardioli, Ilária C; Molck, Miriam C; Damiano, Ana Paula; Souza, Josiane; Monlleó, Isabella L; Fontes, Marshall I B; Fett-Conte, Agnes C; Félix, Têmis M; Leal, Gabriela F; Ribeiro, Erlane M; Banzato, Claudio E M; Dantas, Clarissa de R; Lopes-Cendes, Iscia; Gil-da-Silva-Lopes, Vera Lúcia

2013-07-01

The 22q11.2 deletion is the most frequent interstitial deletion in humans and presents a wide phenotypic spectrum, with over 180 clinical manifestations described. Distinct studies have detected frequencies of the deletion ranging from 0 % to 75 %, depending on the studied population and selection criteria adopted. Due to the lack of consensus in this matter, several studies have been conducted aiming to define which patients would be eligible for screening; however, the issue is still up for debate. In order to contribute to the delineation of possible clinical and dysmorphologic guidelines to optimize decision making in the clinical setting, 194 individuals with variable features of the 22q11.2 deletion syndromes (22q11.2DS) were evaluated. Group I, clinical suspicion of 22q11.2DS with palatal anomalies; Group II, clinical suspicion without palatal anomalies; Group III, cardiac malformations associated with the 22q11.2DS; and Group IV, juvenile-onset schizophrenia. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification was used for screening the 22q11.2 deletion, which was detected in 45 patients (23.2 %), distributed as such: Group I, 35/101 (34.7 %); Group II, 4/18 (22.2 %); Group III, 6/52 (11.5 %); and Group IV, 0/23 (0 %). Clinical data were analyzed by frequency distribution and statistically. Based on the present results and on the review of the literature, we propose a set of guidelines for screening patients with distinct manifestations of the 22q11.2DS in order to maximize resources. In addition, we report the dysmorphic features which we found to be statistically correlated with the presence of the 22q11.2DS.

Review: Prevalence and co-occurrence of addictions in US ethnic/racial groups: Implications for genetic research.

PubMed

Luczak, Susan E; Khoddam, Rubin; Yu, Sheila; Wall, Tamara L; Schwartz, Anna; Sussman, Steve

2017-08-01

We conducted a review of the prevalence and co-occurrence of 12 types of addictions in US ethnic/racial groups and discuss the implications of the results for genetic research on addictions. We utilized MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases to review the literature on alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, illicit drugs, gambling, eating/food, internet, sex, love, exercise, work, and shopping. We present results for each addiction based on total US prevalence, prevalence within ethnic groups, and co-occurrence of addictions among ethnic groups when available. This review indicates very little research has examined the interrelationships of addictive behaviors among US ethnic groups. The studies that exist have focused nearly exclusively on comorbidity of substances and gambling behaviors. Overall findings suggest differences among US ethnic groups in prevalence of addictions and in prevalence of addiction among those who use substances or engage in gambling. Almost no ethnic group comparisons of other addictive behaviors including eating/food, internet, love, sex, exercise, work, and shopping were identified in the literature. Despite large-scale research efforts to examine alcohol and substance use disorders in the United States, few studies have been published that examine these addictive behaviors among ethnic groups, and even fewer examine co-occurrence and comorbidity with other addictions. Even with the limited studies, these findings have implications for genetic research on addictive behaviors. We include a discussion of these implications, including issues of population stratification, disaggregation, admixture, and the interplay between genetic and environmental factors in understanding the etiology and treatment of addictions. (Am J Addict 2017;26:424-436). © 2016 American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Teachers' Views about Educational Research: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bas, Gökhan; Kivilcim, Zafer Savas

2017-01-01

The purpose of this case study is to examine the views of teachers' about educational research. The present research is designed as a qualitative case study. The group of this study is consisted of teachers (n = 27), working in primary, middle, and high schools in the province of Nigde in Turkey. An extensive literature review was made on…

Multiculturalism and Peace Studies for Education Provision in Time of Diverse Democracies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costa, Rejane P.; Ivenicki, Ana

2016-01-01

The aim of the study is to examine how multiculturalism and peace studies have been viewed in Brazilian and North American literature as gleaned both from Brazilian research studies and articles presented at Peace Education Special Interest Group (SIG) in American Education Research Association (AERA), within the scope of 2010-2014, which…

Depth of Intestinal Wall Infiltration and Clinical Presentation of Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis: Evaluation of 553 Consecutive Cases.

PubMed

Rossini, Roberto; Lisi, Giorgio; Pesci, Anna; Ceccaroni, Marcello; Zamboni, Giuseppe; Gentile, Irene; Rettore, Lorenzo; Ruffo, Giacomo

2018-02-01

Intestinal involvement in endometriosis was first described by Sampson in 1922. The reported incidence ranges between 3% and 37% in patients diagnosed with endometriosis. In literature, there are few studies that correlate the severity of endometriosis (in terms of intestinal infiltration) and its clinical presentation. The aim of this study was to review the correlation between the severity of symptoms, the depth of intestinal wall infiltration, and lymph node involvement in our tertiary referral center. We retrospectively analyzed 553 patients who had undergone intestinal resection for deep infiltrating endometriosis at our institution (Sacro Cuore Negrar Hospital) between 2004 and 2009. Based on intestinal wall infiltration, we divided patients into three groups (Group A: intestinal infiltration that reaches the muscle layer, Group B: infiltration to the submucosa, and Group C: endometriosis reaches the mucosa). Symptoms, intestinal stenosis, and positive lymph nodes were compared in the three groups with the chi-square test. No statistical correlation was found between symptoms and the intestinal wall infiltrations. The three groups were also compared on the basis of positive visceral lymph nodes and we did find a statistical difference (P = .05) in the lymph node count in the two main groups. There seems to be no statistically significant difference in symptoms between patients with different degrees of infiltration. Although visceral lymph node involvement has been occasionally described in literature, we found that it is related to submucosal infiltration.

"We can move forward": challenging historical inequity in public health research in Solomon Islands.

PubMed

Redman-Maclaren, Michelle L; Maclaren, David J; Asugeni, Rowena; Fa'anuabae, Chillion E; Harrington, Humpress; Muse, Alwin; Speare, Richard; Clough, Alan R

2010-11-05

In resource-poor countries, such as Solomon Islands, the research agenda on health is often dominated by researchers from resource-rich countries. New strategies are needed to empower local researchers to set directions for health research. This paper presents a process which seeks to enable a local and potentially more equitable research agenda at a remote hospital in Solomon Islands. In preparation for a health research capacity-building workshop at Atoifi Adventist Hospital, Malaita, Solomon Islands, a computer-based search was conducted of Solomon Islands public health literature. Using a levels-of-agreement approach publications were categorised as: a) original research, b) reviews, c) program descriptions and d) commentaries or discussion. Original research publications were further sub-categorised as: i) measurement, ii) descriptive research and iii) intervention studies. Results were reviewed with Solomon Islander health professionals in a focus group discussion during the health research workshop. Focus group participants were invited to discuss reactions to literature search results and how results might assist current or future local researchers to identify gaps in the published research literature and possible research opportunities at the hospital and surrounding communities. Focus group data were analysed using a grounded theory approach. Of the 218 publications meeting inclusion criteria, 144 (66%) were categorised as 'original research', 42 (19%) as 'commentaries/discussion', 28 (13%) as 'descriptions of programs' and 4 (2%) as 'reviews'. Agreement between three authors' (MRM, DM, AC) independent categorisation was 'excellent' (0.8 <κ). The 144 'original research' publications included 115 (80%) 'descriptive studies' (κ = 0.82); 19 (13%) 'intervention studies' (κ = 0.77); and 10 (7%) 'measurement studies'(κ = 0.80). Key themes identified in the focus group discussion challenged historical inequities evident from the literature review. These included: i) who has done/is doing research in Solomon Islands (largely non-Solomon Islanders); ii) when the research was done (research needs to keep up to date); iii) amount of published research (there should be more); iv) types of research (lack of intervention and operational research); v) value of published research (important); vi) gaps in published literature (need more research about nursing); vii) opportunities for research action (start small); viii) support required to undertake research at the hospital and in surrounding communities (mentoring and partnering with experienced researchers). A search and collaborative review of public health literature for Solomon Islands at a health research capacity building workshop has uncovered and challenged historical inequity in the conduct and access to public health research. Emerging Solomon Islander researchers at a remote hospital are now working to set priorities and strengthen local research efforts. These efforts have highlighted the importance of collaboration and mentoring for Solomon Islanders to instigate and implement public health research to improve the health of individuals and communities served by this remote hospital.

Restless Leg Syndrome in Different Types of Demyelinating Neuropathies: A Single-Center Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Luigetti, Marco; Del Grande, Alessandra; Testani, Elisa; Bisogni, Giulia; Losurdo, Anna; Giannantoni, Nadia Mariagrazia; Mazza, Salvatore; Sabatelli, Mario; Della Marca, Giacomo

2013-01-01

Objective: to determine the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in a cohort of patients with demyelinating neuropathies. Methods: Patients were retrospectively recruited from our cohort of different forms of demyelinating neuropathies, including chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy (CIDP), Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A (CMT1A), and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) referred to our Department of Neurology in a 10-year period. The validated 4-item RLS questionnaire was used for diagnosis of RLS. All patients with RLS who fulfilled criteria underwent a suggested immobilization test to confirm the diagnosis. A group of outpatients referred to the sleep disorders unit and data from published literature were used as controls. Results: Prevalence of RLS in demyelinating neuropathy group was higher than prevalence observed in control population (p = 0.0142) or in the literature data (p = 0.0007). In particular, in comparison with both control population and literature data, prevalence of RLS was higher in CIDP group (p = 0.0266 and p = 0.0063, respectively) and in CMT1A group (p = 0.0312 and p = 0.0105, respectively), but not in HNPP (p = 1.000 and p = 0.9320, respectively). Conclusions: our study confirms a high prevalence of RLS in inflammatory neuropathies as CIDP and, among inherited neuropathies, in CMT1A but not in HNPP. Considering that this is only a small cohort from a single-center retrospective experience, the link between RLS and neuropathy remains uncertain, and larger multicenter studies are probably needed to clarify the real meaning of the association between RLS and neuropathy. Citation: Luigetti M; Del Grande A; Testani E; Bisogni G; Losurdo A; Giannantoni NM; Mazza S; Sabatelli M; Della Marca G. Restless leg syndrome in different types of demyelinating neuropathies: a single-center pilot study. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(9):945-949. PMID:23997707

Balancing Act: Addressing Culture and Gender in ESL Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Michelle A.; Chang, Debbie

2012-01-01

ESL educators find themselves teaching a diverse group of students in today's classroom. This study investigated how ESL instructors address diversity in their teaching. The literature review revealed research on the experiences of teachers using culturally responsive teaching strategies. Using qualitative research methods, this study explores the…

Le Cliche: point de repere culturel (The Cliche: Cultural Point of Reference).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benouis, Mustapha K.

1980-01-01

Cliches are seen as an important part of French culture, with diverse origins (literature, sports, advertising, events, songs), varying longevity, and belonging to different cultural groups for different reasons. It is proposed that their study be an integral part of the study of French civilization. (MSE)

A Case Study of International Students' Social Adjustment, Friendship Development, and Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Shuang; Zizzi, Sam

2018-01-01

Previous literature has focused on international student's social transition and monocultural and bicultural ties. Little research has explored international students' multicultural friendship development and the role that physical activity plays in their social interaction. The current case study explored a group of international students'…

BLAST FURNACE CAST HOUSE EMISSION CONTROL TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The study describes the state-of-the-art of controlling fumes escaping from blast furnace cast houses. Background information is based on: a study of existing literature; visits to blast furnaces in the U.S., Japan, and Europe; meetings with an ad hoc group of experienced blast f...

Literacy, Welfare & Work: Preliminary Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Janet

The relationship between literacy, welfare, and work was examined in an exploratory study that included a literature review and focus group interviews with a total of 17 literacy instructors and 10 literacy students from two locations in Manitoba: Winnipeg and Brandon with the rural area surrounding it. Particular attention was paid to the…

Tangled Threads: Mentoring within a Community of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarr, Patricia

2010-01-01

Tangled Threads, a case study of a group of women art educators, examines the nature of mentoring relationships within the context of a professional association. Grounded in literature on "community of practice," relational and peer mentoring, and an ethic of care, the study uncovers the complex interconnections between women's professional and…

Counselor Beliefs and Perceived Knowledge Regarding Clients with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Tamekia R.

2012-01-01

Clients with learning disabilities constitute a cultural group that has not been extensively studied. The professional literature has found that counselors have reported the need for additional training in working with clients with disabilities. This study explored counselors' beliefs and perceived knowledge regarding counseling clients with…

Is Neonatal Jaundice Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amin, Sanjiv B.; Smith, Tristram; Wang, Hongyue

2011-01-01

Using guidelines of the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology Group, we systematically reviewed the literature on neonatal jaundice (unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in term and preterm infants. Thirteen studies were included in a meta-analysis. Most used retrospective matched case-control…

Juvenile sex offenders compared to non-sex offenders: a review of the literature 1995-2005.

PubMed

van Wijk, Anton; Vermeiren, Robert; Loeber, Rolf; 't Hart-Kerkhoffs, Lisette; Doreleijers, Theo; Bullens, Ruud

2006-10-01

An unresolved but clinically important issue in the literature on juvenile delinquency is to what extent juvenile sex offenders resemble non-sex offenders with respect to individual, familial, and environmental characteristics. The current article reviewed published studies (1995-2005) comparing sex offenders with non-sex offenders. The 17 articles meeting the inclusion criteria suggest that differences exist between sex offenders and non-sex offenders on personality characteristics, behavioral problems, history of sexual abuse, nonsexual offending, and peer functioning. Inconsistent results were found for demographic factors, family functioning and background, antisocial attitudes, and intellectual and neurological functioning. Although it is likely that sex offenders can be differentiated from nonsex offenders on a number of characteristics, caution is warranted because of methodological differences between studies and small samples size. Also, studies show that sex offenders are a heterogeneous group. Further research should take into account this heterogeneity by including sex offenders from clearly circumscribed groups and investigating characteristics specifically related to sexual behavior.

Preparing Teachers for Multicultural Classroom Environments: The Roles of Literature and the Posacculturation Processes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehle, Maryann J.

Books have acculturated and perpetuated group social, political, and economic beliefs as well as individual emotions, attitudes, values, and behaviors. Educators must be wary of literature which perpetuates misconceptions, negative impressions, and insensibilities. A review of books which depict members of cultural groups as strong, positive, and…

Quality, Conformity, and Conflict: Questioning the Assumptions of Osborn's Brainstorming Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldenberg, Olga; Wiley, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Divergent thinking tasks are a popular basis for research on group creative problem solving, or brainstorming. The brainstorming literature has been dominated by research that investigates group performance by measuring the total number of generated ideas using the original rules put forth by Osborn (1953). This review of empirical literature on…

Insights from the Use of Gardner's Notions of Mindset: Group Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Retna, Kala S.

2015-01-01

A body of literature asserts that group work can be beneficial in enhancing learning and in developing specific skills among students. This research builds on the literature and on Gardner's (2006a) five notions of mindsets: disciplined, synthesising, creation, ethical and respectful, as a descriptive framework to explore and understand the…

Tete a Tete: Reading Groups and Peer Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finlay, Sara-Jane; Faulkner, Guy

2005-01-01

This project was inspired by an awareness of the lack of engagement with the research literature by our students. The project consisted of self-help reading groups that centralized student discussion with three research objectives: to encourage students to engage with a broader range of literature, to encourage critical thinking around subject…

Preparing Brigade Combat Team Soldiers for Mission Readiness Through Research on Intangible Psychological Constructs and Their Applications: Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

were randomly assigned to treatment groups and examined using a pretest , posttest , and follow-up to evaluate the impact of patient interview and...results of the literature review to inform interview and focus group protocol development for follow on data collection. Literature Review The...similar content or overlapped considerably with one another. Accordingly, similar constructs were grouped under meta- construct headings. A total of

Neurological complications of lumbar artificial disc replacement and comparison of clinical results with those related to lumbar arthrodesis in the literature: results of a multicenter, prospective, randomized investigational device exemption study of Charité intervertebral disc. Invited submission from the Joint Section Meeting on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, March 2004.

PubMed

Geisler, Fred H; Blumenthal, Scott L; Guyer, Richard D; McAfee, Paul C; Regan, John J; Johnson, J Patrick; Mullin, Bradford

2004-09-01

Arthrodesis is the gold standard for surgical treatment of lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD). Solid fusion, however, can cause stress and increased motion in the segments adjacent to the fused level. This may initiate and/or accelerate the adjacent-segment disease process. Artificial discs are designed to restore and maintain normal motion of the lumbar intervertebral segment. Restoring and maintaining normal motion of the segment reduces stresses and loads on adjacent level segments. A US Food and Drug Administration Investigational Device Exemptions multicentered study of the Charité artificial disc was completed. The control group consisted of individuals who underwent anterior lumbar interbody fusion involving BAK cages and iliac crest bone graft. This is the first report of Class I data in which a lumbar artificial disc is compared with lumbar fusion. Of 304 individuals enrolled in the study, 205 were randomized to the Charité disc-treated group and 99 to the BAK fusion-treated (control) group. Neurological status was equivalent between the two groups at 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. The number of patients with major, minor, or other neurological complications was equivalent. There was a greater incidence of both major and minor complications in the BAK fusion group at 0 to 42 days postoperatively. Compared with data reported in the lumbar fusion literature, the Charité disc-treated patients had equivalent or better mean changes in visual analog scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores. The Charité artificial disc is safe and effective for the treatment of single-level lumbar DDD, resulting in no higher incidence of neurological complications compared with BAK-assisted fusion and leading to equivalent or better outcomes compared with those obtained in the control group and those reported in the lumbar fusion literature.

How credible are the study results? Evaluating and applying internal validity tools to literature-based assessments of environmental health hazards

PubMed Central

Rooney, Andrew A.; Cooper, Glinda S.; Jahnke, Gloria D.; Lam, Juleen; Morgan, Rebecca L.; Boyles, Abee L.; Ratcliffe, Jennifer M.; Kraft, Andrew D.; Schünemann, Holger J.; Schwingl, Pamela; Walker, Teneille D.; Thayer, Kristina A.; Lunn, Ruth M.

2016-01-01

Environmental health hazard assessments are routinely relied upon for public health decision-making. The evidence base used in these assessments is typically developed from a collection of diverse sources of information of varying quality. It is critical that literature-based evaluations consider the credibility of individual studies used to reach conclusions through consistent, transparent and accepted methods. Systematic review procedures address study credibility by assessing internal validity or “risk of bias” — the assessment of whether the design and conduct of a study compromised the credibility of the link between exposure/intervention and outcome. This paper describes the commonalities and differences in risk-of-bias methods developed or used by five groups that conduct or provide methodological input for performing environmental health hazard assessments: the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group, the Navigation Guide, the National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) and Office of the Report on Carcinogens (ORoC), and the Integrated Risk Information System of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-IRIS). Each of these groups have been developing and applying rigorous assessment methods for integrating across a heterogeneous collection of human and animal studies to inform conclusions on potential environmental health hazards. There is substantial consistency across the groups in the consideration of risk-of-bias issues or “domains” for assessing observational human studies. There is a similar overlap in terms of domains addressed for animal studies; however, the groups differ in the relative emphasis placed on different aspects of risk of bias. Future directions for the continued harmonization and improvement of these methods are also discussed. PMID:26857180

How credible are the study results? Evaluating and applying internal validity tools to literature-based assessments of environmental health hazards.

PubMed

Rooney, Andrew A; Cooper, Glinda S; Jahnke, Gloria D; Lam, Juleen; Morgan, Rebecca L; Boyles, Abee L; Ratcliffe, Jennifer M; Kraft, Andrew D; Schünemann, Holger J; Schwingl, Pamela; Walker, Teneille D; Thayer, Kristina A; Lunn, Ruth M

2016-01-01

Environmental health hazard assessments are routinely relied upon for public health decision-making. The evidence base used in these assessments is typically developed from a collection of diverse sources of information of varying quality. It is critical that literature-based evaluations consider the credibility of individual studies used to reach conclusions through consistent, transparent and accepted methods. Systematic review procedures address study credibility by assessing internal validity or "risk of bias" - the assessment of whether the design and conduct of a study compromised the credibility of the link between exposure/intervention and outcome. This paper describes the commonalities and differences in risk-of-bias methods developed or used by five groups that conduct or provide methodological input for performing environmental health hazard assessments: the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group, the Navigation Guide, the National Toxicology Program's (NTP) Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) and Office of the Report on Carcinogens (ORoC), and the Integrated Risk Information System of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-IRIS). Each of these groups have been developing and applying rigorous assessment methods for integrating across a heterogeneous collection of human and animal studies to inform conclusions on potential environmental health hazards. There is substantial consistency across the groups in the consideration of risk-of-bias issues or "domains" for assessing observational human studies. There is a similar overlap in terms of domains addressed for animal studies; however, the groups differ in the relative emphasis placed on different aspects of risk of bias. Future directions for the continued harmonization and improvement of these methods are also discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pharmacological treatment of refugees with trauma-related disorders: What do we know today?

PubMed

Sonne, Charlotte; Carlsson, Jessica; Bech, Per; Mortensen, Erik Lykke

2017-04-01

There is a dearth of evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment for refugees with trauma-related disorders. The present paper provides an overview of available literature on the subject and discusses the transferability of results from studies on other groups of patients with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We conducted a systematic review of published treatment outcome studies on PTSD and depression among refugees. Fifteen studies were identified and reviewed. Most studies focused on the use of antidepressants. Included studies differed widely in method and quality. The majority were observational studies and case studies. Small sample sizes limited the statistical power. Few studies reported effect sizes, confidence intervals, and statistical significance of findings. No specific pharmacological treatment for PTSD among refugees can be recommended on the basis of the available literature. There is a need for well-designed clinical trials, especially with newer antidepressants and antipsychotics. Until such studies are available, clinical practice and design of trials can be guided by results from studies of other groups of PTSD patients, although differences in pharmacogenetics, compliance, and trauma reactions may affect the direct transferability of results from studies on nonrefugee populations.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Neutron-capture elements abundances in Cepheids (da Silva+ 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, R.; Lemasle, B.; Bono, G.; Genovali, K.; McWilliam, A.; Cristallo, S.; Bergemann, M.; Buonanno, R.; Fabrizio, M.; Ferraro, I.; Francois, P.; Iannicola, G.; Inno, L.; Laney, C. D.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Matsunaga, N.; Nonino, M.; Primas, F.; Przybilla, N.; Romaniello, M.; Thevenin, F.; Urbaneja, M. A.

