The impact of consumer involvement in research: an evaluation of consumer involvement in the London Primary Care Studies Programme.

PubMed

Wyatt, Katrina; Carter, Mary; Mahtani, Vinita; Barnard, Angela; Hawton, Annie; Britten, Nicky

2008-06-01

The value of consumer involvement in health services research is widely recognized. While there is a growing body of evidence about the principles of good consumer involvement, there is little research about the effect that involvement can have on the research. This evaluation assessed the level and impact of consumer involvement in the London Primary Care Studies Programme (LPCSP), all of whose individual projects had to demonstrate substantial involvement as a condition of funding. To evaluate consumer involvement in the LPSCP and understand what impact consumers had on the research process and outcomes. A multi-method case study approach was undertaken, using survey techniques, interviews, focus groups, observation and scrutiny of written documents. The overall data set comprised 61 questionnaires, 44 semi-structured interviews, 2 focus groups and 15 hours of observation of meetings. Eleven primary care-based research projects which together made up the LPCSP. An in-depth description of consumer involvement in the Programme was produced. Nine projects had consumers as co-applicants, four projects had been completed before the evaluation began and one was still ongoing at the time of the evaluation. Of the eight projects which have produced final reports, all met their aims and objectives. Consumers had had an additional impact in the research, in the initial design of the study, in recruitment of the research subjects, in developing data collection tools, in collecting the data, in analysis and disseminating the findings. Consumer involvement in National Health Service research is a relatively recent policy development and while there is an increasing amount of literature about how and why consumers should be involved in research, there is less evidence about the impact of such involvement. This evaluation provides evidence about the impact that consumers have not only on the research process but also on the outcomes of the research.

40 CFR 26.405 - Observational research involving greater than minimal risk but presenting the prospect of direct...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Observational research involving... Section 26.405 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Observational Research: Additional Protections for Children Involved as Subjects in Observational...

Community Engagement in Observational Human Exposure Studies

EPA Science Inventory

Although observational human exposure studies do not deliberately expose participants to chemicals or environmental conditions, merely involving people as research participants and conducting research inside homes raises ethical issues. Community engagement offers a promising st...

Efficient estimation of ideal-observer performance in classification tasks involving high-dimensional complex backgrounds

PubMed Central

Park, Subok; Clarkson, Eric

2010-01-01

The Bayesian ideal observer is optimal among all observers and sets an absolute upper bound for the performance of any observer in classification tasks [Van Trees, Detection, Estimation, and Modulation Theory, Part I (Academic, 1968).]. Therefore, the ideal observer should be used for objective image quality assessment whenever possible. However, computation of ideal-observer performance is difficult in practice because this observer requires the full description of unknown, statistical properties of high-dimensional, complex data arising in real life problems. Previously, Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods were developed by Kupinski et al. [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 20, 430(2003) ] and by Park et al. [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 24, B136 (2007) and IEEE Trans. Med. Imaging 28, 657 (2009) ] to estimate the performance of the ideal observer and the channelized ideal observer (CIO), respectively, in classification tasks involving non-Gaussian random backgrounds. However, both algorithms had the disadvantage of long computation times. We propose a fast MCMC for real-time estimation of the likelihood ratio for the CIO. Our simulation results show that our method has the potential to speed up ideal-observer performance in tasks involving complex data when efficient channels are used for the CIO. PMID:19884916

Student Involvement in Wellness Policies: A Study of Pennsylvania Local Education Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jomaa, Lamis H.; McDonnell, Elaine; Weirich, Elaine; Hartman, Terryl; Jensen, Leif; Probart, Claudia

2010-01-01

Objective: Explore student-involvement goals in local wellness policies (LWPs) of local education agencies (LEAs) in Pennsylvania (PA) and investigate associations with LEA characteristics. Design: An observational study that helped examine student-involvement goals. Setting: Public PA LEAs. Participants: LWPs submitted by 539 PA public LEAs. Main…

Traffic Accidents Involving Cyclists Identifying Causal Factors Using Questionnaire Survey, Traffic Accident Data, and Real-World Observation.

PubMed

Oikawa, Shoko; Hirose, Toshiya; Aomura, Shigeru; Matsui, Yasuhiro

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study is to clarify the mechanism of traffic accidents involving cyclists. The focus is on the characteristics of cyclist accidents and scenarios, because the number of traffic accidents involving cyclists in Tokyo is the highest in Japan. First, dangerous situations in traffic incidents were investigated by collecting data from 304 cyclists in one city in Tokyo using a questionnaire survey. The survey indicated that cyclists used their bicycles generally while commuting to work or school in the morning. Second, the study investigated the characteristics of 250 accident situations involving cyclists that happened in the city using real-world bicycle accident data. The results revealed that the traffic accidents occurred at intersections of local streets, where cyclists collided most often with vehicles during commute time in the morning. Third, cyclists' behavior was observed at a local street intersection in the morning in the city using video pictures. In one hour during the morning commute period, 250 bicycles passed through the intersection. The results indicated that one of the reasons for traffic accidents involving cyclists might be the combined effect of low visibility, caused by the presence of box-like building structures close to the intersections, and the cyclists' behavior in terms of their velocity and no confirming safety. It was observed that, on average, bicycle velocity was 3.1 m/s at the initial line of an intersection. The findings from this study could be useful in developing new technologies to improve cyclist safety, such as alert devices for cyclists and vehicle drivers, wireless communication systems between cyclists and vehicle drivers, or advanced vehicles with bicycle detection and collision mitigation systems.

Preschool Children's Social Interactions Involving Moral and Prudential Transgressions: An Observational Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tisak, Marie S.; And Others

1996-01-01

Observed preschool children's social interactions with teachers and peers in the context of moral and prudential events. Four types of moral transgressions were observed--physical harm, psychological harm, property loss, and property damage--with the majority of transgressions pertaining to physical harm and property loss. Found gender differences…

A systematic review of observational studies on oxidative/nitrosative stress involvement in dengue pathogenesis

PubMed Central

Pinzón, Hernando Samuel; Alvis-Guzman, Nelson

2015-01-01

Objective: Our objective was to systematically review the published observational research related to the role of oxidative-nitrosative stress in pathogenesis of dengue. Methods: We searched electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, The COCHRANE library, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciELO, LILACS via Virtual Health Library, Google Scholar) using the term: dengue, dengue virus, severe dengue, oxidative stress, nitrosative stress, antioxidants, oxidants, free radicals, oxidized lipid products, lipid peroxides, nitric oxide, and nitric oxide synthase. Articles were selected for review by title and abstract excluding letter, review, in vivo and in vitro studies, and duplicates studies. Selected articles were reviewed for study design, original purposes, sample size, main outcomes, methods, and oxidative-nitrosative stress markers values. Results: In total, 4,331 non-duplicates articles were identified from electronic databases searches, of which 16 were eligible for full text searching. Data from the observational studies originate from Asian countries (50%; 8/16), South American countries (31.2%; 5/16), and Central America and the Caribbean countries (18.8%; 3/16). Case-control study was the type of design most common in researches reviewed. The 1997 World Health Organization (WHO) dengue case classification criteria were used in all studies included in this review. Conclusions: Based on published data found in peer-reviewed literature, oxidative and nitrosative stress are demonstrated by changes in plasma levels of nitric oxide, antioxidants, lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation markers in patients with dengue infection. Additionally, elevated serum protein carbonyls and malondialdehyde levels appear to be associated with dengue disease severity. PMID:26600629

Participant characteristics and observed support in conversations involving people with communication disorders.

PubMed

Eriksson, Karin; Hartelius, Lena; Saldert, Charlotta

2016-10-01

Communication partner training is an increasingly common approach to improve the possibilities for people with communication disorders to participate in everyday interaction. So far, though, little is known about what conversation partner characteristics might influence the ability to be a supportive partner in conversation. The current study explored possible associations between the observed skill to support a person with communication difficulties in conversation and the following characteristics of the conversation partner; executive function, inference ability, age, education level and relationship to the person with communication disorder. The impact of the aetiology of the communication difficulties was also explored. Thirty-five dyads participated: 23 people with aphasia along with 18 significant others and five enrolled nurses and 12 people with Parkinson's disease along with 10 significant others and two enrolled nurses. Only tendencies of associations were found between observed skill to support conversation and executive function for the significant others and inference ability for the enrolled nurses. Although type of activity involved in the conversation may be a key factor, the results indicate that executive function and ability to make mental inferences may matter for the ability to support a person with communication disorder in conversation.

Canonical Naimark extension for generalized measurements involving sets of Pauli quantum observables chosen at random

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparaciari, Carlo; Paris, Matteo G. A.

2013-01-01

We address measurement schemes where certain observables Xk are chosen at random within a set of nondegenerate isospectral observables and then measured on repeated preparations of a physical system. Each observable has a probability zk to be measured, with ∑kzk=1, and the statistics of this generalized measurement is described by a positive operator-valued measure. This kind of scheme is referred to as quantum roulettes, since each observable Xk is chosen at random, e.g., according to the fluctuating value of an external parameter. Here we focus on quantum roulettes for qubits involving the measurements of Pauli matrices, and we explicitly evaluate their canonical Naimark extensions, i.e., their implementation as indirect measurements involving an interaction scheme with a probe system. We thus provide a concrete model to realize the roulette without destroying the signal state, which can be measured again after the measurement or can be transmitted. Finally, we apply our results to the description of Stern-Gerlach-like experiments on a two-level system.

A statistical study of merging galaxies: Theory and observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chatterjee, Tapan K.

1990-01-01

A study of the expected frequency of merging galaxies is conducted, using the impulsive approximation. Results indicate that if we consider mergers involving galaxy pairs without halos in a single crossing time or orbital period, the expected frequency of mergers is two orders of magnitude below the observed value for the present epoch. If we consider mergers involving several orbital periods or crossing times, the expected frequency goes up by an order of magnitude. Preliminary calculation indicate that if we consider galaxy mergers between pairs with massive halos, the merger is very much hastened.

Skeletal involvement in Gaucher disease: An observational multicenter study of prognostic factors in the Argentine Gaucher disease patients.

PubMed

Drelichman, Guillermo; Fernández Escobar, Nicolás; Basack, Nora; Aversa, Luis; Larroude, María Silvia; Aguilar, Gabriela; Szlago, Marina; Schenone, Andrea; Fynn, Alcyra; Cuello, María Fernanda; Aznar, Marcela; Fernández, Ramiro; Ruiz, Alba; Reichel, Paola; Guelbert, Norberto; Robledo, Hugo; Watman, Nora; Bolesina, Moira; Elena, Graciela; Veber, S Ernesto; Pujal, Graciela; Galván, Graciela; Chain, Juan José; Arizo, Adriana; Bietti, Julieta; Bar, Daniel; Dragosky, Marta; Marquez, Marisa; Feldman, Leonardo; Muller, Katja; Zirone, Sandra; Buchovsky, Greogorio; Lanza, Victoria; Sanabria, Alba; Fernández, Ignacio; Jaureguiberry, Rossana; Contte, Marcelo; Barbieri María, Angie; Maro, Alejandra; Zárate, Graciela; Fernández, Gabriel; Rapetti, María Cristina; Donato, Hugo; Degano, Adriana; Kantor, Gustavo; Albina, Roberto; Á Lvarez Bollea, María; Brun, María; Bacciedoni, Viviana; Del Río, Francis; Soberón, Bárbara; Boido, Nazario; Schweri, Maya; Borchichi, Sandra; Welsh, Victoria; Corrales, Marcela; Cedola, Alejandra; Carvani, Analía; Diez, Blanca; Richard, Lucía; Baduel, Ccecilia; Nuñez, Gabriela; Colimodio, Rubén; Barazzutti, Lucía; Medici, Hugo; Meschengieser, Susana; Damiani, Germán; Nucifora, María; Girardi, Beatriz; Gómez, Sergio; Papucci, Maura; Verón, David; Quiroga, Luis; Carro, Gustavo; De Ambrosio, Patricia; Ferro, José; Pujol, Marcelo; Castella, Cristina Cabral; Franco, Liliana; Nisnovich, Gisela; Veloso, María; Pacheco, Isabel; Savarino, Mario; Marino, Andrés; Saavedra, José Luis

2016-10-01

Patients with Gaucher type 1 (GD1) throughout Argentina were enrolled in the Argentine bone project to evaluate bone disease and its determinants. We focused on presence and predictors of bone lesions (BL) and their relationship to therapeutic goals (TG) with timing and dose of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). A total of 124 patients on ERT were enrolled in a multi-center study. All six TG were achieved by 82% of patients: 70.1% for bone pain and 91.1% for bone crisis. However, despite the fact that bone TGs were achieved, residual bone disease was present in 108 patients on ERT (87%) at time 0. 16% of patients showed new irreversible BL (bone infarcts and avascular osteonecrosis) despite ERT, suggesting that they appeared during ERT or were not detected at the moment of diagnosis. We observed 5 prognostic factors that predicted a higher probability of being free of bone disease: optimal ERT compliance; early diagnosis; timely initiation of therapy; ERT initiation dose ≥45 UI/kg/EOW; and the absence of history of splenectomy. Skeletal involvement was classified into 4 major phenotypic groups according to BL: group 1 (12.9%) without BL; group 2 (28.2%) with reversible BL; group 3 (41.9%) with reversible BL and irreversible chronic BL; and group 4 (16.9%) with acute irreversible BL. Our study identifies prognostic factors for achieving best therapeutic outcomes, introduces new risk stratification for patients and suggests the need for a redefinition of bone TG. Am. J. Hematol. 91:E448-E453, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patient Involvement in Safe Delivery: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Olfati, Forozun; Asefzadeh, Saeid; Changizi, Nasrin; Keramat, Afsaneh; Yunesian, Masud

2015-09-28

Patient involvement in safe delivery planning is considered important yet not widely practiced. The present study aimed at identifythe factors that affect patient involvementin safe delivery, as recommended by parturient women. This study was part of a qualitative research conducted by content analysis method and purposive sampling in 2013.The data were collected through 63 semi-structured interviews in4 hospitalsand analyzed using thematic content analysis. The participants in this research were women before discharge and after delivery. Findings were analyzed using Colaizzi's method. Four categories of factors that could affect patient involvement in safe delivery emerged from our analysis: patient-related (true and false beliefs, literacy, privacy, respect for patient), illness-related (pain, type of delivery, patient safety incidents), health care professional-relatedand task-related factors (behavior, monitoring &training), health care setting-related (financial aspects, facilities). More research is needed to explore the factors affecting the participation of mothers. It is therefore, recommended to: 1) take notice of mother education, their husbands, midwives and specialists; 2) provide pregnant women with insurance coverage from the outset of pregnancy, especially during prenatal period; 3) form a labor pain committee consisting of midwives, obstetricians, and anesthesiologists in order to identify the preferred painless labor methods based on the existing facilities and conditions, 4) carry out research on observing patients' privacy and dignity; 5) pay more attention on the factors affecting cesarean.

Student involvement in wellness policies: a study of Pennsylvania local education agencies.

PubMed

Jomaa, Lamis H; McDonnell, Elaine; Weirich, Elaine; Hartman, Terryl; Jensen, Leif; Probart, Claudia

2010-01-01

Explore student-involvement goals in local wellness policies (LWPs) of local education agencies (LEAs) in Pennsylvania (PA) and investigate associations with LEA characteristics. An observational study that helped examine student-involvement goals. Public PA LEAs. LWPs submitted by 539 PA public LEAs. Six student-involvement goals analyzed as dependent variables. Correlations between demographic and policy characteristics of LEAs and student-involvement goals were measured. Policies developed by LEAs were abstracted and analyzed. Logistic regression models were developed to analyze relationships between student-involvement goals and the demographic and policy characteristics of LEAs. Majority of LEAs included policy goals that address student involvement in an array of activities related to wellness policy, food service, and role modeling. Regression models showed that LEAs with comprehensive and strong policies were most likely to include student-involvement goals regardless of LEA location, enrollment, or socioeconomic status of students. Student engagement in school nutrition policies has been shown to increase student acceptance in an array of health-related areas and is therefore promising in the area of obesity prevention. Comprehensiveness and rigor of LWPs were strongly correlated with the inclusion of student-involvement goals on LWPs. The upcoming reauthorization of the Child Nutrition programs in 2010 creates a good opportunity to address student involvement in LWPs. Copyright © 2010 Society for Nutrition Education. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural mirroring and social interaction: Motor system involvement during action observation relates to early peer cooperation.

PubMed

Endedijk, H M; Meyer, M; Bekkering, H; Cillessen, A H N; Hunnius, S

2017-04-01

Whether we hand over objects to someone, play a team sport, or make music together, social interaction often involves interpersonal action coordination, both during instances of cooperation and entrainment. Neural mirroring is thought to play a crucial role in processing other's actions and is therefore considered important for social interaction. Still, to date, it is unknown whether interindividual differences in neural mirroring play a role in interpersonal coordination during different instances of social interaction. A relation between neural mirroring and interpersonal coordination has particularly relevant implications for early childhood, since successful early interaction with peers is predictive of a more favorable social development. We examined the relation between neural mirroring and children's interpersonal coordination during peer interaction using EEG and longitudinal behavioral data. Results showed that 4-year-old children with higher levels of motor system involvement during action observation (as indicated by lower beta-power) were more successful in early peer cooperation. This is the first evidence for a relation between motor system involvement during action observation and interpersonal coordination during other instances of social interaction. The findings suggest that interindividual differences in neural mirroring are related to interpersonal coordination and thus successful social interaction. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Issues of reporting in observational studies in veterinary medicine.

PubMed

Sargeant, Jan M; O'Connor, Annette M

2014-02-15

Observational studies are common in veterinary medicine; the results may be used to inform decision-making, future research, or as inputs to systematic reviews or risk assessment. To be of use, the results must be published, all of the outcomes that were assessed must be included in the publication, and the research (methods and results) must be reported in sufficient detail that the reader can evaluate the internal and external validity. In human healthcare, concerns about the completeness of reporting - and evidence that poor reporting is associated with study results - have led to the creation of reporting guidelines; these include the STROBE statement for observational studies. There is evidence from a limited body of research that there also are reporting inadequacies in veterinary observational studies. There are differences between human and veterinary observational studies that might be relevant to recommendations for reporting. Such differences include: the use of observational studies in animal populations for simultaneously estimating disease frequency and risk-factor identification; the distinction between the animal owners who consent to participate and the animals that are the study subjects; and the complexity of organizational levels inherent in animal research (in particular, for studies in livestock species). In veterinary medicine, it is common to have clustering within outcomes (due to animal grouping) and clustering of predictor variables. We argue that there is a compelling need for the scientific community involved in veterinary observational studies to use the STROBE statement, use an amended version of STROBE, or to develop and use reporting guidelines that are specific to veterinary medicine to improve reporting of these studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

STRengthening Analytical Thinking for Observational Studies: the STRATOS initiative

PubMed Central

Sauerbrei, Willi; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Altman, Douglas G; le Cessie, Saskia; Carpenter, James

2014-01-01

The validity and practical utility of observational medical research depends critically on good study design, excellent data quality, appropriate statistical methods and accurate interpretation of results. Statistical methodology has seen substantial development in recent times. Unfortunately, many of these methodological developments are ignored in practice. Consequently, design and analysis of observational studies often exhibit serious weaknesses. The lack of guidance on vital practical issues discourages many applied researchers from using more sophisticated and possibly more appropriate methods when analyzing observational studies. Furthermore, many analyses are conducted by researchers with a relatively weak statistical background and limited experience in using statistical methodology and software. Consequently, even ‘standard’ analyses reported in the medical literature are often flawed, casting doubt on their results and conclusions. An efficient way to help researchers to keep up with recent methodological developments is to develop guidance documents that are spread to the research community at large. These observations led to the initiation of the strengthening analytical thinking for observational studies (STRATOS) initiative, a large collaboration of experts in many different areas of biostatistical research. The objective of STRATOS is to provide accessible and accurate guidance in the design and analysis of observational studies. The guidance is intended for applied statisticians and other data analysts with varying levels of statistical education, experience and interests. In this article, we introduce the STRATOS initiative and its main aims, present the need for guidance documents and outline the planned approach and progress so far. We encourage other biostatisticians to become involved. PMID:25074480

STRengthening analytical thinking for observational studies: the STRATOS initiative.

PubMed

Sauerbrei, Willi; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Altman, Douglas G; le Cessie, Saskia; Carpenter, James

2014-12-30

The validity and practical utility of observational medical research depends critically on good study design, excellent data quality, appropriate statistical methods and accurate interpretation of results. Statistical methodology has seen substantial development in recent times. Unfortunately, many of these methodological developments are ignored in practice. Consequently, design and analysis of observational studies often exhibit serious weaknesses. The lack of guidance on vital practical issues discourages many applied researchers from using more sophisticated and possibly more appropriate methods when analyzing observational studies. Furthermore, many analyses are conducted by researchers with a relatively weak statistical background and limited experience in using statistical methodology and software. Consequently, even 'standard' analyses reported in the medical literature are often flawed, casting doubt on their results and conclusions. An efficient way to help researchers to keep up with recent methodological developments is to develop guidance documents that are spread to the research community at large. These observations led to the initiation of the strengthening analytical thinking for observational studies (STRATOS) initiative, a large collaboration of experts in many different areas of biostatistical research. The objective of STRATOS is to provide accessible and accurate guidance in the design and analysis of observational studies. The guidance is intended for applied statisticians and other data analysts with varying levels of statistical education, experience and interests. In this article, we introduce the STRATOS initiative and its main aims, present the need for guidance documents and outline the planned approach and progress so far. We encourage other biostatisticians to become involved. © 2014 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Newly observed thalamic involvement and mutations of the HEXA gene in a Korean patient with juvenile GM2 gangliosidosis.

PubMed

Lee, Soon Min; Lee, Min Jung; Lee, Joon Soo; Kim, Heung Dong; Lee, Jin Sung; Kim, Jinna; Lee, Seung Koo; Lee, Young Mock

2008-09-01

Neuroimaging studies of patients with GM2 gangliosidosis are rare. The thalamus and basal ganglia are principally involved in patients affected by the infantile form of GM2 gangliosidosis. Unlike in the infantile form, in juvenile or adult type GM2 gangliosidosis, progressive cortical and cerebellar atrophy is the main abnormality seen on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); no basal ganglial or thalamic impairment were observed. This report is of a Korean girl with subacute onset, severe deficiency of hexosaminidase A activity and mutations (Arg137Term, Ala246Thr) of the HEXA gene. A 3.5-year-old girl who was previously in good health was evaluated for hypotonia and ataxia 3 months ago and showed progressive developmental deterioration, including cognitive decline. Serial brain MRI showed progressive overall volume decrease of the entire brain and thalamic atrophy. Fluorine-18 FDG PET scan showed severe decreased uptake in bilateral thalamus and diffuse cerebral cortex. We suggest, through our experience, that the thalamic involvement in MR imaging and FDG-PET can be observed in the juvenile form of GM2 gangliosidosis, and we suspect the association of mutations in the HEXA gene.

Observational Studies: Cohort and Case-Control Studies

PubMed Central

Song, Jae W.; Chung, Kevin C.

2010-01-01

Observational studies are an important category of study designs. To address some investigative questions in plastic surgery, randomized controlled trials are not always indicated or ethical to conduct. Instead, observational studies may be the next best method to address these types of questions. Well-designed observational studies have been shown to provide results similar to randomized controlled trials, challenging the belief that observational studies are second-rate. Cohort studies and case-control studies are two primary types of observational studies that aid in evaluating associations between diseases and exposures. In this review article, we describe these study designs, methodological issues, and provide examples from the plastic surgery literature. PMID:20697313

The involvement of model-based but not model-free learning signals during observational reward learning in the absence of choice.

PubMed

Dunne, Simon; D'Souza, Arun; O'Doherty, John P

2016-06-01

A major open question is whether computational strategies thought to be used during experiential learning, specifically model-based and model-free reinforcement learning, also support observational learning. Furthermore, the question of how observational learning occurs when observers must learn about the value of options from observing outcomes in the absence of choice has not been addressed. In the present study we used a multi-armed bandit task that encouraged human participants to employ both experiential and observational learning while they underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found evidence for the presence of model-based learning signals during both observational and experiential learning in the intraparietal sulcus. However, unlike during experiential learning, model-free learning signals in the ventral striatum were not detectable during this form of observational learning. These results provide insight into the flexibility of the model-based learning system, implicating this system in learning during observation as well as from direct experience, and further suggest that the model-free reinforcement learning system may be less flexible with regard to its involvement in observational learning. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

On Involvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Michael B.

Involvement Ratings In Settings (IRIS), a multi-dimensional non-verbal scale of involvement adaptable to a time-sampling method of data collection, was constructed with the aid of the videotapes of second-grade Follow Through classrooms made by CCEP. Scales were defined through observations of involved and alienated behavior, and the IRIS was…

[Registration of observational studies: it is time to comply with the Declaration of Helsinki requirement].

PubMed

Dal-Ré, Rafael; Delgado, Miguel; Bolumar, Francisco

2015-01-01

Publication bias is a serious deficiency in the current system of disseminating the results of human research studies. Clinical investigators know that, from an ethical standpoint, they should prospectively register clinical trials in a public registry before starting them. In addition, it is believed that this approach will help to reduce publication bias. However, most studies conducted in humans are observational rather than experimental. It is estimated that less than 2% out of 2 million concluded or ongoing observational studies have been registered. The 2013 revision of the Declaration of Helsinki requires registration of any type of research study involving humans or identifiable samples or data. It is proposed that funding agencies, such as the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, as well as private companies, require preregistration of observational studies before providing funding. It is also proposed that Research Ethics Committees which, following Spanish regulation, have been using the Declaration as the framework for assessing the ethics of clinical trials with medicines since 1990, should follow the same provisions for the assessment of health-related observational studies: therefore, they should require prospective registration of studies before granting their final approval. This would allow observational study investigators to be educated in complying with an ethical requirement recently introduced in the most important ethical code for research involving humans. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Central nervous system involvement in adults with haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: a single-center study.

PubMed

Cai, Guilan; Wang, Yini; Liu, Xiaojing; Han, Yanfei; Wang, Zhao

2017-08-01

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare multisystem disorder characterized by proliferation and diffuse infiltration multiple organs with histiocytes, including the central nervous system (CNS). Neurological manifestations of HLH have been recognized in different studies with children, but they remain relatively ill-defined in adults with HLH. From March 2008 to October 2014, 289 adult patients with HLH were admitted to our center. Clinical, radiological, and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) data of the patients with CNS involvement were reviewed, and a retrospective study in our single-center was carried out. CNS involvement was observed in 29 patients (10%) either in their diagnosis process or during disease course. CNS symptoms included disturbance of consciousness, cranial nerve palsies, seizures, headache, limb paralysis, irritability, meningism, and memory loss. CSF analysis was conducted in 17 patients (59%). Among them, 11 patients (65%) were reported as having abnormal CSF. Neuroradiological studies were performed in 25 patients (86%). Among the 13 cases that underwent CT scan, one patient hemorrhaged. Single or multiple hypodense foci were detected in the other 2 patients. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities were found in 15 patients, including focal lesions in cortical and adjacent subcortical regions with or without variable nodular or ring contrast-enhancement, multiple lesions in white matter, diffuse white matter signal changes, and meningeal enhancement. Basal ganglia, cerebellum, and brainstem lesions were also observed. CNS involvement could also be found in adult patients with HLH, but not as frequent as it was in children. The clinical manifestations could be diversified. By carrying out rigorous CNS examinations, an early diagnosis could be made and it was of the utmost importance for the prevention of further lesions.

Parental Involvement, Is It Real? A Study of Viewpoints Promoting Parental Involvement That Enhances Student Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rucker, Lorretta Faye

2014-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the motives, practices, attitudes, and barriers of parental involvement as recognized by administrators and teachers in southwest Tennessee in order to improve the school-home and community relationship in southwest Tennessee. This study investigated the benefits of parental involvement and…

Immune involvement in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia: a meta-analysis on postmortem brain studies

PubMed Central

van Kesteren, C F M G; Gremmels, H; de Witte, L D; Hol, E M; Van Gool, A R; Falkai, P G; Kahn, R S; Sommer, I E C

2017-01-01

Although the precise pathogenesis of schizophrenia is unknown, genetic, biomarker and imaging studies suggest involvement of the immune system. In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating factors related to the immune system in postmortem brains of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. Forty-one studies were included, reporting on 783 patients and 762 controls. We divided these studies into those investigating histological alterations of cellular composition and those assessing molecular parameters; meta-analyses were performed on both categories. Our pooled estimate on cellular level showed a significant increase in the density of microglia (P=0.0028) in the brains of schizophrenia patients compared with controls, albeit with substantial heterogeneity between studies. Meta-regression on brain regions demonstrated this increase was most consistently observed in the temporal cortex. Densities of macroglia (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) did not differ significantly between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. The results of postmortem histology are paralleled on the molecular level, where we observed an overall increase in expression of proinflammatory genes on transcript and protein level (P=0.0052) in patients, while anti-inflammatory gene expression levels were not different between schizophrenia and controls. The results of this meta-analysis strengthen the hypothesis that components of the immune system are involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. PMID:28350400

Involving Learners in Planning TNO Observations with SALT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flanagan, C.; de Villiers, G.; Tlaka, C.

2006-03-01

We present a "real science project" at the Johannesburg Planetarium in which learners from less-well-resourced schools helped plan observations at SALT by "observing" home-made "minor planets" using cellphone cameras and photo-software.

A study of accidents involving highway bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-01-01

Accident reports, field evaluations, state police and highway engineer questionnaire replies, and other data sources were used to conduct a general study of accidents involving highway bridges in Virginia. The bridges included in the study were divid...

Regulatory considerations in the design of comparative observational studies using propensity scores.

PubMed

Yue, Lilly Q

2012-01-01

In the evaluation of medical products, including drugs, biological products, and medical devices, comparative observational studies could play an important role when properly conducted randomized, well-controlled clinical trials are infeasible due to ethical or practical reasons. However, various biases could be introduced at every stage and into every aspect of the observational study, and consequently the interpretation of the resulting statistical inference would be of concern. While there do exist statistical techniques for addressing some of the challenging issues, often based on propensity score methodology, these statistical tools probably have not been as widely employed in prospectively designing observational studies as they should be. There are also times when they are implemented in an unscientific manner, such as performing propensity score model selection for a dataset involving outcome data in the same dataset, so that the integrity of observational study design and the interpretability of outcome analysis results could be compromised. In this paper, regulatory considerations on prospective study design using propensity scores are shared and illustrated with hypothetical examples.

Late onset rheumatoid arthritis an observational study.

PubMed

Rexhepi, Sylejman; Rexhepi, Mjellma; Sahatçiu-Meka, Vjollca; Rexhepi, Blerta; Bahtiri, Elton; Mahmutaj, Vigan

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may have an onset at older age. The onset of the disease at the age of 60 and over is called late-onset rheumatoid arthritis (LORA). The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical, laboratory, radiological, and treatment characteristics of patients with LORA compared to those with early-onset RA (EaORA), provided that all the patients had an approximately equal duration of the disease. This is an observational single-center study, which involved 120 patients with an established diagnosis of RA, of which 60 patients had LORA, and 60 patients EaORA. The disease activity, measured by the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28-ESR), was significantly higher in the LORA group compared to the EaORA group (p<0.05). Significantly more patients with LORA had involvement of the shoulders (LORA vs. EaORA, 30% vs. 15%; p <0.05) and knees (LORA vs. EaORA, 46.7% vs. 16.7%; p <0.05). Radiological erosive changes were significantly more frequent in the LORA group in comparison with EaORA (p <0.05). There was no difference between the groups regarding rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity (p>0.05), while the number of patients positive for anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) was signifi cantly greater in the EaORA group (p<0.05). The values of C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were significantly higher in the LORA than in the EaORA group. Hemoglobin levels were lower in the LORA group (11.96±1.64 g/dL) than in the EaORA group (12.18±1.56 g/dL). The most used disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were methotrexate and sulfasalazine, while biological drugs were not used. In conclusion, based on the results of our study, LORA has some features that distinguish it from EaORA, such as higher disease activity, more frequent involvement of large joints, and more pronounced structural damage. This should be taken in account in clinical practice, especially regarding treatment choices.

Neuroblastoma with intracranial involvement: an ENSG Study.

PubMed

Shaw, P J; Eden, T

1992-01-01

We report the experience of the European Neuroblastoma Study Group (ENSG) with central nervous system (CNS) involvement of neuroblastoma. Among this series of intensively treated patients, CNS neuroblastoma was diagnosed by computerised tomography (CT) scanning, rather than by autopsy. Cranial disease occurred in 5% of ENSG patients. Of 11 patients with intracranial disease, 4 had disease in the posterior fossa, a site rarely reported previously. Furthermore, 5 cases had CNS metastases at a time when there was no detectable disease elsewhere, rather than as part of extensive relapse. The pattern of disease we observed, at least for those with parenchymal disease, is in keeping with arterial spread. Although CT scanning is the optimal modality for identifying CNS disease, 2 cases had normal head CT scans prior to the onset of CNS disease. As most patients had symptoms of raised intracranial pressure (RICP) at the time the CNS disease was diagnosed, there does not seem to be any indication for routine CT scanning of the head at diagnosis, but this should be performed as soon as any symptoms or signs appear. With patients living longer with their disease, vigilance must be maintained during follow-up.

Harvard Observing Project (HOP): Involving Undergraduates in Research Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieryla, Allyson

2017-01-01

The Harvard Observing Project (HOP) is designed to get students excited about observational astronomy while collecting data valuable to the scientific community. The primary goal is to give undergraduates a chance to try out observing with “no strings attached”. Observations are led by experienced observers, mostly graduate students. This not only gives graduate students extra opportunities to interact and teach undergraduates, but also a chance for them to get more observing experience. Each semester, we choose an interesting target and monitor it each week over the course of the semester using Harvard University’s 16-inch DFM Clay Telescope. These observing projects often produce large amounts of data. This provides an excellent dataset for a young undergraduate to analyze. Some successful semester-long observing projects have included variable stars, supernova and binary systems. Short-term projects have included exoplanet candidate followup, asteroid and comet followup and collaborating with the Pro-Am White Dwarf Monitoring (PAWM) project in attempts to detect a transiting Earth-sized planet orbiting a white dwarf. Each dataset is an opportunity for an undergraduate to be introduced to scientific research and present the results to the community.

Practice nurse involvement in primary care depression management: an observational cost-effectiveness analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Most evidence on the effect of collaborative care for depression is derived in the selective environment of randomised controlled trials. In collaborative care, practice nurses may act as case managers. The Primary Care Services Improvement Project (PCSIP) aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of alternative models of practice nurse involvement in a real world Australian setting. Previous analyses have demonstrated the value of high level practice nurse involvement in the management of diabetes and obesity. This paper reports on their value in the management of depression. Methods General practices were assigned to a low or high model of care based on observed levels of practice nurse involvement in clinical-based activities for the management of depression (i.e. percentage of depression patients seen, percentage of consultation time spent on clinical-based activities). Linked, routinely collected data was used to determine patient level depression outcomes (proportion of depression-free days) and health service usage costs. Standardised depression assessment tools were not routinely used, therefore a classification framework to determine the patient’s depressive state was developed using proxy measures (e.g. symptoms, medications, referrals, hospitalisations and suicide attempts). Regression analyses of costs and depression outcomes were conducted, using propensity weighting to control for potential confounders. Results Capacity to determine depressive state using the classification framework was dependent upon the level of detail provided in medical records. While antidepressant medication prescriptions were a strong indicator of depressive state, they could not be relied upon as the sole measure. Propensity score weighted analyses of total depression-related costs and depression outcomes, found that the high level model of care cost more (95% CI: -$314.76 to $584) and resulted in 5% less depression-free days (95% CI: -0.15 to 0.05), compared to the

The Involvement Instrument.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roderick, Jessie A.

The Involvement Instrument, an observational technique for examining children's interaction patterns and degree of involvement within the school setting, is presented in this paper. Training protocols for obtaining skill in using the Involvement Instrument, methods of analyzing data obtained by using the instrument, and criteria for determining…

Folic acid supplementation and preterm birth: results from observational studies.

PubMed

Mantovani, Elena; Filippini, Francesca; Bortolus, Renata; Franchi, Massimo

2014-01-01

Folic acid (FA) supplementation is recommended worldwide in the periconceptional period for the prevention of neural tube defects. Due to its involvement in a number of cellular processes, its role in other pregnancy outcomes such as miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage, low birth weight, preterm birth (PTB), preeclampsia, abruptio placentae, and stillbirth has been investigated. PTB is a leading cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity; therefore its association with FA supplementation is of major interest. The analysis of a small number of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) has not found a beneficial role of FA in reducing the rate of PTBs. The aim of this review was to examine the results from recent observational studies about the effect of FA supplementation on PTB. We carried out a search on Medline and by manual search of the observational studies from 2009 onwards that analyzed the rate of PTB in patients who received supplementation with FA before and/or throughout pregnancy. The results from recent observational studies suggest a slight reduction of PTBs that is not consistent with the results from RCTs. Further research is needed to better understand the role of FA supplementation before and during pregnancy in PTB.

Birth Weight and Acute Childhood Leukemia: A Meta-analysis of Observational Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-22

22 MAR 2005 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED - 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Birth Weight and Acute Childhood Leukemia: A Meta - analysis of Observational...and to quantify the strength of the relationships. We conducted a meta - analysis of nine case-control studies (published between 1991 and 2004...Based on a meta - analysis of only three case-control studies (published between 1997 and 2004) involving over 700 children with AML and over 1,900

The Effect of Resident Involvement in Pelvic Prolapse Surgery: A Retrospective Study From a Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

PubMed

Caveney, Maxx; Matthews, Catherine; Mirzazadeh, Majid

The primary aim of this study was to assess the effect of resident involvement on perioperative complication rates in pelvic organ prolapse surgery using the National Surgical Quality Improvement database. All pelvic organ prolapse operations from 2006 to 2012 were identified and dichotomized by resident participation. Preoperative characteristics and 30-day perioperative outcomes were compared using χ and Student t test. To control for nonrandomization of cases, propensity scores representing the probability of resident involvement as a function of a case's comorbidities were calculated. They were then divided into quartiles, and because of equal probabilities for the first and second quartiles, 3 groups were created (Q1/2, Q3, and Q4), followed by substratification and analysis. As a control, complications of transurethral resection of prostate and nephrectomy were dichotomized by resident involvement. We identified 2637 cases. Resident involvement was associated with increased postoperative urinary tract infections, perioperative complications, and procedure length. After stratification by propensity scoring, the following unique findings occurred in each group: in the first group, resident involvement was associated with increased rates of readmission, pulmonary embolism, and sepsis; in the second and third groups, resident involvement was associated with increased rates of superficial surgical site infection. Resident involvement in nephrectomy observed increased perioperative complications and procedural length. In prostate resection, increased procedure lengths and decreased postoperative length of stay were observed. Resident involvement in pelvic organ prolapse surgery was associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes. A similar effect was seen with nephrectomy but not with a more simple endoscopic urologic procedure.

Study of Systemic Risk Involved in Mutual Funds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dash, Kishore C.; Dash, Monika

Systemic risk, may be defined as the risk that contaminates to the whole system, consisting of many interacting agents that fail one after another. These agents, in an economic context, could be firms, banks, funds, or other financial institutions. Systemic risk is a macroscopic property of a system which emerges due to the nonlinear interaction of agents on a microscopic level. A stock market itself is a system in which there are many sub-systems, like Dowjones, Nifty, Sensex, Nasdaq, Nikkei and other market indices in global perspective. In Indian market, subsystems may be like Sensex, Nifty, BSE200, Bankex, smallcap index, midcap index, S&P CNX 500 and many others. Similarly there are many mutual funds, which have their own portfolio of different stocks, bonds etc. We have attempted to study the systemic risk involved in a fund as a macroscopic object with regard to its microscopic components as different stocks in its portfolio. It is observed that fund managers do manage to reduce the systemic risk just like we take precautions to control the spread of an epidemic.

Lay involvement in the analysis of qualitative data in health services research: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Garfield, S; Jheeta, S; Husson, F; Jacklin, A; Bischler, A; Norton, C; Franklin, B D

2016-01-01

There is a consensus that patients and the public should be involved in research in a meaningful way. However, to date, lay people have been mostly involved in developing research ideas and commenting on patient information.We previously published a paper describing our experience with lay partners conducting observations in a study of how patients in hospital are involved with their medicines. In a later part of the same study, lay partners were also involved in analysing interviews that a researcher had conducted with patients, carers and healthcare professionals about patient and carer involvement with medicines in hospital. We therefore wanted to build on our previous paper and report on our experiences with lay partners helping to conduct data analysis. We therefore interviewed the lay members and researchers involved in the analysis to find out their views.Both lay members and researchers reported that lay partners added value to the study by bringing their own perspectives and identifying further areas for the researcher to look for in the interviews. In this way researchers and lay partners were able to work together to produce a richer analysis than would have been possible from either alone. Background It is recognised that involving lay people in research in a meaningful rather than tokenistic way is both important and challenging. In this paper, we contribute to this debate by describing our experiences of lay involvement in data analysis. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with the lay partners and researchers involved in qualitative data analysis in a wider study of inpatient involvement in medication safety. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using open thematic analysis. Results We interviewed three lay partners and the three researchers involved. These interviews demonstrated that the lay members added value to the analysis by bringing their own perspectives; these were systematically integrated into the analysis by the

Standards and guidelines for observational studies: quality is in the eye of the beholder.

PubMed

Morton, Sally C; Costlow, Monica R; Graff, Jennifer S; Dubois, Robert W

2016-03-01

Patient care decisions demand high-quality research. To assist those decisions, numerous observational studies are being performed. Are the standards and guidelines to assess observational studies consistent and actionable? What policy considerations should be considered to ensure decision makers can determine if an observational study is of high-quality and valid to inform treatment decisions? Based on a literature review and input from six experts, we compared and contrasted nine standards/guidelines using 23 methodological elements involved in observational studies (e.g., study protocol, data analysis, and so forth). Fourteen elements (61%) were addressed by at least seven standards/guidelines; 12 of these elements disagreed in the approach. Nine elements (39%) were addressed by six or fewer standards/guidelines. Ten elements (43%) were not actionable in at least one standard/guideline that addressed the element. The lack of observational study standard/guideline agreement may contribute to variation in study conduct; disparities in what is considered credible research; and ultimately, what evidence is adopted. A common set of agreed on standards/guidelines for conducting observational studies will benefit funders, researchers, journal editors, and decision makers. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differential activation of brain regions involved with error-feedback and imitation based motor simulation when observing self and an expert's actions in pilots and non-pilots on a complex glider landing task.

PubMed

Callan, Daniel E; Terzibas, Cengiz; Cassel, Daniel B; Callan, Akiko; Kawato, Mitsuo; Sato, Masa-Aki

2013-05-15

In this fMRI study we investigate neural processes related to the action observation network using a complex perceptual-motor task in pilots and non-pilots. The task involved landing a glider (using aileron, elevator, rudder, and dive brake) as close to a target as possible, passively observing a replay of one's own previous trial, passively observing a replay of an expert's trial, and a baseline do nothing condition. The objective of this study is to investigate two types of motor simulation processes used during observation of action: imitation based motor simulation and error-feedback based motor simulation. It has been proposed that the computational neurocircuitry of the cortex is well suited for unsupervised imitation based learning, whereas, the cerebellum is well suited for error-feedback based learning. Consistent with predictions, pilots (to a greater extent than non-pilots) showed significant differential activity when observing an expert landing the glider in brain regions involved with imitation based motor simulation (including premotor cortex PMC, inferior frontal gyrus IFG, anterior insula, parietal cortex, superior temporal gyrus, and middle temporal MT area) than when observing one's own previous trial which showed significant differential activity in the cerebellum (only for pilots) thought to be concerned with error-feedback based motor simulation. While there was some differential brain activity for pilots in regions involved with both Execution and Observation of the flying task (potential Mirror System sites including IFG, PMC, superior parietal lobule) the majority was adjacent to these areas (Observation Only Sites) (predominantly in PMC, IFG, and inferior parietal loblule). These regions showing greater activity for observation than for action may be involved with processes related to motor-based representational transforms that are not necessary when actually carrying out the task. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Numerical and Experimental Study of Mechanisms Involved in Boiling Histotripsy.

PubMed

Pahk, Ki Joo; Gélat, Pierre; Sinden, David; Dhar, Dipok Kumar; Saffari, Nader

2017-12-01

The aim of boiling histotripsy is to mechanically fractionate tissue as an alternative to thermal ablation for therapeutic applications. In general, the shape of a lesion produced by boiling histotripsy is tadpole like, consisting of a head and a tail. Although many studies have demonstrated the efficacy of boiling histotripsy for fractionating solid tumors, the exact mechanisms underpinning this phenomenon are not yet well understood, particularly the interaction of a boiling vapor bubble with incoming incident shockwaves. To investigate the mechanisms involved in boiling histotripsy, a high-speed camera with a passive cavitation detection system was used to observe the dynamics of bubbles produced in optically transparent tissue-mimicking gel phantoms exposed to the field of a 2.0-MHz high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer. We observed that boiling bubbles were generated in a localized heated region and cavitation clouds were subsequently induced ahead of the expanding bubble. This process was repeated with HIFU pulses and eventually resulted in a tadpole-shaped lesion. A simplified numerical model describing the scattering of the incident ultrasound wave by a vapor bubble was developed to help interpret the experimental observations. Together with the numerical results, these observations suggest that the overall size of a lesion induced by boiling histotripsy is dependent on the sizes of (i) the heated region at the HIFU focus and (ii) the backscattered acoustic field by the original vapor bubble. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The normal transverse mesocolon and involvement of the mesocolon in acute pancreatitis: an MRI study.

PubMed

Chi, Xiao Xiao; Zhang, Xiao Ming; Chen, Tian Wu; Huang, Xiao Hua; Yang, Lin; Tang, Wei; Xiao, Bo

2014-01-01

To study the MRI findings of the normal transverse mesocolon and the involvement of the mesocolon in acute pancreatitis (AP) as well as the relationship between the involvement of the mesocolon and the severity of AP. Forty patients without pancreatic disorders were retrospectively analyzed to observe the normal transverse mesocolon using MRI; 210 patients with AP confirmed by clinical and laboratory tests were retrospectively analyzed using MRI to observe transverse-mesocolon involvement (TMI). The severity of TMI was recorded as zero points (no abnormalities and transverse-mesocolon vessel involvement), one point (linear and patchy signal in the transverse mesocolon) or two points (transverse-mesocolon effusion). The AP severity was graded by the MRI severity index (MRSI) and the Acute Physiology And Chronic Healthy Evaluation II (APACHE II) scoring system. The correlations of TMI with MRSI and APACHE-II were analyzed. In a normal transverse mesocolon, the display rates of the middle colic artery, the middle colic vein and the gastrocolic trunk on MRI were 95.0%, 82.5% and 100.0%, respectively. Of the 210 patients with AP, 130 patients (61.9%) had TMI. According to the TMI grading, 40%, 39% and 20% of the patients were graded at zero, one and two points, respectively. TMI was strongly correlated with the MRSI score (r = 0.759, P = 0.000) and the APACHE-II score (r = 0.384, P = 0.000). MRI could be used to visualize transverse-mesocolon involvement. The severity of TMI could reflect that of AP in the clinical setting and imaging. TMI might be a supplementary indicator of the severity of AP.

The Normal Transverse Mesocolon and Involvement of the Mesocolon in Acute Pancreatitis: An MRI Study

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiao Ming; Huang, Xiao Hua; Yang, Lin; Tang, Wei; Xiao, Bo

2014-01-01

Objective To study the MRI findings of the normal transverse mesocolon and the involvement of the mesocolon in acute pancreatitis (AP) as well as the relationship between the involvement of the mesocolon and the severity of AP. Materials and Methods Forty patients without pancreatic disorders were retrospectively analyzed to observe the normal transverse mesocolon using MRI; 210 patients with AP confirmed by clinical and laboratory tests were retrospectively analyzed using MRI to observe transverse-mesocolon involvement (TMI). The severity of TMI was recorded as zero points (no abnormalities and transverse-mesocolon vessel involvement), one point (linear and patchy signal in the transverse mesocolon) or two points (transverse-mesocolon effusion). The AP severity was graded by the MRI severity index (MRSI) and the Acute Physiology And Chronic Healthy Evaluation II (APACHE II) scoring system. The correlations of TMI with MRSI and APACHE-II were analyzed. Results In a normal transverse mesocolon, the display rates of the middle colic artery, the middle colic vein and the gastrocolic trunk on MRI were 95.0%, 82.5% and 100.0%, respectively. Of the 210 patients with AP, 130 patients (61.9%) had TMI. According to the TMI grading, 40%, 39% and 20% of the patients were graded at zero, one and two points, respectively. TMI was strongly correlated with the MRSI score (r = 0.759, P = 0.000) and the APACHE-II score (r = 0.384, P = 0.000). Conclusion MRI could be used to visualize transverse-mesocolon involvement. The severity of TMI could reflect that of AP in the clinical setting and imaging. TMI might be a supplementary indicator of the severity of AP. PMID:24705446

A Phenomenological Study of Parents' Involvement in Mathematics Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delbridge, Natalie H.

2013-01-01

Many areas of support are needed when educating children and youth in mathematics education. One of the untapped areas is that of parental support and involvement. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the "lived" experiences of parental involvement in their children's mathematics home instruction through individual…

Strengthening the reliability and credibility of observational epidemiology studies by creating an Observational Studies Register.

PubMed

Swaen, Gerard M H; Carmichael, Neil; Doe, John

2011-05-01

To evaluate the need for the creation of a system in which observational epidemiology studies are registered; an Observational Studies Register (OSR). The current scientific process for observational epidemiology studies is described. Next, a parallel is made with the clinical trials area, where the creation of clinical trial registers has greatly restored and improved their credibility and reliability. Next, the advantages and disadvantages of an OSR are compared. The advantages of an OSR outweigh its disadvantages. The creation of an OSR, similar to the existing Clinical Trials Registers, will improve the assessment of publication bias and will provide an opportunity to compare the original study protocol with the results reported in the publication. Reliability, credibility, and transparency of observational epidemiology studies are strengthened by the creation of an OSR. We propose a structured, collaborative, and coordinated approach for observational epidemiology studies that can provide solutions for existing weaknesses and will strengthen credibility and reliability, similar to the approach currently used in clinical trials, where Clinical Trials Registers have played a key role in strengthening their scientific value. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Practical Aspects of Designing and Conducting Validation Studies Involving Multi-study Trials.