2015-11-01

The abundances of Fe, Y, La, Ce, Nd, and Eu for our sample of 73 Cepheids plus data available in the literature for other 362 Cepheids are shown. We first show the abundances derived based on individual spectra for the 73 stars, then the averaged values, and finally the data from the literature. The original abundances available in the literature were rescaled according to the zero-point differences listed in Table 5. The priority was given in the following order: we first adopt the abundances provided by our group, this study (TS) and Lemasle et al. (2013A&A...558A..31L, LEM), and then those provided by the other studies, Luck & Lambert (2011AJ....142..136L, LIII), and Luck et al. (2011AJ....142...51L, LII). (4 data files).

Lieb-Schultz-Mattis-type filling constraints in the 1651 magnetic space groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Haruki

2018-04-01

We present a systematic study of the filling constraints to realize a "trivial" insulator symmetric under magnetic space group M . The filling ν must be an integer multiple of mM to avoid spontaneous symmetry breaking or fractionalization in gapped phases. We improve the value of mM in the literature and prove the tightness of the constraint for the majority of magnetic space groups. The result may shed light on the material search of exotic magnets with fractionalization.

Cognitive distance, absorptive capacity and group rationality: a simulation study.

PubMed

Curşeu, Petru Lucian; Krehel, Oleh; Evers, Joep H M; Muntean, Adrian

2014-01-01

We report the results of a simulation study in which we explore the joint effect of group absorptive capacity (as the average individual rationality of the group members) and cognitive distance (as the distance between the most rational group member and the rest of the group) on the emergence of collective rationality in groups. We start from empirical results reported in the literature on group rationality as collective group level competence and use data on real-life groups of four and five to validate a mathematical model. We then use this mathematical model to predict group level scores from a variety of possible group configurations (varying both in cognitive distance and average individual rationality). Our results show that both group competence and cognitive distance are necessary conditions for emergent group rationality. Group configurations, in which the groups become more rational than the most rational group member, are groups scoring low on cognitive distance and scoring high on absorptive capacity.

Cognitive Distance, Absorptive Capacity and Group Rationality: A Simulation Study

PubMed Central

Curşeu, Petru Lucian; Krehel, Oleh; Evers, Joep H. M.; Muntean, Adrian

2014-01-01

We report the results of a simulation study in which we explore the joint effect of group absorptive capacity (as the average individual rationality of the group members) and cognitive distance (as the distance between the most rational group member and the rest of the group) on the emergence of collective rationality in groups. We start from empirical results reported in the literature on group rationality as collective group level competence and use data on real-life groups of four and five to validate a mathematical model. We then use this mathematical model to predict group level scores from a variety of possible group configurations (varying both in cognitive distance and average individual rationality). Our results show that both group competence and cognitive distance are necessary conditions for emergent group rationality. Group configurations, in which the groups become more rational than the most rational group member, are groups scoring low on cognitive distance and scoring high on absorptive capacity. PMID:25314132

Testing an empirically derived mental health training model featuring small groups, distributed practice and patient discussion.

PubMed

Murrihy, Rachael C; Byrne, Mitchell K; Gonsalvez, Craig J

2009-02-01

Internationally, family doctors seeking to enhance their skills in evidence-based mental health treatment are attending brief training workshops, despite clear evidence in the literature that short-term, massed formats are not likely to improve skills in this complex area. Reviews of the educational literature suggest that an optimal model of training would incorporate distributed practice techniques; repeated practice over a lengthy time period, small-group interactive learning, mentoring relationships, skills-based training and an ongoing discussion of actual patients. This study investigates the potential role of group-based training incorporating multiple aspects of good pedagogy for training doctors in basic competencies in brief cognitive behaviour therapy (BCBT). Six groups of family doctors (n = 32) completed eight 2-hour sessions of BCBT group training over a 6-month period. A baseline control design was utilised with pre- and post-training measures of doctors' BCBT skills, knowledge and engagement in BCBT treatment. Family doctors' knowledge, skills in and actual use of BCBT with patients improved significantly over the course of training compared with the control period. This research demonstrates preliminary support for the efficacy of an empirically derived group training model for family doctors. Brief CBT group-based training could prove to be an effective and viable model for future doctor training.

Reflective practice groups for nurses: a consultation liaison psychiatry nursing initiative: part 1--The model.

PubMed

Dawber, Chris

2013-04-01

In the present study, we outline the evolution of a process-focused reflective practice group (RPG) model for nurses working in clinical settings. The groups were initiated at Redcliffe and Caboolture hospitals by the consultation liaison psychiatry nurse and author. An associated article provides an evaluation of these RPG. The literature review identifies the key themes and theories on which the model is based, and the article outlines the process and practicalities of facilitating RPG in critical care, midwifery, and oncology specialties over a 3-year period. The model proposes that the effectiveness and sustainability of RPG arises from adequate preparation and engagement with prospective participants. Group rules, based on principles of confidentially, supportiveness, and diversity, were collaboratively developed for each group. Facilitation utilized a group-as-a-whole approach to manage process and stimulate reflection. While the purpose of RPG was a reflection on interpersonal aspects of nursing, contextual workplace issues were frequently raised in groups. Acknowledgement and containment of such issues were necessary to maintain clinical focus. The literature highlights facilitator credibility and style as crucial factors in the overall success of RPG, and it is proposed that reflective practice as a process-focused model for groups succeeds when nurse facilitators are trained in group process and receive concurrent supervision. © 2012 The Author; International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2012 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Making meaning in a burn peer support group: qualitative analysis of attendee interviews.

PubMed

Davis, Trevor; Gorgens, Kim; Shriberg, Janet; Godleski, Matthew; Meyer, Laura

2014-01-01

There is a paucity of literature on the personal experiences of burn support group members, the members' perceived benefits of group participation, and the meaning the survivors make of the support they receive. In order to provide effective psychosocial rehabilitation services and to meet the needs of burn survivors, it is important to understand the influence a support group has on its members as well as the personal experiences of those individuals who attend these groups. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of burn survivors in a burn survivor support group. Six self-identified burn survivors were interviewed by using a guided in-depth interview technique to explore their experiences in the support group. Key informant interviews and group observations served to triangulate the findings from the individual interviews. The experiences of the group members coalesced around four main themes: acceptance of self, perspective change, value of community, and reciprocity. The findings demonstrated the overall perceived positive impact the support group had on psychosocial recovery. For these members, the group aided the process of adjustment through the encouragement of adaptive coping strategies and the facilitation of community and relationships. Their experiences mirrored much of the literature on psychological growth from adversity. Burn survivors reported unique opportunities that allowed them to integrate their injury into their identity within an encouraging and safe environment. Using these accounts, the authors generated clinical suggestions that may encourage similar growth in other support group settings.

Management of Hepatoblastoma: ICMR Consensus Document.

PubMed

Agarwala, Sandeep; Gupta, Alisha; Bansal, Deepak; Vora, Tushar; Prasad, Maya; Arora, Brijesh; Kapoor, Gauri; Chinnaswamy, Girish; Radhakrishnan, Venkatraman; Laskar, Siddharth; Kaur, Tanvir; Dhaliwal, Rupinder Singh; Rath, G K; Bakhshi, Sameer

2017-06-01

Dramatic advancement has been made in the management of children with hepatoblastoma (HB) over the past 3 decades owing to the improvement in diagnostic imaging, new chemotherapeutic agents, better surgical care and availability of liver transplantation. These advances are the end results of contributions from 4 major study groups across the globe including International Society of Pediatric Oncology - Liver Tumor Strategy Group (SIOPEL), Children's Oncology Group (COG), German Pediatric Hematology Oncology Group (GPOH) and Japanese Pediatric Liver Tumor Study Group (JPLT). The current manuscript is written with the objective of developing a consensus guideline for practitioners at a National level. Based on literature and personal experience over last 3 decades, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Expert group has made recommendations for management of children with HB in resource-challenged nations including India.

An exploratory analysis for Lean and Six Sigma implementation in hospitals: Together is better?

PubMed

Lee, Jung Young; McFadden, Kathleen L; Gowen, Charles R

Despite the increasing interest for Lean and Six Sigma implementations in hospitals, there has been little empirical evidence that goes beyond descriptive case studies to address the current status and the effectiveness of the implementations. The aim of this study was to explore existing patterns of Lean and Six Sigma implementation in U.S. hospitals and compare the performance of the different patterns. We collected data from 215 U.S. hospitals via a survey that includes measurement items developed from related literature. Using the cross-sectional data, we conducted a cluster analysis, followed by t tests, chi-square tests, and regression analyses for cluster verification. The cluster analysis identifies two clusters, a Moderate Six Sigma group and a Lean Six Sigma group. Results show that the Lean Six Sigma group outperforms the Moderate Six Sigma group across many performance dimensions: responsiveness capability, patient safety, and possibly cost saving. In addition, the Lean Six Sigma group tends to be composed of larger, private teaching hospitals located in more urban areas, and they employ more resources for quality improvement. Our research contributes to the quality management literature by supporting the possible complementary relationship between Lean and Six Sigma in hospitals. Our study encourages practitioners and managers to pay more attention to Lean implementation. Although Lean seems to be conducted in a limited fashion in many hospitals, it should be expanded and combined with Six Sigma for better results.

When are emotions related to group-based appraisals? A comparison between group-based emotions and general group emotions.

PubMed

Kuppens, Toon; Yzerbyt, Vincent Y

2014-12-01

In the literature on emotions in intergroup relations, it is not always clear how exactly emotions are group-related. Here, we distinguish between emotions that involve appraisals of immediate group concerns (i.e., group-based emotions) and emotions that do not. Recently, general group emotions, measured by asking people how they feel "as a group member" but without specifying an object for these emotions, have been conceptualized as reflecting appraisals of group concerns. In contrast, we propose that general group emotions are best seen as emotions about belonging to a group. In two studies, general group emotions were closely related to emotions that are explicitly measured as belonging emotions. Two further studies showed that general group emotions were not related to appraisals of immediate group concerns, whereas group-based emotions were. We argue for more specificity regarding the group-level aspects of emotion that are tapped by emotion measures. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

The effects of group supervision of nurses: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Francke, Anneke L; de Graaff, Fuusje M

2012-09-01

To gain insight into the existing scientific evidence on the effects of group supervision for nurses. A systematic literature study of original research publications. Searches were performed in February 2010 in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, ERIC, the NIVEL catalogue, and PsycINFO. No limitations were applied regarding date of publication, language or country. Original research publications were eligible for review when they described group supervision programmes directed at nurses; used a control group or a pre-test post-test design; and gave information about the effects of group supervision on nurse or patient outcomes. The two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion. The methodological quality of included studies was also independently assessed by the review authors, using a check list developed by Van Tulder et al. in collaboration with the Dutch Cochrane Centre. Data related to the original publications were extracted by one review author and checked by a second review author. No statistical pooling of outcomes was performed, because there was large heterogeneity of outcomes. A total of 1087 potentially relevant references were found. After screening of the references, eight studies with a control group and nine with a pre-test post-test design were included. Most of the 17 studies included have serious methodological limitations, but four Swedish publications in the field of dementia care had high methodological quality and all point to positive effects on nurses' attitudes and skills and/or nurse-patient interactions. However, in interpreting these positive results, it must be taken into account that these four high-quality publications concern sub-studies of one 'sliced' research project using the same study sample. Moreover, these four publications combined a group supervision intervention with the introduction of individual care planning, which also hampers conclusions about the effectiveness of group supervision alone. Although there are rather a lot of indications that group supervision of nurses is effective, evidence on the effects is still scarce. Further methodologically sound research is needed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experience of menopause in aboriginal women: a systematic review.

PubMed

Chadha, N; Chadha, V; Ross, S; Sydora, B C

2016-01-01

Every woman experiences the menopause transition period in a very individual way. Menopause symptoms and management are greatly influenced by socioeconomic status in addition to genetic background and medical history. Because of their very unique cultural heritage and often holistic view of health and well-being, menopause symptoms and management might differ greatly in aboriginals compared to non-aboriginals. Our aim was to investigate the extent and scope of the current literature in describing the menopause experience of aboriginal women. Our systematic literature review included nine health-related databases using the keywords 'menopause' and 'climacteric symptoms' in combination with various keywords describing aboriginal populations. Data were collected from selected articles and descriptive analysis was applied. Twenty-eight relevant articles were included in our analysis. These articles represent data from 12 countries and aboriginal groups from at least eight distinctive geographical regions. Knowledge of menopause and symptom experience vary greatly among study groups. The average age of menopause onset appears earlier in most aboriginal groups, often attributed to malnutrition and a harsher lifestyle. This literature review highlights a need for further research of the menopause transition period among aboriginal women to fully explore understanding and treatment of menopause symptoms and ultimately advance an important dialogue about women's health care.

Burden of Chlamydia trachomatis in India: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Thomas, Pierre; Spaargaren, Joke; Kant, Rajiv; Lawrence, Rubina; Dayal, Arvind; Lal, Jonathan A; Morré, Servaas A

2017-07-31

Chlamydia trachomatis (hereafter CT) is Gram-negative, obligate intracellular pathogen. It causes the world's most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease. India is home to the world's greatest burden of infectious diseases, yet information on prevalence rates of CT is scarce. This article systematically reviews the literature for the prevalence rates and testing methods in India. A total of 27 studies were included. Four main patients groups (symptomatic women, infertile women, pregnant women and asymptomatic population groups) could be identified with varying rates of CT (0.1%-32% using PCR, 2.4%-75% using ELISA serology). Most of the studies originated from urban settings, 11 of them from New Delhi. In-house PCR was the most common diagnostic technique used generating the following ranges in prevalence for the four group studies: symptomatic women 10%-50%, pregnant women 0.1%-2.5% and asymptomatic populations 0.9%-24.5%. The rates among infertile women were 9%-68% based on serology results. The prevalence rates featured in this paper are in line with other locations across the Indian subcontinent. This review highlights the extreme heterogeneity in the limited studies available in India on CT and the need for standardized guidelines for diagnosis and management of CT in India. The availability of resources should be considered in the formulation of recommendations. © FEMS 2017.

The use of errorless learning strategies for patients with Alzheimer's disease: a literature review.

PubMed

Li, Ruijie; Liu, Karen P Y

2012-12-01

The aim of this article was to review the evidence of errorless learning on learning outcomes in patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. A computer-aided literature search from 1999 to 2011 was carried out using MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO and PsycArticles. Keywords included 'errorless learning or practice' and 'Alzheimer's disease'. Four studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected and reviewed. Two of the studies were clinical controlled trials: one was a single-group pretest-post-test trial and the other was a multiple single-participant study. Demographic variables, design, treatment and outcome measures were summarized. Recall trials were used as the primary outcome measure. Results indicate that the use of errorless learning promotes better retention of specific types of information. Errorless learning is effective in memory rehabilitation of older adults with Alzheimer's disease. However, it would require more studies with unified outcome measures to allow for the formulation of standardized clinical protocol and recommendations.

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

PubMed

Salant, Talya; Lauderdale, Diane S

2003-07-01

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

Teaching with the Case Study Method to Promote Active Learning in a Small Molecule Crystallography Course for Chemistry Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Michael G.; Powers, Tamara M.; Zheng, Shao-Liang

2016-01-01

Implementing the case study method in a practical X-ray crystallography course designed for graduate or upper-level undergraduate chemistry students is described. Compared with a traditional lecture format, assigning small groups of students to examine literature case studies encourages more active engagement with the course material and…

Community-Based Financial Literacy Education in a Cultural Context: A Study of Teacher Beliefs and Pedagogical Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tisdell, Elizabeth J.; Taylor, Edward W.; Forte, Karin Sprow

2013-01-01

This article presents the findings related to teaching beliefs and pedagogical practices of a study that examined how financial literacy educators educate adults from underserved population groups in community-based settings. The study is theoretically framed in the teaching beliefs and culturally responsive education literature. Findings reveal a…

Status of Lunar Regolith Simulants - An Update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, L. A.

2015-10-01

LEAG-CAPTEM Simulant Working Group performed a study of lunar simulants in 2010 at the instruction of NASA-NAC. However, it was lost in the gray literature. Improper simulants continue. A proposal will be put forth for a remedy to this enigma.

Continuous circular cycling as a predictor of treatment response in bipolar disorders: a comprehensive review of the current literature.

PubMed

Tundo, Antonio; Cavalieri, Paola

2018-02-01

Evidence from the literature suggests that, on average, 27% of patients with a bipolar disorder (BD) experience a continuous cycling course (CCC) and that this subgroup differs significantly from patients with a noncontinuous cycling course (N-CCC) with respect to sociodemographic characteristics and clinical presentation. The aim of the present paper is to review the studies that evaluated short- and long-term treatment responses in BD patients with CCC. The retrieved studies indicate that CCC is a significant predictor of poor response to long-term treatment with lithium (the odds of a response in the CCC group were 57% less than in the N-CCC group; p<0.01), as well as to polytherapies including lithium and/or an antiepileptic augmented, when necessary, with an antipsychotic and/or antidepressant. The percentage of patients without new episodes during follow-up was significantly lower in the CCC group compared with the N-CCC group (15.4 vs. 37.6% , p<0.01). Compared with patients in the N-CCC group, members of the CCC group had a poorer response and lower remission rates after 12-week antidepressant treatments for a major depressive episode (82.3 vs. 50%, p =0.002; 69.6 vs. 40.9%, p=0.013). These findings, underlining that CCC is a predictor of poor response to short- and long-term treatment in BD, should be interpreted considering the limitations of the reviewed studies (the small sample sizes, the small number of trials and their observational nature, the lack of randomization or placebo controls, and the unblinded nature of the outcomes). Clinical trials and observational studies with larger samples are warranted to confirm the conclusions of our review.

Issues and Directions from a Review of the Australian Apprenticeship and Traineeship Literature. Australian Apprenticeships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, S.

This paper synthesizes issues and directions that a review of Australian apprenticeship and traineeship literature suggested. An overview discusses the paper's basis, which was a survey of 125 Australian references from 1985-99. Chapter 2 categorizes issues into seven groups, discusses them, and draws out salient themes. (The groups concerned…

Literacy and Technology: Integrating Technology with Small Group, Peer-Led Discussions of Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffey, Genya

2012-01-01

This review examines research of computer-mediated small group discussion of literature. The goal of this review is to explore several instructional formats for integrating print-based and new literacies skills. First, the theoretical foundations for the shift from teacher-led to student led discussion are outlined. Research exploring ways in…

Imaging in syndesmotic injury: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Krähenbühl, Nicola; Weinberg, Maxwell W; Davidson, Nathan P; Mills, Megan K; Hintermann, Beat; Saltzman, Charles L; Barg, Alexej

2018-05-01

To give a systematic overview of current diagnostic imaging options for assessment of the distal tibio-fibular syndesmosis. A systematic literature search across the following sources was performed: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and SpringerLink. Forty-two articles were included and subdivided into three groups: group one consists of studies using conventional radiographs (22 articles), group two includes studies using computed tomography (CT) scans (15 articles), and group three comprises studies using magnet resonance imaging (MRI, 9 articles).The following data were extracted: imaging modality, measurement method, number of participants and ankles included, average age of participants, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the measurement technique. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool was used to assess the methodological quality. The three most common techniques used for assessment of the syndesmosis in conventional radiographs are the tibio-fibular clear space (TFCS), the tibio-fibular overlap (TFO), and the medial clear space (MCS). Regarding CT scans, the tibio-fibular width (axial images) was most commonly used. Most of the MRI studies used direct assessment of syndesmotic integrity. Overall, the included studies show low probability of bias and are applicable in daily practice. Conventional radiographs cannot predict syndesmotic injuries reliably. CT scans outperform plain radiographs in detecting syndesmotic mal-reduction. Additionally, the syndesmotic interval can be assessed in greater detail by CT. MRI measurements achieve a sensitivity and specificity of nearly 100%; however, correlating MRI findings with patients' complaints is difficult, and utility with subtle syndesmotic instability needs further investigation. Overall, the methodological quality of these studies was satisfactory.

What's in a Name? The Incorrect Use of Case Series as a Study Design Label in Studies Involving Dogs and Cats.

PubMed

Sargeant, J M; O'Connor, A M; Cullen, J N; Makielski, K M; Jones-Bitton, A

2017-07-01

Study design labels are used to identify relevant literature to address specific clinical and research questions and to aid in evaluating the evidentiary value of research. Evidence from the human healthcare literature indicates that the label "case series" may be used inconsistently and inappropriately. Our primary objective was to determine the proportion of studies in the canine and feline veterinary literature labeled as case series that actually corresponded to descriptive cohort studies, population-based cohort studies, or other study designs. Our secondary objective was to identify the proportion of case series in which potentially inappropriate inferential statements were made. Descriptive evaluation of published literature. One-hundred published studies (from 19 journals) labeled as case series. Studies were identified by a structured literature search, with random selection of 100 studies from the relevant citations. Two reviewers independently characterized each study, with disagreements resolved by consensus. Of the 100 studies, 16 were case series. The remaining studies were descriptive cohort studies (35), population-based cohort studies (36), or other observational or experimental study designs (13). Almost half (48.8%) of the case series or descriptive cohort studies, with no control group and no formal statistical analysis, included inferential statements about the efficacy of treatment or statistical significance of potential risk factors. Authors, peer-reviewers, and editors should carefully consider the design elements of a study to accurately identify and label the study design. Doing so will facilitate an understanding of the evidentiary value of the results. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Substitution and complementarity of alcohol and cannabis: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Whether alcohol and cannabis are used as substitutes or complements remains debated, and findings across various disciplines have not been synthesized to date. Objective This paper is a first step towards organizing the interdisciplinary literature on alcohol and cannabis substitution and complementarity. Method Electronic searches were performed using PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge. Behavioral studies of humans with ‘alcohol’ (or ‘ethanol’) and ‘cannabis’ (or ‘marijuana”) and ‘complement*’ (or ‘substitut*’) in the title or as a keyword were considered. Studies were organized according to sample characteristics (youth, general population, clinical and community-based). These groups were not set a priori, but were informed by the literature review process. Results Of the 39 studies reviewed, 16 support substitution, ten support complementarity, 12 support neither and one supports both. Results from studies of youth suggest that youth may reduce alcohol in more liberal cannabis environments (substitute), but reduce cannabis in more stringent alcohol environments (complement). Results from the general population suggest that substitution of cannabis for alcohol may occur under more lenient cannabis policies, though cannabis-related laws may affect alcohol use differently across genders and racial groups. Conclusions Alcohol and cannabis act as both substitutes and complements. Policies aimed at one substance may inadvertently affect consumption of other substances. Future studies should collect fine-grained longitudinal, prospective data from the general population and subgroups of interest, especially in locations likely to legalize cannabis. PMID:27249324

Bone substitutes and expanders in Spine Surgery: A review of their fusion efficacies

PubMed Central

Millhouse, Paul W; Kepler, Christopher K; Radcliff, Kris E.; Fehlings, Michael G.; Janssen, Michael E.; Sasso, Rick C.; Benedict, James J.; Vaccaro, Alexander R

2016-01-01

Study Design A narrative review of literature. Objective This manuscript intends to provide a review of clinically relevant bone substitutes and bone expanders for spinal surgery in terms of efficacy and associated clinical outcomes, as reported in contemporary spine literature. Summary of Background Data Ever since the introduction of allograft as a substitute for autologous bone in spinal surgery, a sea of literature has surfaced, evaluating both established and newly emerging fusion alternatives. An understanding of the available fusion options and an organized evidence-based approach to their use in spine surgery is essential for achieving optimal results. Methods A Medline search of English language literature published through March 2016 discussing bone graft substitutes and fusion extenders was performed. All clinical studies reporting radiological and/or patient outcomes following the use of bone substitutes were reviewed under the broad categories of Allografts, Demineralized Bone Matrices (DBM), Ceramics, Bone Morphogenic proteins (BMPs), Autologous growth factors (AGFs), Stem cell products and Synthetic Peptides. These were further grouped depending on their application in lumbar and cervical spine surgeries, deformity correction or other miscellaneous procedures viz. trauma, infection or tumors; wherever data was forthcoming. Studies in animal populations and experimental in vitro studies were excluded. Primary endpoints were radiological fusion rates and successful clinical outcomes. Results A total of 181 clinical studies were found suitable to be included in the review. More than a third of the published articles (62 studies, 34.25%) focused on BMP. Ceramics (40 studies) and Allografts (39 studies) were the other two highly published groups of bone substitutes. Highest radiographic fusion rates were observed with BMPs, followed by allograft and DBM. There were no significant differences in the reported clinical outcomes across all classes of bone substitutes. Conclusions There is a clear publication bias in the literature, mostly favoring BMP. Based on the available data, BMP is however associated with the highest radiographic fusion rate. Allograft is also very well corroborated in the literature. The use of DBM as a bone expander to augment autograft is supported, especially in the lumbar spine. Ceramics are also utilized as bone graft extenders and results are generally supportive, although limited. The use of autologous growth factors is not substantiated at this time. Cell matrix or stem cell-based products and the synthetic peptides have inadequate data. More comparative studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of bone graft substitutes overall. PMID:27909654

Platelet-rich plasma use in anterior cruciate ligament surgery: systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Figueroa, David; Figueroa, Francisco; Calvo, Rafael; Vaisman, Alex; Ahumada, Ximena; Arellano, Sergio

2015-05-01

To systematically review the current literature for evidence that would substantiate the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures. We performed a systematic search in PubMed and Embase of studies written in the English and Spanish languages that compared the use of PRP with a control group in patients with ACL injuries assessing graft-to-bone healing, graft maturation, and/or clinical outcomes and were randomized controlled trials or prospective cohort studies. Eleven studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria, comprising 516 patients (266 ACL reconstructions using PRP and 250 ACL reconstructions without PRP). Six studies reported a statistically significant difference (4 studies) or tendency toward faster graft maturation in the platelet group (2 studies). One study found no differences. Regarding tunnel healing/widening, 1 study showed faster healing in the PRP group and 5 studies showed no differences between the 2 groups. Considering clinical outcomes, 1 study showed better clinical outcomes with PRP use and 5 studies showed no benefits with the use of PRP. Concerning ACL graft maturation, there is promising evidence that the addition of PRP could be a synergic factor in acquiring maturity more quickly than grafts with no PRP, with the clinical implication of this remaining unclear. Regarding tunnel healing, it appears that there is not an improvement with the addition of PRP. There is no proof that clinical outcomes of ACL surgery are enhanced by the use of PRP. Level III, systematic review of Level I through III studies. Copyright © 2015 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intermediate Cognitive Phenotypes in Bipolar Disorder

PubMed Central

Langenecker, Scott A.; Saunders, Erika F.H.; Kade, Allison M.; Ransom, Michael T.; McInnis, Melvin G.

2013-01-01

Background Intermediate cognitive phenotypes (ICPs) are measurable and quantifiable states that may be objectively assessed in a standardized method, and can be integrated into association studies, including genetic, biochemical, clinical, and imaging based correlates. The present study used neuropsychological measures as ICPs, with factor scores in executive functioning, attention, memory, fine motor function, and emotion processing, similar to prior work in schizophrenia. Methods Healthy control subjects (HC, n=34) and euthymic (E, n=66), depressed (D, n=43), or hypomanic/mixed (HM, n=13) patients with bipolar disorder (BD) were assessed with neuropsychological tests. These were from eight domains consistent with previous literature; auditory memory, visual memory, processing speed with interference resolution, verbal fluency and processing speed, conceptual reasoning and set-shifting, inhibitory control, emotion processing, and fine motor dexterity. Results Of the eight factor scores, the HC group outperformed the E group in three (Processing Speed with Interference Resolution, Visual Memory, Fine Motor Dexterity), the D group in seven (all except Inhibitory Control), and the HM group in four (Inhibitory Control, Processing Speed with Interference Resolution, Fine Motor Dexterity, and Auditory Memory). Limitations The HM group was relatively small, thus effects of this phase of illness may have been underestimated. Effects of medication could not be fully controlled without a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Conclusions Use of the factor scores can assist in determining ICPs for BD and related disorders, and may provide more specific targets for development of new treatments. We highlight strong ICPs (Processing Speed with Interference Resolution, Visual Memory, Fine Motor Dexterity) for further study, consistent with the existing literature. PMID:19800130

Creating a literature database of low-calorie sweeteners and health studies: evidence mapping.

PubMed

Wang, Ding Ding; Shams-White, Marissa; Bright, Oliver John M; Parrott, J Scott; Chung, Mei

2016-01-05

Evidence mapping is an emerging tool used to systematically identify, organize and summarize the quantity and focus of scientific evidence on a broad topic, but there are currently no methodological standards. Using the topic of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) and selected health outcomes, we describe the process of creating an evidence-map database and demonstrate several example descriptive analyses using this database. The process of creating an evidence-map database is described in detail. The steps include: developing a comprehensive literature search strategy, establishing study eligibility criteria and a systematic study selection process, extracting data, developing outcome groups with input from expert stakeholders and tabulating data using descriptive analyses. The database was uploaded onto SRDR™ (Systematic Review Data Repository), an open public data repository. Our final LCS evidence-map database included 225 studies, of which 208 were interventional studies and 17 were cohort studies. An example bubble plot was produced to display the evidence-map data and visualize research gaps according to four parameters: comparison types, population baseline health status, outcome groups, and study sample size. This plot indicated a lack of studies assessing appetite and dietary intake related outcomes using LCS with a sugar intake comparison in people with diabetes. Evidence mapping is an important tool for the contextualization of in-depth systematic reviews within broader literature and identifies gaps in the evidence base, which can be used to inform future research. An open evidence-map database has the potential to promote knowledge translation from nutrition science to policy.

Group visits for chronic illness management: implementation challenges and recommendations.

PubMed

Jones, Katherine R; Kaewluang, Napatsawan; Lekhak, Nirmala

2014-01-01

The group visit approach to improve chronic illness self-management appears promising in terms of selected outcomes, but little information is available about best ways to organize and implement group visits. This literature review of 84 articles identified group visit implementation challenges, including lack of a group visit billing code, inadequate administrative support and resources, difficult participant recruitment and retention, and logistical issues such as space and scheduling. Recommendations for future implementation initiatives were also abstracted from the literature. Patients and providers can benefit from well-planned and well-conducted group visits. These benefits include greater patient and provider satisfaction, reduced overall utilization, improved clinical outcomes, and greater provider efficiency and productivity.

A research on relationship between ABO blood groups and body mass index among Turkish seafarers.

PubMed

Nas, Selçuk; Fışkın, Remzi

2017-01-01

The present study aims to investigate and to reveal the relationship between ABO blood groups and body mass index (BMI) and obesity among Turkish seafarers by using the health examination reports data obtained from 2009 to 2016. The data on age, gender, weight, height and blood groups obtained from 298,247 medical examination reports of Turkish seafarers were used with the official permission of Directorate General of Health for Border and Coastal Areas. Only 116,871 reports included blood group data. Regression and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were performed to survey relationship between variables. The results of the study were compared with other studies in the related literature. It has been revealed that AB Rh (-) group was associated the highest mean BMI value (mean: 25.952). It is suggested that seafarers with AB Rh (-) blood group, who have the highest mean BMI value, should pay special attention to their weight.

Examining the Effects of Text Genre and Structure on Fourth-and Fifth-Grade Students' High-Level Comprehension as Evidenced in Small-Group Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Mengyi; Murphy, P. Karen; Firetto, Carla M.

2014-01-01

Although there is a rich literature on the role of text genre and structure on students' literal comprehension, more research is needed regarding the role of these text features on students' high-level comprehension as evidenced in their small-group discussions. As such, the present study examined the effects of text genre (i.e., narrative and…

A Normative Model of Work Team Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-01

Hawthc-ne studies at Western Electric Corporation, Harold Leavitt (1975) observed: Far and away the most powerful and beloved tool of applied behavioral ...scientists is the small face-to-face group. Since the Western Electric researches, behavioral scientists have been learning to understand, exploit and...integration of literature on small group behavior , see McGrath and Altman (1966). Current reviews are provided by Hare (1976), MicGrath and Kravitz (1982

Integrating the Levels of Person-Environment Fit: The Roles of Vocational Fit and Group Fit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogel, Ryan M.; Feldman, Daniel C.

2009-01-01

Previous research on fit has largely focused on person-organization (P-O) fit and person-job (P-J) fit. However, little research has examined the interplay of person-vocation (P-V) fit and person-group (P-G) fit with P-O fit and P-J fit in the same study. This article advances the fit literature by examining these relationships with data collected…

Cooking Healthy, Eating Smart: A Strategically Timed Formative Evaluation of a Community-Based Nutrition and Food Safety Program for Rural Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Angela; Chao, Morgan G.; Amella, Elaine J.; Mueller, Martina

2016-01-01

The use of focus groups to formatively evaluate community-based curricula after development and before pilot testing is not highlighted in the literature. In the study discussed in this article, research with four focus groups, composed of 46 women aged 65 years and older and belonging to eight South Carolina Family and Community Leaders clubs,…

Social Stories: Mechanisms of Effectiveness in Increasing Game Play Skills in Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using a Pretest Posttest Repeated Measures Randomized Control Group Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quirmbach, Linda M.; Lincoln, Alan J.; Feinberg-Gizzo, Monica J.; Ingersoll, Brooke R.; Andrews, Siri M.

2009-01-01

An increasing body of literature has indicated that social stories are an effective way to teach individuals diagnosed with autism appropriate social behavior. This study compared two formats of a social story targeting the improvement of social skills during game play using a pretest posttest repeated measures randomized control group design. A…

The Dynamics of Solid Propellant Combustion.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-31

review the theory and summarize most of the nume- rical and experimental findings by our research group . The complete literature so far published by this...deradiation reported by the Princeton group (Refs. 58-59). Ciepluch (Refs.20-22) conducted one of the first systematic experimental studies of depressurization...is the reaction order of the overall, one-step, irreversible kinetics controlling the gas phase heat release. Taking into account the quasi -steady

Stepchildren of Archaoes: An Ethnography of a Support Group for Vietnam Veterans at the Florida State University Campus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horan, Michael

A study of a subculture of Vietnam veterans on the Florida State University campus in 1989 uncovered a small, informal, and low-key group of men and women. The literature showed that the returning Vietnam veteran faced negative images and was a student misfit; the college experience of many was one of quiet desperation as they attempted to escape…

Patient engagement in the inpatient setting: a systematic review.

PubMed

Prey, Jennifer E; Woollen, Janet; Wilcox, Lauren; Sackeim, Alexander D; Hripcsak, George; Bakken, Suzanne; Restaino, Susan; Feiner, Steven; Vawdrey, David K

2014-01-01

To systematically review existing literature regarding patient engagement technologies used in the inpatient setting. PubMed, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Digital Library, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Xplore, and Cochrane databases were searched for studies that discussed patient engagement ('self-efficacy', 'patient empowerment', 'patient activation', or 'patient engagement'), (2) involved health information technology ('technology', 'games', 'electronic health record', 'electronic medical record', or 'personal health record'), and (3) took place in the inpatient setting ('inpatient' or 'hospital'). Only English language studies were reviewed. 17 articles were identified describing the topic of inpatient patient engagement. A few articles identified design requirements for inpatient engagement technology. The remainder described interventions, which we grouped into five categories: entertainment, generic health information delivery, patient-specific information delivery, advanced communication tools, and personalized decision support. Examination of the current literature shows there are considerable gaps in knowledge regarding patient engagement in the hospital setting and inconsistent use of terminology regarding patient engagement overall. Research on inpatient engagement technologies has been limited, especially concerning the impact on health outcomes and cost-effectiveness. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Unilateral hemimandibular hyperactivity: Clinical features of a population of 128 patients.

PubMed

Vernucci, Roberto Antonio; Mazzoli, Valentina; Galluccio, Gabriella; Silvestri, Alessandro; Barbato, Ersilia

2018-07-01

Facial asymmetries due to unilateral condylar hyperactivity are often a challenge both for maxillo-facial surgeons and for orthodontists; the current literature shows different opinions about aetiology, classification, treatment approach and timing. We made a retrospective study on patients suffering from unilateral condylar hyperactivity between 1997 and 2015 in our Department; clinical features and treatment options were grouped and compared with literature. The descriptive analysis investigated variables like sex, age, side and direction of the asymmetry, condylar activity and type of intervention. The population was composed of 128 patients. The hemimandibular hyperactivity occurs equally in both sexes around the second decade, although the range of the first consultation goes from 7 to 49 y.o. The vertical hyperdevelopment group is almost equal to the horizontal. All the patients with horizontal hyperactivity showed negative scintigraphy and were treated with pre-surgical orthodontics and orthognathic surgery; patients with vertical hyperactivity and positive scintigraphy were treated with condylectomy and post-surgical orthodontics. In our group of patients, direction of the hyperactivity and results of the scintigraphy lead to treatment choice and timing. Further studies are necessary to explain why, in our group, all the patients with horizontal involvement are negative to scintigraphy. Copyright © 2018 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Suicide among immigrants in Europe--a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Spallek, Jacob; Reeske, Anna; Norredam, Marie; Nielsen, Signe Smith; Lehnhardt, Jessica; Razum, Oliver

2015-02-01

Concerns about increased suicide risk among immigrants to European countries have been raised. We review the scientific literature on differences in suicide among immigrants compared with the majority populations in Europe's major immigration countries. We searched the databases PubMed and PsycINFO for peer-reviewed epidemiological studies published in 1990-2011, which compared suicide risks of adult immigrant groups with the risks of the majority population in European countries. Hits were screened by two researchers. We included 24 studies in the review. No generalizable pattern of suicide among immigrants was found. Immigrants from countries in which suicide risks are particularly high, i.e. countries in Northern and Eastern Europe, experienced higher suicide rates relative to groups without migration background. Gender and age differences were observed. Young female immigrants from Turkey, East Africa and South Asia are a risk group. Immigrants 'bring along' their suicide risk, at least for the initial period they spend in the immigration country. Health-care planners and providers need to be aware of this 'imported risks'. However, most immigrant groups do not have an increased suicide risk relative to the local-born population; some may even experience substantially lower risks. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

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.

Incorporating Mexican American History and Culture into the Social Studies Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Escamilla, Kathy

Although Mexican Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, their history and literature are seldom taught in American classrooms. A study of over 3,000 high school sophomores in the Southwest revealed that neither Anglos nor Hispanics were aware of the contributions of Mexican Americans. Incorporating Mexican American…

"Clustering" Documents Automatically to Support Scoping Reviews of Research: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stansfield, Claire; Thomas, James; Kavanagh, Josephine

2013-01-01

Background: Scoping reviews of research help determine the feasibility and the resource requirements of conducting a systematic review, and the potential to generate a description of the literature quickly is attractive. Aims: To test the utility and applicability of an automated clustering tool to describe and group research studies to improve…

Preparing Citizens for Multicultural Democracy in a U.S. History Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiCamillo, Lorrei; Pace, Judith L.

2010-01-01

The authors extend the literature on multicultural democratic citizenship education (Marri, 2005) with a case study about how a highly esteemed high school teacher involved a heterogeneous group of students in a rigorous, engaging, critical study of U.S. History. Mr. Scott's teaching was noteworthy in its community building, thorough disciplinary…

Beginning Teachers' Induction in Chile: The Perspective of Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flores, Catherine

2017-01-01

This case study investigated the role of school principals in the induction of beginning teachers in Copiapó, Chile. Building upon group and individual interviews, and review of extant literature, the following findings were established: (a) principals in this study expect beginning teachers to be fully formed as classroom teachers; (b) principals…

An Action Research Project's Impact on Teachers' Leadership Attitudes and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Nancy; Dillard, Benita R.

2013-01-01

California Lutheran University is a regional site for the California Reading and Literature Project (CRLP). In 2010, CRLP began a two-year longitudinal study to examine the effects of participating in an institute called Reframing Teacher Leadership: Action Research Study Group had on PreK-12 teachers' attitudes and perceptions. The foundation…

School Nurses' Perceived Barriers to Discussing Weight with Children and Their Families: A Qualitative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steele, Ric G.; Wu, Yelena P.; Jensen, Chad D.; Pankey, Sydni; Davis, Ann M.; Aylward, Brandon S.

2011-01-01

Background: Previous studies have documented the presence of specific barriers to school nurses' communications with families about weight-related health. The purpose of the present study was to contribute to the literature by further analyzing, using focus group methodology, school nurses' perceived barriers to addressing weight-related health…

Oral Interpretation as a Pedagogical Tool in Teaching Literary Comprehension and Appreciation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford-Brown, Lisa A.

A study investigated whether there was a significant difference in the comprehension and appreciation of literature studied through oral interpretation when compared to silent reading. Two hundred and sixty-three third, fourth, and fifth graders from Terre Haute, Indiana were separated into experimental and control groups, and were given pre- and…

A Retrospective Study of DARE: Substantive Effects not Detected in Undergraduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thombs, Dennis L.

2000-01-01

This retrospective study examined long-term effects of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) by assessing substance use among undergraduates. Results from a multiple discriminant analysis found that after accounting for effects of age, there were no substantial group differences in substance use. These findings add to a growing literature that…

Loss, Responsibility, Blame? Staff Discourses of Student Plagiarism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gourlay, Lesley; Deane, Janis

2012-01-01

Student plagiarism and difficulties with writing have been widely investigated in the literature, but there has been less research on staff perspectives. A Joint Information Services Committee (JISC)-funded questionnaire (n = 80) and focus group study investigated the views of lecturers, librarians and study advisors at a UK post-92 university,…

Classifying University Employability Strategies: Three Case Studies and Implications for Practice and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farenga, Stéphane A.; Quinlan, Kathleen M.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study documents three main strategic models used by Russell Group Careers Services to support students' preparation for graduate careers. It is framed against the backdrop of a challenging graduate labour market, discussions of employability in the literature and the policy assumption that universities are responsible for…

Affirmative Action in Brazil: How Students' Field of Study Choice Reproduces Social Inequalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dias Lopes, Alice

2017-01-01

This paper aims to understand which fields of study affirmative action students graduated at the undergraduate level in public universities in Brazil in 2009 and 2010. Public universities began expanding access for underrepresented groups through racial, economic, and social affirmative action policies in 2001. The existing literature on…

Evaluating Types of Students' Interactions in a Wiki-Based Collaborative Learning Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prokofieva, Maria

2013-01-01

Wiki technology has been promoted as a collaborative software platform. This study investigates interactions that occur in a wiki-based collaborative learning project. The study draws on interaction literature and investigates the types of interactions with which students are engaged in wiki-based group projects, clusters that reflect online…

Design Dimensions and Attributes for Web-Based Distance Learning Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pomales-Garcia, Cristina; Lopez, Angel D.; Liu, Yili

2010-01-01

This study investigates and compares the relative importance of Web module design dimensions and their attributes as perceived by student participants in a research study and those defined by a selected group of researchers in the literature. We aim to understand whether the dimensions of clarity, organization, structure, visual/aesthetical…

[Effect of premolar extractions on third molar angulation changes: a meta-analysis].

PubMed

Fan, Linlin; Kuang, Qin; Tang, Yujuan; Qin, Pu

2015-03-01

To assess the effect of premolar extractions on third molar angulation changes in orthodontic patients. The Cochrane library, PubMed, Embase, China Science and Technology Periodical Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) and Wanfang database were searched from January 1, 1990 to May 20, 2014 to identify all the studies about third molar angulation changes in orthodontic patients with or without premolars extraction, which was assigned as a extraction group and a control group. Th e extraction group was further divided into a fi rst premolar extraction subgroup and a second premolar extraction subgroup. Literature filtering, data extraction and methodological quality evaluation were finished independently by two researchers. After cross checking, the disagreements were solved by discussion. Meta-analysis was carried out by RevMan 5.3.3 software. Ten studies involving 712 patients were included. Meta-analysis revealed that: compared with the control group, the changes of third molar angulation in maxillary and mandible in the extraction group were statistically significantly different (all P<0.05); the difference in angulation between the two groups was about 5.19° in maxillary and 3.55° in mandibul. As for the premolar extraction subgroups, there was no significant difference in mandibular third molar angulation between them (P>0.05). The orthodontic treatment involving first or second premolar extractions can improve the maxillary third molar angulation, and the second premolar extraction is the best option.