PubMed

Coecke, Sandra; Bernasconi, Camilla; Bowe, Gerard; Bostroem, Ann-Charlotte; Burton, Julien; Cole, Thomas; Fortaner, Salvador; Gouliarmou, Varvara; Gray, Andrew; Griesinger, Claudius; Louhimies, Susanna; Gyves, Emilio Mendoza-de; Joossens, Elisabeth; Prinz, Maurits-Jan; Milcamps, Anne; Parissis, Nicholaos; Wilk-Zasadna, Iwona; Barroso, João; Desprez, Bertrand; Langezaal, Ingrid; Liska, Roman; Morath, Siegfried; Reina, Vittorio; Zorzoli, Chiara; Zuang, Valérie

This chapter focuses on practical aspects of conducting prospective in vitro validation studies, and in particular, by laboratories that are members of the European Union Network of Laboratories for the Validation of Alternative Methods (EU-NETVAL) that is coordinated by the EU Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM). Prospective validation studies involving EU-NETVAL, comprising a multi-study trial involving several laboratories or "test facilities", typically consist of two main steps: (1) the design of the validation study by EURL ECVAM and (2) the execution of the multi-study trial by a number of qualified laboratories within EU-NETVAL, coordinated and supported by EURL ECVAM. The approach adopted in the conduct of these validation studies adheres to the principles described in the OECD Guidance Document on the Validation and International Acceptance of new or updated test methods for Hazard Assessment No. 34 (OECD 2005). The context and scope of conducting prospective in vitro validation studies is dealt with in Chap. 4 . Here we focus mainly on the processes followed to carry out a prospective validation of in vitro methods involving different laboratories with the ultimate aim of generating a dataset that can support a decision in relation to the possible development of an international test guideline (e.g. by the OECD) or the establishment of performance standards.

A devolved model for public involvement in the field of mental health research: case study learning.

PubMed

Moule, Pam; Davies, Rosie

2016-12-01

Patient and public involvement in all aspects of research is espoused and there is a continued interest in understanding its wider impact. Existing investigations have identified both beneficial outcomes and remaining issues. This paper presents the impact of public involvement in one case study led by a mental health charity conducted as part of a larger research project. The case study used a devolved model of working, contracting with service user-led organizations to maximize the benefits of local knowledge on the implementation of personalized budgets, support recruitment and local user-led organizations. To understand the processes and impact of public involvement in a devolved model of working with user-led organizations. Multiple data collection methods were employed throughout 2012. These included interviews with the researchers (n = 10) and research partners (n = 5), observation of two case study meetings and the review of key case study documentation. Analysis was conducted in NVivo10 using a coding framework developed following a literature review. Five key themes emerged from the data; Devolved model, Nature of involvement, Enabling factors, Implementation challenges and Impact. While there were some challenges of implementing the devolved model it is clear that our findings add to the growing understanding of the positive benefits research partners can bring to complex research. A devolved model can support the involvement of user-led organizations in research if there is a clear understanding of the underpinning philosophy and support mechanisms are in place. © 2015 The Authors. Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Studying Triggers for Interest and Engagement Using Observational Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renninger, K. Ann; Bachrach, Jessica E.

2015-01-01

In this article, we discuss the contribution of observational methods to understanding the processes involved in triggering interest and establishing engagement. We begin by reviewing the literatures on interest and engagement, noting their similarities, differences, and the utility to each of better understanding the triggering process. We then…

From users involvement to users' needs understanding: a case study.

PubMed

Niès, Julie; Pelayo, Sylvia

2010-04-01

Companies developing and commercializing Healthcare IT applications may decide to involve the users in the software development lifecycle in order to better understand the users' needs and to optimize their products. Unfortunately direct developers-users dialogues are not sufficient to ensure a proper understanding of the users' needs. It is also necessary to involve human factors specialists to analyze the users' expression of their needs and to properly formalize the requirements for design purposes. The objective of this paper is to present a case study reporting the collaborative work between HF experts and a company developing and commercializing a CPOE. This study shows how this collaboration helps resolve the limits of direct users involvement and usual problems pertaining to users' needs description and understanding. The company participating in the study has implemented a procedure to convene regular meetings allowing direct exchanges between the development team and users' representatives. Those meetings aim at getting users' feedbacks on the existing products and at validating further developments. In parallel with usual HF methods supporting the analysis of the work system (onsite observations followed by debriefing interviews) and the usability evaluation of the application (usability inspection and usability tests), HF experts took the opportunity of the meetings organized by the company to collect, re-interpret and re-formulate the needs expressed by the users. The developers perceive the physicians' requirements concerning the display of the patient's list of medication as contradictory. In a previous meeting round the users had required a detailed view of the medication list against the synthesized existing one. Once this requirement satisfied, the users participating in the current meeting round require a synthesized view against the existing detailed one. The development team is unable to understand what they perceive as a reverse claim. Relying

Analysis of brand personality to involve event involvement and loyalty: A case study of Jakarta Fashion Week 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, A. H.; Rachmawan, Y. A.

2018-04-01

Fashion trend in the world changed extremely fast. Fashion has become the one of people’s lifestyle in the world. Fashion week events in several areas can be a measurement of fahion trend nowadays. There was a fashion week event in Indonesia called Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) aims to show fashion trend to people who want to improve their fashion style. People will join some events if the event has involvement to them, hence they will come to that event again and again. Annually and continuously event is really important to create loyalty among people who are involved in it, in order to increase positive development towards the organizer in organizing the next event. Saving a huge amount from the marketing budget, and creating a higher quality event. This study aims to know the effect of 5 brand personality dimension to event involvement and loyalty in Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW). This study use quantitative confirmative method with Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis technique. The sample of this study is 150 respondents who became a participant of Jakarta Fashion Week 2017. Result show that there was significant effect of 5 brand personality dimension to 3 dimension of event involvement and loyalty. Meanwhile, there was one dimension of event involvement called personal self-expression that has not effect to loyalty.

Tev Blazars: Status of Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krennrich, F.; Biller, S. D.; Bond, I. H.; Boyle, P. J.; Bradbury, S. M.; Breslin, A. C.; Buckley, J. H.; Burdett, A. M.; Bussons Gordo, J.; Carter-Lewis, D. A.; Catanese, M.; Cawley, M. F.; Fegan, D. J.; Finley, J. P.; Gaidos, J. A.; Hall, T.; Hillas, A. M.; Lamb, R. C.; Lessard, R. W.; Masterson, C.; McEnry, J. E.; Mohanty, G.; Moriarty, P.; Quinn, J.; Rodgers, A. J.; Rose, H. J.; Samuelson, F. W.; Sembroski, G. H.; Srinivasan, R.; Vassiliev, V. V.; Weekes, T. C.

The close relation between ground-based TeV observations and satellite borne $\\gamma$-ray measurements has been important for the understanding of blazars. The observations which involve the TeV component in blazar studies are reviewed.

Retrospective study of sonographic findings in bone involvement associated with rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy: preliminary results of a case series.

PubMed

Nogueira-Barbosa, Marcello H; Gregio-Junior, Everaldo; Lorenzato, Mario Muller

2015-01-01

The present study was aimed at investigating bone involvement secondary to rotator cuff calcific tendonitis at ultrasonography. Retrospective study of a case series. The authors reviewed shoulder ultrasonography reports of 141 patients diagnosed with rotator cuff calcific tendonitis, collected from the computer-based data records of their institution over a four-year period. Imaging findings were retrospectively and consensually analyzed by two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists looking for bone involvement associated with calcific tendonitis. Only the cases confirmed by computed tomography were considered for descriptive analysis. Sonographic findings of calcific tendinopathy with bone involvement were observed in 7/141 (~ 5%) patients (mean age, 50.9 years; age range, 42-58 years; 42% female). Cortical bone erosion adjacent to tendon calcification was the most common finding, observed in 7/7 cases. Signs of intraosseous migration were found in 3/7 cases, and subcortical cysts in 2/7 cases. The findings were confirmed by computed tomography. Calcifications associated with bone abnormalities showed no acoustic shadowing at ultrasonography, favoring the hypothesis of resorption phase of the disease. Preliminary results of the present study suggest that ultrasonography can identify bone abnormalities secondary to rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy, particularly the presence of cortical bone erosion.

Using non-specialist observers in 4AFC human observer studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elangovan, Premkumar; Mackenzie, Alistair; Dance, David R.; Young, Kenneth C.; Wells, Kevin

2017-03-01

Virtual clinical trials (VCTs) are an emergent approach for rapid evaluation and comparison of various breast imaging technologies and techniques using computer-based modeling tools. Increasingly 4AFC (Four alternative forced choice) virtual clinical trials are used to compare detection performances of different breast imaging modalities. Most prior studies have used physicists and/or radiologists and physicists interchangeably. However, large scale use of statistically significant 4AFC observer studies is challenged by the individual time commitment and cost of such observers, often drawn from a limited local pool of specialists. This work aims to investigate whether non-specialist observers can be used to supplement such studies. A team of five specialist observers (medical physicists) and five non-specialists participated in a 4AFC study containing simulated 2D-mammography and DBT (digital breast tomosynthesis) images, produced using the OPTIMAM toolbox for VCTs. The images contained 4mm irregular solid masses and 4mm spherical targets at a range of contrast levels embedded in a realistic breast phantom background. There was no statistically significant difference between the detection performance of medical physicists and non-specialists (p>0.05). However, non-specialists took longer to complete the study than their physicist counterparts, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). Overall, the results from both observer groups indicate that DBT has a lower detectable threshold contrast than 2D-mammography for both masses and spheres, and both groups found spheres easier to detect than irregular solid masses.

What Happens When Parents and Children Go Grocery Shopping? An Observational Study of Latino Dyads in Southern California, USA.

PubMed

Calderon, Joanna; Ayala, Guadalupe X; Elder, John P; Belch, George E; Castro, Iana A; Weibel, Nadir; Pickrel, Julie

2017-02-01

The objective of this study was to observe parent-child interactions in tiendas, limited assortment food stores catering to Latinos in the United States, and to examine the extent to which child involvement influenced these interactions and their purchase outcomes. Two confederates, one posing as a tienda employee and one posing as a customer, observed the entire shopping trip of 100 Latino parent-child (mean age = 8 years) dyads and coded the following: number and type of parent- and child-initiated request interactions, types of purchase influence attempts used by children and how parents responded, and whether the product was purchased. Level of child involvement was examined as a potential influencing factor on purchasing. The observations were relatively short (mean duration of 10 minutes), reflecting the "quick trip" nature of the observed shopping trips. From the 100 parent-child dyads, 144 request interactions were observed, and among dyads with at least 1 request interaction during the shopping trip, the average number of request interactions per dyad was 2. Children initiated most of the request interactions by asking for a product or simply placing it in the basket; parents initiated 24% of the request interactions. Child involvement in shopping and checkout were associated with spending and purchase outcomes. These results indicate that children and parents influence each other during grocery shopping, and children who are more involved have greater influence over purchases. Furthermore, this study identified a number of targets for future family/parent and consumer food environment interventions.

What Happens When Parents and Children Go Grocery Shopping? An Observational Study of Latino Dyads in Southern California, USA

PubMed Central

Calderon, Joanna; Ayala, Guadalupe X.; Elder, John P.; Belch, George E.; Castro, Iana A.; Weibel, Nadir; Pickrel, Julie

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to observe parent–child interactions in tiendas, limited assortment food stores catering to Latinos in the United States, and to examine the extent to which child involvement influenced these interactions and their purchase outcomes. Two confederates, one posing as a tienda employee and one posing as a customer, observed the entire shopping trip of 100 Latino parent–child (mean age = 8 years) dyads and coded the following: number and type of parent- and child-initiated request interactions, types of purchase influence attempts used by children and how parents responded, and whether the product was purchased. Level of child involvement was examined as a potential influencing factor on purchasing. The observations were relatively short (mean duration of 10 minutes), reflecting the “quick trip” nature of the observed shopping trips. From the 100 parent–child dyads, 144 request interactions were observed, and among dyads with at least 1 request interaction during the shopping trip, the average number of request interactions per dyad was 2. Children initiated most of the request interactions by asking for a product or simply placing it in the basket; parents initiated 24% of the request interactions. Child involvement in shopping and checkout were associated with spending and purchase outcomes. These results indicate that children and parents influence each other during grocery shopping, and children who are more involved have greater influence over purchases. Furthermore, this study identified a number of targets for future family/parent and consumer food environment interventions. PMID:27162238

Clinical Research Methodology 2: Observational Clinical Research.

PubMed

Sessler, Daniel I; Imrey, Peter B

2015-10-01

Case-control and cohort studies are invaluable research tools and provide the strongest feasible research designs for addressing some questions. Case-control studies usually involve retrospective data collection. Cohort studies can involve retrospective, ambidirectional, or prospective data collection. Observational studies are subject to errors attributable to selection bias, confounding, measurement bias, and reverse causation-in addition to errors of chance. Confounding can be statistically controlled to the extent that potential factors are known and accurately measured, but, in practice, bias and unknown confounders usually remain additional potential sources of error, often of unknown magnitude and clinical impact. Causality-the most clinically useful relation between exposure and outcome-can rarely be definitively determined from observational studies because intentional, controlled manipulations of exposures are not involved. In this article, we review several types of observational clinical research: case series, comparative case-control and cohort studies, and hybrid designs in which case-control analyses are performed on selected members of cohorts. We also discuss the analytic issues that arise when groups to be compared in an observational study, such as patients receiving different therapies, are not comparable in other respects.

Observing the Forces Involved in Static Friction under Static Situations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Daniel

2013-01-01

Static friction is an important concept in introductory physics. Later in the year students apply their understanding of static friction under more complex conditions of static equilibrium. Traditional lab demonstrations in this case involve exceeding of the maximum level of static friction, resulting in the "onset of motion." (Contains…

Technological aspects of hospital communication challenges: an observational study.

PubMed

Popovici, Ilinca; Morita, Plinio P; Doran, Diane; Lapinsky, Stephen; Morra, Dante; Shier, Ashleigh; Wu, Robert; Cafazzo, Joseph A

2015-06-01

To gain insights into how technological communication tools impact effective communication among clinicians, which is critical for patient safety. This multi-site observational study analyzes inter-clinician communication and interaction with information technology, with a focus on the critical process of patient transfer from the Emergency Department to General Internal Medicine. Mount Sinai Hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Toronto General Hospital. At least five ED and general internal medicine nurses and physicians directly involved in patient transfers were observed on separate occasions at each institution. N/A. N/A. The study provides insight into clinician workflow, evaluates current hospital communication systems and identifies key issues affecting communication: interruptions, issues with numeric pagers, lack of integrated communication tools, lack of awareness of consultation status, inefficiencies related to the paper chart, unintuitive user interfaces, mixed use of electronic and paper systems and lack of up-to-date contact information. It also identifies design trade-offs to be negotiated: synchronous communication vs. reducing interruptions, notification of patient status vs. reducing interruptions and speed vs. quality of handovers. The issues listed should be considered in the design of new technology for hospital communications. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

Difference between observed and expected number of involved lymph nodes reflects the metastatic potential of breast cancer independent to intrinsic subtype.

PubMed

Yu, Ke-Da; Jiang, Yi-Zhou; Shao, Zhi-Ming

2015-06-30

Poor prognosis associated with metastasis in breast cancer patients highlights the critical need to develop an effective evaluation model for metastatic potential (MP). We hypothesized that MP could be also indicated by primary tumor size and involved lymph nodes (LNs). The expected number of involved LNs is defined as tumor size (cm) divided by 1.5. The effect of the surrogate for MP (defined as difference between the number of observed and expected involved LNs) on breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) was investigated in the first cohort from SEER (n = 108,814). Validation was performed in another SEER cohort (n = 50,414) and a third cohort (n = 3,755). MP is an independent predictor for BCSS in the overall population [hazard ratio (HR) for high MP: 2.92; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.80-3.03] and in subgroups. The effect of surrogate for MP on survival was independent to intrinsic subtype, with adjusted HRs of 3.46 (95%CI, 2.02-5.93), 2.30 (95%CI, 1.64-3.24), 4.05 (95%CI, 2.85-5.76), and 1.45 (95%CI, 1.04-2.03) in luminal-A, luminal-B, triple-negative, and HER2-positive subtypes, respectively. Difference between the observed and expected number of involved LNs serves as an indicator for MP, which is independent to intrinsic subtype and could predict survival. Our findings need further validation.

Communication when patients are conscious during respirator treatment--a hermeneutic observation study.

PubMed

Karlsson, Veronika; Forsberg, Anna; Bergbom, Ingegerd

2012-08-01

The aim of this study was to observe, interpret and describe nurses' communication with conscious patients receiving mechanical ventilation treatment (MVT) in an intensive care unit (ICU), and to examine if such communication could be interpreted as caring. Hermeneutic observational study inspired by the philosophy of Gadamer. Nineteen patients were observed on several occasions for a total of 66 hours, when conscious during MVT. A form of caring communication was identified and interpreted as comprising seven themes: being attentive and watchful, being inclusive and involving, being connected, remaining close, being reassuring and providing security, keeping company and using humour and using a friendly approach. Communication that mediated a non-caring approach was also identified and described under two thematic headings, i.e. being neglectful and being absent. Caring is communicated by the caring act of "standing-by" the patient. Caring or non-caring is communicated in non-verbal and verbal communication, in the words used, the tone of voice and behaviour, as well as in the performance of nursing care activities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Case Study Observational Research: A Framework for Conducting Case Study Research Where Observation Data Are the Focus.

PubMed

Morgan, Sonya J; Pullon, Susan R H; Macdonald, Lindsay M; McKinlay, Eileen M; Gray, Ben V

2017-06-01

Case study research is a comprehensive method that incorporates multiple sources of data to provide detailed accounts of complex research phenomena in real-life contexts. However, current models of case study research do not particularly distinguish the unique contribution observation data can make. Observation methods have the potential to reach beyond other methods that rely largely or solely on self-report. This article describes the distinctive characteristics of case study observational research, a modified form of Yin's 2014 model of case study research the authors used in a study exploring interprofessional collaboration in primary care. In this approach, observation data are positioned as the central component of the research design. Case study observational research offers a promising approach for researchers in a wide range of health care settings seeking more complete understandings of complex topics, where contextual influences are of primary concern. Future research is needed to refine and evaluate the approach.

Road accidents involving bicycles: configurations and injuries.

PubMed

Orsi, Chiara; Montomoli, Cristina; Otte, Dietmar; Morandi, Anna

2017-12-01

This study analyzed the most common types of accident involving bicycles and compared the frequency of injuries. The data source was the database of German In-Depth Accident Study (GIDAS). Cases consist of bicycles and their riders involved in accidents between 2000 and 2010. In most collisions, the bicycle impacted with a car. The percentage of injured bicyclists was higher in collisions with a heavy vehicle and decreased when the bicycle impacted with lighter vehicles. A high percentage of injured bicyclists in single accidents was observed; the most severe injury was more frequently to head and extremities. Accidents involving a car and a bicycle with the right of way in a bicycle path represented about 20% of involved and injured bicyclists. The ten most frequent configurations represented about 60% of involved and injured bicyclists. These results contribute to understand the dangerous scenarios for bicyclists and to suggest preventive actions.

Observational studies in systematic [corrected] reviews of comparative effectiveness: AHRQ and the Effective Health Care Program.

PubMed

Norris, Susan L; Atkins, David; Bruening, Wendy; Fox, Steven; Johnson, Eric; Kane, Robert; Morton, Sally C; Oremus, Mark; Ospina, Maria; Randhawa, Gurvaneet; Schoelles, Karen; Shekelle, Paul; Viswanathan, Meera

2011-11-01

Systematic reviewers disagree about the ability of observational studies to answer questions about the benefits or intended effects of pharmacotherapeutic, device, or procedural interventions. This study provides a framework for decision making on the inclusion of observational studies to assess benefits and intended effects in comparative effectiveness reviews (CERs). The conceptual model and recommendations were developed using a consensus process by members of the methods workgroup of the Effective Health Care Program of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In considering whether to use observational studies in CERs for addressing beneficial effects, reviewers should answer two questions: (1) Are there gaps in the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs)? (2) Will observational studies provide valid and useful information? The latter question involves the following: (a) refocusing the study questions on gaps in the evidence from RCTs, (b) assessing the risk of bias of the body of evidence of observational studies, and (c) assessing whether available observational studies address the gap review questions. Because it is unusual to find sufficient evidence from RCTs to answer all key questions concerning benefit or the balance of benefits and harms, comparative effectiveness reviewers should routinely assess the appropriateness of inclusion of observational studies for questions of benefit. Furthermore, reviewers should explicitly state the rationale for inclusion or exclusion of observational studies when conducting CERs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An observation tool to study air traffic control and flightdeck collaboration.

PubMed

Cox, Gemma; Sharples, Sarah; Stedmon, Alex; Wilson, John

2007-07-01

The complex systems of the flightdeck (FD) and the Air Traffic Control Centre (ATC) are characterised by numerous concurrently operating and interacting communication channels between people and between people and machines/computer systems. This paper describes work in support of investigating the impact of changes to technologies and responsibilities within this system with respect to human factors. It focuses primarily on the introduction of datalink (text-based communication rather than traditional radio communication) and the move towards freeflight (pilot-mediated air traffic control). Air traffic management investigations have outlined these specific changes as strategies to enable further increases in the volume of air traffic. A systems approach was taken and field studies were conducted. Small numbers of domain experts such as air traffic controllers (ATCOs) were involved in the field-based observations of how people interact with systems and each other. This paper summarises the overall research approach taken and then specifically reports on the field-based observations including the justification, development, and findings of the observation tool used. The observation tool examined information propagation through the air traffic control-flightdeck (ATC-FD) system, and resulted in models of possible information trajectories through the system.

Retrospective study of sonographic findings in bone involvement associated with rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy: preliminary results of a case series*

PubMed Central

Nogueira-Barbosa, Marcello H.; Gregio-Junior, Everaldo; Lorenzato, Mario Muller

2015-01-01

Objective The present study was aimed at investigating bone involvement secondary to rotator cuff calcific tendonitis at ultrasonography. Materials and Methods Retrospective study of a case series. The authors reviewed shoulder ultrasonography reports of 141 patients diagnosed with rotator cuff calcific tendonitis, collected from the computer-based data records of their institution over a four-year period. Imaging findings were retrospectively and consensually analyzed by two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists looking for bone involvement associated with calcific tendonitis. Only the cases confirmed by computed tomography were considered for descriptive analysis. Results Sonographic findings of calcific tendinopathy with bone involvement were observed in 7/141 (~ 5%) patients (mean age, 50.9 years; age range, 42-58 years; 42% female). Cortical bone erosion adjacent to tendon calcification was the most common finding, observed in 7/7 cases. Signs of intraosseous migration were found in 3/7 cases, and subcortical cysts in 2/7 cases. The findings were confirmed by computed tomography. Calcifications associated with bone abnormalities showed no acoustic shadowing at ultrasonography, favoring the hypothesis of resorption phase of the disease. Conclusion Preliminary results of the present study suggest that ultrasonography can identify bone abnormalities secondary to rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy, particularly the presence of cortical bone erosion. PMID:26811551

Caregiver Involvement in the Education of Youth in Foster Care: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beisse, Kay; Tyre, Ashli

2013-01-01

This study was an exploratory investigation of caregiver involvement in the education of youth in foster care. In this study, foster caregivers reported that they are involved in the education of children in their care and participate in at-home involvement activities more often than at-school involvement activities. Caregivers in this study…

Nerve and muscle involvement in mitochondrial disorders: an electrophysiological study.

PubMed

Mancuso, Michelangelo; Piazza, Selina; Volpi, Leda; Orsucci, Daniele; Calsolaro, Valeria; Caldarazzo Ienco, Elena; Carlesi, Cecilia; Rocchi, Anna; Petrozzi, Lucia; Calabrese, Rosanna; Siciliano, Gabriele

2012-04-01

Involvement of the peripheral nervous system in mitochondrial disorders (MD) has been previously reported. However, the exact prevalence of peripheral neuropathy and/or myopathy in MD is still unclear. In order to evaluate the prevalence of neuropathy and myopathy in MD, we performed sensory and motor nerve conduction studies (NCS) and concentric needle electromyography (EMG) in 44 unselected MD patients. NCS were abnormal in 36.4% of cases, and were consistent with a sensori-motor axonal multineuropathy (multifocal neuropathy), mainly affecting the lower limbs. EMG evidence of myopathy was present in 54.5% of patients, again mainly affecting the lower limbs. Nerve and muscle involvement was frequently subclinical. Peripheral nerve and muscle involvement is common in MD patients. Our study supports the variability of the clinical expression of MD. Further studies are needed to better understand the molecular basis underlying the phenotypic variability among MD patients.

Institutional Ethical Review and Ethnographic Research Involving Injection Drug Users: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Small, Will; Maher, Lisa; Kerr, Thomas

2014-01-01

Ethnographic research among people who inject drugs (PWID) involves complex ethical issues. While ethical review frameworks have been critiqued by social scientists, there is a lack of social science research examining institutional ethical review processes, particularly in relation to ethnographic work. This case study describes the institutional ethical review of an ethnographic research project using observational fieldwork and in-depth interviews to examine injection drug use. The review process and the salient concerns of the review committee are recounted, and the investigators’ responses to the committee’s concerns and requests are described to illustrate how key issues were resolved. The review committee expressed concerns regarding researcher safety when conducting fieldwork and the investigators were asked to liaise with the police regarding the proposed research. An ongoing dialogue with the institutional review committee regarding researcher safety and autonomy from police involvement, as well as formal consultation with a local drug user group and solicitation of opinions from external experts, helped to resolve these issues. This case study suggests that ethical review processes can be particularly challenging for ethnographic projects focused on illegal behaviours, and that while some challenges could be mediated by modifying existing ethical review procedures, there is a need for legislation that provides legal protection of research data and participant confidentiality. PMID:24581074

Parental involvement in neonatal comfort care.

PubMed

Skene, Caryl; Franck, Linda; Curtis, Penny; Gerrish, Kate

2012-01-01

To explore how parents interact with their infants and with nurses regarding the provision of comfort care in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Focused ethnography. A regional NICU in the United Kingdom. Eleven families (10 mothers, 8 fathers) with infants residing in the NICU participated in the study. Parents were observed during a caregiving interaction with their infants and then interviewed on up to four occasions. Twenty-five periods of observation and 24 semistructured interviews were conducted between January and November 2008. Five stages of learning to parent in the NICU were identified. Although the length and duration of each stage differed for individual parents, movement along the learning trajectory was facilitated when parents were involved in comforting their infants. Transfer of responsibility from nurse to parents for specific aspects of care was also aided by parental involvement in pain care. Nurses' encouragement of parental involvement in comfort care facilitated parental proximity, parent/infant reciprocity, and parental sense of responsibility. Findings suggest that parental involvement in comfort care can aid the process of learning to parent, which is difficult in the NICU. Parental involvement in infant comfort care may also facilitate the transfer of responsibility from nurse to parent and may facilitate antecedents to parent/infant attachment. © 2012 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Basic concepts and development of an all-purpose computer interface for ROC/FROC observer study.

PubMed

Shiraishi, Junji; Fukuoka, Daisuke; Hara, Takeshi; Abe, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

In this study, we initially investigated various aspects of requirements for a computer interface employed in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and free-response ROC (FROC) observer studies which involve digital images and ratings obtained by observers (radiologists). Secondly, by taking into account these aspects, an all-purpose computer interface utilized for these observer performance studies was developed. Basically, the observer studies can be classified into three paradigms, such as one rating for one case without an identification of a signal location, one rating for one case with an identification of a signal location, and multiple ratings for one case with identification of signal locations. For these paradigms, display modes on the computer interface can be used for single/multiple views of a static image, continuous viewing with cascade images (i.e., CT, MRI), and dynamic viewing of movies (i.e., DSA, ultrasound). Various functions on these display modes, which include windowing (contrast/level), magnifications, and annotations, are needed to be selected by an experimenter corresponding to the purpose of the research. In addition, the rules of judgment for distinguishing between true positives and false positives are an important factor for estimating diagnostic accuracy in an observer study. We developed a computer interface which runs on a Windows operating system by taking into account all aspects required for various observer studies. This computer interface requires experimenters to have sufficient knowledge about ROC/FROC observer studies, but allows its use for any purpose of the observer studies. This computer interface will be distributed publicly in the near future.

Ways of learning: Observational studies versus experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shaffer, T.L.; Johnson, D.H.

2008-01-01

Manipulative experimentation that features random assignment of treatments, replication, and controls is an effective way to determine causal relationships. Wildlife ecologists, however, often must take a more passive approach to investigating causality. Their observational studies lack one or more of the 3 cornerstones of experimentation: controls, randomization, and replication. Although an observational study can be analyzed similarly to an experiment, one is less certain that the presumed treatment actually caused the observed response. Because the investigator does not actively manipulate the system, the chance that something other than the treatment caused the observed results is increased. We reviewed observational studies and contrasted them with experiments and, to a lesser extent, sample surveys. We identified features that distinguish each method of learning and illustrate or discuss some complications that may arise when analyzing results of observational studies. Findings from observational studies are prone to bias. Investigators can reduce the chance of reaching erroneous conclusions by formulating a priori hypotheses that can be pursued multiple ways and by evaluating the sensitivity of study conclusions to biases of various magnitudes. In the end, however, professional judgment that considers all available evidence is necessary to render a decision regarding causality based on observational studies.

Cellular transplants in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients: an observational study.

PubMed

Gamez, Josep; Carmona, Francesc; Raguer, Nuria; Ferrer-Sancho, Jaume; Martín-Henao, Gregorio A; Martí-Beltrán, Sergi; Badia, Merce; Gratacós, Margarita; Rodriguez-Gónzalez, Esther; Seoane, Jose Luis; Pallero-Castillo, Mercedes; Burgos, Rosa; Puiggros, Carolina; Pasarin, Alejandro; Bori-Fortuny, Inmaculada

2010-09-01

Cytotherapy is a promising option for neurodegenerative disease treatment. Because of the fatal prognosis and imperative need for effective treatment, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients request this therapy before its effectiveness has been verified. The increase in clinics offering cytotherapies but providing little scientific information has prompted considerable medical tourism. We present an observational study of Spanish ALS patients receiving cytotherapy, analyzing the experiences arising from the treatment (TX) and considering two progression markers, FVC and ALSFRS-R. Twelve ALS patients with a mean age of 48.6 years (SD 12.8) received cytotherapy 26.9 months (SD 15.8) after clinical onset. ALSFRS-R and FVC at TX were 32.3 (SD 6.8) and 63.4% (SD 15.3), respectively. TX involved transplants of olfactory ensheathing cells in three patients, and autologous mesenchymal stromal cells in the remainder. One patient died 33 months post-TX after surviving for 49 months. Five required mechanical non-invasive home ventilation 7.4 months post-TX. Two required invasive ventilation 13 months post-TX. Five patients needed gastrostomy feeding 23.3 months post-TX. Survival between clinical onset and the study end date was 50 months (SD 17.2). No significant adverse events or changes in the decline of FVC and ALSFRS-R compared with the disease's natural history were observed. Our observations suggest that these therapies do not halt the course of the disease. Cytotherapy cannot yet be considered a curative treatment for ALS.

Alcohol Intake and Risk of Thyroid Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

PubMed

Hong, Seung-Hee; Myung, Seung-Kwon; Kim, Hyeon Suk

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study was to assess whether alcohol intake is associated with the risk of thyroid cancer by a meta-analysis of observational studies. We searched PubMed and EMBASE in June of 2015 to locate eligible studies. We included observational studies such as cross-sectional studies, case-control studies, and cohort studies reporting odd ratios (ORs) or relative risk (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We included 33 observational studies with two cross-sectional studies, 20 case-controls studies, and 11 cohort studies, which involved a total of 7,725 thyroid cancer patients and 3,113,679 participants without thyroid cancer in the final analysis. In the fixed-effect model meta-analysis of all 33 studies, we found that alcohol intake was consistently associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer (OR or RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.83; I 2 =38.6%). In the subgroup meta-analysis by type of study, alcohol intake also decreased the risk of thyroid cancer in both case-control studies (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.92; I 2 =29.5%; n=20) and cohort studies (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.82; I 2 =0%; n=11). Moreover, subgroup meta-analyses by type of thyroid cancer, gender, amount of alcohol consumed, and methodological quality of study showed that alcohol intake was significantly associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer. The current meta-analysis of observational studies found that, unlike most of other types of cancer, alcohol intake decreased the risk of thyroid cancer.

Alcohol Intake and Risk of Thyroid Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

PubMed Central

Hong, Seung-Hee; Myung, Seung-Kwon; Kim, Hyeon Suk

2017-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess whether alcohol intake is associated with the risk of thyroid cancer by a meta-analysis of observational studies. Materials and Methods We searched PubMed and EMBASE in June of 2015 to locate eligible studies. We included observational studies such as cross-sectional studies, case-control studies, and cohort studies reporting odd ratios (ORs) or relative risk (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results We included 33 observational studies with two cross-sectional studies, 20 case-controls studies, and 11 cohort studies, which involved a total of 7,725 thyroid cancer patients and 3,113,679 participants without thyroid cancer in the final analysis. In the fixed-effect model meta-analysis of all 33 studies, we found that alcohol intake was consistently associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer (OR or RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.83; I2=38.6%). In the subgroup meta-analysis by type of study, alcohol intake also decreased the risk of thyroid cancer in both case-control studies (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.92; I2=29.5%; n=20) and cohort studies (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.82; I2=0%; n=11). Moreover, subgroup meta-analyses by type of thyroid cancer, gender, amount of alcohol consumed, and methodological quality of study showed that alcohol intake was significantly associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer. Conclusion The current meta-analysis of observational studies found that, unlike most of other types of cancer, alcohol intake decreased the risk of thyroid cancer. PMID:27456949

Assessments of the extent to which health-care providers involve patients in decision making: a systematic review of studies using the OPTION instrument.

PubMed

Couët, Nicolas; Desroches, Sophie; Robitaille, Hubert; Vaillancourt, Hugues; Leblanc, Annie; Turcotte, Stéphane; Elwyn, Glyn; Légaré, France

2015-08-01

We have no clear overview of the extent to which health-care providers involve patients in the decision-making process during consultations. The Observing Patient Involvement in Decision Making instrument (OPTION) was designed to assess this. To systematically review studies that used the OPTION instrument to observe the extent to which health-care providers involve patients in decision making across a range of clinical contexts, including different health professions and lengths of consultation. We conducted online literature searches in multiple databases (2001-12) and gathered further data through networking. (i) OPTION scores as reported outcomes and (ii) health-care providers and patients as study participants. For analysis, we only included studies using the revised scale. Extracted data included: (i) study and participant characteristics and (ii) OPTION outcomes (scores, statistical associations and reported psychometric results). We also assessed the quality of OPTION outcomes reporting. We found 33 eligible studies, 29 of which used the revised scale. Overall, we found low levels of patient-involving behaviours: in cases where no intervention was used to implement shared decision making (SDM), the mean OPTION score was 23 ± 14 (0-100 scale). When assessed, the variables most consistently associated with higher OPTION scores were interventions to implement SDM (n = 8/9) and duration of consultations (n = 8/15). Whatever the clinical context, few health-care providers consistently attempt to facilitate patient involvement, and even fewer adjust care to patient preferences. However, both SDM interventions and longer consultations could improve this. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evolution of Observation: Implementing Programmatic Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bender-Slack, Delane A.; Young, Teresa

2013-01-01

In the study reported, we examine the evolution of preservice teacher observation, focusing on the essential nature of observation to preservice teachers' learning about teaching while in the field. The study was 3 years long, and it involved 79 preservice teachers during semester-long language arts methods courses in early childhood and…

Salutogenic service user involvement in nursing research: a case study.

PubMed

Mjøsund, Nina Helen; Vinje, Hege Forbech; Eriksson, Monica; Haaland-Øverby, Mette; Jensen, Sven Liang; Kjus, Solveig; Norheim, Irene; Portaasen, Inger-Lill; Espnes, Geir Arild

2018-05-12

The aim was to explore the process of involving mental healthcare service users in a mental health promotion research project as research advisors and to articulate features of the collaboration which encouraged and empowered the advisors to make significant contributions to the research process and outcome. There is an increasing interest in evaluating aspects of service user involvement in nursing research. Few descriptions exist of features that enable meaningful service user involvement. We draw on experiences from conducting research which used the methodology interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore how persons with mental disorders perceived mental health. Aside from the participants in the project, five research advisors with service user experience were involved in the entire research process. We applied a case study design to explore the ongoing processes of service user involvement. Documents and texts produced while conducting the project (2012-2016), as well as transcripts from multistage focus group discussions with the research advisors, were analysed. The level of involvement was dynamic and varied throughout the different stages of the research process. Six features: leadership, meeting structure, role clarification, being members of a team, a focus on possibilities and being seen and treated as holistic individuals, were guiding principles for a salutogenic service user involvement. These features strengthened the advisors' perception of themselves as valuable and competent contributors. Significant contributions from research advisors were promoted by facilitating the process of involvement. A supporting structure and atmosphere were consistent with a salutogenic service user involvement. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The Action Observation System when Observing Hand Actions in Autism and Typical Development.

PubMed

Pokorny, Jennifer J; Hatt, Naomi V; Colombi, Costanza; Vivanti, Giacomo; Rogers, Sally J; Rivera, Susan M

2015-06-01

Social impairments in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may be in part due to difficulty perceiving and recognizing the actions of others. Evidence from imitation studies, which involves both observation and execution of an action, suggests differences, in individuals with ASD, between the ability to imitate goal-directed actions involving objects (transitive actions) and the ability to imitate actions that do not involve objects (intransitive actions). In the present study, we examined whether there were differences in how ASD adolescents encoded transitive and intransitive actions compared to typically developing (TD) adolescents, by having participants view videos of a hand reaching across a screen toward an object or to where an object would be while functional magnetic resonance images were collected. Analyses focused on areas within the action observation network (AON), which is activated during the observation of actions performed by others. We hypothesized that the AON would differentiate transitive from intransitive actions only in the ASD group. However, results revealed that object presence modulated activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and supramarginal gyrus of the TD group, a differentiation that was not seen in the ASD group. Furthermore, there were no significant group differences between the TD and ASD groups in any of the conditions. This suggests that there is not a global deficit of the AON in individuals with ASD while observing transitive and intransitive actions. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Physical Interactions Involving Preschoolers and Kindergartners in a Childcare Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleck, Bethany; Chavajay, Pablo

2009-01-01

This naturalistic observational study described the similarities and differences in physical interactions involving preschoolers and kindergartners within the context of a US childcare facility. It examined patterns of touch involving the children across center and circle activities within the course of their day. Results indicated that…

The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies.

PubMed

von Elm, Erik; Altman, Douglas G; Egger, Matthias; Pocock, Stuart J; Gøtzsche, Peter C; Vandenbroucke, Jan P

2014-12-01

Much biomedical research is observational. The reporting of such research is often inadequate, which hampers the assessment of its strengths and weaknesses and of a study's generalisability. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Initiative developed recommendations on what should be included in an accurate and complete report of an observational study. We defined the scope of the recommendations to cover three main study designs: cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies. We convened a 2-day workshop in September 2004, with methodologists, researchers, and journal editors to draft a checklist of items. This list was subsequently revised during several meetings of the coordinating group and in e-mail discussions with the larger group of STROBE contributors, taking into account empirical evidence and methodological considerations. The workshop and the subsequent iterative process of consultation and revision resulted in a checklist of 22 items (the STROBE Statement) that relate to the title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion sections of articles. 18 items are common to all three study designs and four are specific for cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional studies. A detailed Explanation and Elaboration document is published separately and is freely available on the Web sites of PLoS Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, and Epidemiology. We hope that the STROBE Statement will contribute to improving the quality of reporting of observational studies. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Institutional ethical review and ethnographic research involving injection drug users: a case study.

PubMed

Small, Will; Maher, Lisa; Kerr, Thomas

2014-03-01

Ethnographic research among people who inject drugs (PWID) involves complex ethical issues. While ethical review frameworks have been critiqued by social scientists, there is a lack of social science research examining institutional ethical review processes, particularly in relation to ethnographic work. This case study describes the institutional ethical review of an ethnographic research project using observational fieldwork and in-depth interviews to examine injection drug use. The review process and the salient concerns of the review committee are recounted, and the investigators' responses to the committee's concerns and requests are described to illustrate how key issues were resolved. The review committee expressed concerns regarding researcher safety when conducting fieldwork, and the investigators were asked to liaise with the police regarding the proposed research. An ongoing dialogue with the institutional review committee regarding researcher safety and autonomy from police involvement, as well as formal consultation with a local drug user group and solicitation of opinions from external experts, helped to resolve these issues. This case study suggests that ethical review processes can be particularly challenging for ethnographic projects focused on illegal behaviours, and that while some challenges could be mediated by modifying existing ethical review procedures, there is a need for legislation that provides legal protection of research data and participant confidentiality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Phenomenological Study of Parental Involvement and the Undergraduate College Student Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrison, David Michael

2013-01-01

Parents highly involved in the academic lives of their college-going children have become increasingly common and yet the effect of such involvement on students is poorly understood by student services administrators and faculty. The purpose of this study was to better define the phenomenon of parental involvement in college through an…

Shift work and diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Gan, Yong; Yang, Chen; Tong, Xinyue; Sun, Huilian; Cong, Yingjie; Yin, Xiaoxu; Li, Liqing; Cao, Shiyi; Dong, Xiaoxin; Gong, Yanhong; Shi, Oumin; Deng, Jian; Bi, Huashan; Lu, Zuxun

2015-01-01

Observational studies suggest that shift work may be associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the results are inconsistent. No systematic reviews have applied quantitative techniques to compute summary risk estimates. To conduct a meta-analysis of observational studies assessing the association between shift work and the risk of DM. Relevant studies were identified by a search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses databases to April 2014. We also reviewed reference lists from retrieved articles. We included observational studies that reported OR with 95% CIs for the association between shift work and the risk of DM. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed the study quality. Twelve studies with 28 independent reports involving 226 652 participants and 14 595 patients with DM were included. A pooled adjusted OR for the association between ever exposure to shift work and DM risk was 1.09 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.12; p=0.014; I(2)=40.9%). Subgroup analyses suggested a stronger association between shift work and DM for men (OR=1.37, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.56) than for women (OR=1.09, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.14) (p for interaction=0.01). All shift work schedules with the exception of mixed shifts and evening shifts were associated with a statistically higher risk of DM than normal daytime schedules, and the difference among those shift work schedules was significant (p for interaction=0.04). Shift work is associated with an increased risk of DM. The increase was significantly higher among men and the rotating shift group, which warrants further 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.

A study of muscle involvement in scrub typhus.

PubMed

Kalita, Jayantee; Misra, Usha K; Mani, Vinita E; Mahadevan, Anita; Shankar, Susrala K

2015-01-15

Patients with scrub typhus often complain of myalgia, but a comprehensive study on muscle dysfunction is lacking. We therefore report the clinical, electromyographic and muscle biopsy findings in patients with scrub typhus. Consecutive patients with scrub typhus were included, and their clinical and laboratory findings were noted. The patients with myalgia or weakness and elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) were considered to have muscle involvement. Electromyography (EMG) and muscle biopsy were done in some patients. Patients were treated with doxycycline 200mg daily for 7 days, and their clinical and biochemical outcome on discharge and one month were evaluated. 13 out of 33 (39.4%) patients had muscle involvement and their CK levels ranged between 287 and 3166 (859 ± 829) U/L. EMG revealed short duration polyphasic potentials, and muscle histopathology revealed evidence of vasculitis. There were significant correlations between severity of weakness and CK levels (r = -0.6; p < 0.001), platelet counts (r = 0.4; p = 0.04), duration of illness (r = -0.4; p = 0.01) and disability on discharge (r = -0.4; p = 0.04). Patients with muscle involvement had more severe illness evidenced by a lower Glasgow Coma Scale score (p < 0.001), thrombocytopenia (p = 0.05) and greater disability on discharge (p = 0.007), when compared to those without muscle involvement. All the patients had complete recovery following doxycycline therapy, and CK levels also normalized. Muscle dysfunction was present in 39% patients with scrub typhus. Although muscle histopathology showed evidence of vasculitis, patients responded to doxycycline. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring interprofessional, interagency multimorbidity care: case study based observational research

PubMed Central

McKinlay, Eileen M.; Morgan, Sonya J.; Gray, Ben V.; Macdonald, Lindsay M.; Pullon, Susan R.H.

2017-01-01

Background The increase in multimorbidity or co-occurring chronic illnesses is a leading healthcare concern. Patients with multimorbidity require ongoing care from many different professionals and agencies, and often report a lack of integrated care. Objective To explore the daily help-seeking behaviours of patients with multimorbidity, including which health professionals they seek help from, how professionals work together, and perceptions and characteristics of effective interprofessional, interagency multimorbidity care. Design Using a case study observational research design, multiple data sources were assembled for four patients with multimorbidity, identified by two general practitioners in New Zealand. In this paper, two case studies are presented, including the recorded instances of contact and communication between patients and professionals, and between professionals. Professional interactions were categorized as consultation, coordination, or collaboration. Results The two case studies illustrated two female patients with likely similar educational levels, but with different profiles of multimorbidity, social circumstances, and personal capabilities, involving various professionals and agencies. Engagement between professionals showed varying levels of interaction and a lack of clarity about leadership or care coordination. The majority of interactions were one-to-one consultations and rarely involved coordination and collaboration. Patients were rarely included in communications between professionals. Conclusion Cases constructed from multiple data sources illustrate the complexity of day-to-day, interprofessional, interagency multimorbidity care. While consultation is the most frequent mode of professional interaction, targeted coordinated and collaborative interactions (including the patient) are highly effective activities. Greater attention should be given to developing and facilitating these interactions and determining who should lead them. PMID

Coparenting and Father Involvement in Married and Unmarried Coresident Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohmann-Marriott, Bryndl

2011-01-01

Children can benefit from involved fathers and cooperative parents, a benefit which may be particularly important to the growing population of children born to unmarried parents. This study observes father involvement and coparenting in 5,407 married and unmarried cohabiting couples with a 2-year-old child in the Early Childhood Longitudinal…

Breadth and depth involvement: Understanding Internet gambling involvement and its relationship to gambling problems.

PubMed

LaPlante, Debi A; Nelson, Sarah E; Gray, Heather M

2014-06-01

The "involvement effect" refers to the finding that controlling for gambling involvement often reduces or eliminates frequently observed game-specific associations with problem gambling. In other words, broader patterns of gambling behavior, particularly the number of types of games played over a defined period, contribute more to problem gambling than playing specific games (e.g., lottery, casino, Internet gambling). This study extends this burgeoning area of inquiry in three primary ways. First, it tests independently and simultaneously the predictive power of two gambling patterns: breadth involvement (i.e., the number of games an individual plays) and depth involvement (i.e., the number of days an individual plays). Second, it includes the first involvement analyses of actual betting activity records that are associated with clinical screening information. Third, it evaluates and compares the linearity of breadth and depth effects. We conducted analyses of the actual gambling activity of 1,440 subscribers to the bwin.party gambling service who completed an online gambling disorder screen. In all, 11 of the 16 games we examined had a significant univariate association with a positive screen for gambling disorder. However, after controlling for breadth involvement, only Live Action Internet sports betting retained a significant relationship with potential gambling-related problems. Depth involvement, though significantly related to potential problems, did not impact game-based gambling disorder associations as much as breadth involvement. Finally, breadth effects appeared steeply linear, with a slight quadratic component manifesting beyond four games played, but depth effects appeared to have a strong linear component and a slight cubic component.

Religious Congregations’ Involvement in HIV: A Case Study Approach

PubMed Central

Mendel, Peter J.; Palar, Kartika; Kanouse, David E.; Bluthenthal, Ricky N.; Castaneda, Laura Werber; Corbin, Dennis E.; Domínguez, Blanca X.; Hawes-Dawson, Jennifer; Mata, Michael A.; Oden, Clyde W.

2011-01-01

Comparative case studies were used to explore religious congregations’ HIV involvement, including types and extent of activities, interaction with external organizations or individuals, and how activities were initiated and have changed over time. The cases included 14 congregations in Los Angeles County representing diverse faith traditions and races-ethnicities. Activities fell into three broad categories: (1) prevention and education; (2) care and support; and (3) awareness and advocacy. Congregations that engaged early in the epidemic focused on care and support while those that became involved later focused on prevention and education. Most congregations interacted with external organizations or individuals to conduct their HIV activities, but promoting abstinence and teaching about condoms were conducted without external involvement. Opportunities exist for congregations to help address a variety of HIV-related needs. However, activities that are mission-congruent, such as providing pastoral care for people with HIV, raising HIV awareness, and promoting HIV testing, appear easier for congregations to undertake than activities aimed at harm reduction. PMID:20953903

The influence of contextual factors on patient involvement during follow-up consultations after colorectal cancer surgery: a case study.

PubMed

Thomsen, Thora G; Soelver, Lisbeth; Hølge-Hazelton, Bibi

2017-11-01

To identify the contextual factors that influence individual patient involvement during colorectal cancer surgical follow-up consultations. The healthcare system is subject to the requirement and expectation of greater involvement of patients and relatives. Increased patient involvement requires the development and implementation of new communication initiatives. Research shows that it is also necessary to consider the contextual circumstances surrounding patient involvement in specific situations. Case study of a single Danish outpatient clinic, which allows the issues and circumstances involved in an everyday situation to be captured. 12 nonparticipative observations of outpatient visits and, subsequently, seven in-depth patient interviews. Content analysis based on a dialogical, interactive framework, which underpinned the identification of current contextual factors. The results showed five contextual factors that seemed to have an impact on patient involvement. The first, 'Two dimensions of patient involvement: treatment-oriented and person-oriented' highlighted a dual interpretation of patient involvement in the consultation situation. The two dimensions seemed to be influenced by four additional factors: 'Doctors leading the agenda', 'Traditional health professional roles', 'Unclear responsibilities' and 'Guidance primarily focused on treatment'. The results showed how patient involvement in clinical practice could be understood as a two-way movement, in which patients are invited to participate in clinical practice, while health professionals are invited to participate in the patients' lives. The movement will change from situation to situation and is influenced by several contextual factors. The results can help doctors and nurses to navigate using a goal-oriented approach towards patient involvement. The study makes visible the need for research-based development of the independent role of the nursing profession in cancer care follow-up, with a view to

Cultivating cohort studies for observational translational research.

PubMed

Ransohoff, David F

2013-04-01

"Discovery" research about molecular markers for diagnosis, prognosis, or prediction of response to therapy has frequently produced results that were not reproducible in subsequent studies. What are the reasons, and can observational cohorts be cultivated to provide strong and reliable answers to those questions? Experimental Selected examples are used to illustrate: (i) what features of research design provide strength and reliability in observational studies about markers of diagnosis, prognosis, and response to therapy? (ii) How can those design features be cultivated in existing observational cohorts, for example, within randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT), other existing observational research studies, or practice settings like health maintenance organization (HMOs)? Examples include a study of RNA expression profiles of tumor tissue to predict prognosis of breast cancer, a study of serum proteomics profiles to diagnose ovarian cancer, and a study of stool-based DNA assays to screen for colon cancer. Strengths and weaknesses of observational study design features are discussed, along with lessons about how features that help assure strength might be "cultivated" in the future. By considering these examples and others, it may be possible to develop a process of "cultivating cohorts" in ongoing RCTs, observational cohort studies, and practice settings like HMOs that have strong features of study design. Such an effort could produce sources of data and specimens to reliably answer questions about the use of molecular markers in diagnosis, prognosis, and response to therapy.