Biosimilarity and Interchangeability: Principles and Evidence: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

McKinnon, Ross A; Cook, Matthew; Liauw, Winston; Marabani, Mona; Marschner, Ian C; Packer, Nicolle H; Prins, Johannes B

2018-02-01

The efficacy, safety and immunogenicity risk of switching between an originator biologic and a biosimilar or from one biosimilar to another are of potential concern. The aim was to conduct a systematic literature review of the outcomes of switching between biologics and their biosimilars and identify any evidence gaps. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library from inception to June 2017. Relevant societal meetings were also checked. Peer-reviewed studies reporting efficacy and/or safety data on switching between originator and biosimilar products or from one biosimilar to another were selected. Studies with fewer than 20 switched patients were excluded. Data were extracted on interventions, study population, reason for treatment switching, efficacy outcomes, safety and anti-drug antibodies. The systematic literature search identified 63 primary publications covering 57 switching studies. The reason for switching was reported as non-medical in 50 studies (23 clinical, 27 observational). Seven studies (all observational) did not report whether the reasons for switching were medical or non-medical. In 38 of the 57 studies, fewer than 100 patients were switched. Follow-up after switching went beyond 1 year in eight of the 57 studies. Of the 57 studies, 33 included statistical analysis of disease activity or patient outcomes; the majority of these studies found no statistically significant differences between groups for main efficacy parameters (based on P < 0.05 or predefined acceptance ranges), although some studies observed changes for some parameters. Most studies reported similar safety profiles between groups. There are important evidence gaps around the safety of switching between biologics and their biosimilars. Sufficiently powered and appropriately statistically analysed clinical trials and pharmacovigilance studies, with long-term follow-ups and multiple switches, are needed to support decision-making around biosimilar switching.

Do e-mail alerts of new research increase knowledge translation? A "Nephrology Now" randomized control trial.

PubMed

Tanna, Gemini V; Sood, Manish M; Schiff, Jeffrey; Schwartz, Daniel; Naimark, David M

2011-01-01

As the volume of medical literature increases exponentially, maintaining current clinical practice is becoming more difficult. Multiple, Internet-based journal clubs and alert services have recently emerged. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of the e-mail alert service, Nephrology Now, increases knowledge translation regarding current nephrology literature. Nephrology Now is a nonprofit, monthly e-mail alert service that highlights clinically relevant articles in nephrology. In 2007-2008, the authors randomized 1,683 subscribers into two different groups receiving select intervention articles, and then they used an online survey to assess both groups on their familiarity with the articles and their acquisition of knowledge. Of the randomized subscribers, 803 (47.7%) completed surveys, and the two groups had a similar number of responses (401 and 402, respectively). The authors noted no differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. Familiarity increased as a result of the Nephrology Now alerts (0.23 ± 0.087 units on a familiarity scale; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06-0.41; P = .007) especially in physicians (multivariate odds ratio 1.83; P = .0002). No detectable improvement in knowledge occurred (0.03 ± 0.083 units on a knowledge scale; 95% CI: -0.13 to 0.20; P = .687). An e-mail alert service of new literature improved a component of knowledge translation--familiarity--but not knowledge acquisition in a large, randomized, international population.

Ethnobotanical Knowledge Is Vastly Under-Documented in Northwestern South America

PubMed Central

Cámara-Leret, Rodrigo; Paniagua-Zambrana, Narel; Balslev, Henrik; Macía, Manuel J.

2014-01-01

A main objective of ethnobotany is to document traditional knowledge about plants before it disappears. However, little is known about the coverage of past ethnobotanical studies and thus about how well the existing literature covers the overall traditional knowledge of different human groups. To bridge this gap, we investigated ethnobotanical data-collecting efforts across four countries (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia), three ecoregions (Amazon, Andes, Chocó), and several human groups (including Amerindians, mestizos, and Afro-Americans). We used palms (Arecaceae) as our model group because of their usefulness and pervasiveness in the ethnobotanical literature. We carried out a large number of field interviews (n = 2201) to determine the coverage and quality of palm ethnobotanical data in the existing ethnobotanical literature (n = 255) published over the past 60 years. In our fieldwork in 68 communities, we collected 87,886 use reports and documented 2262 different palm uses and 140 useful palm species. We demonstrate that traditional knowledge on palm uses is vastly under-documented across ecoregions, countries, and human groups. We suggest that the use of standardized data-collecting protocols in wide-ranging ethnobotanical fieldwork is a promising approach for filling critical information gaps. Our work contributes to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and emphasizes the need for signatory nations to the Convention on Biological Diversity to respond to these information gaps. Given our findings, we hope to stimulate the formulation of clear plans to systematically document ethnobotanical knowledge in northwestern South America and elsewhere before it vanishes. PMID:24416449

Primary prevention of psychiatric illness in special populations.

PubMed

Sajatovic, Martha; Sanders, Renata; Alexeenko, Lada; Madhusoodanan, Subramoniam

2010-11-01

Some populations appear to be particularly vulnerable to the development of psychiatric symptomatology related to life events and biologic or social/cultural factors. Such groups include individuals who have experienced traumatic events, military personnel, individuals with serious medical conditions, postpartum women, and immigrants. This study reviews the literature regarding primary prevention of psychiatric disorders in special populations and identifies a variety of universal, selective, and indicated prevention measures aimed at minimizing the psychiatric sequelae in these groups. The authors reviewed the literature regarding the prevention of psychiatric symptoms in trauma/abuse victims, individuals in the military, oncology patients, patients with diabetes, pregnant/postpartum women, and immigrants. The literature on primary prevention of psychiatric illness in the special populations identified is rather limited. Universal prevention may be beneficial in some instances through public awareness campaigns and disaster planning. In other instances, more specific and intensive interventions for individuals at high risk of psychiatric illness may improve outcomes, for example, crisis counseling for those who have experienced severe trauma. Primary prevention of psychiatric illness may be an attainable goal via implementation of specific universal, selected, and indicated primary prevention measures in special populations.

Infective endocarditis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

PubMed Central

Dominguez, Fernando; Ramos, Antonio; Bouza, Emilio; Muñoz, Patricia; Valerio, Maricela C.; Fariñas, M. Carmen; de Berrazueta, José Ramón; Zarauza, Jesús; Pericás Pulido, Juan Manuel; Paré, Juan Carlos; de Alarcón, Arístides; Sousa, Dolores; Rodriguez Bailón, Isabel; Montejo-Baranda, Miguel; Noureddine, Mariam; García Vázquez, Elisa; Garcia-Pavia, Pablo

2016-01-01

Abstract Infective endocarditis (IE) complicating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a poorly known entity. Although current guidelines do not recommend IE antibiotic prophylaxis (IEAP) in HCM, controversy remains. This study sought to describe the clinical course of a large series of IE HCM and to compare IE in HCM patients with IE patients with and without an indication for IEAP. Data from the GAMES IE registry involving 27 Spanish hospitals were analyzed. From January 2008 to December 2013, 2000 consecutive IE patients were prospectively included in the registry. Eleven IE HCM additional cases from before 2008 were also studied. Clinical, microbiological, and echocardiographic characteristics were analyzed in IE HCM patients (n = 34) and in IE HCM reported in literature (n = 84). Patients with nondevice IE (n = 1807) were classified into 3 groups: group 1, HCM with native-valve IE (n = 26); group 2, patients with IEAP indication (n = 696); group 3, patients with no IEAP indication (n = 1085). IE episode and 1-year follow-up data were gathered. One-year mortality in IE HCM was 42% in our study and 22% in the literature. IE was more frequent, although not exclusive, in obstructive HCM (59% and 74%, respectively). Group 1 exhibited more IE predisposing factors than groups 2 and 3 (62% vs 40% vs 50%, P < 0.01), and more previous dental procedures (23% vs 6% vs 8%, P < 0.01). Furthermore, Group 1 experienced a higher incidence of Streptococcus infections than Group 2 (39% vs 22%, P < 0.01) and similar to Group 3 (39% vs 30%, P = 0.34). Overall mortality was similar among groups (42% vs 36% vs 35%, P = 0.64). IE occurs in HCM patients with and without obstruction. Mortality of IE HCM is high but similar to patients with and without IEAP indication. Predisposing factors, previous dental procedures, and streptococcal infection are higher in IE HCM, suggesting that HCM patients could benefit from IEAP. PMID:27368014

Systematic mapping review of the factors influencing dietary behaviour in ethnic minority groups living in Europe: a DEDIPAC study.

PubMed

Osei-Kwasi, Hibbah Araba; Nicolaou, Mary; Powell, Katie; Terragni, Laura; Maes, Lea; Stronks, Karien; Lien, Nanna; Holdsworth, Michelle

2016-07-28

Europe has a growing population of ethnic minority groups whose dietary behaviours are potentially of public health concern. To promote healthier diets, the factors driving dietary behaviours need to be understood. This review mapped the broad range of factors influencing dietary behaviour among ethnic minority groups living in Europe, in order to identify research gaps in the literature to guide future research. A systematic mapping review was conducted (protocol registered with PROSPERO 2014: CRD42014013549). Nine databases were searched for quantitative and qualitative primary research published between 1999 and 2014. Ethnic minority groups were defined as immigrants/populations of immigrant background from low and middle income countries, population groups from former Eastern Bloc countries and minority indigenous populations. In synthesizing the findings, all factors were sorted and structured into emerging clusters according to how they were seen to relate to each other. Thirty-seven of 2965 studies met the inclusion criteria (n = 18 quantitative; n = 19 qualitative). Most studies were conducted in Northern Europe and were limited to specific European countries, and focused on a selected number of ethnic minority groups, predominantly among populations of South Asian origin. The 63 factors influencing dietary behaviour that emerged were sorted into seven clusters: social and cultural environment (16 factors), food beliefs and perceptions (11 factors), psychosocial (9 factors), social and material resources (5 factors), accessibility of food (10 factors), migration context (7 factors), and the body (5 factors). This review identified a broad range of factors and clusters influencing dietary behaviour among ethnic minority groups. Gaps in the literature identified a need for researchers to explore the underlying mechanisms that shape dietary behaviours, which can be gleaned from more holistic, systems-based studies exploring relationships between factors and clusters. The dominance of studies exploring 'differences' between ethnic minority groups and the majority population in terms of the socio-cultural environment and food beliefs suggests a need for research exploring 'similarities'. The evidence from this review will feed into developing a framework for the study of factors influencing dietary behaviours in ethnic minority groups in Europe.

Exploring the literature on music participation and social connectedness for young people with intellectual disability: A critical interpretive synthesis.

PubMed

Murphy, Melissa Ai; McFerran, Katrina

2017-12-01

This article explores the literature on social connectedness and music for young people with disability. It then critically examines the level of congruence between the reported literature to date and current rights-based disability studies discourse. A critical interpretive synthesis was used to examine 27 articles referencing the use of music for social connectedness. Areas of focus in the review are the nature of connections being fostered in music programs, the use of voice and collaboration. The majority of music programs reported on closed groups. Outdated 'expert' models of working persist. The use of participants' voice in the literature is growing, although there is a lack of collaboration and negative reporting. A shift in thinking heralds greater collaboration with participants, although this could be broadened to include decisions on research agendas, planning and evaluation. There is also need for active fostering of broader socio-musical pathways.

Comprehensive Review of Applicable Supercritical Fluid Extraction Research

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

Harvey, Scott; Wright, Cherylyn W.; Wright, Bob W.

2001-09-10

This comprehensive supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) literature review is divided into three major sections. The first section describes the electronic literature search details including the abstract service used and the different topics searched. This section also contains an overview of the seven search topics that yielded relevant references along with a brief synopsis of the most significant literature citations. These seven groupings are (1) chemical warfare agents; (2) explosives; (3) hazardous chemicals; (4) poisons, toxins and mycotoxins; (5) toxic (lethal) chemical and toxicants; (6) pesticides in soil; and (7) pesticides from plant and animal tissues. The second section contains tablesmore » of each of these groupings. Each of the seven tables contains entries for individual literature citations listed along with the specific compounds or compound classes that are addressed. The third section refers to the abstracts used in the literature search.« less

Health issues of female foreign domestic workers: a systematic review of the scientific and gray literature.

PubMed

Malhotra, Rahul; Arambepola, Chandima; Tarun, Samiksha; de Silva, Vijitha; Kishore, Jugal; Østbye, Truls

2013-01-01

Although the number of female foreign domestic workers (FDWs) is increasing worldwide, little is known about their health issues. To systematically review the literature on health issues of female FDWs to ascertain the problems studied, identify limitations, and suggest future research and policy implications. A systematic database (PubMed, EBSCO Host, and Google Scholar) and bibliographic search identified the English-language scientific and gray literature published during 1990-2012 addressing health issues of female FDWs living with the family of the employer, using qualitative and/or quantitative research methods. Studies in which female FDWs constituted less than half of the participants were excluded. The health issues studied and identified were adverse work conditions and associated health problems (such as physical, verbal, and sexual abuse at the workplace, caregiving tasks associated with musculoskeletal strain, and chemical exposure associated with respiratory difficulty), mental health (psychotic, neurotic, and mood disorders), infectious diseases (most of the studies were on intestinal parasitic infections), and health knowledge/attitudes/practices (most of the studies were in context of sexual and reproductive health). Most of the studies were medical record reviews or questionnaire-based surveys utilizing convenience sampling or qualitative interviews/focus group discussions. Female FDWs face numerous health problems. Studies on representative, possibly longitudinal, samples of female FDWs focusing on specific health conditions are needed to better understand the epidemiology of such conditions. Concerted efforts through the governments of both labor-sending and host countries are required to improve the health, work conditions, and safety of this vulnerable group of women.

A Literature Synthesis of Health Promotion Research in Salons and Barbershops

PubMed Central

Linnan, Laura A.; D’Angelo, Heather; Harrington, Cherise B.

2015-01-01

Context Barbershops and beauty salons are located in all communities and frequented by diverse groups of people, making them key settings for addressing health disparities. No studies have reviewed the growing body of literature describing studies promoting health in these settings. This review summarized the literature related to promoting health within barbershops and beauty salons to inform future approaches that target diverse populations in similar settings. Evidence Acquisition We identified and reviewed published research articles describing formative research, recruitment, and health-related interventions set in beauty salons and barbershops. PubMed and other secondary search engines were searched in 2010 and again in 2013 for English-language papers indexed from 1990 through August 2013. The search yielded 110 articles, 68 of which were formerly reviewed, and 54 were eligible for inclusion. Evidence Synthesis Included articles were categorized as formative research (n=27), recruitment (n=7), or intervention (n=20). Formative research studies showed that owners, barbers/stylists, and their customers were willing participants, clarifying the feasibility of promoting health in these settings. Recruitment studies demonstrated that salon/shop owners will join research studies and can enroll customers. Among intervention studies, level of stylist/barber involvement was categorized. More than 73.3% of intervention studies demonstrated statistically significant results, targeting mostly racial/ethnic minority groups and focusing on a variety of health topics. Conclusions Barbershops and beauty salons are promising settings for reaching populations most at risk for health disparities. Although these results are encouraging, more rigorous research and evaluation of future salon- and barbershop-based interventions are needed. PMID:24768037

[Clinico-pathology of lobular breast cancer].

PubMed

Langmár, Z; Orosz, Z

1999-05-16

997 operations were performed because of malignant breast lesions at the National Institute of Oncology during a two-years period (1990-1991). Histologically 94 tumours proved to be invasive lobular cancer. Comparable data were available for 89 patients; a questionnaire was used for data collection. Analysing these cases, the authors discuss the clinicopathology of lobular cancer and current practice in its treatment. The mean age of the patients was 57.1 years, which in accordance with the literature. No synchronous contralateral tumour was observed in the studied patient group. 4.9% of the cases proved to be multifocal, what is considerably less than that reported in the literature. It is a frequent matter of debate in many papers whether mastectomy should be indicated if the multicentricity of the tumour is only suspected. The features of the studied group may also emphasise this question, and further investigation is needed for moderating the surgical radicality. The rate of large tumours and the mean tumour diameter was lower than suggested by the literature. The rate of positive axillary lymph nodes was higher than in reports of other centres. The authors underline the necessity of axillary block-dissection even in case of operations with decreased radicality. Beside lymph node metastases, invasive lobular cancer produces haematogenous metastases with a higher probabilty than other breast cancers. This observation is supported by our study, too.

Tissue engineering of urethra: Systematic review of recent literature.

PubMed

Žiaran, Stanislav; Galambošová, Martina; Danišovič, L'uboš

2017-12-01

The purpose of this article was to perform a systematic review of the recent literature on urethral tissue engineering. A total of 31 articles describing the use of tissue engineering for urethra reconstruction were included. The obtained results were discussed in three groups: cells, scaffolds, and clinical results of urethral reconstructions using these components. Stem cells of different origin were used in many experimental studies, but only autologous urothelial cells, fibroblasts, and keratinocytes were applied in clinical trials. Natural and synthetic scaffolds were studied in the context of urethral tissue engineering. The main advantage of synthetic ones is the fact that they can be obtained in unlimited amount and modified by different techniques, but scaffolds of natural origin normally contain chemical groups and bioactive proteins which increase the cell attachment and may promote the cell proliferation and differentiation. The most promising are smart scaffolds delivering different bioactive molecules or those that can be tubularized. In two clinical trials, only onlay-fashioned transplants were used for urethral reconstruction. However, the very promising results were obtained from animal studies where tubularized scaffolds, both non-seeded and cell-seeded, were applied. Impact statement The main goal of this article was to perform a systematic review of the recent literature on urethral tissue engineering. It summarizes the most recent information about cells, seeded or non-seeded scaffolds and clinical application with respect to regeneration of urethra.

Statistical Learning and Dyslexia: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmalz, Xenia; Altoè, Gianmarco; Mulatti, Claudio

2017-01-01

The existing literature on developmental dyslexia (hereafter: dyslexia) often focuses on isolating cognitive skills which differ across dyslexic and control participants. Among potential correlates, previous research has studied group differences between dyslexic and control participants in performance on statistical learning tasks. A statistical…

First Year Master of Education (M.Ed.) Students' Experiences of Part-Time Study: A South African Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chikoko, V.

2010-01-01

This article reports on a study of how a group of first year M.Ed. students in the Faculty of Education of the University of KwaZulu-Natal experienced part-time study. Literature suggests that each year, South Africa suffers significant student departures from universities without completing their studies. Apart from the cost and manpower…

Systems thinking in public health: a bibliographic contribution to a meta-narrative review.

PubMed

Chughtai, Saad; Blanchet, Karl

2017-05-01

Research across the formal, natural and social sciences has greatly expanded our knowledge about complex systems in recent decades, informing a broadly inclusive, cross-disciplinary conceptual framework referred to as Systems Thinking (ST). Its use in public health is rapidly increasing, although there remains a poor understanding of how these ideas have been imported, adapted and elaborated by public health research networks worldwide. This review employed a mixed methods approach to narrate the development of ST in public health. Tabulated results from a literature search of the Web of Science Core Collection database were used to perform a bibliometric analysis and literature review. Annual publication counts and citation scores were used to analyse trends and identify popular and potential 'landmark' publications. Citation network and co-authorship network diagrams were analysed to identify groups of articles and researchers in various network roles. Our search string related to 763 publications. Filtering excluded 208 publications while citation tracing identified 2 texts. The final 557 publications were analysed, revealing a near-exponential growth in literature over recent years. Half of all articles were published after 2010 with almost a fifth (17.8%) published in 2014. Bibliographic analysis identified five distinct citation and co-authorship groups homophilous by common geography, research focus, inspiration or institutional affiliation. As a loosely related set of sciences, many public health researchers have developed different aspects of ST based on their underlying perspective. Early studies were inspired by Management-related literature, while later groups adopted a broadly inclusive understanding which incorporated related Systems sciences and approaches. ST is an increasingly popular subject of discussion within public health although its understanding and approaches remain unclear. Briefly tracing the introduction and development of these ideas and author groups in public health literature may provide clarity and opportunities for further learning, research and development. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Differences in risk factors for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) receiving needed specialty care by socioeconomic status

PubMed Central

Lykens, Kristine A; Fulda, Kimberly G; Bae, Sejong; Singh, Karan P

2009-01-01

Background The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting CSHCN's receiving needed specialty care among different socioeconomic levels. Previous literature has shown that Socioeconomic Status (SES) is a significant factor in CHSHCN receiving access to healthcare. Other literature has shown that factors of insurance, family size, race/ethnicity and sex also have effects on these children's receipt of care. However, this literature does not address whether other factors such as maternal education, geographic location, age, insurance type, severity of condition, or race/ethnicity have different effects on receiving needed specialty care for children in each SES level. Methods Data were obtained from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, 2000–2002. The study analyzed the survey which studies whether CHSCN who needed specialty care received it. The analysis included demographic characteristics, geographical location of household, severity of condition, and social factors. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed for SES levels defined by federal poverty level: < 199%; 200–299%; ≥ 300%. Results For the poorest children (,199% FPL) being uninsured had a strong negative effect on receiving all needed specialty care. Being Hispanic was a protective factor. Having more than one adult in the household had a positive impact on receipt of needed specialty care but a larger number of children in the family had a negative impact. For the middle income group of children (200–299% of FPL severity of condition had a strong negative association with receipt of needed specialty care. Children in highest income group (> 300% FPL) were positively impacted by living in the Midwest and were negatively impacted by the mother having only some college compared to a four-year degree. Conclusion Factors affecting CSHCN receiving all needed specialty care differed among socioeconomic groups. These differences should be addressed in policy and practice. Future research should explore the CSHCN population by income groups to better serve this population PMID:19646227

Definition of the Mediterranean Diet; a Literature Review.

PubMed

Davis, Courtney; Bryan, Janet; Hodgson, Jonathan; Murphy, Karen

2015-11-05

Numerous studies over several decades suggest that following the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and improve cognitive health. However, there are inconsistencies among methods used for evaluating and defining the MedDiet. Through a review of the literature, we aimed to quantitatively define the MedDiet by food groups and nutrients. Databases PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Academic Search Premier and the University of South Australia Library Catalogue were searched. Articles were included if they defined the MedDiet in at least two of the following ways: (1) general descriptive definitions; (2) diet pyramids/numbers of servings of key foods; (3) grams of key foods/food groups; and (4) nutrient and flavonoid content. Quantity of key foods and nutrient content was recorded and the mean was calculated. The MedDiet contained three to nine serves of vegetables, half to two serves of fruit, one to 13 serves of cereals and up to eight serves of olive oil daily. It contained approximately 9300 kJ, 37% as total fat, 18% as monounsaturated and 9% as saturated, and 33 g of fibre per day. Our results provide a defined nutrient content and range of servings for the MedDiet based on past and current literature. More detailed reporting amongst studies could refine the definition further.

Analysis of Internet information on the controversial X-Stop device.

PubMed

Anderson, Joshua T; Sullivan, T Barrett; Ahn, Uri M; Ahn, Nicholas U

2014-10-01

The Internet is frequently used by patients to aid in medical decision making. Multiple studies display the Internet's ineffectiveness in presenting high-quality information regarding surgical procedures and devices. With recent reports of unacceptably high complication rates and poor outcomes with the X-Stop device, it is important that online information is comprehensive and accurate. This study is the first to examine Internet information on the controversial X-Stop. To determine how accurately public information over the Internet portrays the existing primary literature on the X-Stop, how extensively the X-Stop is characterized online, and how patient decision making could foreseeably be affected. This cross-sectional study analyzed publicly available Internet information, including videos on the web site YouTube regarding the X-Stop device. No patients were involved in this study. No specific outcome measures were used. Search engines Google, Yahoo, and Bing were used to identify 105 web sites providing information on the X-Stop. Videos on the web site YouTube were included. Web sites were categorized based on the authorship. Each site was analyzed for the provision of appropriate patient inclusion and exclusion criteria, surgical and nonsurgical treatment alternatives, purported benefits, common complications, peer-reviewed literature citations, and descriptions/diagrams of the procedure. Data were evaluated for each authorship subgroup and the entire group of sites. Forty-three percent of sites were authored by a private medical group, 4% by an academic medical group, 16% by an insurance company, 9% by a biomedical industry, 10% by news sources, and 19% by other. Thirty-one percent of web sites and 11% of sites authored by private medical groups contained references to peer-reviewed literature. Fifty-six percent of web sites reported patient inclusion criteria, whereas 33% reported exclusion criteria. Benefits and complications were reported within 91% and 23% of sites, respectively. Surgical and nonsurgical treatment options were mentioned within 59% and 61% of web sites, respectively. Our study demonstrates the Internet's ineffectiveness in reporting quality information on the X-Stop. Information was often incomplete and potentially misleading. Significant controversy exists within primary literature regarding the safety and efficacy of the X-Stop. Yet, publicly available Internet information largely provided misinformation and did not reflect any such controversy. This raises the concern that such information lends itself more toward patient recruitment than patient education. Medical professionals need to know how this may affect their patients' decision making. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Omar al-Hammami: a case study in radicalization.

PubMed

Mastors, Elena; Siers, Rhea

2014-01-01

This article presents a case study on the radicalization of Omar al-Hammami, aka Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, an American who joined al-Shabaab, a Somali terrorist group. There are a limited number of in-depth case studies that help to inform the fragmented discussions in the literature about the radicalization process of Islamic terrorists. Hammami received quite a bit of attention from the government and media due to his "homegrown" status, as well as his prolific use of social media to inform the world of his views and exploits. Hammami did not fully commit to the group, his sense of self-importance taking precedent over the norms of the group. He left al-Shabaab, was publicly critical of the group, and was ultimately killed by them. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Words Apart, Worlds Apart: Peritexts from Islamized Translations of World Classics in Children's Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kansu-Yetkiner, Neslihan

2014-01-01

This article examines the political polarization between Republicans and Islamists in Turkey as reflected in the peritexts of recent translations of world children's literature. This is reflected in terms of van Dijk's notions of an us vs them binarism, where a positive in-group is opposed to a negative out-group representation. In this way, the…

Cultural Accommodation of Substance Abuse Treatment for Latino Adolescents

PubMed Central

Burrow-Sanchez, Jason; Martinez, Charles; Hops, Hyman; Wrona, Megan

2011-01-01

Collaborating with community stakeholders is an often suggested step when integrating cultural variables into psychological treatments for members of ethnic minority groups. However, there is a dearth of literature describing how to accomplish this process within the context of substance abuse treatment studies. This paper describes a qualitative study conducted through a series of focus groups with stakeholders in the Latino community. Data from focus groups were used by researchers to guide the integration of cultural variables into an empirically-supported substance abuse treatment for Latino adolescents currently being evaluated for efficacy. A model for culturally accommodating empirically-supported treatments for ethnic minority participants is also described. PMID:21888499

Social Learning Theory and Behavioral Therapy: Considering Human Behaviors within the Social and Cultural Context of Individuals and Families.

PubMed

McCullough Chavis, Annie

2011-01-01

This article examines theoretical thoughts of social learning theory and behavioral therapy and their influences on human behavior within a social and cultural context. The article utilizes two case illustrations with applications for consumers. It points out the abundance of research studies concerning the effectiveness of social learning theory, and the paucity of research studies regarding effectiveness and evidence-based practices with diverse groups. Providing a social and cultural context in working with diverse groups with reference to social learning theory adds to the literature for more cultural considerations in adapting the theory to women, African Americans, and diverse groups.

Educational interventions to empower nursing home residents: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Schoberer, Daniela; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Breimaier, Helga E; Halfens, Ruud Jg; Lohrmann, Christa

2016-01-01

Health education is essential to improve health care behavior and self-management. However, educating frail, older nursing home residents about their health is challenging. Focusing on empowerment may be the key to educating nursing home residents effectively. This paper examines educational interventions that can be used to empower nursing home residents. A systematic literature search was performed of the databases PubMed, CINAHL, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, and Embase, screening for clinical trials that dealt with resident education and outcomes in terms of their ability to empower residents. An additional, manual search of the reference lists and searches with SIGLE and Google Scholar were conducted to identify gray literature. Two authors independently appraised the quality of the studies found and assigned levels to the evidence reported. The results of the studies were grouped according to their main empowering outcomes and described narratively. Out of 427 identified articles, ten intervention studies that addressed the research question were identified. The main educational interventions used were group education sessions, motivational and encouragement strategies, goal setting with residents, and the development of plans to meet defined goals. Significant effects on self-efficacy and self-care behavior were reported as a result of the interventions, which included group education and individual counseling based on resident needs and preferences. In addition, self-care behavior was observed to significantly increase in response to function-focused care and reasoning exercises. Perceptions and expectations were not improved by using educational interventions with older nursing home residents. Individually tailored, interactive, continuously applied, and structured educational strategies, including motivational and encouraging techniques, are promising interventions that can help nursing home residents become more empowered. Empowering strategies used by nurses can support residents in their growth and facilitate their self-determination. Further research on the empowerment of residents using empowerment scales is needed.

Helicobacter pylori infection in Canadian and related Arctic Aboriginal populations

PubMed Central

Goodman, Karen J; Jacobson, Kevan; van Zanten, Sander Veldhuyzen

2008-01-01

In 2006, the Canadian Helicobacter Study Group identified Aboriginal communities among Canadian population groups most at risk of Helicobacter pylori-associated disease. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize what is known about the H pylori-associated disease burden in Canadian and related Arctic Aboriginal populations to identify gaps in knowledge. Six health literature databases were systematically searched to identify reports on H pylori prevalence in Canadian population groups, or any topic related to H pylori in Canadian Aboriginals, Alaska Natives or Aboriginals of other Arctic regions. Identified reports were organized by subtopic and summarized in narrative form. Key data from studies of H pylori prevalence in defined populations were summarized in tabular form. A few Arctic Aboriginal communities were represented in the literature: two Canadian Inuit; one Canadian First Nation; two Greenland Inuit; one Russian Chutkotka Native; and several Alaska Native studies. These studies uniformly showed elevated H pylori prevalence; a few studies also showed elevated occurrence of H pylori-related diseases and high rates of treatment failure. Based on the evidence, it would be warranted for clinicians to relax the criteria for investigating H pylori and related diseases in patients from Arctic Aboriginal communities, and to pursue post-therapy confirmation of eradication. Additional community-based research is needed to develop public health policies for reducing H pylori-associated health risks in such communities. PMID:18354758

Moral Values in Contemporary Literature: A Teaching Dissertation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aikins, Mary Patricia Truxler

This dissertation dealt with the preparation, design, teaching, and evaluation of a course in moral values in contemporary literature. Through lectures, group discussions, and multi-media presentations the course examined the possibility of using the moral approach to literary criticism as a form of analysis for contemporary literature. The course…

Minority Language and Literature. Retrospective and Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Dexter, Ed.

There is an urgent need to recognize that American literature includes a body of diversified writings previously unacknowledged by most literary scholars and critics and that these writings are expressions of vital but neglected cultures within American society. The cultures and literatures of minority groups have been overlooked or…

Literature Review: The Growing Need to Understand Muslim Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callaway, Azusa

2010-01-01

Much educational literature and professional development deals with issues of African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native American, and low-income groups. However, religious diversity is rarely discussed among educators. There is not much literature on the experiences of Muslim children and families and research on the teaching and learning of…

The Integration of Family and Group Therapy as an Alternative to Juvenile Incarceration: A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation Using Parenting with Love and Limits.

PubMed

Karam, Eli A; Sterrett, Emma M; Kiaer, Lynn

2017-06-01

The current study employed a quasi-experimental design using both intent-to-treat and protocol adherence analysis of 155 moderate- to high-risk juvenile offenders to evaluate the effectiveness of Parenting with Love and Limits® (PLL), an integrative group and family therapy approach. Youth completing PLL had significantly lower rates of recidivism than the comparison group. Parents also reported statistically significant improvements in youth behavior. Lengths of service were also significantly shorter for the treatment sample than the matched comparison group by an average of 4 months. This study contributes to the literature by suggesting that intensive community-based combined family and group treatment is effective in curbing recidivism among high-risk juveniles. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Open-Access Physical Activity Programs for Older Adults: A Pragmatic and Systematic Review.

PubMed

Balis, Laura E; Strayer, Thomas; Ramalingam, NithyaPriya; Wilson, Meghan; Harden, Samantha M

2018-01-10

Open-access, community-based programs are recommended to assist older adults in meeting physical activity guidelines, but the characteristics, impact, and scalability of these programs is less understood. The Land-Grant University Cooperative Extension System, an organization providing education through county-based educators, functions as a delivery system for these programs. A systematic review was conducted to determine characteristics of effective older adult physical activity programs and the extent to which programs delivered in Extension employ these characteristics. A systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted from August 2016 to February 2017. The review was limited to open-access (available to all), community-based physical activity interventions for older adults (≥65 years of age). The peer-reviewed literature search was conducted in PubMed and EBSCOhost; the grey literature search for Extension interventions was conducted through Extension websites, Land-Grant Impacts, and the Journal of Extension. Sixteen peer-reviewed studies and 17 grey literature sources met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Peer-reviewed and Extension programs were similar in their limited use of behavioral theories and group-based strategies. Compared to Extension programs, those in the peer-reviewed literature were more likely to use a combination of physical activity components and be delivered by trained professionals. The results indicate notable differences between peer-reviewed literature and Extension programs and present an opportunity for Extension programs to more effectively use evidence-based program characteristics, including behavioral theories and group dynamics, a combination of physical activity components, and educator/agent-trained delivery agents. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Investigation of celiac disease followed by immune thrombocytopenic purpura diagnosis in patients and comparison with literature

PubMed Central

Sarbay, Hakan; Kocamaz, Halil; Akin, Mehmet; Ozhan, Bayram

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Celiac disease (CD) and Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) may occur together as a result of similar autoimmune mechanisms. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of CD in a group of ITP patients and in the literature. METHODS: A total of 29 patients in Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine Hospital Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department with ITP were included in the study. Test was performed for the antibodies related to CD. Positive result for celiac antibodies was confirmed with biopsy. The results were compared with the literature. RESULTS: Of the study group, 13 patients (44.8%) were female and 16 (55.2%) were male. The mean age was 7.2±4.7 years and mean platelet count at the time of admission was 13,440±11,110/mm3 (range: 2000-41,000/mm3). Twelve patients (41.4%) were diagnosed as acute ITP, 6 patients (20.7%) as persistent ITP, and 11 patients (37.9%) as chronic ITP, according to the duration of thrombocytopenia. Antibody positivity was detected in 1 patient. Histological evaluation was compatible with CD. Results were compared with studies regarding the prevalence of CD in the population. No significant difference was found. CONCLUSION: Although it is not necessary to perform CD test in every case of ITP, the presence of differential diagnosis of CD is important to prevent unnecessary treatment, especially in ITP patients with growth retardation or malabsorption findings. PMID:28971174

Guideline summary review: an evidence-based clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of adult isthmic spondylolisthesis.

PubMed

Kreiner, D Scott; Baisden, Jamie; Mazanec, Daniel J; Patel, Rakesh D; Bess, Robert S; Burton, Douglas; Chutkan, Norman B; Cohen, Bernard A; Crawford, Charles H; Ghiselli, Gary; Hanna, Amgad S; Hwang, Steven W; Kilincer, Cumhur; Myers, Mark E; Park, Paul; Rosolowski, Karie A; Sharma, Anil K; Taleghani, Christopher K; Trammell, Terry R; Vo, Andrew N; Williams, Keith D

2016-12-01

The North American Spine Society's (NASS) Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Adult Isthmic Spondylolisthesis features evidence-based recommendations for diagnosing and treating adult patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis. The guideline is intended to reflect contemporary treatment concepts for symptomatic isthmic spondylolisthesis as reflected in the highest quality clinical literature available on this subject as of June 2013. NASS' guideline on this topic is the only guideline on adult isthmic spondylolisthesis accepted in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's National Guideline Clearinghouse. The purpose of the guideline is to provide an evidence-based educational tool to assist spine specialists when making clinical decisions for adult patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis. This article provides a brief summary of the evidence-based guideline recommendations for diagnosing and treating patients with this condition. This is a guideline summary review. This guideline is the product of the Adult Isthmic Spondylolisthesis Work Group of NASS' Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline Development Committee. The methods used to develop this guideline are detailed in the complete guideline and technical report available on the NASS website. In brief, a multidisciplinary work group of spine care specialists convened to identify clinical questionsto address in the guideline. The literature search strategy was developed in consultation with medical librarians. Upon completion of the systematic literature search, evidence relevant to the clinical questions posed in the guideline was reviewed. Work group members utilized NASS evidentiary table templates to summarize study conclusions, identify study strengths and weaknesses, and assign levels of evidence. Work group members participated in webcasts and in-person recommendation meetings to update and formulate evidence-based recommendations and incorporate expert opinion when necessary. The draft guidelines were submitted to an internal peer review process and ultimately approved by the NASS Board of Directors. Upon publication, the Adult Isthmic Spondylolisthesis guideline was accepted into the National Guideline Clearinghouse and will be updated approximately every 5 years. Thirty-one clinical questions were addressed, and the answers are summarized in this article. The respective recommendations were graded according to the levels of evidence of the supporting literature. The evidence-based clinical guideline has been created using techniques of evidence-based medicine and best available evidence to aid practitioners in the diagnosis and treatment of adult patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis. The entire guideline document, including the evidentiary tables, literature search parameters, literature attrition flowchart, suggestions for future research, and all of the references, is available electronically on the NASS website at https://www.spine.org/ResearchClinicalCare/QualityImprovement/ClinicalGuidelines.aspx and will remain updated on a timely schedule. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mapping the literature of athletic training

PubMed Central

Delwiche, Frances A.; Hall, Ellen F.

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper identifies the core literature of athletic training and determines which major databases provide the most thorough intellectual access to this literature. Methods: This study collected all cited references from 2002 to 2004 of three journals widely read by those in the athletic training field. Bradford's Law of Scattering was applied to the resulting list to determine the core journal titles in the discipline. Three major databases were reviewed for extent of their coverage of these core journals. Results: Of the total 8,678 citations, one-third referenced a compact group of 6 journals; another third of the citations referenced an additional 40 titles. The remaining 2,837 citations were scattered across 1,034 additional journal titles. Conclusions: The number and scatter of citations over a three-year period identified forty-six key journals in athletic training. The study results can inform athletic trainers of the core literature in their field, encourage database producers (e.g., MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL) to increase coverage of titles that are not indexed or underindexed, and guide purchasing decisions for libraries serving athletic training programs. PMID:17443253

Effects of Prior Knowledge of Topics and the Instructional Objectives on Students' Achievement in Literature-in-English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mbah, Blessing Akaraka

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of prior knowledge of topics with their instructional objectives on senior secondary school class two (SS II) students. The study was carried out in Abakaliki Education Zone of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The design of the study is quasi experimental of pretest-posttest of non-equivalent control group. Two research…

Improving Reading Comprehension Skills with Children's Books through Metacognitive Strategy: The Turkish Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çer, Erkan; Sahin, Ertugrul

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of metacognitive strategy in improving reading comprehension skills through children's literature of literary quality. A quasi-experimental study was carried out in a private secondary school in a city located Middle Black Sea region of Turkey. Two classes were randomly chosen as the study group, and…

Test Takers' Beliefs and Experiences of a High-Stakes Computer-Based English Listening and Speaking Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhan, Ying; Wan, Zhi Hong

2016-01-01

Test takers' beliefs or experiences have been overlooked in most validation studies in language education. Meanwhile, a mutual exclusion has been observed in the literature, with little or no dialogue between validation studies and studies concerning the uses and consequences of testing. To help fill these research gaps, a group of Senior III…

Social Factors for Code-Switching in Tunisian Business Companies: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baoueb, Lamia Bach

2009-01-01

Although the literature on CS between Arabic and French in different bilingual speech communities is wide, few studies have dealt with the Tunisian context and no previous work has ever been done on the Tunisian business sector as a specific group using more than one pair of languages to communicate. This case study investigates the variety of…

Expanding the test of counterfeit deviance: are sexual knowledge, experience and needs a factor in the sexualised challenging behaviour of adults with intellectual disability?

PubMed

Lockhart, K; Guerin, S; Shanahan, S; Coyle, K

2010-01-01

It is posited within the literature that the sexualised challenging behaviour of adults with intellectual disability may be influenced by low levels of sexual knowledge, lack of sexual experience and unmet sexual needs. In this study, individuals with sexualised challenging behaviour were identified and matched for gender, age and ability level with individuals recruited to the non-sexualised and no challenging behaviour groups. All (n=24) were interviewed using the Socio-Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Tool - Revised (SSKAAT-R) and the Sexual Knowledge, Experience and Needs Scale for Intellectual Disability (Sex-Ken-ID) to assess their sexual knowledge, experience and needs. Adaptive behaviour was measured as a covariate. In the current study, contrary to expectations in the wider literature, the sexualised challenging behaviour group showed significantly higher levels of sexual knowledge in several areas when adaptive behaviour was controlled. Their needs in relation to Dating and Intimacy were also significantly higher but no differences were found between groups in relation to sexual experience. The implications of these findings for service provision are outlined along with the considerations of directions for future research.

Cooperative Learning: A Practical Application Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Platte, Stephen A.

1991-01-01

Discusses a method of finding and implementing articles from among the sizeable amount of professional literature regarding cooperative learning. Describes the application of three teaching models (1) jigsaw, (2) group investigation, and (3) cybernetics that apply cooperative learning to elementary and secondary social studies instruction. (SG)

Assessment of the periodontal health status in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and Invisalign system

PubMed Central

Lu, Haili; Tang, Haifang; Zhou, Tian; Kang, Na

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: At present, many scholars have studied the periodontal health status of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and invisalign. However, those results are inconsistent. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis, and then provide reference for clinical treatment. Methods: Most databases, such as the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, CNKI, and Wan Fang Data were retrieved for related articles from the establishment of the database to October 2017. Meanwhile, we also searched the references of the related literatures manually, in order to increase the included literatures. Two researchers screened the related literatures according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria. Stata 12.0 software was used for data analysis, and results are estimated by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Finally, 7 articles, including 368 patients, were included into our meta-analysis. Meta-analysis results showed that there was no statistically significant difference of gingival index (GI) and sulcus probing depth (SPD) status between the invisalign group and the control group, including at 1, 3, and 6 months (all P > .05). When compared with the control group, the invisalign group presented a lower plaque index (PLI) and sulcus bleeding index (SBI) status at 1 month (OR = −0.53, 95% CI: −0.89 to −0.18; OR = −0.44, 95% CI: −0.70 to −0.19, respectively), 3 months (OR = −0.69, 95% CI: −1.12 to −0.27; OR = −0.49, 95% CI: −0.93 to −0.05, respectively), and 6 months (OR = −0.91, 95% CI: −1.47 to −0.35; OR = −0.40, 95% CI: −0.63 to −0.07, respectively). Subgroup analysis showed that the SPD status was lower in the invisalign group at 6 months when measured the teeth using Ramfjord index (OR = −0.74, 95% CI: −1.35 to −0.12). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups when using other measure methods (OR = 0.12, 95% CI: −0.26 to 0.17). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggests that comparing with the traditional fixed appliances, patients treated with invisalign have a better periodontal health. However, more studies are needed to confirm this conclusion in the future. PMID:29595680

Laser Propulsion Standardization Issues

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

Scharring, Stefan; Eckel, Hans-Albert; Roeser, Hans-Peter

It is a relevant issue in the research on laser propulsion that experimental results are treated seriously and that meaningful scientific comparison is possible between groups using different equipment and measurement techniques. However, critical aspects of experimental measurements are sparsely addressed in the literature. In addition, few studies so far have the benefit of independent confirmation by other laser propulsion groups. In this paper, we recommend several approaches towards standardization of published laser propulsion experiments. Such standards are particularly important for the measurement of laser ablation pulse energy, laser spot area, imparted impulse or thrust, and mass removal during ablation.more » Related examples are presented from experiences of an actual scientific cooperation between NU and DLR. On the basis of a given standardization, researchers may better understand and contribute their findings more clearly in the future, and compare those findings confidently with those already published in the laser propulsion literature. Relevant ISO standards are analyzed, and revised formats are recommended for application to laser propulsion studies.« less

Role of corticosteroid as a prophylactic measure in fat embolism syndrome: a literature review.

PubMed

Sen, Ramesh K; Tripathy, Sujit K; Krishnan, Vibhu

2012-06-01

Despite a number of studies on steroid therapy as a prophylactic measure in fat embolism syndrome (FES), there is no universal agreement about its role in this critical situation. The present article attempts to search the available literature, and provides a more lucid picture to the readers on this issue. Seven articles (total 483 patients) were reviewed and analyzed. Total of 223 patients received steroid (methyl prednisolone sodium succinate), while the remaining 260 patients formed the control population. Among these subjects, 9 patients in steroid-receiving group and 60 patients in the control group developed FES (P < 0.05). The lack of uniformities in these studies, variable dose and single-center trial are the principal limitations and confuses the surgeons to have definite conclusion. Large-scale, more uniformly designed, multi-centered, randomized, prospective trials are needed to determine the correct situations and dosage in which steroids provide the maximum benefit (with the least possible risk).

Astrobites as a Pedagogical Tool in Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khullar, Gourav; Tsang, Benny Tsz Ho; Sanders, Nathan; Kohler, Susanna; Shipp, Nora; Astrobites Collaboration

2018-06-01

Astrobites is a graduate-student organization that publishes an online astrophysical literature blog (astrobites.org), and has published brief and accessible summaries of more than 1600 articles from the astrophysical literature since its founding in 2010. Our graduate-student generated content is widely being utilised as a pedagogical tool to bring current research into the classroom of higher education. We aim to study the effectiveness of Astrobites in teaching of current research, via the AAS Education & Professional Development Mini-Grant funded in Fall 2017. This talk gives an overview of the functioning of Astrobites, our past pedagogical initiatives, as well as a brief description of the grant proposal. We describe the workings of our teaching workshop at the 231st AAS Meeting in January 2018, as well as a 10-educator focus group that has been assembled to conduct a post-workshop follow-up that serves as a dataset for our research study. We present here a brief analysis of the workshop, the focus group and preliminary inferences.