Special accident investigation studies : the role of alcohol/drug involvement

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1972-10-01

The NHTSA is sponsoring special accident investigation studies on the alcohol/drug involvement problem in the cities of Albuquerque, Baltimore, and Boston. These studies are in coordination with-ongoing ASAP projects in each of the three cities. The ...

EMC Aspects of Turbulence Heating ObserveR (THOR) Spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soucek, J.; Ahlen, L.; Bale, S.; Bonnell, J.; Boudin, N.; Brienza, D.; Carr, C.; Cipriani, F.; Escoubet, C. P.; Fazakerley, A.; Gehler, M.; Genot, V.; Hilgers, A.; Hanock, B.; Jannet, G.; Junge, A.; Khotyaintsev, Y.; De Keyser, J.; Kucharek, H.; Lan, R.; Lavraud, B.; Leblanc, F.; Magnes, W.; Mansour, M.; Marcucci, M. F.; Nakamura, R.; Nemecek, Z.; Owen, C.; Phal, Y.; Retino, A.; Rodgers, D.; Safrankova, J.; Sahraoui, F.; Vainio, R.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R.; Steinhagen, J.; Vaivads, A.; Wielders, A.; Zaslavsky, A.

2016-05-01

Turbulence Heating ObserveR (THOR) is a spacecraft mission dedicated to the study of plasma turbulence in near-Earth space. The mission is currently under study for implementation as a part of ESA Cosmic Vision program. THOR will involve a single spinning spacecraft equipped with state of the art instruments capable of sensitive measurements of electromagnetic fields and plasma particles. The sensitive electric and magnetic field measurements require that the spacecraft- generated emissions are restricted and strictly controlled; therefore a comprehensive EMC program has been put in place already during the study phase. The THOR study team and a dedicated EMC working group are formulating the mission EMC requirements already in the earliest phase of the project to avoid later delays and cost increases related to EMC. This article introduces the THOR mission and reviews the current state of its EMC requirements.

Driving with pets and motor vehicle collision involvement among older drivers: A prospective population-based study.

PubMed

Huisingh, Carrie; Levitan, Emily B; Irvin, Marguerite R; Owsley, Cynthia; McGwin, Gerald

2016-03-01

had similar rates of MVC involvement compared to those who did not drive with a pet in the front. A similar pattern of results was observed for at-fault MVCs. This association was not modified by visual processing impairment status. The current study demonstrates a positive but non-significant association between frequently driving with pets and MVC involvement. More research is needed, particularly on restraint use and whether the pet was in the car at the time of the crash, to help characterize the public safety benefit of regulations on driving with pets. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Grandmother Involvement as a Protective Factor for Early Childhood Social Adjustment

PubMed Central

Barnett, Melissa A.; Scaramella, Laura V.; Neppl, Tricia K.; Ontai, Lenna L.; Conger, Rand D.

2010-01-01

Despite high rates of grandmother involvement with young grandchildren, very little research has examined the associations between non-residential grandmother involvement and grandchild social adjustment. The present study draws 127 families enrolled in the Family Transitions Project to consider the degree to which mother-reported maternal grandmother involvement buffers 3- and 4-year old grandchildren from economic, parenting, and child temperamental risks for reduced social competence and elevated externalizing behaviors. Findings indicate that higher levels of mother-reported grandmother involvement reduced the negative association between observed grandchild negative emotional reactivity and social competence. Further, high levels of mother-reported grandmother involvement protected grandchildren from the positive association between observed harsh mother parenting and grandchild externalizing behaviors. These findings underscore the relevance of moving beyond the nuclear family to understand factors linked to social adjustment during early childhood. PMID:20954774

Predictors of activity involvement in dementia care homes: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Smit, Dieneke; de Lange, Jacomine; Willemse, Bernadette; Pot, Anne Margriet

2017-08-04

Despite the finding that involvement in activities is one of the most important needs of residents with dementia living in care homes, care facilities struggle to fulfill this need. Over the years, various factors are suggested which may contribute to or disable activity provision in dementia care homes. These include limited financial resources, task oriented staff and disease-related characteristics of residents. This study aims to further clarify which of these factors predict higher activity involvement. Data were derived from the second measurement (2011) of the Living Arrangements for people with Dementia study. One thousand two hundred eighteen people residing in 139 dementia care homes were involved. Forty predictors of higher involvement were studied. Multilevel backward regression analyses were performed. The most important predictors of higher involvement were: absence of agitation, less ADL dependency, and a higher cognitive status of the residents, higher staff educational level, lower experienced job demands by care staff and a smaller number of residents living in the dementia care wards of a facility. More social supervisor support as perceived by staff was found to predict less activity involvement. To increase the activity involvement of care home residents with dementia it seems vital to: 1) reduce staff's experienced job demands; 2) elevate their overall educational level; 3) train staff to provide suitable activities, taking account of the behavior and preserved capabilities of residents; and 4) foster transition towards small-scale care. In order to achieve these aims, care organizations might need to evaluate the use of their financial means.

Medication safety research by observational study design.

PubMed

Lao, Kim S J; Chui, Celine S L; Man, Kenneth K C; Lau, Wallis C Y; Chan, Esther W; Wong, Ian C K

2016-06-01

Observational studies have been recognised to be essential for investigating the safety profile of medications. Numerous observational studies have been conducted on the platform of large population databases, which provide adequate sample size and follow-up length to detect infrequent and/or delayed clinical outcomes. Cohort and case-control are well-accepted traditional methodologies for hypothesis testing, while within-individual study designs are developing and evolving, addressing previous known methodological limitations to reduce confounding and bias. Respective examples of observational studies of different study designs using medical databases are shown. Methodology characteristics, study assumptions, strengths and weaknesses of each method are discussed in this review.

Observing Young Children's Creative Thinking: Engagement, Involvement and Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robson, Sue; Rowe, Victoria

2012-01-01

This paper looks at young children's creative thinking as inferred through observations of their activities. A total of 52 episodes of child-initiated and adult-initiated activities in 3- to 4-year-olds in an English Children's Centre were analysed using the Analysing Children's Creative Thinking (ACCT) Framework. Results showed that activities…

The Alberta smoke plume observation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Kerry; Pankratz, Al; Mooney, Curtis; Fleetham, Kelly

2018-02-01

A field project was conducted to observe and measure smoke plumes from wildland fires in Alberta. This study used handheld inclinometer measurements and photos taken at lookout towers in the province. Observations of 222 plumes were collected from 21 lookout towers over a 6-year period from 2010 to 2015. Observers reported the equilibrium and maximum plume heights based on the plumes' final levelling heights and the maximum lofting heights, respectively. Observations were tabulated at the end of each year and matched to reported fires. Fire sizes at assessment times and forest fuel types were reported by the province. Fire weather conditions were obtained from the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS). Assessed fire sizes were adjusted to the appropriate size at plume observation time using elliptical fire-growth projections. Though a logical method to collect plume observations in principle, many unanticipated issues were uncovered as the project developed. Instrument limitations and environmental conditions presented challenges to the investigators, whereas human error and the subjectivity of observations affected data quality. Despite these problems, the data set showed that responses to fire behaviour conditions were consistent with the physical processes leading to plume rise. The Alberta smoke plume observation study data can be found on the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System datamart (Natural Resources Canada, 2018) at http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/datamart.

Does observability affect prosociality?

PubMed Central

Lawrence, Claire

2018-01-01

The observation of behaviour is a key theoretical parameter underlying a number of models of prosociality. However, the empirical findings showing the effect of observability on prosociality are mixed. In this meta-analysis, we explore the boundary conditions that may account for this variability, by exploring key theoretical and methodological moderators of this link. We identified 117 papers yielding 134 study level effects (total n = 788 164) and found a small but statistically significant, positive association between observability and prosociality (r = 0.141, 95% confidence interval = 0.106, 0.175). Moderator analysis showed that observability produced stronger effects on prosociality: (i) in the presence of passive observers (i.e. people whose role was to only observe participants) versus perceptions of being watched, (ii) when participants’ decisions were consequential (versus non-consequential), (iii) when the studies were performed in the laboratory (as opposed to in the field/online), (iv) when the studies used repeated measures (instead of single games), and (v) when the studies involved social dilemmas (instead of bargaining games). These effects show the conditions under which observability effects on prosociality will be maximally observed. We describe the theoretical and practical significance of these results. PMID:29593114

Does observability affect prosociality?

PubMed

Bradley, Alex; Lawrence, Claire; Ferguson, Eamonn

2018-03-28

The observation of behaviour is a key theoretical parameter underlying a number of models of prosociality. However, the empirical findings showing the effect of observability on prosociality are mixed. In this meta-analysis, we explore the boundary conditions that may account for this variability, by exploring key theoretical and methodological moderators of this link. We identified 117 papers yielding 134 study level effects (total n = 788 164) and found a small but statistically significant, positive association between observability and prosociality ( r = 0.141, 95% confidence interval = 0.106, 0.175). Moderator analysis showed that observability produced stronger effects on prosociality: (i) in the presence of passive observers (i.e. people whose role was to only observe participants) versus perceptions of being watched, (ii) when participants' decisions were consequential (versus non-consequential), (iii) when the studies were performed in the laboratory (as opposed to in the field/online), (iv) when the studies used repeated measures (instead of single games), and (v) when the studies involved social dilemmas (instead of bargaining games). These effects show the conditions under which observability effects on prosociality will be maximally observed. We describe the theoretical and practical significance of these results. © 2018 The Authors.

Demystifying the Enigma of Smoking – An Observational Comparative Study on Tobacco Smoking

PubMed Central

Nallakunta, Rajesh; Reddy, Sudhakara Reddy; Chennoju, Sai Kiran

2016-01-01

Introduction Smoking is a hazardous habit which causes definite changes in the oral cavity, consequently there exist changes in the mucosa when subjected to smoking. Palatal mucosa is first to be affected. The present study determines the palatal status in reverse smokers and conventional smokers. Aim To study and compare the clinical, cytological and histopathological changes in palatal mucosa among reverse and conventional smokers. Materials and Methods Study sample was categorized into two groups. Group 1 comprised of 20 subjects with the habit of reverse smoking and Group 2 comprised of 20 subjects with the habit of conventional smoking. Initially, clinical appearance of the palatal mucosa was recorded, followed by a cytological smear and biopsy of the involved area among all the subjects. The findings were studied clinically, the specimens were analysed cytologically and histopathologically, and compared among the two groups. Results The severity of clinical changes of the palatal mucosa among reverse smokers was statistically significant when compared to those of conventional smokers. There was no statistically significant difference observed in cytological staging between the groups with a p-value of 0.35. The histopathological changes in both the groups showed a significant difference with a p-value of 0.02. A significant positive correlation was observed between the clinical appearance, and cytological, histopathological changes. Conclusion Profound clinically aggressive changes were observed in group I compared to group II. Severity of dysplastic changes have been detected in few subjects through histopathological examination irrespective of no prominent clinical and cytological changes observed among the two groups. PMID:27190962

Corticospinal Excitability during the Observation of Social Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bucchioni, Giulia; Cavallo, Andrea; Ippolito, Davide; Marton, Gianluca; Castiello, Umberto

2013-01-01

Evidence suggests that the observation of an action induces in the observers an enhancement of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) recorded by the observer's muscles corresponding to those involved in the observed action. Although this is a well-studied phenomenon, it remains still unclear how the viewer's motor facilitation is influenced by the social…

An observational study of driving distractions on urban roads in Spain.

PubMed

Prat, F; Planes, M; Gras, M E; Sullman, M J M

2015-01-01

The present research investigated the prevalence of driver engagement in secondary tasks and whether there were any differences by age and gender, as well as day of the week and time of the day. Two independent researchers observed 6578 drivers at nine randomly selected urban locations in Girona, Spain. Nearly 20% of the drivers observed were engaged in some type of secondary task, with the most common being: conversing with a passenger (11.1%), smoking (3.7%) and talking on a handheld mobile phone (1.3%). Surprisingly there were no differences by gender, but there were age-related differences with younger drivers being more frequently observed engaged in a number of different types of secondary tasks while driving (i.e. drinking, talking on a handheld mobile phone, and texting or keying numbers). Logistic regression showed that younger drivers, and to a lesser extent middle-age drivers, were significantly more likely to be observed engaged in a technological distraction than older drivers. Conversely, non-technological distractions were significantly predicted by day of the week, time of the day and location. A substantial number of the drivers observed in this study were putting themselves at an increased risk of becoming involved in a crash by engaging in non-driving related tasks at the same time as driving. Furthermore, the higher crash rate among young drivers may be partially accounted for by their more frequent engagement in some types of secondary tasks while driving. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Potential skin involvement in ALS: revisiting Charcot's observation - a review of skin abnormalities in ALS.

PubMed

Paré, Bastien; Gros-Louis, François

2017-07-26

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons of the brain and spinal cord, leading to progressive paralysis and death. Interestingly, many skin changes have been reported in ALS patients, but never as yet fully explained. These observations could be due to the common embryonic origin of the skin and neural tissue known as the ectodermal germ layer. Following the first observation in ALS patients' skin by Dr Charcot in the 19th century, in the absence of bedsores unlike other bedridden patients, other morphological and molecular changes have been observed. Thus, the skin could be of interest in the study of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. This review summarizes skin changes reported in the literature over the years and discusses about a novel in vitro ALS tissue-engineered skin model, derived from patients, for the study of ALS.

Sport Involvement and Educational Outcomes of High School Students: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Seunghyun; Feltz, Deborah L.; Kietzmann, Laura A.; Diemer, Matthew A.

2016-01-01

This study examined the relations among sport involvement and social and personal influences on high school students' educational expectations and attainment, using National Education Longitudinal Survey-88. Athletic engagement, educational expectations of significant others, peer support for academics, parental involvement in academics, and…

Using Art to Teach Students Science Outdoors: How Creative Science Instruction Influences Observation, Question Formation, and Involvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cone, Christina Schull

Elementary education has become increasingly divided into subjects and focused on the demand for high math and reading scores. Consequently, teachers spend less time devoted to science and art instruction. However, teaching art and science is crucial to developing creative and rational thinking, especially for observation and questioning skills. In this study, third grade students attending an urban school in Portland, Oregon received instruction of an art strategy using observational and quantifying drawing techniques. This study examines, "Will an art strategy observing the local environment help students make observations and ask questions?" and "In what ways are student learning and perspectives of science affected by the art strategy?" The independent variable is the art strategy developed for this study. There are three dependent variables: quality of student observations, quality of questions, and themes on student learning and perspectives of science. I predicted students would develop strong observation and questioning skills and that students would find the strategy useful or have an increased interest in science. The art scores were high for relevance and detail, but not for text. There were significant correlations between art scores and questions. Interviews revealed three themes: observations create questions, drawing is helpful and challenging, and students connected to science. By examining science through art, students were engaged and created strong observations and questions. Teachers need to balance unstructured drawing time with scaffolding for optimal results. This study provides an integrated science and art strategy that teachers can use outdoors or adapt for the classroom.

A Mixed-Methods Study of Paternal Involvement in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lau, Eva Y. H.

2016-01-01

The research reported here examined Chinese fathers' direct interaction or engagement in children's education both at home and in preschool during the early childhood years using a Hong Kong sample in two studies. In Study 1, comparisons between father and mother involvement practices and examination of the associations between family background…

Embedding clinical interventions into observational studies

PubMed Central

Newman, Anne B.; Avilés-Santa, M. Larissa; Anderson, Garnet; Heiss, Gerardo; Howard, Wm. James; Krucoff, Mitchell; Kuller, Lewis H.; Lewis, Cora E.; Robinson, Jennifer G.; Taylor, Herman; Treviño, Roberto P.; Weintraub, William

2017-01-01

Novel approaches to observational studies and clinical trials could improve the cost-effectiveness and speed of translation of research. Hybrid designs that combine elements of clinical trials with observational registries or cohort studies should be considered as part of a long-term strategy to transform clinical trials and epidemiology, adapting to the opportunities of big data and the challenges of constrained budgets. Important considerations include study aims, timing, breadth and depth of the existing infrastructure that can be leveraged, participant burden, likely participation rate and available sample size in the cohort, required sample size for the trial, and investigator expertise. Community engagement and stakeholder (including study participants) support are essential for these efforts to succeed. PMID:26611435

Observational study of aggressive behaviour and coercion on an Indian acute ward.

PubMed

Danivas, Vijay; Lepping, Peter; Punitharani, Shivanna; Gowrishree, Handithavalli; Ashwini, Kundapur; Raveesh, Bevinahalli Nanjegowda; Palmstierna, Tom

2016-08-01

We evaluated prevalence of aggressive behaviour and coercive measures on an acute Indian psychiatric ward where relatives are always present at the ward. Non-interacting, independent observers (specifically trained mental health clinicians) on an Indian acute, 20-bedded psychiatric ward gave structured reports on all violent episodes and coercive measures during a 30-day period. They used the Staff Observation Aggression Scale -Revised, Indian (SOAS-RI). The severity of the SOAS-RI reports were independently analysed by one of the authors. 229 violent incidents were recorded, involving 63% of admitted patients. 27% of all admitted patients were subjected to intravenous injections. Relatives provoked 35% of the incidents and were the target in 56% of the incidents. Patientś own relatives were involved in managing the aggression in 35% of the incidents. Relatives of other patients were involved in 14% of the incidents. The likelihood of a patient to be physically restrained and that a relative would be participating in the coercive measures was increased when medical staff was targeted. Relatives are commonly triggers and victims of aggressions on the inverstigated acute Indian psychiatric wards. Doctors and nurses are less likely to be victims but aggression towards them leads more commonly to coercive measures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Micronutrient deficiencies and linear growth: a systematic review of observational studies].

PubMed

Pedraza, Dixis Figueroa; Rocha, Ana Carolina Dantas; Sales, Márcia Cristina

2013-11-01

This article seeks to evaluate the association of iron, vitamin A and zinc deficiencies with linear growth retardation. A systematic review of electronic databases in PubMed, LILACS and SciELO was conducted. Scientific papers published between January 1995 and March 2010 were selected, inserting the key words: (growth OR nutritional status) AND (child, preschool OR infant) AND (zinc AND iron AND vitamin A) OR (zinc AND iron) OR (zinc AND vitamin A) OR (iron AND vitamin A). Fourteen observational design studies were reviewed. In the cohort studies (two), one indicated a statistical association between iron levels and stunting; and the other revealed a statistical association between serum ferritin concentrations and an increase in height. Ten cross-sectional studies investigated the statistical association between micronutrient deficiencies and stunting, three of which resulted in an association with iron, two with vitamin A and none with zinc. Elucidation of the association between stunting and iron, vitamin A and zinc deficiencies involves difficulties of a biological nature and also related to the magnitude of these deficiencies, indicating the importance of a methodological standardization of the studies.

Yogurt and Diabetes: Overview of Recent Observational Studies.

PubMed

Salas-Salvadó, Jordi; Guasch-Ferré, Marta; Díaz-López, Andrés; Babio, Nancy

2017-07-01

The effects of dairy consumption on the prevention of type 2 diabetes remain controversial and depend on the dairy subtype. Yogurt intake has received special attention because its association with health benefits is more consistent than that of other types of dairy products. In the present article, we review those observational studies that evaluated the association between yogurt consumption and type 2 diabetes. We also discuss the possible mechanisms involved in these associations. We found that 13 prospective studies evaluated the association between yogurt intake and type 2 diabetes, most of which showed an inverse association between the frequency of yogurt consumption and the risk of diabetes. In addition to the scientific evidence accumulated from individual prospective studies, several meta-analyses have shown that yogurt consumption has a potential role in diabetes prevention. The most recent analysis shows a 14% lower risk of type 2 diabetes when yogurt consumption was 80-125 g/d compared with no yogurt consumption. The intake of fermented dairy products, especially yogurt, has been inversely associated with variables of glucose metabolism. Yogurt may have probiotic effects that could modulate glucose metabolism. We conclude that yogurt consumption, in the context of a healthy dietary pattern, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in healthy and older adults at high cardiovascular risk. Large-scale intervention studies and randomized clinical trials are warranted to determine if yogurt consumption has beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Observer perspective imagery with stuttering.

PubMed

Lowe, Robyn; Menzies, Ross; Packman, Ann; O'Brian, Sue; Onslow, Mark

2015-01-01

Adults who stutter are at risk of developing a range of psychological conditions. Social anxiety disorder is the most common anxiety disorder associated with stuttering. Observer perspective imagery is one cognitive process involved in the maintenance of some anxiety disorders. This involves viewing images as if looking at the self from the perspective of another. In contrast, the field perspective involves looking out from the self at the surrounding environment. The purpose of this study was to assess the presence of observer perspective imagery with stuttering. The authors administered the Hackmann, Surawy and Clark (1998) semi-structured interview to 30 adults who stutter and 30 controls. Group images and impressions were compared for frequency, perspective recalled and emotional valence. The stuttering group was significantly more likely than controls to recall images and impressions from an observer rather than a field perspective for anxious situations. It is possible the present results could reflect the same attentional processing bias that occurs with anxiety disorders in the non-stuttering population. These preliminary results provide an explanation for the persistence of conditions such as social anxiety disorder with stuttering. Clinical implications are discussed.

Theoretical Foundations of Research Focused on HIV Prevention Among Substance-Involved Women: A Review of Observational and Intervention Studies.

PubMed

Auerbach, Judith D; Smith, Laramie R

2015-06-01

Although substance use continues to be a significant component of HIV risk among women worldwide, to date, relatively little attention has been paid in research, services, or policy to substance-involved women (SIW). HIV acquisition for SIW stems from transmission risks directly related to substance use and risks associated with sexual activity in which power to negotiate risk and safety are influenced by dynamics of male partnerships, sex work, and criminalization (of both drug use and sex work), among other factors. As such, HIV risk for SIW resides as much in the environment—physical, social, cultural, economic, and political—in which drug use occurs as it does from transmission-related behaviors of individual women. To reduce HIV infections among SIW, it is important to specify the interaction of individual- and environmental-level factors, including, but not limited to those related to women's own substance use, that can and ought to be changed. This involves theorizing about the interplay of gender, substance use, and HIV risk, and incorporating that theoretical understanding into intervention design and evaluation. A review of the published literature focused on HIV prevention among SIW revealed a general lack of theoretical and conceptual foundation specific to the gender-related and environmental drivers of HIV in this population. Greater theoretical linkages to intersectionality and syndemic approaches are recommended to better identify and target relevant mechanisms by which the interplay of gender dynamics and substance use potentiate the likelihood of HIV acquisition and transmission among SIW.

Embedding clinical interventions into observational studies.

PubMed

Newman, Anne B; Avilés-Santa, M Larissa; Anderson, Garnet; Heiss, Gerardo; Howard, Wm James; Krucoff, Mitchell; Kuller, Lewis H; Lewis, Cora E; Robinson, Jennifer G; Taylor, Herman; Treviño, Roberto P; Weintraub, William

2016-01-01

Novel approaches to observational studies and clinical trials could improve the cost-effectiveness and speed of translation of research. Hybrid designs that combine elements of clinical trials with observational registries or cohort studies should be considered as part of a long-term strategy to transform clinical trials and epidemiology, adapting to the opportunities of big data and the challenges of constrained budgets. Important considerations include study aims, timing, breadth and depth of the existing infrastructure that can be leveraged, participant burden, likely participation rate and available sample size in the cohort, required sample size for the trial, and investigator expertise. Community engagement and stakeholder (including study participants) support are essential for these efforts to succeed. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

An observational study of drug administration errors in a Malaysian hospital (study of drug administration errors).

PubMed

Chua, S S; Tea, M H; Rahman, M H A

2009-04-01

Drug administration errors were the second most frequent type of medication errors, after prescribing errors but the latter were often intercepted hence, administration errors were more probably to reach the patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the frequency and types of drug administration errors in a Malaysian hospital ward. This is a prospective study that involved direct, undisguised observations of drug administrations in a hospital ward. A researcher was stationed in the ward under study for 15 days to observe all drug administrations which were recorded in a data collection form and then compared with the drugs prescribed for the patient. A total of 1118 opportunities for errors were observed and 127 administrations had errors. This gave an error rate of 11.4 % [95% confidence interval (CI) 9.5-13.3]. If incorrect time errors were excluded, the error rate reduced to 8.7% (95% CI 7.1-10.4). The most common types of drug administration errors were incorrect time (25.2%), followed by incorrect technique of administration (16.3%) and unauthorized drug errors (14.1%). In terms of clinical significance, 10.4% of the administration errors were considered as potentially life-threatening. Intravenous routes were more likely to be associated with an administration error than oral routes (21.3% vs. 7.9%, P < 0.001). The study indicates that the frequency of drug administration errors in developing countries such as Malaysia is similar to that in the developed countries. Incorrect time errors were also the most common type of drug administration errors. A non-punitive system of reporting medication errors should be established to encourage more information to be documented so that risk management protocol could be developed and implemented.

Distracted Biking: An Observational Study.

PubMed

Wolfe, Elizabeth Suzanne; Arabian, Sandra Strack; Breeze, Janis L; Salzler, Matthew J

2016-01-01

Commuting via bicycle is a very popular mode of transportation in the Northeastern United States. Boston, MA, has seen a rapid increase in bicycle ridership over the past decade, which has raised concerns and awareness about bicycle safety. An emerging topic in this field is distracted bicycle riding. This study was conducted to provide descriptive data on the prevalence and type of distracted bicycling in Boston at different times of day. This was a cross-sectional study in which observers tallied bicyclists at 4 high traffic intersections in Boston during various peak commuting hours for 2 types of distractions: auditory (earbuds/phones in or on ears), and visual/tactile (electronic device or other object in hand). Nineteen hundred seventy-four bicyclists were observed and 615 (31.2%), 95% CI [29, 33%], were distracted. Of those observed, auditory distractions were the most common (N = 349; 17.7%), 95% CI [16, 19], p = .0003, followed by visual/tactile distractions (N = 266; 13.5%), 95% CI [12, 15]. The highest proportion (40.7%), 95% CI [35, 46], of distracted bicyclists was observed during the midday commute (between 13:30 and 15:00). Distracted bicycling is a prevalent safety concern in the city of Boston, as almost a third of all bicyclists exhibited distracted behavior. Education and public awareness campaigns should be designed to decrease distracted bicycling behaviors and promote bicycle safety in Boston. An awareness of the prevalence of distracted biking can be utilized to promote bicycle safety campaigns dedicated to decreasing distracted bicycling and to provide a baseline against which improvements can be measured.

Clinical photographic observation of plantar corns and callus associated with a nominal scale classification and inter- observer reliability study in a student population.

PubMed

Tollafield, David R

2017-01-01

The management of plantar corns and callus has a low cost-benefit with reduced prioritisation in healthcare. The distinction between types of keratin lesions that forms corns and callus has attracted limited interest. Observation is imperative to improving diagnostic predictions and a number of studies point to some confusion as to how best to achieve this. The use of photographic observation has been proposed to improve our understanding of intractable keratin lesions. Students from a podiatry school reviewed photographs where plantar keratin lesions were divided into four nominal groups; light callus (Grade 1), heavy defined callus (Grade 2), concentric keratin plugs (Grade 3) and callus with deeper density changes under the forefoot (Grade 4). A group of 'experts' assigned from qualified podiatrists validated the observer rated responses by the students. Cohen's weighted statistic (k) was used to measure inter-observer reliability. First year students (unskilled) performed less well when viewing photographs ( k  = 0.33) compared to third year students (semi-skilled, k  = 0.62). The experts performed better than students ( k  = 0.88) providing consistency with wound care models in other studies. Improved clinical annotation of clinical features, supported by classification of keratin- based lesions, combined with patient outcome tools, could improve the scientific rationale to prioritise patient care. Problems associated with photographic assessment involves trying to differentiate similar lesions without the benefit of direct palpation. Direct observation of callus with and without debridement requires further investigation alongside the model proposed in this paper.

A Numerical Climate Observing Network Design Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stammer, Detlef

2003-01-01

This project was concerned with three related questions of an optimal design of a climate observing system: 1. The spatial sampling characteristics required from an ARGO system. 2. The degree to which surface observations from ARGO can be used to calibrate and test satellite remote sensing observations of sea surface salinity (SSS) as it is anticipated now. 3. The more general design of an climate observing system as it is required in the near future for CLIVAR in the Atlantic. An important question in implementing an observing system is that of the sampling density required to observe climate-related variations in the ocean. For that purpose this project was concerned with the sampling requirements for the ARGO float system, but investigated also other elements of a climate observing system. As part of this project we studied the horizontal and vertical sampling characteristics of a global ARGO system which is required to make it fully complementary to altimeter data with the goal to capture climate related variations on large spatial scales (less thanAttachment: 1000 km). We addressed this question in the framework of a numerical model study in the North Atlantic with an 1/6 horizontal resolution. The advantage of a numerical design study is the knowledge of the full model state. Sampled by a synthetic float array, model results will therefore allow to test and improve existing deployment strategies with the goal to make the system as optimal and cost-efficient as possible. Attachment: "Optimal observations for variational data assimilation".

Driving with pets and motor vehicle collision involvement among older drivers: a prospective population-based study

PubMed Central

Huisingh, Carrie; Levitan, Emily B.; Irvin, Marguerite R.; Owsley, Cynthia; McGwin, Gerald

2016-01-01

front of the vehicle had similar rates of MVC involvement compared to those who did not drive with a pet in the front. A similar pattern of results was observed for at-fault MVCs. This association was not modified by visual processing impairment status. Conclusion The current study demonstrates a positive but non-significant association between frequently driving with pets and MVC involvement. More research is needed, particularly on restraint use and whether the pet was in the car at the time of the crash, to help characterize the public safety benefit of regulations on driving with pets. PMID:26774042

What Happens When Parents and Children Go Grocery Shopping? An Observational Study of Latino Dyads in Southern California, USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calderon, Joanna; Ayala, Guadalupe X.; Elder, John P.; Belch, George E.; Castro, Iana A.; Weibel, Nadir; Pickrel, Julie

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to observe parent-child interactions in "tiendas," limited assortment food stores catering to Latinos in the United States, and to examine the extent to which child involvement influenced these interactions and their purchase outcomes. Two confederates, one posing as a "tienda" employee and one…

PERICARDIAL FEATURES OF IN-HOSPITAL RHEUMATOLOGY PATIENTS: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY.

PubMed

Bakalli, Aurora; Rexhepi, Mjellma; Rexhepi, Blerta; Koçinaj, Dardan

Rheumatic disorders can be associated with pericarditis, but severe forms of pericarditis are rare. The aim of this observational study was to evaluate pericardial features in patients with different rheumatic diseases. Thirty-five patients hospitalized at the Clinic of Rheumatology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, from October 1 to October 21, 2014 were included in the study. Demographic data, history, laboratory, ECG, and echocardiography data, with special emphasis on the analysis of the pericardium, were obtained from each patient. Echocardiography was especially focused on the amount of pericardial fluid and pericardial thickness in the posterior wall of the heart. Mean patient age was 51.5 ± 13.8 years. 65.7% of the patients were women. Out of the patients that we analyzed, 88.6% had an inflammatory rheumatologic disease. 11.3% of the patients had mild symptoms, in 68.7% the symptoms were moderate, and in 20% severe. In all patients, pericardial hyperechogenicity was marked, with a mean pericardial thickness of 4.68 ± 1.66 mm. Pericardial effusion in a small amount was present in 57.1% of patients, with a mean pericardial fluid amount of 3.3 ± 1.9 mm. The severity of rheumatic disease had a positive and significant correlation with the presence of pericardial effusion (r= 0.29, p=0.04) and its amount (r= 0.28, p=0.05). The patients had not been aware of the pericardial involvement and did not have any clinical symptoms. In conclusion, in this short-term small observational study pericardial changes were a frequent finding in the rheumatology patients. In general, the pericarditis was subclinical and with small amounts of effusion. The disease activity of rheumatic disorders can be associated with pericarditis. Further studies with larger samples of patients and of longer duration are needed to further explore this issue.

Distracted Biking: An Observational Study

PubMed Central

Wolfe, Elizabeth Suzanne; Arabian, Sandra Strack; Breeze, Janis L; Salzler, Matthew J.

2016-01-01

Commuting via bicycle is a very popular mode of transportation in the Northeastern United States (US). Boston, MA has seen a rapid increase in bicycle ridership over the past decade which has raised concerns and awareness about bicycle safety. An emerging topic in this field is distracted bicycle riding. This study was conducted to provide descriptive data on the prevalence and type of distracted bicycling in Boston at different times of day. This was a cross-sectional study in which observers tallied bicyclists at four high traffic intersections in Boston during various peak commuting hours for two types of distractions: auditory (ear buds/phones in or on ears), and visual/tactile (electronic device or other object in hand). Nineteen hundred seventy-four bicyclists were observed and 615 (31.2%, 95% CI: 29%-33%) were distracted. Of those observed, auditory distractions were the most common (N= 349 [17.7%, 95% CI: 16%-19%], p=0.0003) followed by visual/tactile distractions (N= 266 [13.5%, 95% CI: 12%-15%]). The highest proportion (40.7%, 95% CI: 35%-46%) of distracted bicyclists was observed during the midday commute (between 13:30-15:00). Distracted bicycling is a prevalent safety concern in the city of Boston, as almost one-third of all bicyclists exhibited distracted behavior. Education and public awareness campaigns should be designed to decrease distracted bicycling behaviors and promote bicycle safety in Boston. An awareness of the prevalence of distracted biking can be utilized to promote bicycle safety campaigns dedicated to decreasing distracted bicycling and to provide a baseline against which improvements can be measured. PMID:26953533

Fathers of Children in Public Preschool Programs: A Study of School Involvement and Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noggle, Amy Kappel

2012-01-01

In this quantitative study, I examined the involvement levels of fathers of children attending public preschool programs using the Family Involvement Questionnaire; I also examined fathers' satisfaction with school contact and involvement experiences using the Parent Satisfaction with Educational Experiences scale. Additionally, I…

The value of including observational studies in systematic reviews was unclear: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Seida, Jennifer; Dryden, Donna M; Hartling, Lisa

2014-12-01

To evaluate (1) how often observational studies are included in comparative effectiveness reviews (CERs); (2) the rationale for including observational studies; (3) how data from observational studies are appraised, analyzed, and graded; and (4) the impact of observational studies on strength of evidence (SOE) and conclusions. Descriptive study of 23 CERs published through the Effective Health Care Program of the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Authors searched for observational studies in 20 CERs, of which 18 included a median of 11 (interquartile range, 2-31) studies. Sixteen CERs incorporated the observational studies in their SOE assessments. Seventy-eight comparisons from 12 CERs included evidence from both trials and observational studies; observational studies had an impact on SOE and conclusions for 19 (24%) comparisons. There was diversity across the CERs regarding decisions to include observational studies; study designs considered; and approaches used to appraise, synthesize, and grade SOE. Reporting and methods guidance are needed to ensure clarity and consistency in how observational studies are incorporated in CERs. It was not always clear that observational studies added value in light of the additional resources needed to search for, select, appraise, and analyze such studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Target for improvement: a cluster randomised trial of public involvement in quality-indicator prioritisation (intervention development and study protocol)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Public priorities for improvement often differ from those of clinicians and managers. Public involvement has been proposed as a way to bridge the gap between professional and public clinical care priorities but has not been studied in the context of quality-indicator choice. Our objective is to assess the feasibility and impact of public involvement on quality-indicator choice and agreement with public priorities. Methods We will conduct a cluster randomised controlled trial comparing quality-indicator prioritisation with and without public involvement. In preparation for the trial, we developed a 'menu' of quality indicators, based on a systematic review of existing validated indicator sets. Participants (public representatives, clinicians, and managers) will be recruited from six participating sites. In intervention sites, public representatives will be involved through direct participation (public representatives, clinicians, and managers will deliberate together to agree on quality-indicator choice and use) and consultation (individual public recommendations for improvement will be collected and presented to decision makers). In control sites, only clinicians and managers will take part in the prioritisation process. Data on quality-indicator choice and intended use will be collected. Our primary outcome will compare quality-indicator choice and agreement with public priorities between intervention and control groups. A process evaluation based on direct observation, videorecording, and participants' assessment will be conducted to help explain the study's results. The marginal cost of public involvement will also be assessed. Discussion We identified 801 quality indicators that met our inclusion criteria. An expert panel agreed on a final set of 37 items containing validated quality indicators relevant for chronic disease prevention and management in primary care. We pilot tested our public-involvement intervention with 27 participants (11 public

Central motor and sensory pathway involvement in an X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth family.

PubMed

Zambelis, T; Panas, M; Kokotis, P; Karadima, G; Kararizou, E; Karandreas, N

2008-06-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the subclinical involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) in an X-linked Charcot-Marie-Toth (CMTX) family. Seven subjects, all members of one family with a C.462T > G connexin 32 (Cx32) mutation were investigated by Blink reflex, Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). There were five clinically symptomatic for CMT neuropathy (four male and one female) and two asymptomatic (female) subjects. Subclinical CNS involvement was observed in all, symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. This is the largest CMTX neuropathy family investigated for CNS involvement. Electrophysiological involvement of the CNS in every examined member of this family was observed, raising the question of a more systematic involvement of the CNS in CMTX disease.

Primary School Teachers' Perception on Parental Involvement: A Quliatative Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslan, Dolgun

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to highlight the opinions of teachers with regard to the approaches of parental involvement in school. A case study design was used in this study conducted that is employed in studies of a qualitative nature. In the "case" under research, there was an attempt to determine the opinions of teachers regarding…

Involving Parents in the Schools: A Process of Empowerment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delgado-Gaitan, Concha

A 4-year ethnographic study in Carpinteria, California, examined the school district's parental involvement activities for their effectiveness with lower-class Spanish-speaking parents. Research at three elementary schools included observations of traditional activities, such as parent-teacher conferences and open house, and non-conventional…

Ocular involvement in paediatric haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

PubMed

Sturm, Veit; Menke, Marcel N; Landau, Klara; Laube, Guido F; Neuhaus, Thomas J

2010-11-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency and severity of ocular involvement in paediatric patients with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). The study was designed as an institutional, retrospective, observational case series. Charts for all 87 paediatric patients with HUS treated at the University Children's Hospital Zurich between 1995 and 2007 were reviewed. Patients with ocular involvement were identified and clinical findings presented. Three of 69 examined patients with HUS showed ocular involvement. Ophthalmic findings in two children were consistent with bilateral Purtscher retinopathy, showing multiple haemorrhages, exudations and superficial retinal whitening. The third child presented with bilateral isolated central intraretinal haemorrhages as a milder form of ocular involvement. In one of the children with Purtscher retinopathy, laser photocoagulation was required for bilateral rubeosis irides and development of disc neovascularization. Longterm outcomes in the two severely affected children showed decreased visual acuity caused by partial atrophy of the optic nerves. In the milder case visual acuity was not impaired at any time. A minority of paediatric patients with HUS developed ocular involvement. Acute ocular findings varied in severity from isolated intraretinal haemorrhages to Purtscher-like retinopathy with retinal ischaemia. Longterm complications included the development of neovascularizations and consecutive optic nerve atrophy. Although ocular involvement in HUS seems to be rare, physicians should be aware of this complication because of its possible vision-endangering consequences. © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Acta Ophthalmol.

A cross-sectional observational study of helmet use among motorcyclists in Wa, Ghana.

PubMed

Akaateba, Millicent Awialie; Amoh-Gyimah, Richard; Yakubu, Ibrahim

2014-03-01

Motorcyclists' injuries and fatalities are a major public health concern in many developing countries including Ghana. This study therefore aimed to investigate the prevalence of helmet use among motorcyclists in Wa, Ghana. The method used involved a cross-sectional roadside observation at 12 randomly selected sites within and outside the CBD of Wa. A total of 14,467 motorcyclists made up of 11,360 riders and 3107 pillion riders were observed during the study period. Most observed riders (86.5%) and pillion riders (61.7%) were males. The overall prevalence of helmet use among the observed motorcyclists was 36.9% (95% CI: 36.1-37.7). Helmet use for riders was 45.8% (95% CI: 44.8-46.7) whilst that for pillion riders was 3.7% (95 CI: 3.0-4.4). Based on logistic regression analysis, higher helmet wearing rates were found to be significantly associated with female gender, weekdays, morning periods and at locations within the CBD. Riders at locations outside the CBD were about 7 times less likely to wear a helmet than riders within the CBD (48.9% compared to 42.3%; χ(2)(1)=49.526; p<0.001). The study concluded that despite the existence of a national helmet legislation that mandates the use of helmets by both riders and pillion riders on all roads in Ghana, helmet use is generally low in Wa. This suggests that all stakeholders in road safety should jointly intensify education on helmet use and pursue rigorous enforcement on all road types especially at locations outside the CBD to improve helmet use in Wa. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Service user involvement for mental health system strengthening in India: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Samudre, Sandesh; Shidhaye, Rahul; Ahuja, Shalini; Nanda, Sharmishtha; Khan, Azaz; Evans-Lacko, Sara; Hanlon, Charlotte

2016-07-28

There is a wide recognition that involvement of service users and their caregivers in health system policy and planning processes can strengthen health systems; however, most evidence and experience has come from high-income countries. This study aimed to explore baseline experiences, barriers and facilitators to service user-caregiver involvement in the emerging mental health system in India, and stakeholders' perspectives on how greater involvement could be achieved. A qualitative study was conducted in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh, India. In-depth interviews (n = 27) and a focus group discussion were conducted among service users, caregivers and their representatives at district, state and national levels and policy makers, service providers and mental health researchers. The topic guide explored the baseline situation in India, barriers and facilitators to service user and caregiver involvement in the following aspects of mental health systems: policy-making and planning, service development, monitoring and quality control, as well as research. Framework analysis was employed. Respondents spoke of the limited involvement of service users and caregivers in the current Indian mental health system. The major reported barriers to this involvement were (1) unmet treatment and economic needs arising from low access to mental health services coupled with the high burden of illness, (2) pervasive stigmatising attitudes operating at the level of service user, caregiver, community, healthcare provider and healthcare administrators, and (3) entrenched power differentials between service providers and service users. Respondents prioritised greater involvement of service users in the planning of their own individual-level mental health care before considering involvement at the mental health system level. A stepwise progression was endorsed, starting from needs assessment, through empowerment and organization of service users and caregivers, leading finally to

Brain network involved in visual processing of movement stimuli used in upper limb robotic training: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Nocchi, Federico; Gazzellini, Simone; Grisolia, Carmela; Petrarca, Maurizio; Cannatà, Vittorio; Cappa, Paolo; D'Alessio, Tommaso; Castelli, Enrico

2012-07-24

The potential of robot-mediated therapy and virtual reality in neurorehabilitation is becoming of increasing importance. However, there is limited information, using neuroimaging, on the neural networks involved in training with these technologies. This study was intended to detect the brain network involved in the visual processing of movement during robotic training. The main aim was to investigate the existence of a common cerebral network able to assimilate biological (human upper limb) and non-biological (abstract object) movements, hence testing the suitability of the visual non-biological feedback provided by the InMotion2 Robot. A visual functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) task was administered to 22 healthy subjects. The task required observation and retrieval of motor gestures and of the visual feedback used in robotic training. Functional activations of both biological and non-biological movements were examined to identify areas activated in both conditions, along with differential activity in upper limb vs. abstract object trials. Control of response was also tested by administering trials with congruent and incongruent reaching movements. The observation of upper limb and abstract object movements elicited similar patterns of activations according to a caudo-rostral pathway for the visual processing of movements (including specific areas of the occipital, temporal, parietal, and frontal lobes). Similarly, overlapping activations were found for the subsequent retrieval of the observed movement. Furthermore, activations of frontal cortical areas were associated with congruent trials more than with the incongruent ones. This study identified the neural pathway associated with visual processing of movement stimuli used in upper limb robot-mediated training and investigated the brain's ability to assimilate abstract object movements with human motor gestures. In both conditions, activations were elicited in cerebral areas involved in visual

Fighting to Get Closer: An Observational Study of Conflict in a Commune.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Lyall

The result of 6 months' observation of an American Taoist commune, this paper examines and interprets two episodes of confrontation, involving the persistently antagonistic Chinese director of the commune and one or more members, as a way of making sense of commune culture. The paper first examines the assumptions and values with which the…

Factors influencing first-time fathers' involvement in their wives' pregnancy and childbirth: A correlational study.

PubMed

Xue, Weilin Lynn; He, Hong-Gu; Chua, Ying Jie; Wang, Wenru; Shorey, Shefaly

2018-07-01

To examine factors influencing first-time fathers' involvement in their wives' pregnancy and childbirth in Singapore. A cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted in a public tertiary hospital in Singapore. A total of 182 first-time fathers whose wives were hospitalized at four obstetric wards were recruited from November 2015 to January 2016. Data were collected by three newly developed and validated instruments, namely Father's Involvement in Pregnancy and Childbirth, Father's Informational and Sources of Support, and Father's Attitude Towards Involvement in Pregnancy and Childbirth, as well as the 16-item Couple Satisfaction Index and Family of Origin Questionnaire. The participants were generally involved in their wives' pregnancy and childbirth, with 35.2% being highly involved. There was no significant difference in fathers' levels of involvement between or among any sociodemographic subgroups. Significant Spearman's correlations were found between fathers' levels of involvement and levels of informational support as well as fathers' attitudes towards involvement. However, the logistic regression showed the level of informational support was the only significant factor that influenced first-time fathers' high levels of involvement in their wives' pregnancy and childbirth. The study revealed the importance of providing sufficient informational support to first-time fathers so that they can be highly involved in their wife's pregnancy and childbirth. Future studies can develop technology-based intervention programmes to improve fathers' involvement in their wife's pregnancy and childbirth. Healthcare professionals should examine and improve the existing informational support for first-time fathers and ensure its relevance and convenient access. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The MS@Work study: a 3-year prospective observational study on factors involved with work participation in patients with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

van der Hiele, Karin; van Gorp, Dennis A M; Heerings, Marco A P; van Lieshout, Irma; Jongen, Peter J; Reneman, Michiel F; van der Klink, Jac J L; Vosman, Frans; Middelkoop, Huub A M; Visser, Leo H

2015-08-12

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of neurological disability in young and middle-aged adults. At this stage in life most people are in the midst of their working career. The majority of MS patients are unable to retain employment within 10 years from disease onset. Leading up to unemployment, many may experience a reduction in hours or work responsibilities and increased time missed from work. The MS@Work study examines various factors that may influence work participation in relapsing-remitting MS patients, including disease-related factors, the working environment and personal factors. The MS@Work study is a multicenter, 3-year prospective observational study on work participation in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. We aim to include 350 patients through 15-18 MS outpatient clinics in the Netherlands. Eligible participants are 18 years and older, and either currently employed or within three years since their last employment. At baseline and after 1, 2 and 3 years, the participants are asked to complete online questionnaires (including questions on work participation, work problems and accommodations, cognitive and physical ability, anxiety, depression, psychosocial stress, quality of life, fatigue, empathy, personality traits and coping strategies) and undergo cognitive and neurological examinations. After six months, patients are requested to only complete online questionnaires. Patient perspectives on maintaining and improving work participation and reasons to stop working are gathered through semi-structured interviews in a sub-group of patients. Prospective studies with long-term follow-up on work participation in MS are rare, or take into account a limited number of factors. The MS@Work study provides a 3-year follow-up on various factors that may influence work participation in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. We aim to identify factors that relate to job loss and to provide information about preventative measures for physicians

A 3-Year Study of a School-Based Parental Involvement Program in Early Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosby, Susan Ann; Rasinski, Timothy; Padak, Nancy; Yildirim, Kasim

2015-01-01

Although parental involvement in children's literacy development has been recognized for its potential in helping children develop early literacy achievement, studies of the effectiveness and sustainability of school-based parent involvement programs are not numerous. This study examines the effectiveness and durability of a school-based…

Methods and Processes of Developing the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology-Veterinary (STROBE-Vet) Statement.

PubMed

Sargeant, J M; O'Connor, A M; Dohoo, I R; Erb, H N; Cevallos, M; Egger, M; Ersbøll, A K; Martin, S W; Nielsen, L R; Pearl, D L; Pfeiffer, D U; Sanchez, J; Torrence, M E; Vigre, H; Waldner, C; Ward, M P

2016-12-01

Reporting of observational studies in veterinary research presents challenges that often are not addressed in published reporting guidelines. Our objective was to develop an extension of the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) statement that addresses unique reporting requirements for observational studies in veterinary medicine related to health, production, welfare, and food safety. We conducted a consensus meeting with 17 experts in Mississauga, Canada. Experts completed a premeeting survey about whether items in the STROBE statement should be modified or added to address unique issues related to observational studies in animal species with health, production, welfare, or food safety outcomes. During the meeting, each STROBE item was discussed to determine whether or not rewording was recommended, and whether additions were warranted. Anonymous voting was used to determine consensus. Six items required no modifications or additions. Modifications or additions were made to the STROBE items 1 (title and abstract), 3 (objectives), 5 (setting), 6 (participants), 7 (variables), 8 (data sources and measurement), 9 (bias), 10 (study size), 12 (statistical methods), 13 (participants), 14 (descriptive data), 15 (outcome data), 16 (main results), 17 (other analyses), 19 (limitations), and 22 (funding). The methods and processes used were similar to those used for other extensions of the STROBE statement. The use of this STROBE statement extension should improve reporting of observational studies in veterinary research by recognizing unique features of observational studies involving food-producing and companion animals, products of animal origin, aquaculture, and wildlife.

Observational methods in comparative effectiveness research.

PubMed

Concato, John; Lawler, Elizabeth V; Lew, Robert A; Gaziano, J Michael; Aslan, Mihaela; Huang, Grant D

2010-12-01

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) may be defined informally as an assessment of available options for treating specific medical conditions in selected groups of patients. In this context, the most prominent features of CER are the various patient populations, medical ailments, and treatment options involved in any particular project. Yet, each research investigation also has a corresponding study design or "architecture," and in patient-oriented research a common distinction used to describe such designs are randomized controlled trials (RCTs) versus observational studies. The purposes of this overview, with regard to CER, are to (1) understand how observational studies can provide accurate results, comparable to RCTs; (2) recognize strategies used in selected newer methods for conducting observational studies; (3) review selected observational studies from the Veterans Health Administration; and (4) appreciate the importance of fundamental methodological principles when conducting or evaluating individual studies. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Meta-analyses including data from observational studies.