Item difficulty and item validity for the Children's Group Embedded Figures Test.

PubMed

Rusch, R R; Trigg, C L; Brogan, R; Petriquin, S

1994-02-01

The validity and reliability of the Children's Group Embedded Figures Test was reported for students in Grade 2 by Cromack and Stone in 1980; however, a search of the literature indicates no evidence for internal consistency or item analysis. Hence the purpose of this study was to examine the item difficulty and item validity of the test with children in Grades 1 and 2. Confusion in the literature over development and use of this test was seemingly resolved through analysis of these descriptions and through an interview with the test developer. One early-appearing item was unreasonably difficult. Two or three other items were quite difficult and made little contribution to the total score. Caution is recommended, however, in any reordering or elimination of items based on these findings, given the limited number of subjects (n = 84).

Advertising bans as a means of tobacco control policy: a systematic literature review of time-series analyses.

PubMed

Quentin, Wilm; Neubauer, Simone; Leidl, Reiner; König, Hans-Helmut

2007-01-01

This paper reviews the international literature that employed time-series analysis to evaluate the effects of advertising bans on aggregate consumption of cigarettes or tobacco. A systematic search of the literature was conducted. Three groups of studies representing analyses of advertising bans in the U.S.A., in other countries and in 22 OECD countries were defined. The estimated effects of advertising bans and their significance were analysed. 24 studies were identified. They used a wide array of explanatory variables, models, estimating methods and data sources. 18 studies found a negative effect of an advertising ban on aggregate consumption, but only ten of these studies found a significant effect. Two studies using data from 22 OECD countries suggested that partial bans would have little or no influence on aggregate consumption, whereas complete bans would significantly reduce consumption. The results imply that advertising bans have a negative but sometimes only narrow impact on consumption. Complete bans let expect a higher effectiveness. Because of methodological restrictions of analysing advertising bans' effects by time series approaches, also different approaches should be used in the future.

Factors that Promote High Post-16 Participation of Some Minority Ethnic Groups in England: A Systematic Review of the UK-Based Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

See, Beng Huat; Torgerson, Carole; Gorard, Stephen; Ainsworth, Hannah; Low, Graham; Wright, Kath

2011-01-01

The aim of the article is to identify those factors that drive the high participation in immediate post-16 and higher education of some minority ethnic groups in the UK. What could we learn from these examples to encourage higher aspirations more generally? The article reports a summary of a formal and systematic review of 1678 studies dated 1997…

An Investigation of Experiment Designs for Applications in Biofeedback-Performance Research Methodologies.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

used to accomplish the necessary research . One such experi- ment design and its relationship to validity will be explored next. Nonequivalent Control ...interpreting the results. The non- equivalent control group design is of the quasi-experimental variety and is widely used in educational research . As...biofeed- back research literature is the controlled group outcome study. This design has also been discussed in Chapter III in two forms as the

Economics of production efficiency: Nutritional grouping of the lactating cow.

PubMed

Cabrera, V E; Kalantari, A S

2016-01-01

Nutritional grouping of lactating cows under total mixed ration (TMR) feeding systems has been discussed in the literature since 1970. Most studies have concluded that using multiple, more-homogeneous TMR feeding groups is economically beneficial because of either nutrient cost savings, improved productivity, or both. Nonetheless, no consensus has been formed around this technique nor has it been widely adopted. By using optimal criteria for grouping and more precise nutrient specifications of diets, the latest studies have reported a consistently greater income over feed cost ($/cow per year) with multiple TMR groups compared with 1 TMR (3 TMR=$46 and 2 TMR=$21 to $39). Critical factors that determine the economic value of nutritional grouping are: (1) criteria for grouping, (2) nutrient specifications of diets, (3) effects on milk production, (4) health and environmental benefits, (5) number, size, and frequency of grouping, and (6) additional costs and benefits. It has been documented that grouping cows according to their simultaneous nutritional requirements (a.k.a., cluster grouping) is optimal. Cluster grouping is superior to other methods, such as grouping according to days in milk, milk production, or production and body weight combined. However, the dairy industry still uses less-than-optimal grouping criteria. Using cluster grouping will enhance the positive economic effects of multiple TMR. In addition, nutrient specifications of diets for groups do not seem optimal either. Milk lead factors, which are only based on group average milk production, are used. Diets could, however, be formulated more precisely based on overall group nutrient requirements. Providing more precise diets should also be in favor of grouping economics. Furthermore, an area that requires more attention is the potential negative effect of grouping on the milk production of moved cows because of either or both social interactions or diet concentration changes. Although the literature is inconclusive on this subject matter, the latest studies indicate that multiple TMR groups economically outperform 1 TMR, even after considering plausible potential milk losses when grouping. Moreover, additional positive effects of nutritional grouping of improved herd health and environmental stewardship should be translated into economic benefits. Finally, additional costs of management, labor, facilities, and equipment required for grouping are farm specific. The few studies that have integrated these factors in their analyses found that multiple TMR groups would still be economically superior to 1 TMR. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Racism and child health: a review of the literature and future directions.

PubMed

Pachter, Lee M; Coll, Cynthia García

2009-06-01

Racism is a mechanism through which racial/ethnic disparities occur in child health. To assess the present state of research into the effects of racism on child health, a review of the literature was undertaken. A MEDLINE review of the literature was conducted between October and November 2007. Studies reporting on empirical research relating to racism or racial discrimination as a predictor or contributor to a child health outcome were included in this review. The definition of "child health" was broad and included behavioral, mental, and physical health. Forty articles describing empirical research on racism and child health were found. Most studies (65%) reported on research performed on behavioral and mental health outcomes. Other areas studied included birth outcomes, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and satisfaction with care. Most research has been conducted on African-American samples (70%), on adolescents and on older children, and without a uniformly standardized approach to measuring racism. Furthermore, many studies used measures that were created for adult populations. There are a limited number of studies evaluating the relationship between racism and child health. Most studies, to date, show relationships between perceived racism and behavioral and mental health. Future studies need to include more ethnically diverse minority groups and needs to consider studying the effects of racism in younger children. Instruments need to be developed that measure perceptions of racism in children and youth that take into account the unique contexts and developmental levels of children, as well as differences in the perception of racism in different ethnocultural groups. Furthermore, studies incorporating racism as a specific psychosocial stressor that can potentially have biophysiologic sequelae need to be conducted to understand the processes and mechanisms through which racism may contribute to child health disparities.

Qualitative analysis and conceptual mapping of patient experiences in home health care.

PubMed

Lines, Lisa M; Anderson, Wayne L; Blackmon, Brian D; Pronier, Cristalle R; Allen, Rachael W; Kenyon, Anne E

2018-01-01

This study explored patient experiences in home health care through a literature review, focus groups, and interviews. Our goal was to develop a conceptual map of home health care patient experience domains. The conceptual map identifies technical and personal spheres of care, relating prior studies to new focus group and interview findings and identifying the most important domains of care. Study participants (n = 35) most frequently reported the most important domain as staff who are caring, supportive, patient, empathetic, respectful, and considerate (endorsed by 29% of participants). The conceptual map includes 114 discrete domains.

Parental Beliefs on Children's Play: Comparison among Mainland Chinese, Chinese Immigrants in the USA, and European-Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Shan; Han, Myae

2016-01-01

The current study surveyed parental play beliefs among the three groups of parents: the mainland Chinese, Chinese immigrants in the USA, and European-Americans. Limited comparison studies on parental play beliefs were previously reported for these three populations in the literature. Two measures, the Chinese child-rearing ideology and parental…

Family Literacy in Cultural Context: Lessons from Two Case Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puchner, Laurel D.

A study examined the literature to determine the veracity of the criticism of some educators who say that family literacy programs in the United States fail to take into account important cultural issues when dealing with certain target groups. Issues invoked included the need to take traditional cultural values and practices into account in…

International Students' Engagement in Their University's Social Media: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fujita, Momoko; Harrigan, Paul; Soutar, Geoffrey Norman

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the lived experiences of the international students using their university's social media, through a lens of customer engagement (CE) in the services marketing literature. Design/methodology/approach: A case study was conducted in an Australian university. Three semi-structured focus groups with…

Effectiveness of Various Innovative Learning Methods in Health Science Classrooms: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalaian, Sema A.; Kasim, Rafa M.

2017-01-01

This study reports the results of a meta-analysis of the available literature on the effectiveness of various forms of innovative small-group learning methods on student achievement in undergraduate college health science classrooms. The results of the analysis revealed that most of the primary studies supported the effectiveness of the…

Teachers Matter: Expectancy Effects in Chinese University English-as-a-Foreign-Language Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Zheng; Rubie-Davies, Christine Margaret

2017-01-01

This study was designed to investigate teacher expectation effects for intact student groups (rather than individuals) in tertiary settings, which have been little studied in the literature. The participants were 50 teachers and their 4617 first-year undergraduate students learning English as a foreign language at two universities in China.…

Teaching Argumentation by Using Facebook Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delen, Ibrahim

2017-01-01

Today argumentation is widely emphasized in the policy documents in Europe, and the US. Once we look at the literature in the last two decades, many studies noted students' challenges in this process. On the other side of the coin, we see in-service teachers with problems to support this process. Unfortunately, very few studies focused on this…

Effects of Communication Strategy Training on EFL Students' Performance in Small-Group Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Stuart; Fischer, Danielle; Geluso, Joe; Von Joo, Lucius

2013-01-01

In recent years, a number of studies have been conducted with regard to communication strategy training and performance on communicative tasks (Lam, 2009; Nakatani, 2010; Naughton, 2006). This study aims to add to the literature by examining how two strategies, clarifying/confirming and extending a conversation, and two methods of teaching the…

Generational Affiliation as a Component of Culture: Focus Group Perspectives of Three Generational Cohorts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesbit, Elisabeth Anne

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the multicultural elements related to generational affiliation. Much of current generational literature is anecdotal and does not empirically explore the culture of each generation. A constructivist ground theory approach was applied to the study of three generational cohorts (Baby Boomers, Generation Xers,…

The Role of Learning Support in Open & Distance Learning: Learners' Experiences and Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dzakiria, Hisham

2005-01-01

This qualitative study reports in some detail the experience of a small group of distance learners as they progress through their courses at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). An initial literature review suggested that while a number of studies had been completed in the past two decades that report student characteristics, motivations, and prior…

Children of Parents with Intellectual Disability: Facing Poor Outcomes or Faring Okay?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collings, Susan; Llewellyn, Gwynnyth

2012-01-01

Background: Children of parents with intellectual disability are assumed to be at risk of poor outcomes but a comprehensive review of the literature has not previously been undertaken. Method: A database and reference search from March 2010 to March 2011 resulted in 26 studies for review. Results: Two groups of studies were identified. The first…

Stimulant Use and Sexual Risk Behaviors for HIV in Rural North Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zule, William A.; Costenbader, Elizabeth; Coomes, Curtis M.; Meyer, William J., Jr.; Riehman, Kara; Poehlman, Jon; Wechsberg, Wendee M.

2007-01-01

Context: While literature exists on sexual risks for HIV among rural populations, the specific role of stimulants in increasing these risks has primarily been studied in the context of a single drug and/or racial group. Purpose: This study explores the use of multiple stimulants and sexual risk behaviors among individuals of different races and…

Development of a Scale to Determine Enrollment Barriers into Allied Health Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barfield, J. P.; Folio, M. Rhonda; Lam, Eddie T. C.; Zhang, James J.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop the Scale of Allied Health Education Barriers to identify factors limiting enrollment in college/university allied health education programs. Development of the Scale of Allied Health Education Barriers was conducted through the following four stages: (1) review of literature, (2) focus group studies, (3)…

Comment on the Morris and Suckerman Study of Therapist Warmth as a Factor in Automated Systematic Desensitization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGlynn, F. Dudley; And Others

1976-01-01

Criticism of the study relating effects of therapist warmth to desensitization include: the use of surrogate, student subjects; nonstandard desensitization procedures; and no control group. Morris and Suckerman respond that the first two criticisms rely on selective reading of the literature and the third is irrelevant. (NG)

Synthesis of the effects of fire on Southern Appalachian fauna

Treesearch

Amber L. Pitt; Robert F. Baldwin; Joseph J. Tavano; Thomas A. Waldrop; Ross J. Phillips

2014-01-01

We reviewed the effects of prescribed fire on wildlife in the southern Appalachian Mountains and placed our results in the context of regional, national, and global studies.We conducted a Web search of peer-reviewed literature and technical reports to evaluate the number of prescribed fire studies pertaining to geographical regions and taxonomic groups. We obtained 717...

Children's Bricolage under the Gaze of Teachers in Sociodramatic Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tam, Po Chi

2013-01-01

Drawing on the theory of dialogism and the literature on children's culture and cultural resistance, this article investigates the contextual and textual features of the cultural making of a group of children in sociodramatic play in a Hong Kong kindergarten. Different from other, similar studies, this study reports that under the gaze of the…

"It Is More than Just Laughing": Middle School Students Protect Characters during Talk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onofrey, Karen A.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how five middle school students examined humor and characterization used in adolescent literature according to Louise Rosenblatt's (1995) reader response transactional theory. The study was conducted with a focus group of five 6th-grade students, three girls and two boys, from a public…

Decentralization and Participatory Decision-Making: Implementing School-Based Management in the Abbott Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Elaine M.

2000-01-01

This study examined issues faced during implementation of school-based management (SBM) in New Jersey's special needs or Abbott districts, using a literature review, surveys of K-12 schools, and focus groups with central office administrators. The study examined forms of SBM, team operations, local autonomy versus state power, skills required to…

Understanding the Technological, Pedagogical, and Mathematical Issues That Emerge as Secondary Mathematics Teachers Design Lessons That Integrate Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Marggie Denise

2016-01-01

This multiple case study examines four groups of secondary mathematics teachers engaged in a Lesson Study approach to professional development where they planned and taught lessons that integrate technology. Informed by current literature, a framework was developed to focus on the dimensions of teacher's knowledge to teach mathematics with…

Why It's Good to Go to Camp

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Matthew

2008-01-01

In the author's fourth year of undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo he had the opportunity to explore the benefits attained by children attending a summer camp by way of an academic literature review. The author worked with Dr. Troy Glover who has been commissioned by a group of camping associations to perform a study on the…

Prevalence of Hypertension in Adults with Intellectual Disability in the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van de Louw, Joyce; Vorstenbosch, R.; Vinck, L.; Penning, C.; Evenhuis, H.

2009-01-01

Background: Literature on the prevalence of hypertension in people with intellectual disability (ID) is mostly based on file studies or on measurements limited to the age group below 50 years. We measured and calculated the prevalence of hypertension in adults with ID and studied the distribution of hypertension in relation to age, gender,…

Gifted Youth and Their Hobbies: An Exploration of Information Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carruth, Debi

2013-01-01

This study was conducted as a way to begin to fill a gap in the literature regarding young people and hobby pursuit. Through intensive exploratory research, the study sought to explicate the information behaviors of gifted young people related to their hobby pursuit. Focus groups and home visits were conducted and participants were given the…

A Multilevel Analysis of the Effects of Disciplinary Climate Strength on Student Reading Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Siwen; Li, Lingyan; Zhang, Danhui

2018-01-01

Climate strength was first conceptualised in the organisational psychology literature as the within-group agreement on the perceptions of climate. In contrast to the deep study of climate level, climate strength has not been clarified by school climate research. The purpose of this cross-cultural study is to identify the main effect of…

Severe group A streptococcal infection and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.

PubMed

Baxter, F; McChesney, J

2000-11-01

To review the literature on group A streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, (STSS). Medline and EMBASE searches were conducted using the key words group A streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, alone and in combination with anesthesia; and septic shock, combined with anesthesia. Medline was also searched using key words intravenous immunoglobulin, (IVIG) and group A streptococcus, (GAS); and group A streptococcus and antibiotic therapy. Other references were included in this review if they addressed the history, microbiology, pathophysiology, incidence, mortality, presentation and management of invasive GAS infections. Relevant references from the papers reviewed were also considered. Articles on the foregoing topics were included regardless of study design. Non-English language studies were excluded. Literature on the efficacy of IVIG and optimal antibiotic therapy was specifically searched. Reports of invasive GAS infections have recently increased. Invasive GAS infection is associated with a toxic shock syndrome, (STSS), in 8-14% of cases. The STSS characteristically results in shock and multi-organ failure soon after the onset of symptoms, and is associated with a mortality of 33-81%. Many of these patients will require extensive soft tissue debridement or amputation in the operating room, on an emergency basis. The extent of tissue debridement required is often underestimated before skin incision. Management of STSS requires volume resuscitation, vasopressor/inotrope infusion, antibiotic therapy and supportive care in an intensive care unit, usually including mechanical ventilation. Intravenous immunoglobulin infusion has been recommended. Further studies are needed to define the role of IVIG in STSS management and to determine optimal anesthetic management of patients with septic shock.

Consequences of work group manpower and expertise understaffing: A multilevel approach.

PubMed

Hudson, Cristina K; Shen, Winny

2018-01-01

Complaints of chronic understaffing in organizations have become common among workers as employers face increasing pressures to do more with less. Unfortunately, despite its prevalence, there is currently limited research in the literature regarding the nature of workplace understaffing and its consequences. Taking a multilevel approach, this study introduces a new multidimensional conceptualization of subjective work group understaffing, comprising of manpower and expertise understaffing, and examines both its performance and well-being consequences for individual workers (Study 1) and work groups (Study 2). Results show that the relationship between work group understaffing and individual and work group emotional exhaustion is mediated through quantitative workload and role ambiguity for both levels of analysis. Work group understaffing was also related to individual job performance, but not group performance, and this relationship was mediated by role ambiguity. Results were generally similar for the 2 dimensions of understaffing. Implications for theory and research and future research directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Is the racial composition of your surroundings associated with your levels of social dominance orientation?

PubMed

Radke, Helena R M; Hornsey, Matthew J; Sibley, Chris G; Thai, Michael; Barlow, Fiona Kate

2017-01-01

We investigate the extent to which minority group members are surrounded by outgroup members in their immediate environment as a predictor of social dominance orientation. Using a large representative sample of New Zealanders, we found that minority group members in outgroup dense environments reported lower levels of social dominance orientation (Study 1). In studies 2 and 3, Asian Australian and Black American participants who were surrounded by outgroup members reported lower social dominance orientation. For majority group (White) participants there was no association between social dominance orientation and outgroup density. Study 4 explained the overall pattern: Black Americans surrounded by outgroup members perceived their group to be of lower status in their immediate environment, and through this, reported lower social dominance orientation. This article adds to growing literature on contextual factors that predict social dominance orientation, especially among minority group members.

The Name-Letter-Effect in Groups: Sharing Initials with Group Members Increases the Quality of Group Work

PubMed Central

Polman, Evan; Pollmann, Monique M. H.; Poehlman, T. Andrew

2013-01-01

Although the name-letter-effect has been demonstrated reliably in choice contexts, recent research has called into question the existence of the name-letter-effect–the tendency among people to make choices that bear remarkable similarity with the letters in their own name. In this paper, we propose a connection between the name-letter-effect and interpersonal, group-level behavior that has not been previously captured in the literature. Specifically, we suggest that sharing initials with other group members promotes positive feelings toward those group members that in turn affect group outcomes. Using both field and laboratory studies, we found that sharing initials with group members cause groups to perform better by demonstrating greater performance, collective efficacy, adaptive conflict, and accuracy (on a hidden-profile task). Although many studies have investigated the effects of member similarity on various outcomes, our research demonstrates how minimal a degree of similarity among members is sufficient to influence quality of group outcomes. PMID:24236087

Can Grafts Provide Superior Tendon Healing and Clinical Outcomes After Rotator Cuff Repairs?

PubMed Central

Ono, Yohei; Dávalos Herrera, Diego Alejandro; Woodmass, Jarret M.; Boorman, Richard S.; Thornton, Gail M.; Lo, Ian K. Y.

2016-01-01

Background: Arthroscopic repair of large to massive rotator cuff tears commonly retear. To improve healing rates, a number of different approaches have been utilized, including the use of grafts, which may enhance the biomechanical and biologic aspects of the repair construct. However, the outcomes after the use of grafts are diverse. Purpose: To systematically review the literature for large to massive rotator cuff tears to determine whether the use of grafts generally provides superior tendon healing and clinical outcomes to the repairs without grafts. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed. Clinical studies comparing the repairs with (graft group) and without grafts (control group) were included and analyzed. The primary outcome was tendon healing on either magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasound. The secondary outcome measures included visual analog scale for pain, University of California at Los Angles (UCLA) score, and forward elevation range. Differences between groups in all outcome measures were statistically analyzed. Results: Six comparative studies (level of evidence 2 or 3) with 13 study groups were included. A total of 242 repairs in the graft group (mean age, 62.5 ± 4.6 years) and 185 repairs in the control group (mean age, 62.5 ± 5.0 years) were analyzed. The graft types utilized included autograft (fascia lata) in 1 study, allograft (human dermis) in 2 studies, xenograft (bovine pericardium, porcine small intestine submucosa) in 2 studies, synthetic graft (polypropylene) in 1 study, and a combination of autograft (the long head of biceps) and synthetic graft (polypropylene) in 1 study. The overall mean follow-up time was 28.4 ± 9.0 months. When 1 or 2 studies/study groups were excluded due to practical or statistical reasons, the graft group demonstrated significantly improved healing (odds ratio, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.58-3.90; P < .0001) and all clinical outcome measures at final follow-up (P ≤ .02). Conclusion: The use of grafts generally provides superior tendon healing and clinical outcomes compared to repairs without grafts, except for some specific graft types (eg, porcine small intestine submucosa, bovine pericardium). Further investigations are required to determine the benefits of the use of grafts. PMID:28203585

Use of simulation-based education to improve outcomes of central venous catheterization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ma, Irene W Y; Brindle, Mary E; Ronksley, Paul E; Lorenzetti, Diane L; Sauve, Reg S; Ghali, William A

2011-09-01

Central venous catheterization (CVC) is increasingly taught by simulation. The authors reviewed the literature on the effects of simulation training in CVC on learner and clinical outcomes. The authors searched computerized databases (1950 to May 2010), reference lists, and considered studies with a control group (without simulation education intervention). Two independent assessors reviewed the retrieved citations. Independent data abstraction was performed on study design, study quality score, learner characteristics, sample size, components of interventional curriculum, outcomes assessed, and method of assessment. Learner outcomes included performance measures on simulators, knowledge, and confidence. Patient outcomes included number of needle passes, arterial puncture, pneumothorax, and catheter-related infections. Twenty studies were identified. Simulation-based education was associated with significant improvements in learner outcomes: performance on simulators (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.60 [95% CI 0.45 to 0.76]), knowledge (SMD 0.60 [95% CI 0.35 to 0.84]), and confidence (SMD 0.41 [95% CI 0.30 to 0.53] for studies with single-group pretest and posttest design; SMD 0.52 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.81) for studies with nonrandomized, two-group design). Furthermore, simulation-based education was associated with improved patient outcomes, including fewer needle passes (SMD -0.58 [95% CI -0.95 to -0.20]), and pneumothorax (relative risk 0.62 [95% CI 0.40 to 0.97]), for studies with nonrandomized, two-group design. However, simulation-based training was not associated with a significant reduction in risk of either arterial puncture or catheter-related infections. Despite some limitations in the literature reviewed, evidence suggests that simulation-based education for CVC provides benefits in learner and select clinical outcomes.