PubMed

O'Connor, Annette M; Sargeant, Jan M

2014-02-15

Observational studies represent a wide group of studies where the disease or condition of interest is naturally occurring and the investigator does not control allocation to interventions or exposures. Observational studies are used to test hypotheses about the efficacy of interventions or about exposure-disease relationships, to estimate incidence or prevalence of conditions, and to assess the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic assays. Experimental-study designs and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) can also contribute to the body of evidence about such questions. Meta-analyses (either with or without systematic reviews) aim to combine information from primary research studies to better describe the entire body of work. The aim of meta-analyses may be to obtain a summary effect size, or to understand factors that affect effect sizes. In this paper, we discuss the role of observational studies in meta-analysis questions and some factors to consider when deciding whether a meta-analysis should include results from such studies. Our suggestion is that one should only include studies that are not at high risk of inherent bias when calculating a summary effect size. Study design however can be a meaningful variable in assessment of outcome heterogeneity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An ultrastructural study on corkscrew hairs and cigarette-ash-shaped hairs observed by dermoscopy of tinea capitis.

PubMed

Lu, Mao; Ran, Yuping; Dai, Yaling; Lei, Song; Zhang, Chaoliang; Zhuang, Kaiwen; Hu, Wenying

2016-01-01

This study was aimed to explain the formation mechanisms of corkscrew hairs and cigarette-ash-shaped hairs observed by dermoscopy of tinea capitis. In the present work, the ultrastructure of the involved hairs collected from a girl with tinea capitis caused by Trichophyton violaceum was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). SEM observation of the corkscrew hair revealed bent hair shaft and asymmetrically disrupted cuticle layer. TEM findings demonstrated the hair shaft became weak. The corkscrew hairs closely covered by scales on the scalp were observed under dermoscopy. We speculate that the formation of corkscrew hairs is a result of a combination of internal damage due to hair degradation by T. violaceum and external resistance due to scales covering the hair. SEM observation of the cigarette-ash-shaped hair revealed irregularly disrupted and incompact end, which might represent the stump of the broken corkscrew hair after treatment. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An Approach to Assess Observation Impact Based on Observation-Minus-Forecast Residuals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Todling, Ricardo

2009-01-01

Langland and Baker (2004) introduced an approach to assess the impact of observations on the forecasts. In that, a state-space aspect of the forecast is defined and a procedure is derived that relates changes in the aspect with changes in the initial conditions associated with the assimilation of observations) ultimately providing information about the impact of individual observations on the forecast. Some features of the approach are to be noted. The typical choice of forecast aspect employed in related works is rather arbitrary and leads to an incomplete assessment of the observing system. Furthermore, the state-space forecast aspect requires availability of a verification state that should ideally be uncorrelated with the forecast but in practice is not. Lastly, the approach involves the adjoint operator of the entire data assimilation system and as such it is constrained by the validity of this operator. In this presentation, an observation-space metric is used that, for a relatively time-homogeneous observing system, allows inferring observation impact on the forecast without some of the limitations above. Specifically, using observation-minus-forecast residuals leads to an approach with the following features: (i) it suggests a rather natural choice of forecast aspect, directly linked to the analysis system and providing full assessment of the observations; (ii) it naturally avoids introducing undesirable correlations in the forecast aspect by verifying against the observations; and (iii) it does not involve linearization and use of adjoints; therefore being applicable to any length of forecast. The state and observation-space approaches might be complementary to some degree, and involve different limitations and complexities. Illustrations are given using the NASA GEOS-5 data.

Medical Pathologies and Hut Guardians' Ability to Provide First Aid in Mountain Huts: A Prospective Observational Study.

PubMed

Blancher, Marc; Colonna d'Istria, Jérôme; Coste, Amandine; Saint Guilhem, Philippine; Pierre, Antoine; Clausier, Flora; Debaty, Guillaume; Bosson, Jean Luc; Briot, Raphaël; Bouzat, Pierre

2016-12-01

To describe the resources for medical condition management in mountain huts and the epidemiology of such events. We conducted a 3-step study from April 2013 to August 2014 in French mountain huts. The first step consisted of collecting data regarding the first aid equipment available in mountain huts. The second step consisted of a qualitative evaluation of the mountain hut guardian's role in medical situations through semistructured interviews. Finally, a prospective observational study was conducted in the summer season to collect all medical events (MEs) that occurred during that period. Out of 164 hut guardians, 141 (86%) had a basic life support diploma. An automatic external defibrillator was available in 41 (26%) huts, and 148 huts (98%) were equipped with a first aid kit. According to semistructured interviews, hut guardians played a valuable role in first aid assistance. Regarding the observational study, 306 people requested the hut guardian's help for medical reasons in 87 of the 126 huts included. A total of 501 MEs for approximately 56,000 hikers (0.85%) were reported, with 280 MEs (56%) involving medical pathologies and 221 (44%) MEs involving trauma-related injuries. MEs had low prevalence, but the hut guardian played a valuable role as a first aid responder. Copyright © 2016 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The multiple imputation method: a case study involving secondary data analysis.

PubMed

Walani, Salimah R; Cleland, Charles M

2015-05-01

To illustrate with the example of a secondary data analysis study the use of the multiple imputation method to replace missing data. Most large public datasets have missing data, which need to be handled by researchers conducting secondary data analysis studies. Multiple imputation is a technique widely used to replace missing values while preserving the sample size and sampling variability of the data. The 2004 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. The authors created a model to impute missing values using the chained equation method. They used imputation diagnostics procedures and conducted regression analysis of imputed data to determine the differences between the log hourly wages of internationally educated and US-educated registered nurses. The authors used multiple imputation procedures to replace missing values in a large dataset with 29,059 observations. Five multiple imputed datasets were created. Imputation diagnostics using time series and density plots showed that imputation was successful. The authors also present an example of the use of multiple imputed datasets to conduct regression analysis to answer a substantive research question. Multiple imputation is a powerful technique for imputing missing values in large datasets while preserving the sample size and variance of the data. Even though the chained equation method involves complex statistical computations, recent innovations in software and computation have made it possible for researchers to conduct this technique on large datasets. The authors recommend nurse researchers use multiple imputation methods for handling missing data to improve the statistical power and external validity of their studies.

Do social norms play a role in explaining involvement in medical decision-making?

PubMed

Brabers, Anne E M; van Dijk, Liset; Groenewegen, Peter P; de Jong, Judith D

2016-12-01

Patients' involvement in medical decision-making is crucial to provide good quality of care that is respectful of, and responsive to, patients' preferences, needs and values. Whether people want to be involved in medical decision-making is associated with individual patient characteristics, and health status. However, the observation of differences in whether people want to be involved does not in itself provide an explanation. Insight is necessary into mechanisms that explain people's involvement. This study aims to examine one mechanism, namely social norms. We make a distinction between subjective norms, that is doing what others think one ought to do, and descriptive norms, doing what others do. We focus on self-reported involvement in medical decision-making. A questionnaire was sent to members of the Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel in May 2015 (response 46%; N = 974). A regression model was used to estimate the relationship between socio-demographics, social norms and involvement in medical decision-making. In line with our hypotheses, we observed that the more conservative social norms are, the less people are involved in medical decision-making. The effects for both types of norms were comparable. This study indicates that social norms play a role as a mechanism to explain involvement in medical decision-making. Our study offers a first insight into the possibility that the decision to be involved in medical decision-making is not as individual as it at first seems; someone's social context also plays a role. Strategies aimed at emphasizing patient involvement have to address this social context. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Studying Parental Involvement and University Access and Choice: An "Interacting Multiple Capitals" Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Fang; Ng, Jacky Chi Kit

2017-01-01

Capital-embedded parental involvement in education is essential in enhancing university enrolment and maximising the educational potentials for equality and excellence. Previous studies in this field have mainly utilised Perna's (2000, 2006) model, which defines parental involvement as social capital and identifies the additive influences of…

Quantitative investigation of inappropriate regression model construction and the importance of medical statistics experts in observational medical research: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Nojima, Masanori; Tokunaga, Mutsumi; Nagamura, Fumitaka

2018-05-05

To investigate under what circumstances inappropriate use of 'multivariate analysis' is likely to occur and to identify the population that needs more support with medical statistics. The frequency of inappropriate regression model construction in multivariate analysis and related factors were investigated in observational medical research publications. The inappropriate algorithm of using only variables that were significant in univariate analysis was estimated to occur at 6.4% (95% CI 4.8% to 8.5%). This was observed in 1.1% of the publications with a medical statistics expert (hereinafter 'expert') as the first author, 3.5% if an expert was included as coauthor and in 12.2% if experts were not involved. In the publications where the number of cases was 50 or less and the study did not include experts, inappropriate algorithm usage was observed with a high proportion of 20.2%. The OR of the involvement of experts for this outcome was 0.28 (95% CI 0.15 to 0.53). A further, nation-level, analysis showed that the involvement of experts and the implementation of unfavourable multivariate analysis are associated at the nation-level analysis (R=-0.652). Based on the results of this study, the benefit of participation of medical statistics experts is obvious. Experts should be involved for proper confounding adjustment and interpretation of statistical models. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Shared familial risk between bulimic symptoms and alcohol involvement during adolescence.

PubMed

Baker, Jessica H; Munn-Chernoff, Melissa A; Lichtenstein, Paul; Larsson, Henrik; Maes, Hermine; Kendler, Kenneth S

2017-07-01

Twin studies show the established relation between bulimic symptoms and problematic alcohol involvement in adult females is partly due to shared familial factors, specifically shared genetic effects. However, it is unclear if similar shared etiological factors exist during adolescence or in males. We examined the familial overlap (i.e., genetic and common environmental correlations) between bulimic symptoms and various levels of alcohol involvement in 16- to 17-year-old female and male same-sex twin pairs using sex-specific biometrical twin modeling. Bulimic symptoms were assessed with the Eating Disorder Inventory-2. Alcohol involvement included alcohol use in the last month, having ever been intoxicated, and alcohol intoxication frequency. Results revealed 3 distinct patterns. First, in general, phenotypic correlations indicated statistically similar associations between bulimic symptoms and alcohol involvement in girls and boys. Second, common environmental overlap was significant for the bivariate associations including having ever been intoxicated. Third, moderate genetic correlations were observed between all bulimic symptoms and alcohol involvement in girls and moderate common environmental correlations were observed in boys for the more risky/deviant levels of involvement. Similar to adults, there is familial overlap between bulimic symptoms and alcohol involvement in adolescent girls and boys. These results could inform symptom- and sex-specific, developmentally targeted prevention and intervention programs for the comorbidity between bulimic symptoms and alcohol involvement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Title I Elementary Schools and Parental Involvement: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bettencourt, Alisha J.

2017-01-01

The purpose for this dissertation was to gain a better understanding of the educational involvement experiences of lower socioeconomic parents within Title I elementary schools. This study investigated the attitudes, beliefs, and perspective of Title I parents. It also analyzed an investigation into the barriers and motivations of parents. It used…

Process studies with airborne GLORIA limb-imaging FTS observations during the Arctic winter 2015/16

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woiwode, W.; Bramberger, M.; Braun, M.; Dörnbrack, A.; Friedl-Vallon, F.; Grooss, J. U.; Hoepfner, M.; Johansson, S.; Latzko, T.; Oelhaf, H.; Orphal, J.; Preusse, P.; Sinnhuber, B. M.; Suminska-Ebersoldt, O.; Ungermann, J.

2017-12-01

The Gimballed Limb Observer for Radiance Imaging of the Atmosphere (GLORIA) limb-imaging infrared Fourier-Transform Spectrometer (FTS) was deployed on board the High Altitude and LOng range research aircraft (HALO) from December 2015 until March 2016 for process studies in the Arctic and mid-latitudes. Operations were carried out from Kiruna (Sweden, 68°N) and Oberpfaffenhofen (Germany, 48°N) in the framework of the combined POLSTRACC/GW-LCYCLE/SALSA (PGS) campaigns, including 18 scientific HALO flights and about 156 flight hours. After a brief overview of the instrument, examples of process studies using GLORIA high spectral resolution mode observations will be given: (1) Strong nitrification of the Arctic lowermost stratosphere during the exceptionally cold stratospheric winter 2015/16 and comparisons with CLaMS (Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere) chemistry transport simulations. (ii) A case study involving high-resolution ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) IFS (Integrated Forecasting System) data, investigating the meridional structure of a tropopause fold interfering with a mountain wave.

Parents and Federal Education Programs. Volume 1: The Nature, Causes, and Consequences of Parental Involvement. The Study of Parental Involvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melaragno, Ralph J.; And Others

Intended to provide a comprehensive view of parental involvement in school districts receiving federal education funds, this study collected data on four federal programs in 57 projects across the country. Titles I and VII of the Elementary Secondary Education Act, the Emergency School Aid Act, and Follow Through were examined. The entire study is…

Neural Networks Involved in Adolescent Reward Processing: An Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-Analysis of Functional Neuroimaging Studies

PubMed Central

Silverman, Merav H.; Jedd, Kelly; Luciana, Monica

2015-01-01

Behavioral responses to, and the neural processing of, rewards change dramatically during adolescence and may contribute to observed increases in risk-taking during this developmental period. Functional MRI (fMRI) studies suggest differences between adolescents and adults in neural activation during reward processing, but findings are contradictory, and effects have been found in non-predicted directions. The current study uses an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) approach for quantitative meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies to: 1) confirm the network of brain regions involved in adolescents’ reward processing, 2) identify regions involved in specific stages (anticipation, outcome) and valence (positive, negative) of reward processing, and 3) identify differences in activation likelihood between adolescent and adult reward-related brain activation. Results reveal a subcortical network of brain regions involved in adolescent reward processing similar to that found in adults with major hubs including the ventral and dorsal striatum, insula, and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Contrast analyses find that adolescents exhibit greater likelihood of activation in the insula while processing anticipation relative to outcome and greater likelihood of activation in the putamen and amygdala during outcome relative to anticipation. While processing positive compared to negative valence, adolescents show increased likelihood for activation in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and ventral striatum. Contrasting adolescent reward processing with the existing ALE of adult reward processing (Liu et al., 2011) reveals increased likelihood for activation in limbic, frontolimbic, and striatal regions in adolescents compared with adults. Unlike adolescents, adults also activate executive control regions of the frontal and parietal lobes. These findings support hypothesized elevations in motivated activity during adolescence. PMID:26254587

Validation of an image-based technique to assess the perceptual quality of clinical chest radiographs with an observer study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yuan; Choudhury, Kingshuk R.; McAdams, H. Page; Foos, David H.; Samei, Ehsan

2014-03-01

We previously proposed a novel image-based quality assessment technique1 to assess the perceptual quality of clinical chest radiographs. In this paper, an observer study was designed and conducted to systematically validate this technique. Ten metrics were involved in the observer study, i.e., lung grey level, lung detail, lung noise, riblung contrast, rib sharpness, mediastinum detail, mediastinum noise, mediastinum alignment, subdiaphragm-lung contrast, and subdiaphragm area. For each metric, three tasks were successively presented to the observers. In each task, six ROI images were randomly presented in a row and observers were asked to rank the images only based on a designated quality and disregard the other qualities. A range slider on the top of the images was used for observers to indicate the acceptable range based on the corresponding perceptual attribute. Five boardcertificated radiologists from Duke participated in this observer study on a DICOM calibrated diagnostic display workstation and under low ambient lighting conditions. The observer data were analyzed in terms of the correlations between the observer ranking orders and the algorithmic ranking orders. Based on the collected acceptable ranges, quality consistency ranges were statistically derived. The observer study showed that, for each metric, the averaged ranking orders of the participated observers were strongly correlated with the algorithmic orders. For the lung grey level, the observer ranking orders completely accorded with the algorithmic ranking orders. The quality consistency ranges derived from this observer study were close to these derived from our previous study. The observer study indicates that the proposed image-based quality assessment technique provides a robust reflection of the perceptual image quality of the clinical chest radiographs. The derived quality consistency ranges can be used to automatically predict the acceptability of a clinical chest radiograph.

Parental decision making involvement and decisional conflict: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Boland, Laura; Kryworuchko, Jennifer; Saarimaki, Anton; Lawson, Margaret L

2017-06-13

Decisional conflict is a state of uncertainty about the best treatment option among competing alternatives and is common among adult patients who are inadequately involved in the health decision making process. In pediatrics, research shows that many parents are insufficiently involved in decisions about their child's health. However, little is known about parents' experience of decisional conflict. We explored parents' perceived decision making involvement and its association with parents' decisional conflict. We conducted a descriptive survey study in a pediatric tertiary care hospital. Our survey was guided by validated decisional conflict screening items (i.e., the SURE test). We administered the survey to eligible parents after an ambulatory care or emergency department consultation for their child. Four hundred twenty-nine respondents were included in the analysis. Forty-eight percent of parents reported not being offered treatment options and 23% screened positive for decisional conflict. Parents who reported being offered options experienced less decisional conflict than parents who reported not being offered options (5% vs. 42%, p < 0.001). Further, parents with options were more likely to: feel sure about the decision (RR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.15); understand the information (RR 1.92, 95% CI 1.63-2.28); be clear about the risks and benefits (RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05-1.20); and, have sufficient support and advice to make a choice (RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.11). Many parents in our sample experienced decisional conflict after their clinical consultation. Involving parents in the decision making process might reduce their risk of decisional conflict. Evidence based interventions that support parent decision making involvement, such as shared decision making, should be evaluated and implemented in pediatrics as a strategy to reduce parents' decisional conflict.

Third Party Involvement in Barroom Conflicts

PubMed Central

Parks, Michael J.; Osgood, D. Wayne; Felson, Richard B.; Wells, Samantha; Graham, Kathryn

2014-01-01

This study examines the effect of situational variables on whether third parties intervene in conflicts in barroom settings, and whether they are aggressive or not when they intervene. Based on research on bystander intervention in emergencies, we hypothesized that third parties would be most likely to become involved in incidents with features that convey greater danger of serious harm. The situational variables indicative of danger were severity of aggression, whether the aggression was one-sided or mutual, gender, and level of intoxication of the initial participants in the conflict. Analyses consist of cross-tabulations and three-level Hierarchical Logistic Models (with bar, evening, and incidents as levels) for 860 incidents of verbal and physical aggression from 503 nights of observation in 87 large bars and clubs in Toronto, Canada. Third party involvement was more likely during incidents in which: (1) the aggression was more severe; (2) the aggression was mutual (vs. one-sided) aggression; (3) only males (vs. mixed gender) were involved; and (4) participants were more intoxicated. These incident characteristics were stronger predictors of nonaggressive third party involvement than aggressive third party involvement. The findings suggest that third parties are indeed responding to the perceived danger of serious harm. Improving our knowledge about this aspect of aggressive incidents is valuable for developing prevention and intervention approaches designed to reduce aggression in bars and other locations. PMID:23494773

Drug-Involved Mexican-Origin Girls’ HIV Prevention Needs: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Lopez, Vera; Dustman, Patricia; Williams, Tiffany

2017-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to collect data to inform the development of an HIV prevention program for drug-involved Mexican-Origin (MO) adolescent girls. Eighteen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with drug-involved MO girls in addition to focus group discussions with 19 other drug-involved MO girls and 8 clinical service providers (CSPs) in 2009–2010. Emergent themes indicated that HIV prevention programs for drug-involved MO girls should be girl-centered, focused on relationship development, and include trained peer facilitators who share the same cultural and “street” background as the girls. The program should omit scare tactics associated with risky sexual behaviors and emphasize individual empowerment skills useful to negotiate sexual decisions successfully. In addition, a girl-centered intervention for MO girls should address important concerns for this group, including resistance skills and strategies regarding relationships with older men, teenage motherhood, sexual infidelity, sexual coercion, and dating violence. Participants noted that intervention activities should be interactive with an emphasis on guiding girls as they learn to assess critically personal risk while at the same time learning skills and resources to address these issues in real life. PMID:26362876

Association between metabolic syndrome and bone fractures: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Sun, Kan; Liu, Jianmin; Lu, Nan; Sun, Hanxiao; Ning, Guang

2014-02-09

Emerging epidemiological evidence suggest an association between metabolic syndrome and fractures. However, whether metabolic syndrome is an independent risk or protective factor of fractures remains controversial. Our goal is to provide a quantitative assessment of the association between metabolic syndrome and bone fractures by conducting a meta-analysis of observational studies. The PubMed and Embase database were searched through to March 2013 to identify studies that met pre-established inclusion criteria. Reference lists of retrieved articles were also reviewed. Summary effect estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were derived using a fixed or random effects model, depending on the heterogeneity of the included studies. Eight epidemiologic studies involving 39,938 participants were included in the meta-analysis. In overall analysis, metabolic syndrome was not associated with prevalent fractures [pooled odds ratio (OR) 0.93, 95% CI 0.84 - 1.03] in cross-sectional studies or incident fractures [pooled relative risk (RR) 0.88, 95% CI 0.37 - 2.12] in prospective cohort studies. No evidence of heterogeneity was found in cross-sectional studies (p = 0.786, I2 = 0.0%). A substantial heterogeneity was detected in cohort studies (p = 0.001, I2 = 85.7%). No indication of significant publication bias was found either from Begg's test or Egger's test. Estimates of total effects were substantially consistent in the sensitivity and stratification analyses. The present meta-analysis of observational studies suggests that the metabolic syndrome has no explicit effect on bone fractures.

Male partner involvements in PMTCT: a cross sectional study, Mekelle, Northern Ethiopia.

PubMed

Haile, Fisaha; Brhan, Yemane

2014-02-12

Male partner participation is a crucial component to optimize antenatal care/prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV(ANC/PMTCT) service. It creates an opportunity to capture pregnant mothers and their male partners to reverse the transmission of HIV during pregnancy, labour and breast feeding. Thus involving male partners during HIV screening of pregnant mothers at ANC is key in the fight against mother to child transmission of HIV(MTCT). So, the aim of this study is to determine the level of male partner involvement in PMTCT and factors that affecting it. A Cross-sectional study was conducted among 473 pregnant mothers attending ANC/PMTCT in Mekelle town health facilities in January 2011. Systematic sampling was used to select pregnant mothers attending ANC/PMTCT service after determination of the client load at each health facility. Clinic exit structured interviews were used to collect the data. Finally multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors that affect male involvement in ANC/PMTCT. Twenty percent of pregnant mothers have been accompanied by their male partner to the ANC/PMTCT service. Knowledge of HIV sero status [Adj.OR (95% CI) = 0.43 (0.18- 0.66)], maternal willingness to inform their husband about the availability of voluntary counselling and testing services in ANC/PMTCT [Adj.OR (95% CI) =3.74(1.38-10.17)] and previous history of couple counselling [Adj.OR (95% CI) =4.68 (2.32-9.44)] were found to be the independent predictors of male involvement in ANC/PMTCT service. Male partner involvement in ANC/PMTCT is low. Thus, comprehensive strategy should be put in place to sensitize and advocate the importance of male partner involvement in ANC/PMTCT in order to reach out male partners.

Observational studies of roAp stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachkov, M.

2014-11-01

Rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) stars are high-overtone, low-degree p-mode pulsators that are also chemically peculiar magnetic A stars. Until recently the classical asteroseismic analysis i.e. frequency analysis, of these stars was based on ground and space photometric observations. Significant progress was achieved through access to uninterrupted, ultra-high-precision data from MOST, COROT and Kepler satellites. Over the last ten years the study of roAp stars has been altered drastically from an observational point of view through studies of time-resolved, high-resolution spectra. Their unusual pulsational characteristics, caused by an interplay between the short vertical lengths of the pulsation waves and strong stratification of chemical elements, allow us to examine the upper roAp atmosphere in more detail than is possible for any star except the Sun. In this paper I review the results of recent studies of the pulsations of roAp stars.

Can the impact of public involvement on research be evaluated? A mixed methods study.

PubMed

Barber, Rosemary; Boote, Jonathan D; Parry, Glenys D; Cooper, Cindy L; Yeeles, Philippa; Cook, Sarah

2012-09-01

  Public involvement is central to health and social research policies, yet few systematic evaluations of its impact have been carried out, raising questions about the feasibility of evaluating the impact of public involvement.   To investigate whether it is feasible to evaluate the impact of public involvement on health and social research.   Mixed methods including a two-round Delphi study with pre-specified 80% consensus criterion, with follow-up interviews. UK and international panellists came from different settings, including universities, health and social care institutions and charitable organizations. They comprised researchers, members of the public, research managers, commissioners and policy makers, self-selected as having knowledge and/or experience of public involvement in health and/or social research; 124 completed both rounds of the Delphi process. A purposive sample of 14 panellists was interviewed.   Consensus was reached that it is feasible to evaluate the impact of public involvement on 5 of 16 impact issues: identifying and prioritizing research topics, disseminating research findings and on key stakeholders. Qualitative analysis revealed the complexities of evaluating a process that is subjective and socially constructed. While many panellists believed that it is morally right to involve the public in research, they also considered that it is appropriate to evaluate the impact of public involvement.   This study found consensus among panellists that it is feasible to evaluate the impact of public involvement on some research processes, outcomes and on key stakeholders. The value of public involvement and the importance of evaluating its impact were endorsed. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Can the impact of public involvement on research be evaluated? A mixed methods study

PubMed Central

Barber, Rosemary; Boote, Jonathan D; Parry, Glenys D; Cooper, Cindy L; Yeeles, Philippa; Cook, Sarah

2011-01-01

Abstract Background  Public involvement is central to health and social research policies, yet few systematic evaluations of its impact have been carried out, raising questions about the feasibility of evaluating the impact of public involvement. Objective  To investigate whether it is feasible to evaluate the impact of public involvement on health and social research. Methods  Mixed methods including a two‐round Delphi study with pre‐specified 80% consensus criterion, with follow‐up interviews. UK and international panellists came from different settings, including universities, health and social care institutions and charitable organizations. They comprised researchers, members of the public, research managers, commissioners and policy makers, self‐selected as having knowledge and/or experience of public involvement in health and/or social research; 124 completed both rounds of the Delphi process. A purposive sample of 14 panellists was interviewed. Results  Consensus was reached that it is feasible to evaluate the impact of public involvement on 5 of 16 impact issues: identifying and prioritizing research topics, disseminating research findings and on key stakeholders. Qualitative analysis revealed the complexities of evaluating a process that is subjective and socially constructed. While many panellists believed that it is morally right to involve the public in research, they also considered that it is appropriate to evaluate the impact of public involvement. Conclusions  This study found consensus among panellists that it is feasible to evaluate the impact of public involvement on some research processes, outcomes and on key stakeholders. The value of public involvement and the importance of evaluating its impact were endorsed. PMID:21324054

Family, Peer, and Pubertal Determinants of Dating Involvement Among Adolescents

PubMed Central

Low, Sabina; Shortt, Joann Wu

2017-01-01

This study examines the influence of family, peer, and biological contributors to dating involvement among early adolescents (11–14 years of age; n = 244). Further, we assess how parental monitoring may be modified by pubertal maturation and older sibling risky behavior. Data on delinquent peer affiliation, pubertal maturation, parental monitoring, older sibling risky behavior, and dating involvement were gathered through observations and surveys from adolescents, mothers, older siblings, and teachers. Results indicate that lower levels of parental monitoring and higher levels of older sibling risky behavior were related to adolescents’ dating involvement through delinquent peer affiliation. Pubertal maturation was directly related to dating involvement for early daters. Findings emphasize the value of examining social and biological factors, in concert, over time. PMID:28498528

Mother Involvement as an Influence on Father Involvement with Early Adolescents

PubMed Central

Pleck, Joseph H.; Hofferth, Sandra L.

2009-01-01

This study hypothesized that father involvement is influenced by mothers' level of involvement as well as by marital conflict, mothers' work hours, and fathers' status as biological or step father. The analysis also tested hypotheses about mother involvement as a potential mediator of the effects of marital conflict and maternal work hours on father involvement, and hypotheses about factors influencing mother involvement. Children aged 10-14 from the NLSY79 who resided with their biological or step father and with their mother reported on each parent's involvement with them. As hypothesized, father involvement was predicted by mother involvement, and the reciprocal influence was not significant. Father involvement was associated with low marital conflict and being a biological father. Mothers' involvement partially mediated the effects of marital conflict on father involvement. If the mediating role of maternal involvement is not taken into account, the effect of marital conflict on father involvement is overestimated. PMID:21776195

Observational studies are complementary to randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Grootendorst, Diana C; Jager, Kitty J; Zoccali, Carmine; Dekker, Friedo W

2010-01-01

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the gold standard study design to investigate the effect of health interventions, including treatment. However, in some situations, it may be unnecessary, inappropriate, impossible, or inadequate to perform an RCT. In these special situations, well-designed observational studies, including cohort and case-control studies, may provide an alternative to doing nothing in order to obtain estimates of treatment effect. It should be noted that such studies should be performed with caution and correctly. The aims of this review are (1) to explain why RCTs are considered the optimal study design to evaluate treatment effects, (2) to describe the situations in which an RCT is not possible and observational studies are an adequate alternative, and (3) to explain when randomization is not needed and can be approximated in observational studies. Examples from the nephrology literature are used for illustration. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

From (Un)Willingness to InvolveMENt: Development of a Successful Study Brand for Recruitment of Diverse MSM to a Longitudinal HIV Research.

PubMed

Frew, Paula M; Williams, Victoria A; Shapiro, Eve T; Sanchez, Travis; Rosenberg, Eli S; Fenimore, Vincent L; Sullivan, Patrick S

2013-11-21

HIV continues to be a major concern among MSM, yet Black MSM have not been enrolled in HIV research studies in proportionate numbers to White MSM. We developed an HIV prevention research brand strategy for MSM. Questionnaires and focus groups were conducted with 54 participants. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses were performed and qualitative data were transcribed and content analyzed to identify common themes. Formative research results indicated that younger Black MSM (18-29 years) were less likely to think about joining prevention studies compared to older (≥30 years) Black MSM ( x 2 = 5.92, P = 0.015). Qualitative and quantitative results indicate four prominent themes related to brand development: (1) communication sources (message deliverer), (2) message (impact of public health messaging on perceptions of HIV research), (3) intended audience (underlying issues that influence personal relevance of HIV research), and (4) communication channels (reaching intended audiences). The findings highlight the importance of behavioral communication translational research to effectively engage hard-to-reach populations. Despite reservations, MSM in our formative study expressed a need for active involvement and greater education to facilitate their engagement in HIV prevention research. Thus, the brand concept of "InvolveMENt" emerged.

Models and impact of patient and public involvement in studies carried out by the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit at University College London: findings from ten case studies.

PubMed

South, Annabelle; Hanley, Bec; Gafos, Mitzy; Cromarty, Ben; Stephens, Richard; Sturgeon, Kate; Scott, Karen; Cragg, William J; Tweed, Conor D; Teera, Jacqueline; Vale, Claire L

2016-07-29

Patient and public involvement (PPI) in studies carried out by the UK Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit (MRC CTU) at University College London varies by research type and setting. We developed a series of case studies of PPI to document and share good practice. We used purposive sampling to identify studies representing the scope of research at the MRC CTU and different approaches to PPI. We carried out semi-structured interviews with staff and patient representatives. Interview notes were analysed descriptively to categorise the main aims and motivations for involvement; activities undertaken; their impact on the studies and lessons learned. We conducted 19 interviews about ten case studies, comprising one systematic review, one observational study and 8 randomised controlled trials in HIV and cancer. Studies were either open or completed, with start dates between 2003 and 2011. Interviews took place between March and November 2014 and were updated in summer 2015 where there had been significant developments in the study (i.e. if the study had presented results subsequent to the interview taking place). A wide range of PPI models, including representation on trial committees or management groups, community engagement, one-off task-focused activities, patient research partners and participant involvement had been used. Overall, interviewees felt that PPI had a positive impact, leading to improvements, for example in the research question; study design; communication with potential participants; study recruitment; confidence to carry out or complete a study; interpretation and communication of results; and influence on future research. A range of models of PPI can benefit clinical studies. Researchers should consider different approaches to PPI, based on the desired impact and the people they want to involve. Use of multiple models may increase the potential impacts of PPI in clinical research.

Diapause in tardigrades: a study of factors involved in encystment.

PubMed

Guidetti, Roberto; Boschini, Deborah; Altiero, Tiziana; Bertolani, Roberto; Rebecchi, Lorena

2008-07-01

Stressful environmental conditions limit survival, growth and reproduction, or these conditions induce resting stages indicated as dormancy. Tardigrades represent one of the few animal phyla able to perform both forms of dormancy: quiescence and diapause. Different forms of cryptobiosis (quiescence) are widespread and well studied, while little attention has been devoted to the adaptive meaning of encystment (diapause). Our goal was to determine the environmental factors and token stimuli involved in the encystment process of tardigrades. The eutardigrade Amphibolus volubilis, a species able to produce two types of cyst (type 1 and type 2), was considered. Laboratory experiments and long-term studies on cyst dynamics of a natural population were conducted. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that active tardigrades collected in April produced mainly type 2 cysts, whereas animals collected in November produced mainly type 1 cysts, indicating that the different responses are functions of the physiological state at the time they were collected. The dynamics of the two types of cyst show opposite seasonal trends: type 2 cysts are present only during the warm season and type 1 cysts are present during the cold season. Temperature represents the environmental factor involved in induction, maintenance and termination of the cyst. We also obtained evidence that A. volubilis is able to perform both diapause and cryptobiosis, even overlapping the two phenomena. The induction phase of tardigrade encystment can be compared to the induction phase of insect diapause, also indicating an involvement of endogenous factors in tardigrade encystment. As in insect diapause, tardigrade encystment can be considered a diapausing state controlled by exogenous and endogenous stimuli.

Motion based parsing for video from observational psychology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokaram, Anil; Doyle, Erika; Lennon, Daire; Joyeux, Laurent; Fuller, Ray

2006-01-01

In Psychology it is common to conduct studies involving the observation of humans undertaking some task. The sessions are typically recorded on video and used for subjective visual analysis. The subjective analysis is tedious and time consuming, not only because much useless video material is recorded but also because subjective measures of human behaviour are not necessarily repeatable. This paper presents tools using content based video analysis that allow automated parsing of video from one such study involving Dyslexia. The tools rely on implicit measures of human motion that can be generalised to other applications in the domain of human observation. Results comparing quantitative assessment of human motion with subjective assessment are also presented, illustrating that the system is a useful scientific tool.

Broadening Public Participation in Systematic Reviews: A Case Example Involving Young People in Two Configurative Reviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Kathryn; Rees, Rebecca; Brady, Louca-Mai; Kavanagh, Josephine; Oliver, Sandy; Thomas, James

2015-01-01

Background: Arguments supporting the involvement of users in research have even more weight when involving the public in systematic reviews of research. We aimed to explore the potential for public involvement in systematic reviews of observational and qualitative studies. Methods: Two consultative workshops were carried out with a group of young…

Validating an Environmental Education Field Day Observation Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Stephan P.; Heimlich, Joe E.; Storksdieck, Martin

2011-01-01

Environmental Field Days (EFD) are held throughout the country and provide a unique opportunity to involve students in real world science. A study to assess the validity of an observation tool for EFD programs was conducted at the Metro Water Festival with fifth grade students. Items from the observation tool were mapped to students' evaluation…

The dynamic cusp at low altitudes: A case study combining Viking, DMSP, and Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radar observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watermann, Jurgen; Delabeaujardiere, Odile; Lummerzheim, Dirk; Woch, Joachim; Newell, Patrick T.; Potemra, Thomas A.; Rich, Frederick J.; Shapshak, Mans

1992-01-01

A case study involving data from three satellites and a ground-based radar are presented. Focus is on a detailed discussion of observations of the dynamic cusp made on 24 Sep. 1986 in the dayside high-latitude ionosphere and interior magnetosphere. The relevant data from space-borne and ground-based sensors is presented. They include in-situ particle and field measurements from the DMSP-F7 and Viking spacecraft and Sondrestrom radar observations of the ionosphere. These data are augmented by observations of the IMF and the solar wind plasma. The observations are compared with predictions about the ionospheric response to the observed particle precipitation, obtained from an auroral model. It is shown that observations and model calculations fit well and provide a picture of the ionospheric footprint of the cusp in an invariant latitude versus local time frame. The combination of Viking, Sondrestrom radar, and IMP-8 data suggests that we observed an ionospheric signature of the dynamic cusp. Its spatial variation over time which appeared closely related to the southward component of the IMF was monitored.

Observing Protein & Energy Nutrition (OPEN) Study

Cancer.gov

The Observing Protein and Energy Nutrition (OPEN) Study was designed to assess dietary measurement error by comparing results from self-reported dietary intake data with four dietary biomarkers: doubly labeled water and urinary nitrogen, sodium, and potassium.

Kangaroo Mother Care, home environment and father involvement in the first year of life: a randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Tessier, R; Charpak, N; Giron, M; Cristo, M; de Calume, Z F; Ruiz-Peláez, J G

2009-09-01

This study tested the hypothesis that Kangaroo Mother Care creates a climate in the family, which enhances infants' performance on the developmental quotient scale. The largest social security hospital in Colombia with a neonatal intensive care unit. At 12 months of corrected age, 194 families in the Kangaroo Mother Care group and 144 families in the Traditional Care group were available for analysis. Infants were kept 24 h/day in an upright position, in skin-to-skin contact until it was no longer tolerated by the infants. Babies in the Traditional Care were kept in incubators on the Minimal Care Unit until they satisfied the usual discharge criteria. The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME), Father Involvement and Developmental Quotient (Griffiths) scores. 1) Kangaroo mothers created a more stimulating context and a better caregiving environment than mothers in the Traditional Care group; 2) this environment was positively correlated to father involvement and 3) the family environment of male infants was most improved by Kangaroo Mother Care. Kangaroo Mother Care has a positive impact on home environment. The results also suggest, first, that both parents should be involved as direct caregivers in the Kangaroo Mother Care procedure and secondly, that this intervention should be directed more specifically at infants who are more at risk at birth. The Kangaroo Mother Care intervention could be an excellent means to ensure parents' mature involvement in the future of their children.

A rare case of haboob in Tehran: Observational and numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karami, S.; Ranjbar, A.; Mohebalhojeh, A. R.; Moradi, M.

2017-03-01

A great dust storm occurred in Tehran on 2 June 2014 and caused severe damage to properties and involved loss of human life. From the visual evidence available, it can be regarded as a case of haboob. As a lower latitude phenomenon, its occurrence in Tehran was unprecedented in the last 50 years. This paper aims to present a detailed analysis of the weather conditions, the pathways by which dust particles were ingested by the haboob, as well as the impact of the urban boundary layer on the intensity and propagation of the dust storm. Using numerical simulation carried out by the WRF-Chem model and various observational techniques, the coupling of a low-level small-scale deformation field with a lower-tropospheric cold pool produced by precipitating mid-tropospheric clouds is identified as the main process involved in shaping this rare dust storm.

Parent and Community Involvement in Education. Volume II: Case Studies. Studies of Education Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutherford, Barry; And Others

Genuine educational reform depends on developing relationships with the home, community groups, politicians, and the business community (Seeley, 1981). This volume is the second of three reports that are products of a 3.5 year study of education reform, with a focus on the role of parent, family, and community involvement in the middle grades. The…

Experiences of service users involved in recruitment for nursing courses: A phenomenological research study.

PubMed

Stevens, Katie; Bernal, Cathy; Devis, Kate; Southgate, Andrew

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to gain insight into service users' experiences of participating in recruitment for Adult, Mental Health and Child nursing studies at the authors' university; to establish potential motivations behind such participation; and to make suggestions for improved future practice. The involvement of service users in nurse education and recruitment has for some years been required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, but there is a dearth of publications on the meaning of that involvement to participating service users. It is hoped that this study will contribute to this body of knowledge. A phenomenological approach was selected, field-specific focus groups of service users being facilitated using a semi-structured interview format; these were audio recorded and transcribed. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. Participation was subject to the service users having been involved in recruitment to nursing studies at the authors' university and the focus groups took place either at the university or at the child participants' school. Themes identified demonstrated largely positive experiences and a sense of meaningful involvement for all concerned. Findings indicated a close link between the values of the participants and those of the wider NHS, benefits to a sense of wellbeing and achievement, as well as the need for greater ownership of the recruitment process by service users. Potential lessons for academics wishing to promote greater service user involvement in student recruitment are articulated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observational and Modeling Studies of Clouds and the Hydrological Cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Somerville, Richard C. J.

1997-01-01

Our approach involved validating parameterizations directly against measurements from field programs, and using this validation to tune existing parameterizations and to guide the development of new ones. We have used a single-column model (SCM) to make the link between observations and parameterizations of clouds, including explicit cloud microphysics (e.g., prognostic cloud liquid water used to determine cloud radiative properties). Surface and satellite radiation measurements were used to provide an initial evaluation of the performance of the different parameterizations. The results of this evaluation will then used to develop improved cloud and cloud-radiation schemes, which were tested in GCM experiments.

Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship-Observational Studies.

PubMed

Snyder, Graham M; Young, Heather; Varman, Meera; Milstone, Aaron M; Harris, Anthony D; Munoz-Price, Silvia

2016-10-01

Observational studies compare outcomes among subjects with and without an exposure of interest, without intervention from study investigators. Observational studies can be designed as a prospective or retrospective cohort study or as a case-control study. In healthcare epidemiology, these observational studies often take advantage of existing healthcare databases, making them more cost-effective than clinical trials and allowing analyses of rare outcomes. This paper addresses the importance of selecting a well-defined study population, highlights key considerations for study design, and offers potential solutions including biostatistical tools that are applicable to observational study designs. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-6.

Motivational Influences on Cognition: Task Involvement, Ego Involvement, and Depth of Information Processing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Sandra; Golan, Shari

1991-01-01

Task involvement and ego involvement were studied in relation to depth of information processing for 126 fifth and sixth graders in 2 experiments. Ego involvement resulted in poorer word recall at deep rather than shallow information processing levels. Implications for the study of motivation are discussed. (SLD)

Neurologic involvement in scleroderma: a systematic review.

PubMed

Amaral, Tiago Nardi; Peres, Fernando Augusto; Lapa, Aline Tamires; Marques-Neto, João Francisco; Appenzeller, Simone

2013-12-01

To perform a systematic review of neurologic involvement in Systemic sclerosis (SSc) and Localized Scleroderma (LS), describing clinical features, neuroimaging, and treatment. We performed a literature search in PubMed using the following MeSH terms, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, localized scleroderma, localized scleroderma "en coup de sabre", Parry-Romberg syndrome, cognitive impairment, memory, seizures, epilepsy, headache, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D), SF-36, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), neuropsychiatric, psychosis, neurologic involvement, neuropathy, peripheral nerves, cranial nerves, carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar entrapment, tarsal tunnel syndrome, mononeuropathy, polyneuropathy, radiculopathy, myelopathy, autonomic nervous system, nervous system, electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Patients with other connective tissue disease knowingly responsible for nervous system involvement were excluded from the analyses. A total of 182 case reports/studies addressing SSc and 50 referring to LS were identified. SSc patients totalized 9506, while data on 224 LS patients were available. In LS, seizures (41.58%) and headache (18.81%) predominated. Nonetheless, descriptions of varied cranial nerve involvement and hemiparesis were made. Central nervous system involvement in SSc was characterized by headache (23.73%), seizures (13.56%) and cognitive impairment (8.47%). Depression and anxiety were frequently observed (73.15% and 23.95%, respectively). Myopathy (51.8%), trigeminal neuropathy (16.52%), peripheral sensorimotor polyneuropathy (14.25%), and carpal tunnel syndrome (6.56%) were the most frequent peripheral nervous system involvement in SSc. Autonomic neuropathy involving cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems was regularly described

Third party involvement in barroom conflicts.

PubMed

Parks, Michael J; Osgood, D Wayne; Felson, Richard B; Wells, Samantha; Graham, Kathryn

2013-01-01

This study examines the effect of situational variables on whether third parties intervene in conflicts in barroom settings, and whether they are aggressive or not when they intervene. Based on research on bystander intervention in emergencies, we hypothesized that third parties would be most likely to become involved in incidents with features that convey greater danger of serious harm. The situational variables indicative of danger were severity of aggression, whether the aggression was one-sided or mutual, gender, and level of intoxication of the initial participants in the conflict. Analyses consist of cross-tabulations and three-level Hierarchical Logistic Models (with bar, evening, and incidents as levels) for 860 incidents of verbal and physical aggression from 503 nights of observation in 87 large bars and clubs in Toronto, Canada. Third party involvement was more likely during incidents in which: (1) the aggression was more severe; (2) the aggression was mutual (vs. one-sided) aggression; (3) only males (vs. mixed gender) were involved; and (4) participants were more intoxicated. These incident characteristics were stronger predictors of non-aggressive third party involvement than aggressive third party involvement. The findings suggest that third parties are indeed responding to the perceived danger of serious harm. Improving our knowledge about this aspect of aggressive incidents is valuable for developing prevention and intervention approaches designed to reduce aggression in bars and other locations. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Decision-making contexts involving Earth observations in federal and state government agencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwayama, Y.; Thompson, A.

2017-12-01

National and international organizations are placing greater emphasis on the societal and economic benefits that can be derived from applications of Earth observations, yet improvements are needed to connect to the decision processes that produce actions with direct societal benefits. The Consortium for the Valuation of Applications Benefits Linked with Earth Science (VALUABLES), a cooperative agreement between Resources for the Future (RFF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has the goal of advancing methods for the valuation and communication of the applied benefits linked with Earth observations. One of the Consortium's activities is a set of Policy Briefs that document the use of Earth observations for decision making in federal and state government agencies. In developing these Policy Briefs, we pay special attention to documenting the entire information value chain associated with the use of Earth observations in government decision making, namely (a) the specific data product, modeling capability, or information system used by the agency, (b) the decision context that employs the Earth observation information and translates it into an agency action, (c) the outcomes that are realized as a result of the action, and (d) the beneficiaries associated with the outcomes of the decision. Two key examples include the use of satellite data for informing the US Drought Monitor (USDM), which is used to determine the eligibility of agricultural communities for drought disaster assistance programs housed at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the use of satellite data by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to develop numeric nutrient water quality standards and monitoring methods for chlorophyll-a, which is codified in Florida state code (62-302.532).

Transactional relations between father involvement and preschoolers' socioemotional adjustment.

PubMed

Jia, Rongfang; Kotila, Letitia E; Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J

2012-12-01

Children's socioemotional development is child as well as parent driven. Yet, transactional frameworks are rarely applied to studies of father-child relations. This study examined reciprocal associations between father involvement in play and caregiving and children's adjustment and tested supportive coparenting behavior as a moderator of these associations. One hundred twelve families participated in a 1-year longitudinal study. Fathers reported on their involvement and mothers and teachers reported on preschoolers' behavior at two time points, and supportive coparenting behavior was observed at the second time point. Results showed that father involvement in play predicted relative decreases in externalizing behaviors, and also relative decreases in internalizing behaviors and relative increases in social competence at school only when accompanied by supportive coparenting behavior; reciprocally, fathers showed relative reductions in their play with children initially high in internalizing behaviors perceived by teachers. Father involvement in caregiving predicted relative increases in children's internalizing behaviors, but reciprocal effects indicated that these associations may be driven by children. The presence of reciprocal associations between father involvement and child behaviors that differed for play and caregiving domains and were moderated by supportive coparenting behavior suggests the importance of a transactional, domain-specific, and systemic approach to understanding father-child relations and the implementation of relevant intervention practices. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Exposure to fluoride in drinking water and hip fracture risk: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Yin, Xin-Hai; Huang, Guang-Lei; Lin, Du-Ren; Wan, Cheng-Cheng; Wang, Ya-Dong; Song, Ju-Kun; Xu, Ping

2015-01-01

Many observational studies have shown that exposure to fluoride in drinking water is associated with hip fracture risk. However, the findings are varied or even contradictory. In this work, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between fluoride exposure and hip fracture risk. PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched to identify relevant observational studies from the time of inception until March 2014 without restrictions. Data from the included studies were extracted and analyzed by two authors. Summary relative risks (RRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random- or fixed-effects models as appropriate. Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression were conducted to explore possible explanations for heterogeneity. Finally, publication bias was assessed. Fourteen observational studies involving thirteen cohort studies and one case-control study were included in the meta-analysis. Exposure to fluoride in drinking water does not significantly increase the incidence of hip fracture (RRs, 1.05; 95% CIs, 0.96-1.15). Sensitivity analyses based on adjustment for covariates, effect measure, country, sex, sample size, quality of Newcastle-Ottawa Scale scores, and follow-up period validated the strength of the results. Meta-regression showed that country, gender, quality of Newcastle-Ottawa Scale scores, adjustment for covariates and sample size were not sources of heterogeneity. Little evidence of publication bias was observed. The present meta-analysis suggests that chronic fluoride exposure from drinking water does not significantly increase the risk of hip fracture. Given the potential confounding factors and exposure misclassification, further large-scale, high-quality studies are needed to evaluate the association between exposure to fluoride in drinking water and hip fracture risk.

Exposure to Fluoride in Drinking Water and Hip Fracture Risk: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

PubMed Central

Yin, Xin-Hai; Huang, Guang-Lei; Lin, Du-Ren; Wan, Cheng-Cheng; Wang, Ya-Dong; Song, Ju-Kun; Xu, Ping

2015-01-01

Background Many observational studies have shown that exposure to fluoride in drinking water is associated with hip fracture risk. However, the findings are varied or even contradictory. In this work, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between fluoride exposure and hip fracture risk. Methods PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched to identify relevant observational studies from the time of inception until March 2014 without restrictions. Data from the included studies were extracted and analyzed by two authors. Summary relative risks (RRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random- or fixed-effects models as appropriate. Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression were conducted to explore possible explanations for heterogeneity. Finally, publication bias was assessed. Results Fourteen observational studies involving thirteen cohort studies and one case-control study were included in the meta-analysis. Exposure to fluoride in drinking water does not significantly increase the incidence of hip fracture (RRs, 1.05; 95% CIs, 0.96–1.15). Sensitivity analyses based on adjustment for covariates, effect measure, country, sex, sample size, quality of Newcastle–Ottawa Scale scores, and follow-up period validated the strength of the results. Meta-regression showed that country, gender, quality of Newcastle–Ottawa Scale scores, adjustment for covariates and sample size were not sources of heterogeneity. Little evidence of publication bias was observed. Conclusion The present meta-analysis suggests that chronic fluoride exposure from drinking water does not significantly increase the risk of hip fracture. Given the potential confounding factors and exposure misclassification, further large-scale, high-quality studies are needed to evaluate the association between exposure to fluoride in drinking water and hip fracture risk. PMID:26020536

Control strategies and noncompliance in abusive mother-child dyads: an observational study.

PubMed

Oldershaw, L; Walters, G C; Hall, D K

1986-06-01

The present observational study of child abuse has isolated parental control strategies and child response as a promising area of investigation. The social interaction of 10 abusive and 10 matched control mothers and their preschool children was videotaped in a simulated home environment involving both structured and unstructured activities. A coding scheme was developed to record interactional behavior in each dyad. Particular emphasis was placed on the analysis of mother command/child compliance sequences. Compared to controls, abusive mothers employed more commands, and more power-assertive and less positively oriented control strategies. They were also more intrusive, more inconsistent in their use of parenting techniques, displayed more flattened affect throughout their control interactions, and were less flexible in their attempts to gain compliance from the child. In turn, children of abusive mothers demonstrated far more noncompliant behavior than their control counterparts.

Experimental study of combustion processes involved in hypergolic propellant coaxial injector operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habiballah, M.; Dubois, I.; Gicquel, P.; Foucaud, R.

1992-07-01

The first results are presented of an experimental research program to understand the operation of a coaxial injector using hypergolic propellants. Mechanisms and processes involved in coaxial injector operation are identified for a two-plate injector and a coaxial injector. The usefulness of backlight cinematography and laser sheet visualization in the study of coaxial injector operation is examined. A review of the literature on injector elements using highly reactive hypergolic propellants is presented along with an analysis of fundamental mechanisms involved in these propellants.

Swedish pediatric diabetes teams' perception of fathers' involvement: A Grounded Theory study.

PubMed

Boman, Ase; Povlsen, Lene; Dahlborg-Lyckhage, Elisabeth; Borup, Ina

2013-06-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze how Swedish pediatric diabetes teams perceived and discussed fathers' involvement in the care of their child with type 1 diabetes. It also aimed to discuss how the teams' attitudes towards the fathers' involvement developed during the data collection process. The Constructivist Grounded Theory design was used and data were collected during three repeated focus group discussions with three Swedish pediatric diabetes teams. The core category of the teams' perception of fathers' involvement emerged as: If dad attends, we are happy - if mom doesn't, we become concerned. Initially the teams balanced their perception of fathers' involvement on the mother's role as the primary caregiver. In connection with the teams' directed attention on fathers, in the focus group discussions, the teams' awareness of the importance of fathers increased. As a consequence, the team members began to encourage fathers' engagement in their child's care. We conclude that by increasing the teams' awareness of fathers as a health resource, an active health promotion perspective could be implemented in pediatric diabetes care. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Involvement of serotonin system in bullimia

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

Marazziti, D.; Macchi, E.; Rotondo, A.

1988-01-01

Platelet /sup 3/H-imipramine binding was investigated in 8 patients affected by bulimia according to DSM III criteria, and in 7 health volunteers. The Bmax /+ -/SD (fmol/mg protein) was 356 /+ -/ 53 in patients, and 1144 /+ -/ 134 in controls. The Kd /+ -/ SD (nM) was 1.35 /+ -/ 0.44 in patients, and 1.90 /+ -/ 0.72 in controls. There was a significant difference in Bmax values in the two groups, whereas no significant difference was observed in Kd values. This study suggests the possible involvement of the indoleamine system in bullimia.

Do Youth Learn Life Skills through Their Involvement in High School Sport? A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Nicholas L.; Tink, Lisa N.; Mandigo, James L.; Fox, Kenneth R.

2008-01-01

In this study we examined whether and how youth learned life skills through their involvement on a high school soccer team. We collected data from fieldwork and interviews with 12 male student-athletes and the head coach from one team. Results showed that the coach's philosophy involved building relationships and involving student-athletes in…

Methods and Processes of Developing the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology - Veterinary (STROBE-Vet) Statement.

PubMed

Sargeant, J M; O'Connor, A M; Dohoo, I R; Erb, H N; Cevallos, M; Egger, M; Ersbøll, A K; Martin, S W; Nielsen, L R; Pearl, D L; Pfeiffer, D U; Sanchez, J; Torrence, M E; Vigre, H; Waldner, C; Ward, M P

2016-11-01

Reporting of observational studies in veterinary research presents challenges that often are not addressed in published reporting guidelines. To develop an extension of the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) statement that addresses unique reporting requirements for observational studies in veterinary medicine related to health, production, welfare, and food safety. Consensus meeting of experts. Mississauga, Canada. Seventeen experts from North America, Europe, and Australia. Experts completed a pre-meeting survey about whether items in the STROBE statement should be modified or added to address unique issues related to observational studies in animal species with health, production, welfare, or food safety outcomes. During the meeting, each STROBE item was discussed to determine whether or not rewording was recommended and whether additions were warranted. Anonymous voting was used to determine consensus. Six items required no modifications or additions. Modifications or additions were made to the STROBE items 1 (title and abstract), 3 (objectives), 5 (setting), 6 (participants), 7 (variables), 8 (data sources/measurement), 9 (bias), 10 (study size), 12 (statistical methods), 13 (participants), 14 (descriptive data), 15 (outcome data), 16 (main results), 17 (other analyses), 19 (limitations), and 22 (funding). The methods and processes used were similar to those used for other extensions of the STROBE statement. The use of this STROBE statement extension should improve reporting of observational studies in veterinary research by recognizing unique features of observational studies involving food-producing and companion animals, products of animal origin, aquaculture, and wildlife. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Inter-observer and intra-observer agreement between embryologists during selection of a single Day 5 embryo for transfer: a multicenter study.

PubMed

Storr, Ashleigh; Venetis, Christos A; Cooke, Simon; Kilani, Suha; Ledger, William

2017-02-01

What is the inter-observer and intra-observer agreement between embryologists when selecting a single Day 5 embryo for transfer? The inter-observer and intra-observer agreement between embryologists when selecting a single Day 5 embryo for transfer was generally good, although not optimal, even among experienced embryologists. Previous research on the morphological assessment of early stage (two pronuclei to Day 3) embryos has shown varying levels of inter-observer and intra-observer agreement. However, single blastocyst transfer is now becoming increasingly popular and there are no published data that assess inter-observer and intra-observer agreement when selecting a single embryo for Day 5 transfer. This was a prospective study involving 10 embryologists working at five different IVF clinics within a single organization between July 2013 and November 2015. The top 10 embryologists were selected based on their yearly Quality Assurance Program scores for blastocyst grading and were asked to morphologically grade all Day 5 embryos and choose a single embryo for transfer in a survey of 100 cases using 2D images. A total of 1000 decisions were therefore assessed. For each case, Day 5 images were shown, followed by a Day 3 and Day 5 image of the same embryo. Subgroup analyses were also performed based on the following characteristics of embryologists: the level of clinical embryology experience in the laboratory; amount of research experience; number of days per week spent grading embryos. The agreement between these embryologists and the one that scored the embryos on the actual day of transfer was also evaluated. Inter-observer and intra-observer variability was assessed using the kappa coefficient to evaluate the extent of agreement. This study showed that all 10 embryologists agreed on the embryo chosen for transfer in 50 out of 100 cases. In 93 out of 100 cases, at least 6 out of the 10 embryologists agreed. The inter-observer and intra-observer agreement among

Explaining governmental involvement in home care across Europe: an international comparative study.

PubMed

Genet, Nadine; Kroneman, Madelon; Boerma, Wienke G W

2013-04-01

The involvement of governments in the home care sector strongly varies across Europe. This study aims to explain the differences through the conditions for the involvement of informal care and governments in society; wealth and the demographic structure. As this study could combine qualitative data and quantitative data analyses, it could consider larger patterns than previous studies which were often based on ideographic historical accounts. Extensive data were gathered in 30 European countries, between 2008 and 2010. In each country, policy documents were analysed and experts were interviewed. International variation in regulation and governmental funding of personal care and domestic aid are associated with differences in prevailing values on family care, tax burden and wealth in a country. Hence, this study provides evidence for the obstacles - i.e. country differences - for transferring home care policies between countries. However, longitudinal research is needed to establish whether this is indeed the causal relationship we expect. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A pragmatic observational feasibility study on integrated treatment for musculoskeletal disorders: Design and protocol.

PubMed

Hu, Xiao-yang; Hughes, John; Fisher, Peter; Lorenc, Ava; Purtell, Rachel; Park, A-La; Robinson, Nicola

2016-02-01

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) comprise a wide range of conditions, associated with an enormous pain and impaired mobility, and are affecting people's lives and work. Management of musculoskeletal disorders typically involves a multidisciplinary team approach. Positive findings have been found in previous studies evaluating the effectiveness of complementary therapies, though little attention has been paid to evaluating of the effectiveness of integrated packages of care combining conventional and complementary approaches for musculoskeletal conditions in a National Health Service (NHS) setting. To determine the feasibility of all aspects of a pragmatic observational study designed: (1) to evaluate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of integrated treatments for MSDs in an integrated NHS hospital in the UK; (2) to determine the acceptability of the study design and research process to patients; (3) to explore patients' expectation and experience of receiving integrated treatments. This is an observational feasibility study, with 1-year recruitment and 1-year follow-up, conducted in Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, University College London Hospital Trust, UK. All eligible patients with MSDs newly referred to the hospital were included in the study. Interventions are integrated packages of care (conventional and complementary) as currently provided in the hospital. SF-36™ Health Survey, short form Brief Pain Inventory, Visual Analogue Scale, and modified Client Service Receipt Inventory will be assessed at 4/5 time points. Semi-structured interview/focus group will be carried out before treatment, and 1 year after commence of treatment. We intend to conduct a pragmatic observational study of integrated medical treatment of MSDs at a public sector hospital. It will inform the design of a future trial including recruitment, retention, suitability of the outcome measures and patients experiences.

Evaluation of Multiclass Model Observers in PET LROC Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gifford, H. C.; Kinahan, P. E.; Lartizien, C.; King, M. A.

2007-02-01

A localization ROC (LROC) study was conducted to evaluate nonprewhitening matched-filter (NPW) and channelized NPW (CNPW) versions of a multiclass model observer as predictors of human tumor-detection performance with PET images. Target localization is explicitly performed by these model observers. Tumors were placed in the liver, lungs, and background soft tissue of a mathematical phantom, and the data simulation modeled a full-3D acquisition mode. Reconstructions were performed with the FORE+AWOSEM algorithm. The LROC study measured observer performance with 2D images consisting of either coronal, sagittal, or transverse views of the same set of cases. Versions of the CNPW observer based on two previously published difference-of-Gaussian channel models demonstrated good quantitative agreement with human observers. One interpretation of these results treats the CNPW observer as a channelized Hotelling observer with implicit internal noise

Latino Parental Involvement in Kindergarten: Findings from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durand, Tina M.

2011-01-01

Parental involvement in children's schooling is an important component of children's early school success. Few studies have examined this construct exclusively among Latino families. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K), the present investigation (N = 2,051) explored relations between Latino parents' home and school…

[Labor accidents involving the eyes: assessment of occupational risks involving nursing workers].

PubMed

de Almeida, Cristiana Brasil; Pagliuca, Lorita Marlena Freitag; Leite, Ana Lourdes Almeida e Silva

2005-01-01

The study aimed at identifying nursing workers who were victims of eye accidents and the type of accident; describing the measures taken and proposing Health Education methods. A descriptive and exploratory study was carried out at a public maternity hospital from September 2002 to January 2003. Data were collected through direct observation of the environment and interviews with workers. Subjects were ten professionals (one nurse, two technicians and seven nursing auxiliaries) who were victims of work accidents involving the eye. The accidents were grouped according to the type of material that caused the trauma: chemical substances (4), medication (3), mechanical trauma (1), scalp (1) and urine (1). The results reveal that hospital workers are vulnerable to labor accidents because the environment presents biological, chemical and physical risks. An important step to prevent the occurrence of new accidents would be the prevention of human mistakes through permanent training and the use of protection glasses.

Practical Hints for Observational Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, Wanda; And Others

The Austin Independent School District's Research and Evaluation Office presents practical information concerning observational research. This paper focuses on five topics: (1) what makes a good observer (setting the ground rules, training observers in details, and practice, i.e., involving the observers in planning and providing rigorous…

Carboxyhemoglobin levels in medical intensive care patients: a retrospective, observational study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Introduction Critical illness leads to increased endogenous production of carbon monoxide (CO) due to the induction of the stress-response enzyme, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). There is evidence for the cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of CO based on animal studies. In critically ill patients after cardiothoracic surgery, low minimum and high maximum carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels were shown to be associated with increased mortality, which suggests that there is an 'optimal range' for HO-1 activity. Our study aimed to test whether this relationship between COHb and outcome exists in non-surgical ICU patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective, observational study in a medical ICU at a university hospital in Vienna, Austria involving 868 critically ill patients. No interventions were undertaken. Arterial COHb was measured on admission and during the course of treatment in the ICU. The association between arterial COHb levels and ICU mortality was evaluated using bivariate tests and a logistic regression model. Results Minimum COHb levels were slightly lower in non-survivors compared to survivors (0.9%, 0.7% to 1.2% versus 1.2%, 0.9% to 1.5%; P = 0.0001), and the average COHb levels were marginally lower in non-survivors compared to survivors (1.5%, 1.2% to 1.8% versus 1.6%, 1.4% to 1.9%, P = 0.003). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the association between a low minimum COHb level and increased mortality was independent of the severity of illness and the type of organ failure. Conclusions Critically ill patients surviving the admission to a medical ICU had slightly higher minimum and marginally higher average COHb levels when compared to non-survivors. Even though the observed differences are statistically significant, the minute margins would not qualify COHb as a predictive marker for ICU mortality. PMID:22236404

Carboxyhemoglobin levels in medical intensive care patients: a retrospective, observational study.

PubMed

Fazekas, Andreas S; Wewalka, Marlene; Zauner, Christian; Funk, Georg-Christian

2012-01-11

Critical illness leads to increased endogenous production of carbon monoxide (CO) due to the induction of the stress-response enzyme, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). There is evidence for the cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of CO based on animal studies. In critically ill patients after cardiothoracic surgery, low minimum and high maximum carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels were shown to be associated with increased mortality, which suggests that there is an 'optimal range' for HO-1 activity. Our study aimed to test whether this relationship between COHb and outcome exists in non-surgical ICU patients. We conducted a retrospective, observational study in a medical ICU at a university hospital in Vienna, Austria involving 868 critically ill patients. No interventions were undertaken. Arterial COHb was measured on admission and during the course of treatment in the ICU. The association between arterial COHb levels and ICU mortality was evaluated using bivariate tests and a logistic regression model. Minimum COHb levels were slightly lower in non-survivors compared to survivors (0.9%, 0.7% to 1.2% versus 1.2%, 0.9% to 1.5%; P=0.0001), and the average COHb levels were marginally lower in non-survivors compared to survivors (1.5%, 1.2% to 1.8% versus 1.6%, 1.4% to 1.9%, P=0.003). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the association between a low minimum COHb level and increased mortality was independent of the severity of illness and the type of organ failure. Critically ill patients surviving the admission to a medical ICU had slightly higher minimum and marginally higher average COHb levels when compared to non-survivors. Even though the observed differences are statistically significant, the minute margins would not qualify COHb as a predictive marker for ICU mortality.

South Korean Family Caregiver Involvement in Delirium Care: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Kang, Yun; Moyle, Wendy; Cooke, Marie; O'Dwyer, Siobhan

2017-12-01

The current study aimed to describe the effect of an educational program on RN-initiated efforts to involve family caregivers in delirium care. A descriptive qualitative study was performed. A purposive sample of 12 RNs who participated in a one group, pre-post evaluation of a delirium educational program, and a nominated sample of six family caregivers of patients who had been cared for by RNs in the program participated in individual, in-depth interviews. The qualitative findings indicated that the inclusion of a delirium brochure in ward orientation on admission, with reinforcement during shift changes, and RN-initiated engagement with family caregivers promoted family caregiver involvement in delirium prevention. Further studies in South Korea are needed to determine which family-centered nursing care interventions are culturally appropriate and most effective for RNs and family caregivers in delirium care. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(12), 44-51.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Coffee and caffeine consumption and depression: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Wang, Longfei; Shen, Xiaoli; Wu, Yili; Zhang, Dongfeng

2016-03-01

The results from observation studies on the relationship between coffee intake and risk of depression and the relationship between caffeine consumption and depression remain controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis with a dose-response analysis to quantitatively summarize the evidence about the association between coffee and caffeine intakes and risk of depression. Relevant articles were identified by researching PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and WANFANG DATA in English or Chinese from 1 January 1980 to 1 May 2015. Case-control, cohort or cross-sectional studies evaluating coffee or caffeine consumption and depression were included. A random-effects model was used to combine study-specific relative risk and 95% confidence interval. Dose-response relationship was assessed by restricted cubic spline functions. Data were obtained from 11 observation articles; 330,677 participants from seven studies in seven articles were included in the coffee-depression analysis, while 38,223 participants from eight studies in seven articles were involved in the caffeine-depression analysis. Compared with the lowest level consumption, the pooled relative risk (95% confidence interval) for coffee-depression and caffeine-depression was 0.757 [0.624, 0.917] and 0.721 [0.522, 0.997], respectively. For dose-response analysis, evidence of a linear association was found between coffee consumption and depression, and the risk of depression decreased by 8% (relative risk = 0.92, 95% confidence interval = [0.87, 0.97], p = 0.002) for each cup/day increment in coffee intake; a nonlinear association was found between caffeine consumption and depression, the risk of depression decreased faster and the association became significant when the caffeine consumption was above 68 mg/day and below 509 mg/day. Coffee and caffeine consumption were significantly associated with decreased risk of depression. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College

Reasons for family involvement in elective surgical decision-making in Taiwan: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Lin, Mei-Ling; Huang, Chuen-Teng; Chen, Ching-Huey

2017-07-01

To inquire into the reasons for family involvement in adult patients' surgical decision-making processes from the point of view of the patients' family. Making a patient the centre of medical decision-making is essential for respecting individual's autonomy. However, in a Chinese society, family members are often deeply involved in a patient's medical decision-making. Although family involvement has long been viewed as an aspect of the Chinese culture, empirical evidence of the reasons for family involvement in medical decision-making has been lacking. A qualitative study. In order to record and examine reasons for family involvement in adult patients' surgical decision-making, 12 different family members of 12 elective surgery patients were interviewed for collecting and analysing data. Three major reasons for family involvement emerged from the data analyses: (1) to share responsibility; (2) to ensure the correctness of medical information; and (3) to safeguard the patient's well-being. These findings also reveal that culture is not the only reason for family involvement. Making decision to undergo a surgery is a tough and stressful process for a patient. Family may provide the patient with timely psychological support to assist the patient to communicate with his or her physician(s) and other medical personnel to ensure their rights. It is also found that due to the imbalanced doctor-patient power relationship, a patient may be unable, unwilling to, or even dare not, tell the whole truth about his or her illness or feelings to the medical personnel. Thus, a patient would expect his or her family to undertake such a mission during the informed consent and decision-making processes. The results of this study may provide medical professionals with relevant insights into family involvement in adult patients' surgical decision-making. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Prospective Longitudinal Study of Children's Theory of Mind and Adolescent Involvement in Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shakoor, Sania; Jaffee, Sara R.; Bowes, Lucy; Ouellet-Morin, Isabelle; Andreou, Penelope; Happe, Francesca; Moffitt, Terrie E.; Arseneault, Louise

2012-01-01

Background: Theory of mind (ToM) allows the understanding and prediction of other people's behaviours based on their mental states (e.g. beliefs). It is important for healthy social relationships and thus may contribute towards children's involvement in bullying. The present study investigated whether children involved in bullying during early…

Teachers as Secondary Players: Involvement in Field Trips to Natural Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alon, Nirit Lavie; Tal, Tali

2017-08-01

This study focused on field trips to natural environments where the teacher plays a secondary role alongside a professional guide. We investigated teachers' and field trip guides' views of the teacher's role, the teacher's actual function on the field trip, and the relationship between them. We observed field trips, interviewed teachers and guides, and administered questionnaires. We found different levels of teacher involvement, ranging from mainly supervising and giving technical help, to high involvement especially in the cognitive domain and sometimes in the social domain. Analysis of students' self-reported outcomes showed that the more students believe their teachers are involved, the higher the self-reported learning outcomes.

Genetic and environmental influences on adolescents' smoking involvement: a multi-informant twin study.

PubMed

Seglem, Karoline Brobakke; Waaktaar, Trine; Ask, Helga; Torgersen, Svenn

2015-03-01

Studying monozygotic and dizygotic adolescent twin pairs of both sexes reared together, the present study examined the extent to which the variance in smoking involvement is attributable to genetic and environmental effects, and to what extent there are sex differences in the etiology. Questionnaire data on how often the adolescent had ever smoked tobacco was collected from a population-based twin sample consisting of seven national birth cohorts (ages 12-18), their mothers, and their fathers (N = 1,394 families). The data was analyzed with multivariate genetic modeling, using a multi-informant design. The etiological structure of smoking involvement was best represented in an ACE common pathway model, with smoking defined as a latent factor loading onto all three informants' reports. Estimates could be set equal across sexes. Results showed that adolescent lifetime smoking involvement was moderately heritable (37 %). The largest influence was from the shared environment (56 %), while environmental effects unique to each twin had minimal influence (7 %).

Foundation observation of teaching project--a developmental model of peer observation of teaching.

PubMed

Pattison, Andrew Timothy; Sherwood, Morgan; Lumsden, Colin James; Gale, Alison; Markides, Maria

2012-01-01

Peer observation of teaching is important in the development of educators. The foundation curriculum specifies teaching competencies that must be attained. We created a developmental model of peer observation of teaching to help our foundation doctors achieve these competencies and develop as educators. A process for peer observation was created based on key features of faculty development. The project consisted of a pre-observation meeting, the observation, a post-observation debrief, writing of reflective reports and group feedback sessions. The project was evaluated by completion of questionnaires and focus groups held with both foundation doctors and the students they taught to achieve triangulation. Twenty-one foundation doctors took part. All completed reflective reports on their teaching. Participants described the process as useful in their development as educators, citing specific examples of changes to their teaching practice. Medical students rated the sessions as better or much better quality as their usual teaching. The study highlights the benefits of the project to individual foundation doctors, undergraduate medical students and faculty. It acknowledges potential anxieties involved in having teaching observed. A structured programme of observation of teaching can deliver specific teaching competencies required by foundation doctors and provides additional benefits.

A Study of the Relationship between Parental Involvement and Mental Health of College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blake Payne, Ruthanna

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of parental involvement and mental health in a sample of traditionally aged college students and investigate the variance parental involvement predicts in mental health. Five hundred and eighty-eight freshmen at a large research university responded to a 97 question survey. Parental…

Involvement of consumers in studies run by the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit: Results of a survey

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background We aimed to establish levels of consumer involvement in randomised controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses and other studies carried out by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinical Trials Unit across the range of research programs, predominantly in cancer and HIV. Methods Staff responsible for studies that were included in a Unit Progress Report (MRC CTU, April 2009) were asked to complete a semi-structured questionnaire survey regarding consumer involvement. This was defined as active involvement of consumers as partners in the research process and not as subjects of that research. The electronic questionnaires combined open and closed questions, intended to capture quantitative and qualitative information on whether studies had involved consumers; types of activities undertaken; recruitment and support; advantages and disadvantages of involvement and its perceived impact on aspects of the research. Results Between October 2009 and April 2010, 138 completed questionnaires (86%) were returned. Studies had been conducted over a 20 year period from 1989, and around half were in cancer; 30% in HIV and 20% were in other disease areas including arthritis, tuberculosis and blood transfusion medicine. Forty-three studies (31%) had some consumer involvement, most commonly as members of trial management groups (TMG) [88%]. A number of positive impacts on both the research and the researcher were identified. Researchers generally felt involvement was worthwhile and some felt that consumer involvement had improved the credibility of the research. Benefits in design and quality, trial recruitment, dissemination and decision making were also perceived. Researchers felt they learned from consumer involvement, albeit that there were some barriers. Conclusions Whilst most researchers identified benefits of involving consumers, most of studies included in the survey had no involvement. Information from this survey will inform the development of a unit policy on

Involvement of consumers in studies run by the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit: results of a survey.

PubMed

Vale, Claire L; Thompson, Lindsay C; Murphy, Claire; Forcat, Silvia; Hanley, Bec

2012-01-13

We aimed to establish levels of consumer involvement in randomised controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses and other studies carried out by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinical Trials Unit across the range of research programs, predominantly in cancer and HIV. Staff responsible for studies that were included in a Unit Progress Report (MRC CTU, April 2009) were asked to complete a semi-structured questionnaire survey regarding consumer involvement. This was defined as active involvement of consumers as partners in the research process and not as subjects of that research. The electronic questionnaires combined open and closed questions, intended to capture quantitative and qualitative information on whether studies had involved consumers; types of activities undertaken; recruitment and support; advantages and disadvantages of involvement and its perceived impact on aspects of the research. Between October 2009 and April 2010, 138 completed questionnaires (86%) were returned. Studies had been conducted over a 20 year period from 1989, and around half were in cancer; 30% in HIV and 20% were in other disease areas including arthritis, tuberculosis and blood transfusion medicine. Forty-three studies (31%) had some consumer involvement, most commonly as members of trial management groups (TMG) [88%]. A number of positive impacts on both the research and the researcher were identified. Researchers generally felt involvement was worthwhile and some felt that consumer involvement had improved the credibility of the research. Benefits in design and quality, trial recruitment, dissemination and decision making were also perceived. Researchers felt they learned from consumer involvement, albeit that there were some barriers. Whilst most researchers identified benefits of involving consumers, most of studies included in the survey had no involvement. Information from this survey will inform the development of a unit policy on consumer involvement, to guide future

Gender Differences in Context: The Impact of Track Position on Study Involvement in Flemish Secondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Houtte, Mieke

2017-01-01

This study examines whether the influence of track position on study involvement is gendered and whether gender differences in study involvement according to track position are associated with school misconduct and rather poor future perspectives. Three-level analyses (HLM 6) of data gathered in 2004-2005 from 11,872 third- and fifth-grade…

Whose voices? Patient and public involvement in clinical commissioning.

PubMed

O'Shea, Alison; Chambers, Mary; Boaz, Annette

2017-06-01

This paper aims to explore patient and public representation in a NHS clinical commissioning group and how this is experienced by staff and lay members involved. Patient and public involvement is believed to foster greater public representativeness in the development and delivery of health care services. However, there is widespread debate about what representation is or what it should be. Questions arise about the different constructions of representation and the representativeness of patients and the public in decision-making structures and processes. Ethnographic, two-phase study involving twenty-four observations across two types of clinical commissioning group meetings with patient and public involvement, fourteen follow-up interviews with NHS staff and lay members, and a focus group with five lay members. Perceptions of what constitutes legitimate representativeness varied between respondents, ranging from representing an individual patient experience to reaching large numbers of people. Consistent with previous studies, there was a lack of clarity about the role of lay members in the work of the clinical commissioning group. Unlike previous studies, it was lay members, not staff, who raised concerns about their representativeness and legitimacy. Although the clinical commissioning group provides resources to support patient and public involvement, there continues to be a lack of clarity about roles and scope for impact. Lay members are still some way from constituting a powerful voice at the table. © 2016 The Authors. Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

From randomized controlled trials to observational studies.

PubMed

Silverman, Stuart L

2009-02-01

Randomized controlled trials are considered the gold standard in the hierarchy of research designs for evaluating the efficacy and safety of a treatment intervention. However, their results can have limited applicability to patients in clinical settings. Observational studies using large health care databases can complement findings from randomized controlled trials by assessing treatment effectiveness in patients encountered in day-to-day clinical practice. Results from these designs can expand upon outcomes of randomized controlled trials because of the use of larger and more diverse patient populations with common comorbidities and longer follow-up periods. Furthermore, well-designed observational studies can identify clinically important differences among therapeutic options and provide data on long-term drug effectiveness and safety.

Using Multiple Control Groups and Matching to Address Unobserved Biases in Comparative Effectiveness Research: An Observational Study of the Effectiveness of Mental Health Parity.

PubMed

Yoon, Frank B; Huskamp, Haiden A; Busch, Alisa B; Normand, Sharon-Lise T

2011-06-21

Studies of large policy interventions typically do not involve randomization. Adjustments, such as matching, can remove the bias due to observed covariates, but residual confounding remains a concern. In this paper we introduce two analytical strategies to bolster inferences of the effectiveness of policy interventions based on observational data. First, we identify how study groups may differ and then select a second comparison group on this source of difference. Second, we match subjects using a strategy that finely balances the distributions of key categorical covariates and stochastically balances on other covariates. An observational study of the effect of parity on the severely ill subjects enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program illustrates our methods.

An observational study investigating the impact of simulated patients in teaching communication skills in preclinical dietetic students.

PubMed

Gibson, S J; Davidson, Z E

2016-08-01

Simulated patients (SPs) are often used in dietetics for the teaching and assessment of communication skills. The present study aimed to determine the impact of a SP encounter on communication skills in undergraduate preclinical dietetic students in the context of the resources required for delivering this educational strategy. This observational study collected assessment data from four cohorts of third-year dietetic students to examine the effect of participation in SP-embedded Objective Structured Clinical Exams. Students completed two SP interviews, 2 weeks apart, and communication skills were measured on both occasions. A subgroup of students received a video of their SP encounter. Differences between the two SP interview scores were compared to assess the impact of the SP encounter on communication skills. The required staff and resources were described. Data were collected involving 215 students. Out of 30 marks, there was a modest mean (SD) improvement in communication skills from the first to the second SP interview of 2.5 (4.2) (P < 0.01). There was an association between student ability and improvement in communication skills, with failing students demonstrating the greatest improvement between SP encounters. There were no observed benefits for the subset of students who received videos. Providing repeat SP interview opportunities results in only modest improvement in communication skills for most students. The use of SPs needs to be considered in context of the substantial costs and resources involved and tailored to student ability. © 2015 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Dietary intake of nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism and risk of urothelial cell carcinoma: A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Dugué, Pierre-Antoine; Brinkman, Maree T; Hodge, Allison M; Bassett, Julie K; Bolton, Damien; Longano, Anthony; Hopper, John L; Southey, Melissa C; English, Dallas R; Milne, Roger L; Giles, Graham G

2018-07-15

Nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism may play a role in carcinogenesis through DNA replication, repair and methylation mechanisms. Most studies on urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) have focused on folate. We sought to examine the association between B-group vitamins and methionine intake and UCC risk, overall and by subtype, and to test whether these associations are different for population subgroups whose nutritional status may be compromised. We followed participants in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (N = 41,513) for over 20 years and observed 500 UCC cases (89% originating in the bladder; superficial: 279, invasive: 221). Energy-adjusted dietary intakes of B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B9 and B12) and methionine were estimated from a 121-item food frequency questionnaire administered at baseline (1990-1994), using the residuals method. We used Cox regression models to compute hazard ratios (HRs) of UCC risk per standard deviation (SD) of log-transformed nutrient intakes and 95% confidence intervals, adjusted for potential confounders. We investigated associations by tumor subtype, and tested interactions with sex, country of birth, smoking and alcohol drinking. The risk of UCC appeared not to be associated with intake of B-group vitamins or methionine, and findings were consistent across tumor subtypes and across demographic and lifestyle characteristics of the participants. A potential interaction between vitamin B1 and alcohol drinking was observed (all participants: HR per 1 SD = 0.99 (0.91-1.09), never drinkers: HR = 0.81 (0.69-0.97), p-interaction = 0.02), which needs to be confirmed by other studies. Our findings do not indicate that dietary intake of nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism are associated with UCC risk. © 2018 UICC.

Barriers to patient involvement in health service planning and evaluation: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Gagliardi, Anna R; Lemieux-Charles, Louise; Brown, Adalsteinn D; Sullivan, Terrence; Goel, Vivek

2008-02-01

Patient involvement in health service planning and evaluation is considered important yet not widely practiced. This study explored stakeholder beliefs about patient participation in performance indicator selection to better understand hypothesized barriers. Interviews with 30 cancer patients and health professionals from two teaching hospitals were analyzed qualitatively. All groups believed patients, not members of the public, should be involved in the selection of indicators. Ongoing, interactive methods such as committee involvement, rather than single, passive efforts such as surveys were preferred. Health professionals recommended patients assume a consultative, rather than decision-making role. Older patients agreed with this. Variable patient interest, health professional attitudes, and a lack of insight on appropriate methods may be limiting patient involvement in this, and other service planning and evaluation activities. More research is required to validate expressed views among the populations these stakeholders represent, and to establish effective methods for engaging patients. Efforts to encourage a change in health professional attitude may be required, along with dedicated organizational resources, coordinators and training. Methods to engage patients should involve deliberation, which can be achieved through modified Delphi panel or participatory research approaches.

Teaching Practices and Strategies to Involve Inner-City Parents at Home and in the School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Leontye; Kim, Yanghee A.; Bey, Juanita Ashby

2011-01-01

Few studies have observed what teachers actually do in the classroom to encourage parental involvement in their children's education. Over the school year, the various teaching practices and strategies of two teachers in an inner-city elementary school that has had public recognition in its efforts to involve parents were gathered through…

Hypnosis, hypnotic suggestibility, memory, and involvement in films.

PubMed

Maxwell, Reed; Lynn, Steven Jay; Condon, Liam

2015-05-01

Our research extends studies that have examined the relation between hypnotic suggestibility and experiential involvement and the role of an hypnotic induction in enhancing experiential involvement (e.g., absorption) in engaging tasks. Researchers have reported increased involvement in reading (Baum & Lynn, 1981) and music-listening (Snodgrass & Lynn, 1989) tasks during hypnosis. We predicted a similar effect for film viewing: greater experiential involvement in an emotional (The Champ) versus a non-emotional (Scenes of Toronto) film. We tested 121 participants who completed measures of absorption and trait dissociation and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility and then viewed the two films after either an hypnotic induction or a non-hypnotic task (i.e., anagrams). Experiential involvement varied as a function of hypnotic suggestibility and film clip. Highly suggestible participants reported more state depersonalization than less suggestible participants, and depersonalization was associated with negative affect; however, we observed no significant correlation between hypnotic suggestibility and trait dissociation. Although hypnosis had no effect on memory commission or omission errors, contrary to the hypothesis that hypnosis facilitates absorption in emotionally engaging tasks, the emotional film was associated with more commission and omission errors compared with the non-emotional film. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The “Gray Zone” of Police Work During Mental Health Encounters: Findings from an Observational Study in Chicago

PubMed Central

Wood, Jennifer D; Watson, Amy C; Fulambarker, Anjali J

2016-01-01

Although improving police responses to mental health crises has received significant policy attention, most encounters between police and persons with mental illnesses do not involve major crimes or violence, nor do they rise to the level of requiring emergency apprehension. Here, we report on field observations of police officers handling mental health-related encounters in Chicago. Findings confirm that these encounters often occur in the “gray zone”, where the problems at hand do not call for formal or legalistic interventions including arrest and emergency apprehension. In examining how police resolved such situations, we observed three core features of police work: (1) accepting temporary solutions to chronic vulnerability; (2) using local knowledge to guide decision-making; and (3) negotiating peace with complainants and call subjects. Study findings imply the need to advance field-based studies using systematic social observations of gray zone decision-making within and across distinct geographic and place-based contexts. Policy implications for supporting police interventions, including place-based enhancements of gray zone resources, are also discussed. PMID:28286406

[The aggression in SPDC: an observational study. Preliminary data].

PubMed

Minutolo, Giuseppe; Cannavò, Dario; Petralia, Antonino; Gandolfo, Liliana; Palermo, Filippo; Aguglia, Eugenio

2010-01-01

In the different psychiatric disorders the aggression often leads to uncontrolled events, taking aspects of impulsiveness and irrationality. Our research proposes the assessment of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with a psychiatric disorder, who presented an aggressive event. The observational study was conducted on a sample of 50 patients (34 men and 16 women), hospitalized following the manifestation of an aggressive event. For each patient was provided an assessment of socio-demographic and clinical variables and a psychometric investigation through: the OAS, for the analysis of aggressive episodes; the BDHI, for the hostile behavior and attitudes; the BIS-11, for the impulsiveness and the BPRS for the psychopathological aspects. Among the socio-demographic features investigated, the highest correlation with aggressive behavior was related to the concomitant substance abuse, type of admission to psychiatric hospital and the male gender. The OAS has shown a greater propensity to directed-aggression in males with schizophrenia, and self-directed in females with major depression. The BPRS has shown a positive correlation between hetero-directed aggressive behavior and positive symptomatology, and between the self-directed and depression, risk of suicide, feelings of guilt and somatic concerns. The BDHI has indicated greater suspicion in women's group. The hypothesis that aggression is otherwise related to specific socio-demographic and clinical characteristics was confirmed by our study. The data suggest that early identification and assessment of potential risk factors involved in the genesis of aggressive episodes would allow the clinician to implement a better strategy for prevention and intervention.

Handling ethical, legal and social issues in birth cohort studies involving genetic research: responses from studies in six countries

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Research involving minors has been the subject of much ethical debate. The growing number of longitudinal, pediatric studies that involve genetic research present even more complex challenges to ensure appropriate protection of children and families as research participants. Long-term studies with a genetic component involve collection, retention and use of biological samples and personal information over many years. Cohort studies may be established to study specific conditions (e.g. autism, asthma) or may have a broad aim to research a range of factors that influence the health and development of children. Studies are increasingly intended to serve as research platforms by providing access to data and biological samples to researchers over many years. This study examines how six birth cohort studies in North America and Europe that involve genetic research handle key ethical, legal and social (ELS) issues: recruitment, especially parental authority to include a child in research; initial parental consent and subsequent assent and/or consent from the maturing child; withdrawal; confidentiality and sample/data protection; handling sensitive information; and disclosure of results. Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were carried out in 2008/09 with investigators involved in six birth cohort studies in Canada, Denmark, England, France, the Netherlands and the United States. Interviewees self-identified as being knowledgeable about ELS aspects of the study. Interviews were conducted in English. Results The studies vary in breadth of initial consent, but none adopt a blanket consent for future use of samples/data. Ethics review of new studies is a common requirement. Studies that follow children past early childhood recognise a need to seek assent/consent as the child matures. All studies limit access to identifiable data and advise participants of the right to withdraw. The clearest differences among studies concern handling of sensitive

Studies of proteoglycan involvement in CPP-mediated delivery.

PubMed

Wittrup, Anders; Zhang, Si-He; Belting, Mattias

2011-01-01

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are widely used to deliver macromolecular cargoes to intracellular sites of action. Many CPPs have been demonstrated to rely on cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) for efficient cellular entry and delivery. In this chapter, we describe methods for the study of PG involvement in CPP uptake. We provide descriptions of how to determine whether uptake of a CPP of interest is dependent on PGs. We also provide detailed protocols for the purification of PGs by anion-exchange chromatography as well as the characterization of the HSPG core protein composition of a cell line of interest. Finally, we present methods for modulating the expression level of specific HSPG core proteins as a means to determine the core protein specificity in the uptake of a particular CPP.

SABRE observations of Pi2 pulsations: case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradshaw, E. G.; Lester, M.

1997-01-01

The characteristics of substorm-associated Pi2 pulsations observed by the SABRE coherent radar system during three separate case studies are presented. The SABRE field of view is well positioned to observe the differences between the auroral zone pulsation signature and that observed at mid-latitudes. During the first case study the SABRE field of view is initially in the eastward electrojet, equatorward and to the west of the substorm-enhanced electrojet current. As the interval progresses, the western, upward field-aligned current of the substorm current wedge moves westward across the longitudes of the radar field of view. The westward motion of the wedge is apparent in the spatial and temporal signatures of the associated Pi2 pulsation spectra and polarisation sense. During the second case study, the complex field-aligned and ionospheric currents associated with the pulsation generation region move equatorward into the SABRE field of view and then poleward out of it again after the third pulsation in the series. The spectral content of the four pulsations during the interval indicate different auroral zone and mid-latitude signatures. The final case study is from a period of low magnetic activity when SABRE observes a Pi2 pulsation signature from regions equatorward of the enhanced substorm currents. There is an apparent mode change between the signature observed by SABRE in the ionosphere and that on the ground by magnetometers at latitudes slightly equatorward of the radar field of view. The observations are discussed in terms of published theories of the generation mechanisms for this type of pulsation. Different signatures are observed by SABRE depending on the level of magnetic activity and the position of the SABRE field of view relative to the pulsation generation region. A twin source model for Pi2 pulsation generation provides the clearest explanation of the signatures observed Acknowledgements. The authors are grateful to Prof. D. J. Southwood

Empirical Performance of Covariates in Education Observational Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Vivian C.; Valentine, Jeffrey C.; Miller-Bains, Kate

2017-01-01

This article summarizes results from 12 empirical evaluations of observational methods in education contexts. We look at the performance of three common covariate-types in observational studies where the outcome is a standardized reading or math test. They are: pretest measures, local geographic matching, and rich covariate sets with a strong…

"Lies, damned lies ..." and observational studies in comparative effectiveness research.

PubMed

Albert, Richard K

2013-06-01

A new federal initiative has allocated $1.1 billion to comparative effectiveness research, and many have emphasized the importance of including observational studies in this effort. The rationale for using observational studies to assess comparative effectiveness is based on concerns that randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are not "real world" because they enroll homogeneous patient populations, measure study outcomes that are not important to patients, use protocols that are overly complex, are conducted in specialized centers, and use study treatments that are not consistent with usual care, and that RCTs are not always feasible because of a lack of equipoise, the need to assess delayed endpoints, and concerns that they take years to complete and are expensive. This essay questions the validity of each of these proposed limitations, summarizes concerns raised about the accuracy of results generated by observational studies, provides some examples of discrepancies between results of observational studies and RCTs that pertain to pulmonary and critical care, and suggests that using observational studies for comparative effectiveness research may increase rather than decrease the cost of health care and may harm patients.

Observations of GAIA-identified Cataclysmic Variables Using the TUBITAK National Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esenoglu, Hasan H.; Kirbiyik, Halil; Kaynar, Suleyman; Okuyan, Oguzhan; Hamitoglu, Irek; Galeev, Almaz; Uluc, Kadir; Kocak, Murat; Kilic, Sila E.; Parmaksizoglu, Murat; Erece, Orhan; Ozisik, Tuncay; Gulsecen, Hulusi

2016-07-01

TUBITAK National Observatory supports the GAIA alerts with observations using three telescopes (RTT150, T100, T60) at the site with a limited time quota. We have observed 10 variable stars among GAIA sources discovered in the years 2014-2016 that may be candidate Cataclysmic Variables (CVs). Our TUG observations at this stage involve photometry and spectroscopy to aid the identification of these sources. The first preliminary result of our observations of Gaia14aat among them showed a dwarf nova outburst with an amplitude of 2.69 mag. We aim to construct a GAIA astrophysics group to study CVs along with supported studies using the SRG (Spectrum Roentgen Gamma astrophysical observatory) after the year of 2016. These observations will basically involve spectroscopy, narrow-band CCD imaging and photometry using several filters to aid the identification of these sources. RTT150 observations with very narrow filters (like H-alpha, SII, OIII with band width of range of 2 to 5 nm) will reveal whether shell around the SRG sources to aid identification novae among them.

Empathy and involvement in bullying in children and adolescents: a systematic review.

PubMed

van Noorden, Tirza H J; Haselager, Gerbert J T; Cillessen, Antonius H N; Bukowski, William M

2015-03-01

Based on the premise that bullies are deficient in empathy or even lack it completely, bullying prevention and intervention programs often include empathy training. These programs are not always as effective as they aim to be, which may be caused by a failure to acknowledge the multidimensional nature of empathy as well as its complex association with involvement in bullying. To provide a clear overview of the research on the association between empathy and involvement in bullying, this article systematically reviews 40 studies on the association of cognitive empathy (24 studies) and affective empathy (38 studies) with four categories of involvement in bullying: bullying, victimization, defending, and bystanding. The results showed that bullying was negatively associated with cognitive and-in particular-affective empathy. Victimization was negatively associated with cognitive empathy but not with affective empathy. Defending was consistently positively associated with both types of empathy. Contradictory findings were observed in bystanding, with studies reporting both negative and positive associations with cognitive empathy, and studies reporting negative and no associations with affective empathy. Together, the findings stress the importance of the distinction between cognitive and affective empathy in involvement in bullying and suggest different intervention strategies for the four types of involvement in bullying.

Malignant transformation of actinic cheilitis: A systematic review of observational studies.

PubMed

Dancyger, Alex; Heard, Victoria; Huang, Baikai; Suley, Cameron; Tang, Dorothy; Ariyawardana, Anura

2018-06-04

The aim of the present systematic review was to determine the malignant transformation rate of actinic cheilitis (AC). A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Medline/PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, OvidSP, and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria comprised of observational human studies involving the malignant transformation of AC and publications in English. Studies included in this review were clinical follow-up, cohort, retrospective, or prospective investigations. The search yielded 1126 articles, and after exclusion, 34 full-text articles were eligible for full-text analysis. Only one article met the inclusion criteria. Based on the included article, it was determined that the malignant transformation rate of AC to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was 3.07%. Excluded articles focused on the clinicopathological characteristics and treatment efficacies of AC, and no malignant transformation rate was assessed. There is a need for more clinical studies on the malignant transformation of AC, as lip cancer is a public health concern. High-risk populations, including those living in tropical regions, have excessive exposure to UV radiation, and have older aged males, fair-skinned people, and smokers should be identified to prevent AC and its malignant change. Health practitioners should facilitate early intervention to prevent the progression of AC to SCC of the lip. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Social Mimicry Enhances Mu-Suppression During Action Observation.

PubMed

Hogeveen, Jeremy; Chartrand, Tanya L; Obhi, Sukhvinder S

2015-08-01

During social interactions, there is a tendency for people to mimic the gestures and mannerisms of others, which increases liking and rapport. Psychologists have extensively studied the antecedents and consequences of mimicry at the social level, but the neural basis of this behavior remains unclear. Many researchers have speculated that mimicry is related to activity in the human mirror system (HMS), a network of parietofrontal regions that are involved in both action execution and observation. However, activity of the HMS during reciprocal social interactions involving mimicry has not been demonstrated. Here, we took an electroencephalographic (EEG) index of mirror activity-mu-suppression during action observation-in a pretest/post-test design with 1 of 3 intervening treatments: 1) social interaction in which the participant was mimicked, 2) social interaction without mimicry, or 3) an innocuous computer task, not involving another human agent. The change in mu-suppression from pre- to post-test varied as a function of the intervening treatment, with participants who had been mimicked showing an increase in mu-suppression during the post-treatment action observation session. We propose that this specific modulation of HMS activity as a function of mimicry constitutes the first direct evidence for mirror system involvement in real social mimicry. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An Observational Study of Antibiotic Prescribing Behavior and the Hawthorne Effect

PubMed Central

Mangione-Smith, Rita; Elliott, Marc N; McDonald, Laurie; McGlynn, Elizabeth A

2002-01-01

Objectives To assess whether prospective, observational study procedures, including questionnaires and audio recording, are associated with different patterns of physician diagnostic decision making and antibiotic prescribing. Data Sources/Setting (1) Survey data from a prospective observational study of treatment patterns for children with acute upper respiratory illnesses (10/96–3/97) and (2) retrospective medical record abstraction data of nonobserved encounters for the same problems occurring during (10/96–3/97) and one year after (10/97–3/98) the observational study period. Ten pediatricians in two community practices were studied. Study Design Patterns of diagnoses recorded in the medical record and antibiotics ordered for visits occurring outside of the observational study (same time period and one year later) were compared with the pattern of diagnoses and antibiotics ordered during the observational study. Data Collection/Extraction Methods For the observational study (10/96–2/97), diagnosis and treatment choices were obtained from questionnaires completed by physicians immediately following the visit. For the nonstudy encounters (10/96–3/97 and 10/97–3/98), data were abstracted from medical records one year after the observational study was completed. Principal Findings The proportion of viral cases in which an antibiotic was prescribed was 29 percentage points lower for the observational study compared to the retrospective analysis (p <.05). In one of two study sites, the proportion of cases assigned a bacterial diagnosis was 29 percentage points lower in the observational study period compared to the retrospective study (p <.05). Conclusions Observational study procedures including questionnaires and audio recording can affect antibiotic prescribing behavior. Future observational studies aimed at examining the frequency of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing should measure and adjust for the Hawthorne effect; without such adjustments, the

Lower Risk of Death With SGLT2 Inhibitors in Observational Studies: Real or Bias?

PubMed

Suissa, Samy

2018-01-01

Two recent observational studies reported a remarkably lower rate of all-cause death associated with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (-SGLT2i) use in all patients with type 2 diabetes and not only those at increased cardiovascular risk. The >50% lower mortality rates reported in these studies are much greater than those found in the BI 10773 (Empagliflozin) Cardiovascular Outcome Event Trial in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients (EMPA-REG OUTCOME) and CANagliflozin cardioVascular Assessment Study (CANVAS) randomized trials. We show that these observational studies are affected by time-related biases, including immortal time bias and time-lag bias, which tend to exaggerate the benefits observed with a drug. The Comparative Effectiveness of Cardiovascular Outcomes in New Users of SGLT-2 Inhibitors (CVD-REAL) study, based on 166,033 users of SGLT2i and 1,226,221 users of other glucose-lowering drugs (oGLD) identified from health care databases of six countries, was affected by immortal time bias. Indeed, the immortal time between the first oGLD prescription and the first SGLT2i prescription was omitted from the analysis, which resulted in increasing the rate of death in the oGLD group and thus producing the appearance of a lower risk of death with SGLT2i use. The Swedish study compared 10,879 SGLT2i/dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor (DPP-4i) users with 10,879 matched insulin users. Such comparisons involving second-line therapies with a third-line therapy can introduce time-lag bias, as the patients may not be at the same stage of diabetes. This bias is compounded by the fact that the users of insulin had already started their insulin before cohort entry, unlike the new users of SGLT2i. Finally, the study also introduces immortal time bias with respect to the effects of SGLT2i relative to DPP-4i. In conclusion, the >50% lower rate of death with SGLT2i in type 2 diabetes reported by two recent observational studies is likely exaggerated by immortal time and time

Usefulness of Positron Emission Tomography in Patients with Syphilis: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies.

PubMed

Chen, Jian-Hua; Zheng, Xin; Liu, Xiu-Qin

2017-05-05

Diagnosis of syphilis is difficult. Follow-up and therapy evaluation of syphilitic patients are poor. Little is known about positron emission tomography (PET) in syphilis. This review was to systematically review usefulness of PET for diagnosis, disease extent evaluation, follow-up, and treatment response assessment in patients with syphilis. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and three Chinese databases (SinoMed, Wanfang, and CNKI) for English and Chinese language articles from inception to September 2016. We also collected potentially relevant studies and reviews using a manual search. The search keywords included the combined text and MeSH terms "syphilis" and "positron emission tomography". We included studies that reporting syphilis with a PET scan before and/or after antibiotic treatment. The diagnosis of syphilis was based on serological criteria or dark field microscopy. Outcomes include pre- and post-treatment PET scan, pre- and post-treatment computed tomography, and pre- and post-treatment magnetic resonance imaging. We excluded the articles not published in English or Chinese or not involving humans. Of 258 identified articles, 34 observational studies were included. Thirty-three studies were single-patient case reports and one study was a small case series. All patients were adults. The mean age of patients was 48.3 ± 12.1 years. In primary syphilis, increased fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) accumulation could be seen at the site of inoculation or in the regional lymph nodes. In secondary syphilis with lung, bone, gastrointestinal involvement, or generalized lymphadenopathy, increased FDG uptake was the most commonly detected changes. In tertiary syphilis, increased glucose metabolic activity, hypometabolic lesions, or normal glucose uptake might be seen on PET. There were five types of PET scans in neurosyphilis. A repeated PET scan after treatment revealed apparent or complete resolution of the

A roadside study of observable driver distractions.