Patent Databases. . .A Survey of What Is Available from DIALOG, Questel, SDC, Pergamon and INPADOC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kulp, Carol S.

1984-01-01

Presents survey of two groups of databases covering patent literature: patent literature only and general literature that includes patents relevant to subject area of database. Description of databases and comparison tables for patent and general databases (cost, country coverage, years covered, update frequency, file size, and searchable data…

Science and Literature: Towards a Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, John

2007-01-01

Teachers of science and the history of science may wish to enliven and contextualise their subject matter by citing literary references to scientific ideas; similarly, teachers of literature may wish to examine the impact of science on their own field. Both groups of scholars may wish to examine how science and literature inform each other in…

Economic and Social Implications of Automation, Abstracts of Recent Literature. Volume 3, Literature 1961-1965.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardin, Einar; And Others

Abstracts and bibliographic information on social science research literature pertaining to this subject are grouped under the headings of: (1) Automation and Technological Change Concepts, Research Methods and Priorities, (2) General Surveys and Symposia, (3) Economic Growth, (4) Employment, Wages, Costs, and Output, (5) Job Content and…

Integrating Literature Circles into a Cotaught Inclusive Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittaker, Catharine R.

2012-01-01

Literature circles or book clubs are small, heterogeneous groups of students who have chosen to read and discuss the same book together. The research on literature circles suggests that they hold great promise for increasing students' enjoyment of reading and honing their literacy skills. When evidence-based strategies are embedded into a…

Benefits of the use of ICT in school activities by students with motor, speech, visual, and hearing impairment: a literature review.

PubMed

Lidström, Helene; Hemmingsson, Helena

2014-07-01

Information and communication technology (ICT) has the potential to enhance participation in educational activities for students with physical disabilities. Even though incorporating ICTs into teaching and learning in education has become an important issue, it is unclear what evidence research has provided. The aim of this study was to investigate types of ICT items and how ICT is being used by students with physical disabilities, and describe the benefits of ICT use in school activities. A systematic literature search, covering the period 2000-May 2012, was performed in the databases AMED, CINAHL, Eric, OTseeker, Psych Info, PubMed, and Scopus. Data analysis entailed extracting, editing, grouping, and abstracting findings. A total of 32 articles were included, 16 of which were intervention studies. More than half of the studies concerned students with motor impairments. Type of ICT used differed among impairment groups, and ICT seemed to be especially beneficial for writing, spelling, and communication. Even though the review found heterogeneity across the studies students seemed to benefit from ICT use regardless of the type. For future research it is important to highlight intervention studies, especially for students with visual, hearing, and communication impairments.

Nurses' shift reports: a systematic literature search and critical review of qualitative field studies.

PubMed

Buus, Niels; Hoeck, Bente; Hamilton, Bridget Elizabeth

2017-10-01

To identify reporting practices that feature in studies of nurses' shift reports across diverse nursing specialities. The objectives were to perform an exhaustive systematic literature search and to critically review the quality and findings of qualitative field studies of nurses' shift reports. Nurses' shift reports are routine occurrences in healthcare organisations that are viewed as crucial for patient outcomes, patient safety and continuity of care. Studies of communication between nurses attend primarily to 1:1 communication and analyse the adequacy and accuracy of patient information and feature handovers at the bedside. Still, verbal reports between groups of nurses about patients are commonplace. Shift reports are obvious sites for studying the situated accomplishment of professional nursing at the group level. This review is focused exclusively on qualitative field research for nuanced and contextualised insights into nurses' everyday shift reporting practices. The study is a systematic literature search and critical review of qualitative field analyses of nurses' shift reports. We searched in the databases CIHAHL, PubMed and PsycINFO and identified and reviewed 19 articles published 1992-2014. Data were systematically extracted using criteria for the evaluation of qualitative research reports. The studies described shift report practices and identified several factors contributing to distribution of clinical knowledge. Shift report practices were described as highly conventionalised and locally situated, but with occasional opportunities for improvisation and negotiation between nurses. Finally, shift reports were described as multifunctional meetings, with individual and social effects for nurses and teams. Innovations in between-shift communications can benefit from this analysis, by providing for the many functions of handovers that are revealed in field studies. Leaders and practising nurses may consider what are the best opportunities for nurses to work up clinical knowledge and negotiate care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Depression research methodologies in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: a review and critique.

PubMed

Tennen, H; Hall, J A; Affleck, G

1995-05-01

Personality and social psychological studies of depression and depressive phenomena have become more methodologically sophisticated in recent years. In response to earlier problems in this literature, investigators have formulated sound suggestions for research designs. Studies of depression published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (JPSP) between 1988 and 1993 were reviewed to evaluate how well these recommendations have been followed. Forty-one articles were examined for adherence to 3 suggestions appearing consistently in the literature: (a) multiple assessment periods, (b) multiple assessment methods, and (c) appropriate comparison groups. The studies published in JPSP have not adhered well to these standards. The authors recommend resetting minimum methodological criteria for studies of depression published in the premier journal in personality and social psychology.

Decreased hospital length of stay associated with presentation of cases at morning report with librarian support

PubMed Central

Banks, Daniel E.; Shi, Runhua; Timm, Donna F.; Christopher, Kerri Ann; Duggar, David Charles; Comegys, Marianne; McLarty, Jerry

2007-01-01

Objective: The research sought to determine whether case discussion at residents' morning report (MR), accompanied by a computerized literature search and librarian support, affects hospital charges, length of stay (LOS), and thirty-day readmission rate. Methods: This case-control study, conducted from August 2004 to March 2005, compared outcomes for 105 cases presented at MR within 24 hours of admission to 19,210 potential matches, including cases presented at MR and cases not presented at MR. With matching criteria of patient age (± 5 years), identical primary diagnosis, and secondary diagnoses (within 3 additional diagnoses) using International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9) codes, 55 cases were matched to 136 controls. Statistical analyses included Student's t tests, chi-squared tests, and nonparametric methods. Results: LOS differed significantly between matched MR cases and controls (3 days vs. 5 days, P < 0.024). Median total hospital charges were $7,045 for the MR group and $10,663 for the control group. There was no difference in 30-day readmission rate between the 2 groups. Discussion/Conclusion: Presentation of a case at MR, followed by the timely dissemination of the results of an online literature review, resulted in a shortened LOS and lower hospital charges compared with controls. MR, in association with a computerized literature search guided by the librarians, was an effective means for introducing evidence-based medicine into patient care practices. PMID:17971885

Water shortages and extreme events: a call for research.

PubMed

Carmichael, Catriona; Odams, Sue; Murray, Virginia; Sellick, Matthew; Colbourne, Jeni

2013-09-01

Water shortages as a result of extreme weather events, such as flooding and severe cold, have the potential to affect significant numbers of people. Therefore, the need to build robust, coordinated plans based on scientific evidence is crucial. The literature review outlined in this short communication was conducted as part of a joint Drinking Water Inspectorate and Health Protection Agency (now Public Health England) report which aimed to review the scientific evidence base on extreme events, water shortages and the resulting health impacts. A systematic literature review was undertaken to identify published literature from both peer-reviewed and grey literature sources. The retrieved literature was then assessed using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network quality assessment. The authors found very few scientific studies. However, a great deal of valuable grey literature was retrieved and used by the research team. In total, six main themes of importance that were identified by the review and discussed included health impacts, water quantity and quality, alternative supplies, vulnerable groups, communication with those affected and the emergency response. The authors conclude that more research needs to be conducted on health impacts and extreme events water shortages in order to build the future knowledge base and development of resilience.

Social support networks and eating disorders: an integrative review of the literature.

PubMed

Leonidas, Carolina; Dos Santos, Manoel Antônio

2014-01-01

This study aimed to analyze the scientific literature about social networks and social support in eating disorders (ED). By combining keywords, an integrative review was performed. It included publications from 2006-2013, retrieved from the MEDLINE, LILACS, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases. The selection of articles was based on preestablished inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 24 articles were selected for data extraction. There was a predominance of studies that used nonexperimental and descriptive designs, and which were published in international journals. This review provided evidence of the fact that fully consolidated literature regarding social support and social networks in patients with ED is not available, given the small number of studies dedicated to the subject. We identified evidence that the family social network of patients with ED has been widely explored by the literature, although there is a lack of studies about other networks and sources of social support outside the family. The evidence presented in this study shows the need to include other social networks in health care. This expansion beyond family networks would include significant others - such as friends, colleagues, neighbors, people from religious groups, among others - who could help the individual coping with the disorder. The study also highlights the need for future research on this topic, as well as a need for greater investment in publications on the various dimensions of social support and social networks.

On the Nature and Strategies of Organized Interests in Health Care Policy Making

PubMed Central

Contandriopoulos, Damien

2012-01-01

Relying on a sweeping review of the literature on interest group influence in health care policy making, we propose a basic definition and a typology of interest groups in provincial health care policy making. Then, using Milbrath’s communication framework, we analyze organized interests’ strategies for influencing policy making. This article is a modest attempt to cross-fertilize the group theory and resource dependency literature. This theoretical framework allows us to explore many of the recurring questions about groups’ origins and strategies from an original standpoint. PMID:23087490

Burden of Chlamydia trachomatis in India: a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Spaargaren, Joke; Kant, Rajiv; Lawrence, Rubina; Dayal, Arvind; Lal, Jonathan A.; Morré, Servaas A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Chlamydia trachomatis (hereafter CT) is Gram-negative, obligate intracellular pathogen. It causes the world's most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease. India is home to the world's greatest burden of infectious diseases, yet information on prevalence rates of CT is scarce. This article systematically reviews the literature for the prevalence rates and testing methods in India. A total of 27 studies were included. Four main patients groups (symptomatic women, infertile women, pregnant women and asymptomatic population groups) could be identified with varying rates of CT (0.1%–32% using PCR, 2.4%–75% using ELISA serology). Most of the studies originated from urban settings, 11 of them from New Delhi. In-house PCR was the most common diagnostic technique used generating the following ranges in prevalence for the four group studies: symptomatic women 10%–50%, pregnant women 0.1%–2.5% and asymptomatic populations 0.9%–24.5%. The rates among infertile women were 9%–68% based on serology results. The prevalence rates featured in this paper are in line with other locations across the Indian subcontinent. This review highlights the extreme heterogeneity in the limited studies available in India on CT and the need for standardized guidelines for diagnosis and management of CT in India. The availability of resources should be considered in the formulation of recommendations. PMID:28582495

Group Psychodrama for Korean College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chae, Soo Eun; Kim, Soo Jin

2017-01-01

Psychodrama was first introduced in the Korean literature in 1972, but its generalization to college students did not occur until the 1990s. Despite findings from psychodrama studies with Korean college students supporting psychodrama as effective for developing and maintaining good interpersonal relationships, as well as decreasing anxiety and…

Predictors of Sustainability of Social Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savaya, Riki; Spiro, Shimon E.

2012-01-01

This article presents the findings of a large scale study that tested a comprehensive model of predictors of three manifestations of sustainability: continuation, institutionalization, and duration. Based on the literature the predictors were arrayed in four groups: variables pertaining to the project, the auspice organization, the community, and…

Dynamic Assessment, Potential Giftedness and Mathematics Achievement in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popa, Nicoleta Laura; Pauc, Ramona Loredana

2015-01-01

Dynamic assessment is currently discussed in educational literature as one of the most promising practices in stimulating learning among various groups of students, including gifted and potentially gifted students. The present study investigates effects of dynamic assessment on mathematics achievement among elementary school students, with…

School Desegregation Trends in Gauteng Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amsterdam, C. E. N.; Nkomo, M.; Weber, E.

2012-01-01

This study utilized 2003 to 2006 school enrollment data from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to examine school desegregation trends and interracial exposure among learners from different race groups. Descriptive analyses revealed findings consistent with the literature wherein a majority of schools served mainly homogeneous populations.…

Canadian Native Intelligence Studies: A Brief Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senior, Sharon

1993-01-01

Reviews the literature on (1) the nature of intelligence; (2) controversy over the use of standardized intelligence tests with cultural minority groups; (3) arguments surrounding intelligence testing of Canadian Native students; (4) language barriers in standardized intelligence testing; and (5) the effects of self-concept and parent educational…

A Time To Think about Shakespeare.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kliman, Bernice W.

In June 1989, a study group was organized at Nassau Community College to encourage faculty to introduce the works of William Shakespeare in introductory literature courses. When the prospect of teaching Shakespeare to community college students was first considered, faculty expressed concern that their understanding of the issues surrounding…

From Gene Mutation to Protein Characterization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moffet, David A.

2009-01-01

A seven-week "gene to protein" laboratory sequence is described for an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course. Student pairs were given the task of introducing a point mutation of their choosing into the well studied protein, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). After conducting literature searches, each student group chose the…

Exploring Student Self-Plagiarism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halupa, Colleen M.

2014-01-01

Student self-plagiarism is a confusing issue for both faculty and students alike. This problem is compounded because both groups perceive the concept very differently. Recent literature regarding these perceptions is reviewed and some brief preliminary results of an exploratory multi-university study of student perceptions of self-plagiarism are…

The Problems of Contemporary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akar, Hüseyin; Dogan, Yildiz Burcu; Üstüner, Mehmet

2018-01-01

This research aimed to investigate the relationships between positive and negative perfectionisms, self-handicapping, self-efficacy and academic achievement. For this purpose, an extensive literature review was conducted and a model was suggested. Structural equation model was employed to test the model. The study group of the research consisted…

How to Survive in Industry. Cost Justifying Library Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramer, Joseph

1971-01-01

Two services provided by the Boeing Co. Aerospace Group Library-Literature searches and reference/publication identification activities-were evaluated by written and oral surveys of the library's users. The survey technique and cost savings reported by the two studies are discussed. (2 references) (Author/NH)

Ungraded Primary Programs: Steps toward Developmentally Appropriate Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appalachia Educational Lab., Charleston, WV.

This volume presents case studies of 10 ungraded primary programs. Also discussed are the obstacles, accomplishments, advantages, and disadvantages of ungraded primary programs experienced by the faculties of these schools; their recommendations for future implementation; and the literature on multi-age grouping and ungraded primary programs. Case…

Bicultural Identity Orientation of Immigrants to Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comanaru, Ruxandra-Silvia; Noels, Kimberly A.; Dewaele, Jean-Marc

2018-01-01

Studies of bicultural identity have claimed conflict--harmony and distance--overlap as relevant axes for describing bicultural identity, whereas other research emphasises variations across social situations. Based on this literature and focus group interviews, the bicultural identity of 300 young adults from immigrant families was examined, and a…

A developmental approach to gifts in long-term group psychotherapy extending from an anniversary ritual.

PubMed

Smolar, Andrew I; Eichen, Ann E

2013-01-01

Therapists have been quietly receiving gifts from patients for many years, but only recently have they been acknowledging and reporting such transactions. Most of the literature on the subject, which has been sparse, has been limited to the individual psychotherapy setting. In this article, we take up the issue within the group psychotherapeutic setting, surveying the literature, and describing our own experience with what became a gift-giving ritual in our long-term open-ended therapy group. We offer a group developmental perspective for informing therapeutic responses to gifts, and suggestions for the technical management of this kind of transaction.

Insurer and employer views on pediatric obesity treatment: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Hampl, S E; Davis, A M; Sampilo, M L; Stephens, K L; Dean, K

2013-04-01

The effectiveness of group-based comprehensive, multidisciplinary (stage 3) pediatric weight management programs is backed by a growing body of literature, yet insurance coverage of these programs is scarce to nonexistent, limiting their reach and long-term survival. The objective of this study was to better understand the perspectives of insurers and large employers on the issue of group-based treatment coverage. The authors performed a qualitative study utilizing structured interviews with these stakeholders, following accepted techniques. Six major themes emerged: cost, program effectiveness, corporate social responsibility, secondary parental (employee) benefits, coverage options and new benefit determination. Future efforts to secure payment for group-based pediatric weight management programs should address these key themes. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

Literature Review: Double-Barrelled Wet Colostomy (One Stoma) versus Ileal Conduit with Colostomy (Two Stomas).

PubMed

Gan, Jason; Hamid, Rizwan

2017-01-01

The aim of this literature review was to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of a traditional ileal conduit (IC) with separate colostomy technique compared to the outcomes of a double-barrelled wet colostomy (DBWC) technique. The former technique results in the formation of two stomas, and the latter results in the formation of one stoma. PubMed was searched electronically for articles on DBWC. Fifteen articles were retrieved and of them 13 were included in the literature review (350 patients). Of the articles, 3 directly compared DBWC to IC with colostomy. Review of 13 DBWC articles demonstrated perioperative mortality ranging between 0 and 11.1% and postoperative complications ranging from 0 to 100%. Three of the studies directly compared DBWC to IC with colostomy; median operating times and length of stay were shorter in DBWC patients (p < 0.001); 30-day morbidity was reported to either be lower in the DBWC group (p < 0.043) or to have no statistically significant difference. Rates of mortality, pyelonephritis, electrolyte disturbances and urinary anastomotic problems did not differ between the 2 groups. The DBWC technique inherently has a benefit over the IC with colostomy technique, as it requires only one stoma. This literature review supports the use of the technically less challenging DBWC technique as a viable alternative to the traditional IC with colostomy technique. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Evaluation of a Machine-Learning Classifier for Keratoconus Detection Based on Scheimpflug Tomography.

PubMed

Ruiz Hidalgo, Irene; Rodriguez, Pablo; Rozema, Jos J; Ní Dhubhghaill, Sorcha; Zakaria, Nadia; Tassignon, Marie-José; Koppen, Carina

2016-06-01

To evaluate the performance of a support vector machine algorithm that automatically and objectively identifies corneal patterns based on a combination of 22 parameters obtained from Pentacam measurements and to compare this method with other known keratoconus (KC) classification methods. Pentacam data from 860 eyes were included in the study and divided into 5 groups: 454 KC, 67 forme fruste (FF), 28 astigmatic, 117 after refractive surgery (PR), and 194 normal eyes (N). Twenty-two parameters were used for classification using a support vector machine algorithm developed in Weka, a machine-learning computer software. The cross-validation accuracy for 3 different classification tasks (KC vs. N, FF vs. N and all 5 groups) was calculated and compared with other known classification methods. The accuracy achieved in the KC versus N discrimination task was 98.9%, with 99.1% sensitivity and 98.5% specificity for KC detection. The accuracy in the FF versus N task was 93.1%, with 79.1% sensitivity and 97.9% specificity for the FF discrimination. Finally, for the 5-groups classification, the accuracy was 88.8%, with a weighted average sensitivity of 89.0% and specificity of 95.2%. Despite using the strictest definition for FF KC, the present study obtained comparable or better results than the single-parameter methods and indices reported in the literature. In some cases, direct comparisons with the literature were not possible because of differences in the compositions and definitions of the study groups, especially the FF KC.

Development of a Food Group-Based Diet Score and Its Association with Bone Mineral Density in the Elderly: The Rotterdam Study.

PubMed

de Jonge, Ester A L; Kiefte-de Jong, Jessica C; de Groot, Lisette C P G M; Voortman, Trudy; Schoufour, Josje D; Zillikens, M Carola; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, André G; Franco, Oscar H; Rivadeneira, Fernando

2015-08-18

No diet score exists that summarizes the features of a diet that is optimal for bone mineral density (BMD) in the elderly. Our aims were (a) to develop a BMD-Diet Score reflecting a diet that may be beneficial for BMD based on the existing literature, and (b) to examine the association of the BMD-Diet Score and the Healthy Diet Indicator, a score based on guidelines of the World Health Organization, with BMD in Dutch elderly participating in a prospective cohort study, the Rotterdam Study (n = 5144). Baseline dietary intake, assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, was categorized into food groups. Food groups that were consistently associated with BMD in the literature were included in the BMD-Diet Score. BMD was measured repeatedly and was assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The BMD-Diet Score considered intake of vegetables, fruits, fish, whole grains, legumes/beans and dairy products as "high-BMD" components and meat and confectionary as "low-BMD" components. After adjustment, the BMD-Diet Score was positively associated with BMD (β (95% confidence interval) = 0.009 (0.005, 0.012) g/cm(2) per standard deviation). This effect size was approximately three times as large as has been observed for the Healthy Diet Indicator. The food groups included in our BMD-Diet Score could be considered in the development of future dietary guidelines for healthy ageing.