PubMed

Sullman, Mark J M; Prat, Francesc; Tasci, Duygu Kuzu

2015-01-01

This study investigated the prevalence of observable distractions while driving and the effect of drivers' characteristics and time-related variables on their prevalence. Using roadside observation, 2 independent observers collected data at 4 randomly selected locations in St. Albans, UK. Of the 10,984 drivers observed, 16.8% were engaged in a secondary task, with talking to passengers being the most common distraction (8.8%), followed by smoking (1.9%) and talking on a hands-free mobile phone (1.7%). An additional 1.0% were observed talking on a handheld phone, and the rest of the distractions (e.g., texting, drinking) were recorded in less than 1% of the drivers observed. Gender-related differences were found for a number of different distractions (i.e., talking to passengers, drinking, and handheld mobile phone conversations), but age emerged as a significant predictor for most secondary tasks, including talking to passengers, smoking, hands-free mobile phone use, handheld mobile phone use, texting/keying numbers, drinking, and engagement in any type of distraction (all distractions combined). The overall pattern for age was that middle-aged and older drivers were less likely to be distracted than younger drivers. This work provides further evidence of the relatively high rate of distracted driving in the UK. The findings clearly indicate that younger drivers are more likely to drive distracted, which probably contributes to their higher crash rates.

Observational studies of the association between glucose-lowering medications and cardiovascular outcomes: addressing methodological limitations.

PubMed

Patorno, Elisabetta; Patrick, Amanda R; Garry, Elizabeth M; Schneeweiss, Sebastian; Gillet, Victoria G; Bartels, Dorothee B; Masso-Gonzalez, Elvira; Seeger, John D

2014-11-01

Recent years have witnessed a growing body of observational literature on the association between glucose-lowering treatments and cardiovascular disease. However, many of the studies are based on designs or analyses that inadequately address the methodological challenges involved. We reviewed recent observational literature on the association between glucose-lowering medications and cardiovascular outcomes and assessed the design and analysis methods used, with a focus on their ability to address specific methodological challenges. We describe and illustrate these methodological issues and their impact on observed associations, providing examples from the reviewed literature. We suggest approaches that may be employed to manage these methodological challenges. From the evaluation of 81 publications of observational investigations assessing the association between glucose-lowering treatments and cardiovascular outcomes, we identified the following methodological challenges: 1) handling of temporality in administrative databases; 2) handling of risks that vary with time and treatment duration; 3) definitions of the exposure risk window; 4) handling of exposures that change over time; and 5) handling of confounding by indication. Most of these methodological challenges may be suitably addressed through application of appropriate methods. Observational research plays an increasingly important role in the evaluation of the clinical effects of diabetes treatment. Implementation of appropriate research methods holds the promise of reducing the potential for spurious findings and the risk that the spurious findings will mislead the medical community about risks and benefits of diabetes medications.

An Observational Study of Skilled Memory in Waitresses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Joy

A two-phase study about skilled memory as it is used by waitresses included a participant-observer phase and an observational phase. Participants were three experienced waitresses who had worked at a midtown Manhattan restaurant for 14, 7, and 3 years respectively and a team of 5 confederate customers. Waitresses and customers wore microphones.…

The NOAA Satellite Observing System Architecture Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volz, Stephen; Maier, Mark; Di Pietro, David

2016-01-01

NOAA is beginning a study, the NOAA Satellite Observing System Architecture (NSOSA) study, to plan for the future operational environmental satellite system that will follow GOES and JPSS, beginning about 2030. This is an opportunity to design a modern architecture with no pre-conceived notions regarding instruments, platforms, orbits, etc. The NSOSA study will develop and evaluate architecture alternatives to include partner and commercial alternatives that are likely to become available. The objectives will include both functional needs and strategic characteristics (e.g., flexibility, responsiveness, sustainability). Part of this study is the Space Platform Requirements Working Group (SPRWG), which is being commissioned by NESDIS. The SPRWG is charged to assess new or existing user needs and to provide relative priorities for observational needs in the context of the future architecture. SPRWG results will serve as input to the process for new foundational (Level 0 and Level 1) requirements for the next generation of NOAA satellites that follow the GOES-R, JPSS, DSCOVR, Jason-3, and COSMIC-2 missions.

[Hodgkin's disease with esophageal involvement].

PubMed

Njeh, M; Yengui, N; Tahri, N; Kchaou, M; Sellami, A; Jlidi, R; Krichen, M S

2000-10-01

Esophageal involvement in Hodgkin's disease, commonly known as a belated localization of the advanced forms, has been seldom reported (3 to 5% in post-mortem series and 0.7% in clinical series). We report the case of a 61-year-old man who had an esophagus localization revealing Hodgkin's disease stage IV EBb of Ann Arbor classification. The originality of this case was represented by: the revelation mode of the esophageal involvement such as dysphagia and upper gastrointestinal bleeding; the localization at the distal third of the esophagus with contiguous involvement of the gastric fundus; the absence of mediastinal nodes showing the primitive character of the esophageal injury. This observation incites us to consider Hodgkin's disease in the list of differential diagnoses of tumoral dysphagia, even if there was no ganglionic and/or visceral localization of the disease.

An observational and modeling study of the August 2017 Florida climate extreme event.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konduru, R.; Singh, V.; Routray, A.

2017-12-01

A special report on the climate extremes by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) elucidates that the sole cause of disasters is due to the exposure and vulnerability of the human and natural system to the climate extremes. The cause of such a climate extreme could be anthropogenic or non-anthropogenic. Therefore, it is challenging to discern the critical factor of influence for a particular climate extreme. Such kind of perceptive study with reasonable confidence on climate extreme events is possible only if there exist any past case studies. A similar rarest climate extreme problem encountered in the case of Houston floods and extreme rainfall over Florida in August 2017. A continuum of hurricanes like Harvey and Irma targeted the Florida region and caused catastrophe. Due to the rarity of August 2017 Florida climate extreme event, it requires the in-depth study on this case. To understand the multi-faceted nature of the event, a study on the development of the Harvey hurricane and its progression and dynamics is significant. Current article focus on the observational and modeling study on the Harvey hurricane. A global model named as NCUM (The global UK Met office Unified Model (UM) operational at National Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, India, was utilized to simulate the Harvey hurricane. The simulated rainfall and wind fields were compared with the observational datasets like Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission rainfall datasets and Era-Interim wind fields. The National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) automated tracking system was utilized to track the Harvey hurricane, and the tracks were analyzed statistically for different forecasts concerning the Harvey hurricane track of Joint Typhon Warning Centre. Further, the current study will be continued to investigate the atmospheric processes involved in the August 2017 Florida climate extreme event.

Job Involvement and Organizational Commitment of Employees of Prehospital Emergency Medical System

PubMed Central

Rahati, Alireza; Sotudeh-Arani, Hossein; Adib-Hajbaghery, Mohsen; Rostami, Majid

2015-01-01

Background: Several studies are available on organizational commitment of employees in different organizations. However, the organizational commitment and job involvement of the employees in the prehospital emergency medical system (PEMS) of Iran have largely been ignored. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the organizational commitment and job involvement of the employees of PEMS and the relationship between these two issues. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 employees of Kashan PEMS who were selected through a census method in 2014. A 3-part instrument was used in this study, including a demographic questionnaire, the Allen and Miller’s organizational commitment inventory, and the Lodahl and Kejner’s job involvement inventory. We used descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation coefficient, Kruskal-Wallis, Friedman, analysis of variance, and Tukey post hoc tests to analyze the data. Results: The mean job involvement and organizational commitment scores were 61.78 ± 10.69 and 73.89 ± 13.58, respectively. The mean scores of job involvement and organizational commitment were significantly different in subjects with different work experiences (P = 0.043 and P = 0.012, respectively). However, no significant differences were observed between the mean scores of organizational commitment and job involvement in subjects with different fields of study, different levels of interest in the profession, and various educational levels. A direct significant correlation was found between the total scores of organizational commitment and job involvement of workers in Kashan PEMS (r = 0.910, P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study showed that the employees in the Kashan PEMS obtained half of the score of organizational commitment and about two-thirds of the job involvement score. Therefore, the higher level managers of the emergency medical system are advised to implement some strategies to increase the employees’ job involvement

Job Involvement and Organizational Commitment of Employees of Prehospital Emergency Medical System.

PubMed

Rahati, Alireza; Sotudeh-Arani, Hossein; Adib-Hajbaghery, Mohsen; Rostami, Majid

2015-12-01

Several studies are available on organizational commitment of employees in different organizations. However, the organizational commitment and job involvement of the employees in the prehospital emergency medical system (PEMS) of Iran have largely been ignored. This study aimed to investigate the organizational commitment and job involvement of the employees of PEMS and the relationship between these two issues. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 employees of Kashan PEMS who were selected through a census method in 2014. A 3-part instrument was used in this study, including a demographic questionnaire, the Allen and Miller's organizational commitment inventory, and the Lodahl and Kejner's job involvement inventory. We used descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation coefficient, Kruskal-Wallis, Friedman, analysis of variance, and Tukey post hoc tests to analyze the data. The mean job involvement and organizational commitment scores were 61.78 ± 10.69 and 73.89 ± 13.58, respectively. The mean scores of job involvement and organizational commitment were significantly different in subjects with different work experiences (P = 0.043 and P = 0.012, respectively). However, no significant differences were observed between the mean scores of organizational commitment and job involvement in subjects with different fields of study, different levels of interest in the profession, and various educational levels. A direct significant correlation was found between the total scores of organizational commitment and job involvement of workers in Kashan PEMS (r = 0.910, P < 0.001). This study showed that the employees in the Kashan PEMS obtained half of the score of organizational commitment and about two-thirds of the job involvement score. Therefore, the higher level managers of the emergency medical system are advised to implement some strategies to increase the employees' job involvement and organizational commitment.

Political Involvement. Community Involvement/Career Education: An Experience-based Social Studies Program, Volume III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyle, James; And Others

This collection of materials and ideas is designed for the high school student who wants to try to influence society. The guide provides background information and descriptions of experience-based learning activities for use by students as they explore political involvement opportunities in their communities. The purposes of the materials are to…

[Prognostic influence of cutaneous involvement in malignant tumors of the oral cavity].

PubMed

Tankéré, F; Camproux, A; Barry, B; Guedon, C; Depondt, J; Gehanno, P

2000-03-01

The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic influence of cutaneous involvement in T4 squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. The population was a homogeneous group of 137 patients. Cutaneous tumor localizations were observed in 20 of them. Surgery and radiotherapy were given in 103 cases and salvage surgery was performed in 34. Local control at 5 years was achieved in 68.5 % of the patients. Carcinologic failure rate was 55 % and 27.3 % in patients with and without cutaneous involvement respectively (p =0. 013). 5-year survivor rate was also correlated with cutaneous involvement: 10 % versus 32.2 % (p <0.0001).

Completing the third person's perspective on patients' involvement in medical decision-making: approaching the full picture.

PubMed

Kasper, Jürgen; Hoffmann, Frauke; Heesen, Christoph; Köpke, Sascha; Geiger, Friedemann

2012-01-01

Shared decision making is based on the idea of cooperation and partnership between patients and doctors. In this concept both parties may initiate and perform specific decision-making steps. However, the common observation-based instruments focus solely on doctors' behaviour. Content and quality of information provided to involve patients in medical decisions are hardly considered in evaluation of SDM. This study investigates the advantages of a revised observer inventory taking into account these aspects. Based on the OPTION scale, a more comprehensive observation-based inventory was developed, additionally considering both the patient-sided indicators for patient involvement and the criteria of evidence-based patient information. The inventory comprises three scales (doctor, patient, doctor-patient dyad) and 15 indicators each. Rater training and re-analyses of 76 consultations previously analysed using the OPTION scale were conducted. Convergent validities were calculated between the observer-based scales and the patients' ratings on the Shared Decision Making Questionnaire, the Decisional Conflict Scale and the Control Preference Scale. Interrater reliabilities of the revised scales were high (r=.87 to .74) and even higher when only the dyadic perspective was coded (.86). The revised inventory provided additional information on the involvement taking place. No substantive correlations were found between observation-based and patients' subjective judgments. The observers' perspective on patient involvement needs to consider patient activities. Inconsistencies of patients' and observers' judgements concerning patient participation need further investigation. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Prevalence and patterns of neurological involvement in Behcet's disease: a prospective study from Iraq

PubMed Central

Al-Araji, A; Sharquie, K; Al-Rawi, Z

2003-01-01

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of neurological involvement in Behcet's disease in a prospective study, and to describe the clinical patterns of neurological presentation in this disease in patients attending a multidisciplinary clinic in Baghdad. Methods: All patients attending the clinic who fulfilled the international study group criteria for the diagnosis of Behcet's disease were studied during a two year period starting in April 1999. Patients were assessed neurologically by a neuro-Behcetologist. All those with clinical neurological manifestations were sent for CSF examination, cranial magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance venography and were followed up to explore the patterns of neurological relapse. Results: 140 patients with Behcet's disease were studied. Their mean age was 34.2 years (range 16 to 66); 105 (75%) were men and 35 (25%) were women. The mean duration of the disease was 4.2 years (range 0.4 to 26). Twenty patients (14%) had neurological involvement (neuro-Behcet's disease); 14 of these (70%) were men and six (30%) women. The mean age at the first neurological presentation was 34.1 years. The mean duration of follow up of patients with neuro-Behcet's disease was 20.7 months. Ten patients with neuro-Behcet's disease (50%) presented with parenchymal CNS involvement, six (30%) with intracranial hypertension, and four (20%) with a mixed pattern of both parenchymal CNS involvement and intracranial hypertension. Conclusions: Careful neurological assessment of patients with Behcet's disease may show a relatively high prevalence of neuro-Behcet features, and though the clinical patterns of presentation are characteristic a mixed pattern may occur. PMID:12700303

Safety and Health Hazard Observations in Hmong Farming Operations

PubMed Central

Neitzel, R. L.; Krenz, J.; de Castro, A. B.

2014-01-01

Agricultural workers have a high risk of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. However, there are very few standardized tools available to assess safety and health in agricultural operations. Additionally, there are a number of groups of agricultural workers, including Hmong refugees and immigrants, for which virtually no information on safety and health conditions is available. This study developed an observation-based methodology for systematically evaluating occupational health and safety hazards in agriculture, and pilot-tested this on several small-scale Hmong farming operations. Each observation assessed of range of safety and health hazards (e.g., musculoskeletal hazards, dust and pollen, noise, and mechanical hazards), as well as on factors such as type of work area, presence of personal protective equipment, and weather conditions. Thirty-six observations were collected on nine farms. The most common hazards observed were bending at the back and lifting <50 pounds. Use of sharp tools without adequate guarding mechanisms, awkward postures, repetitive hand motions, and lifting >50 pounds were also common. The farming activities observed involved almost no power equipment, and no pesticide or chemical handling was observed. The use of personal protective equipment was uncommon. The results of this assessment agreed well with a parallel study of perceived safety and health hazards among Hmong agricultural workers. This study suggests that small-scale Hmong farming operations involve a variety of hazards, and that occupational health interventions may be warranted in this community. The study also demonstrates the utility of standardized assessment tools and mixed-method approaches to hazard evaluation. PMID:24911689

A study of general aviation accidents involving children in 2011.

PubMed

Poland, Kristin M; Marshall, Nora M

2014-08-01

General aviation accidents involving children are rare, but when they do happen, little is known about the children involved, including their age, restraint status, and injuries. This lack of information is due to the fact that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) did not always collect detailed data about passengers involved in accidents. Consequently, in 2011, NTSB investigators collected detailed information on children involved in general aviation accidents and this report provides a summary of the outcomes. During 2011, 19 general aviation accidents and incidents included 39 children who were 14 yr old and younger. In total, 26 children sustained fatal injuries, 2 sustained serious injuries, 5 sustained minor injuries, and 6 sustained no injuries. All of the children less than 2 yr old were restrained in a child restraint system and sustained no injuries in the accidents. At least one 4-yr-old child would have benefited from being restrained in a child restraint system. In addition, in two accidents, it was determined that children were likely sharing a single seat belt. This year-long data collection regarding children involved in general aviation accidents provided substantial information concerning age, restraint status, and injuries. In response to issues identified, the NTSB made improvements to its aviation data management system to routinely collect this information for future investigations and enable subsequent evaluation of the data regarding child passengers involved in general aviation accidents over the long term.

Classroom Climate, Parental Educational Involvement, and Student School Functioning in Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan Toren, Nurit; Seginer, Rachel

2015-01-01

In this 2-year longitudinal study, we examine the effects of perceived classroom climate and two aspects of parental educational involvement (home-based and school-based) on junior high school students' self-evaluation and academic achievement. Our main hypothesis was that perceived parental educational involvement mediates students' perceived…

The insula is not specifically involved in disgust processing: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Schienle, A; Stark, R; Walter, B; Blecker, C; Ott, U; Kirsch, P; Sammer, G; Vaitl, D

2002-11-15

fMRI studies have shown that the perception of facial disgust expressions specifically activates the insula. The present fMRI study investigated whether this structure is also involved in the processing of visual stimuli depicting non-mimic disgust elicitors compared to fear-inducing and neutral scenes. Twelve female subjects were scanned while viewing alternating blocks of 40 disgust-inducing, 40 fear-inducing and 40 affectively neutral pictures, shown for 1.5 s each. Afterwards, affective ratings were assessed. The disgust pictures, rated as highly repulsive, induced activation in the insula, the amygdala, the orbitofrontal and occipito-temporal cortex. Since during the fear condition the insula was also involved, our findings do not fit the idea of the insula as a specific disgust processor.

The advances in airglow study and observation by the ground-based airglow observation network over China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jiyao; Li, Qinzeng; Yuan, Wei; Liu, Xiao; Liu, Weijun; Sun, Longchang

2017-04-01

Ground-based airglow observation networks over China used to study airglow have been established, which contains 15 stations. Some new results were obtained using the networks. For OH airglow observations, firstly, an unusual outbreak of Concentric Gravity Wave (CGW) events were observed by the first no-gap network nearly every night during the first half of August 2013. Combination of the ground imager network with satellites provides multilevel observations of the CGWs from the troposphere to the mesopause region. Secondly, three-year OH airglow images (2012-2014) from Qujing (25.6°N, 103.7°E) were used to study how orographic features of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) affect the geographical distributions of gravity wave (GW) sources. We find the orographic forcings have a significant impact on the gravity wave propagation features. Thirdly, ground-based observations of the OH (9-4, 8-3, 6-2, 5-1, 3-0) band airglow over Xinglong (40°2N, 117°4E) in northern China from 2012 to 2014 are used to calculate rotational temperatures. By comparing the ground-based OH rotational temperature with SABER's observations, five Einstein coefficient datasets are evaluated. We find rotational temperatures determined using any of the available Einstein coefficient datasets have systematic errors. We have obtained a set of optimal Einstein coefficients ratios for rotational temperature derivation using three years data from ground-based OH spectra and SABER temperatures. For the OI 630.0 nm airglow observations, we used three-year (2011-2013) observations of thermospheric winds (at 250 km) by Fabry-Perot interferometers at Xinglong to study the climatology of atmospheric planetary wave-type oscillations (PWTOs) with periods of 4-19 days. We found these PWTOs occur more frequently in the months from May to October. They are consistent with the summertime preference of middle-latitude ionospheric electron density oscillations noted in other studies. By using an all-sky airglow imager

Magnetic resonance features of the feline hippocampus in epileptic and non-epileptic cats: a blinded, retrospective, multi-observer study.

PubMed

Claßen, Anne Christine; Kneissl, Sibylle; Lang, Johann; Tichy, Alexander; Pakozdy, Akos

2016-08-11

Hippocampal necrosis in cats has been reported to be associated with epileptic seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of temporal lobe (TL) abnormalities in epileptic cats have been described but MR images from epileptic and non-epileptic individuals have not yet been systematically compared. TL abnormalities are highly variable in shape, size and signal, and therefore may lead to varying evaluations by different specialists. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were differences in the appearance of the TL between epileptic and non-epileptic cats, and whether there were any relationships between TL abnormalities and seizure semiologies or other clinical findings. We also investigated interobserver agreement among three specialists. The MR images of 46 cats were reviewed independently by three observers, who were blinded to patient data, examination findings and the review of the other observers. Images were evaluated using a multiparametric scoring system developed for this study. Mann-Whitney U-tests and chi-square were used to analyse the differences between observers' evaluations. The kappa coefficient (k) and Fleiss' kappa coefficient were used to quantify interobserver agreement. The overall interobserver agreement was moderate to good (k =0.405 to 0.615). The MR scores between epileptic and non-epileptic cats did not differ significantly. However, there was a significant difference between the MR scores of epileptic cats with and without orofacial involvement according to all three observers. Likewise, MR scores of cats with cluster seizures were higher than those of cats without clusters. Cats presenting with recurrent epileptic seizures with orofacial involvement are more likely to have hippocampal pathologies, which suggests that TL abnormalities are not merely unspecific epileptic findings, but are associated with a certain type of epilepsy. TL signal alterations are more likely to be detected on FLAIR sequences. In contrast

43 CFR 404.35 - Is there a different non-Federal cost-share requirement for feasibility studies that involve a...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...-share requirement for feasibility studies that involve a community greater than 50,000 inhabitants? 404... non-Federal cost-share requirement for feasibility studies that involve a community greater than 50,000 inhabitants? Yes. If the feasibility study involves a rural water supply system that will serve a...

Complications of local anaesthesia. An observational study.

PubMed

Brand, H S; Bekker, W; Baart, J A

2009-11-01

Local anaesthesia is increasingly used by dental hygienists. As little is known about the incidence of adverse effects during and after the administration of local anaesthetics, we evaluated side-effects associated with local anaesthesia. A prospective observational study was conducted using standard criteria among a group of 103 patients receiving mandibular block anaesthesia. Physical reactions like clenching fists (14.5%), moaning (12.6%) and turning pale (7.8%) were frequently observed. Patients (3.8%) showed a painful reaction because of needle contact with a nerve or the periosteum. Systemic complications were not observed. After the injection, 41.7% said they felt tense during the administration; 4.9% of the patients reported swallowing problems and 3.9% a tachycardia. These results suggest that administration of local anaesthesia has a small risk of adverse events. Complications, if they occur, seem minor and transient in nature.

Collaborative Behavioral Management for Drug-Involved Parolees: Rationale and Design of the Step'n Out Study

PubMed Central

FRIEDMANN, PETER D.; KATZ, ELIZABETH C.; RHODES, ANNE G.; TAXMAN, FAYE S.; O'CONNELL, DANIEL J.; FRISMAN, LINDA K.; BURDON, WILLIAM M.; FLETCHER, BENNETT W.; LITT, MARK D.; CLARKE, JENNIFER; MARTIN, STEVEN S.

2009-01-01

This article describes the rationale, study design, and implementation for the Step'n Out study of the Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies. Step'n Out tests the relative effectiveness of collaborative behavioral management of drug-involved parolees. Collaborative behavioral management integrates the roles of parole officers and treatment counselors to provide role induction counseling, contract for pro-social behavior, and deliver contingent reinforcement of behaviors consistent with treatment objectives. The Step'n Out study will randomize 450 drug-involved parolees to collaborative behavioral management or usual parole. Follow-up at 3-and 9-months will assess primary outcomes of rearrest, crime and drug use. If collaborative behavioral management is effective, its wider adoption could improve the outcomes of community reentry of drug-involved ex-offenders. PMID:19809591

Consumption of fruits and vegetables and risk of renal cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Zhang, Shaojing; Jia, Zhankui; Yan, Zechen; Yang, Jinjian

2017-04-25

There have been inconsistent results about the association between consumption of fruits and vegetables and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) risk. We conducted a meta-analysis of the published observational studies to explore this association. Nineteen observational studies (4 cohort, 1 pooled and 14 case-control studies), involving 10,215 subjects with RCC were part of this meta-analysis. The SRR for the highest vs. the lowest intake of vegetables was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.63-0.85; Pheterogeneity = 0.004, I2 = 53.5%), whereas for fruits it was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.75-0.98; Pheterogeneity = 0.012, I2 = 47.4%). Linear dose-response analysis also showed similar results, e.g., for per 1 serving/day increment of vegetables, the SRR was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.84-0.96) and for fruits it was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.93-1.01). Nonlinear association was only observed for vegetables (Pnonlinearity = 0.001), but not for fruits (Pnonlinearity = 0.221). Eligible studies up to August 31, 2016 were identified and retrieved by searching MEDLINE and EMBASE databases along with manual review of the reference list from the retrieved studies. Quality of included studies was evaluated using Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). Random-effects model was used to calculate summary relative risk (SRR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). This meta-analysis indicated a protective effect of consumption of vegetables and fruits on RCC risk. Further studies are warranted with prospective designs that use validated questionnaires and control for important confounders.

In-Hospital Recruitment to Observational Studies of Stroke

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pickering, Ruth M.; Kunkel, Dorit; Fitton, Carolyn; Ashburn, Ann; Jenkinson, Damian

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine recruitment in three observational follow-up studies of patients with stroke, focusing on reasons for nonparticipation and the role of potential factors in explaining recruitment rates. It comprised secondary analysis of the three studies. Recruitment rates varied between the studies. Between 10 and 50%…

The involvement of audio-motor coupling in the music-supported therapy applied to stroke patients.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Fornells, Antoni; Rojo, Nuria; Amengual, Julià L; Ripollés, Pablo; Altenmüller, Eckart; Münte, Thomas F

2012-04-01

Music-supported therapy (MST) has been developed recently to improve the use of the affected upper extremity after stroke. MST uses musical instruments, an electronic piano and an electronic drum set emitting piano sounds, to retrain fine and gross movements of the paretic upper extremity. In this paper, we first describe the rationale underlying MST, and we review the previous studies conducted on acute and chronic stroke patients using this new neurorehabilitation approach. Second, we address the neural mechanisms involved in the motor movement improvements observed in acute and chronic stroke patients. Third, we provide some recent studies on the involvement of auditory-motor coupling in the MST in chronic stroke patients using functional neuroimaging. Finally, these ideas are discussed and focused on understanding the dynamics involved in the neural circuit underlying audio-motor coupling and how functional connectivity could help to explain the neuroplastic changes observed after therapy in stroke patients. © 2012 New York Academy of Sciences.

Reliability and validity of the Pragmatics Observational Measure (POM): a new observational measure of pragmatic language for children.

PubMed

Cordier, Reinie; Munro, Natalie; Wilkes-Gillan, Sarah; Speyer, Renée; Pearce, Wendy M

2014-07-01

There is a need for a reliable and valid assessment of childhood pragmatic language skills during peer-peer interactions. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of a newly developed pragmatic assessment, the Pragmatic Observational Measure (POM). The psychometric properties of the POM were investigated from observational data of two studies - study 1 involved 342 children aged 5-11 years (108 children with ADHD; 108 typically developing playmates; 126 children in the control group), and study 2 involved 9 children with ADHD who attended a 7-week play-based intervention. The psychometric properties of the POM were determined based on the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) taxonomy of psychometric properties and definitions for health-related outcomes; the Pragmatic Protocol was used as the reference tool against which the POM was evaluated. The POM demonstrated sound psychometric properties in all the reliability, validity and interpretability criteria against which it was assessed. The findings showed that the POM is a reliable and valid measure of pragmatic language skills of children with ADHD between the age of 5 and 11 years and has clinical utility in identifying children with pragmatic language difficulty. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Resuscitative Hyperkalemia in Noncrush Trauma: A Prospective, Observational Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

Resuscitative Hyperkalemia in Noncrush Trauma: A Prospective, Observational Study Robert M. Perkins,*† Matthew C. Aboudara,* Kevin C. Abbott,*† and...Surgical Research, San Antonio, Texas The trauma patient is exposed to physiologic processes and life-saving interventions that predispose to hyperkalemia ...in the care of the massively traumatized patient may or may not increase the risk for hyperkalemia . This prospective, observational study was

Tire pressure special study : vehicle observation data

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-08-01

Twenty seven percent of passenger cars with : regular passenger car tires have at least one : tire that is underinflated by 8 psi or more. : Tire Pressure Special Study: Vehicle : Observation Data is the third in a series of : research notes co...

Interprofessional communication supporting clinical handover in emergency departments: An observation study.

PubMed

Redley, Bernice; Botti, Mari; Wood, Beverley; Bucknall, Tracey

2017-08-01

Poor interprofessional communication poses a risk to patient safety at change-of-shift in emergency departments (EDs). The purpose of this study was to identify and describe patterns and processes of interprofessional communication impacting quality of ED change-of-shift handovers. Observation of 66 change-of-shift handovers at two acute hospital EDs in Victoria, Australia. Focus groups with 34 nurse participants complemented the observations. Qualitative data analysis involved content and thematic methods. Four structural components of ED handover processes emerged represented by (ABCD): (1) Antecedents; (2) Behaviours and interactions; (3) Content; and (4) Delegation of ongoing care. Infrequent and ad hoc interprofessional communication and discipline-specific handover content and processes emerged as specific risks to patient safety at change-of-shift handovers. Three themes related to risky and effective practices to support interprofessional communications across the four stages of ED handovers emerged: 1) standard processes and practices, 2) teamwork and interactions and 3) communication activities and practices. Unreliable interprofessional communication can impact the quality of change-of-shift handovers in EDs and poses risk to patient safety. Structured reflective analysis of existing practices can identify opportunities for standardisation, enhanced team practices and effective communication across four stages of the handover process to support clinicians to enhance local handover practices. Future research should test and refine models to support analysis of practice, and identify and test strategies to enhance ED interprofessional communication to support clinical handovers. Copyright © 2017 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Longitudinal Process of Early Parent Involvement on Student Achievement: A Path Analysis

PubMed Central

Hayakawa, Momoko; Englund, Michelle M.; Warner-Richter, Mallory N.; Reynolds, Arthur J

2016-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated the process whereby early parent involvement in preschool effects student achievement from kindergarten through 6th grade. Participants were 1,539 low-income, mainly African American children and their mothers, in the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Program children (N = 989) received one or two years of the Child-Parent Center (CPC) program – a preschool intervention that strongly promoted parents' development of parent involvement skills within the school and at home. Children from similar backgrounds who did not attend the CPC, but participated in available local resources (e.g. day care), were obtained as a comparison group (N = 550). Path analysis revealed an interactive process between parent involvement, academic achievement, and children's motivation. Early parent involvement directly influenced kindergarten achievement, which in turn influenced first grade student motivation. Highly motivated children then encouraged parents to continue involvement. The cyclic nature of this process across elementary school was observed. The model accounted for 61% of the variance in 6th grade achievement. Findings suggest that early parent involvement promoted in the CPC program, sets the stage for subsequent parent involvement, student motivation, and academic achievement throughout early and middle childhood. PMID:27867317

[CONDYDAV: A multicentre observational study of patients presenting external genital warts in France].

PubMed

Chanal, J; Fouéré, S; Yassir-Oria, F; Spenatto, N; Bouscarat, F; Picot, E; Martinet, P; Vernay-Vaisse, C; Pelletier, F; Courtieu, C; Baclet, V; Bernier, C; Aymar-Moulene, D; Dupuis-Fourdan, F; Passeron, A; Bara-Passot, C; Pinault, A-L; Misery, L; Janier, M; Dupin, N

2016-11-01

Since 2007 in France, human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination has been licensed for use as a vaccine against HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18. The impact on the epidemiology of external genital warts (EGWs) in a large population remains unclear. To determine epidemiologic and clinical features of patients presenting EGWs in France in the era of HPV vaccination. In this prospective, observational study, we analyzed clinical features and treatments between January 1st, 2012 and March 31, 2012 for patients consulting for EGWs at 15 STI clinics throughout France. A total of 372 men and 111 women were included; mean age 31.2 years. The women were younger than the men (31.7 and 28.9 years respectively P<0.05). Among the patients, 416 (85.7%) were heterosexual, 13 bisexual and 54 (11.2%) homosexual, including one female. Males reported more sexual partners in the last 12 months (more than 3 partners in 32.6% versus 11.9%, P<0.01). Among the men, 230 had involvement of the penis alone and 46 had involvement of the anus alone. Seventy-six patients had EGWs of the anus, and of these 26 were MSM. In females, 76 had an infection of the vulva alone and 22 co-infection of the vulva and anus. MSM and females were at higher risk than heterosexual males for anal involvement (P<0.0001 and P=0.004, respectively). Three women had been vaccinated: two with Gardasil ® and one with Cervarix ® . Cryotherapy was the preferred treatment. With the advent of HPV vaccination, a global strategy for the prevention and treatment of EGW should be implemented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Assessing validity of observational intervention studies - the Benchmarking Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Malmivaara, Antti

2016-09-01

Benchmarking Controlled Trial (BCT) is a concept which covers all observational studies aiming to assess impact of interventions or health care system features to patients and populations. To create and pilot test a checklist for appraising methodological validity of a BCT. The checklist was created by extracting the most essential elements from the comprehensive set of criteria in the previous paper on BCTs. Also checklists and scientific papers on observational studies and respective systematic reviews were utilized. Ten BCTs published in the Lancet and in the New England Journal of Medicine were used to assess feasibility of the created checklist. The appraised studies seem to have several methodological limitations, some of which could be avoided in planning, conducting and reporting phases of the studies. The checklist can be used for planning, conducting, reporting, reviewing, and critical reading of observational intervention studies. However, the piloted checklist should be validated in further studies. Key messages Benchmarking Controlled Trial (BCT) is a concept which covers all observational studies aiming to assess impact of interventions or health care system features to patients and populations. This paper presents a checklist for appraising methodological validity of BCTs and pilot-tests the checklist with ten BCTs published in leading medical journals. The appraised studies seem to have several methodological limitations, some of which could be avoided in planning, conducting and reporting phases of the studies. The checklist can be used for planning, conducting, reporting, reviewing, and critical reading of observational intervention studies.

Primary and secondary patient data in contrast: the use of observational studies like RABBIT.

PubMed

Richter, Adrian; Meißner, Yvette; Strangfeld, Anja; Zink, Angela

2016-01-01

The study of secondary patient data, particularly represented by claims data, has increased in recent years. The strength of this approach involves easy access to data that have been generated for administrative purposes. By contrast, collection of primary data for research is time-consuming and may therefore appear outdated. Both administrative data and data collected prospectively in clinical care can address similar research questions concerning effectiveness and safety of treatments. Therefore, why should we invest the precious time of rheumatologists to generate primary patient data? This article will outline some features of primary patient data collection illustrated by the German biologics register RABBIT (Rheumatoid arthritis: observation of biologic therapy). RABBIT is a long-term observational cohort study that was initiated more than 15 years ago. We will discuss as quality indicators: (i) study design, (ii) type of documentation, standardisation of (iii) clinical and (iv) safety data, (v) monitoring of the longitudinal follow-up, (vi) losses to follow-up as well as (vii) the possibilities to link the data base. The impact of these features on interpretation and validity of results is illustrated using recent publications. We conclude that high quality and completeness of data prospectively-collected offers many advantages over large quantities of non-standardised data collected in an unsupervised manner. We expect the enthusiasm about the use of secondary patient data to decline with more awareness of their methodological limitations while studies with primary patient data like RABBIT will maintain and broaden their impact on daily clinical practice.

The developmental costs and benefits of children's involvement in interparental conflict.

PubMed

Davies, Patrick T; Coe, Jesse L; Martin, Meredith J; Sturge-Apple, Melissa L; Cummings, E Mark

2015-08-01

Building on empirical documentation of children's involvement in interparental conflicts as a weak predictor of psychopathology, we tested the hypothesis that involvement in conflict more consistently serves as a moderator of associations between children's emotional reactivity to interparental conflict and their psychological problems. In Study 1, 263 early adolescents (M age = 12.62 years), mothers, and fathers completed surveys of family and child functioning at 2 measurement occasions spaced 2 years apart. In Study 2, 243 preschool children (M age = 4.60 years) participated in a multimethod (i.e., observations, structured interview, surveys) measurement battery to assess family functioning, children's reactivity to interparental conflict, and their psychological adjustment. Across both studies, latent difference score analyses revealed that involvement moderated associations between emotional reactivity and children's increases in psychological (i.e., internalizing and externalizing) problems. Children's emotional reactivity to interparental conflict was a significantly stronger predictor of their psychological maladjustment when they were highly involved in the conflicts. In addition, the developmental benefits and costs of involvement varied as a function of emotional reactivity. Involvement in interparental conflict predicted increases in psychological problems for children experiencing high emotional reactivity and decreases in psychological problems when they exhibited low emotional reactivity. We interpret the results in the context of the new formulation of emotional security theory (e.g., Davies & Martin, 2013) and family systems models of children's parentification (e.g., Byng-Hall, 2002). (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Active-comparator design and new-user design in observational studies

PubMed Central

Yoshida, Kazuki; Solomon, Daniel H.; Kim, Seoyoung C.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Over the past decade, an increasing number of observational studies have examined the effectiveness or safety of rheumatoid arthritis treatments. However, unlike randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies of drug effects face methodological challenges including confounding by indication. Two design principles - active comparator design and new user design can help mitigate such challenges in observational studies. To improve validity of study findings, observational studies should be designed in such a way that makes them more closely approximate RCTs. The active comparator design compares the drug of interest to another commonly used agent for the same indication, rather than a ‘non-user’ group. This principle helps select treatment groups similar in treatment indications (both measured and unmeasured characteristics). The new user design includes a cohort of patients from the time of treatment initiation, so that it can assess patients’ pretreatment characteristics and capture all events occurring anytime during follow-up. PMID:25800216

Parental Involvement in U.S. Study Abroad: Helicopters or Helpers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dostal Dauer, Kevin Lorenz

2017-01-01

Parental involvement in higher education has received much attention since the 1990s, though mostly through mainstream media sources. The term "helicopter parents" is now used to describe over-involved parents who "hover" over their children, intent on ensuring that their children's needs are addressed. The perception within…

NMR studies of conformational states of proteins involved in biosynthesis of iron-sulfur clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Ziqi

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are the most ancient and ubiquitous cofactors that exist throughout evolution. The most important biosynthetic system of the cluster in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes is the ISC system. Defects in this system can be lethal and have been associated with a number of human diseases. Previous works show that a number of proteins are involved in the [Fe-S] biosynthetic processes and the structural flexibility may play an important role. For example, it was shown that apo-IscU, the scaffold protein, from Escherichia coli populates two functionally important conformational states, one dynamically disordered (D-state) and the other more structured (S-state) (Kim et al., 2009; Kim et al., 2012c). To further investigate the characteristics and transition of the conformational states of proteins involved in this system, I performed extensive NMR studies. Here, I present the findings based on my studies of two important players of the ISC system, IscU and HscB. In this research, I find that a peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerization might account for the slow step in the S-D interconversion of IscU. More specifically, P14 and P101 are trans in the S-state, but become cis in the D-state. In addition, I discover that IscU is very responsive to pH changes, and I postulate that this response is correlated to conserved histidine residues, H10 and H105. Moreover, my thermodynamic analyses reveal that the S-D equilibrium of IscU is also very sensitive to change in temperature, pressure, and amino acid sequence compared to other proteins. In the study, I also discovered a novel state of IscU, the unfolded U-state. I suspect that this state may serve as an intermediate of interconversion between IscU S-/D-states. Finally, I extended the effort to HscB, and find that it may possess more conformational flexibility than expected earlier. I postulate that this flexibility may be the cause of the line-broadening observed during interaction of HscB with Isc

Globally Gridded Satellite observations for climate studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knapp, K.R.; Ansari, S.; Bain, C.L.; Bourassa, M.A.; Dickinson, M.J.; Funk, Chris; Helms, C.N.; Hennon, C.C.; Holmes, C.D.; Huffman, G.J.; Kossin, J.P.; Lee, H.-T.; Loew, A.; Magnusdottir, G.

2011-01-01

Geostationary satellites have provided routine, high temporal resolution Earth observations since the 1970s. Despite the long period of record, use of these data in climate studies has been limited for numerous reasons, among them that no central archive of geostationary data for all international satellites exists, full temporal and spatial resolution data are voluminous, and diverse calibration and navigation formats encumber the uniform processing needed for multisatellite climate studies. The International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) set the stage for overcoming these issues by archiving a subset of the full-resolution geostationary data at ~10-km resolution at 3-hourly intervals since 1983. Recent efforts at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center to provide convenient access to these data include remapping the data to a standard map projection, recalibrating the data to optimize temporal homogeneity, extending the record of observations back to 1980, and reformatting the data for broad public distribution. The Gridded Satellite (GridSat) dataset includes observations from the visible, infrared window, and infrared water vapor channels. Data are stored in Network Common Data Format (netCDF) using standards that permit a wide variety of tools and libraries to process the data quickly and easily. A novel data layering approach, together with appropriate satellite and file metadata, allows users to access GridSat data at varying levels of complexity based on their needs. The result is a climate data record already in use by the meteorological community. Examples include reanalysis of tropical cyclones, studies of global precipitation, and detection and tracking of the intertropical convergence zone.

Recovery in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD): results of a 6-month, multinational, observational study.

PubMed

Novick, Diego; Montgomery, William; Vorstenbosch, Ellen; Moneta, Maria Victoria; Dueñas, Héctor; Haro, Josep Maria

2017-01-01

Not all individuals treated for major depressive disorder (MDD) achieve recovery. This observational study examined the recovery rates in MDD patients and the patient characteristics associated with achieving recovery in a naturalistic clinical setting. Recovery was defined as having both clinical and functional remission. Data for this post hoc analysis were taken from a 24-week prospective, observational study that involved 1,549 MDD patients. Clinical remission was assessed using the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report and functional remission through the Sheehan Disability Scale and no days of reduced productivity in the previous week. Generalized estimating equation regression models were used to examine the baseline factors associated with recovery during follow-up. Clinical and functional remission was achieved in 70.6% and 56.1% of the MDD patients, respectively. MDD patients who achieved recovery (52.1%) were significantly less likely to have impaired levels of functioning, concurrent medical or psychiatric conditions, low levels of education, or nonadherence to therapy at follow-up. The level of functioning during the index episode seems to be a better predictor of recovery than symptom severity. Therefore, the level of functioning should be considered while determining recovery from depression.

Using the Public Involvement Impact Assessment Framework to assess the impact of public involvement in a mental health research context: A reflective case study.

PubMed

Collins, Michelle; Long, Rita; Page, Anthony; Popay, Jennie; Lobban, Fiona

2018-04-25

We assess the utility of the Public Involvement Impact Assessment Framework (PiiAF) as a resource to support research teams in assessing the impact of Public Involvement across diverse research and public involvement (PI) contexts. PiiAF was developed in response to a well-documented growth in Public Involvement in health research in the United Kingdom that demands a more sophisticated evidence base to demonstrate its impact. We used a reflective case study approach drawing on contemporaneous meeting notes, PiiAF website resources and retrospective reflections to describe how PiiAF helped us to develop an impact assessment plan of the PI in a university-based mental health research centre. We consider key aspects of our experiences of using PiiAF as a tool to help us design an impact assessment of PI, interpret these experiences with reference to relevant theory and research and share insights that may be useful to other teams considering using PiiAF. These insights include understanding the commitment of time and effort required to develop effective PI impact assessment plans; the flexibility of PiiAF and its ability to be used in a range of research and PI contexts; and the advantages of involving all stakeholders (including the public) in the development of an PI assessment plan. © 2018 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Thyroid Gland Involvement in Carcinoma Larynx and Hypopharynx-Predictive Factors and Prognostic Significance.

PubMed

Iype, Elizabeth Mathew; Jagad, Vijay; Nochikattil, Santhosh Kumar; Varghese, Bipin T; Sebastian, Paul

2016-02-01

Intraoperative management of thyroid gland in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer is controversial. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of thyroid gland invasion in patients undergoing surgery for laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma, to assess predictive factors and to assess the prognosis in patients with and without thyroid gland invasion. One hundred and thirty-three patients who underwent surgery for carcinoma larynx and hypopharynx from 2006 to 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. Surgical specimens were examined to determine the incidence of thyroid gland invasion and predictive factors were analysed. The recurrence rate and the survival in patients with and without thyroid gland invasion were also analysed. Out of the 133 patients with carcinoma larynx and hypopharynx who underwent surgery, histological thyroid gland invasion was observed in 28/133 (21%) patients. Significant relationship was found between histological thyroid gland invasion and preoperative evidence of thyroid cartilage erosion by CT scan and also when gross thyroid gland involvement observed during surgery. There is significant association between thyroid gland invasion when there is upper oesophageal or subglottic involvement. After analysing the retrospective data from our study, we would like to suggest that thyroid gland need not be removed routinely in all laryngectomies, unless there is advanced disease with thyroid cartilage erosion and gross thyroid gland involvement or disease with significant subglottic or oesophageal involvement.

Do cooperative learning and family involvement improve variables linked to academic performance?

PubMed

Santos Rego, Miguel A; Ferraces Otero, María J; Godas Otero, Agustín; Lorenzo Moledo, María M

2018-05-01

One of the most serious problems in the Spanish education system is the high percentage of school failure in Compulsory Secondary Education. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of a socio-educational program based on cooperative learning and family involvement on a series of variables related to academic performance, paying particular attention to the differences between retained and non-retained students. A two-group quasi-experimental design incorporating pre-testing and post-testing was used. The study involved 146 students in the experimental group and 123 in the control group, 8 teachers, and 89 parents or other family members. The program was observed to have a positive effect on self-image, study habits, satisfaction with the subject, maternal support and control, and opinions about the school. In addition, the results for non-retained students are better. Cooperative work and family involvement in education affect the variables which research links to improving school performance.

Public involvement in research within care homes: benefits and challenges in the APPROACH study.

PubMed

Froggatt, Katherine; Goodman, Claire; Morbey, Hazel; Davies, Sue L; Masey, Helen; Dickinson, Angela; Martin, Wendy; Victor, Christina

2016-12-01

Public involvement in research (PIR) can improve research design and recruitment. Less is known about how PIR enhances the experience of participation and enriches the data collection process. In a study to evaluate how UK care homes and primary health-care services achieve integrated working to promote older people's health, PIR was integrated throughout the research processes. This paper aims to present one way in which PIR has been integrated into the design and delivery of a multisite research study based in care homes. A prospective case study design, with an embedded qualitative evaluation of PIR activity. Data collection was undertaken in six care homes in three sites in England. Six PIR members participated: all had prior personal or work experience in care homes. Qualitative data collection involved discussion groups, and site-specific meetings to review experiences of participation, benefits and challenges, and completion of structured fieldwork notes after each care home visit. PIR members supported recruitment, resident and staff interviews and participated in data interpretation. Benefits of PIR work were resident engagement that minimized distress and made best use of limited research resources. Challenges concerned communication and scheduling. Researcher support for PIR involvement was resource intensive. Clearly defined roles with identified training and support facilitated involvement in different aspects of the data collection process. This can also ensure that vulnerable older people who participate in research have a positive experience that reinforces the value of their views. © 2015 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Observer roles that optimise learning in healthcare simulation education: a systematic review.

PubMed

O'Regan, Stephanie; Molloy, Elizabeth; Watterson, Leonie; Nestel, Debra

2016-01-01

Simulation is widely used in health professional education. The convention that learners are actively involved may limit access to this educational method. The aim of this paper is to review the evidence for learning methods that employ directed observation as an alternative to hands-on participation in scenario-based simulation training. We sought studies that included either direct comparison of the learning outcomes of observers with those of active participants or identified factors important for the engagement of observers in simulation. We systematically searched health and education databases and reviewed journals and bibliographies for studies investigating or referring to observer roles in simulation using mannequins, simulated patients or role play simulations. A quality framework was used to rate the studies. We sought studies that included either direct comparison of the learning outcomes of observers with those of active participants or identified factors important for the engagement of observers in simulation. We systematically searched health and education databases and reviewed journals and bibliographies for studies investigating or referring to observer roles in simulation using mannequins, simulated patients or role play simulations. A quality framework was used to rate the studies. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Five studies suggest learning outcomes in observer roles are as good or better than hands-on roles in simulation. Four studies document learner satisfaction in observer roles. Five studies used a tool to guide observers. Eight studies involved observers in the debrief. Learning and satisfaction in observer roles is closely associated with observer tools, learner engagement, role clarity and contribution to the debrief. Learners that valued observer roles described them as affording an overarching view, examination of details from a distance, and meaningful feedback during the debrief. Learners who did not value observer roles

Methods and processes of developing the strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology - veterinary (STROBE-Vet) statement.

PubMed

Sargeant, J M; O'Connor, A M; Dohoo, I R; Erb, H N; Cevallos, M; Egger, M; Ersbøll, A K; Martin, S W; Nielsen, L R; Pearl, D L; Pfeiffer, D U; Sanchez, J; Torrence, M E; Vigre, H; Waldner, C; Ward, M P

2016-11-01

(descriptive data), 15 (outcome data), 16 (main results), 17 (other analyses), 19 (limitations), and 22 (funding). Published literature was not always available to support modification to, or inclusion of, an item. The methods and processes used in the development of this statement were similar to those used for other extensions of the STROBE statement. The use of this extension to the STROBE statement should improve the reporting of observational studies in veterinary research related to animal health, production, welfare, or food safety outcomes by recognizing the unique features of observational studies involving food-producing and companion animals, products of animal origin, aquaculture, and wildlife. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AT NATIONAL LEVEL: A STUDY FROM IRAN.

PubMed

Yazdizadeh, Bahareh; Shahmoradi, Safoura; Majdzadeh, Reza; Doaee, Shila; Bazyar, Mohammad; Souresrafil, Aghdas; Olyaeemanesh, Alireza

2016-01-01

This study was carried out to evaluate the opinions of stakeholders on their roles in health technology assessment (HTA) in Iran and to determine the barriers and facilitators existing in the organizations to help increase their involvement in the HTA program. The study was conducted in two stages, semi-structured interviews, and "policy dialogue" with stakeholders. The data were analyzed through the framework approach. The interviews were held with ten stakeholder representatives from various organizations. In addition, Twenty-one representatives participated in the policy dialogue. Based on the findings, all the stakeholder organizations considered themselves as interest groups in all the stages of the HTA process; however, their tendencies and methods of involvement differed from one another. According to the participants, the most important issue to be considered in the context of HTA was that the structures, stages, and procedures of the HTA process must be made transparent. Stakeholder involvement in the HTA program cannot readily take place. Various stakeholders have different interests, responsibilities, infrastructures, and barriers. If a program does not meet these considerations, its chances of succeeding will substantially decrease. Therefore, to prevent overlooking the needs and expectations of stakeholders from the HTA process, it is essential to create opportunities in which their thoughts and ideas are taken into account.

Workplace Education Initiative: Case Studies and Observations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Astrein, Bruce; And Others

Seven workplace education projects funded in the first year of the Massachusetts Workplace Education Initiative are reported. This report includes both general observations and specific information in case studies of the projects. Overall information is provided on students served, the importance of partnerships, the emphasis on…

Illusion of control: the role of personal involvement.

PubMed

Yarritu, Ion; Matute, Helena; Vadillo, Miguel A

2014-01-01

The illusion of control consists of overestimating the influence that our behavior exerts over uncontrollable outcomes. Available evidence suggests that an important factor in development of this illusion is the personal involvement of participants who are trying to obtain the outcome. The dominant view assumes that this is due to social motivations and self-esteem protection. We propose that this may be due to a bias in contingency detection which occurs when the probability of the action (i.e., of the potential cause) is high. Indeed, personal involvement might have been often confounded with the probability of acting, as participants who are more involved tend to act more frequently than those for whom the outcome is irrelevant and therefore become mere observers. We tested these two variables separately. In two experiments, the outcome was always uncontrollable and we used a yoked design in which the participants of one condition were actively involved in obtaining it and the participants in the other condition observed the adventitious cause-effect pairs. The results support the latter approach: Those acting more often to obtain the outcome developed stronger illusions, and so did their yoked counterparts.

Observation and imitation of actions performed by humans, androids, and robots: an EMG study

PubMed Central

Hofree, Galit; Urgen, Burcu A.; Winkielman, Piotr; Saygin, Ayse P.

2015-01-01

Understanding others’ actions is essential for functioning in the physical and social world. In the past two decades research has shown that action perception involves the motor system, supporting theories that we understand others’ behavior via embodied motor simulation. Recently, empirical approach to action perception has been facilitated by using well-controlled artificial stimuli, such as robots. One broad question this approach can address is what aspects of similarity between the observer and the observed agent facilitate motor simulation. Since humans have evolved among other humans and animals, using artificial stimuli such as robots allows us to probe whether our social perceptual systems are specifically tuned to process other biological entities. In this study, we used humanoid robots with different degrees of human-likeness in appearance and motion along with electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle activity in participants’ arms while they either observed or imitated videos of three agents produce actions with their right arm. The agents were a Human (biological appearance and motion), a Robot (mechanical appearance and motion), and an Android (biological appearance and mechanical motion). Right arm muscle activity increased when participants imitated all agents. Increased muscle activation was found also in the stationary arm both during imitation and observation. Furthermore, muscle activity was sensitive to motion dynamics: activity was significantly stronger for imitation of the human than both mechanical agents. There was also a relationship between the dynamics of the muscle activity and motion dynamics in stimuli. Overall our data indicate that motor simulation is not limited to observation and imitation of agents with a biological appearance, but is also found for robots. However we also found sensitivity to human motion in the EMG responses. Combining data from multiple methods allows us to obtain a more complete picture of action

Task Equivalence for Model and Human-Observer Comparisons in SPECT Localization Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sen, Anando; Kalantari, Faraz; Gifford, Howard C.

2016-06-01

While mathematical model observers are intended for efficient assessment of medical imaging systems, their findings should be relevant for human observers as the primary clinical end users. We have investigated whether pursuing equivalence between the model and human-observer tasks can help ensure this goal. A localization receiver operating characteristic (LROC) study tested prostate lesion detection in simulated In-111 SPECT imaging with anthropomorphic phantoms. The test images were 2D slices extracted from reconstructed volumes. The iterative ordered sets expectation-maximization (OSEM) reconstruction algorithm was used with Gaussian postsmoothing. Variations in the number of iterations and the level of postfiltering defined the test strategies in the study. Human-observer performance was compared with that of a visual-search (VS) observer, a scanning channelized Hotelling observer, and a scanning channelized nonprewhitening (CNPW) observer. These model observers were applied with precise information about the target regions of interest (ROIs). ROI knowledge was a study variable for the human observers. In one study format, the humans read the SPECT image alone. With a dual-modality format, the SPECT image was presented alongside an anatomical image slice extracted from the density map of the phantom. Performance was scored by area under the LROC curve. The human observers performed significantly better with the dual-modality format, and correlation with the model observers was also improved. Given the human-observer data from the SPECT study format, the Pearson correlation coefficients for the model observers were 0.58 (VS), -0.12 (CH), and -0.23 (CNPW). The respective coefficients based on the human-observer data from the dual-modality study were 0.72, 0.27, and -0.11. These results point towards the continued development of the VS observer for enhancing task equivalence in model-observer studies.

Mother-to-infant emotional involvement at birth.

PubMed

Figueiredo, Bárbara; Costa, Raquel; Pacheco, Alexandra; Pais, Alvaro

2009-07-01

To study mother-to-infant emotional involvement at birth, namely factors (socio-demographics, previous life events, type of delivery, pain at childbirth, support from partner, infant characteristics, early experiences with the newborn, and mother's mood) that interfere with the mother's positive, negative and not clear emotions toward the newborn. The Bonding Scale (an extended Portuguese version of the 'New Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale') and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were administrated during the first after delivery days to 315 mothers recruited at Júlio Dinis Maternity Hospital (MJD, Porto, Portugal). A worse emotional involvement with the newborn was observed when the mother was unemployed, unmarried, had less than grade 9, previous obstetrical/psychological problems or was depressed, as well as when the infant was female, had neonatal problems or was admitted in the intensive care unit. Lower total bonding results were significantly predicted when the mother was depressed and had a lower educational level; being depressed, unemployed and single predicted more negative emotions toward the infant as well. No significant differences in the mother-to-infant emotional involvement were obtained for events related to childbirth, such as type of delivery, pain and partner support, or early experiences with the newborn; these events do not predict mother's bonding results either. The study results support the need for screening and supporting depressed, unemployed and single mothers, in order to prevent bonding difficulties with the newborn at birth.

Longitudinal study of microvascular involvement by nailfold capillaroscopy in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

PubMed

Zampetti, Anna; Rigante, Donato; Bersani, Giulia; Rendeli, Claudia; Feliciani, Claudio; Stabile, Achille

2009-09-01

The aim of this study is to describe by video-nailfold capillaroscopy the microvascular involvement and capillary changes in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSp) and to establish a possible correlation with clinical outcome. Thirty-one patients underwent capillaroscopic evaluation through a videomicroscope during the acute phase and after 6 months. Twenty sex/age-matched controls were also examined. All capillaroscopic variables were statistically examined in combination with laboratoristic/clinical data. Architectural and morphological changes recorded during the acute phase were statistically significant in comparison to the controls (p < 0.01). At the follow-up, oedema was still observed in all patients, whereas, morphological changes only in two. There was a no significant correlation between capillaroscopy changes, laboratoristic/clinical data, and outcome. Video-nailfold capillaroscopy can be a simple tool to evaluate microvascular abnormalities in the acute phase of HSp, and the persistence of oedema could suggest an incomplete disease resolution at a microvascular level.

[Learning in clinical simulation: observational study on satisfaction perceived by students of nursing].

PubMed

Rubbi, Ivan; Ferri, Paola; Andreina, Giulia; Cremonini, Valeria

2016-01-01

Simulation in the context of the educational workshop is becoming an important learning method, as it allows to play realistic clinical-care situations. These vocational training activities promote the development of cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills in a pedagogical context safe and risk-free, but need to be accounted for using by valid and reliable instruments. To inspect the level of satisfaction of the students of a Degree in Nursing in northern Italy about static and high-fidelity exercises with simulators and clinical cases. A prospective observational study has been conducted involving a non-probabili- stic sample of 51 third-year students throughout the academic year 2013/14. The data collection instrument consists of three questionnaires Student Satisfaction and Self-confidence in Learning Scale, Educational Practices Questionnaire, Simulation Design Scale and 3 questions on overall satisfaction. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 20.0 and Office 2003 Excel. The response rate of 89.5% is obtained. The Cronbach Alfa showed a good internal reliability (α = .982). The students were generally satisfied with the activities carried out in the teaching laboratory, showing more enthusiasm for the simulation with static mannequins (71%) and with high-fidelity simulators (60%), activities for which they have experienced a significant involvement and active learning. The teaching with clinical cases scored a lesser degree of satisfaction (38%) and for this method it was found the largest number of elements of weakness.

Name-Dropping or Understanding?: Teaching to Observe Geologically

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frøyland, Merethe; Remmen, Kari Beate; Sørvik, Gard Ove

2016-01-01

This study investigates how teaching can support students' ability to apply rock identification by addressing scientific observation. In the context of geology education in Norway, we investigate two cases in which different approaches to teaching rock identification are carried out. Case A involves traditional teaching activities in one class of…

Teacher Effectiveness and Causal Inference in Observational Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Roderick A.

2013-01-01

An important target of education policy is to improve overall teacher effectiveness using evidence-based policies. Randomized control trials (RCTs), which randomly assign study participants or groups of participants to treatment and control conditions, are not always practical or possible and observational studies using rigorous quasi-experimental…

THC:CBD Observational Study Data: Evolution of Resistant MS Spasticity and Associated Symptoms.

PubMed

Trojano, Maria

2016-01-01

The prospective observational MObility ImproVEment (MOVE) 2 study is collecting real-life clinical outcomes data on patients with treatment-resistant multiple sclerosis (MS) spasticity treated with THC:CBD oromucosal spray in routine clinical practice. The MOVE 2 study has been ongoing in Italy, involving more than 30 MS centres across the country, since 2013. Web-based real-time data collection techniques are combined with traditional patients' diaries to capture a wide spectrum of outcomes associated with this innovative cannabis-based medication. After surpassing the recruitment threshold of 300 patients, an interim analysis was performed to determine whether the data collected to date align with those from MOVE 2-Germany and the largest phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT) of THC:CBD oromucosal spray. In the Italian cohort, THC:CBD oromucosal spray was added mainly to oral baclofen. Similar to MOVE 2-Germany, during 3 months' observation, treatment discontinuations were limited and patients recorded meaningful improvements on the patient-based 0-10 numerical rating scale and physician-rated modified Ashworth scale at mean daily doses that were about one-third lower than those used in the RCT. Also, similar to MOVE 2-Germany, the proportion of patients reporting adverse events was about one-third of the rate recorded in the RCT. While MOVE 2-Italy continues, this interim analysis has enabled us to better define the place in therapy of THC:CBD oromucosal spray within the context of daily management of our patients with MS spasticity. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Early Father Involvement and Subsequent Child Behaviour at Ages 3, 5 and 7 Years: Prospective Analysis of the UK Millennium Cohort Study.

PubMed

Kroll, Mary E; Carson, Claire; Redshaw, Maggie; Quigley, Maria A

Fathers are increasingly involved in care of their babies and young children. We assessed the association of resident fathers' involvement with subsequent behaviour of their children, examining boys and girls separately. We used longitudinal data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study for children born in 2000-2001, divided into three separate analysis periods: ages 9 months to 3 years, 3 to 5 years, and 5 to 7 years. By exploratory factor analysis of self-reported attitudes and engagement in caring activities, we derived composite measures of various types of father involvement at 9 months, 3 and 5 years. Where possible we created equivalent measures of mother involvement. Child behaviour was assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which was completed by the mother when the child was aged 3, 5 and 7 years. We estimated gender-specific odds ratios for behaviour problems per quintile of father involvement, using separate logistic regression models for boys and girls in each analysis period. We controlled for a wide range of potential confounders: characteristics of the child (temperament and development at 9 months, and illness and exact age at outcome), equivalent mother involvement where appropriate, and factors related to socioeconomic status, household change, and parental well-being, where statistically significant. Paternal positive parenting beliefs at age 9 months and increased frequency of creative play at age 5 years were significantly associated with lower risk of subsequent behaviour problems (SDQ total difficulties) in both boys and girls (p<0.05), odds ratios ranging between 0.81 and 0.89 per quintile of involvement. No associations were observed for other composite measures of caring activity by the father at 9 months, 3 years or 5 years. Quality of parenting, rather than the division of routine care between parents, was associated with child behavioural outcomes.

Child Involvement in Interparental Conflict and Child Adjustment Problems: A Longitudinal Study of Violent Families

PubMed Central

Jouriles, Ernest N.; Rosenfield, David; McDonald, Renee; Mueller, Victoria

2014-01-01

This study examined whether child involvement in interparental conflict predicts child externalizing and internalizing problems in violent families. Participants were 119 families (mothers and children) recruited from domestic violence shelters. One child between the ages of 7 and 10 years in each family (50 female, 69 male) completed measures of involvement in their parents’ conflicts, externalizing problems, and internalizing problems. Mothers completed measures of child externalizing and internalizing problems, and physical intimate partner violence. Measures were completed at three assessments, spaced 6 months apart. Results indicated that children’s involvement in their parents’ conflicts was positively associated with child adjustment problems. These associations emerged in between-subjects and within-subjects analyses, and for child externalizing as well as internalizing problems, even after controlling for the influence of physical intimate partner violence. In addition, child involvement in parental conflicts predicted later child reports of externalizing problems, but child reports of externalizing problems did not predict later involvement in parental conflicts. These findings highlight the importance of considering children’s involvement in their parents’ conflicts in theory and clinical work pertaining to high-conflict families. PMID:24249486

Observing position and movements in hydrotherapy: a pilot study.

PubMed

Stark, Mary Ann; Rudell, Barb; Haus, George

2008-01-01

To observe and describe the positions and movements women choose while immersed in water during the first stage of labor. Descriptive, observational pilot study. A rural community hospital that provided hydrotherapy in labor. Women (N = 7) who intended to use hydrotherapy in labor were recruited prenatally from a midwife-managed practice. For 15 minutes of each hour during the first stage of labor, position and movements of the participants were observed and recorded on a laptop computer. The observational tool was developed for this study from a review of the literature and interviews with nursing experts; 435 observations were recorded. Women were free to choose when and how long to use hydrotherapy and had no restriction on their positions and movements. Only 3 of the 7 participants labored in the tub. Women demonstrated a greater range of positions and movements in the tub than in bed, both throughout labor and during late first-stage labor (7-10 cm of dilatation). Women had more contractions and made more rhythmic movements while in the tub than in bed. Hydrotherapy may encourage upright positions and movements that facilitate labor progress and coping, helping women avoid unnecessary interventions.

Extrapulmonary involvement in patients with sarcoidosis and comparison of routine laboratory and clinical data to pulmonary involvement.

PubMed

Zurkova, Monika; Kolek, Vitezslav; Tomankova, Tereza; Kriegova, Eva

2014-12-01

Patients with pulmonary and pulmonary plus extrapulmonary sarcoidosis differ in symptom severity and health status impairment. To date there is no information on differences in clinical and laboratory parameters between these phenotypes and limited information on extrapulmonary involvement in Czech sarcoidosis patients exists. We therefore compared clinical data (age, gender, organ involvement, lung function tests) and laboratory data (blood counts, bronchoalveolar fluid (BAL) cellular profile, serum levels of CRP, SACE, sIL-2R, neopterin) between patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary sarcoidosis (n=107) and those with pulmonary plus extrapulmonary sarcoidosis (n=54). Extrapulmonary sarcoidosis was diagnosed in 33% of patients, mostly affecting lymph nodes and skin and having hypercalciuria. There was no difference in the prevalence of extrapulmonary sarcoidosis between genders. Patients with extrapulmonary sarcoidosis were older and mostly non-smokers when compared to those with limited pulmonary form. X-ray Stage I and erythema nodosum were less frequent in extrapulmonary disease. Serum levels of CRP, SACE, sIL-2R and neopterin and BAL cellular profile did not differ between both phenotypes. We observed lower platelets, FEV1, VC, and BAL CD19+ in females with extrapulmonary involvement than in those with pulmonary disease. Affected lymph nodes, skin and hypercalciuria were the most common in sarcoidosis patients with extrapulmonary involvement. Pulmonary sarcoidosis did not differ in clinical and routine laboratory parameters from pulmonary plus extrapulmonary sarcoidosis. Observation of low platelets, VC, FEV1 and BAL CD19+ in females with extrapulmonary sarcoidosis needs further verification in larger cohort.

Advanced Earth Observation System Instrumentation Study (aeosis)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, R.; Grant, F.; Malchow, H.; Walker, B.

1975-01-01

Various types of measurements were studied for estimating the orbit and/or attitude of an Earth Observation Satellite. An investigation was made into the use of known ground targets in the earth sensor imagery, in combination with onboard star sightings and/or range and range rate measurements by ground tracking stations or tracking satellites (TDRSS), to estimate satellite attitude, orbital ephemeris, and gyro bias drift. Generalized measurement equations were derived for star measurements with a particular type of star tracker, and for landmark measurements with a multispectral scanner being proposed for an advanced Earth Observation Satellite. The use of infra-red horizon measurements to estimate the attitude and gyro bias drift of a geosynchronous satellite was explored.

Contextual Influences on Concordance between Maternal Report and Laboratory Observation of Toddler Fear

PubMed Central

Kiel, Elizabeth J.; Hummel, Alexandra C.

2016-01-01

Emotion and temperament researchers have faced an enduring issue of how to best measure children’s tendencies to express specific emotions. Inconsistencies between laboratory observation and parental report have made it challenging for researchers to determine the utility of these different forms of measurement. The current study examined the effect of laboratory episode characteristics (i.e., threat-level of the episode, maternal involvement) on concordance between maternal report and laboratory observation of toddler fear. The sample included 111 mother-toddler dyads who participated in a laboratory assessment when toddlers were approximately 24-months-old. Toddler fear was assessed both via maternal report and observation from a number of laboratory episodes that varied in their level of threat and whether mothers were free or constrained in their involvement in the task. Results indicated that maternal report related to the observed fear composites for low-threat, but not high-threat episodes. On the other hand, maternal involvement in the laboratory episodes did not moderate the relation between maternal report and laboratory observation of fear. These results suggest that the threat-level of laboratory episodes designed to elicit fear, but not maternal involvement in these episodes, may be important to take into consideration when assessing their relation to maternal report of fear and fearful temperament. PMID:27606826

Transgenic Studies on the Involvement of Cytokinin and Gibberellin in Male Development

PubMed Central

Huang, Shihshieh; Cerny, R. Eric; Qi, Youlin; Bhat, Deepti; Aydt, Carrie M.; Hanson, Doris D.; Malloy, Kathleen P.; Ness, Linda A.

2003-01-01

Numerous plant hormones interact during plant growth and development. Elucidating the role of these various hormones on particular tissue types or developmental stages has been difficult with exogenous applications or constitutive expression studies. Therefore, we used tissue-specific promoters expressing CKX1 and gai, genes involved in oxidative cytokinin degradation and gibberellin (GA) signal transduction, respectively, to study the roles of cytokinin and GA in male organ development. Accumulation of CKX1 in reproductive tissues of transgenic maize (Zea mays) resulted in male-sterile plants. The male development of these plants was restored by applications of kinetin and thidiazuron. Similarly, expression of gai specifically in anthers and pollen of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and Arabidopsis resulted in the abortion of these respective tissues. The gai-induced male-sterile phenotype exhibited by the transgenic plants was reversible by exogenous applications of kinetin. Our results provide molecular evidence of the involvement of cytokinin and GA in male development and support the hypothesis that the male development is controlled in concert by multiple hormones. These studies also suggest a potential method for generating maintainable male sterility in plants by using existing agrochemicals that would reduce the expense of seed production for existing hybrid crops and provide a method to produce hybrid varieties of traditionally non-hybrid crops. PMID:12644677

Initial observation of potential factors involved in the specification process of oral-aboral axis in the sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis.

PubMed

Satoh, Kanehide; Kominami, Tetsuya

2008-10-01

To elucidate factors involved in the oral-aboral axis specification, several observations and experiments were undertaken using the sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis. Unlike in Strongylcentrotus purpuratus, localization of mitochondria was not detected in unfertilized eggs. After fertilization, however, the bulk of mitochondria became localized to the opposite side of sperm entry. The first cleavage divided this mitochondrial cluster into daughter blastomeres. On the other hand, a second cleavage produced daughter blastomeres containing quite different amounts of mitochondria. To know whether such mitochondrial localization affects the oral-aboral axis specification, 4-cell-stage embryos were separated along the second cleavage plane. Although both half embryos developed into morphologically normal plutei, some differences, such as the number of pigment cells, were noticed between the siblings. In contrast, cell tracing revealed that the first cleavage separated the oral from the aboral part in most cases, indicating that the unequal distribution of mitochondria is not critical for the oral-aboral axis specification. Further, stained and non-stained half embryo fragments were combined. Such combined embryos developed into normal plutei with a single oral-aboral axis. The plane dividing labeled and non-labeled parts were incident, oblique or perpendicular to the median plane of the combined embryo, and the appearance frequencies of those labeling patterns were similar to those obtained by cell tracing in intact embryos. Interestingly, the half fragments derived from embryos inseminated earlier showed a tendency to form the oral part. These suggest that several factors as well as the localized cytoplasmic components would be involved in the specification process of oral-aboral axis.

The Benefits and Challenges of Involving Adolescents in Medical Education: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Moreau, Katherine A; Eady, Kaylee

2018-05-30

To explore the potential benefits and challenges of involving adolescents in the education of medical students and residents from the perspectives of adolescents who are hospitalized with chronic health conditions. We conducted qualitative interviews with adolescents at a Canadian pediatric hospital. Eligible participants were those between 13-18 years of age, with chronic health conditions lasting more than three months who were feeling well enough to participate in an interview. We used conventional content analysis to analyze the data. Sixteen adolescents participated in the study. In terms of benefits, the participants described how involving adolescents in the education of medical students and residents would improve patient-physician interactions, increase patients' confidence and self-worth, encourage patients to self-reflect and gain knowledge about their health conditions and themselves, as well as enable patients to socialize with other patients. When asked about the challenges, the participants discussed how it might be difficult to include diverse patient perspectives, manage adolescents' negativity, and ensure that learners are non-judgmental towards adolescents and take them seriously. While many of the reported benefits and challenges correspond with those featured in the literature on adult patient involvement in medical education, our findings underscore the distinctive benefits and challenges that medical educators may experience in designing and implementing educational initiatives that involve adolescents. Through the future design and implementation of educational initiatives, it is important to further explore the benefits and challenges of such adolescent involvement, as we know that adolescents can be valuable contributors to medical education. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Patient involvement in diabetes care: experiences in nine diabetes care groups

PubMed Central

de Bruin, Simone R.; Struijs, Jeroen N.; Rijken, Mieke; Nijpels, Giel; Baan, Caroline A.

2015-01-01

Introduction Despite the expected beneficial effects on quality of care, patient involvement in diabetes care groups, which deliver a bundled paid integrated care programme for diabetes type 2, seems to be limited. The aim of this study was to gain insight into levels and methods of patient involvement, into facilitators and barriers, and into the future preferences of care groups and patient representatives. Theory and methods Semi-structured interviews were held with 10 representatives of care groups and 11 representatives of patient advocacy groups. An adapted version of Arnstein's ladder of citizen participation was used to define five levels of patient involvement. Results Patient involvement in care groups was mostly limited to informing and consulting patients. Higher levels, i.e., advising, co-producing and decision-making, were less frequently observed. Care groups and patient representatives perceived largely the same barriers and facilitators and had similar preferences regarding future themes and design of patient involvement. Conclusion Constructive collaboration between diabetes care groups and patient representatives to enhance patient involvement in the future seems viable. Several issues such as the lack of evidence for effectiveness of patient involvement, differences in viewpoints on the role and responsibilities of care groups and perceived barriers need to be addressed. PMID:27118961

A Comparative Study of Involvement and Motivation among Casino Gamblers.

PubMed

Lee, Choong-Ki; Lee, Bongkoo; Bernhard, Bo Jason; Lee, Tae Kyung

2009-09-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate three different types of gamblers (which we label "non-problem", "some problem", and "probable pathological gamblers") to determine differences in involvement and motivation, as well as differences in demographic and behavioral variables. The analysis takes advantage of a unique opportunity to sample on-site at a major casino in South Korea, and the resulting purposive sample yielded 180 completed questionnaires in each of the three groups, for a total number of 540. Factor analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan tests, and Chi-square tests are employed to analyze the data collected from the survey. Findings from ANOVA tests indicate that involvement factors of importance/self-expression, pleasure/interest, and centrality derived from the factor analysis were significantly different among these three types of gamblers. The "probable pathological" and "some problem" gamblers were found to have similar degrees of involvement, and higher degrees of involvement than the non-problem gamblers. The tests also reveal that motivational factors of escape, socialization, winning, and exploring scenery were significantly different among these three types of gamblers. When looking at motivations to visit the casino, "probable pathological" gamblers were more likely to seek winning, the "some problem" group appeared to be more likely to seek escape, and the "non-problem" gamblers indicate that their motivations to visit centered around explorations of scenery and culture in the surrounding casino area. The tools for exploring motivations and involvements of gambling provide valuable and discerning information about the entire spectrum of gamblers.

A Comparative Study of Involvement and Motivation among Casino Gamblers

PubMed Central

Lee, Choong-Ki; Lee, BongKoo; Bernhard, Bo Jason

2009-01-01

Objective The purpose of this paper is to investigate three different types of gamblers (which we label "non-problem", "some problem", and "probable pathological gamblers") to determine differences in involvement and motivation, as well as differences in demographic and behavioral variables. Methods The analysis takes advantage of a unique opportunity to sample on-site at a major casino in South Korea, and the resulting purposive sample yielded 180 completed questionnaires in each of the three groups, for a total number of 540. Factor analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan tests, and Chi-square tests are employed to analyze the data collected from the survey. Results Findings from ANOVA tests indicate that involvement factors of importance/self-expression, pleasure/interest, and centrality derived from the factor analysis were significantly different among these three types of gamblers. The "probable pathological" and "some problem" gamblers were found to have similar degrees of involvement, and higher degrees of involvement than the non-problem gamblers. The tests also reveal that motivational factors of escape, socialization, winning, and exploring scenery were significantly different among these three types of gamblers. When looking at motivations to visit the casino, "probable pathological" gamblers were more likely to seek winning, the "some problem" group appeared to be more likely to seek escape, and the "non-problem" gamblers indicate that their motivations to visit centered around explorations of scenery and culture in the surrounding casino area. Conclusion The tools for exploring motivations and involvements of gambling provide valuable and discerning information about the entire spectrum of gamblers. PMID:20046388

Are Bank Employees Stressed? Job Perception and Positivity in the Banking Sector: An Italian Observational Study.

PubMed

Mannocci, Alice; Marchini, Laura; Scognamiglio, Alfredo; Sinopoli, Alessandra; De Sio, Simone; Sernia, Sabina; La Torre, Giuseppe

2018-04-10

Background : The epidemiology of stress on bank workers in Europe is only at the introductory stages. This study investigated for the first time the association between occupational stress level in bank-employees using the BEST8, Karasek-Model and socio-demographic and working factors in Italy. Methods : The observational pilot study involved 384 employees. Three questionnaires were adopted to collect data: Karasek-Model, BEST8 ( p < 0.001) and Positivity-Scale. Results : 25% of the sample belonged to high stress group. The workers more stressed were older with a commercial role and consumer of antidepressants/sedatives. Women were much more likely to agree with the perception of feeling unsafe in a possible robbery (OR = 2.42; 95% CI: 1.50-3.91) and with that sales requests were in conflict with one's own personal moral code (OR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.38-3.87). Older employees declared feeling inadequate in the workplace (OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.07-3.65) and younger employees referred to be anxious about meeting financial budget goals. Workers who had a low positivity had a lower probability of adaptation (OR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.83-0.93). Conclusions : The occupational stress level in the banking sector involves many aspects: gender, type of bank, role, personal morals, high job-demands, low level of decision-making. This study recommended that banks should implement strategic interventions for well-being of employees, and consequently for their productivity.

From (Un)Willingness to InvolveMENt: Development of a Successful Study Brand for Recruitment of Diverse MSM to a Longitudinal HIV Research

PubMed Central

Frew, Paula M.; Williams, Victoria A.; Shapiro, Eve T.; Sanchez, Travis; Rosenberg, Eli S.; Fenimore, Vincent L.; Sullivan, Patrick S.

2014-01-01

Background HIV continues to be a major concern among MSM, yet Black MSM have not been enrolled in HIV research studies in proportionate numbers to White MSM. We developed an HIV prevention research brand strategy for MSM. Methods Questionnaires and focus groups were conducted with 54 participants. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses were performed and qualitative data were transcribed and content analyzed to identify common themes. Results Formative research results indicated that younger Black MSM (18–29 years) were less likely to think about joining prevention studies compared to older (≥30 years) Black MSM (x2 = 5.92, P = 0.015). Qualitative and quantitative results indicate four prominent themes related to brand development: (1) communication sources (message deliverer), (2) message (impact of public health messaging on perceptions of HIV research), (3) intended audience (underlying issues that influence personal relevance of HIV research), and (4) communication channels (reaching intended audiences). Conclusion The findings highlight the importance of behavioral communication translational research to effectively engage hard-to-reach populations. Despite reservations, MSM in our formative study expressed a need for active involvement and greater education to facilitate their engagement in HIV prevention research. Thus, the brand concept of “InvolveMENt” emerged. PMID:24639900

Process quality of decision-making in multidisciplinary cancer team meetings: a structured observational study.

PubMed

Hahlweg, Pola; Didi, Sarah; Kriston, Levente; Härter, Martin; Nestoriuc, Yvonne; Scholl, Isabelle

2017-11-17

The quality of decision-making in multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs) depends on the quality of information presented and the quality of team processes. Few studies have examined these factors using a standardized approach. The aim of this study was to objectively document the processes involved in decision-making in MDTMs, document the outcomes in terms of whether a treatment recommendation was given (none vs. singular vs. multiple), and to identify factors related to type of treatment recommendation. An adaptation of the observer rating scale Multidisciplinary Tumor Board Metric for the Observation of Decision-Making (MDT-MODe) was used to assess the quality of the presented information and team processes in MDTMs. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and mixed logistic regression analysis. N = 249 cases were observed in N = 29 MDTMs. While cancer-specific medical information was judged to be of high quality, psychosocial information and information regarding patient views were considered to be of low quality. In 25% of the cases no, in 64% one, and in 10% more than one treatment recommendations were given (1% missing data). Giving no treatment recommendation was associated with duration of case discussion, duration of the MDTM session, quality of case history, quality of radiological information, and specialization of the MDTM. Higher levels of medical and treatment uncertainty during discussions were found to be associated with a higher probability for more than one treatment recommendation. The quality of different aspects of information was observed to differ greatly. In general, we did not find MDTMs to be in line with the principles of patient-centered care. Recommendation outcome varied substantially between different specializations of MDTMs. The quality of certain information was associated with the recommendation outcome. Uncertainty during discussions was related to more than one recommendation being considered. Time constraints

Intake of fruit and vegetables and risk of bladder cancer: a dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Yao, Baodong; Yan, Yujie; Ye, Xianwu; Fang, Hong; Xu, Huilin; Liu, Yinan; Li, Sheran; Zhao, Yanping

2014-12-01

Observational studies suggest an association between fruit and vegetables intake and risk of bladder cancer, but the results are controversial. We therefore summarized the evidence from observational studies in categorical, linear, and nonlinear, dose-response meta-analysis. Pertinent studies were identified by searching EMBASE and PubMed from their inception to August 2013. Thirty-one observational studies involving 12,610 cases and 1,121,649 participants were included. The combined rate ratio (RR, 95 % CI) of bladder cancer for the highest versus lowest intake was 0.83 (0.69-0.99) for total fruit and vegetables, 0.81 (0.70-0.93) for total vegetables, 0.77 (0.69-0.87) for total fruit, 0.84 (0.77-0.91) for cruciferous vegetables, 0.79 (0.68-0.91) for citrus fruits, and 0.74 (0.66-0.84) for yellow-orange vegetables. Subgroup analysis showed study design and gender as possible sources of heterogeneity. A nonlinear relationship was found of citrus fruits intake with risk of bladder cancer (P for nonlinearity = 0.018), and the RRs (95 % CI) of bladder cancer were 0.87 (0.78-0.96), 0.80 (0.67-0.94), 0.79 (0.66-0.94), 0.79 (0.65-0.96), and 0.79 (0.64-0.99) for 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 g/day. A nonlinear relationship was also found of yellow-orange vegetable intake with risk of bladder cancer risk (P for nonlinearity = 0.033). Some evidence of publication bias was observed for fruit, citrus fruits, and yellow-orange vegetables. This meta-analysis supports the hypothesis that intakes of fruit and vegetables may reduce the risk of bladder cancer. Future well-designed studies are required to confirm this finding.

The Relationship Between Father Involvement and Child Problem Behaviour in Intact Families: A 7-Year Cross-Lagged Study.

PubMed

Flouri, Eirini; Midouhas, Emily; Narayanan, Martina K

2016-07-01

This study investigated the cross-lagged relationship between father involvement and child problem behaviour across early-to-middle childhood, and tested whether temperament modulated any cross-lagged child behaviour effects on father involvement. It used data from the first four waves of the UK's Millennium Cohort Study, when children (50.3 % male) were aged 9 months, and 3, 5 and 7 years. The sample was 8302 families where both biological parents were co-resident across the four waves. Father involvement (participation in play and physical and educational activities with the child) was measured at ages 3, 5 and 7, as was child problem behaviour (assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Key child and family covariates related to father involvement and child problem behaviour were controlled. Little evidence was found that more father involvement predicted less child problem behaviour two years later, with the exception of father involvement at child's age 5 having a significant, but small, effect on peer problems at age 7. There were two child effects. More hyperactive children at age 3 had more involved fathers at age 5, and children with more conduct problems at age 3 had more involved fathers at age 5. Child temperament did not moderate any child behaviour effects on father involvement. Thus, in young, intact UK families, child adjustment appears to predict, rather than be predicted by, father involvement in early childhood. When children showed more problematic behaviours, fathers did not become less involved. In fact, early hyperactivity and conduct problems in children seemed to elicit more involvement from fathers. At school age, father involvement appeared to affect children's social adjustment rather than vice versa.

The Developmental Costs and Benefits of Children’s Involvement in Interparental Conflict

PubMed Central

Davies, Patrick T.; Coe, Jesse L.; Martin, Meredith J.; Sturge-Apple, Melissa L.; Cummings, E. Mark

2015-01-01

Building on empirical documentation of children’s involvement in interparental conflicts as a weak predictor of psychopathology, we tested the hypothesis that involvement in conflict more consistently serves as a moderator of associations between children’s emotional reactivity to interparental conflict and their psychological problems. In Study 1, 263 early adolescents (M age = 12.62 years), mothers, and fathers completed surveys of family and child functioning at two measurement occasions spaced two years apart. In Study 2, 243 preschool children (M age = 4.60 years) participated in a multi-method (i.e., observations, structured interview, surveys) measurement battery to assess family functioning, children’s reactivity to interparental conflict, and their psychological adjustment. Across both studies, latent difference score (LDS) analyses revealed that involvement moderated associations between emotional reactivity and children’s increases in psychological (i.e., internalizing and externalizing) problems. Children’s emotional reactivity to interparental conflict was a significantly stronger predictor of their psychological maladjustment when they were highly involved in the conflicts. In addition, the developmental benefits and costs of involvement varied as a function of emotional reactivity. Involvement in interparental conflict predicted increases in psychological problems for children experiencing high emotional reactivity and decreases in psychological problems when they exhibited low emotional reactivity. We interpret the results in the context of the new formulation of emotional security theory (e.g. Davies & Martin, 2013) and family systems models of children’s parentification (e.g., Byng-Hall, 2002). PMID:26053147

Space observations for global and regional studies of the biosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cihlar, J.; Li, Z.; Chen, J.; Sellers, P.; Hall, F.

1994-01-01

The capability to make space-based measurements of Earth at high spatial and temporal resolutions, which would not otherwise be economically or practically feasible, became available just in time to contribute to scientific understanding of the interactive processes governing the total Earth system. Such understanding has now become essential in order to take practical steps which would counteract or mitigate the pervasive impact of the growing human population on the future habitability of the Earth. The paper reviews the rationale for using space observations for studies of climate and terrestrial ecosystems at global and regional scales, as well as the requirements for such observations for studies of climate and ecosystem dynamics. The present status of these developments is reported along with initiatives under way to advance the use of satellite observations for Earth system studies. The most important contribution of space observations is the provision of physical or biophysical parameters for models representing various components of the Earth system. Examples of such parameters are given for climatic and ecosystem studies.

Parents and Federal Education Programs. Volume 4: Title VII. The Study of Parental Involvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cadena-Munoz, Raquel; Keesling, J. Ward

This fourth volume in a seven-volume study is part of a larger study of parental involvement in four federal programs in selected school districts across the country. Presented here are results of an intensive examination of school district programs funded by Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Site studies of Title VII…

Parent Involvement in Children's Education: An Exploratory Study of Urban, Chinese Immigrant Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ji, Cheng Shuang; Koblinsky, Sally A.

2009-01-01

This exploratory study examined the involvement of Chinese immigrant parents in children's elementary and secondary education. Participants were 29 low-income, urban parents of public school children working primarily in the hospitality sector. Parents were interviewed about their academic expectations, knowledge of school performance, parent…

Observational studies and the difficult quest for causality: lessons from vaccine effectiveness and impact studies.

PubMed

Lipsitch, Marc; Jha, Ayan; Simonsen, Lone

2016-12-01

Although randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCT) are critical to establish efficacy of vaccines at the time of licensure, important remaining questions about vaccine effectiveness (VE)-used here to include individual-level measures and population-wide impact of vaccine programmes-can only be answered once the vaccine is in use, from observational studies. However, such studies are inherently at risk for bias. Using a causal framework and illustrating with examples, we review newer approaches to detecting and avoiding confounding and selection bias in three major classes of observational study design: cohort, case-control and ecological studies. Studies of influenza VE, especially in seniors, are an excellent demonstration of the challenges of detecting and reducing such bias, and so we use influenza VE as a running example. We take a fresh look at the time-trend studies often dismissed as 'ecological'. Such designs are the only observational study design that can measure the overall effect of a vaccination programme [indirect (herd) as well as direct effects], and are in fact already an important part of the evidence base for several vaccines currently in use. Despite the great strides towards more robust observational study designs, challenges lie ahead for evaluating best practices for achieving robust unbiased results from observational studies. This is critical for evaluation of national and global vaccine programme effectiveness. © The Author 2016; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Egfl6 is involved in zebrafish notochord development.

PubMed

Wang, Xueqian; Wang, Xin; Yuan, Wei; Chai, Renjie; Liu, Dong

2015-08-01

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) repeat motif defines a superfamily of diverse protein involved in regulating a variety of cellular and physiological processes, such as cell cycle, cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and neural development. Egfl6, an EGF protein, also named MAGE was first cloned in human tissue. Up to date, the study of zebrafish Egfl6 expression pattern and functional analysis of Egfl6 involved in embryonic development of vertebrate in vivo is thus far lacking. Here we reported that Egfl6 was involved in zebrafish notochord development. It was shown that Egfl6 mRNA was expressed in zebrafish, developing somites, fin epidermis, pharyngeal arches, and hindbrain region. Particularly the secreted Egfl6 protein was significantly accumulated in notochord. Loss of Egfl6 function in zebrafish embryos resulted in curved body with distorted notochord in the posterior trunk. It was observed that expression of all Notch ligand and receptors in notochord of 28 hpf Egfl6 morphants was not affected, except notch2, which was up-regulated. We found that inhibition of Notch signaling by DAPT efficiently rescued notochord developmental defect of Egfl6 deficiency embryos.

Mothers in methadone treatment and their involvement with the child protection system: a replication and extension study.

PubMed

Taplin, Stephanie; Mattick, Richard P

2013-08-01

Although a high level of involvement with the child protection system has been identified in families where parental substance use is a feature, not all such parents abuse or neglect their children or have contact with the child protection system. Identifying parents with substance-use histories who are able to care for their children without intervention by the child protection system, and being able to target interventions to the families who need them the most is important. This study interviewed a relatively large sample of mothers about their histories, their children and their involvement with the child protection system. We hypothesized that mothers in opioid pharmacological treatment who are involved with child protection services are different in characteristics to those mothers who are not involved. One hundred and seventy-one women, with at least one child aged under 16 years, were interviewed at nine treatment clinics providing pharmacological treatment for opioid dependence across Sydney, Australia. Just over one-third of the women were involved with child protection services at the time of interview, mostly with children in out-of-home care. Logistic regression analyses revealed that factors which significantly increased the likelihood of the mother being involved with the child protection system were: (1) having a greater number of children, (2) being on psychiatric medication, and (3) having less than daily contact with her own parents. This study replicates and extends the work of Grella, Hser, and Huang (2006) and the limited literature published to date examining the factors which contribute to some substance-using mothers becoming involved with the child protection system while others do not. The finding that mental health problems and parental supports (along with the number of children) were significantly associated with child protection system involvement in this study, indicates a need for improved interventions and the provision of

Methods and Processes of Developing the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology - Veterinary (STROBE-Vet) Statement.

PubMed

Sargeant, J M; O'Connor, A M; Dohoo, I R; Erb, H N; Cevallos, M; Egger, M; Ersbøll, A K; Martin, S W; Nielsen, L R; Pearl, D L; Pfeiffer, D U; Sanchez, J; Torrence, M E; Vigre, H; Waldner, C; Ward, M P

2016-12-01

development of this statement were similar to those used for other extensions of the STROBE statement. The use of this extension to the STROBE statement should improve the reporting of observational studies in veterinary research related to animal health, production, welfare or food safety outcomes by recognizing the unique features of observational studies involving food-producing and companion animals, products of animal origin, aquaculture and wildlife. © 2016 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

User-friendly tools on handheld devices for observer performance study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, Takuya; Hara, Takeshi; Shiraishi, Junji; Fukuoka, Daisuke; Abe, Hiroyuki; Matsusako, Masaki; Yamada, Akira; Zhou, Xiangrong; Fujita, Hiroshi

2012-02-01

ROC studies require complex procedures to select cases from many data samples, and to set confidence levels in each selected case to generate ROC curves. In some observer performance studies, researchers have to develop software with specific graphical user interface (GUI) to obtain confidence levels from readers. Because ROC studies could be designed for various clinical situations, it is difficult task for preparing software corresponding to every ROC studies. In this work, we have developed software for recording confidence levels during observer studies on tiny personal handheld devices such as iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. To confirm the functions of our software, three radiologists performed observer studies to detect lung nodules by using public database of chest radiograms published by Japan Society of Radiological Technology. The output in text format conformed to the format for the famous ROC kit from the University of Chicago. Times required for the reading each case was recorded very precisely.

Family Presence During Resuscitation (FPDR): Observational case studies of emergency personnel in Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Porter, Joanne E; Miller, Nareeda; Giannis, Anita; Coombs, Nicole

2017-07-01

Family Presence During Resuscitation (FPDR), although not a new concept, remains inconsistently implemented by emergency personnel. Many larger metropolitan emergency departments (ED) have instigated a care coordinator role, however these personnel are often from a non-nursing background and have therefore limited knowledge about the clinical aspects of the resuscitation. In rural emergency departments there are simply not enough staff to allocate an independent role. A separate care coordinator role, who is assigned to care for the family and not take part in the resuscitation has been well documented as essential to the successful implementation of FPDR. One rural and one metropolitan emergency department in the state of Victoria, Australia were observed and data was collected on FPDR events. The participants consisted of resuscitation team members, including; emergency trained nurses, senior medical officers, general nurses and doctors. The participants were not told that the data would be recorded around interactions with family members or team discussions regarding family involvement in the resuscitation, following ethical approval involving limited disclosure of the aims of the study. Seventeen adult presentations (Metro n=9, Rural n=8) were included in this study and will be presented as resuscitation case studies. The key themes identified included ambiguity around resuscitation status, keeping the family informed, family isolation and inter-professional communication. During 17 adult resuscitation cases, staff were witnessed communicating with family, which was often limited and isolation resulted. Family were often uninformed or separated from their family member, however when a family liaison person was available it was found to be beneficial. This research indicated that staff could benefit from a designated family liaison role, formal policy and further education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Personal involvement is related to increased search motivation and associated with activity in left BA44-a pilot study.

PubMed

Schaefer, Michael; Rumpel, Franziska; Sadrieh, Abdolkarim; Reimann, Martin; Denke, Claudia

2015-01-01

Numerous studies explore consumer perception of brands in a more or less passive way. This may still be representative for many situations or decisions we make each day. Nevertheless, sometimes we often actively search for and use information to make informed and reasoned choices, thus implying a rational and thinking consumer. Researchers suggested describing this distinction as low relative to high involvement consumer behavior. Although the involvement concept has been widely used to explain consumer behavior, behavioral and neural correlates of this concept are poorly understood. The current study aims to describe a behavioral measure that is associated with high involvement, the length of search behavior. A second aim of this study was to explore brain activations associated with involvement by employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We presented participants information cues for different products and told them that they had to answer questions with respect to these products at the end of the experiment. Participants were free to stop the information search if they think they gathered enough information or to continue with collecting information. Behavioral results confirmed our hypothesis of a relationship between searching behavior and personal involvement by demonstrating that the length of search correlated significantly with the degree of personal involvement of the participants. fMRI data revealed that personal involvement was associated with activation in BA44. Since this brain region is known to be involved in semantic memory, the results of this pilot study suggest that high involvement consumer behavior may be linked to cognitive load and attention towards a product.

District Liaison Involvement in Partnership Academies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustafson, Debra M.; Kiltz, Nancy

2016-01-01

In this article, Gustafson and Kiltz reflect on why they got involved in the very first master's level Professional Administrative Leadership Academy developed at Kansas State University (KSU). The authors had the opportunity to observe school leaders and noted that the most effective leaders shared their power and knowledge freely with others.…

American Involvement in Fringe Religious Cults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Intellect, 1977

1977-01-01

"Twenty million Americans are involved in fringe religious cults such as spiritualism, Hare Krishna, Scientology, and Black Gospel groups," according to anthropologist Irving Zaretsky of the University of Chicago. He recently completed a 10-year period as a participant-observer of fringe religious groups in the San Francisco Bay area and the…

Capturing Parents' Individual and Institutional Interest Toward Involvement in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaya, Sibel; Lundeen, Cynthia

2010-11-01

Parents are generally less involved in their children’s science education (as compared to reading and mathematics) due to low self-efficacy and a lack of home-school communication. This study examined parental interest and attitudes in science as well as the nature of parent-to-child questioning during an interactive home, school, and community collaboration in the southeastern United States. Study results, compiled from observations, exit surveys, and interviews revealed largely positive family interactions and attitudes about science learning and increased parental interest toward involvement in elementary science. Parents frequently used productive questioning techniques during activities. These results imply that successful home, school, and community partnerships may elevate levels of parental participation in their children’s science education and the parents’ perception of themselves as being competent in assisting in science.

'Calling executives and clinicians to account': user involvement in commissioning cancer services.

PubMed

Evans, David H; Bacon, Roger J; Greer, Elizabeth; Stagg, Angela M; Turton, Pat

2015-08-01

English NHS guidance emphasizes the importance of involving users in commissioning cancer services. There has been considerable previous research on involving users in service improvement, but not on involvement in commissioning cancer services. To identify how users were involved as local cancer service commissioning projects sought to implement good practice and what has been learned. Participatory evaluation with four qualitative case studies based on semi-structured interviews with project stakeholders, observation and documentary analysis. Users were involved in every stage from design to analysis and reporting. Four English cancer network user involvement in commissioning projects, with 22 stakeholders interviewed. Thematic analysis identified nine themes: initial involvement, preparation for the role, ability to exercise voice, consistency and continuity, where decisions are made, closing the feedback loop, assessing impact, value of experience and diversity. Our findings on the impact of user involvement in commissioning cancer services are consistent with other findings on user involvement in service improvement, but highlight the specific issues for involvement in commissioning. Key points include the different perspectives users and professionals may have on the impact of user involvement in commissioning, the time necessary for meaningful involvement, the importance of involving users from the beginning and the value of senior management and PPI facilitator support and training. Users can play an important role in commissioning cancer services, but their ability to do so is contingent on resources being available to support them. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Observational Study of Cataclysmic Variable Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araujo-Betancor, Sofia

2004-03-01

In this thesis I present an observational study of the evolution of Cataclysmic Variables (CVs). Disrupted magnetic braking has been the standard paradigm of CV evolution for the past twenty years. Unfortunately, some of its predictions are in strong disagreement with the observations. In recent years, a number of additions/alternatives to the standard model have been proposed. Yet, none have been able to explain all of the features observed in the currently known CV population. The work presented in this thesis is based mainly on a large-scale search for CVs. The primary aim of this project is to resolve the disagreement between theory and observations by eliminating the observational biases of the present CV sample. Here, I use two complementary approaches to search for CVs: (1) from the spectroscopic appearance in the Hamburg Quasar Survey (HQS), and (2) by using a combination of ROSAT and 2MASS archival data. So far, we have discovered 52 new CVs in the HQS and 11 new CVs (the majority of them magnetic) and 1 pre-CV in the ROSAT/2MASS. Follow-up observations of two newly discovered HQS CVs, 1RXS J062518.2+733433 and HS 2331+3905, resulted in the classification of the first as an Intermediate Polar, with P_orb = 283.0 min and P_spin = 19.8 min, and the second as a short orbital period system, P_orb = 81.0 min, harbouring a white dwarf pulsator. In addition, we found that the dominant ~3.5 h radial velocity variation of HS 2331+3905 does not correspond to the orbital period of the system, contrary to all other CVs. Despite its novel selection criterion, the HQS does not provide many short-period CVs -- even though tests with the known CVs included in the survey have shown that it is very sensitive to those objects. The biggest surprise in the new HQS sample is the discovery of many new SW Sex stars. The clustering of SW Sex stars in the 3-4 h period range is probably an important feature in the evolution of CVs that we currently do not understand at all. To

Fathers’ Involvement in Child Health Care: Associations with Prenatal Involvement, Parents’ Beliefs, and Maternal Gatekeeping

PubMed Central

Zvara, B.J.; Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.; Dush, Claire M. Kamp

2015-01-01

Using data from 182 dual-earner couples experiencing the transition to parenthood, this study examined associations between prenatal involvement, gender role beliefs, and maternal gatekeeping and new fathers’ involvement in child health care. Results indicated that prenatal father involvement was associated with both fathers’ direct engagement in child health care and fathers’ perceived influence in child health-related decision-making. Fathers also demonstrated greater direct engagement in child health care when mothers held more nontraditional beliefs about gender roles. Moreover, when mothers were more encouraging of fathers’ involvement in childrearing, fathers felt more influential in child health-related decision-making, whereas when mothers engaged in greater gate closing behavior, fathers with more traditional gender role beliefs felt less influential in child health-related decision-making. This study suggests that fathers’ prenatal involvement, mothers’ beliefs, and maternal gatekeeping may play a role in the development of new fathers’ involvement in child health care at the transition to parenthood. PMID:26405366

A review of data sharing statements in observational studies published in the BMJ: A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

McDonald, Laura; Schultze, Anna; Simpson, Alex; Graham, Sophie; Wasiak, Radek; Ramagopalan, Sreeram V.