Development of a Food Group-Based Diet Score and Its Association with Bone Mineral Density in the Elderly: The Rotterdam Study

PubMed Central

de Jonge, Ester A. L.; Kiefte-de Jong, Jessica C.; de Groot, Lisette C. P. G. M.; Voortman, Trudy; Schoufour, Josje D.; Zillikens, M. Carola; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, André G.; Franco, Oscar H.; Rivadeneira, Fernando

2015-01-01

No diet score exists that summarizes the features of a diet that is optimal for bone mineral density (BMD) in the elderly. Our aims were (a) to develop a BMD-Diet Score reflecting a diet that may be beneficial for BMD based on the existing literature, and (b) to examine the association of the BMD-Diet Score and the Healthy Diet Indicator, a score based on guidelines of the World Health Organization, with BMD in Dutch elderly participating in a prospective cohort study, the Rotterdam Study (n = 5144). Baseline dietary intake, assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, was categorized into food groups. Food groups that were consistently associated with BMD in the literature were included in the BMD-Diet Score. BMD was measured repeatedly and was assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The BMD-Diet Score considered intake of vegetables, fruits, fish, whole grains, legumes/beans and dairy products as “high-BMD” components and meat and confectionary as “low-BMD” components. After adjustment, the BMD-Diet Score was positively associated with BMD (β (95% confidence interval) = 0.009 (0.005, 0.012) g/cm2 per standard deviation). This effect size was approximately three times as large as has been observed for the Healthy Diet Indicator. The food groups included in our BMD-Diet Score could be considered in the development of future dietary guidelines for healthy ageing. PMID:26295256

The effects of exit from work on health across different socioeconomic groups: A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Schaap, Rosanne; de Wind, Astrid; Coenen, Pieter; Proper, Karin; Boot, Cécile

2018-02-01

Exit from work leads to different effects on health, partially depending on the socioeconomic status (SES) of people in the work exit. Several studies on the effects of exit from work on health across socioeconomic groups have been performed, but results are conflicting. The aim of this review is to systematically review the available evidence regarding the effects of exit from work on health in high and low socioeconomic groups. A systematic literature search was conducted using Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and PsycINFO. Search terms related to exit from work, health, SES and design (prospective or retrospective). Articles were included if they focused on: exit from work (early/statutory retirement, unemployment or disability pension); health (general, physical or mental health and/or health behaviour); SES (educational, occupational and/or income level); and inclusion of stratified or interaction analyses to determine differences across socioeconomic groups. This search strategy resulted in 22 studies. For general, physical or mental health and health behaviour, 13 studies found more positive effects of exit from work on health among employees with a higher SES compared to employees with a lower SES. These effects were mainly found after early/statutory retirement. In conclusion, the effects of exit from work, or more specific the effects of early/statutory retirement on health are different across socioeconomic groups. However, the findings of this review should be interpreted with caution as the studies used heterogeneous health outcomes and on each health outcome a limited number of studies was included. Yet, the positive effects of exit from work on health are mainly present in higher socioeconomic groups. Therefore, public health policies should focus on improving health of employees with a lower SES, in particular after exit from work to decrease health inequalities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Paralympic athlete: a systematic review of the psychosocial literature.

PubMed

Jefferies, Philip; Gallagher, Pamela; Dunne, Simon

2012-09-01

There is a lack of knowledge of the psychosocial wellbeing and attributes of Paralympic athletes. Such knowledge may reveal what contributes to exceptional performance. To systematically review the literature on psychosocial wellbeing and attributes of the Paralympic athlete. Systematic literature review. Five key databases that index psychosocial literature were searched: CINAHL, ISI Web of Science, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and SportsDiscus. Sixteen papers were found that met the inclusion criteria. The studies were characterised by heterogeneity of design, sample characteristics, outcome assessment and outcomes examined. The emerging thematic areas are 1) participation, motivations and goals; 2) mental imagery; 3) stress and coping; 4) personality; 5) attitudes towards other disabled-bodied athlete groups; 6) knowledge and attitudes towards doping; and 7) transitions to retirement. Relative to the biomechanical aspects of the Paralympian, the psychosocial literature remains limited and diffuse. Nonetheless an understanding of the psychosocial profile of these athletes complements the extant physiological and technological knowledge in enabling a holistic view of what contributes to the successful Paralympic athlete and may facilitate the team working to optimize performance and wellbeing in these high-performing individuals.

Chromium VI and stomach cancer: a meta-analysis of the current epidemiological evidence.

PubMed

Welling, Roberta; Beaumont, James J; Petersen, Scott J; Alexeeff, George V; Steinmaus, Craig

2015-02-01

Chromium VI (hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI)) is an established cause of lung cancer, but its association with gastrointestinal cancer is less clear. The goal of this study was to examine whether the current human epidemiological research on occupationally inhaled Cr(VI) supports the hypothesis that Cr(VI) is associated with human stomach cancer. Following a thorough literature search and review of individual studies, we used meta-analysis to summarise the current epidemiological literature on inhaled Cr(VI) and stomach cancer, explore major sources of heterogeneity, and assess other elements of causal inference. We identified 56 cohort and case-control studies and 74 individual relative risk (RR) estimates on stomach cancer and Cr(VI) exposure or work in an occupation associated with high Cr(VI) exposure including chromium production, chrome plating, leather work and work with Portland cement. The summary RR for all studies combined was 1.27 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.38). In analyses limited to only those studies identifying increased risks of lung cancer, the summary RR for stomach cancer was higher (RR=1.41, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.69). Overall, these results suggest that Cr(VI) is a stomach carcinogen in humans, which is consistent with the tumour results reported in rodent studies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Fertility outcomes after laparoscopic partial bladder resection for deep endometriosis: Retrospective analysis from two expert centres and review of the literature.

PubMed

Nyangoh Timoh, Krystel; Ballester, Marcos; Bendifallah, Sofiane; Fauconnier, Arnaud; Darai, Emile

2018-01-01

To evaluate fertility outcomes after laparoscopic partial bladder resection in women with bladder endometriosis and to review the literature. A retrospective study conducted at two tertiary referral centres -Tenon University Hospital and Poissy University Hospital (Canadian Task Force Classification Level II-2)-from July 2006 to November 2015. Patients with bladder endometriosis who underwent either laparoscopic partial bladder resection (PBR) alone for those without posterior endometriotic lesions (PBR group) or both laparoscopic PBR and associated posterior deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) resection (PBR-PDIE group) were included. Pregnancy and live birth rates according to prior infertility, and associated posterior DIE resection were analysed. Thirty-four patients were included; 15 in the PBR group and 19 in the PBR-PDIE group. The median age (range) was 31 years (25-37), Seventeen patients (50%) had prior infertility. The median follow-up after bladder resection was 60.6 months (12-116). Overall, of the 25 (73.5%) patients who wished to conceive, 17 (68%) achieved pregnancies resulting in a live birth rate of 76.4%. Among the 17 patients with prior infertility, nine (52.9%) conceived. Overall, eight patients (53.3%) in the PBR group conceived and nine (47.3%) in the PBR-PDIE group (difference not significant). The present study demonstrates that laparoscopic PBR results in a high pregnancy rate in patients with prior infertility as well as in those with associated posterior DIE suggesting that surgery could be an acceptable alternative to first-line assisted reproductive technology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of the use of children's literature as an instructional approach on the science knowledge achievement and attitudes of third-grade students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royce, Christine Anne

This study examined three instructional approaches to determine the comparative effects of using children's literature on the development of factual and conceptual knowledge of third-grade students as well as their attitudes toward the method of instruction and science. Students from four intact classes were taught a six-week, researcher developed unit on the topic of invertebrates for 30 minutes per day that utilized the Directed Reading Approach (DRA). The Naive Comparison Group served as the control for this study and received no instruction on invertebrates. The Textbook Group obtained their information from the Houghton Mifflin Discovery Works textbook series. The Combined Group obtained their information from both textbook series and selected children's tradebooks. The Tradebook Group obtained their information from selected children's tradebooks. This study utilized an adaptation on a non-randomized Pretest-Posttest Group Design. All four intact groups took a pretest and posttest to measure their factual and conceptual knowledge of invertebrates. This data was scored and analyzed for significance at the.05 level using an ANCOVA. No significant differences were found between the four groups for the achievement test. All four intact groups took a pre- and post-attitude survey, which addressed their attitudes toward textbooks, tradebooks, and science. This data was scored and analyzed for significance at the .05 level using three separate, analyses of variance with repeated measures. There were no significant differences between the pre- and post-attitude surveys on the topic of textbooks or tradebooks. There was a significant difference between the pre- and post-attitude surveys for the students' attitudes toward science. It was concluded that the use of tradebooks in place of or in conjunction with textbooks is a viable alternative to the use of textbooks in the elementary science classroom.

The Power of Affirming Group Values: Group Affirmation Buffers the Self-Esteem of Women Exposed to Blatant Sexism

PubMed Central

Spencer-Rodgers, Julie; Major, Brenda; Forster, Daniel; Peng, Kaiping

2016-01-01

Extending the group affirmation literature to the domain of prejudice, this study investigated whether group affirmation buffers the self-esteem of women exposed to blatant sexism. In accordance with Self-Affirmation Theory (Steele, 1988) and group affirmation research (Sherman et al., 2007), we hypothesized that when one aspect of the collective self is threatened (gender identity), self-esteem can be maintained via the affirmation of an alternative aspect of the collective self. In a 2×2 between-participants design, female students were randomly assigned to read about discrimination directed toward women or a non-self-relevant disadvantaged group (the Inuit). All then participated in a (fictitious) second study, in which half completed a group affirmation manipulation (wrote about the top three values of a self-defining group) and half completed a control writing exercise. The self-esteem of women who were threatened by sexism, but group affirmed, was protected from the negative effects of perceiving sexism. PMID:27867318

The Power of Affirming Group Values: Group Affirmation Buffers the Self-Esteem of Women Exposed to Blatant Sexism.

PubMed

Spencer-Rodgers, Julie; Major, Brenda; Forster, Daniel; Peng, Kaiping

2016-01-01

Extending the group affirmation literature to the domain of prejudice, this study investigated whether group affirmation buffers the self-esteem of women exposed to blatant sexism. In accordance with Self-Affirmation Theory (Steele, 1988) and group affirmation research (Sherman et al., 2007), we hypothesized that when one aspect of the collective self is threatened (gender identity), self-esteem can be maintained via the affirmation of an alternative aspect of the collective self. In a 2×2 between-participants design, female students were randomly assigned to read about discrimination directed toward women or a non-self-relevant disadvantaged group (the Inuit). All then participated in a (fictitious) second study, in which half completed a group affirmation manipulation (wrote about the top three values of a self-defining group) and half completed a control writing exercise. The self-esteem of women who were threatened by sexism, but group affirmed, was protected from the negative effects of perceiving sexism.

Control group design: enhancing rigor in research of mind-body therapies for depression.

PubMed

Kinser, Patricia Anne; Robins, Jo Lynne

2013-01-01

Although a growing body of research suggests that mind-body therapies may be appropriate to integrate into the treatment of depression, studies consistently lack methodological sophistication particularly in the area of control groups. In order to better understand the relationship between control group selection and methodological rigor, we provide a brief review of the literature on control group design in yoga and tai chi studies for depression, and we discuss challenges we have faced in the design of control groups for our recent clinical trials of these mind-body complementary therapies for women with depression. To address the multiple challenges of research about mind-body therapies, we suggest that researchers should consider 4 key questions: whether the study design matches the research question; whether the control group addresses performance, expectation, and detection bias; whether the control group is ethical, feasible, and attractive; and whether the control group is designed to adequately control for nonspecific intervention effects. Based on these questions, we provide specific recommendations about control group design with the goal of minimizing bias and maximizing validity in future research.

Control Group Design: Enhancing Rigor in Research of Mind-Body Therapies for Depression

PubMed Central

Kinser, Patricia Anne; Robins, Jo Lynne

2013-01-01

Although a growing body of research suggests that mind-body therapies may be appropriate to integrate into the treatment of depression, studies consistently lack methodological sophistication particularly in the area of control groups. In order to better understand the relationship between control group selection and methodological rigor, we provide a brief review of the literature on control group design in yoga and tai chi studies for depression, and we discuss challenges we have faced in the design of control groups for our recent clinical trials of these mind-body complementary therapies for women with depression. To address the multiple challenges of research about mind-body therapies, we suggest that researchers should consider 4 key questions: whether the study design matches the research question; whether the control group addresses performance, expectation, and detection bias; whether the control group is ethical, feasible, and attractive; and whether the control group is designed to adequately control for nonspecific intervention effects. Based on these questions, we provide specific recommendations about control group design with the goal of minimizing bias and maximizing validity in future research. PMID:23662111

Applying Asynchronous Solutions to the Multi-Tasking Realities of a Teacher Education Faculty Unit: Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moffett, David W.; Claxton, Melba S.; Jordan, Skye L.; Mercer, Patricia P.; Reid, Barbara K.

2007-01-01

The case study describes the early stages of building and using a learning management system (LMS) to aid in the productivity of an education faculty unit. Little to no research exists regarding teacher education units using LMSs to create an online web group for work purposes. The literature review preceding the case study illuminated some of the…

Meaning-based group counseling for bereavement: bridging theory with emerging trends in intervention research.

PubMed

MacKinnon, Christopher J; Smith, Nathan Grant; Henry, Melissa; Berish, Mel; Milman, Evgenia; Körner, Annett; Copeland, Laura S; Chochinov, Harvey M; Cohen, S Robin

2014-01-01

A growing body of scholarship has evaluated the usefulness of meaning-based theories in the context of bereavement counseling. Although scholars have discussed the application of meaning-based theories for individual practice, there is a lack of inquiry regarding its implications when conducting bereavement support groups. The objective of this article is to bridge meaning-based theories with bereavement group practice, leading to a novel intervention and laying the foundation for future efficacy studies. Building on recommendations specified in the literature, this article outlines the theoretical paradigms and structure of a short-term meaning-based group counseling intervention for uncomplicated bereavement.

A systematic and comprehensive approach to teaching and evaluating interpersonal skills.

PubMed

Grayson, M; Nugent, C; Oken, S L

1977-11-01

This study addressed one problem with current methods for teaching and evaluating interpersonal skills: the failure to include a wide range of behaviors reported in the literature as contributing to patient dissatisfaction and noncompliance. To address this concern, the authors developed a comprehensive interpersonal skills training program and a pretest-posttest evaluation. The tests were administered to two student groups one of which received the interpersonal skills instruction. The student group exposed to the training exhibited a significant positive change from pretest to posttest. Additionally the change for this group was significantly greater than the change for the group not exposed to interpersonal skills instruction.

Physician education on decision-making capacity assessment: Current state and future directions.

PubMed

Charles, Lesley; Parmar, Jasneet; Brémault-Phillips, Suzette; Dobbs, Bonnie; Sacrey, Lori; Sluggett, Bryan

2017-01-01

To examine FPs' training needs for conducting decision-making capacity assessments (DMCAs) and to determine how training materials, based on a DMCA model, can be adapted for use by FPs. A scoping review of the literature and qualitative research methodology (focus groups and structured interviews). Edmonton, Alta. Nine FPs, who practised in various settings, who chose to attend a focus group on DMCAs. A scoping review of the literature to examine the current status of physician education regarding assessment of decision-making capacity, and a focus group and interviews with FPs to ascertain the educational needs of FPs in this area. Based on the scoping review of the literature, 4 main themes emerged: increasing saliency of DMCAs owing to an aging population, suboptimal DMCA training for physicians, inconsistent approaches to DMCA, and tension between autonomy and protection. The findings of the focus groups and interviews indicate that, while FPs working as independent practitioners or with interprofessional teams are motivated to engage in DMCAs and use the DMCA model for those assessments, several factors impede their conducting DMCAs. The most notable barriers were a lack of education, isolation from interprofessional teams, uneasiness around managing conflict with families, fear of liability, and concerns regarding remuneration. This pilot study has helped to inform ways to better train and support FPs in conducting DMCAs. Family physicians are well positioned, with proper training, to effectively conduct DMCAs. To engage FPs in the process, however, the barriers should be addressed. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Chinese students studying at Australian universities with specific reference to nursing students: a narrative literature review.

PubMed

Wang, Carol Chunfeng; Andre, Kate; Greenwood, Kenneth Mark

2015-04-01

To report the current knowledge on the Chinese nursing students' learning at Australian universities. The intent is to provide educators and researchers with a background to the contexts, the methodologies, the emphases of various relevant studies, and to provide recommendations for future research. Attracting international students has become an important part of Australian universities' business and contributes to their cultural diversity. Teaching international students has received considerable attention in the educational research literature. Experiences of international students can vary greatly depending on their country of origin. This paper critically reviews current literature relating to issues for Chinese students and in particular, Chinese nursing students, the biggest single group of international nursing students at Australian universities Narrative literature review. A comprehensive search of seven electronic databases for literature between 2003 and 2014 helped to identify qualitative and quantitative studies that addressed issues of Asian international students with English as a second language (ESL) (included nursing students) studying in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the United States and China. Pertinent websites were also searched. The reference lists and bibliographies of retrieved articles were hand- searched to identify other relevant studies. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria for the review. The majority of existing literature claimed that there is a range of challenges confronting international students including Chinese nursing students, in assimilation into their host country. These include issues with English language proficiency, cultural barriers, social problems, different learning styles, academic demands, perceived racism, homesickness, lack of assertiveness and financial problems. There is limited research about the Chinese students' study in Australia. In particular, the learning experience of Chinese nursing students has not been fully explored nor understood. This paper highlights the need for further research into the lived learning experience of Chinese nursing students studying at Australian universities. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethnicity, music experience, and depression.

PubMed

Werner, Paul D; Swope, Alan J; Heide, Frederick J

2009-01-01

The researchers studied differences in self-reported music experience and depression across ethnic groups, as well as differences in the relationship between music experience and depression across groups. College participants (78 African Americans, 111 Asian Americans, 218 Whites, and 87 in other ethnic groups) completed the Music Experience Questionnaire (MEQ) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Statistically significant differences across groups were found on depression as well as on the MEQ factor for Subjective/Physical Reactions to music and on MEQ scales for Commitment to Music, Affective Reactions, Positive Psychotropic Effects, and Reactive Musical Behavior. A distinctive pattern of relationship was found between music variables and depression in the Asian American group, relative to the White and Other group. In particular, among Asian Americans there were negative correlations between depression and the MEQ Subjective/ Physical Reactions factor as well as the Affective Reactions scale. Implications were discussed for the literature on ethnicity and depression, music experience, and music therapy.

Single-machine group scheduling problems with deteriorating and learning effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xingong, Zhang; Yong, Wang; Shikun, Bai

2016-07-01

The concepts of deteriorating jobs and learning effects have been individually studied in many scheduling problems. However, most studies considering the deteriorating and learning effects ignore the fact that production efficiency can be increased by grouping various parts and products with similar designs and/or production processes. This phenomenon is known as 'group technology' in the literature. In this paper, a new group scheduling model with deteriorating and learning effects is proposed, where learning effect depends not only on job position, but also on the position of the corresponding job group; deteriorating effect depends on its starting time of the job. This paper shows that the makespan and the total completion time problems remain polynomial optimal solvable under the proposed model. In addition, a polynomial optimal solution is also presented to minimise the maximum lateness problem under certain agreeable restriction.

Practice development 'without walls' and the quandary of corporate practice.

PubMed

Graham, Iain; Fielding, Carol; Rooke, Debbie; Keen, Steven

2006-08-01

The context of this study is a group of clinical nurse specialists from across a Trust seeking accreditation as a practice development unit. The university was asked to facilitate the accreditation process via 11 2-hour learning sessions (including a one-hour focus group). During initial discussions between the university and practice development unit, the overarching research question for this study was set as: 'what are the main roles and responsibilities of clinical nurse specialists?' Although there is no known study of a practice development unit based beyond a ward or speciality, the central tenet of the practice development unit literature is that units must demonstrate their worth if they are to survive and harness senior management support in doing so. Data gleaned from the transcribed audio tape-recordings of the learning sessions were studied at least three times to ensure transcription accuracy and produce detailed charts. Ethical approval was granted by the appropriate Local Research Ethics Committee and written informed consent obtained from clinical nurse specialists. The study lasted 30 months and ended in October 2004. The four crucial statements that give meaning to specialist practice are: quality care giver; expert; information giver and initiator of change. Further analysis reveals the area of corporate and political practice as being missing from this and other lists of clinical nurse specialist attributes found in the literature. Clinical nurse specialists characterize their relationship with the Trust in terms of dichotomy--differing agendas and perceptions of value. The specialist role requires professional development in the areas of corporate and political acumen and professional business management. While the findings of this study relate to one Trust and a group of 16 clinical nurse specialists, with careful application they may be transferable to other settings and groups of senior nurses.

Combining paracetamol (acetaminophen) with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs: a qualitative systematic review of analgesic efficacy for acute postoperative pain.

PubMed

Ong, Cliff K S; Seymour, Robin A; Lirk, Phillip; Merry, Alan F

2010-04-01

There has been a trend over recent years for combining a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) with paracetamol (acetaminophen) for pain management. However, therapeutic superiority of the combination of paracetamol and an NSAID over either drug alone remains controversial. We evaluated the efficacy of the combination of paracetamol and an NSAID versus either drug alone in various acute pain models. A systematic literature search of Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PubMed covering the period from January 1988 to June 2009 was performed to identify randomized controlled trials in humans that specifically compared combinations of paracetamol with various NSAIDs versus at least 1 of these constituent drugs. Identified studies were stratified into 2 groups: paracetamol/NSAID combinations versus paracetamol or NSAIDs. We analyzed pain intensity scores and supplemental analgesic requirements as primary outcome measures. In addition, each study was graded for quality using a validated scale. Twenty-one human studies enrolling 1909 patients were analyzed. The NSAIDs used were ibuprofen (n = 6), diclofenac (n = 8), ketoprofen (n = 3), ketorolac (n = 1), aspirin (n = 1), tenoxicam (n = 1), and rofecoxib (n = 1). The combination of paracetamol and NSAID was more effective than paracetamol or NSAID alone in 85% and 64% of relevant studies, respectively. The pain intensity and analgesic supplementation was 35.0% +/- 10.9% and 38.8% +/- 13.1% lesser, respectively, in the positive studies for the combination versus paracetamol group, and 37.7% +/- 26.6% and 31.3% +/- 13.4% lesser, respectively, in the positive studies for the combination versus the NSAID group. No statistical difference in median quality scores was found between experimental groups. Current evidence suggests that a combination of paracetamol and an NSAID may offer superior analgesia compared with either drug alone.

Cancer and men from minority ethnic groups: an exploration of the literature.

PubMed

Lees, S; Papadopoulos, I

2000-12-01

The authors reviewed literature which has been published in the last 20 years. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in developed countries and is expected to become a significant cause of death in developing countries. Whilst there are a large number of studies on cancer and men, there is a paucity of data on men from minority ethnic groups. In the USA, African Americans are more likely to develop cancer than any other ethnic group. Although cancer rates amongst minority ethnic groups in the UK are thought to be low, 11% of Indian and African men and 19% of Caribbean men died from cancer during 1979-1983. There is also further evidence in the USA that African American, Filipinos and Native Americans have the lowest cancer survival rates. Service utilization, especially tertiary care, is also thought to be low amongst minority ethnic groups from the USA and the UK. Reasons for these variations include artefactual, cultural, materialist and social selectivist explanations as well as the effects of migration, racism and genetic disposition. This area is under-researched, in particular cultural beliefs about cancer. Further research into this area should apply culturally competent methods to ensure valid data to inform cancer policy, education and practice.