2017-01-01

In order to understand the current state of data sharing in observational research studies, we reviewed data sharing statements of observational studies published in a general medical journal, the British Medical Journal. We found that the majority (63%) of observational studies published between 2015 and 2017 included a statement that implied that data used in the study could not be shared. If the findings of our exploratory study are confirmed, room for improvement in the sharing of real-world or observational research data exists. PMID:29167735

Professional perspectives on service user and carer involvement in mental health care planning: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Bee, Penny; Brooks, Helen; Fraser, Claire; Lovell, Karina

2015-12-01

Involving users/carers in mental health care-planning is central to international policy initiatives yet users frequently report feeling excluded from the care planning process. Rigorous explorations of mental health professionals' experiences of care planning are lacking, limiting our understanding of this important translational gap. To explore professional perceptions of delivering collaborative mental health care-planning and involving service users and carers in their care. Qualitative interviews and focus groups with data combined and subjected to framework analysis. UK secondary care mental health services. 51 multi-disciplinary professionals involved in care planning and recruited via study advertisements. Emergent themes identified care-planning as a meaningful platform for user/carer involvement but revealed philosophical tensions between user involvement and professional accountability. Professionals emphasised their individual, relational skills as a core facilitator of involvement, highlighting some important deficiencies in conventional staff training programmes. Although internationally accepted on philosophical grounds, user-involved care-planning is poorly defined and lacks effective implementation support. Its full realisation demands greater recognition of both the historical and contemporary contexts in which statutory mental healthcare occurs. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Patient involvement in drug licensing: a case study.

PubMed

Britten, Nicky; Denford, Sarah; Harris-Golesworthy, Faith; Jibson, Steph; Pyart, Nigel; Stein, Ken

2015-04-01

Embodied health movements work on the boundary between lay and expert knowledge. Consumer groups, depending on their goals, may increase or decrease pharmaceuticalization. This paper reports a small case study about the retrospective evaluation of a specific second line treatment for type 2 diabetes by an existing patient involvement group. The group is part of a research collaboration between academia and the health service in England, and shares some characteristics of embodied health movements. We used the case study to explore whether an institutionally funded non activist patient group can make a more balanced contribution to drug licensing decisions than that made by either access-oriented or injury-oriented consumer groups, without being co-opted by an institutional agenda. The questions we wished to address were how this group evaluated existing mechanisms for licensing drugs; how they balanced scientific and lay knowledge; how they made their decisions; and how they viewed their experiences as panel members. The five panel members were interviewed before and after the panel discussion in July 2013. They were critical of current licensing processes, and used their own embodied experiences of medicines to evaluate expert knowledge. Their decisions on the panel were informed either by a balancing of benefits and harms, or by trust in experts. The case study suggests that such a group may have the potential both to balance the pro-pharmaceuticalization impact of access-oriented groups and to influence forms of pharmaceutical governance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Paediatric nurses' adherence to the double-checking process during medication administration in a children's hospital: an observational study.

PubMed

Alsulami, Zayed; Choonara, Imti; Conroy, Sharon

2014-06-01

To evaluate how closely double-checking policies are followed by nurses in paediatric areas and also to identify the types, frequency and rates of medication administration errors that occur despite the double-checking process. Double-checking by two nurses is an intervention used in many UK hospitals to prevent or reduce medication administration errors. There is, however, insufficient evidence to either support or refute the practice of double-checking in terms of medication error risk reduction. Prospective observational study. This was a prospective observational study of paediatric nurses' adherence to the double-checking process for medication administration from April-July 2012. Drug dose administration events (n = 2000) were observed. Independent drug dose calculation, rate of administering intravenous bolus drugs and labelling of flush syringes were the steps with lowest adherence rates. Drug dose calculation was only double-checked independently in 591 (30%) drug administrations. There was a statistically significant difference in nurses' adherence rate to the double-checking steps between weekdays and weekends in nine of the 15 evaluated steps. Medication administration errors (n = 191) or deviations from policy were observed, at a rate of 9·6% of drug administrations. These included 64 drug doses, which were left for parents to administer without nurse observation. There was variation between paediatric nurses' adherence to double-checking steps during medication administration. The most frequent type of administration errors or deviation from policy involved the medicine being given to the parents to administer to the child when the nurse was not present. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effects of medical marijuana laws on cannabis-involved driving.

PubMed

Sevigny, Eric L

2018-06-06

This study uses data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and a differences-in-differences model to examine the effect of state medical marijuana laws (MMLs) on cannabis-involved driving among U.S. drivers involved in a fatal crash between 1993-2014. Findings indicate that MMLs in general have a null effect on cannabis-positive driving, as do state laws with specific supply provisions including home cultivation and unlicensed or quasi-legal dispensaries. Only in jurisdictions with state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries did the odds of marijuana-involved driving increase significantly by 14 percent, translating into an additional 87 to 113 drivers testing positive for marijuana per year. Sensitivity analyses reveal these findings to be generally robust to alternate specifications, although an observed spillover effect consistent with elevated drugged driving enforcement in bordering states weakens a causal interpretation. Still, reasonable policy implications are drawn regarding drugged driving prevention/enforcement and regulations governing dispensary delivery services and business siting decisions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring Involvement with Social Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nowak, Glen J.; Salmon, Charles T.

A study applied research concepts from consumer product involvement to test a model for research on involvement with social issues. Issue involvement was defined as the state or level of perceived importance and/or interest evoked by a stimulus (issue) within a specific situation. Attitudes on four social issues--abortion, pornography, the…

Phenotypes of organ involvement in sarcoidosis.

PubMed

Schupp, Jonas Christian; Freitag-Wolf, Sandra; Bargagli, Elena; Mihailović-Vučinić, Violeta; Rottoli, Paola; Grubanovic, Aleksandar; Müller, Annegret; Jochens, Arne; Tittmann, Lukas; Schnerch, Jasmin; Olivieri, Carmela; Fischer, Annegret; Jovanovic, Dragana; Filipovic, Snežana; Videnovic-Ivanovic, Jelica; Bresser, Paul; Jonkers, René; O'Reilly, Kate; Ho, Ling-Pei; Gaede, Karoline I; Zabel, Peter; Dubaniewicz, Anna; Marshall, Ben; Kieszko, Robert; Milanowski, Janusz; Günther, Andreas; Weihrich, Anette; Petrek, Martin; Kolek, Vitezslav; Keane, Michael P; O'Beirne, Sarah; Donnelly, Seamas; Haraldsdottir, Sigridur Olina; Jorundsdottir, Kristin B; Costabel, Ulrich; Bonella, Francesco; Wallaert, Benoît; Grah, Christian; Peroš-Golubičić, Tatjana; Luisetti, Mauritio; Kadija, Zamir; Pabst, Stefan; Grohé, Christian; Strausz, János; Vašáková, Martina; Sterclova, Martina; Millar, Ann; Homolka, Jiří; Slováková, Alena; Kendrick, Yvonne; Crawshaw, Anjali; Wuyts, Wim; Spencer, Lisa; Pfeifer, Michael; Valeyre, Dominique; Poletti, Venerino; Wirtz, Hubertus; Prasse, Antje; Schreiber, Stefan; Krawczak, Michael; Müller-Quernheim, Joachim

2018-01-01

Sarcoidosis is a highly variable, systemic granulomatous disease of hitherto unknown aetiology. The GenPhenReSa (Genotype-Phenotype Relationship in Sarcoidosis) project represents a European multicentre study to investigate the influence of genotype on disease phenotypes in sarcoidosis.The baseline phenotype module of GenPhenReSa comprised 2163 Caucasian patients with sarcoidosis who were phenotyped at 31 study centres according to a standardised protocol.From this module, we found that patients with acute onset were mainly female, young and of Scadding type I or II. Female patients showed a significantly higher frequency of eye and skin involvement, and complained more of fatigue. Based on multidimensional correspondence analysis and subsequent cluster analysis, patients could be clearly stratified into five distinct, yet undescribed, subgroups according to predominant organ involvement: 1) abdominal organ involvement, 2) ocular-cardiac-cutaneous-central nervous system disease involvement, 3) musculoskeletal-cutaneous involvement, 4) pulmonary and intrathoracic lymph node involvement, and 5) extrapulmonary involvement.These five new clinical phenotypes will be useful to recruit homogenous cohorts in future biomedical studies. Copyright ©ERS 2018.

Recovery in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD): results of a 6-month, multinational, observational study

PubMed Central

Novick, Diego; Montgomery, William; Vorstenbosch, Ellen; Moneta, Maria Victoria; Dueñas, Héctor; Haro, Josep Maria

2017-01-01

Not all individuals treated for major depressive disorder (MDD) achieve recovery. This observational study examined the recovery rates in MDD patients and the patient characteristics associated with achieving recovery in a naturalistic clinical setting. Recovery was defined as having both clinical and functional remission. Data for this post hoc analysis were taken from a 24-week prospective, observational study that involved 1,549 MDD patients. Clinical remission was assessed using the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report and functional remission through the Sheehan Disability Scale and no days of reduced productivity in the previous week. Generalized estimating equation regression models were used to examine the baseline factors associated with recovery during follow-up. Clinical and functional remission was achieved in 70.6% and 56.1% of the MDD patients, respectively. MDD patients who achieved recovery (52.1%) were significantly less likely to have impaired levels of functioning, concurrent medical or psychiatric conditions, low levels of education, or nonadherence to therapy at follow-up. The level of functioning during the index episode seems to be a better predictor of recovery than symptom severity. Therefore, the level of functioning should be considered while determining recovery from depression. PMID:29184393

Scientific and Ethical Approaches for Observational Exposure ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Researchers conduct observational human exposure studies to understand how and the extent to which people come into contact with chemicals and environmental stressors in their everyday lives, through the air they breathe, the food and liquids they consume, and the things they touch. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) has conducted observational human exposure studies for several decades and uses the information and data from these studies to improve the Agency’s understanding of human exposures to chemicals and other stressors and ultimately to support efforts to improve public health. Because these studies involve people as research participants, they are complex and raise numerous scientific and ethical issues that have to be addressed prior to and during their design and implementation. To ensure that EPA’s research continues to be based on the most up-to-date science and the highest ethical standards, the Agency has developed this document that contains state-of-the-science approaches for conducting observational human exposure studies. This document is not meant to represent an official Agency “guidance document” but, rather, serves as a resource tool and source of information for NERL and other researchers on which to rely as they develop and conduct observational human exposure studies.

No evidence for involvement of SDHD in neuroblastoma pathogenesis

PubMed Central

De Preter, Katleen; Vandesompele, Jo; Hoebeeck, Jasmien; Vandenbroecke, Caroline; Smet, Jöel; Nuyts, Annick; Laureys, Geneviève; Combaret, Valérie; Van Roy, Nadine; Roels, Frank; Van Coster, Rudy; Praet, Marleen; De Paepe, Anne; Speleman, Frank

2004-01-01

Background Deletions in the long arm of chromosome 11 are observed in a subgroup of advanced stage neuroblastomas with poor outcome. The deleted region harbours the tumour suppressor gene SDHD that is frequently mutated in paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma, which are, like neuroblastoma, tumours originating from the neural crest. In this study, we sought for evidence for involvement of SDHD in neuroblastoma. Methods SDHD was investigated on the genome, transcriptome and proteome level using mutation screening, methylation specific PCR, real-time quantitative PCR based homozygous deletion screening and mRNA expression profiling, immunoblotting, functional protein analysis and ultrastructural imaging of the mitochondria. Results Analysis at the genomic level of 67 tumour samples and 37 cell lines revealed at least 2 bona-fide mutations in cell lines without allelic loss at 11q23: a 4bp-deletion causing skip of exon 3 resulting in a premature stop codon in cell line N206, and a Y93C mutation in cell line NMB located in a region affected by germline SDHD mutations causing hereditary paraganglioma. No evidence for hypermethylation of the SDHD promotor region was observed, nor could we detect homozygous deletions. Interestingly, SDHD mRNA expression was significantly reduced in SDHD mutated cell lines and cell lines with 11q allelic loss as compared to both cell lines without 11q allelic loss and normal foetal neuroblast cells. However, protein analyses and assessment of mitochondrial morphology presently do not provide clues as to the possible effect of reduced SDHD expression on the neuroblastoma tumour phenotype. Conclusions Our study provides no indications for 2-hit involvement of SDHD in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma. Also, although a haplo-insufficient mechanism for SDHD involvement in advanced stage neuroblastoma could be considered, the present data do not provide consistent evidence for this hypothesis. PMID:15331017

The Role of Involvement and Emotional Well-Being for Preschool Children's Scientific Observation Competency in Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klemm, Janina; Neuhaus, Birgit J.

2017-01-01

Observation is one of the basic methods in science. It is not only an epistemological method itself, but also an important competence for other methods like experimenting or comparing. However, there is little knowledge about the relation with affective factors of this inquiry method. In our study, we would like to find out about the relations of…

Overview of the Ocean Observer Satellite Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, J. D.; McGuire, J. P.; Pichel, W. G.; Gerber, A. J.

2002-12-01

A two-year study of ocean satellite remote sensing requirements and instrument/satellite options is nearing completion. This Ocean Observer Study was sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce/Dept. of Defense/National Aeronautics and Space Administration Integrated Program Office, whose mission is to develop the future U.S. National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). A comprehensive Ocean Observer User Requirements Document has been drafted by a team of over 150 government, academic, and private sector scientists, engineers, and administrators. Included are requirements for open and coastal ocean surface, cryospheric, hydrologic, and some land/hazard and atmospheric boundary layer parameters. This document was then used as input to the instrument and satellite study (conducted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory) which produced five different instrument/satellite configuration options designed to address the maximum number of requirements which will not be met with the already-approved NPOESS instruments. Instruments studied include a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), an altimeter, and a hyper-spectral coastal infrared/visible imager. After analyzing the alternatives, it appears that one of the best options is a two-satellite system consisting of (1) an altimeter mission in the Topex/Poseidon orbit carrying both wide-swath and delayed doppler altimeters, and (2) a multi-polarization, multi-frequency, multi-mode interferometric SAR mission including a coastal imager in a polar sun-synchronous orbit. This paper summarizes the user requirements process, briefly describes the notional satellite configuration, and presents some of the capabilities of the instruments.

Environmental Education in Action - III: Case Studies of Public Involvement in Environmental Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoenfeld, Clay, Comp.; Desinger, John F., Comp.

Presented here are 27 case studies of public involvement in environmental policy. These are examples of environmental education or communications programs developed by local, state, regional or national environmental action groups. The reports tell how the groups have successfully, or unsuccessfully, mobilized public opinion in favor of beneficent…

Radiation energy budget studies using collocated AVHRR and ERBE observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackerman, Steven A.; Inoue, Toshiro

1994-01-01

Changes in the energy balance at the top of the atmosphere are specified as a function of atmospheric and surface properties using observations from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanner. By collocating the observations from the two instruments, flown on NOAA-9, the authors take advantage of the remote-sensing capabilities of each instrument. The AVHRR spectral channels were selected based on regions that are strongly transparent to clear sky conditions and are therefore useful for characterizing both surface and cloud-top conditions. The ERBE instruments make broadband observations that are important for climate studies. The approach of collocating these observations in time and space is used to study the radiative energy budget of three geographic regions: oceanic, savanna, and desert.

Driving performance while using cell phones: an observational study.

PubMed

Rosenbloom, Tova

2006-01-01

Through spontaneous driving observations, this study sought to examine the impact of using a hands-free cell phone while driving on speed and safe gap keeping behaviors. The study also examined the association between the measure of disturbance created by using a cell phone and the driver's awareness of the disturbance. Twenty-three male adults were observed while driving for an hour and a half each; drivers were unaware of being observed. During the session, each of the participants received a phone call, initiated by an associate of the observer. The experiment was divided into two periods during which the experimental parameters were monitored: 10 minutes during conversation on a cell phone and 10 minutes of non-conversation on a hands-free cell phone. After the experiment, the driver was questioned concerning the extent to which his/her driving was disturbed by the cell phone conversation. T-test for matched samples revealed that the gaps between the drivers' cars and those in front of them diminished when drivers were engaged in the cell phone conversations. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that drivers that had short conversations did not change their speed, while drivers who were engaged in long (over 16 minutes) conversations drove faster. No effect of drivers' awareness toward cell phone-related disturbance on actual driving behavior monitored in the present study was found.

Impact of Parent Involvement on Children's Development and Academic Performance: A Three-Cohort Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcon, Rebecca A.

This study examined the possibility of a "threshold" of parent involvement with their children's preschools, that can lead to positive child outcomes in a sample of hard-to-engage families. Three cohorts of preschool children were studied, most from low-income, single-parent families. Teachers were interviewed to determine extent of contact they…

Survey Measurement of Father Involvement in Childrearing: A Reliability and Validity Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley, Dave

The purpose of this paper is to describe a specific method of measuring fathers' childrearing involvement. The conceptual scheme underlying the method addresses involvement in routine child care, play with the child, and school-related interactions. Measures involved the father's share of childrearing (as compared with the mother's) and the…

Disagreement in Parental Reports of Father Involvement

PubMed Central

Charles, Pajarita; Spielfogel, Jill; Gorman-Smith, Deborah; Schoeny, Michael; Henry, David; Tolan, Patrick

2016-01-01

Despite agreement on the value of father involvement in children’s lives, research has been limited due to the exclusion of fathers in studies, questionable validity of mothers’ reports on father involvement, and simple measures of fathering behavior. Our study extends previous research by comparing reports of father involvement using robust, multidimensional father involvement measures. Data from 113 fathers and 126 mothers reporting on 221 children were used to assess father involvement. Results indicate that fathers reported significantly higher levels of involvement than mothers reported. Findings from hierarchical linear models suggest that race/ethnicity and mothers’ reports of positive relationship quality were associated with smaller discrepancies in reports of father involvement, whereas nonmarried partnerships, older children, father residence, and biological status predicted larger discrepancies. Our study demonstrates the importance of obtaining father involvement reports directly from fathers and why father involvement should be assessed as a multidimensional construct to examine fathering behavior. PMID:29515272

A prospective longitudinal study of children's theory of mind and adolescent involvement in bullying.

PubMed

Shakoor, Sania; Jaffee, Sara R; Bowes, Lucy; Ouellet-Morin, Isabelle; Andreou, Penelope; Happé, Francesca; Moffitt, Terrie E; Arseneault, Louise

2012-03-01

Theory of mind (ToM) allows the understanding and prediction of other people's behaviours based on their mental states (e.g. beliefs). It is important for healthy social relationships and thus may contribute towards children's involvement in bullying. The present study investigated whether children involved in bullying during early adolescence had poor ToM in childhood. Participants were members of the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative sample of 2,232 children and their families. We visited families when children were 5, 7, 10 and 12 years. ToM was assessed when the children were 5 years using eight standardized tasks. Identification of those children who were involved in bullying as victims, bullies and bully-victims using mothers', teachers' and children's reports was carried out when they were 12 years' old. Poor ToM predicted becoming a victim (effect size, d = 0.26), bully (d = 0.25) or bully-victim (d = 0.44) in early adolescence. These associations remained for victims and bully-victims when child-specific (e.g. IQ) and family factors (e.g. child maltreatment) were controlled for. Emotional and behavioural problems during middle childhood did not modify the association between poor ToM and adolescent bullying experiences. Identifying and supporting children with poor ToM early in life could help reduce their vulnerability for involvement in bullying and thus limit its adverse effects on mental health. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2011 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

"I just think that we should be informed" a qualitative study of family involvement in advance care planning in nursing homes.

PubMed

Thoresen, Lisbeth; Lillemoen, Lillian

2016-11-10

As part of the research project "End-of-life Communication in Nursing Homes. Patient Preferences and Participation", we have studied how Advance Care Planning (ACP) is carried out in eight Norwegian nursing homes. The concept of ACP is a process for improving patient autonomy and communication in the context of progressive illness, anticipated deterioration and end-of-life care. While an individualistic autonomy based attitude is at the fore in most studies on ACP, there is a lack of empirical studies on how family members' participation and involvement in ACP- conversations may promote nursing home patients' participation in decisions on future treatment and end-of-life care. Based on empirical data and family ethics perspectives, the purpose of this study is to add insights to the complexity of ACP-conversations and illuminate how a family ethics perspective may improve the quality of the ACP and promote nursing home patients' participation in advance care planning. Participant observations of ACP-conversations in eight nursing homes. The observations were followed by interviews with patients and relatives together on how they experienced being part of the conversation, and expressing their views on future medical treatment, hospitalization and end-of-life issues. We found that the way nursing home patients and relatives are connected and related to each other, constitutes an intertwined unit. Further, we found that relatives' involvement and participation in ACP- conversations is significant to uncover, and give the nursing home staff insight into, what is important in the nursing home patient's life at the time. The third analytical theme is patients' and relatives' shared experiences of the dying and death of others. Drawing on past experiences can be a way of introducing or talking about death. An individual autonomy approach in advance care planning should be complemented with a family ethics approach. To be open to family ethics when planning for the

Theoretical and Observational Studies of Meteor Interactions with the Ionosphere

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

within an order of magnitude. The histograms of scattering mass, calculated from data collected at the ALTAIR rada are contained in Figure 1 . These...RTO-MP-IST-056 12 - 1 UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED UNCLASSIFIED/UNLIMITED Theoretical and Observational Studies of Meteor Interactions with the...Observational Studies of Meteor Interactions with the Ionosphere. In Characterising the Ionosphere (pp. 12- 1 – 12-12). Meeting Proceedings RTO-MP-IST-056

Two Dimensions of Parental Involvement: What Affects Parental Involvement in Dual Language Immersion?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ee, Jongyeon

2017-01-01

This article investigates parental involvement in Korean two-way immersion (TWI) programs from the social capital theory perspective. This study explores the degree to which parental involvement is affected by parents' demographic features and parent-related variables by analyzing data from 454 parents of students enrolled in seven elementary…

Military fathers' perspectives on involvement.

PubMed

Willerton, Elaine; Schwarz, Rona L; Wadsworth, Shelley M Macdermid; Oglesby, Mary Schultheis

2011-08-01

Military fathers endure repeated separations from their children. In this qualitative study we describe military fathers' range of involvement with their children, paying special attention to the implications of deployment separation and reintegration. We discuss father involvement using three overlapping major domains of functioning: cognitive, affective, and behavioral. Additionally, we consider how types of father involvement differ vis-à-vis child age. Data were gathered via focus groups conducted with 71 fathers at 14 U.S. military installations. Descriptions of involvement were rich and varied. Involvement with children was a major concern for fathers, despite or perhaps because of the challenges of military careers. We discuss factors that help explain variations in involvement and offer insights about the conceptualization of father involvement for occupations requiring prolonged absences from home.

Corticospinal excitability during the observation of social behavior.

PubMed

Bucchioni, Giulia; Cavallo, Andrea; Ippolito, Davide; Marton, Gianluca; Castiello, Umberto

2013-03-01

Evidence suggests that the observation of an action induces in the observers an enhancement of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) recorded by the observer's muscles corresponding to those involved in the observed action. Although this is a well-studied phenomenon, it remains still unclear how the viewer's motor facilitation is influenced by the social content characterizing the observed scene. In the present study we investigated the facilitation of the corticospinal system during the observation of either an action that does not imply a social interaction (i.e., an actor throwing a ball against a wall), or an action which implies a social interaction (i.e., an actor passing a ball to a partner). Results indicate that MEPs amplitude is enhanced during the observation of a social rather than an individual action. We contend that the increase in MEPs activation might reflect an enhancement of the simulative activity stemming from the mirror system during the observation of social interactions. Altogether these findings show that the human corticospinal system is sensitive to social interactions and may support the role of the mirror neurons system in social cognition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinician and Writer: Their Crucible of Involvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewald, Helen Rothschild

Clinical report writing involves two interlinking processes--creation and communication. There are six stages of clinical inference that find parallels in generative writing stages: possessing a postulate system, constructing the major premise, observing for occurrences, instantiating (classifying) the occurrences, reaching a referential product,…

Pharmacy technician involvement in community pharmacy medication therapy management.

PubMed

Lengel, Matthew; Kuhn, Catherine H; Worley, Marcia; Wehr, Allison M; McAuley, James W

To assess the impact of technician involvement on the completion of medication therapy management (MTM) services in a community pharmacy setting and to describe pharmacists' and technicians' perceptions of technician involvement in MTM-related tasks and their satisfaction with the technician's role in MTM. Prospective observational study. In the fall of 2015, pharmacists and selected technicians from 32 grocery store-based community pharmacies were trained to use technicians within MTM services. Completed MTM claims were evaluated at all pharmacies for 3 months before training and 3 months after training. An electronic survey, developed with the use of competencies taught in the training and relevant published literature, was distributed via e-mail to trained employees 3 months after training. The total number of completed MTM claims at the 32 pharmacy sites was higher during the posttraining time period (2687 claims) versus the pretraining period (1735 claims). Of the 182 trained participants, 112 (61.5%) completed the survey. Overall, perceived technician involvement was lower than expected. However, identifying MTM opportunities was the most commonly reported technician MTM task, with 62.5% of technicians and 47.2% of pharmacists reporting technician involvement. Nearly one-half of technicians (42.5%) and pharmacists (44.0%) agreed or strongly agreed they were satisfied with the technician's role in MTM services, and 40.0% of technicians agreed that they were more satisfied with their work in the pharmacy after involvement in MTM. Three months after initial training of technicians in MTM, participation of technicians was lower than expected. However, the technicians involved most often reported identifying MTM opportunities for pharmacists, which may be a focus for future technician trainings. In addition, technician involvement in MTM services may increase satisfaction with many aspects of work for actively involved technicians. Copyright © 2018 American

The ethics of human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides: unanswered dilemmas

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

The controversy about the use of data from human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides as part of regulatory risk assessment has been widely discussed, but the complex and interrelated scientific and ethical issues remain largely unresolved. This discussion paper, generated by authors who comprised a workgroup of the ICOH Scientific Committee on Rural Health, reviews the use of human experimental studies in regulatory risk assessment for pesticides with a view to advancing the debate as to when, if ever, such studies might be ethically justifiable. The discussion is based on three elements: (a) a review of discussion papers on the topic of human testing of pesticides and the positions adopted by regulatory agencies in developed countries; (b) an analysis of published and unpublished studies involving human testing with pesticides, both in the peer-reviewed literature and in the JMPR database; and (c) application of an ethical analysis to the problem. The paper identifies areas of agreement which include general principles that may provide a starting point on which to base criteria for judgements as to the ethical acceptability of such studies. However, the paper also highlights ongoing unresolved differences of opinion inherent in ethical analysis of contentious issues, which we propose should form a starting point for further debate and the development of guidelines to achieve better resolution of this matter. PMID:20718963

Predictive Mechanisms Are Not Involved the Same Way during Human-Human vs. Human-Machine Interactions: A Review

PubMed Central

Sahaï, Aïsha; Pacherie, Elisabeth; Grynszpan, Ouriel; Berberian, Bruno

2017-01-01

Nowadays, interactions with others do not only involve human peers but also automated systems. Many studies suggest that the motor predictive systems that are engaged during action execution are also involved during joint actions with peers and during other human generated action observation. Indeed, the comparator model hypothesis suggests that the comparison between a predicted state and an estimated real state enables motor control, and by a similar functioning, understanding and anticipating observed actions. Such a mechanism allows making predictions about an ongoing action, and is essential to action regulation, especially during joint actions with peers. Interestingly, the same comparison process has been shown to be involved in the construction of an individual's sense of agency, both for self-generated and observed other human generated actions. However, the implication of such predictive mechanisms during interactions with machines is not consensual, probably due to the high heterogeneousness of the automata used in the experimentations, from very simplistic devices to full humanoid robots. The discrepancies that are observed during human/machine interactions could arise from the absence of action/observation matching abilities when interacting with traditional low-level automata. Consistently, the difficulties to build a joint agency with this kind of machines could stem from the same problem. In this context, we aim to review the studies investigating predictive mechanisms during social interactions with humans and with automated artificial systems. We will start by presenting human data that show the involvement of predictions in action control and in the sense of agency during social interactions. Thereafter, we will confront this literature with data from the robotic field. Finally, we will address the upcoming issues in the field of robotics related to automated systems aimed at acting as collaborative agents. PMID:29081744

Involvement in bullying and suicidal ideation in middle adolescence: a 2-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Heikkilä, Hanna-Kaisa; Väänänen, Juha; Helminen, Mika; Fröjd, Sari; Marttunen, Mauri; Kaltiala-Heino, Riittakerttu

2013-02-01

The objective of the study was to ascertain whether involvement in bullying increases the risk for subsequent suicidal ideation. A total of 2,070 Finnish girls and boys aged 15 were surveyed in the ninth grade (age 15) in schools, and followed up 2 years later in the Adolescent Mental Health Cohort Study. Involvement in bullying was elicited at age 15 by two questions focusing on being a bully and being a victim of bullying. Suicidal ideation was elicited by one item of the short Beck Depression Inventory at age 17. Baseline depressive symptoms and externalizing symptoms, age and sex were controlled for. Statistical analyses were carried out using cross-tabulations with Chi-square/Fisher's exact test and logistic regression. Suicidal ideation at age 17 was 3-4 times more prevalent among those who had been involved in bullying at age 15 than among those not involved. Suicidal ideation at age 17 was most prevalent among former victims of bullying. Being a victim of bullying at age 15 continued to predict subsequent suicidal ideation when depressive and externalizing symptoms were controlled for. Being a bully at age 15 also persisted as borderline significantly predictive of suicidal ideation when baseline symptoms were controlled for. Findings indicate adolescent victims and perpetrators of bullying alike are at long-term risk for suicidal ideation.

Are Bank Employees Stressed? Job Perception and Positivity in the Banking Sector: An Italian Observational Study

PubMed Central

Mannocci, Alice; Marchini, Laura; Scognamiglio, Alfredo; Sinopoli, Alessandra; Sernia, Sabina; La Torre, Giuseppe

2018-01-01

Background: The epidemiology of stress on bank workers in Europe is only at the introductory stages. This study investigated for the first time the association between occupational stress level in bank-employees using the BEST8, Karasek-Model and socio-demographic and working factors in Italy. Methods: The observational pilot study involved 384 employees. Three questionnaires were adopted to collect data: Karasek-Model, BEST8 (p < 0.001) and Positivity-Scale. Results: 25% of the sample belonged to high stress group. The workers more stressed were older with a commercial role and consumer of antidepressants/sedatives. Women were much more likely to agree with the perception of feeling unsafe in a possible robbery (OR = 2.42; 95% CI: 1.50–3.91) and with that sales requests were in conflict with one’s own personal moral code (OR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.38–3.87). Older employees declared feeling inadequate in the workplace (OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.07–3.65) and younger employees referred to be anxious about meeting financial budget goals. Workers who had a low positivity had a lower probability of adaptation (OR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.83–0.93). Conclusions: The occupational stress level in the banking sector involves many aspects: gender, type of bank, role, personal morals, high job-demands, low level of decision-making. This study recommended that banks should implement strategic interventions for well-being of employees, and consequently for their productivity. PMID:29642586

Assessing validity of observational intervention studies – the Benchmarking Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Malmivaara, Antti

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Benchmarking Controlled Trial (BCT) is a concept which covers all observational studies aiming to assess impact of interventions or health care system features to patients and populations. Aims: To create and pilot test a checklist for appraising methodological validity of a BCT. Methods: The checklist was created by extracting the most essential elements from the comprehensive set of criteria in the previous paper on BCTs. Also checklists and scientific papers on observational studies and respective systematic reviews were utilized. Ten BCTs published in the Lancet and in the New England Journal of Medicine were used to assess feasibility of the created checklist. Results: The appraised studies seem to have several methodological limitations, some of which could be avoided in planning, conducting and reporting phases of the studies. Conclusions: The checklist can be used for planning, conducting, reporting, reviewing, and critical reading of observational intervention studies. However, the piloted checklist should be validated in further studies.Key messagesBenchmarking Controlled Trial (BCT) is a concept which covers all observational studies aiming to assess impact of interventions or health care system features to patients and populations.This paper presents a checklist for appraising methodological validity of BCTs and pilot-tests the checklist with ten BCTs published in leading medical journals. The appraised studies seem to have several methodological limitations, some of which could be avoided in planning, conducting and reporting phases of the studies.The checklist can be used for planning, conducting, reporting, reviewing, and critical reading of observational intervention studies. PMID:27238631

Health care among street-involved women: the perpetuation of health inequity.

PubMed

Bungay, Vicky

2013-08-01

I present the findings from a study that explored the experiences and decision making of street-involved women navigating the health care system. Data were drawn from a larger qualitative study situated in a western Canadian inner-city neighborhood that examined the health-management strategies of street-involved women with a history of crack cocaine use. Data were collected over a 17-month period and included ethnographic methods of participant observation, group interviews (n = 57), and in-depth interviews (n = 10). Inductive thematic analysis derived two major themes: power and punishment, and organization and delivery of care. The themes illustrate how women's experiences and decision making were located within a nexus of power relations that operated across women's shared social location as downtown eastsiders. Implications of the findings are discussed in relation to supporting women's efforts and improving health outcomes.

Family involvement in cancer treatment decision-making: A qualitative study of patient, family, and clinician attitudes and experiences.

PubMed

Laidsaar-Powell, Rebekah; Butow, Phyllis; Bu, Stella; Charles, Cathy; Gafni, Amiram; Fisher, Alana; Juraskova, Ilona

2016-07-01

Little is known about how family are involved in cancer treatment decision-making. This study aimed to qualitatively explore Australian oncology clinicians', patients', and family members' attitudes towards, and experiences of, family involvement in decision-making. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 cancer patients, 33 family members, 10 oncology nurses and 11 oncologists. Framework analysis methods were used. Three main themes were uncovered: (i) how family are involved in the decision-making process: specific behaviours of family across 5 (extended) decision-making stages; (ii) attitudes towards family involvement in the decision-making process: balancing patient authority with the rights of the family; and (iii) factors influencing family involvement: patient, family, cultural, relationship, and decision. This study highlighted many specific behaviours of family throughout the decision-making process, the complex participant attitudes toward retaining patient authority whilst including the family, and insight into influencing factors. These findings will inform a conceptual framework describing family involvement in decision-making. Clinicians could ascertain participant preferences and remain open to the varying forms of family involvement in decision-making. Given the important role of family in the decision-making process, family inclusive consultation strategies are needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A model study of factors involved in adhesion of Pseudomonas fluorescens to meat.

PubMed Central

Piette, J P; Idziak, E S

1992-01-01

A study was undertaken to investigate the factors involved in the adhesion of Pseudomonas fluorescens to model meat surfaces (tendon slices). Adhesion was fast (less than 2.5 min) and was not suppressed by killing the cells with UV, gamma rays, or heat, indicating that physiological activity was not required. In various salt solutions (NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, MgCl2), adhesion increased with increasing ionic strength up to 10 to 100 mM, suggesting that, at low ionic strengths, electrostatic interactions were involved in the adhesion process. At higher ionic strengths (greater than 10 to 100 mM) or in the presence of Al3+ ions, adhesion was sharply reduced. Selectively blocking of carboxyl or amino groups at the cell surface by chemical means did not affect adhesion. These groups are therefore not directly involved in an adhesive bond with tendon. Given a sufficient cell concentration (10(10) CFU.ml-1) in the adhesion medium, the surface of tendon was almost entirely covered with adherent bacteria. This suggests that if the adhesion is specific, the attachment sites on the tendon surface must be located within collagen or proteoglycan molecules. Images PMID:1444387

Service user involvement in mental health system strengthening in a rural African setting: qualitative study.

PubMed

Abayneh, Sisay; Lempp, Heidi; Alem, Atalay; Alemayehu, Daniel; Eshetu, Tigist; Lund, Crick; Semrau, Maya; Thornicroft, Graham; Hanlon, Charlotte

2017-05-18

It is essential to involve service users in efforts to expand access to mental health care in integrated primary care settings in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there is little evidence from LMICs to guide this process. The aim of this study was to explore barriers to, and facilitators of, service user/caregiver involvement in rural Ethiopia to inform the development of a scalable approach. Thirty nine semi-structured interviews were carried out with purposively selected mental health service users (n = 13), caregivers (n = 10), heads of primary care facilities (n = 8) and policy makers/planners/service developers (n = 8). The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed in Amharic, and translated into English. Thematic analysis was applied. All groups of participants supported service user and caregiver involvement in mental health system strengthening. Potential benefits were identified as (i) improved appropriateness and quality of services, and (ii) greater protection against mistreatment and promotion of respect for service users. However, hardly any respondents had prior experience of service user involvement. Stigma was considered to be a pervasive barrier, operating within the health system, the local community and individuals. Competing priorities of service users included the need to obtain adequate individual care and to work for survival. Low recognition of the potential contribution of service users seemed linked to limited empowerment and mobilization of service users. Potential health system facilitators included a culture of community oversight of primary care services. All groups of respondents identified a need for awareness-raising and training to equip service users, caregivers, service providers and local community for involvement. Empowerment at the level of individual service users (information about mental health conditions, care and rights) and the group level (for advocacy and representation) were considered

Preliminary Climate Uncertainty Quantification Study on Model-Observation Test Beds at Earth Systems Grid Federation Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, G.; Stephan, E.; Elsethagen, T.; Meng, D.; Riihimaki, L. D.; McFarlane, S. A.

2012-12-01

Uncertainty quantification (UQ) is the science of quantitative characterization and reduction of uncertainties in applications. It determines how likely certain outcomes are if some aspects of the system are not exactly known. UQ studies such as the atmosphere datasets greatly increased in size and complexity because they now comprise of additional complex iterative steps, involve numerous simulation runs and can consist of additional analytical products such as charts, reports, and visualizations to explain levels of uncertainty. These new requirements greatly expand the need for metadata support beyond the NetCDF convention and vocabulary and as a result an additional formal data provenance ontology is required to provide a historical explanation of the origin of the dataset that include references between the explanations and components within the dataset. This work shares a climate observation data UQ science use case and illustrates how to reduce climate observation data uncertainty and use a linked science application called Provenance Environment (ProvEn) to enable and facilitate scientific teams to publish, share, link, and discover knowledge about the UQ research results. UQ results include terascale datasets that are published to an Earth Systems Grid Federation (ESGF) repository. Uncertainty exists in observation data sets, which is due to sensor data process (such as time averaging), sensor failure in extreme weather conditions, and sensor manufacture error etc. To reduce the uncertainty in the observation data sets, a method based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was proposed to recover the missing values in observation data. Several large principal components (PCs) of data with missing values are computed based on available values using an iterative method. The computed PCs can approximate the true PCs with high accuracy given a condition of missing values is met; the iterative method greatly improve the computational efficiency in computing PCs

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

PubMed

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

2010-05-01

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

Participation of Adolescent Girls in a Study of Sexual Behaviors: Balancing Autonomy and Parental Involvement

PubMed Central

Short, Mary B.; Wiemann, Constance; Rosenthal, Susan L.

2009-01-01

Study Objective The process of research with adolescents should balance parental involvement and adolescent autonomy. The attendance of parents and peers at research study visits of girls participating in a 6-month study of topical microbicide acceptability is described, as well as the participants’ conversations with their parents. Methods Girls, 14 through 21 years, were recruited from previous studies (3%), advertisements (14%), clinics (17%), and recommendations by friends (66%) to participate. Girls under 18 years were required to have parental consent, but parents could provide verbal phone consent as long as a signed consent form was returned before participation. Results The 208 participants were 41% African-American, 30% Hispanic, and 29% Caucasian. Girls averaged 18 years of age, and 95 (46%) were under 18. Seventeen percent of parents attended the first visit; all but one was with a daughter of less than 18 years. The mothers of older adolescents were less likely to attend the appointment with them. More Caucasian than African-American girls came with a mother. Parental attendance decreased at follow-up visits. Thirty-seven percent of girls brought a peer to the first visit; there were no age or race/ethnic differences. There was no relationship between attending with a parent or peer and talking to a parent about the study. Some adolescents obtained parental consent to participate in the study while keeping their sexual behaviors private. Conclusions Parental attendance at study visits may not be marker of parental involvement with the study. Creative ways for balancing concerns about confidentiality, promotion of autonomy, and adult involvement should be considered. PMID:19345916

RELATIONS BETWEEN COPARENTING AND FATHER INVOLVEMENT IN FAMILIES WITH PRESCHOOL AGED CHILDREN

PubMed Central

Jia, Rongfang; Schoppe-Sullivan, Sarah J.

2012-01-01

One-hundred twelve primarily European American and middle-class two-parent families with resident fathers and a 4-year-old child (48% girls) participated in a longitudinal study of associations between coparenting and father involvement. At the initial assessment and one year later, fathers reported on their involvement in play and caregiving activities with the focal child, and coparenting behavior was observed during triadic family interactions. SEM was used to test cross-lagged associations between coparenting behavior and father involvement. Overall, paths from father involvement to coparenting behavior were significant, but paths from coparenting behavior to father involvement were not. Specifically, greater father involvement in play was associated with an increase in supportive and a decrease in undermining coparenting behavior over time. In contrast, greater father involvement in caregiving was associated with a decrease in supportive and an increase in undermining coparenting behavior. Multi-group analysis further showed that these cross-lagged relations did not differ for dual earner families and single (father) earner families, but these relations appeared to differ for families with focal daughters and families with focal sons. These findings highlight the potential for fathering to affect coparenting and the importance of considering the role of contextual factors in coparenting-fathering relations. PMID:21244153

Characterizing Musculoskeletal Injury among Aeromedical Evacuation Personnel: An Observational Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-28

three phases: a sampling study, laboratory observations, and field observations. In Phase I, 43 active duty AECMs volunteered to complete a...was administered via SurveyMonkey to volunteers from the USAFSAM Education and Training Department and the four active duty AE squadrons. The

A systematic review of ethical issues in vaccine studies involving pregnant women.

PubMed

Beeler, Jennifer A; Lambach, Philipp; Fulton, T Roice; Narayanan, Divya; Ortiz, Justin R; Omer, Saad B

2016-08-02

Immunization during pregnancy can provide protection for mother and child. However, there have been only a limited number of studies documenting the efficacy and safety of this strategy. To determine the extent and nature of subject matter related to ethics in maternal immunization by systematically documenting the spectrum of ethical issues in vaccine studies involving pregnant women. We conducted a systematic literature review of published works pertaining to vaccine and therapeutic studies involving pregnant women through searches of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Database, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We selected literature meeting the inclusion criteria published between 1988 and June 2014. We systematically abstracted subject matter pertaining to ethical issues in immunization studies during pregnancy. Immunization-specific ethical issues were matched and grouped into major categories and subcategories. Seventy-seven published articles met the inclusion criteria. Published articles reported findings on data that had been collected in 26 countries, the majority of which were classified as high-income or upper-middle-income nations according to World Bank criteria. Review of these publications produced 60 immunization-specific ethical issues, grouped into six major categories. Notably, many studies demonstrated limited acknowledgment of key ethical issues including the rights and welfare of participants. Additionally, there was no discussion pertaining to the ethics of program implementation, including integration of maternal immunization programs into existing routine immunization programs. This review of ethical issues in immunization studies of pregnant women can be used to help inform future vaccine trials in this important population. Consistent documentation of these ethical issues by investigators will facilitate a broader and more nuanced discussion of ethics in immunization of pregnant women - offering new and valuable insights for programs

A systematic review of ethical issues in vaccine studies involving pregnant women

PubMed Central

Beeler, Jennifer A.; Lambach, Philipp; Fulton, T. Roice; Narayanan, Divya; Ortiz, Justin R.; Omer, Saad B.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Immunization during pregnancy can provide protection for mother and child. However, there have been only a limited number of studies documenting the efficacy and safety of this strategy. Aims: To determine the extent and nature of subject matter related to ethics in maternal immunization by systematically documenting the spectrum of ethical issues in vaccine studies involving pregnant women. Method: We conducted a systematic literature review of published works pertaining to vaccine and therapeutic studies involving pregnant women through searches of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Database, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We selected literature meeting the inclusion criteria published between 1988 and June 2014. We systematically abstracted subject matter pertaining to ethical issues in immunization studies during pregnancy. Immunization-specific ethical issues were matched and grouped into major categories and subcategories. Results: Seventy-seven published articles met the inclusion criteria. Published articles reported findings on data that had been collected in 26 countries, the majority of which were classified as high-income or upper-middle-income nations according to World Bank criteria. Review of these publications produced 60 immunization-specific ethical issues, grouped into six major categories. Notably, many studies demonstrated limited acknowledgment of key ethical issues including the rights and welfare of participants. Additionally, there was no discussion pertaining to the ethics of program implementation, including integration of maternal immunization programs into existing routine immunization programs. Conclusion: This review of ethical issues in immunization studies of pregnant women can be used to help inform future vaccine trials in this important population. Consistent documentation of these ethical issues by investigators will facilitate a broader and more nuanced discussion of ethics in immunization of pregnant

Factors Influencing Parental Involvement Among Minors Seeking an Abortion: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Dekleva, Anna; Tristan, Sigrid; Gilliam, Melissa L.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We explored factors that influenced whether minors involved or excluded a parent when seeking an abortion. Methods. In the summer of 2010, we conducted interviews with 30 minors who sought an abortion in a state that did not require parental involvement at the time. Interviews were coded and analyzed following the principles of the grounded theory method. Results. The majority of minors involved a parent. Commonly cited factors were close or supportive parental relationships, a sense that disclosure was inevitable, a need for practical assistance, and compelled disclosure. Motivations for not wanting to involve a parent, although some minors ultimately did, included preservation of the parent–daughter relationship, fear or detachment, and preservation of autonomy. Conclusions. Minors were motivated to involve parents and other adults who were engaged in their lives at the time of the pregnancy, particularly those who supported them in obtaining an abortion. Motivations to exclude a parent were often based on particular family circumstances or experiences that suggested that involvement would not be helpful, might be harmful, or might restrict a minor’s ability to obtain an abortion. PMID:25211726

Scientific and Ethical Approaches for Observational Exposure Studies

EPA Science Inventory

Researchers conduct observational human exposure studies to understand how and the extent to which people come into contact with chemicals and environmental stressors in their everyday lives, through the air they breathe, the food and liquids they consume, and the things they tou...

Parental Involvement and Student Motivation: A Quantitative Study of the Relationship between Student Goal Orientation and Student Perceptions of Parental Involvement among 5th Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendoza, Christine Daryabigi

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine a possible relationship between student perceptions of parental involvement and student goal orientation for an ethnically diverse fifth grade elementary population from high-poverty schools. This study was quantitative in nature and employed the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales (PALS) to assess the…

A Study of Lipscomb University Students' Internet Use and Involvement in Extracurricular Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Samuel Aarron

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze Lipscomb University students' Internet use and involvement in extracurricular activities. A survey of students at Lipscomb University was conducted. As confirmed by the data the research was able to determine that the type of extracurricular activity a student participates in most often is related to the…

Challenges in translating endpoints from trials to observational cohort studies in oncology

PubMed Central

Ording, Anne Gulbech; Cronin-Fenton, Deirdre; Ehrenstein, Vera; Lash, Timothy L; Acquavella, John; Rørth, Mikael; Sørensen, Henrik Toft

2016-01-01

Clinical trials are considered the gold standard for examining drug efficacy and for approval of new drugs. Medical databases and population surveillance registries are valuable resources for post-approval observational research, which are increasingly used in studies of benefits and risk of new cancer drugs. Here, we address the challenges in translating endpoints from oncology trials to observational studies. Registry-based cohort studies can investigate real-world safety issues – including previously unrecognized concerns – by examining rare endpoints or multiple endpoints at once. In contrast to clinical trials, observational cohort studies typically do not exclude real-world patients from clinical practice, such as old and frail patients with comorbidity. The observational cohort study complements the clinical trial by examining the effectiveness of interventions applied in clinical practice and by providing evidence on long-term clinical outcomes, which are often not feasible to study in a clinical trial. Various endpoints can be included in clinical trials, such as hard endpoints, soft endpoints, surrogate endpoints, and patient-reported endpoints. Each endpoint has it strengths and limitations for use in research studies. Endpoints used in oncology trials are often not applicable in observational cohort studies which are limited by the setting of standard clinical practice and by non-standardized endpoint determination. Observational studies can be more helpful moving research forward if they restrict focus to appropriate and valid endpoints. PMID:27354827

What role does health literacy play in patients' involvement in medical decision-making?

PubMed

Brabers, Anne E M; Rademakers, Jany J D J M; Groenewegen, Peter P; van Dijk, Liset; de Jong, Judith D

2017-01-01

Patients vary in their preferences towards involvement in medical decision-making. Previous research, however, gives no clear explanation for this observed variation in their involvement. One possible explanation might be health literacy. Health literacy refers to personal characteristics and social resources needed for people to access, understand and use information to make decisions about their health. This study aimed to examine the relationship between health literacy and self-reported patient involvement. With respect to health literacy, we focused on those competences relevant for medical decision-making. We hypothesized that people with higher health literacy report that they are more involved in medical decision-making. A structured questionnaire was sent to members of the Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel in May 2015 (response 46%, N = 974). Health literacy was measured using five scales of the Health Literacy Questionnaire. A regression model was used to estimate the relationship between health literacy and self-reported involvement. In general, our results did not show a relationship between health literacy and self-reported involvement. We did find a positive significant association between the health literacy scale appraisal of health information and self-reported involvement. Our hypothesis was partly confirmed. The results from this study suggest that higher order competences, that is to say critical health literacy, in particular, are important in reporting involvement in medical decision-making. Future research is recommended to unravel further the relationship between health literacy and patient involvement in order to gain insight into whether health literacy might be an asset to enhance patient participation in medical decision-making.

What role does health literacy play in patients' involvement in medical decision-making?

PubMed Central

Brabers, Anne E. M.; Rademakers, Jany J. D. J. M.; Groenewegen, Peter P.; van Dijk, Liset; de Jong, Judith D.

2017-01-01

Patients vary in their preferences towards involvement in medical decision-making. Previous research, however, gives no clear explanation for this observed variation in their involvement. One possible explanation might be health literacy. Health literacy refers to personal characteristics and social resources needed for people to access, understand and use information to make decisions about their health. This study aimed to examine the relationship between health literacy and self-reported patient involvement. With respect to health literacy, we focused on those competences relevant for medical decision-making. We hypothesized that people with higher health literacy report that they are more involved in medical decision-making. A structured questionnaire was sent to members of the Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel in May 2015 (response 46%, N = 974). Health literacy was measured using five scales of the Health Literacy Questionnaire. A regression model was used to estimate the relationship between health literacy and self-reported involvement. In general, our results did not show a relationship between health literacy and self-reported involvement. We did find a positive significant association between the health literacy scale appraisal of health information and self-reported involvement. Our hypothesis was partly confirmed. The results from this study suggest that higher order competences, that is to say critical health literacy, in particular, are important in reporting involvement in medical decision-making. Future research is recommended to unravel further the relationship between health literacy and patient involvement in order to gain insight into whether health literacy might be an asset to enhance patient participation in medical decision-making. PMID:28257472

Applying the Intervention Model for Fostering Affective Involvement with Persons Who Are Congenitally Deafblind: An Effect Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martens, Marga A. W.; Janssen, Marleen J.; Ruijssenaars, Wied A. J. J. M.; Huisman, Mark; Riksen-Walraven, J. Marianne

2014-01-01

Introduction: In this study, we applied the Intervention Model for Affective Involvement (IMAI) to four participants who are congenitally deafblind and their 16 communication partners in 3 different settings (school, a daytime activities center, and a group home). We examined whether the intervention increased affective involvement between the…